Running through the night sky with Carver, Riley couldn’t help but think, “Is this what they call a midnight escape?”
She had expected to be teleported or use some kind of magical device, but instead, Carver had simply offered her his hand.
Since using magic could attract attention, they decided to travel on foot.
As they cut through the wind and ran beneath a sky full of stars, the breathtaking view unfolding before them left Riley in awe.
“Your Highness must see sights like this often.”
“Well… I did when I was running all over the place trying to find you.”
Riley blinked at Carver’s response.
‘Just how many things happened that I don’t know about?’ she wondered.
“You could’ve just forgotten about me,” she said softly, looking at Carver, who was still holding her hand. She had never been honest with him. Even when she realized his feelings and when he confessed to her, she pushed him away.
“If I could have forgotten, I would have.”
Carver gave her a faint smile. He hadn’t ignored his responsibilities. After Riley left, he threw himself into imperial affairs, working hard to become a capable emperor. Learning to control his mana had also been for her.
“Does His Majesty know?” Riley asked, referring to the Emperor.
“Yes, he knows.”
He was simply watching from the sidelines for now, waiting for the right time to intervene. They couldn’t predict when the Emperor’s mood would shift, but for the time being, Carver hoped his father would remain patient.
“He trusts me enough to give us some time.”
Carver silently prayed that his father would wait just a little longer. Now that Riley was in the Imperial Palace, she was safe from the hands of others, and with Ren by her side, there was no external threat either.
“Even if a contract happens, I’ll make sure you can live the life you want.”
Carver didn’t want Riley to suffer because of him again. With her newfound ability to control mana, those pushing her into a contract with a sword would have to keep their mouths shut.
“Do you really think that’s possible?”
“If it’s what you want, I’ll make it happen.”
Riley stopped walking, halting Carver in his tracks.
“I plan to become the head of the Trailra family.”
She wanted to rightfully claim her place—not as the abandoned princess but as someone who deserved her position.
She wanted to restore things to how they were meant to be, alongside her beloved sister, Leta.
While Carver could give her what she desired, Riley knew it wasn’t the same for her.
“Don’t love me,” she said.
It was only going to hurt him. She had already been married once. Even though she was the legitimate successor to a duke, a relationship with him was out of the question.
“As I don’t force my feelings on you, I don’t think you need to force yours on me either,” Carver replied, tightening his grip on her hand. His golden eyes, though tinged with sadness, still held a smile.
“Just don’t run away,” he added, his voice was thick with emotion.
Riley had no words left. They continued to the Imperial Palace in silence after that.
“Leta will be here tomorrow, so rest for now,” Carver said as he quickly left the room before Riley could say anything further.
***
“Ren, are you really not coming out today?”
Riley asked the sword, her face showing signs of fatigue. Now that they had arrived at the Imperial Palace, she thought Ren would finally come out, but he remained dormant.
‘He’s definitely sulking.’
Even the day she arrived, he hadn’t made an appearance. Though she could order him but she doesn’t want to do it.
The strange disturbance in her mana she felt back then wasn’t something she wanted to deal with again.
“I’m heading to trial soon. Are you really not going to show up?” Riley muttered, glancing at the sword as she organized her papers. There was no response from the sword’s emblem either.
With no other choice, she strapped the sword to her waist and gently touched the blue gem embedded in it.
“Well, I guess I’ll just have to take you with me.”
Though the sword was quite heavy, Riley wanted to bring Ren along. He was probably curious about what was going to happen anyway.
‘I’ve never carried him before, so it feels awkward. It might be a bit much for me.’
Having a large reserve of mana didn’t necessarily mean her body was strong. And her stamina was practically at its limit.
She had been pushing herself too hard, and the unstable mana was taking a toll on her body. Even carrying the sword was difficult.
As Riley was about to leave with her papers, she suddenly felt the weight on her waist lighten.
At the same moment, she smiled brightly.
“You came out, after all.”
Ren stood before her, holding the sword’s sheath, his expression sullen as he looked down at her.
‘What on earth did that man do to her?’
The tense atmosphere between Riley and Carver, especially after they had arrived together holding hands, was more than enough to irritate him.
