WTSP - 20

“Ugh, hmm...”

Late at night, when even the bats had fallen asleep. The sky, painted as black as ink, was dotted with dozens of stars and the moon flickering faintly.

Though the spring breeze began to chase away the winter chill, the nighttime air in the Carlot Empire remained cold and biting.

When had the blanket covering my chest slipped down to my feet? The chill brushing against my cheek made me curl up, groaning softly. Despite the feverish heat coursing through my body, a deep chill lingered.

‘It’s so cold...’

I coughed weakly and forced my heavy eyelids open.

Perhaps because my dreams had been restless, I felt utterly drained. It seemed like I’d had a nightmare, though I couldn’t recall the details.

Could it have been about Father?

He probably never imagined a life for his daughter outside of fencing. That goal had been set for me since birth.

Why hadn’t he understood how important creative pursuits were to me, just as much as winning an Olympic medal?

Maybe I had harbored resentment toward him for far longer than I realized. I simply couldn’t admit it.

Was this all meaningless regret now?

At some point, I had seamlessly blended into Ophelia’s life. Sometimes, I even confused myself—was I Seo Yeon-hee or Ophelia Meredith?

The lingering effects of medicine and exhaustion clouded my mind. In five minutes, I’d likely forget what I was even thinking about. Dozens of fragmented thoughts floated through my head like clouds.

Pompoo, who must have returned at some point, was curled up next to my pillow, fast asleep. He must have wandered outside for hours, judging by the soft snores escaping him.

Should I sleep a little longer? I mumbled to myself, barely moving my lips.

It would be fine to rest until sunrise. With that thought, I slowly closed my eyes again.

That’s when a figure caught the edge of my vision.

‘A man?’

Struggling to lift my impossibly heavy eyelids, I focused on the blurry silhouette before me.

In the darkness, the stranger’s hair appeared a deep indigo hue.

‘Serdel? No, there’s no way he’d be here at this hour…’

Despite my sluggish body betraying my intentions, my mind raced. Blink, blink. My uncooperative eyelids frustrated me more than ever.

The mysterious figure vanished without a trace, like a ghost without form.

With that, I drifted back to sleep. Was I dreaming within a dream? Not entirely impossible.

An hour later, I woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed. Through the fluttering lace curtains, the sun was slowly rising.

It was probably around dawn, five or six in the morning. The world outside was still cloaked in dimness.

I must have slept far too long. Sitting up, my stiff body craved water.

‘Lena must still be asleep.’

Careful not to wake Pompoo, I slipped out of bed and glanced around.

Unfortunately, the water pitcher that was usually full was completely empty.

‘I’m so thirsty… What should I do?’

Pressing my fingertips against my heavy eyelids, I let out a small, raspy cough.

Perhaps thanks to the rest I’d gotten, I no longer had a fever. In fact, I felt better than usual.

So this is why sleep is so important. Memories of days when I sacrificed sleep for fencing practice came flooding back.

After a brief moment of contemplation, I wrapped a wine-colored shawl around my shoulders and quietly opened the door.

Since I was already awake, I thought a morning stroll might do me good. If I could find some water along the way, it would be a win-win.

But my plan to return before Lena woke up shattered the moment I opened the door.

Contrary to my assumption that no one would be there, Rovair stood leaning against the wall.

Silently guarding the space, Rovair raised his head and met my gaze. Though he didn’t show it, he looked startled.

“Your Highness.”

“Sir Rovair? What brings you here at this hour?”

“…It’s nothing. Are you feeling better?”

Rovair bowed respectfully and, as always, asked his question in a low voice.

As I nodded to confirm I was fine, a sudden realization struck me. Could this man have been here all night?

“Surely you weren’t here since last evening?”

“…I heard about Count Phainus late. I deeply apologize for failing to protect Your Highness.”

“No, that’s not the point…”

It seemed he had indeed stayed outside my room all night.

Noticing the fatigue etched on his face, I sighed and shook my head.

What was I supposed to do with this blind loyalty to Ophelia? Had he sacrificed his own rest just to ensure mine?

Pressing my palm lightly against my forehead, I gazed at him silently before speaking.

