Previously
Irenia experiences a near-death vision of her past memories and her mother, Annaliza, while drowning. Meanwhile, Richard examines Caesar at the Emerald Palace and notes a miraculous stabilization of his curse, sensing traces of ancient magic.
Giovinetta said firmly,
“I will see to reprimanding my sister myself.”
At that, the Empress broke into a radiant smile, her eyes glistening for some reason with faint tears. Seeing her, Giovinetta knew at once that the Empress was a kindred spirit. The Empress reached out and took Giovinetta’s hand, and Giovinetta gripped it back with firm resolve.
“Will you help me?” the Empress asked.
Giovinetta replied with her usual mournful smile,
“I am already Your Majesty’s devoted servant.”
They went on talking of various matters, and by the time Giovinetta stepped out of the Empress’s palace, the sun stood high in the center of the sky.
‘I must go see Irenia… that wretched girl,’ she told herself.
Recalling the indignities she had suffered yesterday, and remembering how impudently Irenia had behaved before the Empress herself, she felt a swell of satisfaction at the thought that she could finally put her in her place as her elder sister.
Just then, she caught sight of Irenia in the distance. Wondering where she could be going alone when she was still ailing, Giovinetta began to tail her in secret. What she had not expected was that the destination was the imperial palace’s pond.
‘What could possibly bring her here all by herself?’
It was suspicious, especially with the strange aura clinging to Irenia. She was swaying as though wandering into a void, trapped in a state of utter despair, which put Giovinetta on edge.
‘Did she eat something rotten…?’
She decided to watch from a safe distance to see what she would do. Then, completely out of nowhere, the unthinkable happened—a maid in shabby clothes appeared from the blue and shoved Irenia from behind, sending her tumbling into the pond.
‘Good heavens…’
Giovinetta watched it all unfold from behind the distant bushes. The maid, clearly bent on murder, shoved Irenia’s head down each time she broke the surface, forcing her under again with savage force.
The brutal struggle dragged on for some time, until Irenia ceased fighting back altogether. The unexpected sight brought a cold sweat to Giovinetta’s palm. She wiped her hand on the hem of her skirt and whispered,
“What a delightful turn of events.”
At that moment, only one thought crossed her mind: the dress, hat, and flowers she had already picked out for a funeral… would not go to waste.
Then she caught the sound of a crowd approaching from afar. Lingering any longer would only draw suspicion. Quietly, she slipped back into the cover of the trees.
—Ren!
I heard a voice. Someone was calling out to me in sheer desperation. Who was it? Who was calling my name?
—Wake up.
I only wanted to rest, but that urgent voice became a thread wrapping around my body, pulling me up from the depths. Through my hazy vision, I caught a glimpse of a face I had missed with all my heart.
Yet awareness had not fully returned. I felt air creeping into my lungs—warm, gentle breath entering through my mouth. It was so sweet… and so very warm.
A pulse of life stirred in my chest once more, as though my heart had been granted a second chance to beat. I took a deep breath, and the water trapped inside me tore free in a violent cough.
I retched, my body swaying, my consciousness slipping in and out. Every time I started to drift away, another breath brought me back to life. That breath mingled with mine, melting me in its warmth.
I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids were heavy as lead.
“Ren, open your eyes.”
I heard the voice again, endlessly whispering for me to awaken. But my body refused to obey; I could not even move my fingers. Then something warm and soft brushed my hand. Its heat seeped between my fingers, searing like a blazing sun.
How warm this embrace was… I had never felt anything like it in all my life. In a single instant, my chest swelled with overwhelming emotion, until tears spilled over my cheeks.
At last, I opened my eyes, and through the haze I saw eyes red as fire, glowing like living embers. A warm red, carrying the very pulse of life.
Then I felt that warm touch again—his lips brushing against mine. Caesar’s lips were on mine. Before I could process what was happening, he drew back slightly and smiled.
“Thank goodness… You’re all right.”
Still in shock, I could only blink in dazed confusion, unable to understand what had taken place. Only then did I notice that his lips were redder and more glistening than usual.
“…Ren.”
He called my name once more, but I was too weak to answer. Then he pressed his lips to mine again, breathing new life into me. It was as if I responded to that breath unconsciously. I breathed, and then breathed again, until gradually my breathing settled into a natural rhythm.
Confusion swept over me. What had happened? I had been heading toward the pond, and then suddenly…
“Die!”
Yes, I was shoved from behind and dragged into the water. Someone tried to murder me, without a doubt. I could vividly recall those venomous words ringing in my ears.
My body shuddered at the memory. My heart raced, blood surging fiercely through my veins. A violent tremor ran through me; no one had ever tried to kill me so brutally.
And then I remembered those features… that face I had seen in my nightmares, the demonic face of Mercedes, who had slaughtered the other candidates for Crown Princess. And now I remembered the name of the maid who had pushed me… It was Elda.
My teeth chattered in terror. I had come so close to dying. If Caesar had not come to save me in time, right now I would be…
Then, all at once, Caesar pulled me into a tight embrace.
“Cae… Caesar?”
I found myself folded against him, locked within his powerful arms, unable to move. We were so close that the rapid thumping of his heart echoed inside my very ears.
That sound… brought me an indescribable peace. He had sensed the danger I was in and come—just like every other time. At that, I broke down in tears, utterly helpless to hold back what I felt.
I thought back to my childhood. Annaliza had never held me when I cried, not once. I had never told anyone, but that loneliness had always ached within me.
“Ren, it’s all right…”
Yet now, Caesar held me tight. He patted my back with such tenderness. His embrace was warm… and his voice brimmed with stillness. Sharing this warmth with another soul was truly a beautiful thing.
With that thought, I closed my eyes, and my consciousness sank into a darkness as deep and thick as mud.
When I opened my eyes again, I found myself resting beneath the trunk of an enormous tree. I was asleep in Caesar’s arms, sunlight filtering through the boughs and casting sharp rays down upon me.
Turning my gaze to the side, my eyes landed on an unfamiliar man. He had cloaked his entire body in black.
He had just been reaching a hand toward me, from which a faint light radiated. For some reason, I could feel strength slowly returning to my stiffened limbs.
Across from him, I caught sight of Delfina on the verge of tears. I parted my lips slowly.
“…Where am I?”
“Your Highness, have you regained your senses?”
“Ah… Y-yes.”
I blinked several times. My awareness felt like a sunken vessel rising back to the surface. Along with it crept a searing headache, and with it came a sudden waking clarity, sharp and decisive.
Yes… something must have happened. Something immense…
“Thank heavens… I was so worried because you wouldn’t wake up.”
Yet my head remained muddled, my thoughts scattered in pieces.
“What happened to me…?”
Involuntarily, I ran my tongue over my lips. In that instant, a bolt of lightning struck through my mind with blinding realization.
Delfina told me quietly,
“You… fell into the pond.”
“M-me?!”
Delfina clutched my hand tightly and would not let go, her fingers trembling faintly.
“If the Prince hadn’t saved you…!”
“So… you are the new Crown Princess, are you?”
The man in the black cloak spoke again. His voice sounded like that of a young man,
yet it was completely devoid of emotion, neither rising nor falling. After gazing at me in silence for a time, he raised a hand to his cloak and drew back the hood.
In that instant, an involuntary gasp escaped my lips.
FADE OUT