Yerhan stared at Rosena.
Sleeping like a dead person, she couldn’t open her eyes for several days. Complexion returned to her pale face, but she was still not in good shape.
Yerhan spent the whole night beside Rosena. He couldn’t stand the fear of anything happening while he was away for a while.
Yerhan, who was sitting silently, grabbed Rosena’s hand.
The fingertips trembled as if he was holding her hands for the first time.
Yerhan slowly pulled her hand up and put it on his cheek.
The area around his cheek became warm. The warmth seemed to prove that Rosena was still alive.
A lot happened in the past few days.
Yerhan heard Rania’s confession and sent a man to investigate everything about Asilia.
She thought she had completely erased the evidence, but it was just her arrogance.
Yerhan gathered all the evidence he could find.
Rania was in prison for a few days and half-conscious.
Now, she was asking for death, instead of for someone to save her.
The dungeon, which had no light or sound, was a place that had excellent conditions for making people crazy.
A trial was about to take place regarding the monster case.
The emperor and Duke of Eloa had blamed Yerhan for everything the crown prince had done, and now only the verdict was left.
Either way, Yerhan would be found guilty, and only the sentence mattered.
Even after so many things happened, Rosena didn’t open her eyes.
She alone looked at peace, in contrast to the chaos of the world. It was like she was refusing to get dirty.
Yerhan, who had been fiddling with Rosena’s hand for a long time, slowly put it down.
He had been thinking a lot in the past few days.
After the trial, he would not be able to protect Rosena.
If he was greedy and put Rosena next to him, something like this might happen again. And then it would be irreversible.
Looking at Rosena’s face, Yerhan smiled as if he was about to cry.
Even though looking at her felt painful enough to die, he raised his lips.
“I… love you.”
The sincerity that he couldn’t say so far burst out.
The words that always rose to the top of his throat and eventually swallowed came out now.
From the first day they met, Yerhan fell in love.
As she said, the beginning was due to strong attraction.
He held Rosena as his instincts told him to, but when he realized and looked at her face, he felt an indescribable satisfaction.
He felt like he could give her everything in the world.
The first time, he felt it was sweet, as if he was trapped in a honey jar.
And at the same time, Rosena gave him despair for the first time.
After a short absence, she disappeared like smoke, without leaving a trace.
Yerhan stepped into the imperial family that he hated so much to find Rosena.
It was only one night, and he was captivated by her.
He hadn’t forgotten Rosena in seven years. He had been living day by day reflecting on the conversation they had that day and his actions.
There was so much he wanted to say.
Why did you leave without saying anything? Did you hate me or did you see me as violent?
He swallowed these hot and painful questions that were like heated pieces of iron.
But when he met Rosena again, he couldn’t say anything.
The mere return of her to this place had washed the resentment away.
However, Rosena drew the line that it happened on impulse and that there was no emotion between them.
If so, he wanted to ask why it hurt so much. Why didn’t his memory forget about her so far, why did she do that to him at that time…
But he couldn’t ask anything, as he tried not to be hated, afraid that Rosena might leave.
And she barely started smiling at him…
He shouldn’t have brought Rosena in, but he was so greedy.
He should have kept it as a memory and forgotten it.
He should have kept trying to forget her even if he couldn’t do that.
The regret that he had for days hadn’t diminished.
“I’ll divorce you as you wish… so please…”
If he just heard one word that would show she was okay, he would let her go.
Yerhan couldn’t bear to speak and bowed his head.
If she wakes up, Yerhan intends to let Rosena go. To leave this place and live a peaceful life.
Even if she didn’t like it, he had to let her go now.
Yerhan, who raised his head, touched Rosena’s cheek very carefully, as if it would be worn out.
Then he slowly got up from his seat.
Yerhan looked out of the window for a moment.
The gaze reached the Emperor Palace, which was located far away.
His sunken eyes in the last few days became sharper than ever.
The still burning eyes seemed to burn everything down.
He couldn’t forgive everything.
The emperor and the empress who had used him so far, the cunning duke, the crown prince who was after Rosena….. and even the stupid nobles.
Yerhan clenched his fist.
After sending Rosena out of the Imperial Palace, he intended to turn everything upside down.
***
It had been 10 days since Rosena hadn’t woken up. And a date for Yerhan’s trial was set.
It was four days from now.
Everyone who knew it was anxious, but Yerhan seemed calm.
No, nothing could provoke him.
In the meantime, his nerves were all focused on Rosena.
He couldn’t leave for a moment just in case she woke up.
Everyone was worried about him, who sat motionless doing nothing.
