Chapter 47: Shattered Hopes

The Princess’s Palace garden.

A torrential downpour was relentlessly falling from the ash-gray sky.

Logan and Irene.

“……”

“……”

The two stood under the eaves of the corridor connected to the garden, looking at each other without a word.

Only the sound of the rain filled the heavy silence between them.

As the silence lingered for a moment.

Irene was the first to speak.

“Logan…”

“……”

Logan didn’t answer, even though Irene called his name desperately.

Irene’s appearance, drenched to the bone by the rain.

Looked so pitiful and weary that it naturally evoked sympathy.

That’s why.

Anastasia must have granted her request when she arrived unannounced.

Nevertheless.

Logan offered no words of comfort, merely gazing at Irene with an indifferent expression.

At this, Irene felt her heart ache.

He wasn’t the Logan she knew.

Dream… no, he was a completely different person from the him in the future that should have been.

His blue eyes, like a clear, deep lake that had always gazed at her warmly.

Were now like a chillingly cold winter glacier.

Gazing at her coldly, devoid of any emotion.

At that fact.

Irene felt a lump in her throat, but she called his name again in a trembling voice.

“Logan…”

She slowly reached out her hand to him.

‘Don’t look at me like that.’

‘Look at me kindly and affectionately, like before.’

‘Hold me, as I’m drenched and shivering from the cold.’

‘Please.’

‘Please.’

‘Please.’

Her touch, filled with desperate yearning.

Weren’t roughly brushed away like last time.

However.

It wasn’t accepted either.

“…Just state your business quickly.”

Only his cold voice, avoiding her touch, returned.

Hot tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Ah… Logan… I’m sorry… I was wrong… Please…”

Irene, reaching out her hand once more, pleaded desperately.

At this, Logan eventually.

“……Ha….”

Couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh.

He felt like he was going crazy.

What sudden whim had possessed her to act like this.

She, who had always been angry and selfishly imposed her will.

Why was she clinging to him so pitifully?

To sever his long-standing ties with Irene, Logan had deliberately treated her more coldly and harshly.

However, seeing her cry so sorrowfully, his heart eventually softened.

He couldn’t help but take off the cloak he was wearing and cover her wet hair.

“Ah…”

Irene was momentarily stunned.

‘Ah, how long has it been since I felt his touch?’

‘Like before.’

‘It wasn’t a gentle, affectionate touch extended kindly.’

Just the fact that his warmth had reached her, even a little, made her heart swell with overwhelming emotion.

“……You’ll catch a cold if you stay like this, so let’s talk slowly next time, separately.”

“N-No…! Logan, let’s talk now!”

“Haa…”

Logan couldn’t help but sigh at Irene, who grabbed his wrist and pleaded.

Even if he told her to go back and rest, she definitely wouldn’t listen.

‘I can’t keep Anastasia waiting indefinitely…’

Logan slowly nodded and said.

“Alright, what is it? Go ahead.”

“……”

“Hm? I said, go ahead and talk?”

“Yes…”

Irene intuitively realized in that moment that Logan was thinking of another woman, not her…

She realized he was thinking of Anastasia.

That’s why she wanted to get angry at Logan, but.

If she did, she didn’t know when she’d get another chance to talk to him.

‘Calm down… I can still turn things back…’

Irene composed herself and spoke in a trembling voice.

“Logan… I’m sorry…”

“…You already said that earlier.”

“It’s because… I’m so sorry…”

“…”

“I’m truly sorry for treating you harshly and not caring for you all this time, Logan…”

“…Ha…”

Irene’s heart ached seeing Logan let out a dry laugh.

Of course, from his perspective, it would be absurd and infuriating.

Because from a certain point, his kindness and affection were taken for granted, so she had treated him carelessly.

For some time now, she hadn’t apologized to him at all and had always been stubborn.

But it wasn’t too late yet.

‘If I sincerely apologize…’

‘The Logan I know…’

‘Surely… Surely..!’

“I… I was really wrong…”

“……”

“I’m so sorry… I’m sorry… Sob…!”

“Ha…!”

“I’m sorry, Logan…”

“…I get it, so stop.”

‘Ah…’

‘Look.’

‘In the end, like this…’

“Are you accepting my apology?”

“…Yeah.”

‘He accepted it, didn’t he?’

She had succeeded in untying the first tangled knot.

‘I can do it…’

Irene was convinced.

Just like the future that was supposed to be.

She could restore her relationship with him.

“Logan… Then, you know…!”

Irene was about to say the next words in a voice full of expectation.

But Logan cut her off.

“…Irene, go home for today.”

“Huh…?”

“You’re not in good condition right now. So hurry up, wash, and rest.”

“Ah…”

‘He’s saying that because he’s worried about me.’

For a moment, she thought Logan was rejecting her.

As expected, he was considerate.

“Okay, I understand. Then Logan…”

“…?”

Logan felt somehow uneasy seeing Irene nod her head so obediently.

Because her pitiful and sad demeanor from just a moment ago had vanished, and her immediate return to her usual confident self was unsettling.

As they say, ominous premonitions always come true.

Irene brought up something completely unexpected and strange.

“Let’s go back together.”

“What…? What do you mean by that?”

