...From now on, you are my fiancée.

Her eyes shook violently at the words he uttered calmly. A look of disbelief. It was only natural. Without her consent, she had become a fiancée overnight. But it was already too late. The press conference was over. Not only the Government-General, but the military and the nobility all knew.

'The rebel is dead.'

And. 'She has become the fiancée of Director Kazuki.' Now she can go nowhere. She cannot return to being an independence activist. She cannot live as an ordinary Joseon person. The world will already remember her as my person.

Eyes trembling with rage. Even that, I thought, was beautiful. I had already reached a point of no return.

...Did you need permission?

She grabbed me roughly by the collar.

I was indeed mad. From the first moment I saw her in the basement prison of the Government-General. Those eyes that did not tremble even in the face of death. That face that glared at me even while covered in blood. Since that day, I haven't been able to erase her from my mind for a single day. I couldn't let her die. The Empire would execute her. Even if she survived once, there wouldn't be a second time. If so.

I just need to put on the strongest shackles. My name. My power. My authority. I will detach her from the world with all of that. I didn't care if I was hated. It was fine to be loathed. As long as she was alive. As long as she was by my side.

..I have no intention of letting you go.

As I whispered lowly, she slapped my cheek with all her might. Slap— It was strong enough to turn my head aside. But a laugh escaped me. It was proof she was alive. That she still had the strength to glare at me. That alone was enough.