In the early winter afternoon, the royal gardens were bathed in warm sunshine, the temperature was pleasant, and a cool breeze was blowing.

Sitting on the second-floor terrace, Todd looked at the elegantly dressed woman across the table and asked softly, "Snake wine? Juniper tea?"

The radiant Queen Mary smiled and nodded, saying, "If only there were coffee."

Todd paused for a moment, then said helplessly, "I tried sending people south to look for coffee seeds, but it seems there aren't any here?"

Mary shrugged with regret and said, "Over the years, I have never been able to forget that lingering fragrance on my teeth, and I always remind myself not to become obsessed with something. But whenever I think about it at night, I always toss and turn and can't fall asleep."

Todd sensed a hidden meaning in Mary's words, but he chose to respond with silence and a smile.

Mary stared at Todd's face, and seeing that he didn't say anything, she looked disappointed. She looked around and said, "This palace is really deserted. When I came here, I didn't even see many servants or maids."

“I’ve given most of them long vacations,” Todd said calmly, pouring some tea into Mary’s cup. “I live here alone; having too many servants makes no sense.”

Mary stared into Todd's eyes, a hint of sorrow flashing in them: "You are the strangest king I have ever met."

Todd glanced up at the sky, then took a sip of tea and slowly said, "The palace is chilly at night, and there are few servants. Perhaps you could consider the inn down the mountain..."

Mary interrupted Todd impatiently: "I've only been in the palace for four hours since I arrived, and this is the third time you've asked me to leave! I don't understand, is my presence bothering you, or perhaps irritating you?"

Todd put down his teacup and said slowly, "Mary, believe me, I'm doing this for your own good..."

Mary glared angrily and said, "Even if you don't want to see me, is this how the Holy King treats his guests in front of the Queen of Holy Guard City?!"

Todd said with a wry smile, "Mary, actually..."

"I don't care! I'm not leaving!"

Mary's anger, with its noble and unapproachable aura, momentarily stunned Todd.

After the woman calmed down, the latter said to her, "Mary, listen to me, this palace beneath your feet will soon be engulfed in war."

Mary, who was sulking, turned her head to look at the scenery below the mountain. Hearing Todd's words, she turned around in surprise: "War?"

“There is a group of enemies who have been lurking in Muxi City, waiting for an opportunity to seize the power of the kingdom. Today or tomorrow may be the time for them to make their move.”

After her initial shock, Mary stood up and exclaimed, "Where are the loyal knights? Where is the kingdom's army?"

Todd shook his head and said, "Mobilizing the army now would be tantamount to telling the enemy that I have knowledge of their actions; moreover, the kingdom's army is already riddled with holes, and I cannot guarantee how many of them are still loyal to me."

Mary stared wide-eyed for a moment, then ran to Todd's side, grabbed his skirt with one hand and pulled him back with the other, saying without hesitation, "I've brought seventy loyal knights, my most reliable companions in Holy Guard City. Come with me, we'll go to Holy Guard City, and then gather the army and come back!"

Todd gently held Mary's soft hand and shook his head, saying, "I can't leave."

The astute Mary pondered for a moment and quickly guessed Todd's intention: "You...you want to be bait to lure out those rebels?!"

Todd nodded.

"Are you crazy? What kind of king would risk his life like that?!"

Mary gripped Todd's sleeve tightly, her delicate and beautiful face filled with anxiety: "Why do you always have to sacrifice yourself?! Is this kingdom really worth it?!"

Todd gently took Mary's hand and said firmly, "Because I sit on the throne, I must stay."

Mary slumped to her knees, burying her head in Todd's chest, and murmured, "Why? Why are you always like this?"

Todd gently lifted Mary's chin, looked at her earnestly, and said, "While there's still time, you can leave this city as soon as possible and return to Saint Guard City to await my news. In a few days, everything here will return to normal..."

Mary shook her head vigorously and whispered, "I won't leave. First it was my father, then my ex-husband, and now it's you. I'm tired of running away and I don't want to keep running away like this."

Todd sighed. "You don't need to do that."

Mary looked up at Todd: "Ratchet didn't leave, did she?"

Todd hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"She's willing to stay in this city and live and die with you, so why don't you believe I can do the same?"

Mary rested her head on Todd's lap and whispered, "In your heart, is Rachel the only person you can truly trust? Is everyone else unable to truly enter your heart?"

Todd reached out towards Mary's back, which was as white and flawless as a swan, but stopped halfway before touching it. He said to Mary in an unusually weathered tone, "Being with me is a hard and boring thing. Even Rachel suffered a lot and endured a lot of hardship with me."

Mary retorted irritably, "When Rachel talked to me about you, she didn't look regretful at all. She told me that the luckiest thing in her life was meeting you."

Todd looked down at Mary in front of him and asked curiously, "What exactly did she say to you?"

Mary's voice was barely audible: "It's a secret."

As dusk fell over the western city, the setting sun cast long shadows across the city, transforming the landscape into a golden oil painting.

The king and queen sat side by side on the terrace, talking about each other as if they had forgotten the passage of time, until the sun set and the moon rose.

The night wind grew stronger, and Mary, dressed only in a court dress, felt the temperature slowly dropping and involuntarily shivered.

Todd took off his coat and draped it over Mary, saying softly, "It's night, go back now. I'll have someone bring dinner to your room."

Mary nodded, clutched her coat tightly, and followed Todd toward the inner palace.

They hadn't taken two steps when a piercing explosion suddenly came from behind them.

Todd returned to the 'Dew' platform and looked towards the direction of Twilight City.

Fires and thick smoke rose from the direction of the Twilight Knights' camp, and the sounds of fighting and shouting could be faintly heard in the air.

With both hands gripping the balcony railing tightly, Todd said coldly, "Finally, the stage curtain has been drawn."