The banquet marking the end of the coming-of-age ceremony began with grandeur, attended by all the nobles. Inside the vast hall, magnificent round tables were set up, and in the center, the nobles, elegantly dressed, danced. The hems of their dresses seemed to collect every color of the world, fluttering in the air, while the court orchestra played music to match their movements.

An hour after the banquet began, Salina, dressed in a golden gown, entered with Ail, who remained seated without moving. Salina, now officially Ail’s lover and fiancée, cleverly refrained from urging Ail to dance or speaking to him. Instead, she exchanged pleasantries with the nobles and conversed with Adiba, trying to gain favor with her. Watching her fulfill her duties so excellently, Ail drowned his emotions in a glass of bitter wine.

It was supposed to be a night of joy. It was a moment to prove he had become a full adult, to announce his engagement, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t bring himself to smile. He thought he was used to forced smiles. Thanks to habits built up over the past four years, he could smile in front of anyone and play the part of a pleasant person. But now, he couldn’t. The emotional breakdown he had suffered seemed impossible to mend. He felt pain, bitterness, and sadness. The heavy weight of his emotions pressed down on his chest, leaving him unable to sit with a detached smile.

It had gone too deep. He couldn’t restrain himself, and he had crossed a line he should never have crossed.

Amidst the lavish food, the people, and the noise, he still felt a deep, lonely detachment as if he were floating alone in space.

“Your Highness, are you feeling unwell?”
Salina, noticing Ail’s unusually pale face, finally spoke to him. Pretending to be the loving partner, Ail answered in a soft tone.
“I’m just tired.”
“Then, shall we take a walk? How about we go out to the garden? It’s still night, so we can take a short rest.”
As she smiled gently, Ail finally understood why he felt so down. He hadn’t seen Ruth for a full day. And just before they parted, they had exchanged harsh words. They hadn’t used insults, but the argument had been just as intense. That was still bothering him. And he missed him.

“Alright, I should take a break. I’ll go for a walk, so you stay here.”
Ail stood up without hesitation, and Salina bowed slightly in response. Next to her, Adiba, who had been sitting uncomfortably the whole time, wore a stern expression, clearly displeased by Ail’s unilateral announcement of his engagement without consulting her.

“Mother, I’m going out for a bit.”
“Go ahead.”
Hearing her cold response, Ail asked for permission from the other relatives and slowly left the hall. As he passed by, everyone who had been dancing or standing still stopped and bowed their heads in greeting. Their polite behavior was a clear reflection of Ail’s status. Though he was still the crown prince, considering the emperor’s current condition, Ail was the de facto ruler. Everyone in the room knew this, and thus, they treated him like an emperor.

Ail had longed for this. He had wanted everyone to look up to him, to kneel before him and wait for his command. And now, he had finally reached that point. But he didn’t feel any thrill. The grand ambitions he had held in his heart, the intense obsession, and the dazzling future that awaited him all seemed meaningless now.

Everything seemed to blur and fade. The once-brilliant lights were swallowed up by the darkness, disappearing without a trace. He felt empty and hollow. He questioned what he had come this far for. Everything was going as planned, yet his heart was empty. He couldn’t make sense of it.

His future was supposed to be open before him, but his heart kept pulling him in another direction. It wasn’t good for him. It wasn’t a favorable situation. But he couldn’t discard it, let it go, or destroy it. He even disliked the anger it made him feel.

What he wanted was something so simple. It was a longing stronger than the grand plans he had dreamed of as a child—a desire for peaceful moments. To sit with him, share trivial stories, rest with his head on his lap, see his cool smile, feel his gentle touch… So ordinary, so trivial. The simple dreams he had always mocked were the ones he now longed for.

A peaceful time spent with the person he loved.
No need for curses, yelling, or fighting, just the simple act of looking at each other and smiling. That was all he desired.

At that moment, Ail, with a blank expression, stopped as he was about to leave the hall. And at the same time, a hollow laugh escaped from him.
“Love, love…”

Does something like that really exist? Not just a desire to pour out passion, but a pure emotion that makes you want to give everything to someone without expecting anything in return, where you desperately want to be liked by them, and simply breathing beside them makes you happy? Is such a feeling born from a pure heart truly real?

