The winter in Eregron begins and ends with snow.

Although snow does not fall and accumulate continuously throughout the winter, the snow that increases little by little each time it falls is enough to completely bind the feet of people and beasts by the end of winter.

That was precisely why Alicia hurried to prepare to move to Rasa Castle.

“The last snow of winter has begun to fall.”

In the most luxurious and beautiful bedroom of Rasa Castle.

Alicia’s muttering, as she stood by the window looking at the snow accumulating outside, left a faint trace on the cold glass.

“Your Majesty, it’s cold by the window. Please come inside.”

Amy, who had come to the bedroom early in the morning to attend to Alicia’s morning routine, called out to her with a voice full of concern.

Unlike the cold, white world outside the window, inside the warm bedroom, Amy stood holding a white towel, while Mina stood beside her holding a basin of warm water for washing up.

It was a morning scene that had been repeating daily since moving to Rasa Castle.

“I was thinking of being lazy today…”

“Wash up first, then think about it.”

Grumbling softly at Amy’s nagging that wasn’t quite nagging, Alicia finished her morning wash and carefully massaged her face with beauty water and cream. Then, as if truly bothered, she crawled back into bed still wearing her robe.

“I’m bored…”

“Didn’t you say it was nice to be quiet and not busy?”

“Yes. For the first week.”

Alicia had never properly taken a rest during her time as Emperor before turning back time.

She, who had been mentally overwhelmed until the moment she chose death, was able to take a real rest for the first time in a long time at Rasa Castle.

The problem was that, perhaps because she had grown accustomed to moving so busily during her time as Emperor that it left her breathless, the peaceful days without any incidents or accidents had become too boring.

‘Even when winter ends, I won’t be able to return to the Imperial Palace…’

When spring comes and the accumulated snow melts, she might be able to go out, but since she came here under the pretext of illness, she had to be mindful of the gazes around her.

‘Should I go to the greenhouse?’

There was a glass greenhouse in Rasa Castle as well.

Although it didn’t boast a scale as large as the one in the Imperial Palace, the greenhouse, just the right size for having a cup of tea while taking in the sight of vibrant flowers regardless of the season, was a gift from Adrian for Alicia’s tenth birthday.

It was something Adrian had created by pouring all the money he had saved until then, realizing that even if he saved and scrimped the budget allocated to the Crown Prince, he couldn’t gift a beautiful castle like the Emperor could.

A greenhouse that requires so much human attention in Rasa Castle, which is visited only a few times a year.

Of course, there was a separate manager, and Alicia only had to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

However, perhaps due to the memory of experiencing the terror of ‘budget’ firsthand during her time as Emperor, she could no longer enjoy the scenery innocently like she did in her childhood.

‘Brother is too frugal when he should save money, and too extravagant when he spends. I hope Sienna keeps him in check this time too…’

At this point, Adrian and Sienna were newlyweds who had only been married for 3 months.

Sienna, who was still too busy adapting to the atmosphere of the Imperial Palace to properly show her true personality, would undoubtedly be able to stop Adrian’s occasional outbursts better than anyone else once her adjustment period was over.

‘She was a strong woman. But not just someone who was only strong.’

Before the regression, Sienna, who had lost her husband before seeing an heir, voluntarily stepped down from her position as Crown Princess and entered a convent so as not to be an obstacle to Alicia succeeding to the throne.

It was a decision made just a month after losing her husband.

At the time, Alicia was in shock from losing her brother and misunderstood Sienna’s seemingly calm appearance as not feeling much grief over the loss.

That misunderstanding was cleared up when she contacted the convent to ask for her help after the Emperor collapsed.

The fact that Sienna, who had seemed composed, had actually lost her will to live.

That she had hanged herself on her first day in the convent because of it.

That her death was not reported in accordance with her last wish to not add to Alicia’s burden.

How much she regretted when she belatedly learned these facts.

‘This time, I’ll protect everyone.’

Alicia’s sky-blue eyes sparkled as she turned her head to look out the window again, still lying face down on the bed.

The tragedy that began with Adrian’s death.

Shocked by the loss of his beloved son, the Emperor collapsed and never recovered, eventually crossing the river he could never return from to see his beloved son.

The wife who lost her beloved husband hanged herself, and Alicia, left alone…

‘I had to watch as the person I loved was branded with the stigma of killing my family.’

It was the death of her flesh and blood.

No matter how incompetent Alicia might be, she was still the Imperial Princess and had been the Emperor.

She used all the abilities at her disposal to track down those who had caused Adrian’s death, but only confirmed that it was a simple accidental death.

