‘So you’re really breaking the oath right now? So suddenly?’

It felt strange. I already felt tears welling up.

Vika Lamberst breaking the oath? Maybe because I used to be so overwhelmed by Sikar, but now everything felt like it had returned to its proper place.

It felt oddly sharp in my chest that Vika was leaving.

“Hurry up. Keep your promise. You Duke bastard.”

Sikar nodded as if he understood, and clasped his hands together. Vika, in turn, also clasped his hands and stood before Sikar.

Is this really how we’re breaking the oath?

I stared at Durion as if asking if this was real, and Durion nodded as if confirming it.

I couldn’t believe it.

I covered my mouth with both hands and stared blankly at the two of them.

Everyone else had already boarded the carriages and left, so only the four of us remained here.

Maybe that’s why I felt even stranger.

Sikar was muttering something under his breath, and Vika stood quietly before him, hands clasped.

After muttering a few more times, Sikar lifted his head as if everything was finished, looked straight at Vika, and said,

“Thus, our oath is hereby concluded.”

Vika chuckled as if he’d been waiting for this moment, drew the sword at his waist, and held it up.

“Now that the oath is over, I can kill you, Duke.”

Sikar, as if he’d expected this, also drew a short sword from his hip.

“Likewise, Vika.”

‘What, what is this? Why are these people saying goodbye by pointing swords at each other?!’

I rushed forward to calm them down.

“V, Vika sir? S, Sikar? What are you two doing right now? Put your swords down and calm yourselves. You haven’t forgotten this is the royal palace, have you?”

Vika kept his sword pointed at Sikar, smiling.

“My Lady… no, you’re not ‘My Lady’ anymore. Lady Yura, this isn’t your business—step aside. I’m just repaying the debt I owe this Duke bastard.”

“Madam. Have you ever seen me go somewhere and get beaten? Nothing serious will happen, so relax and step back.”

‘These people won’t listen!’

I didn’t necessarily want a sad farewell, but I certainly never imagined a goodbye like this.

The two soon began swinging their swords at each other.

They were both smiling, but the fight was brutal.

I ran over to Durion, who was standing idly watching them.

“Master Durion, please stop them.”

Durion shook his head as if he himself couldn’t do anything.

“Vika has held grudges for a long time. He always said he’d kill the Duke once the oath was broken.”

“You knew this already—then why didn’t you stop them?”

“I’m trying to help them reconcile.”

“What?”

“Normally, when two people hold grudges against each other, they have to fight to resolve it.”

“W, well, I guess that’s true?”

“Vika has a lot built up—he needs to fight to let it out. The Duke knows this too. That’s why not stopping this fight is actually helping them reconcile, Madam.”

Is that so?

Is this just how swordsmen’s world works?

Even so… fighting this brutally?

My heart trembled so much I couldn’t bear to watch them.

“Durion, I can’t watch. Tell me when it’s over.”

At least I didn’t faint—Durion was standing there calmly, even yawning.

Just moments ago, I nearly burst into tears thinking of Vika leaving, but now my budding sadness had completely shattered.

Every time I heard the clang of blades clashing behind me, my spine tingled.

“Master Durion, is it almost over?”

“It seems to be ending.”

Phew, thank goodness—just as I thought that, a loud clang rang out, and a sword flew past and embedded itself beside Durion.

I nearly collapsed in shock, but Durion calmly caught the flying sword and said,

“Duke wins!”

Duke wins?

So Sikar won?

I turned to see Sikar holding his blade to Vika’s throat.

The two were still glaring at each other, yet smiling.

“Admit defeat, Vika.”

Vika casually swatted Sikar’s sword away from his neck and snorted.

“You’ve always been lucky. Winning again by sheer luck and acting like a victor.”

With that, Vika spat once and walked toward Durion to retrieve his sword.

Durion grinned and handed Vika back his sword and the bouquet.

“Leaving now?”

“Yes. It’s time to go.”

Durion scratched his nose—perhaps a little regretful—and held out his hand.

“Before you go, let’s shake hands once.”

Vika gave Durion a bewildered look as if he’d heard the most absurd thing ever, making Durion’s gesture awkward.

Durion politely withdrew his hand and said,

“Farewell.”

Vika gave me a slight bow as his final farewell, then turned away.

Strangely, watching him go, my heart ached.

I never expected farewell to come so suddenly—it made my chest hurt even more.

I chased after Vika.

“Um, Master Vika!”

Vika paused and turned his head.

“What is it?”

I took out the jewels I had—all the jewels Sikar had given me—and pressed them into Vika’s hands.

“You’ll need money wherever you go. Use this for travel expenses. And don’t ever sell that bouquet—it’s meant to bring you blessings.”

Behind me, I could hear Sikar grumbling again about me carelessly giving away jewels he’d gifted, but I wanted to give Vika something before he left.

But this was all I could give.

Fortunately, Vika didn’t refuse—he quickly pocketed the jewels I handed him.

“As expected, Lady Yura, I like your practicality. And I won’t sell the bouquet—I like flowers too.”

