Shortly after returning alive, Etern almost fainted from a sudden bout of dizziness.
When the royal physician said there was no particular cause, Dora looked as though she was ready to grab him by the collar, but Etern believed the physician’s words to be true.
At least, physically speaking.
If there was a possible cause, it might have been the act of reading people’s thoughts.
‘I couldn’t believe it even while seeing it myself, so I went around reading the thoughts of nearly dozens of people….’
Etern firmly ordered that no one should let Wintier know about the fact that she had almost collapsed.
[If Dad finds out about this, it’ll be a disaster. So make sure no one talks about it, Dora. Understood?]
[But, Your Highness, this isn’t something that can just be hidden. What if Your Highness is genuinely unwell?]
[Do as I say. If it happens again next time, then you can tell Dad.]
Unable to refuse Etern’s earnest request, Dora reluctantly complied with tears in her eyes.
“Why have you suddenly gone silent?”
Etern’s small body flinched at the abrupt and imposing voice.
Noticing her faint reaction, a frown deepened on Wintier’s forehead.
“Is there a problem? If there is, speak up willingly.”
Was he planning to throw her in prison if she didn’t confess?
While Etern sighed inwardly, a question suddenly popped into her mind.
“I have something I want to ask Daddy.”
“What is it this time?”
“Why don’t you visit Mother?”
This time, Wintier’s fingers flinched slightly. He tried to push Etern away, but this time, she held her ground and didn’t budge.
‘I thought Dad didn’t love Mother.’
Even in her previous life, Emperor Wintier seldom visited the slumbering Empress.
Whenever Etern asked about her father, people only said he was busy with state affairs.
Because of that, Etern grew to hate her father. Ever since she felt he had given up on her mother.
When her mother’s life finally ended, Etern screamed at her father for the first and last time.
[It’s all your fault that Mother ended up like this! You didn’t do a single thing for her!]
[Did you even remember that Mother was still alive? Or had you completely forgotten? I will never forgive you! An emperor? You can give that throne to a dog!]
From that winter, Emperor Wintier truly lost his sanity.
It wasn’t until after Etern’s death that she realized she had been mistaken.
In the overwhelming flood of dreams, knowledge, and histories of life and death, she saw the youthful faces of her father and mother who deeply cherished each other.
Wintier had not forgotten Meikellen.
On the contrary, he remembered her so vividly that he couldn’t bring himself to visit her.
‘If he saw Mother still unawakened, all he’d feel would be despair. Dad… he was running away from reality. He was too afraid of losing Mother.’
Now, she could understand his hesitation and fear. However, leaving things as they were wasn’t an option.
For her plan to proceed step by step, Wintier needed to face reality first.
“Daddy.”
Etern clung to his arm, puckering her lips.
“Even while asleep, Mother must want to see you. Don’t you want to see her, Daddy?”
“Enough.”
“Even in her dreams, she’d want to see you, Daddy. Mother…”
“Can you not stop talking?”
Unable to hold back, Wintier raised his voice in an intimidating manner, letting out a heated breath through clenched teeth.
The moment he shouted, he regretted it. If Etern cried, or got frightened and had a fit, it would be a disaster.
However, Wintier soon realized he was wrong. Etern neither cried nor screamed, nor did she collapse.
She simply gazed at him with a peculiar, mature look unbefitting a child.
Every time her eyelids closed and reopened, her pale green eyes that mirrored Meikellen, who remained endlessly asleep, flickered as if they were her own.
Wintier steadied his heart, which felt like it was on the verge of collapsing, and let out a deep, heavy sigh.
After completely letting go of Etern’s hand, he started walking ahead.
“Daddy.”
“Follow quietly. Then return to your quarters with the nanny.”
To keep up with his long strides, Etern took quick, hurried steps before stopping abruptly in place.
When the small sound of footsteps behind him ceased, Wintier also stopped, not far ahead. His head throbbed.
‘I shouldn’t have raised my voice…’
As he sighed and opened his lips to call Etern, she beat him to it.
“Daddy, you’re an incorrigible coward!”
Wintier’s eyes widened in shock. Coward? He had never once in his life heard such a rebuke.
“What did you just say?”
He reached out to grab her shoulder, but Etern swiftly dodged and even slapped the back of his hand.
“I said you’re a coward!”
“Silence!”
“How lonely must Mother be? Do you think she wants to stay asleep? What if she’s dreaming alone and feeling sad?”
As tears welled up in her clear eyes, ready to fall at any moment, Wintier’s face turned pale.
“Etern.”
He reached out hesitantly toward his daughter’s face, but she struck his hand away again.
Although not very strong, it hurt more than he expected.
“You’re afraid that Mother might not wake up. I’m scared of that too.”
Tears like pearls finally rolled down her flushed cheeks.
The moment he saw her, Wintier felt as though the thorns piercing his entire body had grown even larger, stabbing him from every angle.
“Even so, I visit Mother every day. I do it hoping she’ll hear my voice and think she needs to wake up quickly. But why don’t you, Daddy? Why…”
The sob lodged in her throat was heavy. She rubbed her eyes with her hand, but the tears wouldn’t stop.
‘I didn’t mean for this to happen.’
Etern’s tightly shut lips trembled. What was she doing?
‘I thought I was finally getting closer to Dad, but now…’
“You must hate me.”
After a long silence, Wintier finally spoke, but his words only terrified Etern more.
“Daddy, that’s not it. I don’t hate you, I just…”
“You’re right. How could you not resent me for doing nothing for your mother?”
“No, Daddy, that’s not what I mean…”
“Enough.”
With a darkened expression, Wintier turned away from Etern and said,
“Let’s go back.”
“Daddy!”
But Wintier said nothing more. No matter what Etern said, it was as if he couldn’t hear her. He simply walked ahead with empty eyes.
‘That look.’
Etern’s shoulders trembled as she followed him, swallowing her sobs.
‘He had the same expression when Mother passed away.’
A sudden, chilling sensation swept over her small frame.
The year she turned ten, when Empress Meikellen, who had grown weaker by the day, took her last breath—Wintier had rushed to her side upon hearing the news.
For a long time, he stood silently by her bed.
Her wailing, the maids bustling around, the sound of sobs—it was as if none of it reached him.
This won’t do, Etern thought. If I keep pushing Dad like this…
‘No.’
Dad can’t stay this weak. Otherwise, he won’t be able to save Mother this time either.
Both of us will end up going mad, just like before.
‘I won’t let that happen.’
Clenching her lips tightly, Etern swallowed her sobs and whispered.
