In the past, they were young. They judged the world by their own standards and believed themselves to be solitary, noble seekers who transcended the rules.

Riharm, Renian, and Rodrick arrogantly concluded that anything was possible when they came together. They thought that simply realizing what they believed was right would make everything around them beautiful.

Did they ever truly understand? That their seemingly peaceful daily life was the result of narrowly avoiding the cracks in a glass floor.

Renian was the first to put her weight on the cracks in that glass floor above the abyss.

A single flower that had grown purely within the fence of two men’s love and care didn’t understand the ripple effects her choice would bring.

“Rodrick. I have something to tell you.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

As the sunset faded in the west, with the gradually darkening sky as a backdrop, she fidgeted nervously. Soon, Renian, wrapped in stubborn determination, finally revealed her inner feelings.

“I like you, Rodrick.”

“Renian!?”

“From when you first saved us, until now… I’ve liked you all along.”

“…”

“Do you… dislike me?”

“I…”

Just as Riharm had observed, Rodrick harbored deep affection for her. But affection had to remain just that—affection.

Renian’s position was too far removed for him to express honest romantic feelings. Though her exact social status was unknown, as long as Rodrick was a commoner, the barrier between them remained firm.

Rodrick closed his eyes tightly and conveyed his refusal.

“I can’t accept your feelings.”

“Why… why not? Because I’m a noble and you’re a commoner?”

“Yes.”

“Is that all?”

“Do you need more reasons?”

“You’re pushing me away because of our social gap, not because you dislike me?”

“…”

Rodrick hesitated for a moment. Should he completely deny everything about her and hurt her? Or should he follow the conscience and emotions he had suppressed inside?

Rodrick didn’t choose the former. His affection for her was too deep to needlessly probe her pain.

“We live in different worlds.”

“Then I’ll throw away my noble status.”

“Renian!”

“I’m sick of it all. Learning academic subjects I don’t care about, living a calculated life forever—I hate it all.”

“Calm down, Renian. You’re not thinking straight.”

“No, I am calm. Take me with you, Rodrick. Please? I’d be happy to live somewhere no one knows us, as long as I’m with you…”

Rodrick felt dizzy. In truth, he wanted to wipe away Renian’s falling tears and kiss her. The desire for the impossible drove people to madness.

At that moment, a familiar man approached from the sunset-bathed shadows. Renian resented Riharm’s footsteps, reminding her it was time to return.

Though she recognized it was just pointless venting, the irrationality of emotions ran wild in her head.

That must have been why.

On the way back, the reason Renian spat harsh words at Riharm was… such foolish emotional games.

◇

During the story, I asked a question while Irefi caught her breath.

“Irefi, is that man Rodrick possibly Charle’s biological father?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“So despite everything, he eventually accepted her.”

“Ridiculously so.”

Irefi sneered as she recalled the next part of the story. I was once again drawn into the tale she was weaving.

◇

Rodrick and Renian’s reunion happened only after ten days had passed. As soon as Renian saw Rodrick’s face, she covered her mouth in shock. She saw traces of violence in his swollen cheeks and split lips.

“Rodrick?! Your face is injured…!”

“Quite a bit, isn’t it?”

“What happened?!”

“Just a fight between friends. That’s all.”

“Liar! Friends don’t hurt each other this badly!”

“Hmm. Actually, I thought he might go easy on me, but he showed no mercy. Elites really are different. He’s become incomparably stronger than before.”

Rodrick scratched the bridge of his nose awkwardly. Renian, displeased with his casual commentary, trembled.

“Who was it…”

“Renian? What are you—”

“I said who. Who is this so-called friend who hurt you?”

“I can’t tell you. It was just a fight between friends.”

Rodrick’s resolve wasn’t something that could be overturned with a few words of conversation. Renian sensed this and reluctantly asked:

“…Did you win?”

“I was completely defeated. Thoroughly so.”

“Rodrick, you idiot… you idiot…”

“You’re right. Looking at how shamelessly I’m acting, forgetting what I said before…”

Rodrick gave a bitter smile to Renian, who couldn’t grasp his meaning. While Renian was puzzled by his inexplicable bitter smile, Rodrick took both her hands in his.

Only after swallowing hard three or four times did Rodrick draw up the heat of his pounding heart and pour out his true feelings.

“That day, despite rejecting you, it’s pathetic but… I’ll ask you again. Will you follow this foolish man? Renian.”

Her answer had always been only one. A simple answer that had been buried in the ground, stranded in reality.

“Yes…!”

With tears in her eyes, Renian willingly fell into Rodrick’s dirt-covered embrace.

◇

“This sounds like a happy ending so far.”

“That’s a matter of perspective. I see it as the alpha of predetermined misfortune.”

“Really?”

“Nepy, you must know people whose very act of loving became a sin.”

“Ah…”

I immediately recognized what Irefi was implying. Along with that, the outline of the predetermined misfortune she was describing gradually took shape.