Ail had always been negative about the answer. He believed that giving something to someone without reason was hypocrisy. He thought it was absurd to be content just by being near someone. But now, he found himself doing just that. Without any reason, he only wanted him to stay by his side, to open his heart to him.

If this is “love”… then what is left behind? What will he gain, and what will he lose?

His heart started to race violently. And he longed for him even more. He missed him desperately, more than ever.

He simply wanted to see him, for no reason at all.

—

The clock hands were already pointing to midnight. Ruth, who had been watching the door with heightened attention, approached the stone wall without hesitation and reached for the third sword in the display, the one with the red jewel embedded in its hilt. He took it with both hands and lowered it. The sound of chains being released could be heard. Ruth glanced back at the door again before grabbing the right side of the stone wall display, just as the letter had instructed. Without hesitation, he twisted and broke it off.

The once rigid display, which seemed like it wouldn’t move at all, slowly began to shift under Ruth’s force. The heavy stone made a dragging sound, and the sound of stones scraping against each other filled the air. The entire wall began to shift, creating an echoing noise. Ruth glanced back at the door again. In that brief moment, the wall continued to move slowly but precisely.

The thick walls began to part, and through the gap, a cold and pungent air began to seep into the room. Within that air, an unfamiliar scent lingered, one that brushed lightly against his nostrils—sweet, yet sorrowful.

Ruth always thought that scent resembled winter’s smell. Like snow that melts when touched, it was white, beautiful, pure, but intensely cold. The scent of someone he longed for, someone he missed.

Drawn to that scent, his head turned. Through the gap in the wall, a face appeared, wearing a beautifully wicked and mischievous smile.

“… Kasha?”

After struggling to call his name, he flashed a knowing grin.

“It’s been a long time, my friend.”

It was a greeting as natural as if they had met just yesterday. It had been 8 years since they last met, when Ruth took a vacation and went to Vera at the age of 16. But he was so familiar, it didn’t feel like an 8-year gap at all.

As Ruth stood dazed, overwhelmed by both joy and shock, Kasha spoke softly.

“I’ve missed you.”

Seeing Kasha in a neat black casual outfit, Ruth felt tears welling up. Kasha, seeing his face, opened his arms. It was such a typical gesture of his, inviting him for an embrace. Without hesitation, Ruth rushed over and hugged him tightly.

The long black hair wrapped around his hands, the cold scent of sweat mixed with the scent of someone who had run from a distant place.

It was Kasha. His dear friend whom he had missed so much. His throat tightened. It was a feeling of warmth, joy, and happiness—he was on the verge of tears.

“I’ve missed you.”

—

Suddenly, the knights guarding the Northern Palace started to stir because of Ail’s visit. Especially Genus, who was guarding the door to Ruth’s room, turned pale when he saw Ail. Genus had received orders to always follow Ruth when he left his room, even within the Northern Palace. The reason he sent a knight with Ruth was because he had assumed Ail wouldn’t visit the Northern Palace that night.

“Welcome, Your Highness.”

Genus greeted Ail, a bit nervous, and Ail glanced at him before giving the order for the attendant to open the door. Genus quickly continued.

“Lord Ruth is currently in the basement.”

“The basement? Why there?”

Ail frowned at Genus’s unexpected response. Since Genus had already disobeyed Ail’s direct orders, he answered cautiously, his voice tense.

“He mentioned that he wanted to rest in a cooler room, given the heat. He didn’t get much sleep last night, so it seems he wishes to rest in a cooler place. I had one of the knights escort him there.”

Ail sighed softly and turned away at Genus’s explanation. He didn’t seem angry about Genus sending a knight with Ruth. It was true the weather had been hot recently, and it made sense that Ruth would want to find a cooler place to rest, especially since it was still warm at night. If he wanted to rest, he probably preferred to go alone.

“Alright.”

Ail sighed quietly, nodding before turning around. His attendants and knights followed him as if it were natural. As Ail walked down the long corridor of the Northern Palace at a relaxed pace, his heart started racing faster as he neared the stairs. It wasn’t excitement at the thought of seeing Ruth—it was more like an ominous feeling, a dark and oppressive sense. It felt as if something dark and sinister was creeping up his legs.

