“When summer comes, it’ll probably reach up to your waist.”

That day seemed not far away.

Liz closed her eyes, trying to feel the approaching summer gradually. The refreshing scent of newly sprouted greenery could be sensed in the clear spring air. The warmth of the sunlight was increasing, and the dry air seemed to be getting more humid. And then…

Suddenly, a chill invaded her nasal cavity, and she almost sneezed.

Liz, startled by the abrupt situation, opened her eyes. The green field was nowhere to be seen. Instead…

“……!”

The empty space was right in front of her.

She stood at the dizzying edge of a cliff where the end couldn’t be seen.

Startled by the sudden situation, Liz took a step back.

‘Why am I here? This place…’

Inid Giam Cliff. It was the place where she had faced her end in the original work.

It was a peaceful and fulfilling situation, definitely, so why was she suddenly brought to this place that she had blacked out and forgotten from the original work? Why was she standing at the place of the original work’s final moments that she had completely forgotten?

Perplexed, Liz turned her body.

“Whoa!”

For a moment, her focus wavered at the figure that suddenly appeared in front of her. If she hadn’t regained her focus in time, it could have been a big problem.

“Why… Why are you here?”

“Why? Well…”

A cheerful laughter emerged in the voice.

“Because we should be here. Us.”

Lirea’s appearance had gained a bit of weight compared to the last time Liz saw her.

However, everything, including the atmosphere, clothes, expression, and way of speaking, was different from back then.

She seemed more like the Lirea from a much earlier time, a Lirea who disguised her true intentions with kindness.

“Sister.”

With a gentle smile in her eyes, Lirea spoke.

“If you’ve enjoyed enough, please give it back now.”

“G-Give back? Give back what?”

“My place.”

Taking a step forward, Lirea said.

Liz unknowingly took a step back.

“That’s not your place there, Sister.”

“Well… What’s suddenly with that?”

“What’s with that, you know well.”

With a sly look in her eyes, Lirea took another step forward.

“Sister took my place. Originally, I was supposed to be the Empress.”

Liz’s eyes shook violently. Her body trembled involuntarily at the sudden revelation of her secret. Staring at her as if savoring the sight, Lirea continued.

“Sister is not qualified to sit in that position. What can Sister do, anyway? Deal with people well, speak well?”

The venomous words mercilessly pricked at Liz’s weak spot.

“I can do everything. I’m much more suited to be the Empress than Sister.”

Lirea took another step forward. And Liz took another step back.

A rock got wedged under Liz’s heel and rolled down the cliff.

The sound of it hitting the ground was not heard.

“I can… I can do it too.”

“…….”

“What you’re doing, I can do it too.”

Liz spoke with determination, as if not willing to yield.

“Is that so?”

Lirea smoothly pulled up the corners of her mouth.

“Then…”
Suddenly, her eyes changed color.

“Then you should also come back from the threshold of death!”

Lirea pushed Liz with force.

Losing balance, Liz fell backward. She took a big step, but there was no ground to step on.

Her flipped body fell into the endless cliff…

“Ugh!”

Liz sat up abruptly, groaning.

Neither the lush foliage nor the mist-covered void was visible.

It was a dream!

“You’ve awakened, Lady Aristea.”

In a moment of relief, as Liz was trying to catch her breath, a voice suddenly reached her ears.

“I hesitated whether to wake you up or not because you weren’t waking up at all, but I’m glad.”

Seyra said. Liz realized that she had overslept. The sun had risen so high that it barely cast any light into the room.

“I’ll bring the meal. It’s almost lunchtime, but… well… you still need to eat something, even if it’s simple.”

Liz noticed that Seyra kept avoiding eye contact with her.

Her face turned red to the tips of her ears.

‘Why is she acting like that?’

Liz quickly understood the reason.

Her upper body was exposed.

The entire torso was exposed to the bright air, adorned with pinkish markings here and there…

“Enough with the meal… Can I have some bathwater?”

Liz said, pulling the blanket up to her chest.

“Yes… Lady Aristea.”

After Seyra left, Liz, belatedly realizing the deep throbbing pain, sank back onto the bed.

It had been a repetitive pattern since the night three days ago when she first shared a bed.

Due to the torment throughout the night, she always took a light nap, and in the mornings, she could never get up properly.

‘That’s probably why I’m having such a strange dream.’

But Harsis was different. He seemed even more refreshing and energetic than usual.

It was a feeling of vitality…

Liz sighed, looking down at her upper body.

“Still, he had the discretion not to nibble on the dress neckline.”

Apart from that, all the care she received from him… was just the care she received on the first day.

‘He said it was only three times. Why hasn’t the frequency decreased?’