Who said that people who become noble, especially the royal family guarantee to have a happy ending!? If someone says so, I will cut off their head, chop their body, chop their organs into small pieces, and give their bones to mad dogs and other animals!

What's 'happy ever after'? Even Romeo and Juliet died because of their stupidity. Cleopatra died too, didn't she? The King and Queen were all idiots, naturally, their subordinates also followed that path.

Then, doesn't that mean you're the same idiot? Are you the King's daughter? Everyone praises your beauty. They are vying for you to glance at them. Your intelligence also makes the elders thirsty. You have the luxurious life that many people out there expect.

Can't that alone keep you quiet and not criticize others?

Right. You're right. It would be better if I just kept quiet, lazing around for the sake of enjoying my wealth, using the power I had for fun, doing all the formalities. In the end, my life was filled with licking leeches.

Everything was already dirty, so adding a stain now wouldn't have any effect. I'm still doing my job, I'm still having fun, I'm still living in that pitiful cage. Only, there's something I want to add so as not to die of boredom. Other spoiled children also like to do arbitrary things for their pleasure. So I'm right, right?

It's bullshit if someone says 'follow your heart! Don't let yourself be swallowed up by the evil of the higher-ups of the empire!'. I said it was bullshit, a lie more heinous than murder.

How can I follow the desire that I harbor if the road that stretches out before me is a pile of steel walls that I will never break down? The neck restraints that were placed before my cells fused had denied my freedom of speech. My feet were firmly tied to the plush tiled floor without being able to put my shoes on to run away.

Say if I'm an old-fashioned person without changing my way of thinking because that's what they instilled in me, ever since this breath left my body.

End of 1st P.O.V

Footsteps rumbled down a long corridor lined with huge struts and ornate warrior armor. A hurried voice sounded loud, saying that the person had important business that he could not delay any longer. Never mind the sweat dripping down his best silk clothes. His gaze focused solely on his destination, the wooden door at the end of this passage.

"Tell the King when I have arrived," he ordered the guard on duty.

He received a nod of his head, followed by a loud shout and the door squeaking open, "Royal Counselor, Duke Johan Wagurson has arrived!"

"Sherdian! What do you mean by that!?" Without further ado, the roar he had been holding back since the last meeting came out gracefully, though he wasn't the kind of person who would display such obvious anger.

The King, Sherdian, just smiled silly as usual. Slowly he descended from his throne, welcoming him as he welcomed his best friend. "My friend Johan, let's sit down and talk over a snuff of tobacco and a cup of coffee?"

The veins of his annoyance seemed to be being pulled tight, "I'll be the one to stuff the coffee into your nostrils! Why are you, without any consideration for your citizen, declaring war with the Empire!? Have you forgotten that three months ago we just finished the war? The knights are still recovering from the trauma. they!"

"Then why did they choose to become knights?" That cold tone had never been so viciously heard. The dark bead that was getting empty was stared at Johan. He knows why the King is selfish, but on the one hand, he also doesn't want to justify his friend's actions.

"Listen Sherdian, I'm not saying this because of my status as an advisor, I'm saying this as your friend," there was a quiet pause with heavy sighs there. "I'll sort it out. You're sick and it's not a good decision to continue this. Let me think of a way for you to take revenge and take Princess Lilius back in your arms."

His tongue feels so bitter now. With their selfishness and loyalty, all these things were removed under the pretext of 'friendship'.

"Johan, I'm sorry, I-"

"Shut up and brew me some coffee and bring me your best tobacco, Sherdian."

***

"That stupid son of a human! He thought with all the conquests he carried out three months ago the Empire would flinch at his declaration of war!?" A scream full of anger was hard to contain from escaping from his mouth. Her golden hair in a bun still felt hot even though the dress she was wearing was a summer dress.

"Louisanne-"

"Don't stop me Big Sister. Even though I know you have an interest in that incompetent King, at this rate I will still slash his head off."

Wilhelmina, the sister's name, didn't know what to do. Luckily she had sent the guards away from her room so that there was no need for anyone else to hear her sister's words which might lead to misunderstandings. Slowly her hands touched and cupped Louisianne's fists, trying to calm her down.

"Louisianne, if you continue to be angry, your heart disease will recur again. You don't want to drink that bitter medicine, do you? Now try to inhale and exhale slowly," she suggested seeing the white face of the young girl in front of her turn pale.

She won't know what her sister was thinking when she accepted the invitation to war. How could they casually set up a meeting to discuss such a huge problem that was likely to cost many lives so calmly?

"Sorry Sister, But I still can't accept if it's true that you two will do war later."