“What do you mean…? It’s obvious, isn’t it? Surely you’re not thinking of sending me home alone like this?”

“Haa…”

Logan let out a deep sigh.

He felt a severe headache coming on.

Although he had accepted her apology.

Wasn’t it natural for them to be uncomfortable with each other now?

Since he had already given up his pure love for her, returning to their past relationship was impossible.

Even if he wanted to return to being simple childhood friends.

The wounds he had received from her over time had only just begun to heal.

And considering their political stances, it was problematic in many ways, so of course, they couldn’t be together.

No matter how pitiful she looked, drenched in rain and shivering from the cold.

“Irene, you need to consider our current positions carefully. I’m not in a situation where I can escort you home right now.”

“What…?”

“As you know, I’m helping Anastasia, and you’re helping His Highness the Prince…”

Logan, in a calm voice.

Tried to persuade Irene as logically as possible.

However.

She cut him off with an expression of utter disbelief.

“Logan..! What are you talking about…? You clearly said you accepted my apology!”

Her voice began to rise.

“Haa…”

Logan sighed again.

The reason he accepted Irene’s apology.

Was partly because she looked so pitiful.

Although not anymore.

He didn’t want to continue having a hostile relationship with the woman he once sincerely loved.

“Irene, first, don’t get angry and calm down a bit…”

“Calm down…? I’m not angry, Logan…!”

“…Alright, I get it. Anyway, as I said, due to our positions, we can’t be close. Please understand.”

“What…?”

In an instant, Irene’s black eyes darkened, becoming as black and deep as an abyss.

“You can’t be close to me…?”

“Yeah, Anastasia and His Highness the Prince are in opposing positions. So…”

“Stop!”

“…Irene?”

“I said stop! Anya! Anya! That damn Anya!”

Irene shouted in fury.

She thought everything was going back to normal.

In the end, Anastasia.

That woman was interfering again.

‘Come to think of it.’

‘If only that detestable b*tch hadn’t existed.’

‘This whole mess with Logan wouldn’t have happened.’

“Logan, don’t tell me you… that woman…!”

“Irene! This is the Imperial Palace! Don’t shout like that!”

“Just answer my question! Logan! You… that woman…!”

‘Do you love her, not me!’

Before she could even ask.

He answered first.

“Yes.”

“What…?”

She asked again, unable to believe it.

“…That’s right, what you’re thinking.”

His answer was the same.

“Ah…”

In that instant, inside Irene’s head.

Crash!

A sound like huge glass shattering echoed.

That sound was probably-

The sound of the world she had painted in her heart shattering.

A world where she shared love with Logan and lived a happy life-

That future.

‘Ah… No…!’

Irene was engulfed in despair.

Logan and Anastasia becoming lovers?

Him sharing love with another woman, not me?

‘I’ll never allow it…!’

Therefore.

Irene gathered all her remaining emotions.

And called his name.

“Logan…!”

And then…

“I love you.”

She confessed.

---

“What…?”

Logan momentarily doubted his ears.

Because the words that came from Irene’s mouth were utterly unexpected.

And.

Why on his cheek.

Did he feel a hot, wet sensation.

He couldn’t understand at all.

But unlike Logan.

Irene knew why he was crying.

Because those must have been the words he longed to hear from her.

In the dream… no, in the future that was originally supposed to happen.

‘Logan… Let’s get married…’

‘…Yes.’

His face, moved to tears.

She remembered it clearly.

So she could easily conclude.

Logan loved her more than anyone!

Irene was certain.

That he would now return to her.

However.

Contrary to her expectations.

He suddenly.

“Ha…! Ha…!”

Let out a few derisive laughs.

“Ahahahahahaha!!!”

Wasn’t he bursting into maniacal laughter?

“Lo… Logan…?”

Irene was bewildered.

Because anyone could tell this wasn’t laughter born of emotion or joy.

Logan, who had been laughing for a while, said, suppressing his laughter.

“Ah, sorry, Irene… It’s just… so… so… funny.”

“Funny…?”

Irene, too, couldn’t help but doubt her ears.

‘My heartfelt confession is funny?’

She was utterly confused.

So she.

“Logan, I…!”

Tried to shout and confess to him once more.

However.

“Ah…”

She couldn’t help but freeze.

Because his gaze, more so than when he had pushed her hand away at the Demon Lord’s castle.

Was looking at her even more coldly.

“…It’s already too late, Irene.”

“I’m sorry, but I refuse.”

“Let’s just be friends from now on.”

Having said that, Logan.

Like someone with no lingering attachments.

Immediately turned around and began to leave.

“Huh…?”

Irene couldn’t believe it.

She had never expected to be rejected.

She couldn’t understand it at all.

Why?

Why?

Why?

‘These are the words you wanted to hear.’

‘This is what you desired so much.’

‘And yet.’

‘Why are you rejecting me?’

‘Why are you walking further away?’

‘Don’t tell me…’

‘You’re abandoning me.’

‘And going to her?’

Shshshshk…

The temperature of the air around Irene began to drop slowly.

The puddles on the ground froze in an instant.

The rain falling from the sky started to turn into hail.

And.

Ominous mana swirled and rose around her.

Irene shouted at the man walking away from her.

“LOGAN!!!!!”

SHSHSHSHSHK!!!!!!!!!