Shusain trembled in fear.

He had not known that Petro was dead. Only after being imprisoned did he overhear the guards talking and learn the truth.

Being kidnapped at such a time meant his chances of survival were slim.

Even if he was timid, he was not so oblivious as to miss that.

‘Which faction imprisoned me? Seiji? Or the new prince? Either way, they certainly won’t let me live.’

He did not want to die yet. He had never lived even once according to his own will—he refused to end his life like this.

But no way to escape this place came to mind.

Unless Retanda or Laila sent someone to rescue him, it was impossible for Shusain alone to flee.

Not only was he physically weaker than others, but he also lacked the courage to risk his life for escape.

In the end, all he could do was tremble in terror.

‘When will they kill me? Will they poison my food? Or slit my throat?’

Naturally, grim imaginings swirled through his mind.

Shusain, of course, could not eat properly or sleep soundly.

Already in frail health, his condition worsened shortly after imprisonment.

No one harmed him directly, but as he withered away alone,

Shusain naturally thought of his pet dog, Bibi.

Bibi had long been a sanctuary for his heart.

Though the time spent together was brief, he could say those were the happiest moments of his entire life.

‘……I miss you. If I die, will I get to see Bibi again?’

Death terrified him, yet the thought of reuniting with Bibi was the one comfort.

Ending his life this way meant he would no longer suffer the pressures of being Crown Prince—and in a way, that felt like relief.

If he were reborn, he wished to live an ordinary life.

He did not want to live a life spent as a mere puppet, only to meet such a hollow, meaningless death.

It was while lying on his bed like a corpse, lost in imagining death,

“Woof woof!”

that he faintly heard a puppy barking from outside.

At first, he thought it was a hallucination.

He assumed he had misheard, having dwelled too long on thoughts of Bibi.

But it was not. The puppy’s bark grew steadily closer.

Shusain rose from his lying position and unconsciously walked toward the direction of the sound.

Until now, the door leading outside had been firmly locked due to his confinement. But now, he saw it standing wide open.

‘Huh……?’

That was not all. Near the door stood a pure white puppy, identical to Bibi, wagging its tail vigorously while gazing at him.

“……Bi, Bibi?”

Unable to hide his shock, Shusain hurried toward the puppy.

He could not tell whether this was dream or reality. But in the face of impending death, simply seeing Bibi again filled him with joy.

It was the moment Shusain embraced the tiny puppy and smiled happily,

“I am glad to see you again, Your Highness.”

that a calm female voice came from behind.

Startled, Shusain turned his head. Looking closer, he saw not only the puppy but also a person standing by the door.

The woman—with black hair, snow white skin, and sharp blue eyes—was none other than Tanashia.

Having met Tanashia once before in the abandoned palace, Shusain instantly recognized her as the one who had brought him here.

He looked at Tanashia with wary eyes and asked,

“D, did you finally come to kill me?”

“Please don’t misunderstand. I have no intention of harming Your Highness. I merely wish to have a brief conversation—is that alright?”

Shusain could not take Tanashia’s words at face value. She would not have imprisoned him without purpose.

It felt as though the dreaded moment had finally arrived—and fear gripped him.

Reflecting his emotional turmoil, the hands holding the puppy trembled violently.

Tanashia raised both hands in a gesture of surrender, as if to calm him, then gestured toward the table in the room and spoke again.

“Your Highness, please calm down. You might drop the puppy. Why not sit down first?”

“Ah……!”

Shusain became aware he was still holding the puppy.

Unable to risk dropping the small, fragile creature, he reluctantly nodded.

Though he had no desire to accept the conversation, he was in no position to refuse.

Tanashia passed by the tense Shusain and sat down first. Hesitantly, he took a seat across from her.

Shusain could not even properly meet Tanashia’s eyes. From the moment they reunited, his mind was flooded with ominous thoughts.

‘What if they torture me? If they’re going to kill me, I hope they make it painless…….’

As he imagined countless worst-case scenarios, burly men began entering the room.

Shusain’s face turned deathly pale. He was certain they had come to kill him.

But something was strange. In their hands were not sharp, gleaming swords—but large flowerpots and cages containing pets.

They casually opened the cages, releasing several puppies and kittens. They also placed various flowerpots around the room, filling the air with a pleasant, grassy fragrance.

Shusain stared, bewildered, as the puppies and kittens roamed freely around the room as if it were their own home.

‘This was my wish…….’

The reason Shusain had secretly kept Bibi in the abandoned palace was because Petro and Laila opposed keeping pets.

His wish had been utterly simple: to live surrounded by many pets. That was all.

‘How did she know what I wanted?’

Shusain looked at Tanashia with astonished eyes. But upon reflection, she could not possibly know his innermost thoughts.

They were not close; they had met only once.

Moreover, she was not someone inclined to show him kindness—in fact, she might even threaten his life.

Shusain, unable to understand why this situation had arisen, could only assume it was coincidence.

Watching his inner confusion, Tanashia smiled faintly.

“Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Tanashia, eldest daughter of the Brellof family of Arwen Empire.”

“Brellof family? Ah, are you perhaps the noble lady known as the continent’s greatest arms merchant?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

Not long ago, Tanashia had publicly declared her support for Dekain. Thus, Shusain now understood which faction had captured him.

‘Not Seiji, but the new prince. Was his name Dekain?’

Having learned the truth, Shusain asked cautiously,

“You said you had something to discuss with me. What is it you wish to say?”

