"No..."
Ernest interrupted Carsis as he was about to take him to the doctor. Then he placed his hand on top of Carsis's hand, which was holding the pendant.
"It's late. It's already..."
Ernest knew instinctively.
That he would die soon.
But that doesn't mean he regrets his choice to save Carsis.
At this point, the person Bellona needed most was not herself, but Carsis.
He looked up with increasingly unfocused eyes.
His half-brother, Carsis, appears as a traitor.
There were so many things he wanted to say to him, but he couldn't even breathe and couldn't get the words out.
So Ernest picked and chose the words he absolutely had to say among the things he wanted to say, and barely managed to get them out of his mouth.
"...Sorry."
As an older brother, he feels sorry for not being able to protect his younger brother from their father.
“Be... Bellona.”
He conveyed his heartfelt gratitude to the woman he truly loved.
He wished he could have seen her face one last time.
It was such a pity.
Didn't they say that when a person dies, the days they lived flash before their eyes?
He guessed that wasn't a lie.
When he sees memories of her flashing before him now.
Those days were probably the happiest moments of his life.
By the time he realized it, it was already too late.
'Ellie.'
He closed his eyes, repeating to himself the name of the woman he loved for the last time. At the same time, Ernest's hand that had been resting on Carsis fell to the floor.
"Ah."
Carsis let out a short sigh as he felt the strength drain from Ernest's body in his arms.
Then he looked at Ernest's face as it had faded away.
His face, still filled with longing for someone, was left like a bruise on Carsis's chest.
Knock, knock.
Carsis looked up at the sky as a cold sensation tickled his cheek for a moment.
Under the dark night sky, white snowflakes began to fall one by one.
In a puddle of blood, little by little, piles up on top of the crushed yellow chrysanthemums on the floor.
First snow.
It was the beginning of winter, cold as the north wind and as bitter as the frost on the leaves.
Inside the Jamesburg mansion.
The rooms on the fourth floor were for guests visiting the Jamesburg family. Among them, Bellona's room was located opposite the entrance to the mansion, so she could keep an eye on everyone coming and going.
And Bellona didn't leave the window even though it was well past midnight. She was waiting for Carsis, who was supposed to bring her the Riventia.
Bellona, who had been tapping on the desk and waiting for good news, went out onto the terrace with an inexplicable sense of anxiety. She was wearing a shawl to block out the suddenly chilly night air.
It was while she was leaning towards the edge of the terrace, gazing blankly at the quiet entrance to the mansion.
For a moment a cold sensation seemed into her cheek and then disappeared.
Bellona's lips parted slightly as she looked up at the unfamiliar sensation that woke her up.
“It's snowing.”
It was the first snow this winter.
Bellona reached out her hand with a somewhat happy heart. Soon, an even whiter snowflake fell on her white hand.
How long have they been staring at each other like that?
A welcoming face appeared at the entrance of the mansion where only a cold wind had been blowing.
“Carsis...”
He said he would return shortly after receiving the Riventia, but he returned here four hours after leaving the mansion.
Only then did Bellona let go of her tension and let out a sigh of relief.
But that was only for a moment.
He tilted his head at an unfamiliar wagon seen behind him.
In preparation for any eventuality, only a few knights and Carsis had left this place.
The faces of those approaching were clearly tired.
Some were even seen limping as if they were injured.
Bellona, convinced that something unusual had happened, went outside to investigate the situation.
Then Isaac raised his hand and greeted Bellona as if he was about to knock on her door.
“What happened while dealing with Riventia?”
She asked Isaac, cutting off the context.
“I, that is...”
Even though Isaac had originally intended to knock on the door to report what had happened in the spire, his lips would not move.
“Isaac.”
Seeing him like that, Bellona called Isaac's name and urged him on.
A sense of unease began to arise, wondering if Ernest had set a trap.
"The Crown Prince appeared at the spire a little after midnight. He had the promised Riventia. And just as he was about to hand Riventia over to Lord Carsis, the Emperor's soldiers who had been in hiding appeared and a battle broke out. Fortunately, we were able to seize the opportunity without any casualties. But..."
But Isaac trailed off as if to say that wasn't the important thing.
“The Crown Prince tried to save Lord Carsis, but...”
He took another deep breath and continued the words he had been unable to say.
"He died."
"What?"
Dying, who?
Bellona asked back, not seeming to understand Isaac's meaning.
Then Isaac repeated what he had said, driving a wedge in.
“The Crown Prince is dead.”
Ernest's death.
Bellona was paralyzed by his completely unexpected death.
The tinnitus ringing in her ears made her feel unrealistic.
“Ernest...”
She was constantly mumbling something unintelligible in a voice she could only hear.
It was strange. Dying while saving Carsis. That means the Emperor killed Ernest, but why on earth...?
Isaac noticed Bellona's confusion and turned to guide her.
"Let's go down first. Lord Carsis will tell the details..."
"No."
Bellona cuts off Isaac's suggestion that they go together to meet Carsis and answered.
“...For now, not right now...”
Isaac closed his mouth at the sound of his voice shaking slightly.
