Race got down from the horse-drawn carriage that brought him, and then he rushed into the Ivy pavilion. He paid no heed to the greetings from the Ivy pavilion guards. Race headed straight to Ivy's room and forcefully opened the door. He found Ivy sipping wine, startled by Race's sudden entrance. Ivy placed the glass on the table while Race immediately lunged at Ivy and embraced his wife tightly.

"What's wrong, Race?" Ivy asked, confused.

"Thank goodness you're alright," Race said.

"Race, I am indeed alright. What's the matter?"
Ivy asked again, then forcibly released herself from Race's embrace. She looked at Race with a puzzled expression, while Race himself gazed at Ivy with a worried expression, his eyes teary.

"Race?"
Ivy gently held Race's cheek.

"Never leave me, Iv! I beg you!"

Ivy furrowed her brow in even greater confusion, but now she gave a faint smile.
"What's really going on? I would never just leave you like that, Race. Don't you trust me yet?" Ivy asked softly.

Race shook his head slowly, then proceeded to hug Ivy again. Race was genuinely frightened now. His dream was too vivid; he could see Ivy lying lifeless on his bed.

"I had a nightmare," Race finally voiced his fear.

"Another nightmare? What about this time? Is it related to me?" Ivy inquired, slightly curious.

"Well,"
Race nodded in agreement to all of Ivy's questions.

"What was your dream? Is this one also about my death?" Ivy asked again.

"Well."
Race couldn't give any answer beyond that. He could only hold onto the woman he loved dearly.

On the other hand, Ivy smiled and gently patted Race's back. She tried to calm her husband, who was frightened.

"I'm scared, Iv."

"Scared of what?"

"Scared of losing you, I can't live without you, Iv."

Ivy fell silent momentarily and didn't respond further to Race's words. She then softly and warmly rubbed Race's back again.
"In the end, isn't it true that I'll have to die, Race? Won't it be you who'll kill me with your own hands? Why be afraid?"
***
The atmosphere in the royal palace was bustling. The annual festival event was about to take place, and it would be opened by King Michel himself tomorrow. All the guards and servants were preparing the palace for the party to be held tomorrow night.

King Michel was strolling around with Queen Nami and Winter. Now and then, Winter seemed uneasy as she had forgotten to take her medicine this morning. Winter looked around the palace, but she hadn't spotted Ivy anywhere.

"Why hasn't Ivy arrived yet?" Winter wondered to herself.

Meanwhile, Ivy was getting ready in her room. Once again, Ivy had to use magic on Race to make him fall asleep last night. Since she had dreamt of Ivy's death, she was avoiding sleep. She didn't want to experience the same dream again; within the invention, she could feel the pain of losing Ivy.

After getting ready with her attire, Ivy sent Gareta out and instructed her to inform the guards to prepare the carriage. Ivy then stood up, intending to wake up Race, but someone else knocked first on her room's door. Ivy abandoned her plan to wake up Race and walked towards the door instead.

"Miranda, what's going on? Didn't I say we'd have breakfast at the palace?" Ivy asked, puzzled.

Miranda smiled and bowed politely.
"I'm just delivering these drinks, Miss. I heard today will be a long day for you and young master Race. So, I've brought two glasses of wine, freshly made early this morning. You both should have these before leaving," Miranda spoke while holding a tray with two enticing glasses of wine.

Ivy, who had been drinking wine more frequently lately due to her association with Winter, smiled. She nodded in agreement with Miranda's suggestion. Ivy then took the tray from Miranda's hands.
"I'll take them myself. Now, return to the kitchen!" Ivy commanded.

"But, Miss."
Miranda looked panicked and glanced at the two glasses of wine now in Ivy's hands.

"Why?" Ivy furrowed her brow, puzzled.

Miranda appeared flustered and then briefly looked at Ivy. She shook her head slightly.
"It's nothing, Miss. In that case, please excuse me," Miranda bid farewell.

"Alright."

After Miranda left, Ivy walked to the table in her room. She placed the tray with the two glasses of wine on the table. Ivy then looked towards Race, and shortly after, she glanced at the wine Miranda had provided.

"Ah, I should drink first. It looks really refreshing," Ivy murmured. Without hesitation, she picked up one of the glasses of wine and took a slow sip.

Meanwhile, Miranda halted her steps and gazed back at Ivy's room. She gave a thin smile.
"Hopefully, she drinks before young Master Race does because both glasses are equally poisoned," Miranda mumbled and smiled contentedly.
***
Winter quickly left the palace and headed to her room behind the central court. She searched for her medicine, which was indeed in her room. Her parents always remembered to keep a medicine supply in each of Winter's rooms, whether in the palace or the pavilion. After finding the medicine she needed, Winter proceeded without hesitation, swallowing a few pills dry without water.

Winter's breath appeared irregular, but she seemed to calm down after some time. She then glanced towards the door.
"I need to return to the palace," she said in a monologue.

Before leaving her room, Winter looked at the medicine bottle she held. She squeezed the bottle tightly.
"How long do I have to live with these medications? And what is my illness exactly?" she questioned in her monologue.

Indeed, Winter had never been informed about her illness. He followed his parents' instructions to keep taking their prepared medicine without knowing her condition.
Winter sighed profoundly and then placed the medicine bottle on the table. She shifted her gaze to the bracelet she was wearing now. It was a bracelet that Ivy had made specifically for her.

"Why do I have so many safeguards? Will I die if all of this isn't on me?" she asked again, continuing to speak to herself.

In Ivy's pavilion, Race jolted awake from his slumber. Realizing he had fallen asleep due to Ivy's magic, he groaned in frustration. Shortly after, he remembered his wife. Race scanned the room with his eyes.
"Where's Ivy?" Race mumbled.

Race then got out of bed and stumbled upon something. He was startled and looked down. Shocked and wide-eyed, he couldn't believe what he saw. Ivy was lying on the floor, in pain and struggling.

"Iv!" Race shouted, rushing over to wake Ivy up.

"Iv, what happened?" Race asked, now holding Ivy's body, which was growing colder.

Wincing in pain, Ivy held her chest and looked towards Race. Despite her discomfort, she managed to smile upon seeing her panicked husband.
"Iv, answer me! What happened to you? What did you eat? What's causing this?"

Panicked, Race looked around the room and found no food in his wife's chamber. He only saw two empty glasses on the table. He stared blankly at the two glasses. He recalled his dream—on that day, Ivy seemed to have drunk wine and was found dead in the morning.
Race looked at Ivy with a growing sense of panic.

"What did you drink, Iv? Answer me!"
Race half-shouted at Ivy out of continuous worry coursing through his heart.

"I... I'm fine. For me, as long as you're okay, that's enough."
Ivy finally managed to speak, albeit softly and weakly.

"What are you saying, Iv! You promised not to leave me!"
Race began to cry, realizing that what Ivy did was indeed to protect him.

Ivy smiled and then extended her hand, gently cupping Race's cheek.
"At least I didn't die because of you, Race. Your life is more important to me."

Then Ivy coughed and spat out fresh blood, staining her gown and Race's pants. Race's panic escalated as Ivy seemed to be struggling to breathe.

"Ivy! Breathe! Ivy! Don't fall asleep, please!"

Ivy could no longer respond to Race's words. Her hand fell from Race's cheek, and she closed her eyes slowly.

"Ivy! Wake up!"
***