“That’s how the Empress began her life on the run with the person she loved.”

◇

Thwack!

A thick fist struck the boy’s face. He staggered to his feet, but his legs gave out under the continued beating.

The boy kneeling with injuries all over was Riharm, the empire’s only crown prince. And the place where Riharm knelt was the emperor’s audience chamber—before the current emperor himself.

“Has your anger subsided, Count?”

“If this child weren’t the only crown prince, this wouldn’t have ended so lightly.”

“I thoroughly sympathize.”

The count who had been beating Riharm stepped back, breathing heavily. As Renian’s father, he was venting his anger at losing his daughter on Riharm.

If it hadn’t been for Riharm’s useless hobby of sneaking out, his daughter wouldn’t have run away without knowing the ways of the world.

Though unofficial, the girl who had been designated as the crown prince’s bride had fled. The family had to bear an unprecedented disgrace, and all sorts of scandals were attached to Riharm.

What kind of behavior must the count’s family and Crown Prince Riharm have exhibited? For the count’s precious daughter to have run away? People greatly preferred vague speculation.

Moreover, how much ugly fighting would break out between families to establish a new crown princess? The emperor found this distasteful at a time when they should be strengthening their internal affairs.

‘Renian…’

Is she living happily? That’s my wish. I’ll take on the disgrace and violence in her place. I hope she’s living somewhere with Rodrick, smiling.

Suddenly, the memory of an odd bet sprouted like a seedling in his mind. A bet he had proposed when meeting Rodrick alone. They had set aside all status and background, communicating solely with their fists.

Riharm had discerned Rodrick’s affection with his special eyes, but Rodrick had pierced through his affection in return with sharp observation.

Just as Riharm considered Rodrick a friend, the reverse was also true. He wished for his friend’s love to be reciprocated.

In the end, the duel concluded with the loser taking Renian. The winner was Riharm, and the loser was Rodrick—that was the outcome of the current situation.

At that time, Riharm had fallen into the conceit that he was simply riding the natural flow of events. That he was righteous and correct. He became intoxicated while dragging his aching body.

With uncontrollable arrogance, thoroughly ignoring what misfortune it might bring…

And so time passed relentlessly.

Three years had passed since the day Riharm had humiliatingly knelt.

He occasionally worried about and wondered about Rodrick and Renian. Each time, Riharm reminded himself that no news is good news.

That principle was certainly an old saying imbued with the wisdom of sages. Riharm would come to realize it in the worst possible way.

“What did you just say?”

“C-Crown Prince, Your Highness!?”

“Tell me, now! What happened to Renian?”

“W-well…”

It all started with a conversation between maids that he happened to overhear. Among the maids working in the imperial palace were many daughters from prestigious families.

Information spreading from such maids’ gossip usually pointed to the truth. It might be somewhat exaggerated, but the essence was clear.

“Renian… returned to her family…?”

“Pardon? Y-yes… Your Highness.”

“If this is a false rumor, I will hold you responsible. So I ask again. Is it true that Renian has returned to her family?”

“Y-yes, it is true. My father is a retainer to the count’s family, so it’s certain.”

“When… when did she return?”

“A little over a fortnight ago, I believe.”

“A fortnight… you say?”

Riharm stood frozen as if time had stopped, trembling with anger.

How could this be? Renian wasn’t just any commoner’s daughter—how could there be not a single word about her return? There must be someone controlling the information. The controller was probably…

“Your Majesty…!”

Only the current emperor would select what information reached the crown prince of the nation. Moreover, to conceal information about Renian, who was being severely criticized in social circles, would require controlling the entire palace.

Riharm did not seek out the emperor. Even if he met with the emperor, he lacked grounds to question him. After all, Renian and Riharm were now closer to enemies than unrelated.

“You have said nothing, and you have heard nothing. Do you understand?”

“Yes, yes! We understand!”

“You may go.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Watching the maids hurry away, he sank into worry.

‘Why did you come back? Renian… what did Rodrick do?!’

His burning curiosity demanded a choice. In the end, he chose the path leading to the count’s mansion instead of the corridor to the audience chamber.

Upon arrival, the servants of the count’s mansion gathered to stop him. But there was no one who could overturn the angry sincerity of Crown Prince Riharm.

He proceeded to a room in a corner where concerned gazes converged. Cutting through the forest of people, he opened the door to a place that resembled a shabby attic.

The sight of her upon their reunion resembled the image of a starving beast.

“Renian!!!”

“Riharm…?”

Scars from whipping showed red through her torn clothes. The festering skin and tear marks on her face clearly revealed the hardships she had endured.

However, despite all this, what caught Riharm’s attention was her unnaturally protruding abdomen.

“This… I didn’t expect the Crown Prince to visit without notice.”

“Count…”

At the end of the corridor, the count with an angry face showed obvious displeasure. The count’s displeasure was truly justified, not something Riharm could criticize.

