Seeing the streaks of white hair, tears suddenly poured out.

What had happened all this time? How had I ended up sleeping through all those moments?

Sikar Blake slowly walked forward.

“Yu, Yura……”

I never even properly told you I loved you…… Sikar kept wiping away his tears as he walked ahead.

“Yura. I’m here. It might be too late…… but I’m here……”

Then, the woman with streaks of white hair, who had been looking around the garden, gradually turned her head.

That moment could not possibly have passed any more slowly.

Even if Yura Blake had become a wrinkled old woman, I would still love her. To me, she was the only woman in the world.

She fully turned her head and looked at Sikar.

“Duke?”

Her face seemed somehow familiar. Sikar asked with a puzzled expression.

“An……drea?”

Andrea rushed toward Sikar with an urgent look.

“Duke, are you alright? You were told not to move around like this yet.”

Confusion washed over Sikar again. He stared at Andrea with suspicious eyes.

“Andrea. What’s going on? I thought I heard that fifty years had passed……”

Andrea tilted her head in bewilderment.

“What?”

Sikar, who had been staring blankly at Andrea, finally seemed to come to his senses and grabbed her hand.

Startled, Andrea’s eyes widened as she looked at Sikar.

“D, Duke……?”

The reason all the flowers in the garden had been replaced with daisies was because, a few days ago, Kian Blake had ordered all the roses to be replanted.

And as for Yura…….

Sikar sighed.

“Vika Lamberst tricked me.”

“What? What? Duke?”

Sikar released Andrea’s still-confused hand and turned sharply, his gaze fierce. There stood Vika Lamberst, laughing as if enjoying a good show.

“Ah, feels like a hundred years of pent-up frustration just vanished. You’re such a foolish duke.”

“Vika…… you!”

But now was not the time for this.

Yura had not disappeared.

I don’t know why or how, but she was clearly still here.

Whatever the reason, finding Yura came first.

Sikar began scouring the garden again to find her.

“Yura! Jin Yura! No…… Yura Blake! Where are you! Where are you!”

Yura, who had been picking daisies in the garden, lifted her head at the sound of Sikar calling her.

“Sikar?!”

Not even fifty years—only a few days had passed. Yura remained here, exactly as he remembered her.

Sikar, overwhelmed with gratitude that she was still here, that time had stood still for her, couldn’t hold back his tears again.

Why had he suddenly become so tearful? It felt as if he were shedding all the tears he’d ever cry in his lifetime—his eyes wouldn’t dry.

But none of that mattered. What mattered now was simply that he could be with Yura.

Yura ran toward Sikar, who was limping toward her.

“Sikar!”

Sikar tightly embraced Yura as she rushed to him. They held each other for a long time, both crying.

“I was so terrified you’d disappeared.”

“I was so scared you’d die from the curse.”

Still holding Yura, Sikar lifted his head to look at her face again.

“But how? How did you not disappear?”

“I don’t know……”

“Hmm, so perhaps what you truly wanted wasn’t for my curse to be broken.”

Yura had also thought of that. She looked at Sikar with an embarrassed expression.

“You’re disappointed in me, aren’t you? Because what I truly wanted wasn’t for your sake……”

“No. Not at all. I’m not disappointed. I actually feel relieved.”

“Huh?”

“I thought it was lucky you didn’t love me too much. Really, how fortunate…… if you’d loved me too much, you would’ve vanished.”

Yura couldn’t agree with the idea that she didn’t love him enough.

“I can’t admit I don’t love you enough…… but I also don’t understand how this happened……”

“Maybe the condition wasn’t that after all. Then, what’s your condition? Do I have to live my whole life trembling in fear that you might suddenly vanish?”

“So what if you do? You’re alive, and I’m still here.”

Because his anxiety hadn’t fully subsided, Sikar still felt no peace.

“Somehow, I’m still uneasy. Since I don’t know the condition yet…… maybe what you truly want is different. I need to investigate further whether the condition is something else.”

“It might be a different condition. I thought that if you could truly break the curse, it’d be okay even if I disappeared.”

“Then it must be a different condition……”

Sikar let out a deep sigh.

“I just can’t figure it out……”

She herself had assumed she’d vanish without a trace. But seeing that she remained, and having tried various things in surprise, Yura could understand Sikar.

“You should eat something first. You haven’t eaten properly lately and just lay in bed—your appearance is a mess.”

“Am I really that bad?”

“Yes. And besides, you’re still in your pajamas……”

Sikar finally noticed his attire and coughed awkwardly.

“Now I understand. You mean so much to me that I’d rush out wearing pajamas.”

