He looked around as if looking for something and asked.
“No other bodies were found?”
“Yes. For now, the only one who has been discovered is the Duchess.”
If Bellona was also wrong, her body would likely be nearby as well.
But if she's alive...
Somehow, he had a strong feeling that Bellona might not have died.
“Just in case, let’s search this area thoroughly.”
It was at this point that Ernest, who had given the order for the knights to continue the search, turned around to leave.
Something shiny caught his eye between the rocks.
'What?'
Ernest narrowed his eyes at the strangely irritating sparkle and approached closer to confirm its identity.
“This is...”
Pendant with red ruby.
This was something he knew very well.
“Why is this here...”
It was when Ernest held the pendant in his hand as if possessed by something.
A woman's voice was heard along with the sound of horse hooves.
"Your Highness."
Deborah got off her horse and came to Ernest's side.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I was worried about just waiting around. That’s why I asked the knight to come with me...”
Her gaze, which had been looking at Ernest, naturally moved to the place where people were gathered.
To be exact, towards the corpse covered with a faded cloth.
Deborah paused for a moment at the sight, then looked at Ernest again.
“Your Highness, that is...”
Then she asked him back with a look in her eyes demanding an explanation.
But Ernest couldn't give Deborah the answer she wanted.
“I think it would be better for Young Lady not to see it.”
Ernest, who thought that Deborah, who was in a weak state, would not be able to endure the Duchess who was now a corpse, tried to dissuade her.
Then he motioned to the knight standing behind him to stop Deborah from going near the body.
“Young Lady. For now, it would be better for you to go somewhere different from me...”
Did you have a bad feeling about something?
Deborah shook off the hand of the knight blocking her way and ran to the body in one go.
Then she removed the cloth covering the body.
Ah.
And the moment Deborah came face to face with a woman with her eyes closed under the curtain, she let out a short sigh.
Deborah collapsed with a thud.
“...Why, here.”
She caressed Hazel's cold face with her trembling hands.
Deborah's eyes filled with tears as she realized reality only after her hands touched the icy skin.
“Hey, Hazel...”
She prayed it was a dream.
But the cold skin touched her fingertips.
The pungent smell of rain tickling her nose told her that all of this was real.
"No!"
Sbe never wanted to lose anything precious again.
In the end, even Hazel left her side.
In the end, Deborah was unable to protect anything.
“Please open your eyes... Please!”
In contrast to Deborah's screaming, there was a faint smile on Hazel's face.
That made Deborah's heart ache even more.
Boom, boom.
The rain, which had weakened for a moment, fell hard on the ground again.
It was the start of the unseasonable autumn rainy season.
A familiar melody seeped into my ears gently.
The touch of her hands gently running through my hair, and her pleasant scent.
"Ellie."
The woman would come to my bedroom every night and sing me a lullaby, calling my name as I was little.
In a sweet voice that seems like it will make you have good dreams.
At that moment, the song that seemed like it would never end-stopped.
My eyes, which had been closed, slowly opened.
What I saw was not a familiar room, but a dark and unfamiliar place.
Only then did I realize that what I had seen and felt a moment ago was a dream, and I let out a short sigh.
Oh, why didn't I know that?
That the lullaby Hazel used to sing was the same as the song my dead mother used to sing.
She was informing me without knowing it.
The fact that she knows I'm not Elizabeth.
My arrogance about my own power made me blind to what was right before my eyes.
The tears that had been gathering in the corners of my eyes flowed out to the side as I realized it late.
Only after losing something precious do you realize how precious it was.
“Why...”
Am I always losing the things I love?
“Why on earth?”
Are the things I love leaving me?
I turned my head as the sense of loss deepened endlessly.
At my feet, a wood fire was burning hot and crackling, along with the sound of rain falling steadily.
And there was Carsis by my side.
Only then did I realize that I was neither in the spire of Jamesburg nor in someone's mansion, but inside a cave of some unknown place, and I sat up.
But every time I moved, my whole body screamed, so moans escaped my mouth without me realizing it.
Did he hear me moan like that?
Carsis, who was poking the bonfire with a kindling stick, noticed me and came closer.
“I tried to go straight to the mansion, but the rain was pouring down so hard that I couldn’t ride a horse.”
He started making excuses as to why we were staying in a cave instead of a mansion.
As if Carsis' words were not wrong, a thick stream of water was seen hitting the ground hard outside the entrance.
I nodded in response to his words.
Carsis, who was staring at me like that, fixed the robe that was draped over my body.
“The clothes you were wearing were so wet that I couldn’t help it. I hope you understand.”
Only then did I realize that I was wearing only a thin slip?
As the cold wind blew across my exposed skin, I shivered slightly and adjusted ny robe.
"...huh."
Before the coronation, I had promised myself that I would only use honorifics towards Carsis from now on, but I found myself unknowingly treating him like I used to because he was respectful to me.
