Previously, after visiting the snowy mountains, we always came home together, but this time, it wasn’t possible.

From Kian, bidding farewell in the carriage, no trace of the king’s demeanor could be seen.

Kian still seemed just like my ten-year-old son. He hugged me tightly, showing his reluctance to part.

“I’ve been dreaming lately that I sleep beside Mother every night. I even dreamed we folded colored paper together… I wish you’d enter the palace soon.”

Sikar, who had been watching from ahead, yawned as if bored and glanced at Kian.

“Since we’ve received the formal invitation from the princess, we must promptly prepare for your entry into the palace. So, please go inside now. Tomorrow morning, we must also hold a royal council regarding Gillian’s execution.”

Ah, right. We must execute Gillian.

I, too, felt I shouldn’t keep Kian any longer.

“As the Duke says, I will enter the palace soon, so please go in now.”

Kian sighed with regret but understood it was time for us to alight from the carriage.

“Don’t be too late.”

“I absolutely won’t be late.”

Even after we stepped down from the carriage and until the door closed, Kian kept his eyes fixed on my face.

Though his position had made him much more dignified, his endlessly tender and childlike appearance still brought tears to my eyes.

He’s still at an age where he should be allowed to be spoiled, yet he ascended the throne of monarch far too early.

Sikar wiped my tears with his hand and comforted me.

“Once Gillian’s execution is over, we’ll immediately prepare for your entry into the palace. After you enter, you won’t have any reason to cry anymore, right?”

Though he spoke gruffly, his gaze revealed genuine concern for me.

So I nodded firmly.

“That’s right. Once I enter the palace, I won’t have any reason to cry anymore.”

Sikar exhaled deeply, as if completely relieved, and smiled.

“That’s truly fortunate. I was anxious you might cry all night again.”

When I looked at him, perhaps embarrassed, Sikar extended his hand as if urging me to hurry, and I took it, turning my steps toward the Duke’s residence.

After arriving at the Duke’s residence, we immediately filled our hungry stomachs. Andrea, ever perceptive, had prepared the meal to coincide with our arrival time.

“Oh, no one can match Andrea’s sense of timing.”

“The Duke instructed me to prepare food at this hour, so I simply followed his orders, Madam.”

I see. Even something like this, Sikar handles with meticulous precision.

Yet, this meticulousness was very welcome—there was no need to wait for food to be prepared.

Having risen at dawn and returned from the cold snowy mountains, I was beyond merely hungry.

Even amidst this, Sikar ate calmly and elegantly wiped my lips with dignified poise.

“Of course, in your country’s customs, eating hastily when hungry isn’t strange at all—but in this country’s customs, nobles do not behave that way. Tucker will be joining us shortly, so perhaps eating a bit more calmly wouldn’t hurt.”

Ah, right. I’d learned this well before, but perhaps due to shivering from the cold, I’d completely forgotten all the noble decorum I’d acquired.

To have to suppress hunger and eat elegantly no matter what—truly, aside from being wealthy, nobility is an exhausting status.

“Andrea. Call Tucker and have him organize the things I requested.”

“Yes, Duke.”

After Andrea left, Tucker soon shuffled in hesitantly.

“You called for me, Duke?”

“Sit down and eat with us.”

“Huh? You mean… you want me to eat here?”

“Yes. I’d like us to have dinner together today. Sit down quickly.”

Because Sikar spoke indifferently to Tucker, who stood looking bewildered, I smiled gently to reassure him.

“Tucker, it’s fine. You can sit and eat.”

Since Tucker had never eaten at the same table as nobles before, he must have been flustered.

He perched awkwardly on the edge of the chair, earning a sharp reprimand from Sikar.

“Sit properly before I draw my sword.”

“Yes, yes, Duke.”

Perhaps Tucker now understood Sikar didn’t truly mean it—but judging by his tense demeanor, he might still not fully grasp that.

“Eat the prepared food as much as you like.”

Though watching for cues, Tucker seemed captivated by the delicious food and cleared his plate completely.

After the meal, Andrea, as always, brought in milk tea. He handed one cup to Tucker.

Tucker looked curiously at the milk tea, clearly unfamiliar with it.

“Is this the kind of tea nobles drink?”

“No, it’s just something I like. Try it—you’ll find it tasty.”

“The Duchess always gives me things far too generous for someone like me.”

“It’s just one of the most common teas. Drink it lightly.”

“Thank you.”

Sikar remained silent while we drank tea, but once we finished, he called Tucker firmly.

“Tucker, do you remember I promised you a reward?”

“Oh, reward? I never expected such a thing. I owe you far more than I’ve repaid.”

“The debt you owe me is more than covered by saving my life—let’s drop that topic. More importantly, wasn’t what you’ve always longed for a house and land to live on?”

Tucker, who had been grinning broadly, tilted his head in confusion.

“How did the Duke know… Did I perhaps mention it before?”

“I shall give you everything you’ve dreamed of your entire life.”

“What? But I’ve already received so much…”

“The price for saving my life must be at least this much.”

“Master Andrea said His Majesty the King has changed. The Duke has transformed the world. Now no one threatens my life, and I even have a carriage—that’s enough for me.”