At that rate, even Yerhan was going to collapse.
Today, he was standing by Rosena without fail, and he heard the sound of the door opening.
It was Illian who came inside. But Yerhan didn’t move a bit.
Illian looked at Yerhan and asked.
“Have you eaten?”
Yerhan shook his head. He had been skipping his meals for two days.
Illian folded his arms as he felt like Yerhan was really going to faint.
“Mom will really love it when she wakes up.”
Yerhan flinched at the bitter criticism.
As he slowly lifted his head, he saw an emaciated face.
“I’ll be by Mom’s side, so go eat and come back.”
Yerhan slowly rose from his seat. It was Rosena who made him move.
Yerhan put his hand on Illian’s shoulder.
There were no words spoken, but it meant to keep an eye on Rosena.
After Yerhan left the room, Illian pulled a chair and sat by the bed.
Rosena looked better than the day she collapsed, but she still didn’t open her eyes.
Illian clenched his lips tightly. He believed his mother would open her eyes soon because she couldn’t leave him.
Illian stared at Rosena for a long time.
“You’ve slept a lot.”
Illian whispered to Rosena. It felt like she was going to get up from her seat and hug him with her arms, but when will Rosena wake up?
He was afraid that she would never wake up.
“I’ll do my best in the future… I’ll be good in classes and not be jealous of Dad anymore… and I won’t be picky with food.”
Illian held Rosena’s hand tightly and began to make promises.
After a long talk, Rosena didn’t wake up.
Illian’s face, which had been calm, distorted. Like a man holding someone to leave, Illian embraced Rosena’s hand.
“Mom… don’t leave me behind. I’m here.”
If Rosena was wandering in the dark, he prayed she would find him.
Soon, Illian wept as he clenched his eyes. He tried to put up with it, but the tear glands had already burst.
“…Don’t go.”
Illian’s sob filled the room. Tears fell constantly and Illian called only for Rosena.
Then Rosena’s fingers, which Illian was hugging, wriggled. It was an imperceptibly faint movement, but his whole arm shook.
Illian, who was crying with his head on the bed, immediately looked up.
Rosena, who slowly lifted her eyelids, met his eyes.
Rosena slowly got up.
Blinking, Rosena looked at Illian and called him quietly.
“Illian.”
Illian couldn’t believe it and opened his eyes wide. Tears kept flowing down his eyes.
“Mom…”
Illian immediately embraced her.
Rosena held such an Illian in her arms.
Still not having a sense of reality, Illian fumbled Rosena’s face over and over again.
“Mom is all right.”
Upon Rosena’s reassuring whisper, Illian removed his hand just then.
Rosena asked Illian in a friendly voice.
“Have you been well?”
Illian nodded in tears. He tried not to cry, but he didn’t know why he kept crying.
Rosena patted Illian on the back.
And when Illian barely stopped crying, she heard a creaking, the door opening.
Rosena turned her head towards the door.
Yerhan, who had just opened the door, saw Rosena, and stopped there as if he had been nailed.
Very emaciated, he just stared at Rosena in disbelief.
Then, after a long time, he called her name very carefully.
“Rosena..?”
Silence covered the area like a carpet. Amidst all the silence, Rosena slowly opened her mouth.
“It’s been a long time.”
Only then did Yerhan’s eyes move a little when he heard Rosena’s voice.
Stuck as if he had been enchanted, he approached quickly. Then he stopped in front of the bed.
His eyes contained a feeling that he couldn’t stand because he wanted to hug Rosena, but he didn’t move.
“Are you… okay?”
Yerhan only said those words after choosing from a lot of words.
At his cautious question, Rosena nodded slowly.
“I don’t think I’m in any particular pain.”
“I’ll call the doctor right away.”
“I’ll get examined in a little while.”
Yerhan tried to get out immediately, and Rosena held his hand.
Yerhan stopped there and looked at Rosena again.
His face had a lot of emotions, as if it were a mixture of paints.
He seemed to cry, he seemed to be happy, he seemed to be hurt.
After seeing it, Rosena couldn’t say anything for a while.
Those were complex emotions she couldn’t bring herself to put down.
Rosena took her hand off Illian, who was in her arms. And asked Illian.
“Illian, can I talk to your dad alone for a second?”
The red-eyed Illian nodded.
Illian procrastinated outside before shutting the door quietly.
The languid silence sank again.
“How long have I been asleep?”
“…About ten days.”
Yerhan, who replied, was different from what Rosena knew.
The feisty face or the choked voice felt rusty because it had not been used for a long time.
