Rakshul's condition quickly deteriorated. His skin became covered with black spots and he couldn't even move because of the fever.

I stayed by his side all day long.

I was sure he'd overcome this. Rakshul couldn't die like this.

If I found Ser, I was sure she could cure his disease. But no matter how much I cried to the necklace, Ser didn't answer me.

"Laontel...l

It had been a long time since he called me by my name.

I put my necklace down and held his hands tightly.

"Rakshul."

"Laontel, thank you for everything."

He couldn't open his eyes properly because of his fever, but there was a smile on his face.

My heart sank. Rakshul was saying goodbye.

I barely managed to smile, squeezing the last bit of strength I had left to smile at him for the final farewell.

"Don't say that!"

"I think I should go now!"

"Where are you going?!"

He stroked my cheeks with his hand.

"I'm sorry. I wanted to be with you all my life. I wanted to grow old together with you. I wanted to share our burdens."

"Then don't go! Stay with me!"

I wailed.

Even though I knew he was bidding me farewell, I couldn't accept it.

"If only I confessed earlier...I would have said I love you so many more times. If we have another life and I meet you again, I'll tell you that everyday."

"You can start now! Tell me that everyday!"

"You have to live happily. Always smile and have fun."

"How can I be happy without you?! Don't die! If you want me to be happy, don't die!"

"Laontel..."

His eyes started to shut.

"No! Rakshul! Open your eyes! Please open your eyes. Don't die! Don't leave me behind!"

I begged him and prayed earnestly, but Rakshul didn't open his eyes.

***

I was in the darkness again.

Tears poured down like a waterfall. I sat down on the spot and cried.

Rakshul was dead. The sorrow seemed to tear my heart open and strike my whole body like lightning.

Even though the events had already passed a thousand years ago, I couldn't stop crying.

I couldn't do anything.

Laontel could only watch helplessly as she lost Rakshul.

But I couldn't keep being sad like this.

If I didn't save Serphania, the curse wouldn't go away.

I couldn't lose him again this time.

I wiped the tears away.

***

Rakshul passed away. The Crown Prince died but there was no proper funeral held for him.

After his death, the plague spread throughout the capital and even to the Emperor who fled the palace.

People kept getting sick and dying.

The whole capital was in chaos, so how would there be time to hold a funeral?

I understood, but I was still sad.

My brothers and I prepared the funeral for Rakshul instead of the Imperial family.

"You shouldn't cry like that at a funeral."

I wanted to let Rakshul go with a smile but tears just wouldn't stop.

I had too many regrets.

'Why didn't I confess earlier? If he didn't deal with the monster, he wouldn't have to become the Crown Prince. If he wasn't the Crown Prince, we wouldn't need to stay in the palace, and he wouldn't have died.'

I stood in the room, seized by despair.

In the meantime, many changes happened in the Empire.

The Emperor's position was empty. Not only did all of the Emperor's children die of the plague, his brothers were all gone too, so we there was no one to choose as the next Emperor.

Suddenly, Phillip appeared.

People cheered him on as he used the Power of Light to treat the plague.

Although he didn't have the black hair that symbolized the Royal family of Zelcan, he was crowned as the new Emperor with the praise of the people.

I didn't attend Phillip's coronation.

The next day, he came to find me.

"Phillip..."

The man who I searched so much for was standing in front of me.

"Long time no see, Laontel. I thought I would see you at the ceremony yesterday, but you didn't come."

"I greet the Emperor."

He was now the Emperor of the Zelcan Empire.

I bowed my head.

"Oh, thank you, but there's no need. Afterall, our relationship is special, isn't it?"

The corners of his mouth raised up in a smile as he spoke. My expression remained stiff.

"Are you mad at me?"

"No, why would I be?"

"I heard Rakshul died."

He said Rakshul's name without any hesitation.

"Yes."

"I went to the Valley of Chaos after I left, so I didn't know that you had been looking for me. I should've come back earlier."

