“Yes, that’s right. From the moment you fell until now.”

“…….”

“……I’ve been by your side all this time.”

Caliph’s voice trembled as he told the truth. Thump, thump, the harsh sound of his heart pounding violently echoed in his ears.

Though no one was choking him, Caliph couldn’t breathe. Every minute and second of waiting for Evelia’s response made him tremble down to his fingertips.

A long time passed, but no response came.

Did I make the wrong choice after all? Perhaps it was right to hide my feelings deep in the abyss, never to reveal them.

He thought he had already felt fear to the point of shivering, but now, an even greater fear wrapped around his entire body.

Then, a voice filled with confusion penetrated his ears.

“……I really don’t understand why you’re doing this all of a sudden.”

“…….”

“You never acted like this. Not even once…… Not even once have you acted like this.”

Her voice, uttered in confusion, was filled with moisture. And so, Caliph unknowingly lifted his head.

As soon as their eyes met, his heart seemed to drop. Evelia’s eyes, shining pure, were filled with tears. But what pained him more was the furrow in her brow, contorted in agony.

“On the night you returned from the battlefield, you sought me out to see how I was doing, you suddenly took me out during breakfast, you said you would go to the victory party with me, not Relia’s Highness……!”

“…….”

“Perhaps, Your Highness, you did these things without any particular meaning, but not me. I thought too much about your trivial actions, I gave them meaning, and in the end, it seems like I overimagined things, forcibly holding onto my heart, and thus again disappointed, ah……!”

With a halfdazed face, listing the events of the past few days, she suddenly clenched her eyes shut, as if she couldn’t endure any longer. Her slender shoulders rose and fell violently, and her trembling lips were precarious.

Caliph clenched his fist tightly. The excessive force felt like it would break his knuckles, but he didn’t care.

That was nothing. A more severe pain was starting to gnaw at his heart.

[Did she wish for me to die on the battlefield?] [Did I mistake her wisdom?] [It seems my wife’s hatred for me, not satisfied with making me an indifferent husband, aims to make me an unworthy crown prince.]

The words he had once spat out of his own will came back vividly. They then turned into sharp blades and stabbed deep into his heart.

Knowing this would happen, having inflicted wounds upon her, he didn’t have the right to hurt like this. So he etched that thought deep into his bones, but his heart kept being torn apart.

“Your Highness, you never paid attention to me. You always denied my existence, waiting for the day you could cast me aside.”

“…….”

“Perhaps these words of mine are the justification you’ve been desperately waiting for. But still, still……. ”

“…….”

“I think I need to know now.”

Evelia looked at Caliph with determined eyes. Now it was impossible to even pretend to think differently; she had him tied up tight.

“Please tell me why you’re doing this.”

It was a perfect demand.

Caliph tensed his lips that were pressed together. He felt he had nowhere else to retreat.

Is this what it feels like to stand on the edge of a cliff?

He had always pushed her to the very edge; had she always felt like this?

Thinking that he had made her feel this way weighed heavily on his heart. It was indescribably painful, like his organs were twisting.

So Caliph moved his lips without hesitation. And he dared to look.

“……I wish you were not struggling.”

“…….”

“I wish you would finally find peace.”

I hope this choice I’m making now can be the way to save you from this terrible pain.

“I am.”

“…….”
“I wish you genuine happiness.”

If only…… I hope you can.

Caliph whispered desperately, closing his eyes tightly. Nevertheless, he could distinctly feel how confused Evelia was.

The irregular sound of her breathing, and the faint trembling of her movements. Even without looking directly, everything was clearly conveyed.

Perhaps he had been vaguely anticipating it. The tragic moment he had feared so much was now really close at hand…….

“……A lie.”

Ha…….

A desolate breath escaped Caliph. Through his eyelids, which he suddenly opened, Evelia’s distorted face became clear.

He had wanted to save her desperately, but her face showed that she had not been saved at all.

A sorrow that he could not express in words engulfed him completely.

“Your Highness looked kindly at Lelia today instead of me. You coddled her in front of everyone and even ordered dessert for her. Though I was there……. ”

“……. ”

“……Even though I was certainly there.”

Caliph gave a bitter smile. It was all an undeniable fact. It was something he had done himself, a command he had personally given. But it was not all for Lelia.

Lelia was someone who acted as the empress’s eyes and ears. Although she was not cunning and quite simple, she was therefore even more dangerous.