Erita couldn’t clearly remember what she was like as a child, but the current version of her seemed more reliable than Elsen. As Ruth nodded at her, signaling her to go, Erita shouted for Elsen to hurry and began running ahead. Elsen hesitated for a moment, looking at Ruth, but in the end, he turned his horse to follow her.

“Let’s definitely meet again.”

“Yes, with Kasha. It would be better if Kamiel could come too, but…”

Ruth turned his gaze away, thinking that such a thing was impossible. Elsen kicked the side of his horse and quickly began to follow Erita. As they grew farther away, Ruth let out a tired breath and dismounted.

There was no need to fight or resist. When the capital’s soldiers arrived, he planned to be quietly escorted. Of course, he had to buy some time, but he had no intention of defying them.

The moon was slowly setting. The long night was coming to an end.

***

The sun was slowly rising. Sitting in the deepest room of the Northern Palace, Ail gazed out at the gradually brightening courtyard. A message had just arrived from the secret office saying that Ruth had been captured in the Virel region. He had surrendered without resistance, and the message confirmed he was on his way to the palace.

It wouldn’t be possible for Ruth to reach the palace until afternoon, but Ail knew he had no choice but to wait. Even though he knew it was useless to wait, he couldn’t help it. Without sleep, he had spent the night waiting for Ruth, sitting in the same spot.

What should he do?
How should he calm this anger?

That was the only thought that had been spinning in his mind all night.

Killing Ruth was always an option. But before that, Ail wanted to return the same kind of suffering to him. He couldn’t stand it unless he made Ruth pay for this. But when he saw Ruth’s face, maybe he would truly want to kill him.

It was anger, different from the humiliation he felt. For some reason, Ail didn’t know why he was so angry. He was just furious, too angry to bear it.

He had thought everything was going well. Ruth seemed to be accepting his position, and if Ruth had stayed in that state, Ail would have treated him with all his heart. It was awkward, since it was the first time Ail had ever shown true kindness to someone, and he didn’t even know how to speak to Ruth, but he still wanted to treat him well. He wanted to give him anything he desired, hoping Ruth could find a place for himself in the palace. The reason he wanted to give Ruth the Northern Palace was also for this purpose. The inner palace would be hard for him to endure, so Ail had planned to have him stay in this palace instead.

But the result was devastating. Ail wanted to believe that Ruth hadn’t intentionally escaped, that it wasn’t part of some grand plan. Ruth’s straightforward nature didn’t fit someone who would cowardly run away. But it was unforgivable that he had deceived Ail and left the palace.

Ail had treated him well, tried so hard.

No matter what Ruth thought, it was true that Ail had put in his best effort for him.
But why did he do it? Ail didn’t know.

He just wanted to be kind to him, and above all, he wanted Ruth to stay by his side.
There was nothing else Ail wanted. No, he couldn’t want anything else. Ruth wasn’t someone who could offer him anything.
He couldn’t deal with nuisances like Salina, nor could he help with politics. He couldn’t bear Ail’s heirs. He was a cold person who didn’t even comfort Ail. So, what was Ail expecting from him?

Ail didn’t expect anything. He didn’t want anything.
He just wanted him to be by his side and smile.

Sitting idly while staring at the brightly lit garden, Ail couldn’t help but laugh at his own thoughts.

It was truly ridiculous. The reason he first tried to capture Ruth was simply to torment him for ignoring him. He thought that if Ruth wanted to leave so badly, he should hold him back.

Yes, Ail admitted, that was his pride. It wasn’t really about wanting to capture him, but about wanting to interfere with his desire to leave.

But it was painful to see Ruth, who had no reaction like an inanimate object. Even when he tried to joke around or speak to him, Ruth no longer smiled or replied. Ail hated it. No matter how it had started, he had tried his best to make Ruth react.

All he had wanted was for Ruth to smile like a flower. Just like how he dealt with his subordinates or friends, Ail only wanted him to smile gently and respond kindly, listening attentively. Maybe Ail had hoped for that. He wanted to be the person Ruth could trust, someone he could lean on.

He had never asked for such things from anyone before. Everyone around him was his enemy. He couldn’t trust his own family. They could stab him in the back at any moment. What he held in his hands was that kind of world. Though it seemed like he had everything, he always had to be on guard, calculating everything and everyone. There could be no absolute trust or expectation.

He had never thought that was bad. In fact, it was convenient for him. He gave them what they wanted, and he got what he wanted in return. If he had leverage, that was even better. As long as the contract was in place, they couldn’t stab him in the back.

Human emotions and their will were unreliable. What could be trusted were their desires and fears. The only thing Ail could trust was the transactions based on those things. That was the only thing he could count on.

