As they left the Iron
King’s palace, Sienna spoke.
"Shall we walk for a
bit?"
Kuhn smiled and replied, "Anytime."
The two walked deeper into
the garden in silence. Kuhn, sensing the complexity of her emotions, refrained
from offering comfort. His own feelings were all over the place, so he could
only imagine how unsettled she must be.
Sienna, however, was lost
in thoughts slightly different from what Kuhn assumed. The shame she felt over
her grandfather’s pettiness paled in comparison to the heavy responsibility
weighing on her.
‘When someone small-minded
takes the throne, many people suffer.’
Jealousy and envy toward
those greater than oneself aren’t sins in themselves. But a ruler who can’t
control their own darkness makes a fatal mistake.
‘The lessons in statecraft
that I studied were hollow. That’s why I failed in my dreams. I only admired
the light of the throne and was completely blind to its shadows.’
A glint of determination
appeared in Sienna’s eyes.
‘If only I get the
chance...’
A powerful gust of wind
surged within her chest, stirring the pieces of emotions she had been trying so
hard to suppress. Those emotions, once held back, rose all at once, melding
together and writhing with heat.
She was confident she
wouldn't repeat the mistakes of her failure in the dream. The path to being a
rightful ruler was now faintly visible. She could do it—better than anyone!
Her tightly clenched fists
slowly relaxed. She realized she still hadn't fully mastered her own heart.
‘Thinking I'm the right one
for the job… that’s how chaos begins, isn't it?’
If she chose to fight
against the Iron King, this time, one of them might have to die for it to end.
Would a throne drenched in blood truly be glorious?
‘Stepping aside is the
right choice.’
The Iron King would reclaim
the position that was always rightfully his. It hadn’t been taken away from
him. As Sienna worked to rid herself of her lingering attachment, she asked
Kuhn:
"Earlier, what were
you about to say to the Iron King? You mentioned two possibilities."
"Either he’ll reveal
his connection with Dian soon, or he’ll drag it out for a long time."
"What’s the
difference?"
"If he does it soon,
his entire goal is likely just to restore Dian’s place in the line of
succession. If he delays, it’s probably to secure power for himself."
"Not for the Iron
King’s sake?"
"Of course, that would
be the official reason."
A small smirk tugged at one
corner of Kuhn’s lips. He had seen plenty of people like Jeffrey Acheron—those
who cloaked their personal ambitions under noble pretenses, only to ultimately
satisfy their own greed.
"In the end, it’s for
himself."
"What's your
prediction? The first option, or the second?"
"The second."
Kuhn’s answer came without
hesitation.
"I see..."
Sienna realized that now Dian
was caught in the same web that had ensnared her in the future from her dreams.
If the Iron King became
emperor, Jeffrey Acheron would take Patricia’s place in that future. The Iron
King would have to decide whether to keep Jeffrey close or cast him aside.
‘I hope the Iron King makes
the right choice...’
"What about you and
the Iron King? What have you decided?"
"It’s over."
"Over?"
"Just what I said.
There’s nothing more to give or take between us."
Sienna stopped walking, her
face showing her surprise as she called out to him.
"Kuhn."
"I told you this would
happen."
Sienna hadn’t truly
believed that their alliance was over. The two men she had seen earlier seemed
unchanged.
"But considering all
you've done for him so far, if the Iron King becomes emperor—"
"It doesn’t matter.
It’s all back to square one. That’s how we agreed to leave it."
"Is it really that
simple?"
The future had changed
again. Would his people not get the land they needed? Would Blackrock Fortress
not become the capital of a duchy?
"Why are you being so
stubborn? You said it yourself—you can still support the Iron King. You’re
about to achieve what you've wanted all this time, and now you’re going to give
it up?"
"Sienna. I can’t
guarantee I’ll get the settlement I’ve been hoping for. It’s not that I don’t
trust Dian, it’s just that nothing in this world ever goes according to
plan."
"No. I know you would
have gotten what you wanted."
She knew because she had
seen the future. It upset her. Sienna spun around sharply and began walking
quickly, ignoring the voice calling after her. But she didn’t get far before
she was caught. Kuhn’s arm wrapped around her waist as he hugged her from
behind.
"Sienna."
"I never wanted you to
sacrifice yourself."
"It’s not a
sacrifice."
She stubbornly remained
silent. Kuhn chuckled quietly. He enjoyed the fact that, from time to time, she
revealed her emotions like an ordinary person—and that he was the one who could
draw those emotions out of her.
"Sienna, if… if the Iron
King becomes emperor, could I stay by your side?"
"...Yes."
"That’s all I
need."
The situation was working
in Dian’s favor. If Dian’s place in the line of succession was restored,
barring any major disruptions, the next emperor would be the Iron King.
Alternatively, the current emperor could remain on the throne for at least
another ten years. That wouldn’t be so bad either.
But Kuhn could never be
certain. There were too many variables in life.
‘If the Silver King becomes
emperor, you won’t be able to marry her.’
Dian's words continued
to haunt Kuhn, creeping into his thoughts at all hours, tormenting him. His
grip tightened around her as if afraid to let go.
Could he truly let go
of this hand? Could he live the rest of his life without her? He squeezed his
eyes shut, a sharp pain twisting his gut.
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