Ariel wanted to live.

She thought she could remain composed, but as soon as she started writing letters to leave for her parents, she couldn’t do anything and burst into tears.

One last time.

As soon as the path opened, she rode her horse as if her body would break apart to see Kaius’ face once more and try to persuade him again. When he discovered her and approached slowly, Ariel quickly turned her horse’s head and backed away. It was to maintain a proper distance, but Kaius’ eyes narrowed at the sight.

Kaius, who had stopped walking, tilted his head crookedly. Lemon’s face beside him was colored with bewilderment, and Butler Ted was no different.

“I came to ask one more time. Please allow it.”

Throughout the ride, Ariel had made countless promises not to cry. Perhaps because of that, she was able to speak in a fairly composed voice when she saw him.

Kaius was personally feeling how sincere Ariel’s words about wanting to live were. I don’t know for sure, but the current decision must not have been easy. Judging by how she kept her distance from him, she seemed ready to flee as soon as he refused.

How audacious. Though she seemed to have made some preparations, it only looked laughable to him. No matter how much distance she tried to create, now that she had appeared before him, there was no way he would let her go.

“Come in.”

Kaius, who spoke in a low voice, turned and walked into the mansion.

Ariel didn’t move. If she went in, he wouldn’t just let her leave again.

“Answer me first.”

At Ariel’s firm words, Kaius slowly turned around and looked at her for a long time. His gaze slowly swept over the passing pedestrians before stopping again on Ariel’s face.

“Come in.”

His voice, which had lowered further, carried more intimidation.

Seeing Kaius’ attitude of only speaking his own words without answering, Ariel was overwhelmed by a feeling of emptiness. What had she expected when she rushed here? Still, she had no regrets as she had done her best until the end.

“No. I guess it was my own greed after all. I’ll be going now. Your Grace, thank you for your time.”

Ariel, who briefly brushed past him, turned her horse without hesitation.

“Stop right there.”

Kaius commanded in a low voice towards Ariel, who had turned away.

Disregarding him, Ariel spurred her horse and set off. There was no reason to listen to Kaius or accommodate him anymore. But Kaius quickly closed the distance she thought was quite far and blocked the horse’s path. People passing by began to glance as the startled horse reared up.

“Please move aside, Your Grace.”

Kaius didn’t budge from in front of the horse. As if daring her to try and pass over him.

Ariel turned her horse’s head to the side to avoid him, but Kaius blocked her path again and covered the horse’s eyes with his large hand. Ariel was about to kick the horse’s side again, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it out of concern that he might get hurt.

As time passed, the murmurs of people recognizing Kaius gradually became audible. They wondered if the duke was having an affair, that he had brought his former mistress to the capital. This happened because Ariel’s appearance was mostly hidden by her cloak. Their words reached her ears as well, and frustratingly, her mind recalled the contract clauses and penalties. Seeing herself like this made her feel pathetic, and a despairing sigh naturally escaped her lips.

“I told you in the note.”

“That you’d take responsibility?”

There was no need to explicitly mention “with death.” It was something they both knew well.

“Yes.”

“Because of that flower?”

“Yes.”

Throughout her answers, Ariel’s demeanor was not just upright, but now clearly showed signs of annoyance. Chuckling, Kaius moved slightly to the side of the horse.

“Was your promise to save me also a lie?”

“You already know. That I’m leaving to save you. So please move aside now.”

Each word she uttered quietly and calmly grated on Kaius’ nerves. By the time the white breath that flowed between her lips had faded, Kaius had suddenly mounted the horse behind Ariel. As the startled horse reared up in excitement, he snatched the reins from her hands and quickly calmed the animal.

“What are you doing? Get down. I’m going to leave.”

Kaius sneered at her cheeky words about leaving.

“You can choose whether to get off the horse now and go into the mansion to talk, or ride like this all the way to the Tris main house.”

Kaius whispered in a low, soft voice.

“Choose, Ariel. I’ll respect your wishes.”

As Kaius’ lips brushed against her earlobe, Ariel’s body bristled with goosebumps from the startling sensation. Even in this desperate moment, the thought that he only wanted one thing made her anger surge. She hit him with all her might and struggled with all her strength, but his arm firmly gripping her waist remained as hard as iron.

Ariel could instinctively sense that if they went to Tris like this, nothing good would happen. Regardless of her guilt towards him, not wanting to spend her remaining time with this man, Ariel made a firm decision and opened her mouth.

“…Let’s go inside.”

If she couldn’t avoid it, it was better to choose for herself.

***

As soon as the front door opened, Ariel began to walk ahead.

Kaius’ eyes narrowed at her behavior, which was hard to see as the same woman who had been adamantly refusing to enter just moments ago.

