Chapter 50: Confessions and Comfort

Time rewinds a little—

Just before the commotion in the Prince’s palace.

The Imperial Princess’s private chambers.

“Lulu, you’ve worked hard.”

Anastasia replied to Lulu, who had just given her report, in a weak voice.

Her body and mind severely exhausted by Irene’s sudden outburst, she had canceled all her afternoon appointments.

Her handmaiden had just returned from informing Esman and the other officials.

Lulu bowed politely to Anastasia and said.

“Yes, thank you, Your Highness. The Prime Minister also asked me to convey his wishes for you to rest comfortably and take good care of yourself.”

“…Your Highness, as Lulu has conveyed, perhaps it’s best you retire to your bedchamber and rest. It wouldn’t matter if you took a full day off.”

“Haa… Alright, Renate.”

Anastasia let out a deep sigh and nodded.

As her loyal escort knight said.

She wouldn’t be able to focus on her work in this state anyway, so considering everything, it would be best to take this opportunity to rest her overworked body.

However, before that, there was a face she wanted to see, so she looked towards the door and asked.

“Is Logan not here yet…?”

“Ah… He should be here soon. It seems the cleanup is taking longer than expected.”

Renate answered with a dark expression.

Irene had frozen a portion of the Imperial Princess’s garden.

It wasn’t a large area, but the space had frozen so chillingly that a cold draft spread throughout the palace, and it couldn’t be left as it was.

If anyone were to accidentally touch it while passing by, they could suffer severe frostbite.

Logan and Renate had tried to melt it by infusing mana, but it didn’t melt easily.

It wasn’t due to the continuous downpour and cool weather; the chill, born of pure, malicious intent, resisted their efforts, refusing to melt easily, as if defying them.

So, eventually, since she couldn’t stay in that cold place any longer, Anastasia had returned to her room to rest.

And Renate was staying by her side to guard against any unforeseen dangers.

“…I apologize, Your Highness.”

“What? No, the reason Logan has to do it alone is because you’re guarding me, isn’t it?”

“…That’s not what I meant.”

Renate bit her lip and said in a trembling voice.

“…I am truly ashamed that I let someone who committed such sacrilege in Your Highness’s palace go. I am truly sorry, Your Highness.”

Although her instincts had warned her not to draw her sword.

Although drawing that sword might have truly endangered her master.

In the end, she hadn’t been able to impose any sanctions on the b*tch who had defiled the palace.

Therefore, she felt utterly pathetic and couldn’t forgive herself.

On her loyal knight’s shoulder.

Anastasia gently patted her and said.

“No, Renate. Don’t blame yourself. I know it couldn’t be helped.”

“But Your Highness…”

“It’s really alright, Renate.”

“…Yes, I understand, Your Highness…”

No one present at that scene could have thought of confronting Irene.

No matter how magnanimous and generous Anastasia might be.

She was definitely not the type to simply overlook someone who had irreverently ruined her palace.

However.

Anastasia understood why Renate had to act that way.

The emotion she too had felt in that place was not anger.

It was overwhelming fear.

Seeing the path of frost frozen white all the way to Logan’s feet had made her mind reel.

‘If it had frozen any further there…’

He might have turned into an ice sculpture right then and there.

Therefore, quite ironically.

More than the helplessness of not being able to do anything to Irene.

She couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief that Irene had simply retreated without doing anything further.

‘Even if I raise an issue later, the Church and the noble faction will step in to protect Irene. That woman. So, it won’t be easy to do anything… But it doesn’t matter…’

‘I didn’t lose Logan, so it’s really okay.’

‘What’s important is to think about how to deal with that woman from now on.’

While Anastasia was engrossed in such thoughts.

“Your-Your Highness…!”

Lala rushed into the room with an urgent voice.

“Lala? What is it?”

“Well, this is information I received from someone working in the Prince’s palace…!”