So he captured Ruth. Ail didn’t think it was a dishonorable thing. It was the best way to handle Ruth. If he hadn’t done that, Ruth would never have bent to Ail’s will. Even if Ruth had stayed, Ail would always have been on edge, wondering when he would leave.

Even after using Elsen as bait to catch him, Ail had always feared that Ruth might escape. For reasons Ail couldn’t understand, he just felt fear.

Why was he so afraid?
If Ruth left, he would leave. Ail would just be angry, but nothing would happen to him.

What was the problem?
Ail shook his head in frustration and roughly ran his hand through his hair.

“Crazy.”

He mocked himself.

This was madness. It was insane thinking. Why should he be afraid of Ruth leaving? What was Ruth to him? Why was he so troubled because of Ruth? He was a worthless person. Ail should not care whether he left or not. But why was Ail so obsessed with him?

Why did he want Ruth by his side? What was it about Ruth that made Ail want him there? Why did Ail expect Ruth to smile for him? Why did the thought of Ruth disappearing cause Ail so much pain?

But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t find the answer.
He couldn’t find the answer to this maddening obsession.

Sitting in the rattling carriage, Ruth stared at the gradually darkening sky. The soldiers from the capital, recognizing Ruth, treated him with utmost courtesy. Since he had complied with his arrest without resistance, they did not bind him and carefully placed him in the carriage, escorting him. Thanks to the continuous travel, the carriage was now nearing the Imperial Palace. Whether Elsen and Erita were bound, Ruth was unsure, but from the current situation, it seemed unlikely.

As he traveled for such a long time, his thoughts settled, and his mind was calm. Returning to the palace wasn’t for any other reason; there was something he had to confirm with Ail. And if he was indeed the mastermind behind everything, Ruth was prepared to leave the palace this time. If it was all his doing, the contract would be null and void anyway. Since he had already left the knights, leaving would not be a problem. He only needed to leave the palace, and that would be that.

He only needed to confirm one thing. If he could find out that one thing, everything else would be clear.

“Commander, we have arrived at the Imperial Palace.”

While Ruth was deep in thought, a knight by the carriage spoke. Despite resigning from his position as commander, the familiar address made Ruth thank him and lean back into the seat.

The sound of the gate opening was heard. He knew that Ail would be waiting inside. As the carriage entered the palace, Ruth’s previously calm heart began to stir again. After receiving Elsen’s letter from Kamiel and meeting Elsen and Erita, something had been weighing on his mind ever since. Beyond his anger at Ail’s deceit and cunning, there was another part of him doubting something else.

Why did Ail do such things? Why did he have to go so far…? He needed to understand.

Perhaps this was the last shred of hope he was clinging to. Though he knew it wasn’t true, that it was impossible, he still wanted to confirm it. The lingering hope that perhaps, just perhaps, something might be different was making his head spin. He knew it was a futile expectation.

Yet, he still wanted to know.

Why had Ail gone to such lengths?

Why had he needed to capture Ruth like that?

And what was the meaning of his kindness and affectionate gaze?

As these thoughts ran through his head, Ruth let out a hollow laugh. His obsession, lingering attachment, and grotesque desires made him shudder. Even though he hated it, when Ail treated him gently, he wavered. In that last moment, when Ail looked at him, Ruth had thought he wanted to live for him. That’s why he needed to confirm it.

But was it all a lie?

Suddenly, he remembered Ail from his childhood. The moment they first met, the intense gaze of the beautiful red-haired boy who looked at him was still vivid in his mind. Perhaps that boy had been afraid of this very future. In that boy’s eyes, Ruth had seen ambition and cruelty. And when he looked at him, he knew he was falling for him.

He had been shaken by a mere fourteen-year-old boy. Captivated by his beauty and sharp wit, Ruth had fallen for him. Unlike himself, Ail was cruel and unshaken, and Ruth had sold his soul to him. The very traits that made Ail so different from him had been what fascinated him. He feared, yet envied his cunning. Perhaps he had idolized his coldness.

And so, Ruth had struggled to suppress his feelings. Yet, despite knowing everything Ail had shown him over the last four years was a lie, he still felt his heart race when Ail approached, and he would feel giddy when Ail touched him. Like a boy falling in love for the first time, his face flushed, and he would flee at Ail’s teasing jokes. No matter how much he tried to keep himself together, he kept being drawn to him. Despite building walls and trying to push Ail away from his heart, he couldn’t resist.

If only he had liked someone kinder. If only he had loved someone as fragile as himself. Yet, his instincts were drawn to someone so different from him.

He shouldn’t have met him. He shouldn’t have met him from the start.

