The atmosphere soon turned uncontrollably somber at those words, and Cisen covered her mouth with a pale face.
"Yo-Your Majesty."
Her agitation was too great, but it was understandable.
For Cisen, who had only the values of this world, it would be difficult for her to accept a situation where the Empress spoke of the death of the Emperor like this. She hurriedly opened the drawing-room door and glanced into the hallway, just in case anyone might have overheard, before locking the door tightly as she walked back as she also drew back the curtains to look out the window.
On the other hand, Eden crossed his arms with his characteristic calm and dubious face.
"I don't know if he has to die, but he's going to bleed anyway."
I dropped my gaze and glanced at my fingertips. No other interpretation was possible. Even though Raniero was often referred to as Actilla's godson, he was, in fact, considered to be the same as Actilla. Unlike the God Tunia, he was the only way to communicate with the God Actilla, who had no temples or scriptures.
Eden's dry voice pierced my head.
"You don't like it?"
...I'd be lying if I said there wasn't something that bothered me. Even though I may not be smart and I may be emotionally driven, I wasn't stupid.
I wasn't trying to be an idiot.
My voice got a bit hoarse. These questions were insensitive and unfair.
"My life is the most important thing, and I'm not going to let it impair my judgment."
Eden looked very deep into my eyes.
Thinking that I couldn't lose either, I didn't avoid it and faced it. His eyes were bottomless. And I didn't mean profound... but like an abyss, devoid of emotion. Although he was reading me, I couldn't tell what he was thinking.
It was rather unfortunate for others to figure me out so easily...
"You love him, don't you?"
Still, the question was within the expected range.
I laughed.
"Is it that easy for you to understand?"
With his brow still wrinkled slightly, he had a slightly corrosive attitude.
"If it's this easy for you to see, how easy will it be for him to see it? How easy will it be for him to read suspicion on my conspiring face?"
I consciously softened my tone a little.
"...The only way to avoid suspicion is to be genuine. I must truly call Actilus home and love him with all my heart. But don't worry, I know my life is more important than that."
At my words, Eden stood there silently, lowering his head while Cisen glanced between him and me at the heightened tension in the air. Eventually, the chilly tension was broken by a long sigh I let out involuntarily.
"I'll see if your love is out of necessity or an excuse for yourself."
Eden's words were always sharp. But this time, I had a bad feeling. Why was he talking like he knew everything?
I moistened my lips with the cold tea.
"Once upon a time... you were a child from a good family, weren't you?"
I asked with almost certainty.
For some reason, that was the atmosphere that emanated from him. It may be a little different from the aristocracy of this world, but his speech and behavior were as dignified as those of well-learned youngsters.
"At least you didn't have a very hard life, did you?"
"Why do you ask that?"
Seeing that he didn't deny it, I stood up and walked over to him.
"I had a hard time."
"For you, that other side' is heaven compared to here, so you might be so strong-willed, but I'm not like that... that's why I falter sometimes."
Eden's expression was as if he had been caught off guard. It was the first time I had ever seen such a restless look from him.
I reaped the thorn I had put in my words.
I reaped the thorn I had put in my words.
"...So if I'm shaken, don't just think that I'm pathetic and don't understand. Please keep that in mind."
"Your Majesty the Empress..."
"You'll be on a flower path the moment you return, but I'm not."
Eden, who was about to respond, fell silent at my last words.
I sighed.
"Anyway, the idea of going to the Temple of Tunia when he leaves on his winter expedition, the need for his blood... it all makes sense. I may not be convinced it's the right answer, but for now, we have no choice but to take that path."
°.:*✧*:.°
I leaned against the terrace railing and watched the sunset.
I leaned against the terrace railing and watched the sunset.
According to the original story, Raniero would leave for an expedition in about a month and a half. I had a vague idea of where I was going. Given the time period, environment, relationships and the route described in the original story, the probability was high that it was from the Kingdom of Sombinia.
As I spread out the map and pointed out the road with my fingertips, Sylvia, who was alone with me at the Empress's Palace, sat down next to me.
"What are you looking at?"
She had become a little bolder, and whenever the other maids weren't present, she would address me in this friendly manner.