Anastasia, upon hearing her handmaiden’s shocking report.

Soon, she covered her face with both hands and groaned.

“Ah… Ah….”

The moment she realized Irene had viciously transformed.

She regretted not sending someone to the Prince’s palace.

“Ah… I’m truly sorry, Orlea…”

---

• …Logan, I will never give up on you.

While cleaning the garden, Logan replayed Irene’s parting words in his mind.

And in that brief moment.

Even her murderous gaze towards Anastasia.

If the emotions in her eyes until now had been jealousy, envy, and anger…

Now…

It was pure murderous intent and malice.

“This can’t go on…”

He thought everything was proceeding well according to plan.

Not only stabilizing the empire with Anastasia, but also settling his own past.

Rather than maintaining an ambiguous relationship with Irene.

He thought it was right to thoroughly ignore her and treat her coldly.

That way.

He believed he could sever ties with her, who had started treating him rudely and getting angry at him from a certain point.

However.

Whenever they happened to encounter each other, even for a moment.

Irene always stared at Logan persistently with an obsessive gaze.

As if to say he could never escape her.

So Logan ignored her even more thoroughly.

And yet.

For the result to be such a tragedy.

‘I shouldn’t have met her at all…’

Seeing her drenched in rain-

His heart had softened because she looked so pitiful; that was his mistake.

‘No, the result wouldn’t have changed at all…’

She probably would have selfishly demanded it of him.

To abandon Anastasia.

And return to her.

However.

His heart, already betrayed and deeply wounded, had moved on long ago.

To someone who didn’t force anything on him.

To someone who sincerely comforted and cherished him.

“Ha…!”

Logan let out a dry laugh as he melted the last piece of ice with mana.

For a moment.

• Logan…!

• I love you.

Because Irene’s confession came to mind.

‘Love, she says…’

Once, those were words he had desperately wanted to hear from her lips.

But now, they were merely disgusting.

“Ugh…!”

Logan covered his mouth, fighting back a wave of nausea.

“Heok…! Heok…!”

Suddenly, his chest felt heavy as lead, constricted, making it difficult to breathe.

He calmed himself and gathered his resolve.

“I have to go back to Anya…”

‘If I see her face-’

‘I’ll definitely be alright.’

---

Arriving in front of Anastasia’s room, Logan saw Renate with a stern expression.

“You’re here, Logan. You’ve worked hard.”

“Ah, has Anya gone to bed?”

It seemed more time had passed than he thought.

Because of the terrible incident.

She too must have been very tired and finally fallen asleep.

Logan felt a pang of disappointment at not being able to see her face.

However, contrary to his expectation.

Renate shook her head and replied.

“No, she hasn’t been able to sleep…”

“Yes…?”

“…She said she wanted to be alone for a while, so I came out.”

“I see…”

Logan’s expression also darkened.

Of course, it must have been very shocking for her too, so she couldn’t help but be distressed.

It was natural that she would want some time alone to think.

So.

Logan intended to lean against the wall to guard her door, just like Renate.

Just then.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and go in.”

Renate slightly opened the door and urged him.

At this, Logan tilted his head and asked.

“Huh? But Anya clearly said she wanted to be alone…”

“…Right now, Her Highness needs you more than anyone.”

“…Understood.”

As soon as he entered the room.

“Ah… Logan…”

Anastasia, her red eyes brimming with tears, looked at Logan pitifully.

“Anya… Are you alright…?”

“…Yes… No… I’m not alright…”

“…I’m sorry, Anya. Because of me…”

“No, it’s not because of you, Logan. It’s because of me…”

“Huh? What do you mean… Irene acting like that is all because of me…”

“No! That woman acting like that is not because of you!”

Anastasia cut him off in an agitated voice.

“Ah, Anya…?”

“Ah… Logan, I’m so sorry… I’m so pathetic myself…”

“…Anya, please calm down first and tell me slowly…”

“Sob, sob…”

Anastasia sobbed, nestled in Logan’s embrace.

