David’s consciousness dimmed slowly. The darkness that enveloped his soul felt more peaceful than any warmth.

‘Sir, what is fate?’

Little David’s voice rang in the distance.

His last memory was steadily replicated in David’s subconscious mind. Alas, he couldn’t see the teacher he missed. Perhaps, because his teacher’s face had been erased from his mind.

Fate was something that existed in this world. It was the only thing that didn’t change and stayed at the same place.

‘It’s the same for us, right?’

‘No, we just die slower than ordinary human, and we’re not that different from them.’

David couldn’t understand. He only knew that his teacher was a stout young man and had been with him since he learned to speak. David never saw anyone else in the wilderness tower until he grew up to be an adult.

“If the fate calls you, you will go out of this tower and see the human being. There are so many humans out there. There are countless lives to be reckoned with. Mortal life disappears so easily ……so we have to be more balanced on our own life, for the sake of those faint light of soul.”

‘Sir, what do you mean?… I don’t understand. So what’s fate?’

His teacher smiled at that time. A face that didn’t appear in his mind but was now so visible.

‘It’s everywhere, from the beginning to the end of life. From hope and despair. I can’t teach you that. However, as long as you’re alive, you will realize it someday. That’s fate.’

‘Is human death also fate?’

‘Yes, birth and death are all fate.’

‘Am I going to die, too?’

‘One day.’

David slowly began to open his eyes. One day, when David inherited his teacher’s purple eyes, he learned that he would die instantly like a dry plant.

But the reality was quite dreadful. The end of David’s life seemed to be far from a peaceful death.

“Teacher….”

David realized that he was tied to the wall. But it wasn’t a wall, but a stone that had powerful and evil energy. The stone must have been part of something huge and terrible.

“Is this also my fate?”

Only darkness appeared before his eyes, whose hands and feet were tightly bound to the stone.

“Or was I wrong when I tried to defy fate …?

Only empty words rang out in him. David couldn’t hear his teacher’s answer. Because he already used taboo time magic.

“Sir …… What’s right? I don’t know.”

David’s purple eyes filled with darkness. It was impossible to know what situation he would be in soon. But, what bothered him more than that was something that would be happening in a different place.

“I can do anything to protect the fate…….”

David tried hard to believe that what he was doing was the right thing. He wasn’t killing the child; he was just trying to fix the fate of this world.

***

In another place, Fabian, who lately had spent a lot of his time in the Empress Palace, suddenly announced that he couldn’t stop by today because of the backlog of official duties.

Evelyn felt embarrassed when she realized she was waiting for Fabian. The Emperor had to take care of the Empire, so why did she think about spending time together?

“Oh, mother! Mother!”

But soon, Adrian’s gallant cry made Evelyn laugh.

“Adrian learned again today!”

Hans, Philip’s disciple and Adrian’s etiquette teacher, quietly gave his example from behind. As Adrian’s vocabulary began to increase, his polite behavior also improved from day today.

“Eeh…Like this.”

Adrian clumsily bent his short knee and unfolded his one arm. But his posture wasn’t correct, and he looked like he might fall down any minute.

“Mother! I see you!”

It seemed Adrian had learned how to give a proper example today.

“Yes, Adrian. You look so amazing today.”

Evelyn gave a nice answer, as she was aware of Hans’s gaze. Then Adrian sighed and stood up awkwardly. It seemed that his short arms and legs made it difficult for him to fully stand up.

“Next time.. with Ugly…Mother, Adrian will bring Ugly.”

Before Evelyn could answer, Adrian was already running out the door.

Hans, who saw him, could only smile awkwardly and hurriedly bent his body, giving an example again in front of Evelyn. “Sorry. Not yet …… he hasn’t learned the whole etiquette yet.”

Hans blamed himself for Adrian’s lack of etiquette, but Evelyn looked happy. “It’s a good progress. That child is learning everything very quickly, so don’t worry too much.”

“Yes, he’s actually very fast learner and smart.”

“Adrian is very perceptive.” Evelyn was like a typical mother, so it was natural for her to feel that her child was very special.

“Yes…..He has a bright future. So, uh…….” Hans looked hesitant.

“What’s the matter? I’ve told you to say anything about his studies without exception.”

“Ugly….”

The hawk’s name had unexpectedly become a proper noun and had meaning for everyone.

“If the Prince wants to make Ugly as his ‘subject’, isn’t this an opportunity to introduce him to the aristocratic system and the concept of comrades.”

Evelyn looked at Hans with a perplexed face.

Apart from being Sir Philip’s best disciple. Hans was also the best genius in the Academy. However, he was too focused on theory, principles, and textbooks, so he lacked a sense of reality. In other words, according to him, for the sake of Adrian’s education, he wanted to give the hawk a title like a noble.

“Well…… I think I’ll have to think about that a little bit.”

“I think it would be fine to give Ugly a title.”

“No, not that part. But it’s too much to call Adrian’s first and close comrade as Lord Ugly. “

The problem wasn’t only the bird’s name and the fact that it was a bird, not a human.

Hans tilted his head in confusion, but he respected Evelyn’s opinion and excused himself.

“Adrian should be meeting more people.”

When Evelyn left the living room and muttered, Rebecca, who unable to enter the room because of the Ugly, quickly came over and helped.

“I think so, too. That’s how he’s gonna……no, he should be away from that bird.”

“That’s not it.”

