Chapter 6

Heinz’s face grew more haggard with each passing day.

Having gone several days without food or water, and with his wounds still unhealed, his body was receiving no proper nourishment. His mind was beginning to drift in and out of consciousness.

Edwin showed Heinz no mercy.

With Heinz’s arms and legs bound so tightly that he could not move, Edwin beat him relentlessly. The violence was so brutal that even the attendants standing behind him had to turn away and cover their eyes.

New wounds appeared one after another across his already emaciated body.

Even when Edwin threatened to kill him, Heinz merely grinned.

Watching the Emperor lose control filled Heinz with deep contempt.

“So you truly wish to have your throat cut.”

The moment Edwin’s crazed voice echoed through the dungeon, the blade of his sword was pressed against Heinz’s neck.

“Y-Your Majesty.”

Erika, who had hurried over after being summoned, quickly wrapped her arms around Edwin’s waist.

“Please… stop.”

Without saying a word, Edwin looked down at her with cold, merciless eyes.

His gaze was so icy that it seemed he might cut off her head if she said the wrong thing.

Erika hurriedly continued,

“There is no need to dirty Your Majesty’s own hands…”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying there’s no reason to waste your time on someone who’s going to die anyway.”

“Empress.”

His voice had become so cold that it carried killing intent.

A chill ran down Erika’s spine.

“My patience has limits.”

She squeezed her eyes shut.

“I’m warning you not to overstep your place.”

She had forgotten one thing.

In this palace, simply staying alive around Edwin was difficult enough.

Edwin glanced once at Heinz, who had been beaten into half a corpse, before sliding his sword back into its sheath.

Erika wasn’t entirely wrong.

He’s going to die soon anyway.

Rather than killing him now… I should think of a way to make his death even more painful.

Turning around, Edwin left the underground prison.

Before following him out, Erika looked back at Heinz.

It would be a waste for that boy to die just yet.

She intended to gradually persuade Edwin.

Eventually…

She wanted Heinz to become one of her own playthings—a concubine kept for her amusement.

For that to happen…

Elthia could never be allowed to return to the Imperial Palace.

Not long afterward, Briand appeared.

He stopped briefly after seeing Heinz’s condition, then questioned him with a grim expression.

As before, Heinz remained completely silent whenever Elthia was mentioned.

Unable to endure the silence any longer, Briand grabbed the iron bars and shook them.

“If you would just say one word, you could leave this place. Why are you so stubborn?”

Heinz slowly turned his empty eyes toward him.

Those hollow eyes contained nothing…

Yet they were so deep that Briand involuntarily shivered, as though he might be pulled into them.

A cloud of white breath escaped Heinz’s lips.

The underground prison where he was being held remained below freezing throughout the entire year.

“I don’t know anything.”

Breaking the long silence, Heinz finally spoke.

Briand frowned.

His voice was rough and cracked, making it painfully obvious how long he had endured in silence.

“The Empress’s gloves were found in your house.”

“And I questioned you there myself.”

Back then, Briand had already been certain Elthia had been hiding in Heinz’s house.

He believed Heinz had known everything and had hidden her anyway.

“You should stop resisting and tell us.”

“I’ve never met the Empress.”

Silence filled the dungeon once again.

Briand tried to understand what Heinz meant.

But he couldn’t.

The woman I met…

Was Chloe.

Heinz refused to acknowledge that the woman whose identity he had protected was the Empress.

“The Empress of Laurel has never shown her face in public.”

“So it’s understandable that you wouldn’t recognize her.”

“…”

“Even His Majesty refused to stay near her because he found her too ugly.”

Edwin despised Elthia.

Not only as his Empress—

But as a human being.

In fact, Erika had appeared in public far more often than the official Empress.

There had been moments when Briand had briefly pitied Elthia.

Only briefly.

Everyone in the Imperial Family avoided her.

Briand was no exception.

“How contradictory.”

Heinz let out a mocking laugh.

You hate her that much…

Yet you’re so desperate to find her.

“Let me say this one last time.”

As he curled his lips into a smile, the dried blood cracked painfully at the corners of his mouth.

Even so…

The movement only made his strikingly handsome face stand out even more.

“There’s nothing you’ll get from me.”

With those words, Heinz tightly sealed his lips once again.

Giving up on learning Elthia’s whereabouts, Briand finally turned and left.

He had no idea what Edwin would do if this continued.

But for now…

Retreating was the wisest choice.

Once Briand disappeared from sight, Heinz coughed violently.

Blood poured from his mouth, splattering across the stone floor.

The dim light of dawn spread across the mountains.

Behind her came the thunder of dozens…

No—

Hundreds of horses.

Hearing her name repeatedly shouted through the forest, Elthia became certain they were the search party Edwin had sent.

Suppressing her presence, she hurried forward.

Then her steps gradually slowed.

Only moments earlier, she had returned to Heinz’s house to retrieve her gloves.

She had never imagined that the Imperial Knights would still be searching the area after already taking Heinz away.

At this rate… they’ll catch me.

Breathing heavily, she hurried onward.

Only to arrive somewhere hopeless.

A cliff…

If she jumped from here…

She would never survive.

Elthia slowly closed her eyes.

Then opened them again.

Far below the cliff was a narrow ledge—

A patch of rock barely large enough for a single person to stand on.

Even so…

Jumping from this height was practically suicide.

Just then—

A thick arm suddenly reached out and grabbed her.

“…Who are you?”

Elthia asked in a startled whisper.

“You’re from the Imperial Palace, aren’t you?”

The man spoke angrily, as though he already knew everything about her.

Yet she had never seen him before.

“So Heinz didn’t tell you anything about me.”

The familiar name eased some of Elthia’s caution.

“Take my hand.”

The man had tied thick vines around his waist before climbing up the cliff.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he pulled Elthia into his arms—

And jumped together with her.

She wanted to scream.

But afraid someone would hear, she quickly covered her own mouth.

They plummeted downward at incredible speed.

She was certain she would break every bone in her body.

Yet…

When they landed, the impact was surprisingly gentle.

Still unable to steady her trembling legs, Elthia was seized by the collar.

The man asked,

“You’re the person the Imperial Palace is desperately searching for, aren’t you?”

His rough appearance and intimidating tone drained all the color from Elthia’s face.

She couldn’t answer.

“Because of you…”

“My friend was taken away.”

At those words, her heart sank.

She couldn’t even force out a reply.

Growing frustrated by her silence, the man shouted again.

“Because of you, Heinz was arrested.”

Only then did Elthia finally understand why the Imperial Knights had surrounded Heinz’s house.

They had already discovered she had been staying there.

Still…

She had never imagined Edwin would arrest Heinz.

In the first place, she couldn’t understand why Edwin was going to such lengths to capture her.

Is it simply to punish someone who committed a crime?

But from Edwin’s perspective… wouldn’t it be better if I simply disappeared forever?

Summoning every bit of strength she had, Elthia finally forced out a reply.

“…It’s all my fault.”

Feeling her body begin to tremble uncontrollably, the man slowly released his grip on her collar.

Maybe I was too harsh.

Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, Hero cleared his throat.

“Ahem.”

Even that small sound made Elthia flinch.

She had become that emotionally fragile.

Then again…

Anyone raised in the kind of environment she had endured would have turned out the same way.

Before Hero could say anything else, Elthia lowered her head.

“Please…”

“Give me a little time.”

She could not burden Hero.

Nor could she continue dragging Heinz into this.

In the end…

There was only one choice left.

She had to return…

To the very place she had escaped from with her own feet.