CHAPTER 10

“What?”
“Sir, why are you here like this? Which unit are you from?”

A knight wearing a guard badge asked. Daniel quickly waved his hands, realizing he was in trouble.
“I-I’m not a suspicious person!”
“Suspicious people always say that.”
“It’s true! I’m looking for someone. You’ll regret it if you arrest me!”
“That’s what suspicious people always say. Come with us.”

Daniel was taken away, looking completely shocked.

‘Maybe this is fate.’
Maybe fate is telling him to let Vivian go.

Daniel sighed deeply and walked slowly.
But still, at least he learned today that Vivian was living happily.
Maybe if he walked around the market again tomorrow, he could see her again?

‘She must be living nearby…’
Then tomorrow, he would decide.

Whether to report this or not.

First, he would check if she was still smiling.

Then he would decide.

Daniel scratched the back of his neck, lost in thought.

The next day:

They finished preparing for their first day of business.

Estella and Ariane had argued about who would pay at the restaurant, but after that, shopping went smoothly—mainly because they didn’t speak to each other at all.

“Ugh, seriously…”

Eve sighed deeply as she looked at the freshly baked, delicious-looking pizza.

Neither of them had come into the kitchen, which meant they were really upset.

The pizza smelled great, made with rosemary that’s good for fatigue and goes well with chicken.

Eve took off her oven mitts and knocked on Ariane’s door.

“Ariane, dinner time.”

Then she knocked on Estella’s door.

“Estella, dinner’s ready. Okay?”

But no one answered from either room.

Eve tilted her head and opened Ariane’s door.

“Ah…”

She quickly covered her mouth.

Estella and Ariane were sleeping together on the bed.
Estella looked tired and was sleeping peacefully with her arm around Ariane.

‘If you’re going to be like this, why fight so much?’

Eve turned off the light and quietly went back to the kitchen, covering the pizza with a cloth.

Then she sat down slowly at the table.

Her fingers were shaking slightly.

This was Eve’s alone time now.

She buried her face in her hands, filled with pain.

“…Haa.”

A soft sigh came out as if it was scratching her insides.

The pain reached all the way to her fingertips.

Even with painkillers, it only helped for a short time.

Ariane was being stubborn, but she would eventually agree that they needed to find Estella’s real father.

Eve’s condition was clearly getting worse.

“Do you remember when your illness started?”
“I think about three years ago.”
“It must’ve been painful…”
“It was okay. I could handle it.”

She didn’t even notice the pain while watching Estella grow up.
Each day passed, and then another came.

Hans from Vibrase said her illness was eating away at her life, and Jillian told her its real name.

“It’s called Plumeria. The name comes from a flower that means blessing.”
“A blessing? This illness?”
“It happens to people with too much magic for their body to handle. It’s both a blessing and a curse.”
“Can it be cured?”
“…We can ease the pain, but we can’t do more. I’m sorry.”

Another heavy weight fell on Eve’s chest.

She didn’t even have tears left to cry.

She replayed Jillian’s words and let out a long sigh.

With shaking hands, she drank some water and swallowed her pills.

She took deep breaths, waiting for the pain to calm down.

“It’s okay, Eve. Not yet.”
“It’s okay…”

Her small voice faded away—just like she was fading too.

Meanwhile, Samuel:

Whenever Samuel remembered that Vivian wasn’t by his side, the huge palace felt even more empty.

Especially on a spring day like this.

He had lived three years as her husband and seven years as strangers.
It felt awkward to even say they were once married.

Samuel gave a bitter laugh.

Vivian was supposed to become his empress.

He had thought so many times—why did she leave? Didn’t she think of him at all?

He came up with a thousand reasons, but no one could give him the real answer.

Maybe it was because he didn’t want her to have a child.

Samuel lay on the bed, arm over his eyes, the taste of alcohol still in his mouth.

Even now, he could clearly see her.

‘A child…’
Vivian and Samuel’s child. He had dreamed of it.

Whether a boy or a girl—it would be their child.

Just the thought made his heart overflow, sometimes bringing him to tears.

He had been kicked out to the streets at age five.

Without his fire magic, he wouldn’t have survived.

Samuel smiled bitterly.

Without that power, he would’ve died like a stray dog.

He thought—if Vivian gave birth to their child, he would give her anything.

Anything for her or the child.

But he never got that chance.

Tears rolled from his eyes, hidden under his arm.

In the quiet spring night, insects chirped.

‘Samuel, can you hear that? Doesn’t it sound like they’re saying goodbye, goodbye?’

Vivian’s cheerful voice echoed in his mind.

‘I love the sound of insects singing. You know, Samuel? It reminds me of you. That night we first met—they were singing just like now. And I was so happy because you were my first friend. Since then, I always hear “goodbye” in their songs.’

Clear tears ran down Samuel’s cheeks.

Now he also hears “goodbye” in their songs.

‘Goodbye, Samuel. Goodbye…’

Vivian’s final farewell echoed again.

Samuel’s heart hurt. It was hard to breathe.

The empty bottle rolled off the bed, bumped against his bare foot, and stopped.

‘Aren’t you drinking too much?’

Vivian had scolded him like that before.

She was just seventeen then.

That was before Samuel became the crown prince.

Back then, she spoke more warmly and openly.

Later, after moving to the palace, she used formal speech.

Samuel didn’t even like alcohol that much. But he drank a lot to fit in with Duke Endless and meet people.

The Duke had tightly controlled Vivian’s movements.

So after Samuel went out, Vivian used to wait for him on the stairs, kicking her feet and resting her chin on her hand.

‘Samuel! Why are you so late? You said you’d come early. Where’s the cake? You promised to bring the same one from last time! What happened? And how much did you drink this time?!’

Even while helping his drunken body, she kept nagging, and he liked that sound.

That’s why he drank.

When Samuel brought cake, she would sit next to his bed and eat it.

‘This one’s so good. You have to get it again.’
“Okay…”
‘But this one’s too sweet. I don’t like overly sweet cakes.’
“Got it…”
‘Oh! I really like this one! I want to go eat it myself… Samuel, can you take me out sometime? Please talk to my parents. They never listen to me.’

“I’ll do it… Whatever you want…”

His voice got softer and softer.

His arm dropped from his face.

His tear-streaked, pale face was silent.

Vivian’s voice no longer came.

How could she never appear in his dreams—not even once in seven years?

So cruel, you.

Samuel sank into bitter and painful sleep.

Just another night in his daily routine.

Later that night:

A small white bird landed near Eve.

It walked around her as she slept with her head on the table.

“Coo?”

The bird tilted its head and stepped closer.

It gently brushed her hair with its soft, white wing, like a pat.

After a long time, the bird flew up, slipping through the slightly open window.

It flew through the night sky and landed on Samuel’s balcony.

It passed through the curtain and glass easily.

It circled above Samuel, then let out a long sigh.

It didn’t like the smell of alcohol, and kept landing and flying.

Finally, it sat beside Samuel’s head.

It stared quietly at his face.

Then, it pressed its small head gently against his cheek.

Then it opened its wings and flew away.

A soft white feather fell onto Samuel’s body.

It disappeared without a trace.

The bird also left—as if it had never been there at all.