Chapter 5

Leira’s eyes widened at the man’s words, and she instinctively pushed him away.

“So you can move.”

He muttered under his breath as he watched her retreat with a sulky look.

She had been blinking like a doll until now, barely responding.
But now that she moved, the man simply stared at her.

Her clothes were soaked and clinging to her body, her long platinum hair dripping, her pale skin flawless, and her teal eyes striking.

She looked so beautiful that he briefly wondered if she was a mermaid who had come out of the sea…
except she had normal human legs.

Honestly, she might even be more beautiful than a mermaid.

“Who are you? How did you get here?”

She asked hesitantly, and the man responded with another question.

“I should be the one asking that. Why are you in a place like this, in that condition?”

A place like this?

That phrase made Leira blink and look around.

This wasn’t the shoreline she knew from Citadel Island.

It was much smaller, narrower, tucked between low cliffs.

Shocked, she whipped her head back toward the man.

“Where is this?”

“If you’re asking about the region, this is the Kolki area—including the port city.”

That wasn’t enough for her, so she stared at him expectantly.
He added:

“It’s on the outskirts of the Rihidden Empire.”

At that answer, Leira froze.

Why?

That was the first thought that came to mind.

She remembered the storm hitting Citadel Island.
She remembered the massive wave crashing over it.

She thought surviving was already a miracle—but how on earth had she washed all the way to the Rihidden Empire?

Seeing her pale face, the man spoke to the person behind him.

“We should take her with us.”

“I agree. She looks like she might collapse any moment.”

When the companion nodded, Leira panicked.

“I—I need to go back to Citadel Island. How do I get there?”

Hearing her desperate question, the man frowned slightly.

“And where exactly is that?”

“It’s the exile island used by the Balua Empire.”

“So… a place where they send criminals.”

He looked at her strangely.

Did she harm someone? With that face?

She didn’t look like someone who could hurt a fly.
What crime could someone like her have committed?

Leira nodded calmly.

“Yes. I’m a criminal. That’s why I need to return to my exile.”

The man raised an eyebrow.

“If you want to go back so badly, why did you escape?”

“I didn’t escape—I was swept away by the storm.”

“Well, since you already escaped by accident, you could just stay gone. Why bother going back?”

Leira shut her mouth, troubled.
The man’s bored expression only made it worse.

“Anyway, let’s go. You’re not planning to keep standing there like that.”

Leira glanced down at her drenched clothes and slowly stood up, following them.

Her arms were slender, her skin smooth—and completely uninjured.

Impossible.
If the water had risen high enough to pour over the cliffs, no one could have survived without smashing into the rocks.

In that case, she would have died before even reaching the sea.

But somehow… she had been swept out through the narrow passage without a single scratch.

Was that good luck, or terrible luck?

“…I’m surprised you even found me. I don’t think I was very visible from over there.”

“Shut up.”

The two men walking ahead whispered to each other.
Then the hooded man spun around.

“Right, we haven’t introduced ourselves yet. I’m Arzeo.”

Leira stared at the hand he held out before cautiously taking it.

“I’m Leira.”

“I’m Eugene,” the hooded companion said softly.

His ash-colored hair slipped over his forehead.
Leira nodded politely when she met his violet eyes.

“You look very unwell,” Eugene said kindly. “Let’s get you into dry clothes first. Then you can explain everything slowly.”

Leira studied him for a moment, then asked quietly:

“May I ask who you two are? I told you I’m a criminal, but you’re still helping me so easily.”

“We are…”

“We’re traveling merchants,” Arzeo cut in, interrupting Eugene.

Eugene gave an awkward smile at that.

“And besides, we couldn’t just ignore someone collapsed on the beach.”

“Oh… thank you.”

Leira bowed her head slightly.
She owed her life to their kindness.

They intended to take her to their lodging first and ask questions later.
But just then, Arzeo—who had been walking ahead—suddenly stopped.

Citadel Island…?

He had heard that name somewhere.
After thinking for a moment, he remembered where.

“Hm? Is something wrong, Your—ugh!”