Rosena wanted to reach out and hug him immediately.
There was no concept of time in the dream. It could have been a day or decades.
She was at a loss because she didn’t know when she would wake up, but she walked through the long darkness with the determination to meet him again.
Rosena barely suppressed the desire to hug him, swallowing it, and spit out the first thing she wanted to ask.
“…Do you know why I collapsed?”
Rosena blurted out.
Yerhan narrowed his forehead as if it hurt at the mere sound of it.
“I heard a confession from Countess Estarot. She said she put the poison in.”
As expected.
Rosena lowered her eyes.
She shouldn’t have accepted it when she asked for a private meeting.
She should have sent her out coldly, but it was her fault for accepting Rania without consideration.
“…I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing for you to apologize for.”
Yerhan shook his head.
“Now that you’re awake, the trial will be executed.”
“….”
“At least the death penalty will be sought for attempted murder of an imperial family member.”
Rosena recoiled at the words ‘death penalty’.
She couldn’t believe that Rania, who she once lived with as a family, would die…
Rosena closed her heavy eyelids a long time later.
“All right.”
The calm answer returned. There was an indescribable feeling, but it all blew off.
She and Rania were destined to end up like this. Rania has self-destructed.
Rosena slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Yerhan.
He still remained motionless on the spot.
Normally, he would have rushed in first, but he acted as if there was an invisible line.
Rosena became nervous for nothing.
What she was going to say as soon as she woke up had been circulating around her mouth for a while.
I like you.
Even though it was a relationship made up from destiny, her heart was real.
She really likes him, unlike before.
Such words rose to the top of her neck.
“I have something to say to you.”
“…I do, too.”
Yerhan’s eyes, who said so, were dyed with black light as usual.
Rosena pressed her chest.
“You talk first.”
He lowered his eyes and looked directly at Rosena.
“Leave the Imperial Palace as soon as possible.”
Rosena blinked, not immediately understanding what he said. But Yerhan continued with a calm expression.
“I’ll give you everything you need. Anywhere but the empire is fine. When it’s decided, I’ll tell them to prepare accordingly.”
“What do you mean?”
Rosena asked urgently.
Yerhan’s eyes, which met Rosena’s eyes, shook for a moment, but it became cold soon. And a dry voice fell down.
“I’m saying I’ll divorce you.”
Yerhan stared at Rosena.
Sleeping like a dead person, she couldn’t open her eyes for several days. Complexion returned to her pale face, but she was still not in good shape.
Yerhan spent the whole night beside Rosena. He couldn’t stand the fear of anything happening while he was away for a while.
Yerhan, who was sitting silently, grabbed Rosena’s hand.
The fingertips trembled as if he was holding her hands for the first time.
Yerhan slowly pulled her hand up and put it on his cheek.
The area around his cheek became warm. The warmth seemed to prove that Rosena was still alive.
A lot happened in the past few days.
Yerhan heard Rania’s confession and sent a man to investigate everything about Asilia.
She thought she had completely erased the evidence, but it was just her arrogance.
Yerhan gathered all the evidence he could find.
Rania was in prison for a few days and half-conscious.
Now, she was asking for death, instead of for someone to save her.
The dungeon, which had no light or sound, was a place that had excellent conditions for making people crazy.
A trial was about to take place regarding the monster case.
The emperor and Duke of Eloa had blamed Yerhan for everything the crown prince had done, and now only the verdict was left.
Either way, Yerhan would be found guilty, and only the sentence mattered.
Even after so many things happened, Rosena didn’t open her eyes.
She alone looked at peace, in contrast to the chaos of the world. It was like she was refusing to get dirty.
Yerhan, who had been fiddling with Rosena’s hand for a long time, slowly put it down.
He had been thinking a lot in the past few days.
After the trial, he would not be able to protect Rosena.
If he was greedy and put Rosena next to him, something like this might happen again. And then it would be irreversible.
Looking at Rosena’s face, Yerhan smiled as if he was about to cry.
Even though looking at her felt painful enough to die, he raised his lips.
“I… love you.”
The sincerity that he couldn’t say so far burst out.
The words that always rose to the top of his throat and eventually swallowed came out now.
From the first day they met, Yerhan fell in love.
As she said, the beginning was due to strong attraction.
He held Rosena as his instincts told him to, but when he realized and looked at her face, he felt an indescribable satisfaction.
He felt like he could give her everything in the world.
The first time, he felt it was sweet, as if he was trapped in a honey jar.
And at the same time, Rosena gave him despair for the first time.
After a short absence, she disappeared like smoke, without leaving a trace.
