The frosty winter wind blew mercilessly. The air was cool, and the cold wind seemed to pierce right through. As unimportant as the weather was outside, so did everything inside the princess turn cold. Remesis ran through the corridors of the northern castle as fast as she could.

  Her breathing was ragged, and she hadn't even had time to tidy herself up after sleeping, having run out of her room immediately upon receiving the news. Many servants looked at the girl in surprise, not even having time to greet her properly.

  "Phew-ff, phew-ff..."

  The stairs leading to the tower wing where the master's room was located were just around the next corner. Not allowing herself time to pause, Remesis also quickly ran up the stairs. However, at that very moment, she suddenly saw a person she hadn't expected to meet here at all.

  "What are you doing here?"

  "...Wife."

  Remesis couldn't have imagined that Asil would actually come here. The woman stood by the door and seemed to be waiting precisely for Remesis, because she knew that she would come here. Hesitating for a moment, Remesis stepped closer.

  "I heard that the master is unwell," the princess of the northern fortress spoke, "I should have visited him after my return. And... I also knew that you would be here."

  Despite these words, Remesis was silent for a while.

  "Your Highness, you..."

  "It's alright. Let's just go there together."

  Although Remesis hadn't counted on anyone keeping her company during her visit to the master, and certainly not that it would be Asil, there was no extra time to think about this now. First of all, the girl needed to check his condition. Remesis's heart was still beating anxiously.

  "Alright..." After hesitating, the Princess Consort nodded.

  Soon the closed door swung open, and the sight that opened before Remesis made her heart clench even more.

  Luven Iter looked even thinner and more emaciated than a month ago. The old man's wrinkled face looked tired. And his long white beard and wisps of gray hair at his temples had become even sparser. The man's eyes were closed, and it seemed he was fast asleep. But as soon as the faint noise of the guests reached the old man, his gray eyes opened.

  "Your Highness, you've come."

  Remesis took a step forward. Her face paled with worry. Her blue eyes automatically fixed on the face of the old man, who, despite all the pain he was now experiencing, still smiled gently at her, as always.

  The Princess of the North involuntarily swallowed the lump in her throat.

  Asil remained standing behind her, moving aside and leaning her back against the wall. Remesis was the first to approach the master's bedside and stop beside it. Then, unable to bear it, her legs gave way, and she fell to her knees, taking the master's weakened palm in hers.

  "My health is deteriorating," the old man uttered.

  "Master..."

  Luven shook his head.

  "Your Highness, I think... That I really will die soon."

  "No, that's not true," Remesis objected as if begging the old man to refute his own words.

  The master of the northern castle stared at her, forcing a smile:

  "You shouldn't be sad, child. Everyone dies sooner or later."

  "Everyone, but not you."

  "I haven't been young for a long time. This day was bound to come sooner or later."

  Luven spoke of his death as if he had long since accepted it himself. But Remesis kept denying it, even though the truth was right before her eyes. Today, the master had again been visited by the best healer that could be found in the northern lands. His prognosis was far from encouraging. Luven could no longer eat or swallow on his own. Moreover, for the past month, the master had been in a state of high fever, to the point where he sometimes vomited blood.

  Of course, with his condition, it was clear that the old man wouldn't last long. In fact, it was a miracle that Luven Iter's body was still alive.

  "I'm sorry to show you what you wouldn't want to see, Princess. The medicines don't help me, and I sleep poorly at night. That's why I can't even look at you properly."

  "If the medicine can't affect you properly, I will continue to search for another until I finally find it."

  Luven Iter sighed. His chest rose and fell heavily.

  "Is it worth it?"

  "Master..." Remesis called out to him desperately and squeezed his bony, pale palm tighter.

  "Your Highness. I know better than anyone how much this body can endure."

