Since Roger’s ailment wasn’t fully treated, he ordered Ocean to visit the royal palace once a week to cure him, all while avoiding the poisonous tea.

Ocean didn’t need to bother about who had supplied it—Roger would handle that himself.

As for Alys, she seemed lighter than ever, almost unburdened.

"I never dreamed of coming back here and feeling so... free," Alys said, sitting without disguise in the carriage as they rode back to Ryujin.

"Soon enough, you’ll walk in and out of the palace as if it were your own home, Aunt Alys," Ocean said with a shrug.

Alys shot him a look and pointed at him. "Don’t call me Aunt when you look like this—it makes me feel ancient."

Ocean blinked, then laughed, touching his earstud. In a shimmer, Reina appeared.

"There now. Better?" Reina asked, and Alys nodded.

"Besides, what was that about him trying to engage you to his daughter?" Alys asked.

Reina sighed, leaning back. "That’s the second time, actually."

Alys’s eyes widened. "He’s tried this before?"

"No. Back then, it was his niece." Reina said, pausing to gauge her reaction.

"Niece? Who...?" Alys fell silent, then slowly pointed to herself, realization dawning. Her face turned crimson before she burst into laughter, and Reina joined in.

"Oh, dear heavens!" Alys shook her head, still laughing.

"And as if that weren’t enough, now he dares suggest Princess Colette."

Reina snorted. "Even if I were a man and she the last woman on earth, I’d sooner become a priest and live celibate."

Alys laughed louder while Reina crossed her arms.

"Engaging myself to the cunning Golden Serpent’s daughter? Even her own kin would think twice before letting their sons fall into that trap."

Reina watched Alys laugh freely and felt an unexpected ease settle within her. The girl who had once hidden in shadows, trailed constantly by death, was now radiant—her laughter unrestrained. Soon enough, she would step fully into the sunlight and roam as freely as she was always meant to.

"Say, Aunt, once I find some time, would you like to go out with me for a stroll around the town?" Reina pointed toward the streets outside.

"Oh, sure," Alys replied with a gentle smile, and Reina returned it.

In her quest to make Eric the king, Reina had devoted herself only to strategies and family. She never carved out moments for her own sake. Ocean had his times of rest, but Reina never allowed herself the same. Her true self had never even stepped onto the stage—only Ocean, the phantom she created, the mask she wore to deceive the world and ensure her plans unfolded as intended.

"Say, Reina," Alys asked after a pause, curiosity flickering in her eyes, "why did you decide to suddenly become Ocean Ryujin? Is there really someone by that name whose identity you’ve taken, or...?"

Reina gave a small, quiet smile. "There is no other Ocean Ryujin in existence apart from me. As for the reason..."

She leaned back, gaze drifting to the window, watching the people pass by. At this point, she no longer questioned the why. It simply was what it was.

At first, she had treated the quest like a job, with duties and deadlines. Now, it had become something else—a warning system, guiding her to extinguish fires in random places while still serving her own greater aim.

"Because I have a goal," Reina murmured at last.

Alys tilted her head. "What goal?"

A goal that did not end with placing Eric on the throne, but stretched far beyond. The world itself was teetering on the edge, yet what Reina chose to prioritize were the people around her—her blood family, and the larger family that depended on her and stood by her side. To her, all the divine rewards, the Dragon’s bloodline, all her power meant nothing if she could not protect them. If she were to fall, she would be useless.

"A goal to give everyone a peaceful life," Reina said softly.

Alys fell silent at that. A peaceful life... it sounded simple, almost naïve, yet it was more illusion than reality. She herself had never glimpsed such peace until five years ago. And so, she couldn’t help but wonder—why had Reina, still so young, chosen to shoulder the impossible task of reshaping the world?

What was it that drove her to sacrifice her childhood, her youth? Was it love for people? Was it justice? If not... then what?

Whatever it was, it had to be something so deeply important to her that she could willingly cast aside herself in pursuit of it.

"Reina," Alys said, and her niece’s eyes lifted to meet hers.

"Yes?"

"What are you going to do when you finally have that peaceful life?"

Reina’s eyes widened. What would she do when all her quests were fulfilled, when every task was completed? She had always lived one step at a time—one plan after the other, one fire put out, one enemy subdued. But after the final battle, after the last boss was defeated... what then?

