The sun was beginning to rise. Sitting in the Lahel estate, which he had been using as lodging, Kasha glanced at Chelin sprawled out on the bed before tying his hair neatly. Unlike his usual attire, he was dressed in plain black casual clothes.

After tying his hair back in a single ponytail, Kasha picked up a small bag beside him and approached the bed to check on Chelin’s condition one last time. The strong sedative he had administered last night would keep Chelin knocked out for at least two days. He had also ordered that no one enter the room until summoned, after dragging a drunken Chelin to his quarters the previous evening. At least until this afternoon, things should remain safe. Beyond that, it didn’t matter. Even if Chelin woke up and caused a commotion, finding Kasha would be difficult.

“Idiot,” Kasha muttered, landing a light smack on Chelin’s head. Then he calmly picked up Chelin’s ornamental sword, which he carried more for decoration than function, and headed to the window.

Getting out of an estate like this was child’s play for him. He needed to leave this northern mansion in Kandium, slip past the city walls, and make his way to the abandoned castle outside the northern perimeter. It would take half a day to exit Kandium and another half day to navigate the underground passage leading to the royal palace.

Tonight, the final banquet celebrating the crown prince’s coming-of-age ceremony would take place at the royal palace. Kamiel had chosen this day, knowing that the enemy knights would be stationed as guards at the banquet, and Kasha had planned accordingly. He had sent word to Ruth and aimed to reach the secret gate of the palace by midnight. None of this would have been possible without the map of the underground passage connecting to the northern palace, which Kamiel had provided.

At first, Kasha had wondered why such a passage existed within the royal palace, but upon learning that the northern palace was originally designed as a wartime sanctuary for the royal family, it made sense. The underground passage was a last resort for royal escape if even the northern palace fell. As described, the passage was wide enough for carriages to pass through, with torches mounted at intervals to ensure safe and extended travel.

This passage was the only unofficial way to infiltrate the royal palace. For that reason, the map was a closely guarded secret, accessible only to direct descendants of the royal family. To prevent external intrusions, the gate connected to the northern palace could only be opened from within. Furthermore, once opened, the gate would automatically close after a set time and remain sealed for an entire month.

Last night, Kasha had met with a bribed knight to deliver a letter to Ruth. He had emphasized the importance of the letter reaching Ruth by today. Tonight, the crown prince would attend the banquet with his new fiancée, Salina Astro, meaning Ruth would remain at the northern palace. The letter instructed Ruth to meet him at midnight in the seventh underground chamber where the secret gate was located.

Kasha included a condition: if Ruth wished to escape, he should bring the sword that served as the key to open the gate. If he chose to stay, he should leave the sword on the ground. Kasha promised that if Rus held the sword, he would take him away and explain everything later. If Ruth chose not to, Kasha would simply bid him a final farewell and leave without lingering.

There was no time to waste on lengthy conversations or sentiments. If Ruth wanted to leave, Kasha could take him and discuss everything along the way. If not, Kasha would leave with a smile and no regrets.

Opening the window, Kasha climbed over the sill and scanned the surroundings before heading swiftly toward the back gate, where a horse awaited. He moved cautiously but quickly, keeping his senses sharp as he traversed the quiet estate. Fortunately, the early hour meant no guards were present.

Racing along the barely lit dawn streets, Kasha, for the first time in his life, prayed for luck. Even if Ruth decided not to leave, Kasha had no intention of returning to Vera. He planned to head to Clozium. It was time to bring his long, arduous life to its conclusion. Before that, he prayed he could at least make it to Clozium—whether it was good luck or bad, he just wanted to avoid dying at the hands of assassins before he got there.

He resolved to leave his fate in the hands of “him,” another part of himself. No one could stop him now. Even if his defiance of divine order led to his fall, or if he were torn apart by beasts, he didn’t care. He wouldn’t regret it. This love was his choice, and that choice was his destiny. If following destiny was a sin, then his fate had been cursed long before his birth.

A cursed life was fine. He had lived freer than the wind and loved hotter and more passionately than fire. He had done whatever he desired and avoided what he disliked. If the cost of such a life was a cursed fate, so be it. He would accept it willingly.

He wouldn’t retreat or run. That destiny was his own choice—his death, his life, his love. They all held meaning because they were chosen by him, not forced upon him by others. A life dictated and bound by someone else was the cruelest punishment for a human being with a will of their own.

That was why he would save Ruth. If Ruth was in the northern palace against his will, Kasha would ensure his escape so he could live a life of his choosing. This was the most meaningful thing Kasha could do with the rest of his days.

—

In the royal palace, Ail, preparing for the grand banquet marking the finale of his coming-of-age ceremony, wore a pristine white summer robe adorned with intricate gold embroidery. Around his waist was a red sash embroidered with the royal family’s crest in gold.

The maids attending to him carefully tied the sash, occasionally stealing glances at his expression. The task of dressing the prince was entrusted to skilled maids who could gauge the mood, and they were acutely aware of his foul temper. They worked with extra care, adjusting his attire meticulously.

Ail had not been in good spirits for some time, but today his mood was particularly grim. Even the maids, who had attended to him for three years, found him unrecognizable. Normally, Ail was more lenient and kind than other royals, rarely shouting or nitpicking. If something was amiss, he pointed it out calmly and forgave mistakes with a smile.

But since the preparations for the coming-of-age ceremony began, Ail had exuded an icy coldness that reached its peak today. He seemed like a mischievous child suddenly turned into a somber adult, shrouded in an ominous, dark aura.

“Your Highness, the preparations are complete,” said a maid, sliding a ring onto his finger.

With a curt order to leave, Ail dismissed them. The maids hurried out, unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere emanating from him.