HDBMTD 11

Chapter 11

3. My Beloved Mate

Nocturne loved Aria.

Once she realized that, her plan became very simple.

“When Nocturne leaves the Imperial Palace, I’ll go with him.”

All night, Aria calmed Nocturne’s madness. She promised herself that when he woke up the next day, they would escape the palace together.

“Hmm…”

But when she reached for him in her sleep, all she touched was a cold sheet. The warmth was gone. Nocturne wasn’t there.

“Nocturne?”

She sat up and called out, but there was no response. A chill she hadn’t noticed before crept in.

This had never happened before.

Every time she woke after spending the night with him, Nocturne was always there—watching her sleep. She would smile sleepily and reach for him.

“Don’t you get bored watching someone sleep?”
“Never in my life.”

He would gently pick her up and carry her to the bath.

It was all so clear in her mind. His fingers brushing through her hair, the kisses on her forehead, the smell of oils, and his quiet laughter when she complained he only ever gave her baths like some animal.

“Where did you go…”

Her memories faded into the silence around her. Aria slowly blinked and then noticed something strange.

“Why is the sun in the west?”

Nervously, she checked the clock. The hour hand pointed to 3 PM.

“…I slept until 3 in the afternoon?”

‘Sure, I was exhausted last night… but still, I used to have better stamina.’

She rubbed her temples.

‘So that’s why. I slept way too long.’

She mumbled and tried to make sense of it. Of course, even Nocturne wouldn’t stay beside her all day. He was busy.

With a sigh of relief, she slowly got out of bed.

Surprisingly, she didn’t feel as bad as she had expected. In the past, she often had muscle aches after nights with Nocturne, but today there was no pain. She hadn’t even taken medicine.

She felt… better. Like a good sleep had done her body some real good.

As she reached for her robe, she noticed black ashes piled on the nightstand.

“What is that?”

Curious, she dug through the ashes and found the burned tip of a match. It was from the matchbox she had brought yesterday.

“Why is it burned…?”

She blinked, confused. Then a maid’s voice came from outside, saying her bath was ready. Aria gave the ashes another glance, then tilted her head and left the room.

After bathing and changing, Aria told her maids to get rid of the dress that Padva had given her. Just thinking of leaving the palace made her feel lighter.

She headed straight to the annex where Nocturne stayed.

On her way, she looked around. The palace security wasn’t very tight.

Sure, Aria wasn’t physically strong right now, but if she could regain even a tenth of her old strength, she could try escaping. And with Nocturne’s power, they’d have a real chance—even if Padva added more guards.

‘Did my brother not expect me to ask Nocturne for help?’

Maybe it was because Nocturne had ignored her for so long. Still, they were once lovers.

She recalled what Padva said in the study:

“That girl has no abilities anymore. The Imperial Palace is her only shelter. Even if we chase her out, she’ll refuse to leave.”

Padva had been sure that Aria would cling to the royal family. His own inferiority and arrogance must have clouded his judgment.

Thanks to that, escaping seemed even easier.

When Aria entered the annex, she immediately saw Nocturne—he was just about to leave.

He wore a formal uniform and walked beside a servant. He looked calm and composed—nothing like the man consumed by madness the night before.

Aria greeted him with hope.

“Nocturne, if you’re leaving the palace…”

She started to speak about escaping together—but then she froze. Just like that day, when she had seen him again for the first time in six months.

She would never forget the way he had looked at her then. His eyes filled with hate and cold rejection.

Last night, holding him close, she had believed her memories were wrong. That he couldn’t have looked at her like that if he truly loved her. She thought the conspiracy from her mother and brother had made her paranoid.

But now—sober, rational, and standing before her—he looked at her with the same cold eyes.

“Nocturne…?”

She hesitated, her face filled with confusion and anxiety. Nocturne took a step toward her.

“Didn’t I warn you?”

His voice was like ice. Each word cut like a blade.

“I told you—never appear in front of me again.”

“What are you talking about? But last night, you—”

Aria tried to defend herself, but her voice trailed off. A terrible thought entered her mind.

“You don’t… remember last night?”

Nocturne said nothing. But that silence was his answer.

She had expected this, at least a little. Combat-type Eshafes often couldn’t remember what they did while in a state of madness.

But he hadn’t completely lost control… how could he forget everything?

“I know what happened.”

Aria’s face lit up.

“Then…!”

“This.”

Nocturne handed her something. She took it without thinking—then recognized it.

“A perfect tool for a night like this. Especially effective on Eshafes.”

It was the scented candle Padva had given her.

“Judging by your face, you know what it is.”

“No! That’s not—”

“I found it in your clothes. Don’t tell me it wasn’t yours.”

“It was mine… but I didn’t use it. I just—”

Nocturne’s face hardened.

“You lie easily, even when the lie is obvious.”

“It’s not a lie—”

“I found the same candle inside the incense burner.”

“…!”

She remembered now—the faint smell of grass from last night. Padva must’ve placed the candle in advance, knowing she might hesitate to use it herself.

“I don’t know what you hoped to gain from such a pathetic trick…”

He leaned in and whispered coldly into her ear.

“To think a woman who would throw her body as bait could be called a princess. The glory of Dia Rose must be ending.”

He walked past her without a glance.

His servant bowed awkwardly to Aria before rushing after him.

Aria stood frozen, watching Nocturne’s back as he left.

* * *

There was trouble brewing in the royal family of Dia Rose.

The rumors started in high society and spread across nations.

People whispered that the princess’s closest aides had disappeared overnight.

That noble families once in conflict with her were now suddenly employed in the palace.

That the Emperor wasn’t ill—but had been forced into sleep by someone seeking power.

The most famous rumor?

That the princess was already dead.

That the royal family hid her death to prevent rebellion by her most loyal followers.

The spookiest rumor said that the maids assigned to her did nothing all day except oil a preserved corpse.

Tita joined the palace staff to find out the truth behind those stories.

She half-believed the last one.

So when she saw the princess alive—though unconscious and frail—she was deeply relieved.

‘You’re alive…!’

The palace claimed she was just sick—and that seemed to be true, though her condition was worse than expected.

The death rumor likely started when someone saw her like that and misunderstood.

Tita had cared for the princess faithfully for a month now.

In that time, she had learned that while not all the rumors were true, the darkness in the royal family was very real.

Everyone claimed to love the princess—but when she woke, no one was truly happy.

Worse, they ignored and mistreated her because she had lost her power.

Her family’s coldness was shocking—but what disappointed Tita the most was the man once called “the most romantic fiancé in the empire.”

Especially today…

“I don’t know what you hoped to gain from such a pathetic trick…”

Tita didn’t know exactly what the duke had whispered to the princess—but from the mood afterward, it couldn’t have been kind.

‘Her Highness stayed calm…’

Even when her family and fiancé abandoned her, Aria never broke down. But Tita feared she wouldn’t endure forever.

‘No one can bear being thrown away by the ones they love just because they’ve grown weak.’

Still, Aria stayed strong.

Tita brought her a cup of warm tea to help her feel better.

But when she entered the room, what she saw made her drop the tray.

“No, Your Highness!”

Aria was standing on the balcony railing, ready to jump.