Ricardo’s departure made the council chamber burst into commotion in an instant.

Among them, Count Rowain slammed the desk furiously without backing down from his stance.

Bang!

“If Duke Hessen doesn't join the war, the situation will become far more unfavorable!”

“Why is the Count worrying about something that hasn't even happened yet? We have the Tower Master. Even without the Duke’s forces, we still have enough chances.”

“Can you get a definite answer from the Tower Master? He declared he wouldn’t involve himself in politics.”

“If he ends up unable to protect even his own bowl, he’ll crawl out on his own. That’s the usual nature of cowards.”

At a vassal’s words, Count Rowain looked utterly despondent, his face filled with despair.

And then, from another side, someone raised the issue of holding Ricardo accountable for his actions.

“Isn’t defying His Majesty’s orders tantamount to treason? How can he act that way in front of His Majesty!”

Even as sharp voices flew back and forth, I stood frozen, staring at the door he had walked out of.

My emotions and thoughts tangled together, making me feel as though I were walking through a fog.

Ricardo, what on earth are you……

The air in the council chamber he had just left suddenly felt unfamiliar.

“……Is the House of Rowain also choosing to follow Duke Hessen? There is no mercy for those who defy my will.”

At the Emperor’s words, Count Rowain visibly flinched.

Just as I instinctively stepped toward the door, Eileens blocked my way.

“……!”

No sooner had she done that than the chamber vanished, and the surroundings grew dim.

As the once-noisy voices disappeared, only the loud pounding of my heart echoed in my ears.

Before long, reflected in my eyes was Eileens, wearing a face much like mine.

……Was Ricardo’s move also unexpected to her?

I tightly shut my eyes. Then, trying to gather the deluge of thoughts, I asked the question that had been burning in me from the start.

“……Really, nothing’s changed?”

Her pupils began to tremble.

“You still want me to do nothing?”

There was no answer from Eileens.

At that moment, as silence lingered, her face suddenly turned deathly pale.

“I-I don’t even know what I want anymore.”

It was the first time she, once a great being, looked truly human.

“I tried living by just submitting like I was dead, then thought it’d be better to just kill everyone…….”

Eileens stammered as she caressed her own face.

“Then I realized that everything was ruined because of my choices.”

The once-dark subspace changed into various hues, following her emotions. Shifting moment by moment, the space seemed ready to attack me at any second.

Soon after, the only thing that remained here was fury.

‘……This seems to be going badly.’

The subspace began to slowly narrow. The black space gradually transformed into hands that reached toward me.

Overcome by an inexplicable dread, I stepped back, but before I knew it, Eileens’ hand had gripped my shoulder.

“You know, don’t you?”

“…….”

“You know the answer, that’s why you tried to change me, right?”

The shoulder she held onto throbbed. Eileens shook me back and forth and continued speaking impatiently.

“You asked me if I made that promise, right?”

“…….”

“Yeah, I did. You must’ve thought I was wrong, so you made that kind of promise……!”

“Wh-why would I think that way!”

Though my voice cracked from fear, it wasn’t all that important.

Because her approaching hands had stopped moving.

I tried my best to avoid looking directly at that spot.

“I-I’ve never thought you were wrong. Not the first time I saw you, and not in the future either.”

“…….”

“If I didn’t think so, I wouldn’t have had any reason to make that promise.”

I was terrified, nearly dying from fear, but I still had to say what needed to be said.

Hurriedly, I hid my trembling hands behind my back. At least the good news was that the subspace was beginning to expand.

“You talk big for someone who doesn’t even have memories.”

“This has nothing to do with memories…….”

As I timidly added that, Eileens stared at me with hawk-like eyes.

I couldn’t tell if she was angry or trying to confirm the sincerity of my words.

The subtle shifts in her expression made it seem like she found my presence uncomfortable. She repeatedly bit her innocent lips before grimacing.

“I have no mercy, just like the Emperor.”

“Well, even so……”

Just as I tried to argue, her eyes turned sharp again.

Choosing to close my mouth in defeat, she said curtly,

“I’ll kill Blua, whom you love so much, and I’ll make sure to collect even the lives of the innocent with no mercy.”

“…….”

“I’ll crush everything until my rage is gone. That’s my conclusion.”

I listened to her in silence.

“Even Carpea itself is leading me down that path, so why should I refuse it?”

Hearing it like this, it really was a perfectly laid table……

As I remained wordless, Eileens, her expression sulky, quickly continued her words like a rapid-fire gun.

“I’m far more cruel than you think, and unimaginably merciless…….”

“S-stop. I get it.”

Then, Eileens closed her mouth. But before long, she muttered one more thing.

“So just behave yourself.”

“…….”

“Before I throw away that promise and everything else.”

At that moment, the world tilted.

Crash!

The subspace that had surrounded me shattered with a loud noise. Only after a gust of wind blew through did I realize I had returned to reality.

Having been so far removed from it, my head spun for a while. Feeling as though my brain were whirling, I hastily pressed my forehead.

“…….”

Then, I saw Eileens leaning against the World Tree.

Her lips seemed to curl up faintly in a smirk……

Was it just my imagination?

Only for a moment, a thought I'd set aside in a corner of my memory came rushing back, and I quickly moved my feet.

“Lady Roygin?”

Yurian, who had been painting a picture of the World Tree, stopped her brush.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, it’s not that……”

I had to go to Ricardo. I absolutely had to.

But I couldn’t explain anything to Onyx and Yurian, who had business in Drimokan.

Moreover, to return to the capital, I had to travel with the group who had the scroll. If I went by carriage, it would take too long to reach Ricardo.

‘……If I had known, I would’ve brought a scroll myself.’

I couldn’t bring myself to say, ‘I’ll go ahead first, so hand me my share of the scrolls.’

“Yurian, how’s the painting you’re preparing for His Highness?”

Just then, Onyx approached Yurian.

“Don’t rush me. When you say things like that, even a good painting stops flowing.”

“That’s just an excuse. That’s why I told you to get in more practice…….”

As Onyx and Yurian bickered lightly, a sudden gust of wind swept through.

“Whoa!”

It was strong enough to scatter the papers and brushes placed near her.

“Oh, come on! As if Onyx wasn’t enough, now the weather’s misbehaving too!”

Muttering in frustration, Yurian quickly left her spot to catch the brush rolling away.

“…….”

I couldn’t even think to push back the hair blowing into my eyes. I just stared in the direction the wind had come from.

It was where Eileens stood.

Around the time the wind began to die down, I felt a warm sensation in my pocket. Curious, I slipped my hand inside and felt something crinkly.

The moment I cautiously took it out, my eyes widened.

“……!”

It was a scroll marked with unfamiliar coordinates

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