Everyone’s eyes filled with anguish and distrust turned to Fabian at once.

“Sacred relic? All of a sudden....”

“It’s a secret relic of the Imperial family ever since the Empire was founded. There’s a lot of stuff that you don’t know.”

The sad thing was, Evelyn couldn’t refute that statement. She bit her lip in regret. If she knew it would be turned like this, she should have run away faster.

“Did you forget your marriage vows?”

Evelyn had no idea what Fabian meant. Their love’s promise and eternity to the God of marriage had already broken.

“You vowed that you would become a member of the Imperial family and follow the Silence Stone and the Dark Sword.”

Evelyn remembered that sentence. However, she thought it was a symbolic sentence that was part of a long oath. The Dark Sword was a sword belonging to the first Emperor and passed down to Emperors from generation to generation. But she never heard about the Silent Stone.

“It has been known for a long time so that you can tell me here.”

It was something Fabian didn’t want to reveal. But what he couldn’t help it, since it was Evelyn’s own choice.

“The Silence Stone is a relic of the Imperial family. When blood is dropped on the stone, the blood of the Imperial family will seep into it without a trace, and if it’s not, the blood will flow on the surface and fall to the floor.”

“....Are you telling me to believe in something I hear for the first time?” Evelyn’s voice trembled. How and why such a thing could exist? Deep in her head, she believed that it was possible within the Imperial Family. But, Evelyn didn’t want to admit it.

“That’s why I said I’ll show you. If you return to the Imperial family and summon the five elders, they will show this in front of you. And then you will realize how foolish you are to think you can hide something like this.”

Fabian turned his attention to Arthur.

“This is a fact, and there is nothing the King can do. When it’s proven, and I’m wrong, I will return the Prince. Of course, I’m going to apologize in person too. But if it’s the other way round....”

It was like a warning to Evelyn.

“The Felice Royal family will be charged with treason for hiding the Imperial’s successor.”

It was the worst sentence. Fabian then looked back at Evelyn.

“Don’t think I’m cruel. It’s you who forced me to prove it.”

Fabian already gave her a chance.

It was an opportunity for Evelyn to admit the truth and explain her actions. Evelyn, however, denied the fact, saying it was a false suspicion until the last moment. Even though he was willing to cover up the past, Fabian wanted to do his utmost.

“There’s no other way now. The Silent Stone only can be opened by five elders, and as long as they become witnesses, this fact cannot be kept secret.”

It was the same for Fabian, the Emperor. Even he didn’t expect to use this method. But the fact that there was no other way he could do it made him very frustrated.

First of all, the elders would try to punish Evelyn for hiding this. The crimes of breaking the Imperial marriage vows and hiding a successor were more severe than treason.

“I will leave tonight. Whether the Princess will accompany the Prince or not, let yourself decide it.”

Fabian felt a sudden surge of fatigue because he didn’t want to do this.

“Leave the Duke. You may leave the King and the Queen, too. Don’t you want to find out if what I said is true?”

Fabian accurately penetrated the psychology of others. As he said, without refuting, Liam immediately left his seat.

“It’s okay if you guys still want to try other ways ..” Fabian addressed those words to Arthur and Evelyn. “I’m going to wait here until sunset.”

Fabian looked into Evelyn’s eyes one more time and presented the choices to her.

This was the best kind of generosity he could give.

---

As soon as Evelyn returned to her residence, she lost her balance and staggered.

Evelyn felt stress that she would lose her mind now, but she couldn’t. She tried to find another way. But there wasn’t enough time, and Fabian was clever.

“Evelyn, both the Duke and your father, are looking for away.”

Now, she couldn’t even hear Miriam’s comfort at all.

“No .... I was stupid.” Evelyn said, shaking her voice. “I forgot who he was for a moment. He’s not someone you can lie to with such an excuse ...”

She thought that Fabian’s weakened appearance for a while was a change. But that was a mistake.

“Maybe the silent stone exists. I don’t know if it’s in the form of a stone, but His Majesty’s eyes were true.”

Evelyn thought that she was ready for everything at that moment. She said goodbye to Fabian as she realized that there was life in her stomach. And when she decided to give birth to Adrian and raise him as her brother, she was determined to risk her life.

“Your Majesty is right.... I was stupid. I was terrified of losing my happiness. That’s what blindfolded me. I was happy like a dream .. I got drunk.”

And now her decision led her family to treason. The Felice royal family was considered as a traitor.

“It’s not your fault, Evelyn.”

“It’s my fault. I was the only one who knew who he was! And how cruel the Imperial family is!”

Unbearable regret overtook her.

“If I wanted to protect Adrian, I had to leave. Your Majesty was interested in him because of me! Why I believe my dreams would never break?”

Tears rolled down Evelyn’s cheeks. She decided she would never regret it again, but it was hard to accept that Evelyn couldn’t avoid the tragedy even after getting a second chance.

“Evelyn, wake up. Even though it’s not better than the Empire, we are also a Royal family. Even now...”

Evelyn, who already knew what Miriam said, shook her head. It meant that they wanted her to run away with Adrian, no matter what.

“I can’t do that.”

“Evelyn, you have to give up something now! We’re fine. No matter how much treason we commit, our family won’t be destroyed right away.”

“Will Your Majesty forgive me for that? No, little by little, he’ll take everything away and make me die.”