However, Riharm saw a hint of fear beyond those displeased eyes.

“Why are you so angry? I’m just educating my worthless, sinful daughter…”

“Shut your mouth, Count.”

“What did you say?”

“If you’re deeply afraid of facing consequences for your sinful daughter’s actions, I said shut up.”

Neither the count nor even the emperor knew the backstory.

Of course, unless one was insane, why would a crown prince give his lover to a commoner?

Officially, Riharm’s fault was limited to giving her false hope through his frequent secret outings.

“A daughter designated as crown princess ran away and got pregnant by some unknown man—how terrified must you be of retribution and rumors?”

“That’s…”

“It seems she didn’t return willingly. What happened to her spouse?”

“Spouse?! Such a pathetic commoner could never be the spouse of a child who was once the crown princess!”

“Answer me.”

“He resisted fiercely, so we killed him. A fitting punishment for a thief, don’t you think?”

“I see.”

From the simple word “killed,” damp hatred seeped out darkly. Rodrick was probably torn to pieces by the count’s blades.

The life growing in Renian’s womb must be their child. Unable to directly cause a miscarriage, they seemed to have created an environment of extreme stress.

Riharm ground his molars and declared:

“Renian is, as she always has been, the only crown princess.”

“Do you realize the meaning of your words, Your Highness?”

“Whether she spent years with a commoner or bears a child, it matters not to me. I promise to see this through even if His Majesty opposes. So… stop this wretched treatment immediately and restore her past daily life. Do you understand?”

“…If that is truly your wish, I will comply.”

The count, afraid of his family’s disgrace and retribution, reluctantly accepted.

It was clear that Renian would become the empress with the most flaws in imperial history. However, even tarnished, the position of empress was above all others. It was a status that could cover even major flaws.

Based on this day’s secret agreement, Riharm and Renian grew to become the future emperor and empress.

They grew into adults who regretted their rash choices every night.

◇

Irefi’s story ended there. Despite telling a somewhat beautiful tale of pure love, her expression remained indifferent.

“So Charle was the child of His Majesty’s closest friend and the woman he loved.”

“You see it correctly.”

“Then is the reason he dislikes the Empress because her actions were pathetic? Because her head is full of flowers?”

“That’s both right and wrong… a subtle assessment.”

Irefi seemed to be choosing her words carefully.

Only when I stopped massaging her shoulders out of curiosity did she speak.

“I believe it’s virtuous to harbor feelings regardless of social status. However, I find it difficult to understand throwing away one’s position on impulse. She thoroughly enjoyed the privileges of nobility, but simply discarded her duties when they became inconvenient. She remained stuck in childhood, throwing tantrums like a picky eater.”

“That’s very like you, Irefi.”

“And what about Charle? After giving birth, they were busy concealing her, and somehow she formed a connection with Lost Blood. Charle can never marry. If she were to become pregnant, it would mean execution.”

“I suppose so…”

“One could package it as ‘a youthful mistake made with pure intentions.’ Besides, His Majesty who secretly pushed them bears great guilt too. If Miren had been well, she would have transferred to the border knights long ago.”

“You’ve been holding onto a lot… Irefi.”

“So hurry up and hug me.”

“Huh?”

“I think it might help me feel better. Quickly.”

I had no choice but to comply with Irefi’s request.

As I embraced Irefi from behind while she sat in her chair, the emperor’s past mischievously asked me:

If Irefi had loved my closest friend, could I willingly give her up?

It was a question I didn’t even want to hypothesize. So I immediately gave my answer.

A nonexistent friend? Tell him not to look at her before his waist breaks and he dies. It’s all for his own good.

‘No… that’s not it.’

Even this was an answer that deceived my true feelings. For the truth, I should answer more honestly.

Because I like Irefi, I would monopolize her attention.

Unconditionally, absolutely.

“Don’t leave me, Irefi.”

“Nepy…”

Irefi, nestled tightly in my arms, quietly called my name.

She reached her arms behind her back and placed them on the nape of my neck. Then, turning to look at me with a blushing face, she shyly asked:

“Shall we… forget everything else and go to bed today? I think we might succeed now.”

“I’ll leave, Irefi.”

“Nepy…”

“…”

“Hehe.”

“Ahaha…”

Don’t leave me.

Less than 30 seconds after uttering those words, I bolted outside.

Then, Irefi, her face alternating between red and blue, didn’t leave me like a vengeful spirit.

She faithfully fulfilled her promise and reminded me of the familiar taste of violence.

“After I finally worked up the courage… Nepy… Nepy…!”

“Aaaagh… s-save me, Irefi!”

“You won’t die anyway!!!”

“H-huh?!”

Without her ceremonial sword, Irefi resorted to using her fists, which terrified me beyond measure.

Familiar with this routine, the servants skillfully ignored us and walked past.

It was an afternoon when the master of the house became miserable.