Chapter 7
Although she hadn’t received a reply, she was certain she had sent word to Evangeline.
Had someone intercepted the letter? Or had it been lost along the way?
The shock of witnessing her own funeral was indescribable for Selenia.
She had to return to the imperial palace immediately and put a stop to this absurd funeral.
Selenia mounted her horse once more and rode swiftly.
Having already reached the capital, the palace wasn’t far now.
Soon, they arrived at the gates of the imperial palace.
When the unknown figure in a robe arrived on horseback, the knights guarding the entrance eyed her with suspicion.
Selenia dismounted and stepped forward to face them.
“Who goes there?”
A sharp blade pointed in her direction.
The knights were also dressed in black uniforms to mourn the death of the Crown Princess.
Selenia’s gaze darkened. She pulled back the hood that covered her face.
At that moment, the knights turned pale as if they’d seen a ghost.
“Y-Your Highness!”
“Your Highness!”
“…Quick, help him first!”
“Y-Yes, right away!”
Though they stammered in shock, the knights quickly carried Edwin, who was slumped on the horse.
Selenia removed her old robe and entered the palace.
Several nobles and maids gasped and sobbed in disbelief, trying to reach for her, but she simply walked past them.
The first person Selenia needed to meet wasn’t a maid or a noble.
“Evangeline!”
The door slammed against the wall from how forcefully she opened it.
Evangeline, dressed in a black mourning dress and sipping tea, looked up in utter shock.
“S-Selenia!”
Selenia stormed up to Evangeline, who sat there stunned, mouth agape.
She intended to demand an explanation. But before the words could come out—
“Oh, heavens…!”
Evangeline burst into tears. Fat droplets rolled down her cheeks.
She sobbed, running her hands over Selenia’s body as if to confirm she was truly alive.
“I thought… I thought you were dead… You’re alive… Thank goodness…”
Her voice choked with tears as she hugged Selenia tightly.
“…Did you not get my letter?”
“Letter?”
Evangeline, still embracing her, asked back with a bewildered look. Her tear-filled purple eyes met Selenia’s.
There was no trace of deceit in them. She looked completely unaware.
Selenia sighed.
“…I sent you a letter. Said I’d come later because I had an investigation, and asked you to send me some gold coins.”
“You really did? I swear I never got any letter!”
Evangeline shouted, clearly distressed.
“When Mikhail came back alone, even then—”
“Mikhail came back?!”
“Yes. Barely alive, all banged up.”
Mikhail being alive was another shock.
Her letter hadn’t reached Evangeline, and Mikhail had survived.
“It’s not too late. If you announce that you’re alive now, everything can be set right. Everyone will be so relieved.”
“…Please, do that.”
Evangeline wiped her tears and left to handle things.
Yet, an uneasy feeling still lingered in Selenia’s heart.
It felt like everything had gone awry. If the letter had arrived properly, the vampires wouldn’t have followed her, Edwin wouldn’t have gotten hurt.
But what was most strange—how had Luciel always known exactly where she was?
As if he had eyes on her every move.
Could there be a spy?
“Haa…”
Selenia let out a long sigh and sat down heavily on the bed, utterly exhausted.
She closed her eyes tightly. Just for today, she wanted to rest.
Her body fell back into the soft bedding, her eyes blinking slowly.
Soon, gentle breaths escaped her lips as she fell asleep.
“Mmm…”
Edwin slowly opened his eyes. A lavish canopy overhead caught his gaze, and he bolted upright.
His head spun. He was sure he had been dying from a vampire’s claw.
‘Did I die… and end up in heaven?’
The thought wasn’t far-fetched. The room was adorned with gold and jewel-encrusted decorations.
He slowly got up from the bed.
“Oh, you’re awake?”
A maid in uniform entered, pushing a trolley.
Still groggy, Edwin couldn’t form proper words.
“Uh… where am I…?”
“Oh, this is the imperial palace.”
“T-The imperial palace?!”
“Yes. Her Highness brought you here herself.”
The maid looked at him with a curious expression.
Edwin blinked rapidly. Somehow, he was alive.
And he was with Selenia.
He suddenly remembered what he had tried to confess to her in the cave.
Her knowing expression still lingered in his mind.
His face flushed bright red. Edwin covered it with both hands.