His breathing became heavy. His legs felt weighted. His heart pounded wildly.

Ail’s steps quickened. There was no way out in this palace. The Northern Palace was a fortress. It was the only building in the entire imperial complex made from thick marble, and the walls surrounding it were high and sturdy. There was no way out of this palace, especially from the basement.

But why was he feeling so uneasy? It felt like something was slipping away from his hands.

His heart was racing strangely.

Through a barely open crack, Kasha grabbed Ruth’s hand.

“Let’s go.”

At Kasha’s words, Ruth lowered his head without saying a word. Seeing his clear hesitation, Kasha urged him again.

“We don’t have time.”

“… I’m worried about my mother.”

“You have your father.”

“My father won’t protect her.”

Ruth, who responded weakly, caused Kasha to sigh as if he understood. Kasha knew better than anyone about Ruth’s overwhelming love for his mother. It had been like this since childhood. Ruth had this strange obsession, almost like an irrational compulsion, that he had to protect his mother and younger sister above all else. That had always been the problem.

“Is that really the only reason? You want to leave, but you’re saying you can’t because you’re worried about your mother?”

As expected, Ruth remained silent. His silence was a tacit affirmation.

“Ruth, listen to me carefully.”

Kasha removed his hand from Ruth’s arm and gently held his face, turning it towards him, before speaking seriously.

“People, they’re all the same. Unless they’re some special bastard, they’re all the same. Everyone wants the person they love to be happy. They want that person to be free from harm, to live happily, and they think they’d do anything for them. They’d be willing to sacrifice themselves if it meant the ones they love could be happy. But what if that person sacrifices themselves for you? What if I, or Elsen, or Aunt Leysha gave up our lives to save you? How would you feel about that?”

Ruth’s gaze started to waver. He had an inkling of what Kasha was about to say.

“You’re not special. Yes, you might be a little different, but you’re not the only one. You’re someone who takes sacrifice to the extreme, and it’s become an obsession. So, put yourself in their shoes. Everyone is alone. They have to live their life alone. Whether it’s family, friends, or lovers, in the end, they’re all strangers. You have to make decisions for yourself, live for yourself. You stand on your own two feet and bear the weight of your life with your own shoulders. But who are you to try and take on someone else’s burden? You can barely carry your own. Why do you think it’s your place to carry someone else’s load? That’s self-harm. It’s self-destruction. Do you really think that the people you love will be happy living their life because of your sacrifice? Do you think you can protect the ones you love for the rest of your life? And do you think they’ll be happy because of it? Do you think they’ll be grateful to you while stepping on your corpse, walking with your blood on their feet?”

The barrage of Kasha’s words left Ruth with a stunned, blank expression. He realized now that he had never thought about anyone else. He had always believed that if he sacrificed himself, if he endured the pain, everyone else would be happy. He thought that as long as he alone could endure the suffering, everyone else would be fine.

As though reading his thoughts, Kasha clicked his tongue.

“I knew it. That’s why I came all the way here. Do you know what your problem is? You’re disrespecting everyone else. You think you’re the only strong one, the only one who can endure. If someone I loved sacrificed themselves for me, I’d rather bite my tongue and die. The thought of my existence being a burden to the people I love is horrifying. I’d rather be hated by them, even if they had to kill me, than be a burden. Everyone feels the same. Got it? Right now, think about yourself. Think about your own emotions. Focus on what you want. If you just want to stay here in the comfort of this palace, I won’t force you to leave. But if you’re saying you want to sacrifice yourself because of other people’s worries, then I’ll drag you away whether you like it or not.”

Kasha’s blue eyes were shining brightly. Even in the dimly lit room, his eyes sparkled with vitality. The light came from Kasha’s strong will and determination. It had always been this way. As children, Kasha was always the one who led the way, while Ruth and Elsen followed behind, always trusting that Kasha would never be wrong.

“Ruth, think carefully. If you don’t leave now, there may never be a second chance.”

“……”