For once, she had no answer. Her gaze dropped, and Alys quietly noticed the silence.

Being the elder, she reached out and placed her hand over Reina’s. "If you haven’t thought about it, that’s all right," she said gently.

"Most people spend their lives chasing something but never imagine what lies beyond it. I was the same." A faint, wistful smile touched her lips. "I used to envy those who could live happily despite their struggles. I never had even a moment of respite. I kept running, always running... But now..." Her eyes softened as she turned toward the window.

"Now I’m at ease. Even if you say we aren’t there yet, I’m content, Reina. With Silas by my side, it feels like all of my past struggles have been swept away."

"You know, he tends to act all prickly and irksome but beneath it all he care s very much..." She said, "At first we were on bad terms, he would always scold me or try to pick a fight with me but then... I just realised that... That’s just his way of having my attention."

She chuckled, eyes glimmering, "I found him like a porcupine, if anyone would try to approach him, he would become all riled up and put his thorns ahead but behind those thorns he just kept himself protected..."

Her gaze lowered, a faint radiance softening her features. Reina’s chest tightened at the sight, the warmth in Alys’s expression was something she couldn’t look away from.

"He often told me about his older sister who was always ahead of him in everything. She had been the one who taught him on how to be independent. She was the one who supported him to create the Mage’s Tower and had also been his the very first mage under him. But..."

Reina also looked down as Alys fell silent, Reina’s mother Serene had been Silas’ great support, Reina knew of this but hearing it again just made a small ache blossom in her chest. If she were alive then, things might have been even better.

"Silas often tells me that he sees his older sister in you," Alys said and Reina looked up at her.

"Your temperament, your cool headed nature and the way your Grandfather listens to you, it’s all the same." She chuckled.

"But I think Silas has his own assets, he might have been a good Marquis if he had followed his father but, I think he’s even more outstanding because he stood up for his own dreams."

Reina remained silent, drinking in her aunt’s words. Alys’s whole face seemed to glow as she spoke of Silas—her eyes sparkling with warmth, her lips curved in that tender smile. In that moment, she looked twice as beautiful, so luminous that Reina could only stare, caught by the quiet, unguarded joy love had etched upon her.

"It’s such a fulfilling feeling, Reina. To have someone by your side who makes you feel complete." Alys smiled gently at her niece.

"I hope you won’t have to carry everything alone. I hope you’ll find someone who can be your haven—someone you can return to whenever you’re exhausted, and they’ll make you feel at ease."

Her words lingered, and Reina’s eyes widened. For a moment, another face overlapped Alys’s smile—the glimmer of violet eyes, the kind of radiance that spoke of quiet love. The same glow Alys had when she spoke of Silas.

Reina had been running from this, refusing to name it, but being reminded again and again was starting to feel like a weight pressing down on her chest.

"Ah," Alys suddenly said, tilting her head, "why is Prince Davian living at your Ryujin mansion?"

Reina’s heart skipped a beat. "What?"

Alys hummed. "Even though he isn’t family, he seems awfully attached to you. Sticking close, always at your side."

Then her lips curved in a teasing smile. "Don’t tell me my niece has been hiding her paramour under our noses all this time?"

Reina nearly choked, quickly raising her hand. "No, no! It’s nothing like that. He just lingers because of a favor I—well, Ocean—did for him when he was younger."

Alys studied her with quiet amusement before saying, "Whatever you claim, he still feels like part of the family."

Reina blinked. "H-How?"

Alys chuckled softly. "You really don’t see it? Prince Davian is the future Grand Duke, yet he stays at your estate without a care for his title. He’s on easy terms with everyone there. The way he and Kai are together, people would swear it’s like father and son. And the way he dotes on the second child—well, anyone watching would think he belongs to you all."

Reina opened her mouth to argue, then closed it again. She had never considered it like that. To her, Davian’s presence was just an annoyance she tolerated to stop his whining. But in truth, he had settled into Ryujin as though it were his own home—laughing with Kai, carrying Sol around, doting as if he’d always been part of them.

Had she been too blind to notice how close he had come? Or had he simply woven himself in without giving her the chance to resist?

Whatever it was, on the vast canvas of her life—where everyone around her had painted their colors—his violet hue had slipped in too. Quietly, seamlessly. Like twilight bleeding across the horizon, unnoticed until the whole sky was painted in its glow.