It was somehow funny to see the man who was now the Emperor of the empire still being respectful to me.
“More than that.”
Carsis asked me, who was sitting with a tired expression on my face.
“There was no Riventia.”
“...”
“Where are you, Riventia?”
Ah.
Only then did I let out a sigh as I remembered that I had lost Riventia? Seeing me like that, Carsis frowned at the fact that what he had expected was right.
Then he raised his voice as if to urge me.
“Without that, you..!”
I without Riventia was like a person with a limited time left who could die at any moment.
But that important thing is gone.
It was clear that it had fallen while hanging from the cliff.
“As soon as I get back to the mansion, I’ll release someone to find Riventia...”
It was at that moment that he was about to promise to find Riventia by any means necessary.
Unlike him, who was anxious, Carsis bit his lip at Bellona's indifferent attitude, as if it were someone else's business, even though her life depended on it.
“What is the reaction?”
Bellona raised her head at Carsis's suddenly cold attitude.
“A face that looks like it wouldn’t matter if you died tomorrow.”
“...”
But Carsis's stomach turned when he saw her just staring at him as if she didn't care what he said or did.
"Why..."
Carsis, unable to overcome the anger welling up deep in his heart, pushed her away.
“Why do you always carry everything alone?”
Carsis was frustrated with Bellona.
He felt sorry for her because she didn't say anything when she was having a hard time or when she was in pain.
He resented Bellona for not showing any emotion towards him.
Carsis, who was biting his lips as if trying to hold back something, grabbed Bellona's shoulder tightly.
“You told me. If you’re sick, tell me you’re sick. If you’re having a hard time, tell me you’re having a hard time...”
At Carsis's words, Bellona recalled the past, when she had brought him from the black market.
Words that were said with pity for Carsis, who was as emotionless as a broken doll.
Is that how she appears to Carsis right now?
The sight of Carsis, which she saw for the first time in her life, felt unfamiliar.
“The only reason I became strong was to protect you.”
Carsis' hand, which was holding Bellona's shoulder, began to tremble.
“I’m sure I’ve become strong enough to protect you, but for some reason, I feel so helpless when I’m next to you.”
Being around her made him feel like a useless nuisance.
That's why Carsis was always scared.
He was afraid that the Bellona, which was always strong and straight, might suddenly break at any moment.
He was afraid that she would leave his side forever.
It was so scary and terrifying.
“Carsis...”
Bellona's eyes began to tremble as she watched Carsis pouring out everything in front of her.
“No other bodies were found?”
“Yes. For now, the only one who has been discovered is the Duchess.”
If Bellona was also wrong, her body would likely be nearby as well.
But if she's alive...
Somehow, he had a strong feeling that Bellona might not have died.
“Just in case, let’s search this area thoroughly.”
It was at this point that Ernest, who had given the order for the knights to continue the search, turned around to leave.
Something shiny caught his eye between the rocks.
'What?'
Ernest narrowed his eyes at the strangely irritating sparkle and approached closer to confirm its identity.
“This is...”
Pendant with red ruby.
This was something he knew very well.
“Why is this here...”
It was when Ernest held the pendant in his hand as if possessed by something.
A woman's voice was heard along with the sound of horse hooves.
"Your Highness."
Deborah got off her horse and came to Ernest's side.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I was worried about just waiting around. That’s why I asked the knight to come with me...”
Her gaze, which had been looking at Ernest, naturally moved to the place where people were gathered.
To be exact, towards the corpse covered with a faded cloth.
Deborah paused for a moment at the sight, then looked at Ernest again.
“Your Highness, that is...”
Then she asked him back with a look in her eyes demanding an explanation.
But Ernest couldn't give Deborah the answer she wanted.
“I think it would be better for Young Lady not to see it.”
Ernest, who thought that Deborah, who was in a weak state, would not be able to endure the Duchess who was now a corpse, tried to dissuade her.
Then he motioned to the knight standing behind him to stop Deborah from going near the body.
“Young Lady. For now, it would be better for you to go somewhere different from me...”
Did you have a bad feeling about something?
Deborah shook off the hand of the knight blocking her way and ran to the body in one go.
Then she removed the cloth covering the body.
Ah.
And the moment Deborah came face to face with a woman with her eyes closed under the curtain, she let out a short sigh.
Deborah collapsed with a thud.
“...Why, here.”
She caressed Hazel's cold face with her trembling hands.
Deborah's eyes filled with tears as she realized reality only after her hands touched the icy skin.
“Hey, Hazel...”
She prayed it was a dream.
But the cold skin touched her fingertips.
The pungent smell of rain tickling her nose told her that all of this was real.
"No!"
Sbe never wanted to lose anything precious again.
In the end, even Hazel left her side.
In the end, Deborah was unable to protect anything.
“Please open your eyes... Please!”
In contrast to Deborah's screaming, there was a faint smile on Hazel's face.
