"I asked my maid, and she told me that neither the noble daughter nor the noble lady I regularly meet with came to see me. It is said that the last time I saw the Duke, my father, was several months ago. I didn't know, so I thought to ask what I cherished and loved... There was no such thing."

In fact, she asked for it for the secret funeral of the former Medea she wanted to host, who had actually died. Because only she knew that the real Medea had died, she thought about having a quiet funeral by burning and burying even the things the previous soul really liked.

However, the former Medea didn't even have anything to cherish. She thought there might be something to remember her nanny by that she could find, but there was really nothing.

Previously, it was said when Medea was angry, she threw objects and smashed them so that maybe that was the reason nothing was left.

"I don't know what life is without family, friends, or things I care about... I don't think I have any good memories... I don't think it doesn't matter if I don't remember it."

Medea spoke words with an expressionless face that left Lyle stupefied.

She may have done evil around her, but she was his only wife and Empress. The fact that there was no one in her life made Lyle's heart cold; he was her family and husband, but Lyle couldn't say that.

Lyle himself treated Medea so coldly after their wedding, and in retrospect, it seemed that Medea was always desperate. That... He faintly thought that it might have been because he was the only family left to Medea.

The image of Medea, who had always screamed asking him to look at her—Lyle recalled as he looked at the current Medea, who seemed like a completely different person.

"... Mill–"

"Would you like to sit down?"

Medea's words suddenly stopped Lyle from speechless.

"What?"

"This dress is heavier than it looks. Although jewelry is pretty, a stone is a stone. There's a bunch of stone pieces hanging off on me right now, so it's heavy."

Medea went back to the sofa. Then tapping the seat next to her, he beckoned Lyle to sit down.

Hot tea was put in a teacup. The attendant filled the Emperor's teacup first and then poured the same tea into the Empress's cup. Lyle glanced lightly at the appearance of the attendant quietly retreating.

The attendant quickly gave a bow and exited the office.

"Dig in," Lyle said, and Medea picked up a fork instead of a teacup.

A colorfully decorated cake was laid out for Miledia, who had become fond of sweets after losing her memory.

After noting the difference, Lyle soon decided to push the thought to the back of his mind and forget it.

No matter what he did, Medea was Medea— not someone else, but just changed bit...

Lyle decided to think that way. It was irresponsible and selfish to tell her not to change to herself from before and stay the same after her memory loss.

"Don't you resent and blame me?"

"Why do I have to, your Majesty?"

"Because you are the Empress. I... I'm your husband."

He hated Medea, so he didn't look for her until union day. And after getting back together, he went back to her bedroom again and again because he wanted to.

After reviewing his action, it was astonishing how it would have looked like in Medea's eyes.

"I just thought, 'Your Majesty had a bad relationship with me.'"

She was frighteningly calm... Lyle's chest was tightening.

Her unblaming attitude weighed on his heart, but an apology couldn't come to his mouth to the point of extreme frustration.

"In the future, I'll go to the Empress more often. I promise."

Medea suddenly lowered her fork and looked at Lyle.

Her gaze was beautiful, but they were guarded, unlike when her emotions were clearly revealed, making Lyle anxious.

"Don't promise."

"Why?"

"My memories may come back. My personality may go back to before... It would be uncomfortable. I think it would be better not to make a promise."

Lyle realized that he couldn't refute her and lost his words.

The wounds he suffered from Medea were too great to even accept this former Medea.

It was a promise that should not be made as one could not promise eternity with true compassion.

"... Is there anything I can do for you?"

'I want to help you.'

He wanted to help Medea in any way.

Medea married the Emperor and was estranged from her family. She even ended up losing her husband.

Medea's actions caused her to be utterly alone but ... It was also true that he, the Emperor, had a profound influence.

So Lyle wanted to be a source of power to Medea.

Medea stopped and looked at Lyle.

Now Lyle was here trying to be nice to Medea because he had pretty good feelings for her but... If Medea invited Seira, she did not know how he would change again.

Lyle's set morals would not allow him to abandon his wife, but it was unclear how far the original script's influence would extend.

"Then..."

Lyle's mind fluttered at the moment, hanging on to her words. However, the following utterances he couldn't have imagined in his wildest dreams.

"If you have a woman you love... could you set me free?"

"What?"

This is what it must feel like to have your insides burned to an ash patch.

'Are you trying to punish me for not being able to say that I love you?'

Lyle looked at Medea, hiding his disastrous distortion. Lyle's heart turned black, knowing that this anger and betrayal he felt was not justified.

"You don't need me politically anymore. So your Majesty will now turn to another woman when you have a woman you love. The concubine will enter your harem. You may want to make her Empress. So when that time comes."

Like a girl sweetly dreaming, Medea smiled shyly.

"Please divorce me. Please allow me to remarry."

"No."

The words left his mouth before he could even think. Medea's eyes widened in astonishment.

"No, there's no possibility of me liking a girl and having an affair!"

Lyle looked furiously at Medea with cold eyes.

'Who are you going to go to–who is not me?'

There was a wave of terrifying anger at someone who hadn't evem yet appeared.

"Did you forget the last two nights? You may be carrying my child. Do you think you'll let the Prince's mother marry again?"

"That's... Oh, I may not have it!"

'Since this body hasn't had any children yet, isn't there a greater chance of not having conceived a child?'

But Lyle was resolute.

"Never—I'll make it happen. So stay by my side. Don't think about running away!"

Medea didn't know where this hellish wrath came from.

'Don't you hate me? Then why are you doing this? What's wrong with you?'

"No, this arrangement is good for you too! When you have a girl you like, won't you think of me as a hindrance?"

'You're the girl I like!'

Lyle, who was about to burst out of anger for a moment, grinded his teeth together; knowing he was selfish, but he couldn't let Medea go. It was only a few days, but it seemed that he couldn't live without her anymore.

"To me, you'll be the only woman in my life. So don't say that again."

Pretending to be unaware of Medea, staring at him with disapproval, Lyle added:

"I will be visiting your bed tonight. Get ready and wait."

Then, as if there was nothing more to say, he got up first and left the office.

Medea, who was left alone, was stunned:

'I'm fed up! Do you think I'll just keep doing it with you if you say you want to do it?'