After the festival ended, the imperial palace became engulfed in a storm of scandalous rumors along with the oppressive summer heat. Ail and Salina, who had been inseparable throughout the festivities, continued to meet secretly in various parts of the palace even after the festival was over. There was no way to stop the rumors spreading like wildfire.

In no time, Ruth became the pitiful, abandoned lover, while Salina was hailed as the miraculous woman who changed Ail’s tastes. But what unsettled Ruth more than the rumors was Ail’s behavior. Though Ruth used busyness as an excuse to avoid Ail, Ail kept calling for him whenever he found a chance.

Today was no exception. Standing in front of Ail’s room, Ruth sighed when he saw Meril’s awkward expression.

“I’m sorry.”

Though Ail was the one at fault, it was Meril who looked apologetic. This was the third time already. Ail would summon Ruth but then spend his time with Salina instead, leaving Ruth waiting outside his door for hours. Knowing Ail was angry with him, Ruth tried to understand. But standing alone outside the door, hearing the laughter of Ail and Salina, was a painful experience.

What made it worse was the humiliation of being watched by other knights and attendants while listening to the sounds from inside. It was far more degrading than he had imagined. Yet, what hurt Ruth most was realizing how deeply the sounds from within wounded him.

He thought he could leave Ail anytime, that whatever Ail did with others was none of his concern, and that he could live freely without him. But seeing Ail laughing with someone else, right in front of him, felt like his insides were burning. And the thought that the other person was Salina made it unbearable.

“If His Highness calls for you again, I’ll inform you. Would you like to wait in your office?” Meril suggested hesitantly, bracing for a possible scolding. But Ruth, having endured enough, decided he wouldn’t tolerate this humiliation any longer.

“Commander, perhaps you should return to—”

“I’m fine,” Ruth interrupted in a calm tone.

“But…”

While Meril hesitated, Ruth abruptly pushed the door open without knocking and stepped inside. Startled, Meril called out to him.

“Commander!”

Ruth raised a hand, signaling Meril to stay back, and entered the room uninvited. Inside, Salina, dressed in a vibrant pink gown, sat on a long couch. Ail lay reclining with his head on her lap, the two engaged in lively conversation. Their joyous expressions shifted to surprise when they noticed Ruth’s sudden intrusion.

Unfazed, Ruth bowed slightly in greeting. “Forgive my intrusion. You called for me on urgent business, so I’ve come. If I’m interrupting, I’ll return another time.”

Ruth deliberately kept his tone formal and cold, prompting Ail to smirk. That smirk only fueled Ruth’s anger further. It was clear Ail was mocking him, intentionally provoking him for reasons Ruth couldn’t fathom.

“If you know it’s rude, why barge in? If it’s urgent, you could come later.”

“Then I’ll leave,” Ruth replied curtly, turning on his heel. But before he could take a step, Ail raised a hand to stop him.

“Wait. Salina, step out for a moment. I need to speak with the commander.”

“Understood. Don’t take too long,” Salina said with a sultry smile, rising gracefully. As she passed Ruth, the sweet fragrance of her perfume wafted over him, leaving him slightly dizzy. Tight-lipped, Ruth inclined his head politely, and she returned the gesture before leaving the room. Meril, still worried, closed the door.

As Ruth turned back, he motioned to Meril not to worry and walked up to Ail, addressing him directly.

“What do you need from me?”

So far, every time Ail had summoned him, it was for trivial matters. Remembering all those times he had been left standing pointlessly outside the door, Ruth asked sharply, his frustration evident. Ail, amused by Ruth’s tone, chuckled.

“You speak well for someone barging in uninvited.”

“You’ve been testing my patience, Your Highness. I thought I’d inform you that it’s run out.”

“Already? That’s not much of a virtue to boast about.”

“I’ve been more than patient. What do you need?” Ruth pressed, keeping his tone composed. Ail studied his face intently, scrutinizing every detail, making Ruth uncomfortable. Determined not to let his emotions show, Ruth held his expression steady.

“Well, fine. I called you here about the matter of Erita’s escort.”

“For Her Highness’s attendance at your coming-of-age ceremony, the capital’s soldiers are assigned as escorts.”

“No. I’ve spoken to my mother, and I’m sending members of the Second Knight Order to escort Erita. They will accompany the knights of the Jenin family. In addition, pick a few from the Third Knight Order to go with Kaelen.”

For a moment, Ruth thought he must have misheard. Sending the Second Knight Order, which guards the Empress, to escort Erita wasn’t an issue in itself. After all, Erita was the Empress’s niece. The problem was that the Second Order’s vice-captain, Elsen, still hadn’t moved on from Erita, his lost love. Forcing Elsen to escort the woman who had been taken from him to her fiancé’s ceremony felt unnecessarily cruel.

“I’ll go instead,” Ruth said.

“No.”

“Please, let me go. This is too much.”

“No. They specifically asked for Elsen.”

Ail’s deliberate insistence on Elsen’s name made Ruth grimace. “Why are you doing this?”

“No particular reason. Think of it as a final journey for two star-crossed lovers. What’s your problem? Erita might feel more at ease with Elsen around.”

“She won’t feel at ease! Are you trying to crush them both?”

“No,” Ail replied with audacious candor. “I’m trying to crush you.”

Ail’s blatant admission left Ruth visibly exasperated. Shaking his head, Ruth retorted, “Let me go. I’ll bring her myself.”

“No.”

“I’ll go,” Ruth insisted.