The look of the pomegranate that was similar to hers was sniffling. Some things are best kept to yourself so that there are no problems involved. But this case is different. What exists if they continue to be stubborn then all ends badly. And Wilhelmina didn't want that to happen.

"I have something to tell you," Wilhelmina paused for a moment, prepared for whatever her sister's reaction might be, "and I beg you to stay strong, for I am doing this for your good, Louisianne."

In that instant, the world that had once been colored in her eyes had now turned into a silent and reluctant monochrome.

***

That day was more terrible than the apocalypse. True, the depiction is exaggerated but they agree that in the least it is not wrong.

In a large luxurious room, the throne room to be more precise, two figures of different heights and ages were facing each other, lifting their respective cups, sipping the aroma of tea that emanated from the polished pebbles.

Their beads do not intersect, there is a reluctance to infiltrate, even hoping that all this doesn't have to happen. The anxiety that they always felt every night had now turned into a gripping terror because the fate of one continent was at the tip of each other's fingers.

"Don't worry, we won't attack if there is no direct order from the King, so I hope you will understand his impudent attitude," Johan hoped this would be over soon and he could go back to enjoying the afternoon in his study room.

His lips were slightly raised, somewhat disdainful. Johan more knew what he meant than anyone else, he was the only one who understood the attitude of the Empire's youngest daughter.

"Duke Johan Wagurson, I'm glad you know my thoughts. Without diminishing my respect for the Royal Councilor, it's not that what you just said sounded condescending to this Empire."

'As I thought,' it wasn't Johan's fault for saying that. His mind was now torn in two, between saving his country, or the health of his friend which he felt was about to lose.

"I'm sorry if it sounds like that to Princess's ears, but it's true that we, especially me, don't want a war to happen. We just want to maintain a peace pact that has been formed hundreds of years ago."

Louisianne should have known, it was too obvious to the two from the start that this was a waste of time. Didn't any of the delegations of the two countries know that their respective leaders were in a very strange state of misguidance that they both believed they would swallow this secret for themselves.

"Lilius, right?"

The breath was too heavy for her to let out. She put the ceramic cup back down before the tip of her forefinger circled the warmth of the remaining tea steam.

"Johan, as the youngest Princess I couldn't help more. My eldest sister, Crown Princess Anneliese has sacrificed so much that your King Maximillian has to endure it too. For the sake of this people, for the sake of this continent created by human selfishness, we as a royal deemed being a supplier of blood offerings."

There was no longer any limitation of formality on behalf of the Imperial Princess and Court Advisor. There is now only a pair of people named Louisianne and Johan, two figures who were separated before they could unite. The pain that came to them was so vile that even expressing their feelings was bittersweet. What's sweet about the fruit of love if you just say it as if a sharp needle pierces your heart?

"Louisi-"

"Listen to me Johan," she had to end it. It's cruel, but the figure of her beloved must live in peace. "I will try to make Sister Wilhelmina accept the conditions from King Sherdian. In exchange, I hope you can do your part to take care of their escape."

What would be different if those words were no longer negotiations but farewells?

"No! I'll take care of the escape but I still won't leave you. Imperial Elders and Royal Highnesses won't stay silent, they'll definitely be allied to look for you. If my feelings are nothing, think about Princess Lilius' feelings-"

"Wilhelmina. Her name is Wilhelmina, Johan. And don't worry, I won't survive as the Imperial Princess if I'm just an ordinary person," those words were nothing more than status arrogance. There is no promise in it.

Sadness never goes out. Autumn's eyes closed as his shoulders were wrapped around by the princess' thin arms. "Don't be sad. Our relationship is nothing but a union of the two countries. Let me follow my heart and you can stick to your senses. Don't be emotional like me, you understand, Johan?"

There was no reply other than a soft kiss, silencing all the words that were about to come out. His heart languished, Johan was too engrossed in his grief like a hug on his waist that he kept tightening.

"Even though we may not meet again, believe me, if my senses can disappear when the heart that has been with you goes away. I won't say 'don't leave me', but you should know that as soon as possible I will catch up with you, letting things end here. "

And the intended farewell lasts forever, in eternity. Johan who let his lover follow her 'heart' even though his own 'heart' was broken, and Louisianne let her beloved young man maintain his mind even though in reality it was also lost. There will be times when they leave, stop at the end, and can get together again regardless of their mind or 'heart'.

Not all fairy tales have happy endings. Their parting is one of many stories whose sadness has not been revealed. Heart and mind are two different things, keeping them at the same time is not the best decision for someone. So both of them agreed to spend their obligations to get together even though their lives were paid for.