The Rose's Despair
The girl fixed me with hollow eyes. After a long silence, she finally spoke, each word heavy with a pain that must have carved itself into her soul.
“It seems you’re misunderstanding something… Whether you can cure this illness or not is none of my concern.”
In other words:
“I have no intention of being treated.”
Or, more brutally:
“I have no desire to live.”
Was it the life of unrelenting despair that had brought her to this? She had endured a horrific curse. The imperial family—meant to be her shelter—had cast her aside without mercy. Locked inside a palace that might as well have been a cage, completely severed from the outside world, she had spent her days in utter solitude. Only endless agony kept her company. Torn apart from the inside, the girl had endured ten years of neither living nor dying. It was more than enough time to break anyone.
Because that’s how I’ve lived my entire life.
The girl knew nothing of warmth. She had never experienced it. I had suspected as much, but the rot inside the rose ran far deeper than I imagined.
My heart twisted at her pitiful declaration. Yet at the same time, I knew it was a lie.
—Ah, aah…?
—How… it doesn’t hurt. Why… suddenly… I…?
I remembered. Our first meeting. The moment her seizure had miraculously ceased. Even though it had passed like a fleeting mirage, her eyes had shone with crystalline clarity in that instant. Those green pupils had sparkled. They were unmistakably the eyes of someone who wanted to live.
“You’re afraid.”
The claim that she did not want to live was nothing more than a lie. Elise was simply terrified of hope. After countless dawns spent writhing in nightmares and having her fragile expectations shattered, even the faintest spark of hope had worn away to nothing.
I faced the girl’s despair in silence.
“Shut up.”
“Would that truly be enough for you?”
“Don’t speak as if you know me. Just leave me to die quietly.”
“Her Highness Charlotte would be saddened.”
“…….”
The rose’s mouth snapped shut. She looked as though I had struck a nerve. She clearly hadn’t expected me to invoke her sister’s name here. I pressed the advantage without pause.
“Her Highness cares for you a great deal.”
Though she had spent her life trapped in a lonely cage, it wasn’t true that no one stood beside Elise. The young prince had never once given up on her rose. Despite an imperial decree forbidding entry to the detached palace, her affection for her sister ran so deep that she had ignored it outright. Later, she had even scoured the empire for a cure, wandering in search of any possible remedy. Knowing the depth of that devotion, Elise could not help but remain conscious of her sister—no matter how coldly she usually behaved.
She’s the only ally she has, after all.
It wasn’t that she genuinely hated her. Before her personality had twisted into its current shape, records showed she had once followed her sister faithfully. It was difficult to believe the rose truly despised her. She was probably rejecting the idea for some other reason.
“……Why are you suddenly bringing her up?”
Elise spoke with furrowed brows. Though she tried to sound indifferent, her voice carried an unconscious sharpness.
“I merely voiced my concern.”
The rose had raised all her thorns. To tear down such a solid wall, this kind of provocation was necessary. I slipped quietly through the crack I had made.
“What will you do if she truly leaves you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m speaking of Her Highness Charlotte. Has she not already sacrificed so much for you? Yet after all that effort, you claim you’ve even abandoned the will to live. I cannot help but worry that her heart will eventually grow weary and she will leave.”
“That’s exactly what I want. I don’t need such a bothersome person.”
“Do you truly mean that?”
I offered a light smile. It was laced with bitterness—a blatant form of mockery.
“If that happens, there truly will be no one left by your side.”
Exactly as I said. If even the young prince abandoned her, nothing would remain in this lonely star. Only one shabby rose would be left behind.
Even Tanya, who currently attended Elise, had been personally assigned by Charlotte. If she left, the likelihood that Tanya would depart with her was high. In that case, no one would ever set foot here again.
“Is that truly the ending you desire?”
“……Yes.”
The answer came after a noticeable delay. In the end, the girl refused to bend her will, yet her green eyes were trembling. I poured fuel onto that wavering emotion.
“I understand. I will report this matter directly to Her Highness Charlotte. I will respect your wishes and persuade her to the best of my ability.”
“Persuade…?”
“To ensure she no longer seeks you out. She will likely comply if I frame it as necessary for your treatment.”
I was not joking. Since she had declared she would follow my opinion completely, mentioning treatment would make her grant the request without hesitation. In this way, I possessed the means to isolate the rose completely.
“Think it over.”
Of course, I had no actual intention of tormenting her like that, but I spoke as though I were driving her into a corner. Anything less and she would not even blink. I smiled faintly and lifted my head. The slender wrist was already wrapped in fresh bandages.
“The ointment has been fully applied. Touching it carelessly may worsen the wound, so please endure it for at least one night.”
“…….”
“I will take my leave now.”
The red-haired girl lay motionless. I left behind the heavy silence and stepped out of the room, my thoughts tangled like thorns. Even then, Elise did not speak.
When I finished the examination and left the room, the world beyond the windows had already surrendered completely to night. I walked for a time through the darkness-drenched corridor. The unusually cold air brushed past me like a quiet breeze. Lost in thought, I continued until a scene that caught my eye appeared at the end of the hallway—the garden of the detached palace.
Step. Step.
I walked forward with familiar footsteps. For the past several days, once my duties were finished, I had taken these light evening strolls. They were the perfect way to clear a cluttered mind.
Another day has passed.
I slowly crossed over the grass. The garden felt somewhat plain for a princess’s residence, yet its very lack of ostentation gave it a quiet beauty. Every time blades of grass brushed my legs, they released a soft rustling sound. The living sanctuary where all manner of plants tangled freely seemed to breathe beneath the tranquil moonlight.
Rustle. Rustle.
“Haa… I hope it works out.”
I let out a complicated sigh. The thoughts circling in my head were, of course, about the rose I had left alone in her room. I took another step while reviewing the plans I would carry out going forward. As I sank once more into my thoughts, a sudden wind tangled my hair. Without thinking, I looked up at the sky.
“…….”
A jet-black canvas. Across its vast expanse, countless sparkling dots were embedded like jewels. As I stared at the unusually brilliant stars tonight, a voice I had buried deep in memory rose to color my ears.
It was a memory that had long since rusted over.
“Oppa! I want to make a wish on the stars too!”
How pathetic of me. To still remember and cherish a moment from at least five years ago.
The old memory burned like a single cigarette. Just as I exhaled a sigh instead of smoke between my lips—
Step.
“……?”
An unfamiliar presence touched my senses. When I turned, I saw a man entering the garden. He glanced around briefly before walking straight toward me. Our eyes had already met; now they examined each other openly.
Access to the detached palace is supposed to be strictly controlled.
This was a secret the Emperor himself had sealed. As the residence of the rose princess, it was not a place ordinary people could enter. Yet the man strode forward with absolute confidence.
Looking at his moderately wrinkled face, several distinctive features stood out. He appeared to be well into middle age.
That man… it can’t be.
Blue eyes that seemed to flicker with inner light. Platinum-blond hair that immediately brought someone to mind. The dignity that radiated from every step, the aura that remained utterly unshaken even in darkness. And finally, the imperial crest embroidered on his clothing.
Putting the clues together, I immediately dropped to one knee. The motion was impeccably courteous.
Thud.
The man’s steps halted before me. I kept my head bowed and offered a proper greeting, my voice filled with gravity.
“I greet the Empire’s exalted sun.”
The man known as the exalted sun gave a slight nod.
“Hm.”
Valcaros Lantana von Staufen.
The biological father of the princesses and the master of this empire stood before me.
What the hell.
Why had this man suddenly appeared here?