“The Imperial Palace is that kind of place. Monsters capable of anything in the pursuit of power crawl everywhere. If you've decided to live here, you'd do well to harden your heart.”
Theoric patted his shoulder.
Still frozen from shock, Edrick slowly raised his head and looked at his superior.
“Does Lord Siorcan know as well?”
“Of course. The one who ordered all of this investigated was the Commander himself.”
“Then why...?”
Edrick trailed off, unable to understand.
The man looked down at him quietly before shrugging.
“Well... who knows? There's no way for people like us to know what's going on inside that man's head.”
“......”
“But whatever the reason, he must have something that compels him to accept a marriage with the Second Imperial Princess.”
Edrick frowned.
What could that reason possibly be?
A grave expression crossed his face as he recalled the inscrutable man whose thoughts no one could read. At that moment, a heavy blow landed on his back.
Startled, Edrick turned around.
Sir Hart, who had smacked him with his thick palm, spoke lightly, trying to dispel the mood.
“In any case, stop worrying about the Second Imperial Princess.”
Then, with greater seriousness, he added,
“She'll be leaving the Imperial Palace before long. Once that happens, you'll never cross paths again. So stop dwelling on it and focus on your own future.”
The last words were almost a rebuke.
Theoric shook his head.
“You managed to thoroughly offend the Crown Prince during the pilgrimage, didn't you? Your own situation is bad enough, so why are you worrying about someone else?”
Edrick's complexion darkened.
Having his greatest concern pointed out only made his shoulders feel heavier.
Seeing him slump, Theoric let out an incredulous laugh.
“Well, well. You always act without thinking ahead, so I thought ambition wasn't in your nature, but apparently that's not entirely true.”
“At the time... I believed I had to fulfill my duty as a guard knight. No matter what, I was her knight.”
Something complicated passed through Sir Hart's eyes at the rigid reply.
Staring intently at his subordinate's face, he let out a long breath.
“I'll say it again. That role is over. It's time for you to return to where you belong.”
Edrick silently looked at his resolute expression before turning his head toward the towering walls visible through the thick trees.
Beyond the dark green canopy, he could see the roof of the detached palace where the Second Imperial Princess resided.
He had only served her for two months.
Had he not witnessed her injuries with his own eyes, perhaps she would never have occupied his thoughts to this extent.
‘Sir Hart is right.’
His role as her guard was over.
Though the cruel environment surrounding her was regrettable, there was nothing he could do.
‘Perhaps... this is for the best.’
As Sir Hart had said, the Imperial Palace was filled with monsters blinded by power.
Moreover, she was hated through and through.
If she married Lord Siorcan and departed for the East, then at least she would be free from those hostile people surrounding her.
Releasing his vague guilt with a heavy sigh, Edrick finally nodded.
“I understand what you mean.”
Apparently pleased by his answer, Sir Hart smiled brightly.
“Good. Then let's get back to our work.”
Practically dragged away by him, Edrick glanced over his shoulder at the roof of the detached palace one last time.
Then he straightened his head and strode forward.
* * *
Talia lay upon the bed, watching dust drift through the air.
The glittering particles floated slowly along the currents before gently settling upon her body.
Stretching out her hand, she scattered them back into the air and watched them slowly descend.
She had no idea why she was doing something so strange.
She felt like seaweed.
Meaningless motions continued, like aquatic plants swaying with the current.
Perhaps she had injured her head rather than her leg.
She was blankly lost in such thoughts when she heard the door open.
Turning her head, Talia looked at the intruder.
Carrying an armful of fabrics, the nurse burst inside and shot her a fierce glare.
“How can you still be lying there!”
The shrill voice unpleasantly scraped at her ears.
Talia pulled the blanket over her head.
The nurse immediately snatched it away and continued in that piercing voice.
“Get up and wash yourself immediately! You made such a fuss about refusing to entrust your body to anyone else, drove all the maids away, and now what exactly are you doing?”
Talia glared at her with narrowed eyes.
She couldn't understand what she was saying.