It wasn’t hard to imagine. Fabian wouldn’t hesitate just like he did when Evelyn died in her previous life, with his indifferent look.

“But until when, how far can you run away..?”

Evelyn’s tears continued to flow.

After returning to twenty, she was a fool who believed that she had escaped from a cruel fate when she asked for a divorce.

“I would be a sinner to Felice Family and His Majesty. But what about Adrian? Does that child have to live as a fugitive for life?

What Evelyn wanted the most was Adrian’s happiness.

It was better to let him grow up in the imperial family than to let him lived in danger and fear every day without being able to do something.

“More than anything, many people will be sacrificed because of my selfish choices.”

When threats came to the Royal family, it was almost sure that people who had nothing would lose their homes. The same thing would also happen to the Duke of Akshire, who had once helped the Felice Kingdom.

“Is it all right to pass on such a sin to a child who doesn’t know anything yet?”

Adrian was innocent. But what would Evelyn tell him when he grew up and learned that his existence in this world had caused many misfortunes?

“I can’t stand it. Adrian shouldn’t sacrifice himself.”

Evelyn was right.

“Because you’re his mother, you can do that. But what about me?” Miriam held Evelyn’s hand tightly. “We love Adrian, too. But before that, my child is you. I’m your mother, and I can’t see you become a sinner.”

It was a heartbreaking remark. Evelyn was also a mother, so she hurt even more because she knew her mother’s heart.

“I beg you..Whatever choice you make.... you have to be the first.” Miriam pleaded with her, “Promise me. You will put yourself first, above all else.”

There was sadness in Evelyn’s eyes, “You know that I can’t do that.”

For her daughter Evelyn, Miriam had forgotten herself. It’s no different from Evelyn. But Miriam knew that she couldn’t stop her daughter.

“I’m sorry.” Evelyn wiped the tears on her cheeks. “I must meet His Majesty...”

“Do you have any thoughts?”

“I don’t know. But we still have to meet.”

Seeing Evelyn’s determined eyes, Miriam nodded reluctantly and said nothing. The only person who could solve this problem was Evelyn, the party concerned.

Even if Adrian was taken away like this, Evelyn had to bring him herself.

“My father, please tell him not to try anything. You should stop him.”

Arthur was a warrior, brave enough to be called the golden lion on the battlefield when he was young. Even though he was old now, the flames in his heart had never died. In the worst-case scenario, the war would happen in this Kingdom.

“I don’t want to erase the light of Adrian’s innocent life,” said Evelyn. No one should die in Adrian’s name. A child who didn’t know anything couldn’t be a sinner.

“The same is true with Akshire. I don’t want reckless sacrifices.”

“You’re asking me a very difficult request.”

“I’m sorry. I always cause trouble.”

Miriam wiped away Evelyn’s tears, “All children are like that. No matter how old you are, you’re our child. So you don’t have to be sorry.”

“The only thing parents can’t forgive is that their children go wrong first. Anything else is fine. No matter what you do.. But, I can never forgive myself for that.”

Evelyn couldn’t answer.

It seemed like her heart hurt so much if she made a promise that she couldn’t keep.

So, Evelyn couldn’t promise anything.

---

Fabian greeted Evelyn calmly, as though expecting her arrival. He was looking forward to a time like this to come.historical

“Have you changed your mind?”

Evelyn didn’t answer.

Fabian couldn’t help but feel guilty for a moment as he looked at her eyes, “Ha..I don’t want to make you sad.” He made an honest statement to her.

“What I want to do is vice versa.”

Fabian walked slowly, standing in front of Evelyn. There was no cold and gloomy atmosphere like before. There was a sense of warmth in his dark eyes that stared at Evelyn’s.

“Whatever excuse you make, I’ll accept it.” Fabian continued to speak at Evelyn, who kept her mouth shut.

“I came here with that determination from the very beginning. I won’t ask you why, and how did you hide it? I won’t ask anything like that until the day I die.”

How did a husband feel when his wife left him with his child in her arms? But Fabian said that he was willing to cover everything.

“You just have to go back with me.”

After that night, it was the only wish that he had all this time for Evelyn since she said goodbye.

“Let’s go back.”

Fabian gently took Evelyn’s hand, “You don’t have to be afraid of anything. Now, I can take you and the child back and live the life we should have lived.”

Evelyn looked down silently at Fabian’s hand, holding her hand.

“I won’t let anyone talk nonsense about you and your child. No, if anyone mentions it, I’ll stop and shut them up.” Fabian said with a desperate voice.

“So, all you have to do is go back to your place.”

His low voice rang out in the night.

“If you have any resentment that remains when you left me, let’s take it with you too. And you can release that hatred by my side until you’re satisfied...and it’s over.”

There were a lot of things Fabian wanted to say.

About how lonely he was after Evelyn disappeared, and why was the scent of the golden-wood tree so painful?

Why did he hate himself? And how could he get rid of all that sadness?

Only

“Evelyn...let’s go back.”

Fabian touched Evelyn’s cheek, looking deeply into her eyes.

“It’s not over yet... We still have a long time to be together.”

There was only Evelyn’s reflection in his dark eyes.

Not the existence of a successor, nor his child.

But the only companion he loved the most in his life.

....and still he loved until now.