Yerhan stepped into the imperial family that he hated so much to find Rosena.
It was only one night, and he was captivated by her.
He hadn’t forgotten Rosena in seven years. He had been living day by day reflecting on the conversation they had that day and his actions.
There was so much he wanted to say.
Why did you leave without saying anything? Did you hate me or did you see me as violent?
He swallowed these hot and painful questions that were like heated pieces of iron.
But when he met Rosena again, he couldn’t say anything.
The mere return of her to this place had washed the resentment away.
However, Rosena drew the line that it happened on impulse and that there was no emotion between them.
If so, he wanted to ask why it hurt so much. Why didn’t his memory forget about her so far, why did she do that to him at that time…
But he couldn’t ask anything, as he tried not to be hated, afraid that Rosena might leave.
And she barely started smiling at him…
He shouldn’t have brought Rosena in, but he was so greedy.
He should have kept it as a memory and forgotten it.
He should have kept trying to forget her even if he couldn’t do that.
The regret that he had for days hadn’t diminished.
“I’ll divorce you as you wish… so please…”
If he just heard one word that would show she was okay, he would let her go.
Yerhan couldn’t bear to speak and bowed his head.
If she wakes up, Yerhan intends to let Rosena go. To leave this place and live a peaceful life.
Even if she didn’t like it, he had to let her go now.
Yerhan, who raised his head, touched Rosena’s cheek very carefully, as if it would be worn out.
Then he slowly got up from his seat.
Yerhan looked out of the window for a moment.
The gaze reached the Emperor Palace, which was located far away.
His sunken eyes in the last few days became sharper than ever.
The still burning eyes seemed to burn everything down.
He couldn’t forgive everything.
The emperor and the empress who had used him so far, the cunning duke, the crown prince who was after Rosena….. and even the stupid nobles.
Yerhan clenched his fist.
After sending Rosena out of the Imperial Palace, he intended to turn everything upside down.
***
It had been 10 days since Rosena hadn’t woken up. And a date for Yerhan’s trial was set.
It was four days from now.
Everyone who knew it was anxious, but Yerhan seemed calm.
No, nothing could provoke him.
In the meantime, his nerves were all focused on Rosena.
He couldn’t leave for a moment just in case she woke up.
Everyone was worried about him, who sat motionless doing nothing.
At that rate, even Yerhan was going to collapse.
Today, he was standing by Rosena without fail, and he heard the sound of the door opening.
It was Illian who came inside. But Yerhan didn’t move a bit.
Illian looked at Yerhan and asked.
“Have you eaten?”
Yerhan shook his head. He had been skipping his meals for two days.
Illian folded his arms as he felt like Yerhan was really going to faint.
“Mom will really love it when she wakes up.”
Yerhan flinched at the bitter criticism.
As he slowly lifted his head, he saw an emaciated face.
“I’ll be by Mom’s side, so go eat and come back.”
Yerhan slowly rose from his seat. It was Rosena who made him move.
Yerhan put his hand on Illian’s shoulder.
There were no words spoken, but it meant to keep an eye on Rosena.
After Yerhan left the room, Illian pulled a chair and sat by the bed.
Rosena looked better than the day she collapsed, but she still didn’t open her eyes.
Illian clenched his lips tightly. He believed his mother would open her eyes soon because she couldn’t leave him.
Illian stared at Rosena for a long time.
“You’ve slept a lot.”
Illian whispered to Rosena. It felt like she was going to get up from her seat and hug him with her arms, but when will Rosena wake up?
He was afraid that she would never wake up.
“I’ll do my best in the future… I’ll be good in classes and not be jealous of Dad anymore… and I won’t be picky with food.”
Illian held Rosena’s hand tightly and began to make promises.
After a long talk, Rosena didn’t wake up.
Illian’s face, which had been calm, distorted. Like a man holding someone to leave, Illian embraced Rosena’s hand.
“Mom… don’t leave me behind. I’m here.”
If Rosena was wandering in the dark, he prayed she would find him.
Soon, Illian wept as he clenched his eyes. He tried to put up with it, but the tear glands had already burst.
“…Don’t go.”
Illian’s sob filled the room. Tears fell constantly and Illian called only for Rosena.
Then Rosena’s fingers, which Illian was hugging, wriggled. It was an imperceptibly faint movement, but his whole arm shook.
Illian, who was crying with his head on the bed, immediately looked up.
Rosena, who slowly lifted her eyelids, met his eyes.
Rosena slowly got up.
Blinking, Rosena looked at Illian and called him quietly.
“Illian.”