“Logan… Do you remember what I said? That I’m not as kind a person as you think…”

“Yes, of course, I remember. And let me tell you again, Anya is kinder and warmer than anyone.”

At Logan’s gentle words of comfort, Anastasia slowly shook her head.

“No, I’m truly a bad person… I don’t want to hide anything from Logan. I’ll tell you everything…”

Anastasia confessed everything to Logan.

When she was appointed as the Crown Princess.

She had to deal decisively with the fallen Narcissus.

Because he was the child of Empress Angelina, who had taken her mother’s life.

She wanted to give it back to him just the same.

The pain of losing a loved one.

At that time.

The person who came to her.

Was Princess Orlea of the neighboring allied kingdom.

• “Anastasia… I… I want to avenge my sister! You have to deal with that reckless man anyway, don’t you?”

• “But Orlea… I can’t use you as a tool for revenge. I’ll take care of that man for sure…”

• “No, please let me do it. I’ll make sure Anastasia is never suspected!”

• “…Alright, but you must be careful.”

• “Yes! Don’t worry!”

And so.

Instead of the maid she originally intended to plant as a spy, she had Orlea infiltrate.

And.

She had just heard the news that Orlea had been defeated by Irene today.

“I hadn’t thought of it at all… So foolishly… Sob…”

The moment she witnessed Irene’s awakening.

So selfishly.

Only the emotion of not wanting to lose Logan to that woman had come first, and she couldn’t think of anything else.

“…Anya…”

Logan didn’t offer Anastasia the cliché comfort that it wasn’t her fault.

Because Orlea had used a potent poison that no one could easily detect.

Because it was natural not to easily think that Irene would immediately see through her scheme and subdue her.

…He could have comforted her with such reasons.

But it probably wouldn’t have resonated at all.

Therefore, instead of empty comfort.

Logan decided to bring up a different story.

That was…

A story about him.

“…Anya, would you like to hear my story?”

He confessed about the pure love he had dedicated himself to for so long.

It was difficult to talk about unrealistic parts like his past life or future sight.

But he told her as much as he could.

What kind of feelings he had for Irene.

How much he had cherished and loved Irene.

And.

Even how foolish and lingering all of it had been.

“Ah, Logan…”

Anastasia stopped crying after hearing his story.

She knew to some extent from what others had told her.

But she hadn’t known it was this much.

To the point where jealousy naturally arose even in this situation.

The devotion and love he had given that woman were so noble and pure.

That’s why she couldn’t help but be even more furious.

Even though Irene herself was the one who first turned her eyes to other men.

So brazenly.

She had even confessed her love to him today.

‘Irene…! I’ll never… forgive you…!’

Just as Anastasia’s red eyes were about to blaze with anger towards Irene.

Logan confessed.

“…I love you.”

“…?”

Anastasia momentarily doubted her ears.

‘Love me…? Who… Surely not me…?’

To her-

He confessed once more.

“The person I truly love right now is Anya… it’s you.”

“Ah… Logan…!”

Anastasia’s red eyes, which were about to blaze with anger, immediately cooled with clear, transparent tears.

Tears streamed down her cheeks endlessly like a waterfall.

“Ah, sob…! Lo… Lo… gan… I… I… too…”

She was so overwhelmed with emotion that words wouldn’t come out properly.

But she desperately composed herself and spoke.

Because she had to give him an answer.

‘I love you.’

‘I love you.’

‘I really love you.’

“I really love you… Logan…! I’ve loved you for a very… long time…!”

Anastasia smiled through her tears and embraced him.

At this, Logan also smiled warmly.

And.

Their faces naturally drew closer.

“Anya…”

“Logan…”

Two trembling lips finally met as one.

For one man, a new, true love that heals wounds—

For one woman, a love long hoped and dreamed for—

It was the moment they finally connected as one.