When Asiz reached the villa, he paced around with a complicated expression before roughly running his hand through his hair.

This whole situation felt like a dream.

No, it should have been a dream.

Otherwise, it was simply unbelievable.

“Why did things turn out like this? I came back to set everything right……”

Of course, he was prepared for Letia not to forgive him easily, and he thought it would take time to break off the engagement.

Still, he could have waited as long as it took.

He was confident he could make everything right.

“You getting married. And to my elder brother of all people……”

Just then, the door opened and Letia entered.

Asiz immediately approached Letia, but she spoke firmly without closing the distance between them.

“This will be the last time we meet like this. I am now the Grand Duchess of Harencloud, so it is not appropriate for me to meet alone with Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

When the words “Grand Duchess” finally left Letia’s lips, Asiz’s breathing became rough as his suppressed emotions burst forth.

“Is this what you meant by talk of marriage? How could it be with elder brother Kallion!”

“What’s the problem? Your Highness is also engaged to my younger sister.”

“That’s a different situation!”

“It looks exactly the same to me. I broke off my engagement, so I simply changed husbands. Just like Your Highness.”

As her emotions peeled away layer by layer, her voice sank even colder.

She felt no regret towards Asiz, and even felt a little sorry, but that was it.

To a strange degree.

‘It doesn’t hurt.’

The expressions of Asiz and Letia were in stark contrast.

Asiz, who had become agitated, barely managed to collect himself and urgently grasped Letia’s shoulders.

“I know you’re angry with me. I’m sorry. I tried to protect you then. But Her Majesty said if she didn’t send you away then, only you would get hurt!”

His hands trembled as he held Letia, and his voice continued pitifully.

“I was still young then. I didn’t have the power to protect you completely. So I thought that was the best I could do. But I never forgot you once in those 5 years!”

His hands cupped Letia’s cheeks, ceaselessly caressing them, applying pressure with his fingertips to keep her from turning her head away as he met her gaze.

Hoping his feelings would reach her like before.

But like pouring water into a leaky vessel, no matter how much he poured out his heart, Asiz’s image was not reflected in Letia’s eyes.

“His Majesty has decided to make me his proxy. I’m gaining power. With that power, I can protect you. To gain this power, to come to you, do you know how hard I’ve worked for 5 years!”

As his caressing hands became increasingly desperate in grasping her, Letia covered the back of his hands with her own.

For a moment, color returned to Asiz’s face, but Letia slowly lowered his hands. Then she poured out all the inner feelings she couldn’t fully express at Selene Palace.

“When I realized my hair had turned to ash and there was no jewel in my heart, honestly, I was scared. Of everyone turning their backs on me, of having to endure alone in that huge imperial palace.”

She couldn’t tell anyone.

No, there was no one to tell.

As if the Winter Spire had been moved to Selene Palace, she was abandoned there alone, growing colder with each breath she took.

“At that time, I didn’t expect Your Highness to protect me. I just thought you would be by my side. Just being there, saying it’s okay. Don’t be afraid. That one word of comfort was all I desperately needed. For me, that would have been enough.”

She really didn’t wish for anything big or grand.

She knew he was young and powerless, just like her.

She just wanted that one thing, to be with him even for a moment.

‘I was so scared, I didn’t want to be alone……’

She longed for that warmth of someone being by her side, like in the Winter Spire……

Suddenly, Letia hesitated at the thought that popped up.

‘What warmth? I was always alone in the tower?’

“I’m sorry, I’m truly sorry Letia……”

But Letia couldn’t dwell on her thoughts for long.

Right now, the situation before her eyes was more important than such mirage-like memories.

This was the time to properly tie up loose ends.

“On the day I was mercilessly cast aside and driven out. Your Highness was nowhere to be found. Did you not know I was leaving the palace?”

“I knew. But I couldn’t protect you right then……”

“Your desire to gain the power to properly protect me was purely Your Highness’s selfishness. You didn’t even ask me to wait that one time. No. You never once asked me anything.”

“So you must resent me. I can accept all that resentment and wait until you forgive me.”

“No. I don’t resent you. Your apology is enough. I wanted to end things properly, and that’s done.”

Asiz shook his head at Letia’s emotionless voice, devoid of any fluctuation in feeling.

“I am married, and Your Highness has a fiancée.”

“Don’t talk about another fiancée. I can persuade Mother. It’s different from before. I’m no longer a child!”

“Are you saying you’ll defy Her Majesty the Empress’s orders? Can you defy them?”

“It’s different from before. I will marry you. I promised you. Before and now, I have never given up on you!”

He desperately tried to hold onto her.