Pleased by his words, Yura smiled gently and walked with Sikar toward the room.

Between the daisies, freshly transplanted only days ago, Yura and Sikar walked hand in hand, arm in arm, as if they were reuniting after fifty years apart.

Because he hadn’t eaten properly for a long time, Sikar was eating chicken soup.

“The Duke Consort personally prepared this before leaving. This is the original chicken soup.”

“It’s delicious enough to make Kian Blake long for it his whole life.”

“He heard what happened that morning and made this hoping you’d recover quickly.”

“He didn’t make it for Kian, but for me?”

“Yes. For you.”

Though it was Valije who had saved him, the fact that Kian’s own father had personally made chicken soup for him didn’t feel unpleasant. In fact, a quiet wave of emotion made him oddly embarrassed.

Just as Sikar finished the bowl, Andrea entered the room.

“Duke, His Majesty the King has come here personally upon hearing you’ve awakened.”

Kian Blake rushed in, asked if Sikar was alright, then sighed in relief upon seeing the empty plate.

“Phew. Since you finished the soup, you must be feeling a bit better.”

Contrary to Kian’s concern, Sikar glared sharply at him, recalling how just before fainting, he’d been helplessly engulfed by flames.

“You give me illness, then medicine.”

But Kian wouldn’t concede—he glared right back.

“I’m giving you medicine, and more medicine.”

“That aside. I have a question for you. You said you’d take my punishment in my stead before the Grand Temple? So, what punishment will you impose on me?”

“I can’t just give my father a blanket pardon.”

“Of course. I’ve already prepared myself for that.”

“So I intend to impose a punishment even the temple would find acceptable.”

When Kian paused, looking embarrassed, Sikar urged him to continue.

“Regardless of the purpose, since I took the temple’s artifact without permission, I intend to accept a fitting punishment. Speak freely.”

“Ahem…… actually, as a dutiful child, I plan to take that punishment myself.”

Sikar was surprised—but Yura, watching nearby, also lifted her head in shock.

“You…… why……?”

“Because I brought my father back to life.”

“You’re the King of this country. How can you, representing the face of a nation, take punishment for someone else?”

Unlike Sikar, whose face flushed deeply, Kian waved his hands dismissively.

“Don’t worry. I’ve agreed to gather one hundred drachmas of Sacred Grass and deliver them to the Grand Temple.”

“One hundred drachmas? When will you ever gather that much? Then I’ll find the Sacred Grass—you step away from this matter.”

“I’d like to, but only those with sacred power can find Sacred Grass. Father can’t do it.”

“So you plan to find it yourself?”

“Of course.”

“What about state affairs?”

“A king doesn’t work all day—I’ll search for it after work.”

Sikar fiddled awkwardly with his water glass, avoiding eye contact.

“You’re suffering because of me.”

Kian scratched his cheek casually, then grinned at Sikar.

“Then grant me one request.”

Because “request” didn’t sound entirely pleasant to Sikar, he eyed Kian warily.

“Request?”

Kian whispered something into Sikar’s ear. Sikar feigned surprise at first, then smiled, clearly pleased.

“Hmm. If that’s what it is…… I’ll gladly grant it. Ki…… no, Your Majesty.”

Yura, watching them whispering privately, wanted to pretend she didn’t care—but curiosity got the better of her. She playfully rolled her eyes and asked.

“What’s so secret that I’m left out?”

Kian couldn’t answer immediately—he lowered his head shyly, trailing off.

“I’d like to tell Mother too…… but if Mother refuses, I won’t be able to persuade her……”

“Now you’ve made me even more curious.”

Kian blushed like a child afraid of being scolded and stepped backward. Yura watched him, even more puzzled.

“Your Majesty?”

Kian began slowly backing away.

“Mother, I just remembered I have something to attend to. Father will probably explain everything well. I’ll take my leave now. See you tomorrow, Mother.”

Normally, Kian would have kissed her cheek before leaving—but now he dashed out as if his feet were on fire. Yura glared suspiciously at Sikar.

“What? What did Kian say?”

“Well, it’s……”

Sikar hesitated, then firmly grasped Yura’s hand as if bracing himself.

“The King wants to hold our wedding ceremony again.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Kian knows you have agoraphobia, so we never properly held our wedding. He also mentioned Princess Veronia and the Duke Consort never held theirs either.”

Sikar smiled as he spoke, but Yura’s face turned pale as she asked.

“You don’t mean…… he wants to marry us off?”

“According to Kian, he really wants to do it—he’s begging you to agree.”

“Then that means……”

Unlike Yura, still dazed, Sikar grinned mischievously.

“It’ll be a joint wedding ceremony.”