“Adelheid, if you had been honest with Oscar from the start and kept him confined in the mansion…”

“You truly are a Serpentine. If I had done that, my son would have withered away.”

Adelheid laughed bitterly as she spoke firmly to Ailes.

She recalled Oscar’s appearance after he returned. She too had done her best to keep Oscar by her side. But Oscar had been withering away day by day.

His physical pain was one thing, but how could she watch as his spirit slowly died?

“I couldn’t bear to see him like that.”

Even if she had somehow kept Oscar by her side, it wouldn’t have led to happiness for anyone. That’s why she could only watch as Oscar returned to Zachary.

“Ailes, do you know what I prayed for in my dreams?”

Adelheid slowly looked up at the sky. Her breath scattered in the pitch-black void.

“I prayed that even if I died, even if my existence disappeared forever… please, just let my son live.”

“…”

“Sometimes I wonder if those dreams were really the future, and if God granted my desperate wish. But in the end, I ended up alone.”

To Adelheid, Oscar wasn’t simply her flesh and blood. From the moment Oscar was born, he was her whole world. A world she wouldn’t trade for anything.

But while Oscar was her world, she might not be his. Though this saddened Adelheid, she was still glad.

“It’s alright. After all, my world is still alive.”

Oscar was alive. Alive enough to leave her this letter before departing.

Adelheid turned her head away from where Oscar had disappeared, her eyes red-rimmed.

“So you should live long too. I feel I haven’t yet received full compensation for saving your family.”

Adelheid carefully closed the slightly open front of the Duke’s robe. The Duke smiled as he watched her long, white fingers.

“Indeed.”

Their beginning had been a marriage of convenience. Ailes needed to cover up the petition to expel his supposedly insane son, and Adelheid needed protection to safeguard her child.

“My lady. Let’s go inside now, it’s cold.”

“…You only call me ‘my lady’ at times like this.”

Adelheid let out a small “hmph” and began walking slowly.

Ailes matched his steps to hers. As the couple entered the mansion, the shadow lingering by the window also disappeared.

The lights in the Serpentine mansion stayed on until dawn that day, like a lighthouse waiting for someone to return.

***

Side Chapter 3: Blooming

The winter in the God-forsaken land was brutally cold. The two of them had been busy preparing for the approaching winter. From dried jerky to sugar-preserved fruits for winter provisions – unlike its initial desolate state, their cabin now bore many traces of life and felt lived-in.

The peaceful life of slowly preparing for winter had left them unprepared for what was to come.

“Please, we beg you.”

The cool, crisp air entering through the open door stung Oscar’s nose. His eyes widened at the sight of knights packed densely in front of the cabin. At the same time, Zachary, who stood before the knights, sensed Oscar’s presence and slowly turned around.

“Please come with us to the Empire, Your Highness.”

****

The pros and cons I had observed about the Serpentine family were quite distinct. The main thing was that while the huge mansion felt eerie and frightening with so few people, it provided ample time to enjoy solitude. I found I rather liked being alone.

So I thought I could manage well enough staying alone in the cabin without Zachary for a while.

Can I… clear all this?

However, it didn’t take long to realize I had misjudged the situation. Being alone in the silent cabin wasn’t easy.

“Haah…”

There was no time to enjoy the solitude.

My heart turned as white as the snow piled as high as myself while I held only a small shovel.

I sat down with the shovel in hand, looking troubled.

Don’t we need an excavator for this?

I hadn’t known winter living would require so much work in a cabin where snow fell heavily. But snow wasn’t the only reason for my troubled mind.

It had been a month since Zachary left.

We didn’t even properly make up…

I had fought with Zachary a month ago. A big fight at that.

Putting aside the snow clearing for a moment, I recalled the day we parted.

That morning, neither Zachary nor I had any idea things would turn out this way. We had been living a peaceful daily life without any quarrels. I loved our mornings together. Seeing Zachary’s face when I woke up, being able to sleep in late in his cozy embrace. Every time I woke up, those warm, loving eyes were directed at me. That day had been the same.

“Your Highness, are you here? Please open the door!”

If only it hadn’t been for the Imperial nobles and knights knocking at our door early that morning.

Though I didn’t know how they had found this place, they immediately pleaded with Zachary to return to the Empire. Of course, Zachary immediately told them to leave, but I convinced him to at least hear out their desperate story. As a result, we learned about the Empire’s situation, which was more serious than expected.

“The nobles are fighting fiercely for the throne in the Empire. The Imperial citizens are suffering greatly because of this…!”

I knew that Celestia had stepped down from the throne due to madness. But because there was no royal bloodline to replace her, conflicts had spread over the position of regent to substitute for the Emperor. Though they called it regency, if no bloodline appeared, whoever took the regent position would become Emperor.

The innocent Imperial citizens were the ones suffering from the nobles’ power struggle. The entire Empire was suffering from civil war.

“We earnestly beseech you. Please return and ascend to the throne, or appoint a regent.”

It seemed some nobles and the Imperial knights’ order had been searching for Zachary, and finally found this place.

Well, I had thought this place might be discovered someday. After all, Zachary regularly bought supplies from the village, and how could there not be rumors about someone with such striking features?

What should we do…

From what I heard, Zachary’s return could resolve the situation. The Empire, which believed in the Lumina God, was very particular about legitimacy. Therefore, if Zachary, a member of the royal family with strong magical power, appeared, he could quell any resistance for now, even if there was some pushback.

However, it wasn’t as simple as it sounded. Just as I opened my mouth to ask Zachary what he would do…

“I will not return.”

My eyes widened. With the Empire in such chaos, I thought Zachary would at least consider it. I hadn’t expected such an outright refusal.

“Your Highness, please!”

It was natural for the nobles to cling to Zachary. But he simply stepped aside and shook his head.

“If you look carefully, there should be bloodlines I haven’t killed. Put them on the throne, and the nobles will keep quiet.”

“With our abilities, it’s not easy to find them! And even if we do, it won’t work. Even if we put them on the throne, they’ll surely die soon at the hands of those coveting the position…”

“Oscar.”

Zachary turned around as if refusing to listen anymore. Ignoring them, he approached me standing behind the door. He caught the blanket that had been slipping down without my notice and draped it back over my shoulders.

“It’s cold. Let’s go inside.”

With those final words, the cabin door closed. I moved my lips for a long while but finally remained silent, having nothing to say.

He surely needs to go…

The fact that these theists had come all the way to the God-forsaken land meant this matter was far more serious than expected. Sure enough, they came to the cabin every day for a week, kneeling before the unopened door and pleading with Zachary.

But Zachary truly had no interest in them. He only concerned himself with my decreased appetite, was busy embracing my body when I tossed and turned from the cold, and worried about me while looking at the elixir that now had only a few drops remaining.