Paedyn and Kai rest in a field of poppies within sight of the castle, trying to ignore their approaching return to Ilya. They pass the time making flower crowns, and Paedyn fondly remembers making them with Adena. The playful mood briefly restores a sense of peace between them.

That calm breaks when Kai notices the scar on Paedyn’s shoulder. Paedyn immediately hides it and tries to stop him from seeing more, even escalating into a physical struggle when Kai presses the issue. Kai refuses to fight back, telling Paedyn that he does not want to touch her in violence again, which forces the confrontation away from anger and toward honesty.

Paedyn finally shows Kai the wound and explains that the king carved her with a sword, cutting down her neck and leaving an O on her shoulder for Ordinary. Kai is horrified both by the cruelty itself and by the fact that Paedyn carried it alone. Paedyn admits she hid the scar because she feels branded, ruined, and permanently tied to the man who killed her father and persecuted people like her.

The confession becomes an emotional turning point. Paedyn asks Kai to say her real name again, and when he does, she allows herself to fall into his embrace. Kai tells Paedyn the scar is proof of her strength rather than her shame, and the two remain together until nightfall. They settle onto a bedroll, exchange soft teasing and affection, and end the chapter physically close, with their bond deepened just before they must face what awaits them at the castle.