Duke Takel Rukard Harencloud was the younger brother of the current emperor, Kalua Ruid Elmort, and was a general so powerful in his lifetime that he was called the barrier of Elmort.

When drought struck due to the rain that had made the three empires including Elmort disappear, it was a time of fierce war to occupy the Adamas, the only river left on the continent.

With thousands of victories in thousands of wars, the achievements and honors he built with his sword became the prestige and power of the imperial people, leading to Takel being given military authority.

However, he lost everything in just one war he lost.

Takel died on the spot when his troops were annihilated in the war to conquer the upper reaches, which were the core of the Adamas River.

But death was not the end.

“Please save us, Your Majesty! Our child is dying! He can’t breathe because his throat is so dry!”

“Your Majesty! Please give us water!”

As water became drastically scarce in Elmort after losing the upper reaches, and an epidemic swept through the empire endangering many lives, the voices of imperial citizens blaming Takel, whom they once revered, grew louder.

“I heard that the defeat in this war was General Takel’s fault!”

“General Takel died comfortably alone!”

“His sins must be punished even in death! He’s a criminal who endangered the empire!”

The once glorious House of Harencloud eventually fell, and Grand Duchess Aina, Kallion’s mother, passed away after suffering from the shock.

Amidst the anger of the imperial citizens, only young Kallion was left in the Harencloud family.

In that situation, Terisia, who was the crown prince’s consort, persuaded the head of Crystallos to make a contract with Crown Prince Kalua.

Subsequently, the head of Crystallos created water using Crystallos, a jewel with the power of ice, through a dangerous spell that risked his life.

“Crown Prince Kalua has taken care of us!”

“Crown Prince Kalua saved us! He’s the light of the Elmort Empire! A blessing!”

Eventually, Crown Prince Kalua became the crown prince and ascended to the throne, wielding powerful imperial authority.

Emperor Kalua, though Takel had endangered the empire, said that the honor of protecting the empire should not be forgotten, and erected a statue and built graves for the annihilated knights.

But angry imperial citizens destroyed Takel’s statue, scrawled “loser” on his name, and his portrait was tarnished.

Kallion, who lost everything in an instant and became the son of a criminal, was unable to inherit the title of duke and knelt.

While the nobles clamored that Kallion should be banished outside the empire, Empress Terisia made a suggestion, and Kalua agreed, telling Kallion:

“Though Takel made mistakes, we cannot forget his past merits. Thus, I want to give you, his son, a chance to atone for his sins in the frontier. This is also the empress’s consideration.”

“Then I will start as a low-ranking knight.”

“Are you sure? It won’t be an easy path.”

“I will pay the price I must pay, and reclaim everything.”

Starting as a low-ranking knight, Kallion came of age a few years later and spent 5 years roaming the battlefields of the frontier with the rank of captain.

Like a person without blood or tears, cutting off all emotions thoroughly.

He went to war a hundred times and obtained a hundred victories, cruelly and tenaciously like a monster.

Outwardly, it seemed as if he was apologizing on behalf of Takel’s sins, but Kallion never once thought of his father as a loser or a criminal.

Because that one war Takel lost was certainly not a coincidence.

***

Kallion stared at Takel’s damaged name.

“I want to protect those ordinary stars that the imperial citizens light in this land.”

Takel selflessly devoted everything to protect the small lamps that the imperial citizens lit at the end of a peaceful day, to protect that modest peace, but even that became a sin.

Kallion drew his sword. And he slashed at the word “loser” as if to shatter it in one stroke.

‘I’ve endured and persevered for years to come this far, Father.’

“I’ve paid the price I had to pay, now I will reclaim and take back everything.”

As Kallion left the gravesite, Kiyan, who had been waiting from afar, hurriedly approached.

“Do you know how much the head chamberlain scolded me? Now we must immediately go to have an audience with the emperor…”

“Where is Crown Prince Asiz now?”

“Huh? He’s probably in the crown prince’s palace or Selene Palace. I heard he gave Selene Palace to Lady Serina… Grand Duke? Your Grace! Let’s go together, Your Grace!”

***

Serina, who had made a grand entrance into the imperial palace, felt like her heart was about to burst.

“Is it true that His Highness the Crown Prince is letting me stay in Selene Palace?”

The imperial maid nodded with a faint smile at Serina’s excited tone.

“Of course. We will assist with your engagement preparations at Selene Palace.”

Selene Palace, meaning moonlight, was special in Elmort, which worshipped the sun.

