“Julion?”
I called out to Julion, who had been silent for a while.
His golden eyes facing me seemed to be swirling like raging waves for some reason.
“What’s the matter?”
He said he would wait, but then went ahead without me. Did he leave first and then appear later than me?
He didn’t say anything, just stared at me, which made me uneasy.
“Are you not feeling well?”
I took a step closer and placed my hand on Julion’s forehead.
It felt slightly warm, and his face flushed red.
‘Does he have a fever?’
His forehead was warm, his face was red, and his eyes were trembling.
Clearly, he didn’t seem to be in a normal state.
“It might be better to return to the villa.”
As I suggested going back, I lowered my hand that was on Julion’s forehead, but suddenly his hand grabbed my wrist.
Julion’s hand was even warmer than his forehead.
On this cool, late summer night, the warmth was somewhat welcoming. However, I noticed that Julion’s hand was trembling slightly.
‘Could it be the aftereffect of the poison last time?’
Concerned, I opened my mouth to ask, but Julion beat me to it.
“When the contract period ends, where do you intend to go?”
His question was completely different from what I was talking about.
I blinked in surprise, unable to answer, and Julion continued without waiting for my response.
“If you are indeed cured, as you say, then where will you live and what will you do with your life?”
I tried to dismiss it as a random question, but Julion seemed desperate.
He stared down at me, his mouth tightly shut, waiting for an answer.
After contemplating, I slowly opened my mouth.
“I will leave the Empire. When everything is over, anyone bearing Cassian’s name will cease to exist.”
“Your name is Rohiriel Sertizan now. Not Cassian.”
“But when our contract ends, I will once again become a lady of Cassian.”
Julion’s eyelids lowered slowly, then rose again.
His golden eyes were no longer trembling.
“Even after one year, ten years, or a hundred years…couldn’t you stay as a Sertizan forever?”
I was speechless because I hadn’t thought of that. It’s like he’s saying we should stay together as a married couple forever, regardless of contracts or anything else.
After blurting out such a surprising and weighty statement, Julion’s expression remained composed.
It was as if he had already resolved all my concerns on his own.
“So, you mean…”
My thoughts became as tangled as a jumbled thread.
Suddenly, unable to maintain eye contact with Julion, I jerked my head forward. The moonlight, spread widely over the lake, filled my vision.
Brightly shining petals continued to flutter down onto the lake, creating gentle ripples.
I took a deep breath, calming my turbulent emotions.
As my emotions calmed down, I felt my head start to clear again. Without taking my gaze off the lake, I spoke calmly.
“You said you wanted a crown princess who was loved by all.”
Those were Julion’s words when I first proposed marriage.
I agreed as well.
That’s why I proposed a contract marriage for exactly one year.
“I understand, but I will always carry the label of being from the Cassian lineage, even if I’m the one who destroyed them.”
Julion looked like he was about to say something, but I continued speaking.
“Even those who smile in your presence could be plotting against you. The woman who preyed on her own family may betray the imperial family at any moment.”
“If anyone dares to speak such words to the Crown Princess, I will immediately punish them for treason.”
“I told you, they may smile in front of you, but they’ll talk behind your back. Are you going to punish them without even hearing those words directly? I’m sure people will say the crown prince is insane.”
I turned my head back to Julion.
He had been looking at me without any movement since earlier.
His unwavering golden eyes held nothing but me.
“Even if that’s the case, it doesn’t matter anymore. Rohiriel, I…”
Julion pursed his lips hesitantly, as if about to say something.
I had a sense of what he might say, yet I also felt uncertain.
A single petal fell between us.
Catching it in my palm, I opened my mouth before he could.
“Let’s discuss this matter again later.”
Whatever it is, I’m not ready to hear it yet.
My mind was still filled with thoughts of bringing down Cassian.
I smiled playfully and changed the subject.
“So, what happened to your hand earlier?”
I couldn’t pinpoint when it started, but Julion had been holding one hand slightly behind his back.
It was like he was trying to hide something, and I couldn’t help but cock my head to the side.
Then he pulled his hand back further and shook his head.
“It’s nothing; I just need something.”
Although I was curious, I didn’t want to force him to show it if he didn’t want to.
I held out the flower to Julion that the child had given me earlier.
“Here, I’ll give this to you, Julion.”
“This is…….”
“Do you know that? This flower reminds me of an aperium, because aperiums also glow like this in the moonlight.”
“You mean the flower that your mother loved?”
“Yes. If she were alive today, I’m sure she would have loved to see this flower.”
My mother, who was often ill, always wanted to go outside.
She had wanted to come to this festival many times, but each time her condition worsened, she never managed to come.
By now, the moon had risen higher.
As they watched the moon’s shadow shrink on the lake, Julion said,.
“Your mother had a similar illness to His Majesty, right?”
“Yes, that’s right. That’s why I was so worried when I thought I couldn’t cure the Emperor.”
When we found a cure, I was overjoyed.
Even though I couldn’t save my mother, I succeeded in saving a patient with the same illness.
‘It’s all thanks to my mother.’
I silently conveyed this unspoken shout in my heart as I looked up at the sky. The clouds that had been drifting slowly seemed to have cleared up significantly.
‘That’s why I’m even more sorry, if only I had discovered how to do it sooner…….’
I was happy that I had succeeded in curing the emperor, but at the same time, I felt a wave of regret and sadness that kept whipping me.
I shouldn’t be complacent.
I must not make another patient like my mother.
“Rohiriel.”
Julion called me from beside me, but I couldn’t turn to face him.
I thought I was fine.
It’s all in the past now; it can’t be undone, and I’m moving on.
“Didn’t I tell you the last time?”
Julion’s large hand covered my hand holding the railing.
If earlier it had been like a hot ball of fire, now it is like a warm fireplace.
“You need to be honest with your emotions.”
Julion’s hand firmly held onto me.
As if breaking down the defenses I had put up, my nose tingled, and my eyes welled up with tears.
“Ah…….”
I hastily wiped my cheek with the other hand, but Julion had already seen it and swiftly pulled me into his embrace.
“If you’re worried about your reputation as the crown princess, then this should suffice.”
Julion’s embrace was comforting and warm.
The carefully chosen shirt he wore has stains now because of me.
“You are already doing well enough. So don’t fret, don’t be anxious. It would be good if you could be a little more forgiving to yourself.”
His whispering voice in my ear was so tender.
The warmth enveloping me from Julion was so comforting.
I couldn’t think of anything else.
I just missed my mother.
I longed for my mother, who would gently smile at me and say I did well.
My mother, who would cheer me on and encourage me.
My mother, who loved going for walks when the weather was nice,.
It was a day filled with longing for the past.
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
About ten days had passed since the crown prince and princess left for Mount Hale.
The palace seemed to be functioning smoothly on the surface.
The emperor and empress, who had returned to their official duties, were diligently managing palace affairs. The palace was being cleansed, and spies were being uncovered and dragged out almost daily.
“Your Majesty, urgent report! Nobles…”
With the shocking news flying into the palace all at once, the Emperor and Empress sensed what was coming.
“Summon the Crown Prince and Crown Princess who have gone to Mount Hale!”
Following the emperor’s command, the messenger hurriedly set off for Mount Hale.
And exactly one day later.
The only one who returned with the messengers was Crown Prince Julion.
“The princess… has disappeared.”
His voice cracked. Julion’s face contorted into the worst shape it had ever been in.