And while she was tracking down the culprit, rumors spread.

Rumors that the Duke of Diaz, who had become the Imperial Princess’s fiancé, had killed the Crown Prince to gain power.

In the end, Adrian died, Alicia succeeded to the throne, and Killian used her to seize power, so it wasn’t entirely wrong.

But Killian killing Adrian!

That was impossible.

Alicia, who was the only heir to the throne, silenced them with her power.

It was a decision she could make because of her love and trust in Killian, although there was some political judgment involved as well.

After that, there were no one who openly spoke about the incident on the surface, but underneath, there were not a few who twisted and chewed the story to their liking, enjoying the gossip.

‘Killian… I’ve given up my love for you. So this is my debt of heart. If you hadn’t been my fiancé, you wouldn’t have had to hear such things.’

She would prevent Adrian’s death and stop the subsequent tragedies.

In addition, she would prevent Killian from being involved in any unsavory incidents because of it.

‘…Now that there won’t be an engagement or marriage, do I not need to worry about that?’

The engagement was indeed a mistake.

Look, just by correcting that one thing, doesn’t it already seem like things are working out properly!

Alicia, who had been staring blankly out the window for a while, pulled the corners of her mouth into a gentle smile.

She felt like only good things had been happening since her regression.

‘I hope only good things continue to come…’

Alicia made a brief wish while looking at the snow falling outside the window and got up from where she had been lying.

She had intended not to take a single step out of bed today, but lying still and being lazy just didn’t suit her.

‘Since it’s been a while, I should go sightseeing in the greenhouse until I’m tired of it. Should I tell them to bring some sweet tea today?’

Alicia was organizing her thoughts for today’s schedule while sitting in front of the dressing table, smoothing her hair with a comb made of buffalo horn.

Just as she was finishing up her thoughts, thinking that today would be another peaceful and slightly boring day.

Suddenly, her bedroom door opened and Mina rushed in with an urgent look on her face, standing in front of Alicia.

“Mina? What’s the matter?”

“Y-Your Majesty! Something terrible… Something terrible has happened!”

“Huh?”

What could have happened to make her face turn so pale?

Moreover, Alicia swallowed dryly, feeling uneasy as she saw Mina clearly checking her reaction very seriously.

“Calm down and tell me. What happened?”

“T-That, I mean, the wolves!”

“Wolves?”

Alicia’s gaze briefly touched the window.

When the last snow of winter falls, the mountain beasts of Eregron stay holed up in their dens and don’t come out.

Let alone wolves?

Alicia knew that since Rasa Castle was built here, for safety reasons, fierce beasts were driven out or killed and cleared from a certain area every year.

There couldn’t be wolves here now.

That’s why she became even more curious.

Although Mina could be a bit clumsy at times, she was someone who never lied in front of Alicia.

Not only by nature but also due to Amy’s systematic education, Mina was Alicia’s loyal servant and a child who could unhesitatingly give her life for her at any time.

For such a child to mention wolves that absolutely cannot be seen in this area at this time?

“Mina. I’ll ask again. What happened?”

“Yes, yes! I’m sorry! The wolves of Diaz are heading here with their master!”

“…What?”

The wolves of Diaz referred to the Badulf unit, Killian’s direct subordinate unit specializing in beast hunting.

And those wolves were heading towards Rasa Castle with their master?

For a moment, Alicia recalled hearing the news that Killian was heading towards the Imperial Palace before she left the capital, and she hurriedly turned her gaze towards the window.

Killian’s letter was sent on the day he left the Binion Duchy.

The time it took for the letter to be delivered through beasts and people, and the time it took for Alicia to leave the Imperial Palace after hearing the news.

Adding to that the time it took to move to Rasa Castle and the time spent here, the answer came quickly.

‘You encountered the last snow just short of reaching the capital!’

Rasa Castle is located slightly off the path leading to the capital.

Killian, who had been moving quickly, encountered the last snow of winter just short of reaching the capital and got stuck.

Thanks to Alicia who had boasted about Rasa Castle here several times in her letters to him, he would know its exact location.

“…Who brought that news?”

“One of the wolves, Your Majesty. They say they encountered the last snow during their journey and the road was blocked. They remembered that Rasa Castle was here and came to ask for permission to stay until the snow stops…”

“…He didn’t know I was here.”

“Yes. They were planning to ask the castle manager for permission and report it after the fact when they stopped by the Imperial Palace in spring…”

Mina’s words weren’t registering properly.

At this moment, the only thing filling Alicia’s mind was the fact that Killian was coming here.

The most beautiful and cruel wolf of Diaz was approaching her.