Eugene yelped as Arzeo stomped hard on his foot.

“Nothing at all, Eugene.”

Arzeo smiled pleasantly.

Eugene clapped both hands over his mouth and nodded frantically.

He had almost addressed Arzeo as “Your High—” like he usually did.

Leira tilted her head, watching the odd exchange with wide blinking eyes.

Arzeo quickly resumed walking, occasionally glancing back at her.

The exiled empress… sent to that death island…

He remembered the rumors.
What kind of man exiled his own empress like that?

And now she wanted to return to that exile island.

Arzeo smirked faintly.

A “criminal,” she says…

From what he had heard, the entire accusation was baseless.
And yet she called herself a criminal so casually.

She didn’t seem ordinary at all.

If she really is who I think she is…

***

Leira followed them to the lodging where they were staying in the Kolki region.

They asked the innkeeper to bring clean clothes, and once she was alone, Leira soaked in warm bathwater.

Her dazed, drifting mind slowly cleared.

She wasn’t even sure how much time had passed.
Even if she knew the date, it wouldn’t change anything—she had never bothered keeping track on Citadel.

Maybe I should have…

She regretted it a little now.
But it didn’t feel like many days had passed since the storm.

A fisherman had mentioned the weather had been bad lately, which kept everyone from going out to sea.

If I hurry back, maybe no one will even realize I disappeared from Citadel.

Since she lived completely alone there, it was possible.

After changing into clean, warm clothes, she followed the staff member to Arzeo and Eugene’s room.

They had prepared hot soup for her, worried about her pale complexion.

“Oh! You’re here. How are you feeling now?”

“Yes, thank you.”

Eugene smiled kindly and pulled out a chair for her.

The gesture was as polished as any noble’s.

Leira wondered if he dealt with nobles often as a merchant.

Arzeo pushed a soft slice of bread and soup toward her.

“Eat first. You look terrible.”

His tone was oddly sharp, enough to make Eugene glance at him in confusion.

Arzeo usually showed no interest in women and barely reacted to anyone—so this was unusual.

Leira obediently ate the soup.
The warm liquid slid down her throat, warming her frozen insides.

Arzeo seemed relieved to see her releasing a soft exhale of comfort.

Earlier, she had demanded to return to Citadel immediately, drenched and pale as a corpse.

He rested his chin on his hand, watching her.

“Are you feeling any better?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

She was still pale, but not as deathly as before.

“Good. Then let’s get to the main question.”

“Ah… yes, go ahead.”

She blinked wide eyes at him.

“You said you’re a criminal and need to return to your exile. Correct?”

“Yes.”

“So maybe explain that in a bit more detail?”

Leira hesitated with a piece of bread halfway to her mouth.

As the Foresteia daughter, she had always been careful with what she said in front of others.

But she wasn’t a noble now.
She wasn’t even an empress.

She was just a criminal… trying to return to her exile.

Leira chewed thoughtfully before swallowing and finally opened her small lips to speak.

Arzeo had been staring at those lips without realizing it—until the sound of her voice snapped him out of it.

“What kind of explanation do you want?”

“Your full criminal name.”

His soft gaze and curved lips were alluring, but Leira didn’t react.

“Leira Foresteia.”

No one in the Rihidden Empire could be unaware of that name.

The Foresteia Duchy guarded the border between the two empires.
Rihidden wasn’t strong militarily—especially now, weakened by internal battles for the throne.

If she’s really Foresteia… then she really is the deposed empress.

Arzeo nodded faintly and asked his next question as she reached for more soup.

“What was the reason for your exile?”

Leira froze mid-movement.

Drops of soup fell from her paused spoon.

Her teal eyes remained calm as she met Arzeo’s gaze—but he sensed a deeper disturbance within.

Instead of eating, she set the spoon down.

Her expression was blank, serene even, but that only made her seem more sorrowful.

After a long silence, Leira finally lowered her gaze.

The reason for her exile was simple.

Lloyd’s heart had changed.

But she didn’t want to say that out loud.