In the endless darkness, she repeatedly relived her unhappy past.

There, first Raul, then Erzé, and finally Callid mocked her misery. Bellia was helpless, like someone trapped in a swamp.

‘A notorious villainess who, blinded by love, even offered her country to the empire…’

The words Raul left behind remained seared in her memory, refusing to be erased.

She wanted to scream that he had ruined everything. But from the moment she took Raul’s hand, the terrible assumption that his words might be true became reality, weighing heavily on her entire body.

Callid said it was taken away, but that wasn’t it.

‘I simply coveted something that was never mine to begin with.’

In the silent and quiet empress’s palace, Bellia stood alone. No one remained by her side.

The old and neglected empress’s palace seemed like a reflection of Bellia herself.

Every corner of the palace was engraved with the bitter regret that she should have let him go first, at the moment Raul brought Erzé.

“Bellia.”

It felt like a stranger.

For their happiness, her unhappiness became fertilizer, and the abandoned one was isolated, slowly falling into the abyss.

If hell existed, would it be a place like this?

Why couldn’t she be happy?

Tears flowed down Bellia’s cheeks.

“Bellia. Please…”

Red blood flowed on the cold floor, soon forming a pool. Following the flowing blood with her gaze, she saw her final form, dead with eyes that couldn’t even close.

Everything pooled on the floor had drained from her body. Bellia let out a silent scream.

Please.

Someone end this endless nightmare.

Bellia’s consciousness gradually faded, as if sinking into the deep sea.

“Please don’t cry, Bellia.”

A cool touch brushed Bellia’s cheek.

At that moment, she could sense that someone was watching over her in this place of despair.

The gaze looking at her was so tender that it kept making her heart ache.

Even in the pitch-black darkness where nothing could be seen, only the trajectory of that gaze shone warmly and brightly.

Bellia wanted to follow that light. She wanted to escape from this hellish place.

So, shaking off the curse-like words clinging to her, she made one last struggle.

And the moment she finally grasped that light.

“…”

When Bellia returned to reality, not a dream, and lifted her heavy eyelids, Callid’s blue eyes, brimming with tears, filled her blurry vision.

“…Why are you crying?”

As she asked in a hoarse, cracked voice, a teardrop fell onto Bellia’s cheek with a plop.

“Hm? Callid.”

“…I was a bit scared that you might not wake up.”

“That’s not possible.”

Bellia smiled faintly and reached out to Callid.

He took her hand and rested it against his cheek.

The warmth on her palm felt nice.

“…You’ve been ill for a full day.”

“I was lying down for a long time.”

“They said it was overwork.”

“I see.” Bellia nodded her head slightly.

“I was planning to rest after finishing just the urgent matters… I feel quite ashamed now.”

Bellia said with a broad smile, but Callid’s expression was rather serious. He also looked a bit angry.

He squinted one eye as if displeased and spoke heavily.

“I asked the maids, and they said you hardly eat properly unless it’s with me.”

“Well…”

It wasn’t that she hadn’t eaten anything at all.

But Bellia swallowed her excuses and decided to listen to him obediently. She knew it was all because he was worried about her.

“I think you need to stay away from work for a while. As you said, most of the urgent matters have been dealt with.”

“But…”

“Your office will be closed for the time being.”

It was a statement that made her heart sink.

There were still a few unfinished tasks left.

But Bellia let out a small sigh and agreed to his words.

“…I understand.”

She knew that she had been extremely sensitive lately.

Perhaps her mental state had weakened as her physical strength diminished due to the busy schedule.

The negative emotions she felt while looking at Erzé were probably fears that had been hidden deep inside Bellia.

Thinking that those fears had seeped out through the cracks of her weakened state, she couldn’t argue with Callid’s words about needing rest.

“For now, go to the library you like, read books or have snacks, and have dinner with me in the evening. And make sure to go out for walks often, even if you have to make time for it.”

Callid gently stroked Bellia’s hair and lightly kissed her forehead.

“I will.”

“Good. That’s my girl.”

His tone was as gentle as if soothing an upset child. Finding it amusing, Bellia chuckled, “Puhehe.”

“What about Lady Kinetta? She must have been very surprised yesterday.”

“She’s been coming every hour to ask about your well-being. But if you’re not up for it, you don’t have to see her.”

Bellia was grateful that he told her she didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to.

“…Then just for today.”

Bellia said, as if being indulged.

“If I feel better tomorrow, I should have tea with her in the garden. I promised before.”

