Chapter 122
The training courtyard had long fallen silent.
Only the distant sound of the winter wind remained.
Princess Flora walked slowly through Frostgard's quiet corridors.
Vendetta stopped outside her chamber.
"...Rest well, Your Highness."
Flora offered a small nod.
"...Thank you."
The door closed gently behind her.
Click.
Silence.
---
The room was warm.
The fireplace crackled softly.
Moonlight drifted through the crystal windows, painting pale silver across the floor.
Flora quietly removed her cloak.
Her sword rested against the wall beside her bed.
She sat down.
Then slowly...
Lowered herself onto the mattress.
"..."
For the first time since arriving in Frostgard...
She allowed herself to simply breathe.
The exhaustion from weeks of traveling weighed heavily on her body.
She closed her eyes.
Just for a moment.
...
A knock echoed in her memory.
"Who is it?"
The door slowly opened.
John stood there.
She remembered the way her eyebrows had immediately drawn together.
"John?"
"What are you doing here at this time?"
"And who gave you permission to enter the palace?"
John had scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"I'm sorry... really, I'm sorry."
"I broke in."
She had stared at him in disbelief.
"You... what?"
"You broke in?"
"Why would you do something like that?"
He had smiled so innocently that it almost made her angry.
"That part isn't important."
"I heard about the wedding..."
"I thought you might be training tonight."
"So... maybe you'd need someone."
...
Flora slowly opened her eyes.
A faint smile escaped before she noticed it.
"...Idiot."
The smile lingered for only a heartbeat.
Then disappeared.
She turned onto her side.
Facing the balcony.
Moonlight spilled through the open curtains.
The cold wind gently moved them.
Her eyes remained fixed there.
...
Another memory surfaced.
The balcony.
A rope descending from above.
A figure hanging upside down.
"Who...?"
"It's me."
John slowly removed his mask.
"Tomorrow is your wedding."
She remembered every word.
"I wasn't planning to come."
"But every time I tried to ignore it..."
"I kept thinking about you."
Her heartbeat had become impossible to control.
Then...
"Do you remember the first time we met?"
"I remember."
"That night..."
"I thought you were the most beautiful and most interesting person I had ever seen."
She could still remember how warm her face had become.
"What did you just say?"
John had smiled.
"I still do."
...
Flora instinctively touched her own cheek.
Even now...
It still felt warm remembering it.
She quickly lowered her hand.
"..."
Why...
Why did those words still affect her?
She closed her eyes tightly.
As if trying to force the memories away.
But they refused to disappear.
Instead—
Another memory came.
Different.
Far colder.
The battlefield.
Smoke.
Blood.
Ash.
A mask falling onto broken stone.
She remembered pulling it away.
And seeing...
John.
His face.
His eyes.
His silence.
"John..."
No answer.
"Look at me."
Nothing.
"Say something."
Nothing.
"You stood beside me..."
"You looked at me like I mattered..."
"Was that also part of it?"
Silence.
Then—
"WHY DID YOU DO IT?!"
Steel collided.
Again.
Again.
Again.
And finally—
"One day..."
"You'll understand."
...
Flora's eyes opened immediately.
The warmth inside the room vanished.
Her smile was gone.
Completely.
She slowly sat up on the bed.
"...Understand?"
Her voice barely rose above a whisper.
She looked toward the ceiling.
Lost in thought.
"If..."
"...if you truly betrayed us..."
Her fingers slowly tightened around the blanket.
"...then why..."
Images flashed through her mind.
John standing in front of her.
Taking the explosion instead.
Holding her beneath the ocean.
Refusing to let go of her hand.
Again...
And again...
Risking his own life.
"...Why did you save me?"
Silence answered.
She lowered her gaze.
"...Which one was real?"
"The man who smiled at me..."
"...or the man who stood against me?"
The fire continued to crackle softly.
Outside...
Snow fell endlessly over Frostgard.
Inside...
Princess Flora remained awake.
Searching for an answer...
Only one person in the world could give.
And he was nowhere to be found.
Morning arrived quietly over Frostgard.
Soft snow drifted from the gray sky, covering the palace gardens in a fresh layer of white.
Inside the royal palace...
The halls were already alive.
Servants moved silently through the crystal corridors, carrying trays of warm tea and neatly folded documents. Despite the activity, the palace remained almost unnaturally quiet.
---
Princess Flora stepped out of her chamber.
Waiting outside stood Vendetta.
She lowered her head respectfully.
"Good morning, Your Highness."
Flora returned the greeting with a gentle smile.
"Good morning, Lady Vendetta."
"The others have already awakened."
"Our Lord is expecting everyone."
Flora nodded.
"Then let us not keep him waiting."
The two began walking through the palace.
---
As they reached the central corridor—
Marco was already waiting.
Captain Bochy stood beside him with his arms folded.
Esabell quietly greeted Flora with a smile.
A moment later—
Chris appeared from another hallway.
He looked... strangely tense.
"...Morning."
Marco raised an eyebrow.
"You look exhausted."
Chris forced a laugh.
"I slept fine."
Captain Bochy glanced at him.
"You look like you fought a war with your blanket."
