DRRS 01

 Chapter 01

“떠나시는 겁니까?”
“Are you leaving?”

A low voice echoed through the room.

The hand that was once held out to leave together, the letter that said the false accusation had been cleared, even the luggage prepared so she could leave at any time—

It all meant one thing.

He already knew.

“…….”

It was something she had expected.

Everyone serving the lady who had become a traitor of another nation was Lucian’s eyes and ears.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say she knew this from the moment her heart leaned toward the choice of leaving.

And yet, her lips would not move easily.

“아가씨.”
“Miss.”

Was it because of that worn-out title she hadn’t heard in a long time?

Or the trembling voice and desperate eyes?

A memory from long ago suddenly came back to her.

“아가씨, 절 버리지 말아 주세요!”
“Miss, please don’t abandon me!”

What she had given him was freedom, not chains.

But the child had cried as if he had been abandoned.

More than ten years had passed since that day.

Medeia met Lucian again—now the Emperor of Setanel.

He no longer needed to beg for someone’s affection, nor fear being abandoned.

And yet, when he heard she was leaving, his blue eyes held the same sadness as before.

“……그래, 떠날 거야.”
“…Yes, I’m leaving.”

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t shaken by that look.

Until now, Lucian had only been someone who reminded her of past guilt.

Even when she saw the cold face hidden behind his bright smile, she felt nothing.

What scared her… was the way her heart had begun to race at his casual confessions.

If he ever stopped saying those words of love, how much despair would she feel?

Rather than endlessly waiting for someone who might never return, it was better to leave first.

Her answer, hiding all emotion, was cold and firm.

“아직도 다른 사람들의 시선이 걱정되십니까? 원하신다면 이 자리도 내려놓겠습니다.”
“Are you still worried about others’ opinions? If you wish, I will give up this position as well.”

Lucian held Medeia’s hand and looked into her eyes.

An emperor who gave a palace to a foreign traitor and treated her with great care—

To the nobles, who already disliked him for becoming emperor as a half-blood prince, this was the perfect target.

They couldn’t attack Lucian directly, so all the blame fell on Medeia.

Even though neither her wandering as a traitor nor staying by his side had been her choice.

“아니, 다른 사람들의 시선은 상관없어. 언젠가는 여길 떠나려고 했고, 그게 지금일 뿐이야.”
“No, I don’t care about others. I was going to leave someday… it just happens to be now.”

Medeia pulled her hand away and stepped back.

“저를 데려가 주실 순 없는 겁니까?”
“Can’t you take me with you?”

“내가 원치 않아.”
“I don’t want to.”

Her emotionless eyes looked up at him, contrasting his empty gaze.

“말씀드리지 않았습니까. 제가 모실 분은 과거에도, 미래에도 아가씨뿐일 거라고.”
“Didn’t I tell you? The one I will serve—past and future—is only you, Miss.”

“폐하.”
“Your Majesty.”

With just that one word, a clear line was drawn.

No matter how they treated each other like before, reality was different.

They were no longer Miss and slave, but a traitor and an emperor.

Even if they stayed together, it would only be temporary.

In the end, Medeia would be left alone, chasing the traces of someone gone.

“과거의 짧았던 인연으로 지금까지 소중히 대해 주셔서 감사드립니다.”
“Thank you for cherishing me all this time because of our short connection in the past.”

She lowered her head, her eyes falling on the patterned carpet.

“하지만 과거는 과거일 뿐. 저는 이제 폐하 곁을 떠나고 싶습니다.”
“But the past is only the past. Now, I want to leave Your Majesty’s side.”

“그게 당신께서 바라시는 일입니까?”
“Is that what you truly want?”

“네, 그렇습니다.”
“Yes, it is.”

There was no hesitation.

At that moment, a small drop fell onto the carpet.

Then another… and another.

Only then did Medeia realize, and she looked up at Lucian.

“……저를, 저를 또 버리시는 겁니까?”
“…Are you abandoning me… again?”

His deep, lake-like eyes were filled with tears.

She couldn’t lie and say she would stay.

The only comfort she could give… was wiping the tears from his cheeks.

* * *

Time passed, and night came.

The room was quiet, as if everything said before had been an illusion.

Only Lucian’s red eyes and the hand he held even in sleep showed what had happened.

Medeia looked at him, unable to pull away or hold tighter.

“루시안.”
“Lucian.”

Her restless heart finally settled.

At the same time, she gently removed her hand from his.

Their hands separated far too easily.

“……잘 지내.”
“…Take care.”

It was what she had wanted to say when she left the young Lucian long ago.

Back then—and even now—those words would never truly reach him.

No matter where he was, or who he was with, she sincerely wished for his happiness.

But Lucian could never be happy without her.

The day her kind words saved him was the first time he had ever hoped for life.

Did even that feeling fail to reach her?

With that short farewell, her footsteps slowly faded away.

After a while, blue eyes opened to the darkness.

“하…….”
“Hah…”

Lucian let out a bitter laugh.

Fake tears, desperate eyes—none of it worked.

He had even pretended to fall asleep while holding her hand, hoping she might stay.

But Medeia left, leaving only a faint warmth behind.

“어떻게 하실 겁니까, 폐하?”
“What will you do, Your Majesty?”

A long-haired man appeared, as if he had been waiting.

He walked straight up to Lucian without hesitation.

“보아하니 파레이사로 가실 모양이시던데…”
“It looks like she’s heading to Pareisa. Should I go and kneel for her? Maybe she’ll listen to me…”

He spoke as if he had expected all this.

In fact, he even seemed curious about how things would turn out.

From what he knew of Lucian, he would never give up on Medeia like this.

“아니, 떠나도록 놔둬.”
“No. Let her go.”

“아, 헤일리를 붙일까요?”
“Ah, should I send Hailey with her?”

Hailey was Lucian’s knight—and the only one Medeia trusted.

If Hailey went with her, Medeia wouldn’t refuse.

“그럴 필요 없어.”
“There’s no need.”

“네?”
“What?”

The man looked shocked.

Lucian had endured hell for Medeia.

He had become strong enough to protect her completely.

And now… he was giving up?

At the very least, he should tell her the truth. She misunderstood everything.

The man felt like running after her himself.

But Lucian remained calm.

He simply looked out the window.

Two figures were crossing the palace.

One of them suddenly turned—and looked straight toward him.

Even from far away, their eyes met instantly.

“……결국엔 내게 돌아오게 될 테니.”
“…In the end, you will come back to me.”

A faint smile appeared on Lucian’s lips.