  "…"

  The master of the northern castle would soon die. This was so obvious that all the healers Remesis had invited to the castle one after another over the past six months told her the same thing. None of them could help Luven. All they could do was ease his pain with medicine. But lately, even that had stopped helping. Nevertheless, Remesis kept fighting stubbornly, even when it seemed there was no hope left.

  In the end, just as in her past life, everything repeated itself.

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  "Is this what is called a fate that one must simply accept?"

  In her past life, Remesis had suffered greatly due to the loss of a person dear to her. She blamed herself for not paying enough attention to Master Luven's condition, and because of that, she lost him. Therefore, in this life, even knowing that she was far from omnipotent, the girl tried to do everything possible to prevent this.

  Remesis insisted that the old man get regular health check-ups as soon as they had the opportunity. In addition, Remesis made sure that the master did not spend too much time in the cold northern winds and mostly remained in the castle. Remesis truly did everything possible to avoid the master's possible illness.

  At least, she hoped that she could extend his life for at least a few more years. But, ironically, all her efforts were in vain.

  Luven Iter, being a rather freedom-loving person, could not bear the long confinement within the castle walls. It seemed to him that Remesis worried too much about his condition, and her anxieties were in vain.

  Therefore, one day, without telling anyone, Luven left the castle to take a little walk in the surroundings. The old man just wanted to breathe some fresh air. But the result... As expected, the master's short walk ended in a cold.

  It was a common ailment caused by hypothermia, which any other person could easily have handled on their own. But due to Luven's advanced age, even this trivial indisposition did not remain without consequences.

  Luven Iter's illness progressed quite rapidly and spread to his lungs, and with each month, the old man's condition worsened. Nevertheless, despite his illness, the old man stubbornly refused to observe bed rest and continued working for the benefit of Fortress Nord until the very limit.

  In the end, in the last few months, he could no longer perform his duties as before and became bedridden. Remesis was busy with her duties as the mistress of the castle, but despite this, she found every free minute to visit Master Luven. And now, looking at him, her heart was breaking.

  "Princess. Haven't we known each other for over ten years?"

  "Yes. Time flies so fast."

  "Actually, I was really worried. Knowing that sooner or later I would go first, I was afraid that I would have to leave you here alone. But... Now, seeing that you have a reliable support even after my death, I remain at peace."

  The gaze of the old man's faded gray eyes shifted behind Remesis's back. A faint smile flickered on his lips. Luven felt immense relief: at least the girl, whom he had come to treat as his own granddaughter, would still have solid ground under her feet, having a person like the princess by her side. When their gazes met, Asil said nothing, and Remesis continued to sniffle.

  "At peace?" she asked with a sob. "How can you be at peace if you still haven't fulfilled the promise you made to me? You said that when you got better, we would go south together, to your ancestors' homeland. I, by the way, am still waiting for that."

  "Oh, that."

  The girl's words caught Luven off guard.

  "Is the master of Fortress Nord going to go back on his own words?"

  Hearing her accusation, Luven Iter smiled and shook his head.

  "No, of course, I will definitely keep my word."

  "Then are you going to fulfill this promise?" Remesis pressed.

  "…"

  Luven Iter, looking at the Princess Consort of the castle, remained silent for some time. There was an indefinite expression on his face. Finally, the old man said:

  "...Alright. I will do everything possible to keep this promise to you, Your Highness."

  "You need to remember well what you just said here."

  Immersed in the silence that reigned in the room for a while, Remesis tried to restrain her emotions and not cry. At that moment...

  "Wife."

  Hearing the quiet call, Remesis looked back.

  Standing behind her, Asil carefully slid her hand under her armpits and supported her to help her up.

  "You've been standing like this for quite a while. Your knees must be hurting." "No, I'm fine..."

  Remesis shook her head.

  "Wife," the princess's voice sounded more firm, "Stand up for now."

  "…"

  Hesitating for a moment, Remesis nevertheless listened to her and slowly straightened up. Her blue eyes were still clouded. She couldn't think clearly even after meeting the princess's gaze. Asil was still supporting Remesis's back with both hands, as if afraid that her legs might not hold her.

