Erina and Sandes enjoyed a pleasant time with Revil until dinner.

They shared unfinished stories, briefly setting aside their sorrows and anger to spend time together filled with happiness.

At Erina’s invitation, Sandes and Revil decided to spend a day at the Medelia mansion before leaving.

As Revil was still young, he prepared for bed not long after dinner ended.

Though reluctant to part from Erina whom he had met after a long time, he went to sleep with a regretful face only after securing a promise to have breakfast together tomorrow.

After Sandes left to put Revil to bed, Erina quickly handled the work that had piled up due to spending an enjoyable day.

As Erina worked in silence in her office for a while, she checked the time upon hearing a sudden knock.

Surprised that more time had passed than she thought, Erina responded to the one knocking on the door.

“Come in.”

The one who entered through the opening door was Sandes, holding wine and glasses in both hands.

Erina couldn’t help but smile at his playful expression as he shook the wine.

“Sandes.”

“Should I have come a bit later?”

“No, it’s fine.”

Erina rose from her desk and approached him as he entered and closed the door.

Taking the glasses from Sandes’ hands, she led him to the table opposite her desk.

Various desserts were arranged on the table.

The table was fully set as usual by Butrel and Heila for Erina, who often skipped meals and ate little.

Sandes looked at the desserts with a satisfied expression and carefully filled Erina’s glass with wine.

“This is our first time.”

Erina held the glass now full of wine with both hands, looking at the sparkling purple wine with an excited face.

Seeing her lovely expression, Sandes smiled brightly and quickly filled his own glass before setting down the wine bottle.

“You’re right, it’s our first time, isn’t it?”

Sandes spoke meaningfully, showing her a playful smile with deepened eyes.

Reading the passion brimming in his eyes, both playful and intense, Erina blushed and chided him.

“Sandes!”

“Hahaha!”

At his hearty laughter, Erina turned her head and sipped the wine to moisten her lips.

Quietly watching Erina sip her wine, Sandes called to her softly.

“Erina.”

As Erina looked at him with round eyes, he asked in a low voice.

“It’s that woman, isn’t it?”

Erina could tell that much content was packed into Sandes’ single phrase.

Despite the seemingly casual question, Erina smiled gently at Sandes’ expression, filled with worry that she might be hurt.

“That’s right.”

Erina slowly rotated her wrist, quietly gazing at the wine swirling in her glass.

The purple hue resembling blood looked as distant as an uncertain future.

“Rose Asila, Peiron’s mistress, is the descendant of the last remaining fairy from the Risky family.”

Sandes narrowed his eyes sharply at the rushing thoughts and tilted his wine glass.

“The Alliance of Small Kingdoms will revere Rose and endlessly race towards their ultimate goal of destruction.”

“Is there a reason?”

“A reason? Because that is the reason for their existence.”

There was only one reason why the Risky family still existed.

It was because the fairy left descendants to fulfill the unaccomplished destruction, even if it meant dying for it.

Rose had taken everything from Erina while exploiting even this aspect of the Risky family.

She didn’t care what happened to the sacrificial lambs in order to fulfill her endless greed.

“That’s all there is to it.”

Erina’s hand holding the glass trembled slightly.

It was because the cruel acts they had committed in her dreams came flooding back like a deluge.

Erina gulped down the wine in her glass to soothe her constricting insides.

“Aren’t you curious? How I know all this so well.”

“Erina.”

Avoiding Sandes’ eyes still full of worry despite her cynical tone, Erina stood up.

She picked up the wine bottle on the table and filled her glass to the brim.

“Every night, I see them, feel them, and suffer alone until I’m frustrated.”

Though she spoke nonchalantly, the recurring dreams were wearing Erina down.

The gradually crumbling empire, innocent people dying, the land full of despair and screams.

Although it was a dream, helplessly watching the empire filled with nothing but despair left Erina feeling powerless.

Erina gulped down the refilled wine again.

Due to drinking hastily, some flowed between her lips and down her throat.

“Erina.”

After finishing it all, Erina wiped the wine trickling down her chin with the back of her hand.

The dark red wine spread, staining her lips and surrounding area with a purple tint that was also reddish like flower dye.

Though it was an unconscious action, Sandes couldn’t resist approaching her, finding the sight erotic.