“Trust me, Letia. Please……”

But his earnestness and desperation seemed meaningless to Letia.

Seeing him crumble so easily, she clearly realized one thing.

‘The reason my heart doesn’t hurt, I see now. To me, you are truly just the Crown Prince now.’

When she returned the blue stone to him, it was already over.

No, perhaps long before that.

She felt no hatred for him, but no affection either.

“I don’t want someone who will avenge me after I die. I just need someone who will be on my side in any moment.”

Letia slowly began to back away, gradually distancing herself from Asiz.

“Your Highness is the same. Still young, still Her Majesty the Empress’s most cherished. To such a person, I am a flaw.”

And just like before, she bowed her head coldly polite and courteous.

“From now on, as the Grand Duchess of Harencloud, I will show proper respect to Your Highness. So please show me proper respect as well.”

“So. Is elder brother different?”

Asiz’s eyes darkened and wavered.

Letia hesitated slightly at this expression she had never seen since knowing him.

“Does elder brother love you? Do you love elder brother?”

“……At least he has always been by my side.”

Letia unconsciously touched the bite mark Kallion had left.

In truth, she was able to do this incredible thing because of Kallion, because he was by her side.

Though she shouldn’t fully trust him yet, thanks to Kallion she felt for the first time the reassurance of having someone by her side.

‘I was so scared, I didn’t want to be alone……’

She had longed for that warmth of someone being there, like in the Winter Spire……

“I’ll be going now.”

Letia turned her back on him completely and disappeared.

Left behind, Asiz bent over, breathing heavily.

The emotions of pleading with Letia became entangled with anger, repeatedly stabbing at him.

“In the end, you couldn’t answer. Of course. Because there’s no way you love elder brother. So there’s still a chance.”

He was willing to wait as long as it took anyway.

“It’s just. A little setback.”

His labored breathing subsided, and an uncharacteristically murky voice spread low.

The always gentle and calm look in his eyes was gone as well.

“My engagement stopped here, so I can end your marriage too.”

Eyes tinged with madness blinked in the empty air.

***

After leaving the villa, Letia didn’t want to return to the Grand Temple and stood still, at a loss for where to go.

The storm-like moment had passed, and as the tension left her body, a chill came over her.

As a child, she often got trapped in the Winter Spire and hated the cold.

Moreover, the chill that had seeped deep into her bones then still tormented her at times. But Letia kept forcing strength into her body.

“Let’s not appear weak anymore. Don’t be discouraged, be confident. This is the first decision I’ve made for myself.”

It was bitter that revenge was the first choice she had made, having never been able to make choices since childhood.

Trying hard to forget the cold, Letia grasped the railing and stared down below.

Gaudium was at the highest point in Elmorte, so the scenery was visible at a glance.

The most striking among them was Elmorte’s massive waterway, Tephnet.

The water from that waterway starting at the Winter Spire was the product of the deal between the imperial family and House Cristalos.

Letia wrapped her increasingly trembling body with a gloomy expression.

‘Did Father know that was how Mother died.’

For a moment, Letia let out a bitter laugh.

“I must be tired. To be having such useless thoughts.”

Even if he knew, nothing would have changed.

Because Father didn’t love Mother.

The only thing Father loved was the family’s honor.

Just then, a large frock coat fell over her shoulders, enveloping her in a familiar scent and warmth.

When Letia quickly looked up, Kallion was there as expected.

Letia composed her expression and opened her mouth.

“I’m sorry. I was going to return right away……”

“It’s fine. You don’t have to go.”

“But His Majesty the Emperor is still here……”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Recalling Asiz who had returned to the Grand Temple, Kallion kept Letia here.

“Your work at Gaudium is done. Now we should go to the Grand Duke’s residence together.”

At his words about going to the Grand Duke’s residence together, Letia was seized by a strange tension.

Oddly, the scent emanating from his frock coat felt even stronger.

Letia hurriedly tried to take off the frock coat, but he had already buttoned it up, dressing her more securely.

“It’s fine……”

“You don’t like the cold. This should make you a little less cold at least.”

Letia paused for a moment.

‘How does he know that?’

“Now I’m finally keeping my promise.”

“Pardon?”

“The promise to meet again in a warm place.”

At times, his words with meanings she couldn’t understand and his gaze that felt both unfamiliar yet familiar made Letia’s heart feel strange deep inside.

Caught up in this strange feeling, Letia’s lips moved on their own.

“We didn’t first meet in the Red Forest, did we?”

Kallion’s pupils dilated as he swallowed a tense breath.

Letia continued in a daze.

“Our first meeting was……”