I answered her briefly.
"Route."
"The path... it's on the way toward Sombinia. It'll take about three weeks to get to that point, assuming the weather is good."
Saying that, she stared blankly at the spot where my fingertips were pointing at and opened her mouth again.
"Why are you looking at this?"
"It's nothing."
"Are you sure?"
...I guess I was just not destined to be a good liar. As soon as I heard Sylvia's words, my eyelashes fluttered.
"Then, what do you think?"
Sylvia couldn't answer.
It was because footsteps were heard.
As she immediately closed her mouth and stood up, Raniero, who had come to see me again today, stopped in the doorway. Then, he tilted his head, glancing at the chair Sylvia hadn't gotten around to putting away.
"You two are friendly."
It was a very simple tone, as if dryly telling the truth.
When Sylvia bowed deeply and then withdrew, Raniero sat in the seat she vacated and looked at the map I had laid out.
"What were you talking about?"
"We didn't talk much, I was just looking at the map."
"Why the map?"
"I just want to check the situation."
Raniero's hair cast a shadow over the map. It was an attitude for me to explain something.
I whispered in a slightly trembling voice.
"Winter isn't a good season for armed conflict."
"That's right."
"This side of Sombinia, at the foot of the mountain, is the only real connection to Actilus, so it's usually heavily guarded. Since they know that if Actilus is able to establish a foothold here, that'll be driving the soldiers right into the arms of Sombinia."
Raniero nodded.
"But in the winter, it becomes difficult to station many soldiers here, far from the capital. Common sense dictates that there's no war that would be going on at this time of year, so their vigilance will be looser than usual."
"You know it well."
"If we take this opportunity to break through this wall... and carve the mountain to make a wider path, Actilus will be able to break through Sombinia one by one, starting from its edges."
As if there was no mistake in my interpretation, Raniero leisurely rested his chin on the back of his hand and tapped the map.
"The people of Actilus are strong by nature and can withstand harsh environments. If anything, in winter, if we push forward with the characteristics of our soldiers, there's a high possibility of a great victory."
A faint smile spread across his lips.
"Yes. I've been waiting for years... If this winter is anything like in the last ten years, then this land still belongs to Actilus."
It seemed that the winter expedition wasn't planned out of the blue, seeing that he had been documenting climate change for a decade and picking this time for ten years.
I bit my lip hard.
'Although the weather this year isn't the same as in previous years, and it's going to snow like crazy.'
Raniero looked down at the map.
As the candlelight reflected in his eyes and they shimmered, he soon tore his gaze away from the map and looked at me.
"I never taught you anything like this. How else did you know we were preparing for a battle with Sombinia?"
"Because I wanted to know."
"Is that so?"
"Yes... I wanted to know what Your Majesty was thinking."
"So, after thinking about it, did you find out?"
"Something like that."
At my word, Raniero took my hand and placed it on the map.
"First through this way, proceed like this. Then, this way."
Not knowing what I was thinking, he unwittingly exposed the entirety of his planned route to me. It was almost naive. I focused my gaze, taking in all the information he was giving me.
Cisen would then deliver this route to Eden, where it would be attached to the wall of his room.
"When are you leaving?"
I asked. Although my voice trembled, I hoped it sounded like I was afraid of being alone.
"Early December."
"That's still some time, but I'm sure you'll be busy soon."
"You don't like it?"
I laughed helplessly. If he went on an expedition, it meant that the original story was beginning.
"Yes."
Raniero didn't say anything for a while.
"Should I not go?"
"No."
Regardless, he would meet Seraphina one day and cling onto her. If that were going to happen in the end, I'd rather it happen in a way that I could predict. I had no intention of making a foolish choice just to delay the sweetness of this moment a little longer.
I gazed at him and smiled.
"Just go quickly."
"I was going to take you with me."
I shook my head.
"I don't think it'd be a good idea..."
"Yes."
Raniero was easily convinced. It was as if he had recalled what had happened in the subjugation. Seeing him like that, I stroked the cheek of the gentle tyrant without saying anything.
All that was left for him was to be swept away by fate.