He expected Bellona to be shocked by the Crown Prince's death, but it seemed she was having a harder time accepting her death than expected.
He nodded as he looked at Bellona, who he had never seen before.
"Yes, I understand. Then, please rest for today. And the Crown Prince's body will be sent to the palace tomorrow morning. Well, that's all..."
Bellona nodded without answering Isaac's words and closed the door.
And then her body, leaning back against the door, collapsed with a crash.
“Really, no more...”
She doesn't want to see anyone die.
Even if it was the death of a man who had once been his enemy and had tried to kill him.
Bellona's body began to tremble as she was left alone in the room.
As if she was letting out all the anger she had been holding back in front of Isaac.
Bellona, who had her legs together, buried her face there.
Memories of the past began to surge through her mind like waves.
A memory of a spring day when a man confessed his love to her.
The look in his eyes and the voice from that day when he promised to change the world.
All of that became an arrow that pierced her heart.
The next morning.
The world was covered in white by the snow that fell all night.
As planned, preparations were being made to transport Ernest's body to the capital.
Ernest interrupted Carsis as he was about to take him to the doctor. Then he placed his hand on top of Carsis's hand, which was holding the pendant.
"It's late. It's already..."
Ernest knew instinctively.
That he would die soon.
But that doesn't mean he regrets his choice to save Carsis.
At this point, the person Bellona needed most was not herself, but Carsis.
He looked up with increasingly unfocused eyes.
His half-brother, Carsis, appears as a traitor.
There were so many things he wanted to say to him, but he couldn't even breathe and couldn't get the words out.
So Ernest picked and chose the words he absolutely had to say among the things he wanted to say, and barely managed to get them out of his mouth.
"...Sorry."
As an older brother, he feels sorry for not being able to protect his younger brother from their father.
“Be... Bellona.”
He conveyed his heartfelt gratitude to the woman he truly loved.
He wished he could have seen her face one last time.
It was such a pity.
Didn't they say that when a person dies, the days they lived flash before their eyes?
He guessed that wasn't a lie.
When he sees memories of her flashing before him now.
Those days were probably the happiest moments of his life.
By the time he realized it, it was already too late.
'Ellie.'
He closed his eyes, repeating to himself the name of the woman he loved for the last time. At the same time, Ernest's hand that had been resting on Carsis fell to the floor.
"Ah."
Carsis let out a short sigh as he felt the strength drain from Ernest's body in his arms.
Then he looked at Ernest's face as it had faded away.
His face, still filled with longing for someone, was left like a bruise on Carsis's chest.
Knock, knock.
Carsis looked up at the sky as a cold sensation tickled his cheek for a moment.
Under the dark night sky, white snowflakes began to fall one by one.
In a puddle of blood, little by little, piles up on top of the crushed yellow chrysanthemums on the floor.
First snow.
It was the beginning of winter, cold as the north wind and as bitter as the frost on the leaves.
***
Inside the Jamesburg mansion.
The rooms on the fourth floor were for guests visiting the Jamesburg family. Among them, Bellona's room was located opposite the entrance to the mansion, so she could keep an eye on everyone coming and going.
And Bellona didn't leave the window even though it was well past midnight. She was waiting for Carsis, who was supposed to bring her the Riventia.
Bellona, who had been tapping on the desk and waiting for good news, went out onto the terrace with an inexplicable sense of anxiety. She was wearing a shawl to block out the suddenly chilly night air.
It was while she was leaning towards the edge of the terrace, gazing blankly at the quiet entrance to the mansion.
For a moment a cold sensation seemed into her cheek and then disappeared.
Bellona's lips parted slightly as she looked up at the unfamiliar sensation that woke her up.
“It's snowing.”
It was the first snow this winter.
Bellona reached out her hand with a somewhat happy heart. Soon, an even whiter snowflake fell on her white hand.
How long have they been staring at each other like that?
A welcoming face appeared at the entrance of the mansion where only a cold wind had been blowing.
“Carsis...”
He said he would return shortly after receiving the Riventia, but he returned here four hours after leaving the mansion.
Only then did Bellona let go of her tension and let out a sigh of relief.
But that was only for a moment.
He tilted his head at an unfamiliar wagon seen behind him.
In preparation for any eventuality, only a few knights and Carsis had left this place.
The faces of those approaching were clearly tired.
Some were even seen limping as if they were injured.
Bellona, convinced that something unusual had happened, went outside to investigate the situation.
Then Isaac raised his hand and greeted Bellona as if he was about to knock on her door.
“What happened while dealing with Riventia?”
She asked Isaac, cutting off the context.
“I, that is...”
Even though Isaac had originally intended to knock on the door to report what had happened in the spire, his lips would not move.
“Isaac.”
Seeing him like that, Bellona called Isaac's name and urged him on.
A sense of unease began to arise, wondering if Ernest had set a trap.
"The Crown Prince appeared at the spire a little after midnight. He had the promised Riventia. And just as he was about to hand Riventia over to Lord Carsis, the Emperor's soldiers who had been in hiding appeared and a battle broke out. Fortunately, we were able to seize the opportunity without any casualties. But..."