This time, he couldn’t waver. If Ail had orchestrated all of this, his relationship with him would go back to nothing. Naturally, the contract would be nullified. If that was the case, Rus would return to square one and boldly confront him.

If the answer he expected came, he would leave the palace and go to Vera. But if, by some rare chance, the answer he desired came…

***

In the dimly lit room, with faint moonlight and a few candles, Ail was informed that Ruth had arrived. Having waited an entire day, Ail’s complexion was pale. He had not slept, delaying all his appointments. He had even refused to meet with the Prime Minister Kaizel, who insisted on an urgent meeting, staying in the room all day instead. His face looked dreadful, but he did not feel fatigued. His mind was becoming clearer and sharper.

Sitting like a doll all day, Ail finally stood up and began pacing the room slowly. His anxiety was apparent. He had no idea what face Ruth would make when he entered the room, what he would say first, or how Ail should respond to him. It suddenly felt overwhelming.

If Ruth came in and immediately apologized, asking for forgiveness, Ail could probably tolerate it. Although he had threatened to kill him, the fact that Ruth had complied with the transfer suggested that he hadn’t really intended to run away. If Ruth had attempted to escape but given up halfway, Ail might forgive him.

Yes, he could forgive him. Just a moment ago, Ail had been certain that he would have to take drastic action, but as the physical distance between them closed, those thoughts began to blur.

If I’m going to keep him by my side, there’s no need to treat him cruelly. I want to be as kind to him as possible. So, he just needs to apologize. If he apologizes first, kneels, and begs for forgiveness, I will forgive him.

If he says he wasn’t planning to leave and asks me not to misunderstand, I will forgive him. I’m certain he will do that.

“Your Highness, Lord Ruth has arrived.”

While Ail was pacing back and forth, Meril’s voice echoed from outside the door. He didn’t respond, but soon the door opened, and Ruth stepped inside.

Ruth’s face appeared through the dim light. He too looked worn out. Ail, seeing his exhausted face, had a sudden urge to reach out and embrace him. He wanted to hold him close, kiss his pale face, and embrace his cold body.

The body is more honest than the heart. Instinctively, Ail moved forward. And just as he was about to take a step, Ruth spoke.

“Did you kidnap Elsen and Erita, Your Highness?”

That direct question stopped Ail’s movements. In that moment, he felt as if he had been struck hard.

Ruth’s voice was cold, and his tone was sharp. His voice, calm yet filled with anger, and his cold gaze pierced into Ail’s chest. It felt like Ruth was accusing him.

Suddenly, Ail’s chest grew cold. It felt as though his heart had stopped. The hot blood circulating inside him grew cold, and his heart followed suit. The now-cold heart pressed down on his chest. It was a painful, heavy pressure, as if a stone were weighing on his chest.

The throbbing pain made Ail slowly open his mouth.

“What does that have to do with anything right now?”

Fortunately, his voice didn’t tremble. Ail was relieved by that.

“It matters.”

“Why?”

“If that’s true, then I’ve fallen into the trap you set, and that would nullify all our contracts.”

Ruth’s eyes were fixed on Ail, determined as if he had already made up his mind. There was no wavering, not even the slightest crack. His will was so solid that it seemed impossible to break, no matter what explanation Ail gave.

Ail clenched his fists tightly. Then, lifting his chin arrogantly, he answered.

“Who says so?”

“If it’s your doing… then I have to take back what I gave you. Answer me. Was this all part of your plan?”

“Yes. It was my doing. But you can’t leave me.”

Ail responded with a strong will. For a moment, Ruth’s gaze wavered, just for an instant. But that fleeting uncertainty quickly disappeared into his steadfast resolve, and his eyes filled with cold anger. He then slowly exhaled and continued speaking.

“Why did you do it?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes. It matters because it will allow me to make my decision.”

“What decision?”

“A decision to leave.”

Ruth spoke with his eyes raised in protest and a slightly flushed voice.

He had already made up his mind. He had decided to leave, and he had come back to the palace to find the reason to do so. He wasn’t running away, he was preparing to walk out of there with his head held high. He just needed confirmation.

Ail, realizing that Ruth was serious, froze for a moment. He couldn’t speak. It was clear that no words would reach Ruth now. Ruth was no longer afraid of him. His title as Crown Prince didn’t matter to Ruth; it didn’t seem to have any significance. Now, Ruth was looking at him as an equal.

Ail began to waver. If his status and threats no longer had any effect, he didn’t know how to keep Ruth in check.

So, in desperation, he blurted out.

“I… can’t allow it.”

Standing before Ail, Ruth answered confidently.

“I don’t need your permission.”

“Do you want to die?”