Chapter 153

“Soon, we may have to address her not as ‘Your Highness,’ but as ‘Your Majesty.’ You cannot keep secrets from your lord, nor act independently without her permission. Remember that.”

A heavy silence fell over the room. Sylvian, who had remained composed, let out a deep sigh.

“His Majesty is still alive and well. You’re jumping to conclusions far too quickly.”

“Yes, His Majesty still stands with us—for now. But we can’t say how much longer that will be the case.”

“How dare you speak such blasphemy!”

“It was His Majesty who said it himself. You know this. He understands that the situation is dire.”

“……”

“You think losing the Argan Imperial Castle was the worst of it? No. It’s only because Their Majesties are still alive that we’re not already at the gates of hell. That’s why, above all else, the safety of Her Highness the Princess is paramount. What she needs right now is peace—both of mind and body.”

Above all, Barnon had no desire to bring up the Grand Duke in front of Elise. The mere memory of the cryptic words Rezette Kyrstan had whispered when he spared Barnon’s life in Norella still made his skin crawl with unease.

Unfortunately, once Elise realized that the Grand Duke’s spies were close, the chances of her remaining unshaken were slim. Barnon vividly remembered the look on Elizabeth’s face that day, as she watched the pier grow smaller, a speck in the distance, while leaving Norella.

Her face, caught in a whirlwind of anxiety and fury, was that of a woman who had opened her heart to someone and now couldn’t find her way out. It was a face so desperately in love, yet even with him by her side, he felt impossibly distant.

With a sigh to steady his nerves, Barnon stepped onto the deck—only to spot a familiar figure. Beneath the starlit sky, a small silhouette with silver hair tied loosely at the back sat alone.

Whether she knew it or not, Elise always chose the same spot whenever she came up to the stern deck. It was the very place where, long ago, she had gazed after a man who grew ever more distant, her heart full of longing.

“Elise.”

Elise turned her head over her shoulder, her gaze having lingered on the starlit sea. When she saw Barnon, she greeted him with a cheerful wave. He walked over slowly and settled beside her.

Her smile began to form, but then faltered as she studied his face with a more serious expression.

“I’ve been meaning to ask… what happened to the left side of your face? Your body seems fine, but why is your face in such a state?” Elise asked.

Once neat and handsome, the left side of Barnon’s face was now wrapped in layers of bandages and gauze, from temple to cheek to jaw. The wounds had healed, but the scars and faint bruises remained, carefully concealed beneath the fabric.

It was the man who claims to be your husband who did this to me.

Barnon swallowed down the bitter sarcasm that rose in his throat.

The truth was, it was a miracle he was even alive. And that miracle had come entirely thanks to Rezette Kyrstan’s erratic whims—whims Barnon still couldn’t understand.

The moment the Grand Duke learned of the secret tied to the Mangjonghwa flower, his shock had been palpable. He had glanced out the window, his expression flickering with something dark, before he abruptly left the inn.

When he returned an hour later, his face was completely blank—so devoid of emotion it could no longer be called human. Like a statue carved in the shape of a man, he moved with an eerie, mechanical grace, and without hesitation, struck Barnon square in the face.

Barnon had stood in the heart of battle before, where swords and arrows rained down like a storm. He understood, perhaps more than most, that the Grand Duke had come to the inn that day with only one intent: to kill him.

Yet Barnon survived. A few crude punches hadn’t been enough to take his life. And if these scars were the cost of that survival, they had come cheap.

Of course, there were reasons behind that mercy.

“We’re entering the southern waters now,” Barnon said, his voice steady as he glanced toward the horizon. “The weather should warm up soon. If you ever want to set foot on land, just say so. Anchoring at a nearby uninhabited island wouldn’t be difficult.”

Elise shook her head, her eyes fixed on the water. “No need. There’s no point wasting time.”

Everyone knew that seasickness wasn’t the only thing tormenting her. For over ten days since boarding, she had endured waves of nausea and body aches that had nothing to do with the motion of the ship.

Since their safe escape from Banyolya, Barnon had deliberately avoided bringing up that topic. This ship was, in many ways, a peaceful, demilitarized zone. But as they drew closer to the southern territories, he could no longer ignore the reality of what lay ahead.

He hesitated before speaking, his voice low and careful. “The child…”

The words were slow to leave his lips.

“Of course, Elizabeth,” he added, choosing his words with deliberate caution. “You must know—the child will not be welcomed in Argan.”

Elise nodded without hesitation, her expression unreadable. “I know.”

She paused for a moment, then met his gaze, her eyes steady. “I’ve known from the beginning. That’s why I plan to keep it a secret from anyone besides those aboard this ship—even after we arrive. I won’t be stepping into the spotlight, so it won’t be hard to hide. I’ve just entered the stable phase—three months already…”

Seven more months to go. She didn’t say it aloud, but the thought lingered in her mind. Elise planned to ask Andrei if he could grant her that much time, though she knew how vague—how irresponsible—that sounded.

The Argan army needed Andrei. And Andrei needed her.

In other words, Argan needed Elise’s magic. She knew well how difficult it would be to convince those who had sacrificed so much for her that now, there was someone else she had to protect.

“I want to tell Andrei myself,” she continued, her voice tight with a mixture of determination and apprehension. “He’ll be shocked. Maybe even angry… but I’ll do my best to persuade him.”

Barnon sighed heavily, regret flickering in his eyes. “Of course… I’m sorry, Elise. I should’ve congratulated you first. I didn’t.”

