CHAPTER 08
“Ikaros.”
Even though she hadn’t run far, she was out of breath.
Barely managing to speak the name, she tightly grabbed the man’s sleeve.
The man turned around.
In that moment, Seraphine flinched.
‘No…’
He didn’t look like him at all.
He wasn’t Ikaros.
Disheartened, Seraphine let go of her grip.
“What… What is it?”
“I’m sorry. I mistook you for someone else.”
Seraphine apologized politely and let the blonde man go, then stood there alone.
She needed to return to Joshua, but she didn’t have the strength.
Ikaros.
His name lingered on her lips.
Anyone else would have thought it impossible, but she still wondered if he might be alive.
Even after seeing the damaged portrait.
“Sister!”
It was a busy hour, with people crowding the streets.
Joshua had been pushed around and momentarily lost his direction while following her, but he finally found her.
Grabbing his sister’s shoulders roughly from behind, he didn’t even look at her face before snapping:
“You’ve lost your mind? What kind of whim was that? You can’t just run off like that!”
“…Sorry. I just…”
Seraphine, her expression troubled, couldn’t hold back her rising emotions and covered her face with her palms.
“Agh, no—don’t make that face just because I said a few harsh words. You’re making me feel like the bad guy here.”
Joshua had meant to scold her more, but seeing her face, he faltered.
Her eyes caught the glint of his golden hair.
Was she going to start seeing every blond man as Ikaros now?
Her vision blurred.
“Can you stand there for a moment?”
“Huh? Uh, sure…”
Joshua stiffened like stone.
Seraphine had leaned into his arms.
Shocked by his sister’s sudden action, Joshua’s eyes darted nervously.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to push her away—he almost did.
But her desperate grip on his arms made him hesitate.
It was as if her hands were saying he was the only one left she could rely on.
Feeling the warmth of another person, Seraphine found a small, quiet comfort.
The first emperor, who ended the age of gods and ushered in the age of men, had many titles.
One, in particular, stood out to Seraphine:
The One Who Devoured a God.
She had always vaguely thought that might be how Ikaros came to possess powers like a divine being.
But after 500 years, even the gods had vanished into history.
“I’m alive. Alone.”
Gripping Joshua tighter, she fully grasped the reality of being completely alone.
“You’re late.”
As soon as they returned to the mansion, the first son of the Duke of Rubia, Erez von Rubia, greeted them.
Seeing his brother’s face, Joshua felt his stomach drop.
‘This is the worst.’
He glanced nervously between his sister and brother.
Seraphine had cried in the street for quite a while. Then, wiping her face dry, she had simply said, “I showed you an unpleasant side,” and asked to return home.
In the carriage, Joshua had only been able to look at her exhausted profile.
He was dying to know what had happened in that short span but wisely kept his mouth shut.
He figured it wasn’t the emperor’s portrait that triggered it—but the man who followed them.
And from experience, he knew not to provoke Seraphine, especially when she was like this.
But Erez didn’t seem to know that.
“You were supposedly sick, but you look fine.”
No one in this house got along with Seraphine.
Still, now was not a good time for her to meet Erez.
“Of course. It’s been days,” she replied casually.
Even smiling slightly, as if mocking him for pretending to care now.
“Grandmother is returning soon, and Father is busy. He asked me to deliver these to you.”
“What are they?”
Erez handed her two pouches.
“Medicine for your cold, apparently. Not that you seem to need it now. Also, he said he packed a generous allowance—check it.”
Seraphine peeked into both pouches.
One had an unidentifiable medicine.
The other held diamond earrings.
“You must’ve changed your tactics. Looks like they worked this time,” Erez commented.
He didn’t say it maliciously.
But that didn’t mean it didn’t come off that way.
Joshua glanced at him, silently signaling him to stop—but it was no use.
“So where did you go? Just the two of you?”
“Oh, my sister asked me to guide her somewhere, so we just—”
“Brother,” Seraphine interrupted.
“I already informed Father about the outing. So there’s no problem. Don’t question me like I did something wrong.”
“…”
“You sound like you’re interrogating a criminal.”
Calling him out calmly, Seraphine left Erez momentarily speechless.
It was the first time he’d met this changed Seraphine—and it stunned him.
“I made a mistake,” he said quickly, collecting himself.
“I was just surprised you went out with Joshua. You never did that as kids. That’s all—no deeper meaning.”
“I see.”
The tension was thick.
Joshua, caught in the middle, swallowed hard.
He desperately wanted to flee to his room but knew it would only draw more attention.
He just stood there, trying to be invisible.
“If that’s all, I’ll go now,” Seraphine said, turning her back.
Joshua rejoiced silently. Now he could just follow her quietly upstairs.
But of course, life wasn’t that easy.
“Seraphine.”
“Yes?”
Erez seemed to remember something.
“You didn’t forget your regular meeting with the crown prince, did you?”
“…Of course not.”
“I was thinking of postponing if you were still sick. But you seem healthy enough to go out, so I suppose there’s no need.”
“Exactly. I’m perfectly fine. I’ve always been like this.”
Wearing an obviously forced smile, Seraphine walked away without looking back.
“Are you sure it’s okay to enter the palace looking like that?”
Her maid asked nervously.
Looking in the mirror, Seraphine nodded firmly.
“No problem.”
The maids were clearly worried.
Seraphine was dressed like she was going out for a casual stroll. No one would guess she was about to meet a royal.
‘She’s going to the palace like this…?’
Unbothered, Seraphine arrived at the palace and stood before Crown Prince Leonhardt.
At first glance, he looked nothing like Ikaros.
Naturally.
Ikaros had never married, only adopted heirs to continue his legacy.
So the man before her had no connection to her at all.
“Today is a little different,” Leonhardt said.
“Is that so?”
Normally, Seraphine wore heavy makeup to conceal her pale complexion.
But today, without makeup, her natural beauty was fully visible.
Her attire was so plain that anyone who saw her at a ball might not even recognize her.
Leonhardt found himself staring, almost hypnotized.
Even her usually cold aura seemed subdued, making it hard to look away.
‘But no matter how different she looks, she’s the same inside.’
Their weekly tea time—due to their engagement—always drained him.
He had thought she would die quickly, but life proved more persistent. For years, they kept meeting like this.
Leonhardt assumed she’d once again ask for magical energy to extend her life or bore him with pointless talk.
But Seraphine stayed quiet.
Eventually, he broke the silence.
“I hear all the tutors sent by the imperial family have praised your intellect.”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t expect such dedication to study. You may make a fine empress.”
Empty flattery.
Seraphine could guess how he’d been manipulated, and she held back a bitter laugh.
“Perfect timing. You’re a busy man, after all.”
“Indeed.”
“Then we needn’t waste each other’s time.”
Seraphine smiled and declared,
“Let’s break the engagement.”
“…What?”
“Let’s end this. This engagement—given to me like a final gift at the end of my life—I’m sick of it.”