Wait. Like? So, aside from the flowers, he just said he likes me?

“Master Vika… I might have misheard, but did you just say you like me…?”

Vika flinched as he was putting the jewels away, then looked at me with a slightly haughty gaze.

“Well, I’ve never disliked you.”

I never thought Vika disliked me, but I also never imagined—even a tiny bit—that he liked me. His words washed over my heart like a warm wave.

He must’ve suffered a lot because of me…

“Thank you for not disliking me, Master Vika.”

Vika lifted one corner of his mouth and stared at me quietly.

“Take care.”

“Will… will we meet again?”

Vika seemed to think for a moment, then smiled faintly.

“Perhaps. There will likely be a day we meet again.”

“Madam, let Vika go now. We should leave too.”

Sikar, seemingly not regretful at all, leaned against the carriage and gestured for me to hurry up and get in.

So I had to give Vika my final farewell.

“Master Vika, take care too. And please visit the Duke’s estate before I become an old woman. Promise?”

For the first time, Vika smiled at me. Not a full grin, but unmistakably a smile.

“Master Vika, you just smiled—”

“Indeed. That Duke bastard said he smiled for the first time thanks to you, Madam. Now I’m smiling for the first time thanks to you too.”

“Master Vika…”

Tears suddenly threatened to spill, so I bit my lip hard to hold them back.

I didn’t want Vika to see me crying as his last memory.

“Since Madam gave me a gift, I’ll tell you something in return. The Duke already knows.”

Sikar supposedly knows everything already—what else could he possibly know?

Seeing my confused expression, Vika smirked again.

“I know why Madam has nightmares. That sly bastard knows too, but he won’t tell you.”

Sikar knew that?

“Then I’ll take my leave.”

Cruelly, Vika turned around immediately and walked away without looking back.

In his hand as he turned, only the bouquet remained, dangling alone.

And I stood frozen in place, whispering unheard farewells until Vika completely disappeared from my sight.

‘Vika. We’ll definitely meet again. Definitely. Take care until then, Vika.’

Why did watching Vika leave feel so unbearably sad?

My heart inexplicably ached.

As we prepared to board the carriage, Kian Blake came running from afar.

“Mother!”

“Your Majesty. What brings you here?”

“I heard Mother is leaving the palace—I had to come see you off. I’m glad I’m not late.”

I wouldn’t have felt slighted if Kian hadn’t come to see us off.

But since he remembered and came anyway, my heart swelled with warmth.

Still, my duty is to help Kian become a king focused on state affairs and governance, as in the original story—not one overly devoted to filial piety.

Above all, Veronia wouldn’t tolerate it either.

“You attended the wedding despite your busy schedule today—must you also see us off? State affairs must come first for the King.”

“Even so, when parents leave the palace, it’s a child’s duty to see them off. Mother, I’ll come next time too.”

“How admirable. Worth raising.”

Sikar nodded approvingly, so I shot him a look telling him to stop.

Sikar then lowered his eyes toward Kian as if agreeing with me.

“Did you hear that? Next time, listen well to your mother’s words, Your Majesty.”

“You must understand that not only Princess Dowager, but also the people have great expectations of you. Next time, do not neglect state affairs to come see us off. Understood?”

Kian lowered his head with a slightly sullen expression.

“Yes… Mother.”

I thought he’d be moved, but instead he looked disappointed at my scolding—but what could I do?

Suddenly, Kian turned his gaze and noticed Vika was gone.

“Has Master Vika already left?”

“Ah… Master Vika…”

I worried that Kian, who had grown up with Vika always by his side, would be shocked if told he’d suddenly vanished.

So the words didn’t come easily—but Sikar bluntly said Vika had left.

“What? Master Vika left?”

“He’s completely gone—accept it.”

Kian stood dazed as if he couldn’t believe it, then urgently asked,

“W, when did he leave? Mother?”

“Just now.”

“M, Mother! I need to say goodbye to Master Vika. Go inside, Mother!”

I understood Kian’s heart—he ran off without even looking back.

During Sikar’s absence, Vika had been Kian’s mentor and friend, and even after entering the palace, Vika remained by his side assisting him. Given Kian’s personality, he couldn’t help but grow deeply attached.

“You said something unnecessary, Madam.”

“Hm?”

“Even if Vika just left, the King won’t catch up to him. Vika runs through the forest—at a speed humans can’t match. Even if he chases now, he’ll only find emptiness.”

“Then the King will be very disappointed…”

“Nothing can be done. It’s a farewell that had to happen someday.”

Had Sikar, while living alongside Vika, always kept their eventual parting in mind?

“Sikar. Are you okay?”

“What do you mean?”

“Master Vika left so suddenly. Of everyone close, you were closest to him. I just wondered if you’re okay…”

Sikar scratched his nose as if I’d asked something obvious.

“Of course I’m fine. I have my wife, don’t I?”

With that, Sikar suddenly lifted me up and hugged me.

“So let’s hurry and depart too. Today’s the day we spend our second wedding night.”