“Don’t apologize,” Elise replied, her tone sharper than she intended. “That just makes me feel worse.”

“…Right.” Barnon rubbed his face with both hands, a tired gesture that hid his inner unease. Seven months. That was the time they had left. And the uncertainty of it gnawed at him.

What echoed in Barnon’s mind were the Grand Duke’s chilling words—the man who had nearly crushed half of his face.

“A bird must break its shell to enter the world. I trust you know that the best path for your sister… is for you to shatter at the right time.”

“The debt you owe your sister for the past twenty-two years should be repaid with your life, don’t you think? And if you lack both the courage and conscience to do it yourself, I can come collect that stubborn breath for you.”

That cruel message had been delivered to the Emperor, and Barnon had been kept alive solely to carry it.

He let out a weary sigh, lifting his gaze to the sky, the hot breath catching painfully in his throat. But warnings were hardly necessary. The one who understood best that he needed to disappear for Elise’s sake… was Andrei himself, the man who had stayed by her side for more than twenty-two years.

Andrei’s voice broke through his thoughts, steady but tinged with an undeniable weariness. “You know I don’t have much time left, Brother. Honestly, it wouldn’t be surprising if I didn’t make it to the end of this year.”

“Don’t say that, Andrei.” Barnon’s voice was urgent, almost pleading. “It’s just that walking is difficult now. It’s not a life-threatening injury.”

Andrei let out a soft laugh, though it was devoid of humor. “You know it’s not just that. I’m simply stating the truth. Of course, I’ll fight to hold on. But not even I know how much time I have left… Will I live to see next spring?”

Silence hung in the air between them, thick with unspoken truths.

Andrei’s tone softened, his voice cracking with a quiet desperation. “So please, Brother. Bring Elizabeth to me as soon as possible. There’s still a gift I haven’t given her…”

***

After bidding Barnon goodnight, Elise returned to her cabin and collapsed onto the bed, exhaustion weighing heavily on her. She pulled the covers over her head and shut her eyes tightly, but the face that flickered behind her eyelids refused to fade.

Perhaps it was inevitable. Beneath the blanket, she felt the familiar weight of the cloak Rezette had once draped over her shoulders, now neatly folded at her side. Amid the scent of salt and sea, his faint fragrance lingered in the fabric, as though he had never truly left.

Wrapped in the cloak, with her eyes closed, it almost felt like she was still in his arms.

“I suppose… no matter what I do, I could never be your king.”

Even with the pillow pressed to her ears, she could still hear his voice, as clear as if he were right there beside her.

“I love you. I thought I hadn’t said it clearly.”

Sighing, she muttered to herself, “Saying that at the end like that… that’s cheating.” Her ears and nape grew warm, her pulse quickening at the memory of his words.

He had also told her not to let her eyes stray until he returned. What had he meant by that?

Her heart thudded in her chest as opposing emotions battled within her. She was both relieved that it wasn’t a final farewell and terrified of what he might do next. Those conflicting feelings filled the space between her heartbeats, creating a tension she couldn’t shake.

“…He said he loved me,” she murmured softly, her voice tinged with disbelief.

She had never expected to hear that confession. But now that she had, no matter how many times she replayed it in her mind, the words remained sweet. Even though the situation—and her mood—had been anything but.

Maybe it was because, in that moment, when he said love, his eyes had been a clear, stormless blue, with no trace of the madness that usually flickered like lightning within them.

It had been the first time the man, who had never known how to let go of what he gripped, had put love above possession.

He had let her go with his own hands—and that made the truth of his feelings all the more sincere. It was a choice utterly unlike the dragon king’s, and it brought tears of quiet relief to her eyes.

Maybe he really won’t tear Grandel apart like Sameshita did.

She had feared he might start a war—but perhaps that fear had been misplaced. With even the last sliver of her anxiety washed away, her mind began to loosen, and the questions she had tried so hard to ignore started to surface.

When had he started loving her? Why? What had triggered it? Did the love he confessed mean something deeper than mere physical desire? What part of her had he loved the most? What exactly about her had he loved? And did he, too…

Did he, too, get teary-eyed and choked up just from repeating her name?

Elise longed to ask him these small, seemingly trivial things—and hear the answers in Rezette’s voice. But deep down, she knew none of that truly mattered. What she really wanted was to see for herself that he was safe.

She knew he wasn’t the kind of man who would die easily, but she couldn’t shake the image of the raw, bloodied flesh on his right arm. It pricked at her heart like a needle.

He’s already been branded a traitor. If only he fled to the South, maybe I could be the one to hide him this time.

The thought settled heavily in her chest. Even if he came with nothing but the clothes on his back… that would be enough. But of course, he wasn’t the type to choose a path so simple.

As those whimsical thoughts drifted lazily through her mind, a wave of drowsiness slowly crept in. Within minutes, the soft, rhythmic sound of her breathing filled the cabin, steady and calm.

Moonlight poured in gently through the round porthole. The sky was a tapestry of stars, their soft glow weaving together in a river of light. It was a fleeting night, where time flowed like fragments of peace, quiet and fragile.

***

After twenty days at sea, land finally appeared on the horizon.

From the dizzying height of the lookout tower, a sailor scanning the horizon with a telescope suddenly shouted down to the deck, his voice full of excitement.

“Land in sight! It’s the Tentaluna Peninsula, Your Highness!”

Elise, who had been watching the knights play cards on the main deck, quickly lifted her head at the shout. In the direction the ship was sailing, all she could see was the vast, endless expanse of the ocean.