That made Deborah's heart ache even more.
Boom, boom.
The rain, which had weakened for a moment, fell hard on the ground again.
It was the start of the unseasonable autumn rainy season.
***
A familiar melody seeped into my ears gently.
The touch of her hands gently running through my hair, and her pleasant scent.
"Ellie."
The woman would come to my bedroom every night and sing me a lullaby, calling my name as I was little.
In a sweet voice that seems like it will make you have good dreams.
At that moment, the song that seemed like it would never end-stopped.
My eyes, which had been closed, slowly opened.
What I saw was not a familiar room, but a dark and unfamiliar place.
Only then did I realize that what I had seen and felt a moment ago was a dream, and I let out a short sigh.
Oh, why didn't I know that?
That the lullaby Hazel used to sing was the same as the song my dead mother used to sing.
She was informing me without knowing it.
The fact that she knows I'm not Elizabeth.
My arrogance about my own power made me blind to what was right before my eyes.
The tears that had been gathering in the corners of my eyes flowed out to the side as I realized it late.
Only after losing something precious do you realize how precious it was.
“Why...”
Am I always losing the things I love?
“Why on earth?”
Are the things I love leaving me?
I turned my head as the sense of loss deepened endlessly.
At my feet, a wood fire was burning hot and crackling, along with the sound of rain falling steadily.
And there was Carsis by my side.
Only then did I realize that I was neither in the spire of Jamesburg nor in someone's mansion, but inside a cave of some unknown place, and I sat up.
But every time I moved, my whole body screamed, so moans escaped my mouth without me realizing it.
Did he hear me moan like that?
Carsis, who was poking the bonfire with a kindling stick, noticed me and came closer.
“I tried to go straight to the mansion, but the rain was pouring down so hard that I couldn’t ride a horse.”
He started making excuses as to why we were staying in a cave instead of a mansion.
As if Carsis' words were not wrong, a thick stream of water was seen hitting the ground hard outside the entrance.
I nodded in response to his words.
Carsis, who was staring at me like that, fixed the robe that was draped over my body.
“The clothes you were wearing were so wet that I couldn’t help it. I hope you understand.”
Only then did I realize that I was wearing only a thin slip?
As the cold wind blew across my exposed skin, I shivered slightly and adjusted ny robe.
"...huh."
Before the coronation, I had promised myself that I would only use honorifics towards Carsis from now on, but I found myself unknowingly treating him like I used to because he was respectful to me.
It was somehow funny to see the man who was now the Emperor of the empire still being respectful to me.
“More than that.”
Carsis asked me, who was sitting with a tired expression on my face.
“There was no Riventia.”
“...”
“Where are you, Riventia?”
Ah.
Only then did I let out a sigh as I remembered that I had lost Riventia? Seeing me like that, Carsis frowned at the fact that what he had expected was right.
Then he raised his voice as if to urge me.
“Without that, you..!”
I without Riventia was like a person with a limited time left who could die at any moment.
But that important thing is gone.
It was clear that it had fallen while hanging from the cliff.
“As soon as I get back to the mansion, I’ll release someone to find Riventia...”
It was at that moment that he was about to promise to find Riventia by any means necessary.
Unlike him, who was anxious, Carsis bit his lip at Bellona's indifferent attitude, as if it were someone else's business, even though her life depended on it.
“What is the reaction?”
Bellona raised her head at Carsis's suddenly cold attitude.
“A face that looks like it wouldn’t matter if you died tomorrow.”
“...”
But Carsis's stomach turned when he saw her just staring at him as if she didn't care what he said or did.
"Why..."
Carsis, unable to overcome the anger welling up deep in his heart, pushed her away.
“Why do you always carry everything alone?”
Carsis was frustrated with Bellona.
He felt sorry for her because she didn't say anything when she was having a hard time or when she was in pain.
He resented Bellona for not showing any emotion towards him.
Carsis, who was biting his lips as if trying to hold back something, grabbed Bellona's shoulder tightly.
“You told me. If you’re sick, tell me you’re sick. If you’re having a hard time, tell me you’re having a hard time...”
At Carsis's words, Bellona recalled the past, when she had brought him from the black market.
Words that were said with pity for Carsis, who was as emotionless as a broken doll.
Is that how she appears to Carsis right now?
The sight of Carsis, which she saw for the first time in her life, felt unfamiliar.
“The only reason I became strong was to protect you.”
Carsis' hand, which was holding Bellona's shoulder, began to tremble.
“I’m sure I’ve become strong enough to protect you, but for some reason, I feel so helpless when I’m next to you.”
Being around her made him feel like a useless nuisance.
That's why Carsis was always scared.
He was afraid that the Bellona, which was always strong and straight, might suddenly break at any moment.
He was afraid that she would leave his side forever.
It was so scary and terrifying.
“Carsis...”
Bellona's eyes began to tremble as she watched Carsis pouring out everything in front of her.
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