‘I thought I was dying, so I confessed…!’
Had he known he would survive, he would’ve kept his mouth shut. How could he face her now?
“By the way…”
As Edwin squirmed with embarrassment, the maid carefully asked:
“Yes?”
“What noble house are you from?”
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
The man brought personally by the Crown Princess—everyone in the palace was curious about him.
“Oh, I… I’m…”
Edwin trailed off. He wasn’t from any noble house. He was a commoner, from a rural village at that.
“…I…”
He was scrambling for a less disgraceful way to answer when someone entered the room.
“He is to be my palace physician.”
“Your Highness!”
It was Selenia, dressed in a neat gown.
She smiled gently and walked toward Edwin.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
He didn’t even realize his mouth was hanging open as he stared at her, looking utterly foolish.
Whether in uniform or in a tattered robe, Selenia always carried herself with grace—but the gown suited her best.
It was elegant, without lace or gemstones, simply exposing her shoulders. Yet her noble aura made it majestic.
Her innate elegance only added to the charm.
“Are you alright, Edwin?”
“…Thanks to you. But… how did you bring me all the way to the palace?”
Edwin’s eyes were filled with awe.
So the royal family truly possessed special powers—Selenia certainly seemed like one of them.
After all, it would’ve been impossible for a normal woman to bring an unconscious man from a remote village to the capital.
“It was quite an ordeal.”
Selenia answered calmly and took a seat, lifting her teacup.
“Sit.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Like an obedient puppy, Edwin sat opposite her.
She subtly gestured for him to drink his tea.
Taking the hint, Edwin picked up the teacup cautiously.
It was far more luxurious than anything in his home.
Delicate golden patterns shimmered on the porcelain—just one of these could probably fetch a heap of silver coins.
His careful manner of holding it like a treasure made Selenia chuckle softly.
“I sent gold coins to your sister’s place.”
“Gold coins?”
“Enough for a proper dowry. She won’t have to worry anymore. I also asked her not to return to your old house.”
“Th-Thank you, Your Highness.”
Edwin awkwardly sipped his tea.
He and she were still the same people—but everything felt strangely different.
“Edwin.”
“Y-Yes…?”
“That comment about wanting to become my palace physician—surely, you still mean it?”
Edwin couldn’t answer right away. Of course he wanted to stay by her side.
But now that she knew how he felt, she might feel burdened.
“Why aren’t you answering?”
“Well…”
He dropped his head. Selenia smiled gently.
She waited a while for his reply, but Edwin merely mumbled without speaking up.
In the end, Selenia spoke first.
“In that cave… weren’t you about to say something to me? Since you didn’t die, go ahead and say it now.”
Her tone was teasing, like she was talking to a child.
Even his ears turned red.
Selenia stood and walked over to him.
He slowly looked up. She bent down so their eyes met.
His green eyes trembled like leaves in the wind.
“Tell me how you feel.”
“Your Highness…”
“That’s an order.”
Despite her commanding tone, her gaze was as gentle as ever.
Cornered like that, Edwin finally opened his mouth.
“…It hasn’t been long, but…”
“Yes?”
“I… I think I’ve come to like you…”
His heart pounded so hard it hurt.
He wished he could’ve said it more eloquently.
But it wasn’t an ideal moment. He didn’t have a jewel, or even a bouquet, to offer her.
His first confession in life—so awkward, so clumsy.
His face turned beet red, and he squeezed his eyes shut.
“I see.”
‘…Huh?’
He opened his eyes in confusion.
It had taken everything to say it.
But Selenia seemed completely unfazed, her expression calm and neutral.
She straightened and returned to her seat across from him.
Edwin sneaked a glance at her.
Without a change in expression, she sipped her tea.
‘Of course. Why would someone like her be moved by a village doctor’s feelings?’
Even as he told himself that, the bitterness on his face was unmistakable.
Silence filled the room for a long while.
“Edwin.”
“…Yes?”
Selenia finally broke the silence.
She set down her teacup and looked at him with an unusually serious expression.
“I… too…”
Her golden eyes sparkled as they locked onto his.
“Feel the same as you.”
It felt like a dream.
A dream he never wanted to wake up from.
Warm joy rose in his chest like sweet honey.
As their trembling gazes met, Selenia’s expression melted into a tender smile….
