“Your Majesty! My sincere congratulations!”

Immediately after the coronation ceremony, Marquis Taylor, the leader of the ministers, bowed deeply to Ileon.

“I knew from the beginning that a day like this would come.”

Ileon looked down at the thinning hair on the Marquis’s head and asked.

“How is the public sentiment among the people currently?”

“Due to Your Majesty’s coronation, the atmosphere is completely festive. It seems they don’t even care about the deaths of the royal family.”

Everything was going according to Ileon’s expectations.

Holding the coronation ceremony right after the royal family’s funeral was also meant to suppress people’s suspicions and discontent.

If Ileon had ascended to the throne while members of the royal family were still alive, he would have faced much opposition for breaking his vow not to take the throne.

However, with all the royals dead, Ileon ascending to the throne made him a hero, not a traitor.

Although there were those like Balt who harbored dissatisfaction towards him, it was nearly impossible to overturn the public sentiment that had completely shifted in his favor.

There was also the option of imprisoning Dietrich on charges of assassinating the royal family and all other crimes, but Ileon chose not to do so.

It was his way to give hope and then take it away.

When one thinks they can escape, but they’re already trapped and dying.

When what was thought to be hope turns out to be despair disguised as hope.

Ileon enjoyed seeing such desperate faces of those driven to the edge.

But he knew Dietrich wouldn’t even blink if imprisoned.

So he gave him various options, but who would have thought he’d choose to entangle bodies with his own sister.

‘I thought a clean freak like him would have abandoned that woman, never expecting him to choose that option.’

It seemed Celiya was more precious to Dietrich than he had anticipated.

“What do you plan to do about Celiya Brillion and Duke Calypso?”

At Marquis Taylor’s words, Ileon’s lips curled into a faint smile.

However, perhaps due to his short hair, even when smiling he appeared more ruthless than before.

Though the corners of his lips were upturned, the icy eyes within his sharp gaze held a keen edge.

Seeing this truly imperial demeanor, now stripped of his saintly facade, Marquis Taylor swallowed hard and said.

“Duke Calypso is a problem, but especially that wench Celiya, who rudely ran out in the middle of Your Majesty’s coronation…”

“Marquis.”

Ileon cut off Marquis Taylor’s words.

“Lower your voice. There are many ears listening.”

“I apologize. I got too excited and…”

Ileon gripped Marquis Taylor’s shoulder.

The old Marquis’s gaze shifted to the owner of the white, smooth hand without a single callus.

For a moment, he felt the wall-eyes beneath the ashen gray hair were as cold as ice.

“We’ll talk later. I have important matters to attend to now.”

Ileon’s hand fell away.

‘Even though he’s achieved the throne he so desired.’

After parting with Marquis Taylor, Ileon entered the emperor’s chamber and slowly ran his hand over the golden throne.

‘Why do I feel so uneasy? As if I’ve forgotten something.’

Ileon narrowed his eyes.

No one dared question his ascension to emperor.

This was because Arthur had cleaned up very neatly, and Ileon had manipulated public opinion.

‘Nevertheless.’

Something still bothered Ileon.

At the same time, Celiya’s voice automatically replayed in his mind.

−I’ll be taking my leave now. It’s less entertaining than I expected.

She was a woman who boldly said his coronation was boring.

−You’re not a good person, Duke.

Not a good person. It was the first time in his life he’d heard such words.

Anything worth tormenting is enjoyable.

Ileon smiled, closing his eyes. With his hair cut short, Ileon’s sharp features were more prominent.

Perhaps because of this, his smile seemed colder than before.

After much deliberation, Dietrich knocked on Celiya’s door.

Knock knock.

There was no answer from inside.

“Celiya.”

Dietrich softly called Celiya’s name.

He wanted to apologize to her.

Upon reflection, he concluded that making a decision without any discussion was indeed his mistake.

He hadn’t considered Celiya’s position at all.

From the beginning, he had only tried to use Celiya.

Under the pretext of protecting her, he had unhesitatingly spouted words about serving her as his master, intending to keep Celiya, with her abilities, by his side.

The fact that it had come back to bite him was all his own doing.

Celiya had no other options besides him.

Knowing this, he still tried to use her.

“I have something to say, Celiya.”

Dietrich called out to Celiya once more, but beyond the door it was quiet as a mouse.