Though Tucker was sincerely humble, he couldn’t stop Sikar once he’d set his mind.

“I suppose I spoke too politely. Let me rephrase: if you refuse, you die.”

“But I…”

“There’s a condition, though.”

“A condition…?”

“Leave your hometown Winter and come live in Blake. That’s not a difficult condition, is it?”

“That’s certainly not a hard thing to do, Duke.”

“And I’ll soon bring your grandmother back to you.”

Perhaps because Sikar had just threatened death for refusal, Tucker immediately nodded to everything Sikar said.

“Thank you, Duke.”

“Wait, that’s not all.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll also assign servants for you to command.”

“Yes… yes?”

Instead of answering, Sikar called Meiri.

“Yes, Duke.”

“Is Andrea not back yet?”

“I’ll bring him shortly, Duke.”

If all rewards for Tucker were prepared, it seemed Tucker would leave this house today.

I was very curious what Sikar had prepared for Tucker.

Since he saved my life, it surely wouldn’t end with just one house.

Andrea entered carrying a stack of documents.

“I’ve prepared everything the Duke mentioned.”

“Deliver them all to Tucker.”

Tucker stood dazed, holding the documents he’d received without understanding what was happening.

“What… what are all these, Duke…?”

Andrea flipped through the documents in Tucker’s arms one by one as he explained.

“From here to here are land deeds, this is the mansion deed, this is the guarantee document, and these are goods inventories. Documents. From here to here are servants’ resumes and their prepaid salaries; from here to here are various other documents.”

Tucker stared incredulously at the documents in his hands for a long while.

“Th-this… all of this is mine?”

“Now you understand how valuable my life is.”

“Ha, but these are far too generous for me, Duke…”

“Let me say it again: if you refuse, I might kill you.”

It wasn’t that Tucker believed literally in the threat of death—it was that he could no longer refuse Sikar’s gift. He clutched the documents and burst into tears.

“Thank you so sincerely, Duke. This kindness, I will absolutely never…”

“Kindness? You saved my life, and I paid the price—our accounts are settled. Andrea will prepare a carriage, so go to your mansion now. Your servants will welcome you.”

Tucker couldn’t immediately leave; he sank to the floor right there and wept.

“Duke… how can I ever repay this kindness…”

Tucker absolutely refused to move, continuing to sob loudly on the spot. Sikar, sitting with his back turned to the scene, called for someone.

“It’s noisy—drag him out.”

Immediately, servants rushed in and dragged the wailing Tucker away.

“Duuuuuke! Wahhh! Duuuuke! Wahhh! I will never forget this kindness! I will surely repay you! Wahhh!”

Tucker continued sobbing loudly even as he was dragged away by people.

To an outsider, seeing him dragged away while wailing might look like he was being expelled for wrongdoing.

The decisiveness of giving generously yet expelling firmly seemed, in some ways, quite impressive.

Only after Tucker had completely left did Sikar rise from his seat.

“It’s quieter now.”

He then headed straight for the study, so I called after him.

“Working again today?”

“I have much to do tomorrow, so I’ll likely work late tonight too. If you’re afraid of sleeping alone, or scared you might have nightmares, I can stay with you…”

“No, it’s fine. Go do your work.”

Of course, he could stay with me, but I knew tomorrow held truly important matters—I couldn’t disturb him.

Due to the massive restructuring of the royal court, both Vika and Durion have recently been almost entirely devoted to assisting Reidox with royal affairs.

It wouldn’t be bad to spend the evening alone for once.

Tomorrow, the storm of bloodshed will begin.

This quiet night felt like the calm before the storm.

Creeeak.

The iron-barred door, which had seemed firmly shut and never to open again, groaned open with an unpleasant metallic screech.

Though he’d spent days in prison, Gillian sat with perfect royal dignity, undisturbed and aloof.

“I thought I’d never see that face again.”

Gillian lifted his head high and glared murderously at Sikar entering.

As if hating the one who dared betray him.

“No one is better suited than me to guide you down the path of death.”

“So you’ve decided to execute me.”

To such an obvious question, even a snort of derision didn’t escape. Sikar’s low baritone echoed again through the dark prison.

“So you thought you’d live?”

“If you let me be executed, your wife’s existence won’t remain unharmed either.”

“Seeing you spout such nonsense, it seems you’re frightened because your time to die has come.”

“You know there’s another person with black eyes, don’t you?”

“I know you were searching for them.”

“It seems you only knew I was searching—not that I’d found them.”

Since Gillian was already captured, it no longer mattered. Sikar yawned with a bored expression.

“Are you frightened? You’re talking too much pointlessly. Whether I know about the black-haired one or not is entirely irrelevant to me.”

“You should care. Didn’t I just say? Your wife’s existence won’t remain unharmed.”

“It sounds as if you’re implying the black-eyed person will do something to my wife. But even if they try, there’s nothing I can’t stop.”

Gillian, forgetting his dignity, suddenly giggled.

“I thought you wouldn’t know.”

“Know what?”

“That humans with black eyes suddenly disappear at a certain moment.”