I was so flustered that I couldn’t say anything. I just stared helplessly at poor Sikar Blake for a moment, then shut my mouth again.

Unlike me, who was flustered, Sikar Blake showed no intention of deceiving Kian Blake and bluntly asked the question that puzzled him.

“How did you know?”

“I had a lesson on rulership among the teachings I received from my master. My master said it was about teaching leadership qualities, but there are many other books like that. And above all, the surname my father told me before he passed away is exactly the same as the current king’s surname…”

Kian paused mid-sentence and glanced at me.

“I also remembered that Mother once promised me she would definitely find the woman who gave birth to me.”

He still remembered that promise.

Perhaps because Kian said those words so calmly in this situation, tears welled up in my eyes. Kian, feigning surprise, handed me a tissue.

“Mother, please don’t cry.”

“You promised you’d find your birth mother for sure… I’m so sorry things turned out like this…”

“It’s alright, Mother. I trust my master.”

“Kian…”

Kian smiled maturely and gently wiped the tears from the corner of my eye.

“It’s truly alright. Thanks to you raising me well, I’ve grown into a very strong man, so don’t worry.”

Hearing that made me cry even more, but Sikar’s question quickly dried my tears.

“Kian. Where did you hear the news that Princess Veronia is to be executed?”

“Well, the rumors are already everywhere—it was impossible not to hear them.”

“I see.”

Kian, looking at Sikar, hesitated slightly before speaking.

“I just realized that because of me, many people are now in danger… including you, Duke.”

Kian’s words seemed sincere. Sikar, evidently not expecting to hear such a thing from Kian, looked embarrassed, turned his gaze away, and cleared his throat.

“There’s no reason for you to feel burdened. No one forced anyone—it’s simply that everyone chose you.”

“Then… you also chose me, Duke?”

“I chose you only out of necessity.”

“Because… I can lift your curse?”

“Yes.”

Kian’s expression showed he understood.

“Still, you’re risking yourself to save the mother who gave birth to me. I won’t forget your efforts.”

He seemed to want to say “thank you,” but perhaps because things were still awkward between them, it came out sounding indirect.

Sikar, not backing down, replied indifferently to Kian.

“Right. I’ll make sure to rescue your birth mother properly so you won’t forget and will repay that debt later.”

Kian nodded in response and stood up from his seat.

“Then, I’ll go study now.”

“You’re going to study again without even eating dessert?”

“Yes. I’ll eat dessert in my room while studying.”

“Aren’t you studying too hard these days?”

“I’m at the age where I should be studying hard. Besides, studying becomes more fun the more I do it, Mother.”

Since enjoying studying was part of Kian’s nature, I didn’t try to stop him further.

“Kian. Don’t overexert yourself. Understand?”

“Yes. Mother.”

Kian left with his usual smile, but knowing all these facts yet acting exactly as usual made me even more concerned and pitiful toward him.

After Kian left the room, Sikar handed me a handkerchief.

“What’s this for?”

“Judging by your expression, you’re about to cry again, so I’m giving it to you in advance.”

“It’s heavy on my heart because you’re acting so casually.”

I was filled with worry, but Sikar wore a proud smile, as if he were proud of Kian.

“That’s because you still see Kian as a child. Kian is a sovereign. Soon, he’ll be the ruler of this world, the one who will seize Gillian’s throne. From that perspective, it’s admirable that he’s still doing his duty even in this situation.”

“That’s exactly why I feel even more sorry for him.”

I didn’t say it aloud, but Sikar’s expression seemed to ask, “Why?”

“If things work out well, you won’t have any reason to feel sorry.”

Sikar spoke as if everything would be resolved tomorrow.

I couldn’t tell whether he was truly that confident or just trying to reassure me, but his self-assured demeanor did calm me considerably.

On days when executions took place, the city turned entirely gray, as if even the bright sky had sunk under a heavy gloom.

Today was no exception. Beneath the heavens’ lament, the guillotine was erected in Recador Square.

Yura Blake stood inside her room, gazing at the gray-tinted sky with a troubled heart.

‘So, today has finally come.’

As a precaution, Sikar Blake also stood near the front entrance with Vika Lamberst and Durion.

About an hour passed, and several carts loaded with firewood entered. Among them, it was impossible to tell where the twins and Seo Yeon were.

Vika Lamberst listened intently for sounds, but hearing nothing, he shook his head toward Sikar, who was staring intensely at him.

“I don’t know.”

“We can find them once they arrive.”

“But… I hear another sound.”

“Another sound?”

Vika Lamberst gazed outside with ominous eyes. Though his sharp eyes saw nothing, his keen ears caught the sound of someone trailing behind.

“There’s a tail.”

“So, they’re surveilling the carts.”

“The approaching footsteps are getting faster. When unloading the children from the carts, we must hide them carefully among the firewood—or we’ll be caught.”

“Understood.”

Sikar remained tense, watching as the carts entered.

But then, suddenly, flames erupted violently from one of the carts loaded with firewood.

“What happened?!”

Sikar shouted and dashed toward the cart; Vika Lamberst also yelled and ran toward it.

“They set fire to the cart!”