“If that’s what you want, then do so.”

His eyes looking at her were full of affection.

‘…I’ve come too deep.’

She shouldn’t have given her heart to Callid.

She shouldn’t have loved him, as she had resolved at first.

But why are feelings so difficult?

Once emotions start to move, they can’t go back to how they were before.

“That’s all fine, but please don’t overdo it.”

He radiated light.

It was natural to chase the light in darkness. No matter how much one falls and gets hurt, it’s impossible to give up on the light that illuminates the way forward.

In Bellia’s world, Callid was the light.

He was the savior who would pull her out of hell.

“I won’t overdo it. Um, and… I think everything will be okay now.”

Bellia smiled, her eyes gently curving.

Somehow, she felt like she could finally cut ties with Erzé without any lingering attachment.

“Your Majesty the Empress! You must not enter!”

“Let go! How dare you stop me! I’ve come to see my son, so move aside at once!”

Raul’s peaceful expression frowned at the commotion coming from outside.

As the servant beside him fidgeted nervously, constantly watching for his reaction, Raul sighed and said,

“It’s alright. Escort Her Majesty inside.”

As soon as Raul gave permission and the door opened, the Empress entered Raul’s office in an aggressive manner, completely unlike her usual elegant demeanor.

“What brings you here?”

“…I heard you took out the tiara from the vault.”

Without any greeting, she spoke in an angry voice about her purpose, to which Raul chuckled and replied in a light tone as if joking.

“I took it out and put it back in.”

But this attitude only angered the Empress more, and she shouted.

“To give to the princess of Ronica? I don’t know if you’re in your right mind!”

“Of course I am in my right mind.”

Raul got up from his work desk and sat comfortably on the sofa. Then he gestured to the servant.

“Her Majesty must be very thirsty, so bring water instead of tea.”

“Yes, understood.”

At this outrageous attitude, the Empress let out a big, hollow laugh.

“You really seem to have changed lately. You’re not being rational at all.”

“I think I’m more rational than mother, who rushed here just because I took out a tiara from the vault.”

Raul was a bit annoyed at the Empress for tiring him out over a mere tiara.

Crossing his legs arrogantly and looking down at the Empress, Raul opened his mouth.

“I have a lot to do. Tell me why you came here, mother.”

“Everyone in the palace knows that you’re still hung up on that princess. Why do you keep doing this even after getting engaged to the Lady of Canterif?”

“I’ll handle it myself.”

“You didn’t seem to care much then, so why are you having regrets now? Did that girl from Ronica play some trick on you?”

Raul didn’t want to hear any more from the Empress.

He raised one corner of his mouth, not hiding his sneer.

Bellia played some trick on him?

If she had, he wouldn’t be so desperate.

“When I heard the list of things you took out, do you know how appalled I was! Even I never got to use those…”

“Despite all your complaints, isn’t that what you’re really upset about? Isn’t it?”

Would Bellia also be shaken a bit after receiving his gift, like how the Empress is making such a fuss? When would her cold gaze and horrible expression towards him change?

Even with the Empress, his mother, right in front of him, Raul kept thinking about Bellia.

“Those tiaras are too much for you, mother. But for Bellia, they’re only natural.”

“What on earth…!”

Raul uncrossed his legs and leaned forward.

Then he whispered softly to the Empress, mixing in a warning.

“I intend to make Bellia the Empress. So please be careful with your words and actions, mother.”

The Empress stuttered with a bewildered face.

“You, you! Do you even know what you’re saying? You have the Lady of Canterif…”

However, Raul ignored the Empress’s words and stood up from his seat. Then he leaned quietly against the window, staring intently at the Second Prince’s Palace beyond the garden.

He couldn’t resist the urge to go there right now and drag Bellia out. But now was the time he had to hold back.

“You don’t have to say that, I’ll treat the Lady of Canterif well until I become Emperor, so don’t worry, mother.”

Raul’s voice became as gentle as before.

At this, the Empress’s expression softened a bit as she opened her mouth.

“…You need the power of the Duke’s family. Even with His Majesty’s favor, it’s useless if you don’t gain the power of the nobles. You know that, right?”

“Of course.”

Isn’t that why he’s enduring having Ellin Canterif by his side?

‘It’s a pity. I really wanted to see Bellia with the ‘Sun’s Joy’ on her head.’

Raul let out a light chuckle and coldly gazed at the Second Prince’s Palace, tinted red by the sunset.