  Asil quietly whispered in her ear:

  "Wife. Go rest a bit. I'll stay with the master instead of you."

  "...What?"

  Remesis released the hand that had been holding the princess and lifted her gaze. The girl's eyes blinked in confusion when she heard this.

  "You can trust me with this."

  "...Your Highness."

  Remesis hesitated and at that moment shifted her gaze to Master Luven. She had conflicting feelings about leaving these two alone. But Luven Iter also said to her:

  "I'm tired. I think I need to rest."

  Thanks to the master's firm remark, Remesis asked no more questions. In the end, she hesitantly nodded.

  Tightly squeezing the old man's palm, she said goodbye to him. Remesis could no longer disturb a sick person.

  "I'll come back tomorrow. Please rest, Master."

  In response to these words, Luven Iter merely smiled. Remesis stared at him anxiously, then took a step back, leaving. In the end, Remesis had no choice but to leave the room. The door closed behind her with a dull creak. The sound of Remesis's footsteps began to fade.

  The princess and the master of the northern fortress remained alone in the bedchamber. Clearing his throat, the old man said:

  "Your Highness, unfortunately, I cannot greet you properly, as I cannot even sit up now.

  Please forgive me for my rudeness."

  "What courtesy can I expect from a sick person?"

  Asil chuckled softly. She pulled up a chair standing against the wall and sat down beside the old man's bed, in the very place where Remesis had been kneeling until recently. "Your Highness, I am grateful to you for personally coming to visit this servant."

  "Although we are not close, are you not the master of this castle? Besides, you are my wife's confidant. It's only natural that I should have visited you when you are in such a state."

  "...Is that so."

  Luven smiled wanly at these words.

  "The moment I saw you... I understood everything."

  Instead of finishing the phrase, Luven Iter exhaled heavily. Red blood gushed from his mouth along with a dry cough. Asil silently watched what was happening and did not rush to offer the old man her help.

  "...You really resemble the previous Emperor. Every time I look at you, I remember him," the old man said, as soon as he finished coughing after a while.

  "…"

  Luven was shocked. It was because of the princess, who suddenly burst out laughing. Asil laughed. She laughed loudly, as if she had heard something absurd. The master had never seen the northern devil laugh like that before. It was somewhat reminiscent of madness.

  "Actually, I've been thinking about it for a long time."

  "What...?"

  "You are probably the only person I can tell this to. And since you are now on the threshold of death..." the woman muttered, shifting her gaze to the old man's face. Despite his emaciated state, he still shuddered because of that look.

  "Master, I... will tell you a secret."

  "A secret...?"

  "Yes. If the master permits."

  In the end, Luven had no choice but to hesitantly nod.

  Asil leaned forward. Then she slowly whispered something in the man's ear.

  "…"

  The gazes of a pair of stunned gray eyes and extraordinary amber eyes met in the room. The next moment, Master Luven clutched his chest, which suddenly became even heavier than before. He felt he was suffocating, as the unbearable pain continued to intensify. The face of the princess, who continued to watch the dying old man, reflected no particular emotion.

  As his last wish, Luven Iter was going to ask the princess to take care of Remesis after his passing. But now these very words suddenly became completely meaningless and stuck in his throat.

  At that very moment, the master of the northern castle regretted for the first time so deeply that he had so little time left. For if only he had known who he was leaving his granddaughter to, he would have continued to cling to his pitiful life with all his might, but unfortunately, the gods had not given him a single chance.

  The man desperately grasped at the air with his hand, but it was all useless.

  "K-khaa...!"

  The end.

  Luven Iter went limp on his bed and moved no more. His hand, which had been reaching upward all this time, fell helplessly. The master looked as if he were fast asleep.

  Asil Nara Ashelot quietly approached him and closed the old man's wide-open eyelids with her palm.