Ruth’s firm words caused Ail to fall silent for a moment. Then, as if deep in thought, Ail’s lips curled into a sinister smile.

“Then beg for it.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Kneel down, bow your head, and cry while pleading, please send me instead. Then I might consider it.”

Ail was playing a cruel, vile game—one as petty as it was despicable.

“Do you find this amusing?” Ruth asked, his tone steady.

“No. To be honest, it’s not funny. It’s starting to annoy me.”

“Then why are you doing this?”

“Because you’re so stiff and unyielding. I want to break that pride of yours.”

Hearing Ail’s unrelenting stance, Ruth felt any lingering desire to accommodate him vanish completely. Ail’s arrogant belief that everything could be bent to his will angered Ruth. He suddenly felt compelled to remind Ail that not everything in the world would go his way.

“I’ll send Kaelen along with a few knights to Her Majesty. Is there anything else you’d like to discuss?”

“None.”

“Then I’ll take my leave.”

Deciding there was no point in continuing the conversation, Ruth turned and left the room. Ail didn’t stop him. He didn’t even bother with a parting word, merely staring intently at Ruth’s retreating back. Ruth could feel the weight of Ail’s gaze piercing into him, but he refused to look back. Things were already bad enough; there was no reason to make them worse.

As he strode down the corridor, Ruth offered a brief nod to Meril, who looked at him with concern. Then, without hesitation, he continued down the long hallway, his steps unyielding.

The next morning, as planned, the members of the Second Order of Knights gathered near the outer wall, preparing alongside four wagons loaded with supplies and provisions, as well as the royal carriage that would transport Erita. Rising early specifically to see them off, Ruth stood nearby, waiting as Elsen explained the upcoming schedule to the knights.

Watching Elsen’s composed profile, Ruth felt a sharp pang in his chest. A wave of guilt washed over him. He couldn’t shake the thought that he had made the wrong choice. He should have persuaded Ail to let him go instead; his stubbornness had ended up putting Elsen through this ordeal. And after all, wasn’t it his fault from the start that Erita became engaged to Ail?

It felt as if everything was his fault. He should never have come to Karelium. Or, if he had to come, he should have avoided joining the knightly order. Perhaps he should have secured a modest position and quickly returned to Vera. That way, he would never have met Ail, and Elsen and Erita’s relationship wouldn’t have been ruined. Most importantly, he wouldn’t be carrying this unbearable weight in his heart.

Everything was his fault.

As Ruth sighed with a despondent expression, Elsen, having finished his instructions, approached him with a bright smile.

“Ruth, have you been waiting long?”

“No, I just got here,” Ruth replied, smiling warmly in return to Elsen’s friendly tone.

The outer walls of the palace were bathed in morning sunlight, the weather clear and bright. Embracing his friend tightly, Ruth whispered softly into Elsen’s ear, “I’m sorry.”

“What for?” Elsen asked, genuinely confused.

“For… a lot of things,” Ruth replied briefly before pulling back. With his right hand, he lightly touched Elsen’s left temple, where a scar remained from the arrow Ail had shot. Though small, the mark was sharp and deep enough to leave a lasting reminder.

“You’ve got a scar,” Ruth noted.

“A scar’s a badge of honor for a knight. What about your hand? Is it fully healed?” Elsen asked.

“It’s fine. Good as new,” Ruth lied. The truth was, the wound hadn’t completely healed. The recovery was taking far too long—whether due to the heat or his own lack of care, he didn’t know. The slow progress frustrated him immensely.

“That’s good to hear. Well, I’d better get going. Take care of yourself,” Elsen said, patting Ruth lightly on the shoulder before turning to leave. But Ruth grabbed the edge of his sleeve, stopping him. A strange unease filled Ruth, as if this would be the last time he’d see his friend. It couldn’t be—Elsen would return—but the anxiety wouldn’t leave him.

“Why? Do you need something?” Elsen asked.

“No, it’s nothing. Just… be careful.”

“It’s not like we’re going far. I’ll be back soon,” Elsen reassured him, gently pushing Ruth’s hand away like a mother coaxing a clinging child. But as he began to step away again, Ruth grabbed his arm once more and murmured faintly:

“If… if anything happens—just in case, if something happens—go to the cave in the Endia Mountains. Leave a message there.”

“What? Where’s this coming from?”

“I don’t know. I just… I’m worried. I feel uneasy,” Ruth confessed, sounding almost childlike in his plea.

Elsen paused, his expression softening as he realized there must be a reason for Ruth’s behavior. Ruth wasn’t one to act this way without cause.

“All right, I’ll be careful. You too, okay? Things in the palace don’t seem great these days,” Elsen said, trying to reassure him.

“Don’t worry about me,” Ruth replied firmly.

“Right, you’ve got His Highness watching over you,” Elsen added with a faint smile, as if that thought eased his mind. He patted Ruth’s shoulder one last time before heading to his horse. The commander of the Second Order, Eton, was already mounted and waiting, and Elsen joined him swiftly. Following them, the rest of the knights mounted their horses, and the convoy began to move.

Eton, leading at the front, inclined his head slightly toward Ruth in a polite farewell, and Ruth returned the gesture. Riding behind Eton, Elsen turned and gave a small wave before the group began to disappear from view.

Ruth stood motionless by the outer wall, watching them vanish beyond the gates. Even after they were gone, he remained rooted to the spot, unable to move.

The day was exceptionally clear, the morning bright and cloudless—like the eerie calm before a storm.