Ilyin looked back at him. The melted snow slowly dripped through her fingers.

Aden unconsciously grabbed Ilyin’s hand. Her hand, which was slowly getting colder, quickly heated up from his warmth. Aden tightly held her hand but could not take his eyes off her face. He was captivated by the mysterious purple eyes under the long silver eyelashes. She, a person of summer, seemed to shine extremely bright under the sunlight.

Even though it was a desolate winter now, the scent of fresh spring followed her. Aden had never been to a forest full of life. A place full of green life. It was hard to even imagine because he had never seen it, but he dared to be confident that he was in the middle of one right at this moment.

Aden couldn’t help being mesmerized by how bright she shone standing in the middle of a garden. Despite it still being winter, Ilyin radiated so much light. Aden was awestruck.

Aden finally understood his father, who wanted to present his mother with sunlight. And his mother, who deeply admired the sun. A person under the sun shone beautifully enough to be hard to forget. And for the first time, Aden coveted summer.

I want it. You who shine brilliantly, you who are happy with warmth.

Aden hugged Ilyin tightly again.

***

Aden and Ilyin were quickly prepared for return. Despite the interruptions caused by the Delrose maids’ fascination with the sun, preparations proceeded smoothly. This was thanks to Milo’s quick grasp of the situation of the maids constantly stopping in amazement at different aspects of the warm region.

And with that, the last day in the sun, which the maids of Delrose especially dreaded, had arrived.

“Ilyin.”

Ilyin, who felt as if she had just fallen asleep, opened her eyes at the resonant voice. What she saw was a familiar yet unfamiliar room. The ceiling and wall decorations were familiar, but the furniture arrangement was quite unfamiliar.

To be exact, it felt like it had been a long time since she was in this room.

Ilyin’s mouth widened without realizing it. There was only one other person in the room; it was her mother. Her mother with tired eyes and shallow breathing. The lively and fine silver hair she saw as a child had long lost shine and strength.

It was the Viscountess, whom she hadn’t seen since she left the mansion.

The door opened with a slow creak. Ilyin saw herself opening the door and entering. She found a mobile by her mother’s bedside.

It’s a prophetic dream.

“Ilyin.” The voice of the viscountess was faint. She looked straight at Ilyin who was dreaming and not the Ilyin in her dream.

A weakly stretched body whose every breath sounded like its last, with a pale, sunken in face. It was how Ilyin had last seen Sid before he died.

Her mother was dying. She won’t last the night. She instinctively noticed.

“This is a dream.”

I know. Ilyin wanted to answer, but it was unclear whether her voice would reach her.

Ilyin tried to speak but the words got stuck in her throat as strange feelings overwhelmed her. This was her mother whom she had not met properly since the age of seven.

Ilyin’s father hated both her and her mother. He complained that his own son’s mother had foreseen his death, and then went crazy.

“She confuses dreams with reality and even says strange words that don’t make sense,” he would say to people.

But not now. Ilyin was sure. Her mother was talking with a very clear mind. This was the clear and warm voice that Sid had heard before he died.

“Come here,” the Viscountess said softly and slowly turned her head and looked out of her window. Ilyin looked out too and saw the full moon outside the window.

***

Ilyin jolted awake from her dream. She quickly pulled back her blanket and rushed to the window where she drew open the thick blackout curtain. Surprised by her sudden movement, Etra knocked on the door.

“Madam, what’s wrong?”

However, the words did not reach Ilyin. Infront of her was a beautiful night with clear skies. In the clear sky without a single cloud, was a full moon. It was the same sky as in her dream, the same full moon.

Oh my god. My mother’s death is today.

***

Milo’s work in the warm region was not only the work of the top people of Acid. To be precise, he oversaw all the external affairs of Biflten. Milo was most definitely the second busiest person after Aden in Delrose.

“If it’s an attack, the most likely culprit is the Blue North.”

Milo and Aden were sitting in the private room of the top owner of Acid. At dawn, that was the only place that lit up brightly. Aegis, who was originally supposed to protect Aden’s back like a shadow, was waiting outside the room upon Aden’s orders.

This was all a continuation of Aden’s plan to “deceive the dream” ever since he had heard Ilyin’s foreshadowing of them being attacked.

“I agree, but it’s better to be careful when you have doubts,” said Aden.

Milo bowed his head politely in agreement. However, one could tell there was something on his mind.

“Your Highness,” Milo began carefully.

Aden watched his loyal subordinate silently. Milo struggled to bring out words under Aden’s strong gaze.

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