Hadn't she only been sleeping? Had someone come while she was asleep?
Her unfocused eyes wandered around the room.
Broken dishes and scattered objects lay everywhere.
Apparently, she really had caused a commotion.
“Get up already!”
The nurse forcibly pulled her limp body upright.
Talia merely stared blankly at the woman's flushed face with sleepy eyes.
Perhaps frustrated by the sight, the nurse struck her own chest with a fist.
“Just how many herbs ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) have you burned while I was away? You can barely walk as it is, and how are you planning to enter the ceremony hall like this?”
“The ceremony hall?”
“You have a wedding to attend!”
“Who's getting married?”
The nurse's round face turned as red as a plum.
Her obvious fury amused Talia.
With her tongue half-loosened, she muttered carelessly,
“Congratulations on your marriage, Nurse.”
“You are the one getting married today!”
The nurse shrieked like a goose with a broken neck.
“You insisted on it yourself, so why are you acting like this!”
Talia furrowed her brows.
Come to think of it, she had agreed to marry Varkas.
When had she said that?
She couldn't remember.
It felt as though her sense of time had melted away into smoke.
Blinking slowly with vacant eyes, Talia finally lowered her feet to the floor.
Anyway, today was her wedding day.
In that case, perhaps she really shouldn't be lying around like this.
Staggering, she walked behind the screen.
“I'll help you with the bath and getting dressed in your undergarments. The rest will have to be handled by the maids from the Empress's Palace.”
“...Mm.”
“And absolutely no scratching or hitting.”
“What am I, a cat? Why would I scratch people?”
The nurse made a face as though she had put something inedible into her mouth.
Finding the foolish expression amusing, Talia grinned, causing the nurse to let out a long sigh and strip off her nightclothes.
“Just hurry and wash yourself.”
Talia stepped into the bath.
A moment later, cold water cascaded over her head.
Pushing aside the hair covering her eyes, she rubbed at the stinging sensation.
The nurse seemed anxious.
After pouring an entire bottle of fragrant oil over her, she began scrubbing her body vigorously with a large brush.
It was closer to washing a dog than attending to an Imperial Princess.
But Talia accepted it without complaint.
Her dulled senses meant it didn't hurt much.
“Come out now.”
After dousing her head with cold water four times in succession, the nurse urged her impatiently.
Water dripping from her body, Talia climbed out of the bath.
The nurse wrapped her in a large towel, dried her, and dressed her in undergarments and a petticoat in the blink of an eye.
She never knew someone slower than a grub could move so quickly.
Watching in wonder, she saw the nurse wipe the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand before rushing out to summon the maids.
Soon, Talia found herself surrounded by dozens of women.
No.
Surely there weren't dozens.
One person became two, two became three, then four before her eyes, so there were probably fewer.
Regardless, they looked like dozens to Talia.
Her dizzy eyes blinked before she closed them altogether.
By the time she opened them again, the maids had finished preparing her and were leading her somewhere.
It felt as though she had been swept away by a current into the endless sea.
When she regained her senses, she found herself riding inside a large carriage.
Talia gazed out the window with clouded eyes.
She saw the dark, ink-colored sky and the enormous cathedral standing beneath it.
The moment that hazy sight entered her vision, an inexplicable anxiety reared its head.
Staring at the entrance of the cathedral drawing closer and closer, cold sweat poured down her body.
She seized the door handle.
Just as she was about to throw the door open and leap outside, the carriage came to an abrupt halt.
The sudden stop sent Talia tumbling onto the floor.
Her knee struck hard, and a sharp pain shot all the way to her pelvis.
Biting down on her lips, she swallowed her groan.
Then—
The carriage door swung open, and a deep shadow poured over her.
Startled, Talia raised her head and held her breath.
Varkas stood there, surrounded by the dim gray curtain of the overcast sky.
Clad in pure white ceremonial attire and loosely draped in an overcoat embroidered with the crest of House Siorcan, he bent down toward her.
She could feel those blue eyes slowly tracing every feature of her face.