The sun god loved the moon fairy and gave a piece of his light as a token of his heart, allowing the moon to become the brightest entity in the deep night.

Therefore, Selene Palace could be said to be a romantic and dreamy palace symbolizing the sun god’s deep love.

‘As expected, His Highness the Crown Prince has been waiting for me. Not Letia, that failure!’

Honestly, she had been anxious and hurt that she couldn’t meet Asiz for 5 years after their engagement, as he had been living outside the imperial palace at the academy.

Serina couldn’t hide this excitement.

“I must see His Highness the Crown Prince. It’s too long until the engagement ceremony. He must be wanting to see me too.”

“I’ve discreetly found out that His Highness is already on his way with a prepared gift.”

“Really? Then should I wear a new dress? I’ll redo my makeup, and…”

Serina quickly examined herself in the mirror with a trembling smile.

***

Letia was walking through Selene Palace with a somewhat complicated expression.

The place where she had stayed in the imperial palace, except when she was in the frozen winter tower.

The only place where she could breathe in the hellish imperial palace, and therefore…

‘A place where meaningless emotions remain.’

To think she had to stay in this palace of all places.

Serina probably didn’t know that she had stayed here before.

‘If she finds out, there will be another uproar.’

Letia furrowed her brow as if just thinking about it was tiring, then retraced her memories and took a step.

Her steps stopped at the courtyard.

As the place where moonlight shines best in Selene Palace, there was a tree in the courtyard.

The tree was very mysterious, with a snow-white trunk like moonlight and leaves that seemed to have a blue tinge depending on the sunlight.

Letia’s eyes wavered slightly as she looked at the tree.

This was the tree she had planted with him.

“You’re still the same.”

At the moment when emotions she couldn’t hide leaked out.

“You’re still the same too, Letia.”

At the familiar voice, Letia’s heart froze.

But soon, as her expression turned cold, she knelt down with an empty gaze and bowed her head.

“Glory to Elmort, this lowly one greets the esteemed Crown Prince Asiz.”

Asiz’s eyes shook as if about to crumble at Letia’s appearance.

It was extremely polite and flawless etiquette.

It was like meeting for the first time in 5 years.

Asiz grabbed Letia and raised her up with a bewildered expression.

“Letia, look at me. It’s been 5 years for us, right?”

He gently comforted Letia, but she still didn’t raise her head.

“May I dare to raise my head?”

Asiz choked up at Letia’s demeanor of drawing the line to the end, but soon slowly opened his mouth.

“It’s alright, raise your head.”

“Thank you for allowing me.”

The moment he saw Letia’s eyes, Asiz’s whole body trembled.

Because those eyes that used to sparkle brightly towards him with a radiant smile were no longer visible.

***

Kallion, who had entered the imperial palace, ignored the head chamberlain’s words that he should have an audience with His Majesty the Emperor, and immediately moved to Selene Palace where Crown Prince Asiz was said to have gone.

Kiyan opened his mouth, pretending to be perplexed but not really perplexed by Kallion’s behavior.

“Grand Duke, is it alright to keep defying the imperial order like this?”

“If they’re so displeased, they’ll just drive me out again. I just need to enter the Red Forest. I’d rather they send me back to the battlefield. Then they won’t tell me to get married anymore.”

“Yet you seem to want to see His Highness the Crown Prince. You’re trying to meet secretly like this because it would be the talk of the nobles if you meet separately at the engagement ceremony.”

At Kiyan’s words, Kallion hesitated and continued.

“…There’s no reason to hate Asiz.”

From the moment they were born, Kallion and Asiz had been like brothers.

But now they couldn’t be like before because Asiz was the only son of Emperor Kalua and Empress Terisia.

No matter how much Asiz didn’t want it, he was another tool of power for Empress Terisia and an obstacle to Kallion’s revenge.

Of course, there was another uncomfortable reason besides this, but…

‘That’s not Asiz’s fault.’

“If you know that, don’t follow me. It’ll just draw more attention unnecessarily.”

“Yes, yes.”

Leaving Kiyan behind, Kallion stopped for a moment with a stiff expression.

For some reason, he couldn’t see the soldiers or maids guarding Selene Palace properly.

Kallion hurriedly entered Selene Palace with a hardened expression. And as he looked around vigilantly, he saw Asiz’s back.

‘Is it not a dangerous situation?’

As Kallion was about to call out Asiz’s name while following behind him, he saw Asiz meeting with a woman.

At that moment, Kallion’s heart reacted subtly and he unconsciously murmured a name that came to mind.

“Letia…”

With that one name, his steps stopped on their own.