"I see."

The Valley of Chaos was an abandoned place and no one lived there. No wonder I couldn't find him.

"Do you hate me?"

"No..."

I shook my head. I didn't hate Phillip. He only left with his beloved and had now come back home.

And he treated the plague too. He didn't do anything wrong.

"I just resent myself."

But I hated myself for not being able to save Rakshul.

"It's not Laon's fault!"

I looked back, started by the voice.

At that moment, Ser suddenly appeared in my arms.

"Ser..."

"Sorry Laon, I'm sorry. I didn't know that happened to Rakshul. I'm sorry. It's all my fault..."

She burst into tears and cried inconsolably.

They didn't know it at that time.

But I resented Ser and Phillip, for not showing up until the last moment and saving only the people.

Of course I knew it wasn't their fault, but the resentment accumulated over time.

"No, don't' say that."

"I'm sorry Laon. I'm so sorry. Do you hate me? You hate me, don't you? I'm sure you do. I'm so sorry."

"I don't hate you, I'm glad you're back."

"Really?"

"Yes."

But the friend I once knew was different.

***

The Zelcan Empire's name was changed into Asteric Empire. Altar Palace's name was also changed to Tenlarn Palace.

The plague was completely gone and the Empire gradually recovered.

But the peace didn't last very long. Phillip went on to build new palaces, make stone plates and statues honoring his achievement and held royal balls everyday.

Each time, he spent a huge amount of the budget and the commoners had to struggle to bear the huge taxes.

I went to visit Phillip. Rakshul loved this country and wanted to protect it.

It didn't matter if the name changed, but I couldn't see the people suffering.

If Rakshul was alive, this wouldn't have happened.

"How many more royal balls do you plan to hold?"

"Why are you saying that all of a sudden? Don't you think you're being rude to the Emperor of this Empire?"

"Do you know how much has to be collected in taxes every time? The people are starving while you're also taking away all their crops!"

"What?"

His response was lukewarm, as if he couldn't care less.

"A lot of people died because of the plague. There are still a lot of dead bodies strewn around everywhere while you're only making the situation even worse."

"I am the Emperor of this Empire. Why should I care about every single one of those stupid people?"

His attitude left me speechless.

"You've changed haven't you? Or is it that I realized your true colors only now?"

"Watch your words. No matter how close we are, I won't forgive you."

He said to me arrogantly.

My words didn't seem to be getting through to him, but I couldn't back away like this.

"When are you going to announce Ser as the Empress?"

Phillip hid Ser's existence.

He didn't make their marriage public and sent her away to live at a shabby annex.

I protested it to him many times, but he never answered.

"Are you going to start with that again?"

He was saying that again.

"How long are you going to lock Ser in that kind of place? I heard you don't even visit her these days."

"If you're so upset, then take her back with you."

"You...Ser gave everything she had to you!"

Phillip covered his ears when I yelled at him.

"Yes, Ser gave me everything. And now she doesn't have anything left. She lost her power and she has neither wealth nor status. She's just an incompetent woman. Do you think such a person could become the Empress?"

Phillip said it so arrogantly that I was left speechless and almost couldn't find any words to respond.

"...are you crazy?"

"Just accept the reality of the situation."

"Ser lost all of her strength for you! It was all because of you!"

"What's the use of the past anyway? Right now, she isn't fit to be the Empress."

"What? Have you forgotten how you got your position? It was all thanks to the plague! You cured the disease with Ser's power! Thanks to her, you became the Emperor, and yet, you're just going to throw her away?!"

"Be careful with your words."

Phillip said to me coldly.

"You're really crazy. Did you get amnesia?"

"I told you to be polite."

"Ha."

I snorted at him.

At that moment, Phillip grabbed my wrist.

"Get your hands off me! What is this?!"

I screamed in shock but he didn't let go.

"I've decided who will be my Empress."