Seeing Adrian’s extraordinary love for Ugly, it was impossible for them to be separated.

“But meeting people is also important. For example, since Adrian has seen His Majesty more often, his attitude has become much more polite now.”

“Oh, that’s what anyone has to do…….”

“Adrian is a quick learner. It’s not because he’s my son, but because his ability to absorb lessons is extraordinary.”

“Yes, of course.” Rebecca nodded in silence as she saw Evelyn’s eyes twinkling.

The fact that Adrian’s manner improved after meeting the Emperor could be interpreted differently. Because anyone who met Fabian would show a courteous attitude. Including the Akshire family.

But Rebecca couldn’t say that to Evelyn, who was proud of her son.

“Well… …I’ll have to talk to His Majesty about Ugly’s matter.”

“What’s wrong with that bird? Do you want to raise it elsewhere? “

“That’s your wish, Rebecca. Actually, Adrian wants to give Ugly a title and make his as his comrade. Sir Hans sees it as a part of his education.”

Rebecca was dumbfounded, and she didn’t want to get involved in this matter.

“If you want to do something to that bird, you’ll have to change the name first. I want it to get out of the Palace altogether.”

“The black hawk is clever and has the habit of visiting its own house.”

“Huh..I hate that creature.”

Rebecca murmured so quietly that Evelyn couldn’t hear it. Still, today was a leisurely day because Fabian didn’t come. This was a good thing for Rebecca, who was busy with Evelyn’s wedding preparations lately.

“Rather than that, Princess, the day of choosing the wedding-dress that you postponed before is coming.”

“… wasn’t Rebecca supposed to take care of that?”

“I’ve selected it twice, but you still has to choose, it’s your wedding.”

Evelyn’s face suddenly darkened.

As soon as the wedding date came up, Rebecca got so busy that she seemed to have been at the crossroads of choices a hundred times.

On top of that, all of the dress samples were so beautiful, so she worried about making a choice.

“I’ll see it tomorrow—I promise.”

“Well …… it was raining today too, so the boutique employees couldn’t come either.”

“Yes, it suddenly rained. Has it stopped now? “

“Yes, a little while ago.”

Evelyn approached the window. The sky was bright, as if the sudden rain that had fallen just a moment ago wasn’t real. The corridor leading from the window to the entrance of the Empress’ hall was clearer than usual.

“Rebecca, there is a saying that if you look at the long corridor, there will be guests coming “

“Yes….did you do that?”

Evelyn, who spoke of an unexpected idiom, only smiled faintly. Fabian was no longer a guest, and he wouldn’t come today. Still, she kept looking out the window, like a fool.

“Nothing. Am I too mellow because of the rain today?”

“I’m not sure? But, if His Majesty isn’t coming… … It means that Sir Serus isn’t coming too, right?” Rebecca sighed, feeling a little regretful.

She actually also waited and wanted to meet Serus. It seemed, because Evelyn and Fabian’s relationship was getting closer, maybe Rebecca and Serus also were seeing each other often.

“Sir Serus……do you want him to come?” Evelyn asked carefully.

“To be honest… Yes, I am. I know I can’t do this, but……I don’t want to lie to you, Princess.”

Evelyn’s heart was also thumping for no reason when Rebecca said, with her head lowered slightly.

“Rebecca. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. Really. Rather, isn’t it natural feeling?” Evelyn said in a calm and tender voice.

After a moment of hesitation, Rebecca nodded her head, slowly smiling at her words.

“I thought, you would understand me, Princess.”

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? I really … I don’t even know about this….”

“Hey. It just happened yesterday. How can I tell you beforehand?”

Oh. Evelyn blinked her eyes, looking at Rebecca’s innocent face.

“Ha …… I can’t believe Lady Metis is going to marry Duke Perth! Even if he doesn’t get along with his brother, Sir Serus must know it because it’s his family affair, right? I hope he could tell me the stories in detail.”

Rebecca’s purpose in wanting to meet Serus wasn’t like Evelyn had imagined.

Well, it couldn’t be. Evelyn blamed her own stupidity. She seemed to have lost her mind because of the sudden rain.

Rebecca seemed to be in a similar situation; she just wanted to enjoy and gossip about the news of her ex-husband’s wedding with Serus.

“Do you think that’s a good thing?”

“Sure. They’d be a perfect match.”

“… In terms of?” Evelyn asked what she had been worrying about all this time.

“Hmm.” Rebecca crossed her arms and slowly sank into her deep thought. A mischievous smile that appeared went well with her pretty lips.

“They talk without using their brains. Their way of thinking is the same, like angry little kids if the world doesn’t go their way. And their stubbornness, who doesn’t want to know what’s right and what’s wrong also similar…”

Nothing more could be said. In a way, indeed. As Rebecca said, they were a match made in heaven.

“I think I know…..”

“Oh, I haven’t even started yet. Those two… .”

But Rebecca didn’t continue her words because Nora hurried came into the room, and whispered something in Evelyn’s ear politely.

Evelyn made a strange expression as she heard it.

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s not about work.” Evelyn spoke vaguely and stared out the window. The corridor appeared to be longer today.

“I think we have a guest.”

“What?”

“The Empress Dowager is here. But, I don’t know her purpose this time.”

Rebecca also nodded at Evelyn’s blunt words.

One of her regrets was that she couldn’t see her own eyes when Stella was kicked out of the Palace.