Worried about Celiya, Dietrich flung open the door.

Dietrich’s gaze fell upon Celiya, curled up like a shrimp on the snow-white bed.

Only Celiya’s quiet breathing could be heard in the large room.

Dietrich approached the bed and called out to Celiya.

“Celiya, are you asleep?”

Celiya didn’t move at all.

Unable to tell if she was awake or not, Dietrich examined the sleeping Celiya closely.

Her dense eyelashes were lowered, and her breathing was steady, not irregular.

Celiya was in a very deep sleep.

So deep she couldn’t hear him calling.

A gentle smile appeared on Dietrich’s lips.

At the same time, out of concern for her, Dietrich looked down at Celiya with worried eyes.

If the person who had entered the room uninvited wasn’t him but someone else.

Those with strong abilities attract others frighteningly.

Whether they want it or not.

So he felt he should protect her.

Celiya’s ability didn’t work on Dietrich, who possessed healing abilities.

But Dietrich found himself becoming increasingly drawn to Celiya.

It’s not polite to secretly peek at someone sleeping.

Dietrich carefully covered Celiya with a blanket so as not to wake her.

The sleeping Celiya’s expression became more peaceful.

Dietrich unknowingly reached out to caress Celiya’s cheek, but stopped just before touching her.

“…”

Dietrich withdrew his outstretched hand.

At this rate, how was he any different from the crown prince who lusted after Celiya, or himself?

He was in no position to criticize others.

Tonight, Princess Reina had summoned him to her chambers.

In exchange for offering her body, she would guarantee Celiya’s life.

But was that really what Celiya wanted?

Perhaps he had hoped she would tell him to stop.

To make a decision on his own and then hope she would stop him.

‘I really am trash.’

Dietrich berated himself. He had no right to protect Celiya.

For Celiya, he might be an even greater threat than Ileon, who had become emperor.

“Feel free to fly away. If that’s what you want.”

Dietrich murmured softly.

He had thought having something to protect was troublesome.

But even more troublesome was harboring ill intentions towards something that should only be seen as an object of protection.

Dietrich carefully rose so as not to wake Celiya.

However, Celiya’s fragile voice caught Dietrich’s ankle.

“Don’t… go.”

Instead of taking a step, Dietrich stood still in that spot.

“Don’t leave me alone…”

Her voice, tinged with tears, was so sorrowful it seemed to pierce the heart of the listener.

“Mom… Dad…, don’t, don’t leave me alone. I have nothing left.”

“…”

“I don’t need abilities like this. Abilities that couldn’t even protect Mom and Dad…”

A single tear rolled down Celiya’s cheek from her closed eyes.

“If I don’t take revenge, who will… Mom, Dad. How can I face our kingdom’s people who died… I, alone…”

Celiya bit her lower lip and quietly sobbed, seemingly distressed.

“…I miss you.”

Dietrich looked down at the sleep-talking Celiya with complicated emotions.

It felt like he had seen something he shouldn’t have.

After a moment, Dietrich sat on the edge of Celiya’s bed and spoke to her.

“You’re not alone.”

At Dietrich’s words, Celiya’s sobbing stopped as if by magic.

“I’m here now.”

Dietrich took Celiya’s hand in his.

Celiya’s small hand met Dietrich’s large one.

Dietrich interlaced their fingers.

“So don’t cry. Okay?”

With his other hand, Dietrich wiped away the tears that had gathered in Celiya’s eyes.

This was the second time the usually confident and lively Celiya had shown such a vulnerable side.

The first time was when she was writhing in pain, her body ravaged from overusing her ability.

The second time was now.

Though skilled in swordsmanship, Dietrich was clumsy at comforting others.

Seeing Celiya cry for the first time, albeit in her sleep, Dietrich didn’t know what to do.

Had she been pretending to be fine all this time while harboring such deep pain?

Thinking this, his heart ached.

“I’ll stay with you. For as long as you want.”

So he uttered a promise he might not be able to keep.

At Dietrich’s words, Celiya’s crying stopped. Soon, Celiya fell into a deep sleep, breathing evenly.

Dietrich stayed by Celiya’s side, holding her hand.

He remained there throughout the long night, until the next morning when Reina, furious that he had broken his promise, set foot in his mansion.