But Isaac trailed off as if to say that wasn't the important thing.
“The Crown Prince tried to save Lord Carsis, but...”
He took another deep breath and continued the words he had been unable to say.
"He died."
"What?"
Dying, who?
Bellona asked back, not seeming to understand Isaac's meaning.
Then Isaac repeated what he had said, driving a wedge in.
“The Crown Prince is dead.”
Ernest's death.
Bellona was paralyzed by his completely unexpected death.
The tinnitus ringing in her ears made her feel unrealistic.
“Ernest...”
She was constantly mumbling something unintelligible in a voice she could only hear.
It was strange. Dying while saving Carsis. That means the Emperor killed Ernest, but why on earth...?
Isaac noticed Bellona's confusion and turned to guide her.
"Let's go down first. Lord Carsis will tell the details..."
"No."
Bellona cuts off Isaac's suggestion that they go together to meet Carsis and answered.
“...For now, not right now...”
Isaac closed his mouth at the sound of his voice shaking slightly.
He expected Bellona to be shocked by the Crown Prince's death, but it seemed she was having a harder time accepting her death than expected.
He nodded as he looked at Bellona, who he had never seen before.
"Yes, I understand. Then, please rest for today. And the Crown Prince's body will be sent to the palace tomorrow morning. Well, that's all..."
Bellona nodded without answering Isaac's words and closed the door.
And then her body, leaning back against the door, collapsed with a crash.
“Really, no more...”
She doesn't want to see anyone die.
Even if it was the death of a man who had once been his enemy and had tried to kill him.
Bellona's body began to tremble as she was left alone in the room.
As if she was letting out all the anger she had been holding back in front of Isaac.
Bellona, who had her legs together, buried her face there.
Memories of the past began to surge through her mind like waves.
A memory of a spring day when a man confessed his love to her.
The look in his eyes and the voice from that day when he promised to change the world.
All of that became an arrow that pierced her heart.
***
The next morning.
The world was covered in white by the snow that fell all night.
As planned, preparations were being made to transport Ernest's body to the capital.
Carsis said, looking at the cart carrying Ernest's coffin.
“Bellona?”
“She hasn't come out of the room yet.”
“...I see.”
Ernest's body was scheduled to leave the mansion and head to the Imperial Palace this morning.
Upon arriving in the capital, he will be given a proper funeral as a member of the imperial family and laid to rest in the imperial tomb.
Fortunately, the weather was cold at the moment, so the body would decompose slowly, but they still had to get it to the capital as soon as possible.
For generations, the bodies of the royal family were washed in Ayiasis and placed in tombs.
If you wash your body in Aiasis, your body will not rot and will remain in its original state as it was when you were alive.
That's why Carsis wanted to send Ernest's body to the palace as quickly as possible.
But before that, wouldn't it be nice to at least see Bellona's face one last time...
Carsis sighed at Jason's answer and gave him an order.
"We can no longer delay, so send the body to the capital."
"Yes."
It was when Carsis turned around, shaking off the white snow that had piled up on the coffin.
He stopped walking at the sound of the soldier leading the cart.
"Huh? Why is it like this...?"
The soldier tilted his head as if in confusion.
That would be the case because the cart that had been moving normally seemed to have been hit by something and wouldn't move.
“What's going on?”
When Carsis noticed something strange and asked the soldier, he trailed off as if embarrassed.
"Hey, the cart suddenly won't move. It looks like there's something wrong with the wheels..."
The soldier hurriedly put down the cart and examined the wheels.
But contrary to expectations, the cartwheel neither broke nor got caught on a rock.
“It's strange. Why on earth is it like this...”
“Bellona?”
“She hasn't come out of the room yet.”
“...I see.”
Ernest's body was scheduled to leave the mansion and head to the Imperial Palace this morning.
Upon arriving in the capital, he will be given a proper funeral as a member of the imperial family and laid to rest in the imperial tomb.
Fortunately, the weather was cold at the moment, so the body would decompose slowly, but they still had to get it to the capital as soon as possible.
For generations, the bodies of the royal family were washed in Ayiasis and placed in tombs.
If you wash your body in Aiasis, your body will not rot and will remain in its original state as it was when you were alive.
That's why Carsis wanted to send Ernest's body to the palace as quickly as possible.
But before that, wouldn't it be nice to at least see Bellona's face one last time...
Carsis sighed at Jason's answer and gave him an order.
"We can no longer delay, so send the body to the capital."
"Yes."
It was when Carsis turned around, shaking off the white snow that had piled up on the coffin.
He stopped walking at the sound of the soldier leading the cart.
"Huh? Why is it like this...?"
The soldier tilted his head as if in confusion.
That would be the case because the cart that had been moving normally seemed to have been hit by something and wouldn't move.
“What's going on?”
When Carsis noticed something strange and asked the soldier, he trailed off as if embarrassed.
"Hey, the cart suddenly won't move. It looks like there's something wrong with the wheels..."
The soldier hurriedly put down the cart and examined the wheels.
But contrary to expectations, the cartwheel neither broke nor got caught on a rock.
“It's strange. Why on earth is it like this...”
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