Not wanting to dwell on what might have happened between them, Ren forced the thoughts out of his mind.
“You told me to leave, didn’t you?” he said curtly, his voice tinged with annoyance. Riley awkwardly averted her gaze.
“I was just worried you might be in danger. Are you feeling better?”
Since he had stayed in his physical form, he should have been feeling better than when he was outside. His face did look a little healthier than usual, which brought some relief to Riley.
“As you can see. Did you have any trouble preparing alone?” Ren asked, showing her his body while glancing at the pile of documents in her arms.
‘Is this really the end?’
A part of him felt relieved, but another part of him was weighed down by the knowledge that this was just the beginning of new hardships. Stealing Duke Veriter’s title was going to be a challenge, but the thought of having to watch her with Carver felt even more unbearable.
“I’m capable of handling things on my own.”
“Of course, but who was by your side, really?”
Ren lightly patted Riley’s head with a proud expression, as if he were congratulating her on doing the job well. Riley playfully nudged his side and stepped outside.
“Are you really going to keep walking around like that?” she asked.
“There’s no reason to hide,” Ren replied.
“But no one else knows yet,” Riley said, concerned about how this might affect Carver. She didn’t want to cause him any trouble, especially since he hadn’t revealed certain things to the other nobles yet.
“Well, if it bothers you, I’ll just stay hidden from others,” Ren conceded.
“Thank you.”
With that, Ren concealed his appearance. He had assumed it wouldn’t matter since they were inside the Imperial Palace, but it seemed Riley was worried about Carver.
‘This could be dangerous,’ he thought.
Although Ren knew Riley didn’t have feelings for Carver, the fact that she was starting to care about his situation wasn’t a good sign.
Ren didn’t want to lose her to anyone else, though Riley would never imagine he harbored such feelings. She likely saw him as nothing more than a sword and a companion.
But the emotions that had already formed couldn’t be ignored.
‘If only I wasn’t a sword…’ Ren thought wistfully, lightly tracing the mark on Riley’s neck with his fingers. Surprised, she looked up at him.
“Is something wrong? Is the mark acting up?” she asked.
“No, it’s nothing,” Ren replied, avoiding her gaze. Instead, he gently pushed her forward, urging her to get moving.
***
As Riley rode in the carriage provided by the Imperial Palace, she couldn’t help but notice Ren’s sour mood.
“Why isn’t that guy Carver here?” Ren grumbled.
“He has an announcement to make today,” Riley explained. Carver had to quell the rumors that had been spreading, and the trial was bound to attract a lot of attention.
“Father won’t sit idly by after hearing the news,” Riley added.
“You don’t mean—”
“Yes, today His Highness will announce that he can control mana and reveal my existence to the public.”
“…Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
Ren knew exactly what Riley was concerned about. But this was the only way for her to assert her rightful power and deal with her father.
‘If I end up killing Father, I’ll never be able to become the head of the family.’
It wouldn’t matter why she had to spill blood. To the public, she would be forever marked as the daughter who killed her father to claim power.
In that scenario, even the Imperial Palace wouldn’t be able to protect her. All contracts would be voided, and the palace would likely have to deny any involvement with her.
“You’re right. Until everything settles, I’ll need to stay in the palace. I may even have to assist His Highness Carver for a while.”
“…Are you really okay with that?”
Ren knew how much Riley detested the palace.
She nodded at his question, though it wasn’t exactly what she wanted. Still, she had no other choice but to help.
The day Riley had arrived at the palace, she had secretly met with the Emperor.
During that meeting, she learned something she hadn’t known before, and ultimately, she agreed to the Emperor’s proposal. He had assured her that she would never be forced to become the palace’s sword.
“I won’t pressure you into anything you don’t want,” he had said.
Though she met with the Emperor in private, what Riley had encountered that day wasn’t just a ruler—it was a father concerned for his son. She could feel the deep care he had for Carver.
“It’s fine. In return, I got what I wanted,” she said.
If her father showed up at the trial today, everything would unfold according to Riley’s plan.
As the carriage pulled up in front of the courthouse, all eyes turned to her.
Riley took a deep breath before stepping out and heading toward the courthouse. Her steps felt lighter than usual.