Illian couldn’t believe it and opened his eyes wide. Tears kept flowing down his eyes.
“Mom…”
Illian immediately embraced her.
Rosena held such an Illian in her arms.
Still not having a sense of reality, Illian fumbled Rosena’s face over and over again.
“Mom is all right.”
Upon Rosena’s reassuring whisper, Illian removed his hand just then.
Rosena asked Illian in a friendly voice.
“Have you been well?”
Illian nodded in tears. He tried not to cry, but he didn’t know why he kept crying.
Rosena patted Illian on the back.
And when Illian barely stopped crying, she heard a creaking, the door opening.
Rosena turned her head towards the door.
Yerhan, who had just opened the door, saw Rosena, and stopped there as if he had been nailed.
Very emaciated, he just stared at Rosena in disbelief.
Then, after a long time, he called her name very carefully.
“Rosena..?”
Silence covered the area like a carpet. Amidst all the silence, Rosena slowly opened her mouth.
“It’s been a long time.”
Only then did Yerhan’s eyes move a little when he heard Rosena’s voice.
Stuck as if he had been enchanted, he approached quickly. Then he stopped in front of the bed.
His eyes contained a feeling that he couldn’t stand because he wanted to hug Rosena, but he didn’t move.
“Are you… okay?”
Yerhan only said those words after choosing from a lot of words.
At his cautious question, Rosena nodded slowly.
“I don’t think I’m in any particular pain.”
“I’ll call the doctor right away.”
“I’ll get examined in a little while.”
Yerhan tried to get out immediately, and Rosena held his hand.
Yerhan stopped there and looked at Rosena again.
His face had a lot of emotions, as if it were a mixture of paints.
He seemed to cry, he seemed to be happy, he seemed to be hurt.
After seeing it, Rosena couldn’t say anything for a while.
Those were complex emotions she couldn’t bring herself to put down.
Rosena took her hand off Illian, who was in her arms. And asked Illian.
“Illian, can I talk to your dad alone for a second?”
The red-eyed Illian nodded.
Illian procrastinated outside before shutting the door quietly.
The languid silence sank again.
“How long have I been asleep?”
“…About ten days.”
Yerhan, who replied, was different from what Rosena knew.
The feisty face or the choked voice felt rusty because it had not been used for a long time.
Rosena wanted to reach out and hug him immediately.
There was no concept of time in the dream. It could have been a day or decades.
She was at a loss because she didn’t know when she would wake up, but she walked through the long darkness with the determination to meet him again.
Rosena barely suppressed the desire to hug him, swallowing it, and spit out the first thing she wanted to ask.
“…Do you know why I collapsed?”
Rosena blurted out.
Yerhan narrowed his forehead as if it hurt at the mere sound of it.
“I heard a confession from Countess Estarot. She said she put the poison in.”
As expected.
Rosena lowered her eyes.
She shouldn’t have accepted it when she asked for a private meeting.
She should have sent her out coldly, but it was her fault for accepting Rania without consideration.
“…I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing for you to apologize for.”
Yerhan shook his head.
“Now that you’re awake, the trial will be executed.”
“….”
“At least the death penalty will be sought for attempted murder of an imperial family member.”
Rosena recoiled at the words ‘death penalty’.
She couldn’t believe that Rania, who she once lived with as a family, would die…
Rosena closed her heavy eyelids a long time later.
“All right.”
The calm answer returned. There was an indescribable feeling, but it all blew off.
She and Rania were destined to end up like this. Rania has self-destructed.
Rosena slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Yerhan.
He still remained motionless on the spot.
Normally, he would have rushed in first, but he acted as if there was an invisible line.
Rosena became nervous for nothing.
What she was going to say as soon as she woke up had been circulating around her mouth for a while.
I like you.
Even though it was a relationship made up from destiny, her heart was real.
She really likes him, unlike before.
Such words rose to the top of her neck.
“I have something to say to you.”
“…I do, too.”
Yerhan’s eyes, who said so, were dyed with black light as usual.
Rosena pressed her chest.
“You talk first.”
He lowered his eyes and looked directly at Rosena.
“Leave the Imperial Palace as soon as possible.”
Rosena blinked, not immediately understanding what he said. But Yerhan continued with a calm expression.
“I’ll give you everything you need. Anywhere but the empire is fine. When it’s decided, I’ll tell them to prepare accordingly.”
“What do you mean?”
Rosena asked urgently.
Yerhan’s eyes, which met Rosena’s eyes, shook for a moment, but it became cold soon. And a dry voice fell down.
“I’m saying I’ll divorce you.”