As flames surged from the cart, the drivers immediately jumped off, unable to continue pulling it.

Durion rushed forward, shouting at the drivers.

“Quick, get away! Go inside!”

Startled, the drivers scrambled hastily into the mansion.

Sikar summoned nearby water spirits to extinguish the flames on the cart, but it was futile.

He mobilized soldiers from inside the mansion to fight the fire, but since they hadn’t prepared for firefighting, even the buckets they could carry were limited.

Soldiers who inhaled smoke coughed violently or collapsed one by one—complete chaos.

Because it was a pile of firewood, extinguishing the fire was difficult. Reidox had said he would hide the children inside the firewood as camouflage.

Sikar felt dizzy and shouted desperately.

“There are children inside! Pull yourselves together!”

Durion ran over, pulled water from the garden pond, and poured it onto the cart, but the small pond was insufficient to extinguish the blazing firewood piled on the cart.

Watching the firewood on the cart burn fiercely, Sikar felt utterly defeated.

Perhaps the children among that firewood were already beyond saving. Couldn’t they have hidden the children somewhere else?

He clung to that impossible hope, but the fact remained—the children Reidox had entrusted to him were among those burning logs!

Sikar fell to his knees as if wailing, tearing at his hair in anguish over his foolishness for not anticipating the fire, yet he had no way to extinguish it.

The crackling of the burning firewood sounded like children screaming.

He had promised Reidox—he would protect the children.

To Sikar, a promise was as sacred as a vow.

The pain of failing to protect them crushed the deep guilt within him.

His once unyielding, stalwart spirit shattered completely. Helplessly staring at the burning cart, Sikar roared in fury and despair.

Meanwhile, Yura Blake, who had been waiting by the window for the children to arrive safely, saw the scene and rushed toward the front entrance in alarm.

She saw drivers running toward her. Behind them, thick smoke quickly spread across the duke’s garden.

Ahead, only the fierce flames rising from the cart were clearly visible.

The twins, including Kian, were protagonists of this world—beings who must not die like this.

Everyone ran toward her, but Yura ran past the drivers toward the cart.

At that moment, one of the drivers grabbed Yura’s arm.

“Be careful! It’s dangerous if you go!”

Recognizing the familiar voice, Yura stopped and turned her head. As the thick fake beard peeled off the driver’s face, Seo Yeon’s face was revealed.

“Lady Seo Yeon?”

“Yes, Duchess. It’s me.”

Behind Seo Yeon, a short, chubby driver wobbled, repeatedly muttering “uh uh,” then collapsed forward.

As soon as he collapsed forward, his body split apart as if severed in two.

Yura gasped and covered her mouth. From where the waist should have been on the separated body, legs shot out. The face, now free of the thick fake beard, belonged to Lucy.

“Lucy?!”

When Yura called Lucy’s name, a head suddenly popped out from the separated pants. The child gasping for breath as if suffocating was Luid.

Unaware that the children were safe, Sikar watched the cart burn with a dazed expression, then noticed his own hands had frozen due to the curse.

He would dig through the firewood with his bare hands if necessary to find the children.

If he couldn’t save their lives, he would retrieve their bodies.

Had Yura’s voice not stopped him, Sikar would have torn into the burning firewood with his bare hands.

But Yura stopped him.

“Sikar, stop!”

Yura rushed over, panting, and tightly grabbed Sikar’s hand.

“Sikar. The children are safe. Let’s go inside quickly.”

Sikar couldn’t believe it. All the carts that had entered the mansion were burned to ashes—how could the children possibly be safe? It sounded like a lie.

“The children are safe?! How? How can they possibly be safe?!”

“The children and Lady Seo Yeon didn’t come hidden in the firewood. They came disguised as drivers. That’s why they’re safe.”

“They came disguised as drivers?!”

“Yes. The twins—Lucy rode on Luid’s shoulders, dressed as an adult. Did you see how the driver of the first cart had a bulging belly? That was because Lucy was sitting on Luid’s shoulders, making it look swollen. The huge pile of firewood, seemingly packed to hide something, was just a trick.”

What an incredible stroke of luck.

A single tear rolled down Sikar’s cheek, while tears poured down Yura’s face like a waterfall.

“So Reidox didn’t tell me everything truthfully either, fearing they’d notice.”

“Right. But thanks to that, the children and Lady Seo Yeon are safe. Let’s go inside quickly.”

Sikar felt slightly relieved, but he wouldn’t fully relax until he confirmed the children’s safety with his own eyes.

Inside the mansion, the twins, their faces smudged black from smoke, were drinking water when they spotted Sikar entering and stared at him with wide eyes.

The children were completely safe. Therefore, his promise with Reidox was still valid.

Now, all he had to do was care for the children well until Reidox returned safely.

Sikar felt his legs weaken, as if he might collapse. He swayed slightly, but he wasn’t the type to collapse in front of everyone.

He walked straight outside, turned the corner, and only when no one could see him did he finally sink down and sigh in relief.

Looking up at the sky heavy with dark clouds, Sikar finally smiled gently and murmured,

“The children are safe. Reidox. You must stay safe too.”

Sikar didn’t know—the twins had gathered by the window above him, looking down at him.