Imperial banquets were always the same. Nobles clinked glasses with practiced, brilliant smiles, and music filled the hall incessantly. On the surface, it was a peaceful and elegant scene, but beneath it lay countless tangled interests and calculations.

As the Crown Prince, I was accustomed to such occasions. Greeting people, carrying on formal conversations, and wearing the necessary smiles—that, too, was my role.

But no matter how familiar the task, moments of suffocation eventually arrive.

I slipped out of the ballroom, wanting to clear my head in a quiet place for even a moment. Unlike the clamor of the banquet hall, the imperial garden was serene in the night air, and a breeze carrying the scent of flowers slowly brushed past.

I was walking along a secluded path when I stopped at the sound of faint sobbing. Someone was crying.

At first, I intended to ignore it and walk on. In the imperial palace, everyone lives with their own circumstances. It was not wise to get involved in unnecessary matters.

However, even though the sobbing was low and quiet as if trying to be hidden, it remained in my ears for an unusually long time.

In the end, I turned and headed toward the source of the sound. Beyond the bushes, I saw a familiar silhouette.

Guest Evergarden.

The woman who was always arrogant, selfish, and followed me persistently. That was how I had always thought of her. But the woman before my eyes now was biting her lip and weeping silently, as if trying not to be caught by anyone.

...It was a sight completely different from what I expected.