But whatever the reason.

The clear fact that the woman who had run away had returned of her own accord quite satisfied him. With his lips slightly raised, Kaius gladly followed behind his wife.

Ariel climbed the stairs illuminated by soft lighting and opened the door to his bedroom, causing Kaius to tilt his head crookedly. The number of times she had opened his bedroom door herself could be counted on one hand, and even then, she had only entered voluntarily on their wedding night and when she volunteered as a healer. He felt a sense of anticipation about what reason it would be today.

When he entered after pausing a few steps behind, Ariel had already removed her cloak and gloves and placed them on the tea table. And a small dagger as well. Kaius carefully examined her figure as she stood with her back turned. Hair roughly tied up in a single knot, a dress that commoners might wear. His face lightly furrowed at the sight of her far from proper attire. Seeing her trembling body, Kaius closed the door, took off his coat, and headed towards the fireplace.

Ariel thought that what he wanted was only one thing. He had no intention of allowing her to grow Zaparos, so what other reason could there be for insisting on going to the mansion? His actions over the past time had been more than enough to make Ariel feel that way. So she needed to give him what he wanted quickly and leave.

Ariel neatly removed her boots next to the table and took steps that wouldn’t move readily towards the bed. It took more courage than expected to undress herself, but after taking several deep breaths, Ariel began to untie the laces fastening the front of her dress.

By the time Kaius had put logs in the fireplace and stood up, Ariel’s white shoulders were already exposed. Seeing this sight, Kaius was dazed for a while.

Even during moments when she tried to win his favor over the past few weeks, she had never undressed herself. As he quietly watched her, Kaius felt his head spin as if drunk on alcohol he hadn’t even consumed.

“What are you doing now?”

“What you want.”

Even as she answered softly, Ariel’s hands continued to move slowly, revealing more and more of her pale skin. Now the dress would fall to her feet if she just let go of it.

“What exactly do you think I want? Since when did you come to know my heart so well?”

At his words, thrown out as if in derision, Ariel clutched her dress tightly. Even in that moment, Kaius smiled self-deprecatingly at his own heated breath. His hands loosening his neatly tied tie and unbuttoning the top buttons of his shirt were rougher than usual.

“Isn’t this… what you wanted when you stopped me from leaving?”

“Ha…”

Kaius sighed in exasperation and looked at Ariel. What was she trying to do, trembling so miserably? How dare she.

“Please let me leave when it’s over. …I want to spend my last days where I choose.”

“…What?”

At her attitude as if bestowing a final act of mercy, even the faint trace of a smile on Kaius’ face disappeared. By the time his tightly clenched hand opened again, his breath was no longer calm.

Kaius’ eyes, which had slowly closed and opened, were filled only with coldness.

Kaius slowly approached behind Ariel and untied the ribbon in her hair, causing her long silver hair to flow softly down to below her waist. Startled, Ariel bit her lip hard to keep from trembling. This was what she had chosen herself. So she had to endure it.

The man’s shadow fell heavily over her body as she was laid on the bed. Her body trembled involuntarily as his hand gently stroked her hair.

Kaius smiled slightly as he looked into Ariel’s eyes, mixed with clear fear and resignation.

His touch, which had wandered over her shoulder and pale cheek, suddenly gripped Ariel’s neck.

If she was so determined to die.

It could be a consolation to himself, trampled by the woman he had longed for. Or it could be mercy bestowed upon the woman who had made him feel an emotion he had never known how to name before. If he just applied a little more force to his hand now, both his tarnished mood and his lingering attachment to the woman dragging him down into the mire would disappear cleanly.

But damn it.

Why did she look at him with those eyes?

It wasn’t resentment or hatred, but relief, or perhaps joy. Meeting that gaze made his head burn and increased his anger towards this woman even more.

“You said you wanted to live.”

Unable to speak or nod, Ariel only blinked her eyes.

“Then beg.”

“……”

“You should beg for your life, Ariel.”

“……”

As if no longer wanting to see the cruel man’s face, Ariel closed her eyes. That sight further provoked his anger. As force gradually built in his hand, her face turned deathly pale. Yet her motionless, doll-like demeanor drew out curses. Damn it. He felt utterly lost and helpless, not knowing what to do. Finally, Kaius released her neck with a despairing sigh and got off her body.

Only then did Ariel’s airway clear, and she slowly opened her eyes, breathing heavily. Her eyes, filled with questions, saw Kaius standing with his back turned at the edge of the bed.

“Grow it.”

“…Pardon?”

Ariel’s voice trembled faintly.

“That flower that will kill me, grow it. As you wish, Ariel.”