“Let me be direct—I came to make you a proposal.”

“A proposal?”

“Yes. Also, I heard you have not been eating well or sleeping properly lately. If there is anything you need, please tell me. I intend to accommodate you as much as possible.”

Shusain felt strange hearing these words from the very person who had imprisoned him.

He wanted to protest that there was no way he could feel at ease in such a situation, but his timid nature prevented him from speaking up.

“I, I can’t help it—it’s an uncomfortable place. But more importantly, what is this proposal you want to make to me?”

“I want to help Your Highness live the life you desire.”

“The life I desire?”

“Yes. You wished to live simply, surrounded by many pets. If the position of Crown Prince feels too heavy, I will help you step down from it.”

“……!”

Shusain was stunned.

This was a desire he had never confessed to anyone.

He had thought this situation was mere coincidence—but it was not.

Tanashia had truly seen through his innermost heart.

“How did you know I wanted to keep pets?”

“Just because Your Highness wishes to hide something does not mean it is entirely hidden. Rather than how I knew, I believe now is the time for you to honestly claim what you truly desire.”

Tanashia knew about Shusain because she had read the novel . But she could not admit that openly, so she vaguely brushed it off.

Since the novel was unfinished, she did not know who ultimately became Emperor of Lajent Empire.

But there had been mentions of Shusain in the story, so she knew what he desired.

Tanashia had deliberately brought many of the pets and plants she knew Shusain loved.

He did not realize it, but from the moment the pets entered, his hands had stopped trembling. His fear and tension toward her had eased somewhat.

Shusain spoke as if he could not comprehend.

“You want me to claim the life I desire?”

“Yes. You do not wish to become Emperor. If you want to step down from the position of Crown Prince, I will help you. Prince Dekain has promised to ensure you live the rest of your life in peace.”

Dekain himself did not wish to eliminate Shusain. If Shusain willingly stepped down, Dekain would reward him with a tranquil life.

Having already settled this with Dekain beforehand, Tanashia could confidently make this proposal to Shusain.

“So you’re telling me to step down from the Crown Prince position?”

“That is what you wish, is it not? Wouldn’t it be better to live peacefully now, rather than suffer in a position you never wanted?”

As she spoke, Tanashia produced the Crown Prince’s seal, which she had taken from his office.

Shusain recognized his own seal and opened his mouth in surprise.

“How did you……”

Then Tanashia placed a document before him, ensuring he could read it clearly.

Shusain read the words written on it—it was a declaration of his voluntary resignation from the Crown Prince position.

Originally, they had intended to forge it. But now, they had changed plans to draft it genuinely—with Shusain’s consent.

Shusain shook his head in confusion.

“No, I can’t do that. Everyone’s expectations of me are so great. It’s unthinkable for me to voluntarily step down from the Crown Prince position.”

Even now, whenever Shusain closed his eyes, he saw the stern faces of Petro and Laila scolding him.

There had been countless moments when he wanted to run away from the burden—but he could not betray his parents’ expectations.

Tanashia spoke with increased seriousness.

“Then, Your Highness, are you willing to risk your life to hold onto the Crown Prince position? I must ask—is fulfilling others’ expectations truly worth that much?”

Shusain was momentarily speechless.

He had always been dragged along by others. He could lie to others, but he could not lie to himself.

Tanashia had pinpointed exactly what he deeply desired—but it was something he had always abandoned due to lack of courage.

While Shusain remained silent,

a tricolor cat approached, licked his foot, and began rubbing its cute face against him, showing affection.

Unconsciously, he smiled gently.

This simple happiness was what he truly wanted. He could not deny that.

But…….

Shusain spoke in a low voice.

“I don’t know how you learned my innermost thoughts, noble lady, but I am the Crown Prince of Lajent Empire. No matter how heavy the burden, I cannot easily set it aside.”

He lacked the confidence to forge his own destiny. Stepping down from the Crown Prince position would bring torrents of criticism from those around him.

Living while enduring that would be as difficult as dying.

Tanashia nodded understandingly. She had never expected him to decide overnight.

“I understand your words. But I will give you time to reconsider. If you give me the same answer when we meet again, I will no longer trouble you.”

Tanashia believed stepping down would be better for Shusain himself, but not everything went as planned.

Moreover, crucial life decisions could not be made by someone else.

Whether Shusain realized it or not, refusing to abandon the Crown Prince position was also his choice—a matter Tanashia could not interfere with.

Having said her piece, Tanashia rose obediently from her seat. Watching her leave the room, Shusain asked with a surprised expression,

“You’re really leaving just like this?”

“Yes. Do you have anything more to say?”

“A, no.”

Shusain had not expected Tanashia to withdraw so readily. He had assumed, like others, she would force a choice upon him.

For some reason, he felt—for the first time—that his own thoughts were being respected.

Seeing Shusain’s bewildered expression, Tanashia bowed politely and said,

“I shall take my leave now. Someone else will soon bring food and treats for the pets. As I mentioned earlier, if you need anything else, please let me know.”

“I, I’ll do that.”

“Then I shall see you next time.”

Shusain nodded awkwardly. Then he stared blankly at Tanashia’s retreating figure as she disappeared from the room.

He could scarcely believe this situation.

‘Could this be a dream?’

Shusain pinched his own cheek. Feeling the pain, he realized this was reality.

He looked around at the pets now filling the room.

At first, he had been terrified of being imprisoned…….

Ironically, this place was no different from the paradise he had always dreamed of.