"I greet the Supreme Sun of the Empire."

With a respectful gesture, I bowed deeply. My words, carefully enunciated, conveyed reverence, though my thoughts ran elsewhere, dissecting the man standing before me.  

Hair of a familiar hue swayed in the wind. Green eyes, like delicate leaves, gazed down at me in silence.

**Valcaros Lantana von Staufen.**

So many titles could describe him.  

The Emperor.  
The sole Sun of the Staufen Empire.  
The father of the ill-fated princesses and the man who imprisoned the cursed rose on a remote star.  

Before me stood a man with a heart of ice.  

**Why is he here?**

This abrupt appearance was baffling. Even as I wrestled with questions, I awaited a response to my greeting. Finally, the Emperor’s lips parted, his voice like a quiet echo.

"So, you’re the one. The newly assigned physician to the Second Princess."

His tone was devoid of warmth, colder than the winter wind. His meaningful words revealed the truth—I knew in an instant that he was already aware of everything.  

There was no other way he could be so composed.

**He’s known from the start.**

I swallowed hard. I wasn’t supposed to be here. The secrecy surrounding the rose was the Emperor’s doing, ensuring this place was off-limits to outsiders. Access to the secluded palace was tightly controlled. Even with Charlotte’s help, my entry felt like sneaking through a back door rather than following proper channels.  

**In short,**  
I was in a precarious position.  

Despite my caution, it seemed I couldn’t fool the Sun’s gaze. Valcaros had already acknowledged my presence.  

While I mulled over my situation, his steady voice broke the silence.

"You may rise."

Permission to stand. Bowing once more, I straightened my body slowly, meeting his gaze briefly.

"Lord Snakeus."  
"Your Majesty."  
"It seems this is our first time meeting face-to-face."  
"I am honored beyond words that Your Majesty recognizes me. It is a glory my family will cherish for generations."  
"When a guest visits, it is only proper for the host to greet them—even if that guest is an uninvited intruder."  
"…So you knew."  
"Yes. I knew from the beginning."

As expected, the Emperor had long since grasped the situation.  

Though I was here on the First Princess’s request, I had still trespassed into a forbidden realm. I offered my belated apology, my expression serious.

"I have no excuse."  
"There’s no need for apologies. You merely answered the First Princess’s request. She often sought doctors for the Second Princess’s care."

His tone was detached, even when referring to his daughters. He called them "the princess" or "her," his words as cold as winter itself.  

The air was icy, bringing to mind the Emperor’s portrayal in the original game.

---

**Valcaros.**  
A cold-blooded ruler devoid of affection.  

His mind was a scale that weighed only practicality, abhorring emotional entanglements. No wonder his moniker in the original game was **"The Heart of Ice."**

Player forums often discussed him as a major source of tragedy:

- **"The Emperor is the root of all evil in the rose arc."**  
- "This guy neglected his daughters from childhood and barely showed his face. And when the Second Princess got sick, he locked an eight-year-old in isolation."  
- "The family fell apart. The sisters' relationship crumbled. Elise spent over a decade fighting illness alone, succumbing to mental illness and self-harm before ultimately taking her own life."  
- "Charlotte developed severe trauma and became socially withdrawn because of it."  

The Emperor wasn’t a villain, but his neglect and decision to imprison Elise were pivotal in the story’s tragedy.  

---

**I hated him too.**

When producing videos of the rose arc, I had inserted my own complaints about him countless times.  

But now, seeing him in person, something felt off.  

---

"I heard the news," Valcaros said. "Unprecedented signs of recovery, they say."  
"Yes… that is correct."  
"I stopped by to see for myself."  

I froze.  

This didn’t align with the man I knew from the original story. Valcaros had shown absolute indifference toward his daughters, treating them as nonexistent parts of his life.  

**What sudden change of heart is this?**

As my mind raced with questions, his voice, still as cold as winter frost, continued.  

"There’s no need to be so tense. This visit has no deeper meaning."  
"I apologize. I was merely surprised."

I didn’t voice what had startled me—that the Emperor had shown any interest in Elise at all.  

---

He turned his head slightly, breaking the tense silence. The night wind swept through, filling the gap left by his words. Finally, he spoke again, sharp as a needle.

"Recovery… I heard that curse is supposed to be incurable."  
"Not through conventional methods."  
"And through unconventional ones?"  
"It’s difficult to say. We are still in the experimental phase."  
"Bold of you to use a princess as your test subject."  

That… was true.  

But coming from him, it felt hypocritical.  

"I apologize."  
"It doesn’t matter."  

His expression and tone remained unreadable. He was like Charlotte in some ways—detached, as if existing in a world apart.  

"And so," he said, his green eyes meeting mine, their hue faded like wilting leaves.  

"Do you truly believe you can cure her?"

The answer was obvious.  

"I believe there is a strong possibility."  
"Your confidence is remarkable."  
"An incurable disease is not one that cannot be cured. It simply means a solution has yet to be discovered."  
"It sounds as if you believe you’ve found that solution."  
"Take it as you will. Only time will reveal the results."  

He nodded, his empty eyes briefly glinting with interest.

"A bold claim. Almost dreamlike."  

He seemed half-convinced, caught between skepticism and the possibility that my work might bear fruit.  

---

"I hope your arrogance proves true," he muttered.  
"Excuse me?"  
"If it does, this empire might as well belong to you."  

A jarring remark.  
"An excessive jest, Your Majesty."  
"Do you think it’s a joke?"  

I could only stay silent.  

Something about the Emperor felt off—not entirely matching the image I had known. His words carried a faint hope, as though he wished for Elise’s curse to be lifted.  

---

"I should leave now," Valcaros said suddenly.  
"Did you not come to see the Second Princess?"  
"I’ve changed my mind."  

He turned away before I could say more. As his figure disappeared into the night, a cascade of thoughts filled my mind.

---

**I hadn’t expected this.**

Could there be parts of the Emperor’s story I didn’t know? Hidden truths left unrevealed in the original?  

The uncertainty brought a faint smile to my lips.  

**"This world is more alive than I imagined."**  

Even with all I thought I knew, it held surprises at every turn.  

---

As I walked toward Elise’s room, memories of her recent struggles weighed on me. She had been suffering more each night. Quietly, I opened the door.

The faint light of a few candles illuminated the scene.  

---

**"Haa, haa…"**  

A pained breath broke the silence.  

Elise wasn’t in bed. She was curled on the floor, her red hair spilling around her trembling shoulders.  

The scent of blood filled the air.  

---

**"Elise…"**  

I stepped closer and saw the crimson stains spreading across the carpet. Her trembling hand held a bloodied pocketknife, fresh wounds marking her wrist.  

---

I acted without hesitation. Pulling her into my arms, I held her tightly, restraining her delicate wrist.  

"Let go!" she cried, struggling weakly.  

Her feeble resistance faded as I whispered softly, stroking her hair.  

"Shh… It’s okay. You’re safe. I’m here."  

Her sobs quieted, and slowly, she melted into the warmth of my embrace.  

For now, the storm had passed.