“I love you… Sinclair.”

With a voice trembling uncontrollably, Elaina once again poured out her true heart to him.

It wasn’t that she didn’t think that expressing her feelings this way might one day turn into regret.

But… as the days went by, the more she faced Sinclair, the more she could no longer pretend not to see and swallow down these feelings that endlessly shook her.

It felt as if she was completely naked in front of Sinclair, without a single thread of clothing…

But Elaina was neither embarrassed nor backing down. She just quietly looked at Sinclair and waited for his answer.

And to her eyes, Sinclair looked like someone fighting his own battle, struggling to find the words to start.

… Perhaps it was because you also felt the same way I did.

No, even if it wasn’t exactly the same, maybe there was a time when your heart was directed towards me.

“I…”

Soon, a voice much lower than usual flowed out from between Sinclair’s lips that slowly began to move.

“Elaina…”

Clearly reflected in Elaina’s eyes that shone blue like the ocean, he was talking to himself.

This is the last chance.

If you cross this line, you won’t be able to turn back anything.

Someday, you will surely hurt Elaina.

Because Elaina, Elly, still hasn’t forgiven Ren. You.

Sinclair couldn’t tell if it was the last advice from his current self who still couldn’t let go of Elaina despite all this time, or a scream from young Ren who had lost Elly forever…

That voice just kept echoing like an echo and then began to fade like the fog of a summer morning…

Before he knew it, Sinclair was quietly looking into Elaina’s eyes, listening only to the sound of her breath.

Who was it that said the sea touching the sky constantly makes people dream, even if it’s obviously a dream that can’t come true.

Sinclair was the same.

His horizon, contained in Elaina’s eyes, was pleading.

… Don’t run away anymore.

Don’t lose her again, the one you miraculously found.

“I’m also…”

So Sinclair had no choice but to speak the truth as if groaning.

“No different…”

“…”

“From the moment I first saw you… always… without a single moment missing…”

You don’t know how much I regretted it, Elaina.

I should have held you tightly in my arms at least once before those days completely ended. I shouldn’t have been afraid.

But if I had held you so tightly that you would break, would I have collapsed more miserably? Would I have shattered like ruins where no one had set foot for a long time?

But those days that Sinclair had lost forever were about to begin again. Even if it meant deceiving Elaina.

“… I love you, Elaina.”

Sinclair spoke as if spitting out the words, with an expression that was neither smiling nor crying.

“To the point of endlessly losing myself…”

“…”

“But to the point of thinking irresponsibly that it’s okay to be ruined like this… I love you.”

For a moment, rough waves could be seen on Elaina’s eyes.

Along with the relief that had stopped like a drought since harboring those feelings.

No more words were needed.

Sinclair reached out and held Elaina in his arms as if locking her in without a single gap. Then he kissed her.

It was a very thirsty kiss, held back and endured for a lifetime.

Passionate, burning breaths explored each other’s lips. Elaina slightly embraced his neck while being held in Sinclair’s arms, and Sinclair shared breaths with her even deeper than before.

“Sinclair…”

Elaina called his name, slightly panting, either because she was out of breath from the unfamiliar kiss. Sinclair slowly released her a little from his arms, and then carefully put his forehead against hers.

And then he closed his eyes tightly.

… Elly.

You don’t know how pathetically I pretended to be an adult in front of you.

To endure these words.

To hide these feelings.

What came into Sinclair’s sight as he opened his eyes with a sorrowful expression was the twisted ankle peeking out from between the blankets.

If I have to keep deceiving you like this.

If that’s the only way you can stay by my side…

I’ll endure it as much as it takes.

I’ll manage it somehow.

The worry that you’ll find out the truth someday and leave me will eventually fester and burst like a wound that went bad…

But I can still bear it.

“…”

Elaina had no way of knowing Sinclair’s rotten selfishness of wanting to keep her by his side no matter what. And the fact that the endlessly growing selfishness would eventually strangle her.

But that was still in the future, and for Elaina now, there was only the arms that held her with all their might, the warmth, and the endlessly desperate golden eyes gazing at her, which were her entire world.

So she mustered up the courage and kissed Sinclair on the cheek.

“… It ended up just as you said, Sinclair.”

Then she slightly lowered her head and spoke in a small voice.

“Ridiculously, I was intoxicated by playing the princess consort and had vain feelings for you.”

[Were you worried that I might ridiculously get intoxicated by playing the princess consort and harbor vain feelings for you? You don’t even care about me, but you were afraid I might cling to you.]

On the day before the founding festival.

Recalling the words she had said to Sinclair, who had treated her only coldly like the frost of midwinter.

“… What I said then wasn’t true.”

[I won’t care about you or keep you in my heart. But it’s also true that I was worried you might get the wrong idea, and I didn’t want to step up and help you as if doing you a favor.]

“There was never a moment when I didn’t care, never a moment when I didn’t keep you in my heart.”

“…”

“The reason I didn’t want you to step up… was because I was afraid you’d get hurt like this time.”

Once the truth poured out, there was no way to stop it. But it was inevitable. Now that he had conveyed the truth that he had hidden behind the petty name of guilt all his life, the things and lies that followed were even more unbearable.

“Stay by my side, Elaina.”

“…”

“Even after a year has passed. Even after I take the throne and become the emperor.”

Elaina’s eyes, filled with Sinclair, wavered greatly like crashing waves.

She had conveyed her true feelings, but she didn’t dream of such things. No, she didn’t dare to dream. She was still someone who could do nothing for him.

“… I don’t have the confidence to let you go now.”

But Sinclair whispered in her ear, his voice pleading and earnest.

“But… I won’t be able to give any strength to Sinclair who has become the emperor.”

“I don’t need such things.”

Sinclair replied firmly.

“I just need to become a stronger emperor. An emperor who doesn’t need anyone’s help.”

“I might be pointed at and criticized because of me. The position of the prince consort and the empress are different.”

“I don’t care. I won’t listen to what anyone says anyway.”

“Sinclair, I…”

“Promise me… Elaina.”

At the voice that was unusually broken with desperation, Elaina quietly looked at Sinclair with her mouth closed.

“That no matter what happens in the future, you’ll stay by my side. That you’ll never leave me.”

“…”

“That’s the only thing I want from you.”

Then, and now.

Sinclair met Elaina’s eyes, painfully swallowing his following words.

And Elaina…

‘Why does he look so much like someone standing on the edge of a cliff.’

Why does he look so much more precarious than before I conveyed my true feelings?

As if he thinks I will abandon him and leave someday.

Sinclair’s heart was so desperate and painful that Elaina hugged him tightly in her arms once again.

And then she told him.

“I will do that.”

“…”

“I swear I will stand by your side no matter what happens in the future. So… don’t worry about anything.”

Only then did she feel the trembling in the large hand slowly stroking her delicate back as if relieved. She couldn’t understand what made Sinclair so anxious, but Elaina hugged him with all her might.

Because this was the only thing she, who would be of no help, could do for Sinclair whom she loved.

It was no different from the one thing Sinclair solely wanted from Elaina.

“…”

Feeling Elaina’s warm breath on his neck, Sinclair heard their heartbeats touching each other. As if they had been one from the beginning, beating at the same speed and making the same sound.

And he prayed endlessly and sincerely wished.

Even if he rots and crumbles, he hoped these days would never end and last forever.

He would pay for the sin of deceiving and betraying Elaina with his life, so please don’t take her away from him anymore…

“I love you, Elaina.”

Then he said it again with force.

“With all my heart…”

“…”

“… And forever from now on.”

As if those words were the only spell that could protect them now.