“Sir Rovair, would you like to join me for a morning walk? After sleeping for so long, I feel like breathing in some fresh dawn air.”

As always, Rovair accepted my proposal quietly. As we stepped out of the empress’s quarters, I found myself reflecting on yesterday’s events once more.

‘What if Brilline hadn’t noticed the poison?’

I’d heard that children from noble families were given small doses of poison from a young age to build immunity against potential threats.

But Ophelia’s delicate body, like a flower in a greenhouse, wouldn’t have had any resistance to poison.

‘If I had died on the spot… would I have returned to Seoul?’

Even asking myself the question yielded no answer. Stepping outside, the crisp morning air greeted me warmly.

It’s a bit chilly. Fiddling with the shawl draped over my shoulders, I turned to Rovair with a question.

“Ah, there’s something I wanted to ask. Did anyone enter my room last night? I thought I sensed someone…”

“No one entered while I was standing guard. Did you feel uncomfortable?”

“No, it’s just that I had such a vivid dream. I must’ve been very tired.”

It seemed I had hallucinated in my half-sleep. There was no one with purple hair around Ophelia.

Though my curiosity wasn’t fully resolved, I simply nodded.

After all, dreams often involved absurd and spectacular events that made no sense upon waking but felt real while dreaming.

“Funny how we can’t tell how illogical our dreams are until after we wake up.”

“Did you hear about what happened from the captain of the knights?”

“Yes. I was conducting large-scale training in the afternoon, so I heard the news late. I’m relieved you’re safe. If you had drunk that tea, I…”

Rovair clenched his jaw tightly, imagining the worst-case scenario.

Though he rarely showed emotion, I could tell he was deeply troubled.

Why did he feel guilty when it wasn’t his fault?

To lighten the mood, I deliberately spoke in a cheerful tone and made a suggestion.

“Since we’re up early, shall we visit the training grounds?”

“But Your Highness hasn’t fully recovered yet.”

“For some reason, I feel full of energy today. Maybe it’s because I slept so well? My body feels lighter than usual.”

It wasn’t just to reassure him. Like the saying goes, “the ground hardens after rain,” and recovering from a severe cold seemed to have left me feeling healthier. Even my near-nonexistent strength seemed slightly improved.

With exaggerated gestures, I lifted my thin arms to mimic newfound muscles.

“After resting for just a few days, don’t I seem pretty good? At this rate, I might become a swordmaster soon.”

“If Your Highness says so.”

Rovair, who rarely smiled, caught my gaze, his blue eyes reflecting my flushed face.

As we walked together toward the training grounds, I asked him about Brilline.

“Sir Rovair, have you ever met Her Majesty the Empress?”

“I’ve seen her a few times while serving His Majesty, but I haven’t spoken to her.”

“I see. I was just curious how she interacts with others.”

“I’ve heard rumors that she’s kind to everyone, regardless of their status.”

The Brilline I knew was exactly like that. No need to add anything further.

As we chatted about various trivial matters, the entrance to the private training grounds came into view.

I glanced down at the shawl draped over my shoulders and my slippers. Though my attire was inconvenient, I figured it would be fine since I only planned to move around briefly.

Rovair was carefully inspecting wooden swords for me.

While he tested each one, searching for the right weapon, I stretched to loosen up my muscles.

I remembered the time I first tried fencing and skipped warm-ups, only to strain myself badly.

Since then, I’d developed the habit of thoroughly stretching every muscle.

Finally, Rovair handed me a wooden sword. It was the same beginner’s sword I had used before.

Holding it with both hands as usual, I tilted my head, sensing something off. Something felt different…

“This isn’t the same one I used before, is it? Are you sure it’s the same wooden sword?”

“Yes. It’s the lightest one here. Since Your Highness is still in the stage of building basic strength.”

True enough, the numbers carved into the wood confirmed it was the same sword. So why did it feel so light?

I gripped the handle with one hand and extended my arm. The dull sound of wood slicing through the air echoed in my ears.

With Ophelia’s strength, my arm should have been trembling uncontrollably. Instead, I muttered absentmindedly:

“Huh?”

This is strange. Why doesn’t it feel heavy at all?

Could it be…