"...Thanks."
Chris muttered.
Before anyone could continue—
Another pair of footsteps echoed through the corridor.
Guinevere.
She walked toward them with her usual calm expression.
The moment Chris noticed her—
He immediately looked somewhere else.
"..."
Guinevere noticed.
She said nothing.
Instead...
The smallest smile appeared on her lips.
Interesting...
---
Vendetta led everyone forward.
"His Majesty is waiting."
The group continued through the palace together.
Chris intentionally walked beside Marco.
Very intentionally.
Far away from Guinevere.
Marco frowned.
"...Why are you walking so close?"
Chris immediately stepped away.
"I wasn't."
"...You were."
"I like this side of the hallway."
Marco looked at him strangely.
"...It's the exact same hallway."
Chris coughed awkwardly.
"...Right."
Behind them—
Guinevere watched the entire exchange.
She almost laughed.
Almost.
---
Before long—
Excited voices echoed from around the corner.
"Lior!"
"Come back!"
"I'm not running!"
"You are absolutely running!"
Two small boys rushed into the corridor.
Flora immediately recognized them.
The Crown Princes.
Lior stopped in front of the group.
"Oh."
"It's you."
Lucien quickly bowed.
"Good morning, Your Highness."
Flora smiled warmly.
"Good morning."
Before anyone else could speak—
Several palace maids finally caught up.
"There you are!"
"We've been looking everywhere!"
Lior sighed dramatically.
"I wasn't hiding."
"You were hiding."
"I was exploring."
"Inside the palace?"
"...Maybe."
Lucien covered his face.
"...Sorry."
Vendetta calmly stepped forward.
"You may stop searching."
The maids blinked.
"My Lady?"
"They'll be joining us."
Lior immediately grinned.
"I knew Grandfather wanted us."
Lucien simply nodded.
---
Flora looked toward Vendetta.
"...They'll be attending the meeting?"
"Yes."
Flora tilted her head slightly.
"...May I ask why?"
Vendetta smiled faintly.
"There are certain things..."
"...that His Majesty wishes to explain himself."
She looked briefly toward the twins.
"And those explanations concern them as well."
Flora became even more curious.
"...I understand."
Vendetta continued walking.
Soon...
The enormous doors leading toward the royal audience wing came into view.
Vendetta stopped before them.
"Our Lord is waiting beyond these halls."
She gently pushed the doors open.
One by one—
Everyone stepped inside.
Marco entered first.
Captain Bochy followed.
Esabell walked beside Lucien.
Lior hurried after them.
Flora entered with Vendetta.
Chris purposely slowed his pace.
Just enough...
To avoid walking beside one particular person.
He exhaled quietly.
Good...
Just keep acting normal...
Then—
A warm breath brushed against his ear.
"...Chris."
"WAAH!"
He nearly jumped out of his boots.
Spinning around—
He found Guinevere standing only inches away.
Her arms were crossed.
One eyebrow raised.
"...Are you avoiding me?"
Chris immediately shook his head.
"N-No!"
"I-I mean..."
"I..."
His brain completely stopped working.
Guinevere watched him struggle.
"...Really?"
"I've just been..."
"...busy."
She glanced around the completely empty hallway.
"...Busy."
"...Right."
Chris scratched the back of his neck.
"...Actually..."
"There was something I wanted to ask."
She waited patiently.
Chris swallowed.
"...That night..."
"The kiss..."
His face became noticeably red.
"I..."
"I was wondering..."
"...Was it..."
"...Was it genuine?"
For several long seconds—
Guinevere simply looked at him.
Without answering.
Chris wanted the floor to swallow him whole.
Why did I ask that?!
Finally—
Guinevere walked past him.
Chris lowered his head.
"...Forget I asked."
She stopped.
Still facing away.
"...I never planned on doing something like that."
Chris slowly looked up.
A small silence followed.
Then—
"...But..."
"...I don't regret it."
His eyes widened.
Guinevere smiled faintly.
"...Besides..."
"I thought you liked me."
Chris blinked.
"...What?"
She looked back over her shoulder.
"Aren't I..."
"...your ideal type?"
Chris froze.
Every word he had ever spoken about her flashed through his mind.
"I..."
"You..."
"I mean..."
Guinevere couldn't hide a small smile anymore.
"...Idiot."
She turned toward the hall again.
"...Come on."
"We're keeping everyone waiting."
She walked away.
Leaving Chris standing there.
Motionless.
"..."
"...No way."
He stared blankly toward the ceiling.
"...She..."
"...She actually..."
A huge grin spread across his face.
"I..."
"I actually have a chance?"
He covered his burning face with both hands.
"...How did I pull someone like her..."
His heart raced.
His legs felt weak.
"...Calm down..."
"...Be normal..."
He confidently took one step forward—
Immediately stumbled over the edge of the carpet.
THUD.
"...Ow."
A nearby palace maid looked at him with concern.
Chris slowly raised a thumb while lying on the floor.
"...I'm fine..."
The maid hurried away.
Chris sighed.
"...Definitely not normal."
Still smiling like a complete fool...
He quickly stood up and ran after the others.
...CHAPTER 122ENDS...