“Wait……!”

Sensing what Herietta was up to, the guard stepped forward quickly to stop her. But Jonathan, who came belatedly, blocked the guard.

“…….”

The guard looked at Jonathan, puzzled. Jonathan silently shook his head. What Herietta could do in this situation was very limited. So, Jonathan decided, it wouldn’t matter too much if he waited a little longer to see what she was going to do.

Herietta opened the bars of the prison where Edwin was being held. Far from escaping, Edwin was almost at death’s door, so the guards didn’t even lock the door.

Kiiik.

The rugged bars opened, and Herietta stepped inside the prison. The sharp smell of iron stung her nostrils. She couldn’t tell if it was the smell of the rusted iron bars or the smell of blood from someone.

Herietta walked over to Edwin and sat on her knees. His weak breathing sounded irregularly, like it would stop at any moment. She looked down at him, then slowly reached out and gently tucked the hair over his face.

A pale complexion with no blood. There was the impression that it was a little thinner and sharper than she remembered.

“…….”

There were things she couldn’t understand until now.

Why did a competent leader suddenly take over the Kustan army, which had been in a state of panic for a long time without producing any results?

And why did the newly appointed young leader of the Kustan Army push and attack the Brimdel Army so fiercely that it seemed like he was blinded?

Why did he not stop at making the country a vassal state, but went further and destroyed not only the royal family of Brimdel, but also several noble families such as Duchy Rowani?

It felt like the thick fog around her was slowly clearing. The moment she saw Edwin, she was able to understand the clues from the things she had thought incomprehensible one by one.

“Edwin…….”

Herietta called his name softly.

“Edwin…… Open your eyes.”

“…….”

“Stop pretending to be asleep and open your eyes.”

Herietta’s throat moved. At one glance, she could tell how precarious his condition was. In the palm of her hand, the cold touch she felt when she stabbed him with the dagger was still vivid.

“Edwin, please.”

Click.

As she grabbed Edwin by the shoulder and shook him, wanting to wake him up from sleep, a small object fell from his arms. Herietta’s gaze automatically turned to it.

This…… ?

A silver locket necklace with a rugged design. It was something very familiar to her.

Herietta, who was staring blankly at it, slowly picked up the locket necklace. She hesitated for a moment then pressed the small device attached to the side of the locket to open the locket.

Faded golden hair. In return for cutting his hair, she secretly took it and put it in the locket, a precious treasure that she kept secretly.

It was lost in the woods near the border when she was ambushed by a mob led by Shawn. By the time she realized that, it was already a long time ago. She was deeply discouraged, thinking she would never find it again.

But why is it here now?

Herietta’s eyes twitched. She looked up and saw Edwin.

She suddenly became curious. What kind of life has he been living since he parted from her in Philioche? What kind of thoughts did he have while carrying the necklace that must have been nothing but a memento to him, and why did he come all the way here?

Please…….

Please…….

He gasped in pain and muttered meaningful words. Even when an arrow was stuck in his body, he stood firm. But the moment he saw her face, he shed tears, collapsing in the moment.

My star. My most precious person.

She couldn’t let him go like this.

There were so many things they couldn’t say to each other yet.

Tears poured from Herietta’s eyes.

* * *

Inside a closed room. There was a man and a woman in it.

“Your Highness, please.”

Herietta knelt down in front of Bernard and begged. A low posture with her head bowed so low that her forehead touches the floor. Like kissing his foot if she needed to.

“Please…… Please save Edwin.”

“…….”

“I can’t be without him. I cannot let him die.”

Tears flowed incessantly from Herietta’s eyes. It was amazing how, after crying so much, there were still tears left to shed.

“Herietta.”

Bernard, who was staring down at Herietta with a complicated face, finally spoke.

“Redford, is the man who led the army and invaded my country. As a result, many Velicians had to participate in the war and lose their lives on the battlefield. Loyal soldiers. Noble knights. Even…….”

Bernard furrowed his fine brow. The wound that he thought had dulled was throbbing again.

“…… Even my older brother, Siorn, who was the crown prince of this country.”

A man who had no doubt would be a good monarch in the future, and had a more benevolent character than anyone else. However, the times forced Siorn to pick up a sword rather than a pen. Then he, who could not bear the weight of his given fate, eventually disappeared into history as a handful of ashes. As a result, Velicia lost their crown prince, and Bernard lost the older brother he loved.

“But now you want me to save him.”

Bernard let out a short laugh, as if he was full of tension just thinking about it. His darkened eyes turned to Herietta.

“Do you think that makes sense?”

“…….”

“If you have a mouth, speak, Herietta.”

Bernard demanded an answer again.

At first glance, one might think that he was just getting angry. But that was a mistake. He was deeply hurt by Herietta’s actions. He always thought she was on the same side as him. So this time he couldn’t calmly accept the fact that she had chosen the enemy instead of him.

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