Unaware of his feelings, Erina grabbed Sandes’ collar and said,

“You know what? I wish they would all disappear from my mind.”

Even Sandes’ sneering expression as he lifted his reddened lips felt dizzyingly sensual.

“Especially Rose, I wish she would struggle and die as much as I suffered and was in pain.”

With the shortened distance, they could feel each other’s hot breaths right in front of their faces.

Sandes felt he might become intoxicated by the deep scent of wine mixed with her sweet breath.

Every time Sandes thought he couldn’t fall for her any deeper, he found himself helplessly falling even more.

“Sandes, I’ve decided to become the villainess myself for the sake of that woman who tried to make me one.”

“Erina.”

He felt saddened by her trembling gaze, fragile despite her harsh words.

His heart ached seeing her always hurting herself, unable to be ruthless like him, constantly struggling and suffering as she made resolutions.

“No matter what happens, I will become a wicked and cruel villainess, at least to that woman.”

Sandes gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, touching her trembling eyelashes that held unshed tears.

“Yes, Erina. Become the villainess.”

Sandes slowly traced the red wine stain that ran from her chin to her neck with his thumb.

“I, too, will gladly become the villain for you.”

Entranced by his touch, filled with deep and immense desire, Erina pulled on his collar that she had been holding.

Under the enchantingly shining moonlight, their faces slowly drew close to each other.

A dazzling and brilliant night enveloped them.

[This is the timeline separator]

After a late breakfast due to the long night, Sandes prepared to return to the Kerenik viscounty with Revil.

Revil, reluctant to part from Erina whom he had met after a long time, clung to her since morning, whimpering.

Erina, amused by the child’s adorable behavior, held his hand and saw them off.

“Revil.”

“Yes, Lady Countess.”

Erina couldn’t help but laugh at the child’s sulky face that was so cute.

“Next time, I’ll come visit the Kerenik mansion.”

At that, Revil’s ears perked up and he wiggled his body.

“You promise?”

Though pouting, Revil couldn’t hide the twitching of his lips, clearly full of expectation.

Unable to resist his lovable gesture, Erina kissed the top of his head, which seemed as if it would emit a sweet fragrance.

“Yes, I promise.”

“I’ll be waiting!”

Revil’s mood instantly improved, and he jumped up and down, his face turning rosy.

Erina’s heart swelled at the sight of Revil now acting truly his age with such innocence.

The child who had once curled up and built walls against the world had now shed his shell and was ready to take flight on his own.

How could one not be moved?

As Erina straightened up from bending to talk with the child, Sandes approached.

“Erina.”

Approaching with a bright smile reminiscent of Revil’s, Sandes leaned in and whispered in Erina’s ear.

“I’ll be waiting too. So take good care of yourself until then.”

The voice resonating in her ear reminded Erina of his constant whispers from last night, causing her to take a startled step back.

“I, I will.”

Noticing Erina’s reddened ears, Sandes burst into laughter and approached her again, placing small kisses on her cheek.

Sandes and Revil departed, leaving behind Erina who was rubbing her cheek where his hot lips had touched.

Erina stood there for a while, watching until the carriage disappeared, then headed to her office, leading her body that felt unusually stiff today.

Upon entering the office, Terik, who had been working, noticed Erina and approached her with a newspaper.

“Terik.”

“His Majesty has announced a plan in response to the continuous petitions regarding the gate.”

As Erina unfolded the newspaper, she saw it was filled entirely with content about the gate.

After Erina’s visit to the temple and tower, word had spread among the nobles that a gate connecting the temple and tower had been activated in the Asilium Empire.

Despite the considerably weakened influence of the temple, devotees who still believed in the deity, along with scholars pursuing magical wisdom even after the end of the magical era, submitted petitions to the imperial court.

They asked for the gate to be operated.

However, the mana stones required to operate the gate for just one day were enormous, so the petitions were politely rejected.

But those who were undeterred joined forces, saying they would share the costs, and another wave of petitions poured in, asking for reconsideration.

The imperial court was in a predicament.

Not only was the cost of mana stones to operate the gate substantial, but since the gate was located behind the imperial palace, opening it would require opening the palace as well.

With the Alliance of Small Kingdoms changing their attitude now, they couldn’t recklessly open the imperial palace.

While the imperial court’s stance remained firm, petitions continued to come in.

In response, Enzo proposed one compromise.