'She's someone who tried to kill the royal family, so it's unlikely she'd be hiding in an ordinary place.'
As the Empress had expected, it was Cecilia who advised the Emperor, believing that Damon's thoughts would not be much different from those of his previous life.
'Basement?'
'How about taking a look at the prison?'
After he took Cecilia's advice and found Ilya, who was hiding in the dungeon, the Emperor was able to control his anger. However, no fool could not sense that it was the calm before the storm.
'It must not have been done alone.'
The Emperor was already certain of the existence of an accomplice who had attempted to harm Eden and was searching for one. Cecilia's gaze was fixed on the man's face, whose eyes were closed.
Eden just closed his eyes quietly, as if he was asleep. However, it had already been three days since that night, and he had not opened his eyes.
"It's okay."
Cecilia's slender fingers brushed over the bandages wrapped around Eden's chest. Then, slowly moving upward, they cupped Eden's nose. She could feel his lukewarm breath. He was alive.
“Stay alive.”
But she became anxious when Eden didn't open his eyes for several days.
Of course, Eden almost died. But before it became truly irreversible, Cecilia saved Eden. Ilya had to run away in a hurry, so the sword did not stab him in the heart.
As a result, Eden was now clearly breathing shallowly but had not regained consciousness.
'But why can't Eden come to his senses?'
The Emperor scolded the palace doctor for not being able to regain consciousness. The palace doctor, who could not figure out why Eden was not able to regain consciousness, could only sweat profusely.
'It may be because he's been under a lot of stress recently and is feeling confused. I've often seen people unconsciously avoid things like that.'
He quickly changed his words when he noticed that the Emperor's face was painted with despair. He guessed that the Emperor was shocked by the fact that the position of the Crown Prince had been passed to Damon. Then he became sullen. The reactions of the others were not much different.
But Cecilia knew that wasn't the case. If Eden didn't come to his senses on his own, it wasn't because of the Crown Prince's position. If he had been greedy for that, Eden would have already had it.
"Perhaps..."
It might be because of her. It was a cautious guess, but at the same time, it was also a certainty.
Even though she barely managed to stay by his side, their relationship was precarious. Even when they held hands and touched each other, Cecilia did not look at Eden. She tried to ignore him and trampled on his heart.
'Sorry.'
Cecilia knew the misery. The loneliness of finding out that the person you love doesn't love you back. And the pain of rotting away alone with that heart and that sense of betrayal.
'It's not a sin to not love me, but you make me feel guilty.'
On the contrary, the despair of the moment when he has to apologize for that suffering.
“Eden.”
There were nights when she would rather wait for a morning that would never open its eyes because she was afraid to choose death herself.
“...”
Just guessing what the other person was thinking was so painful. The day Cecilia found out that Eden really hated her enough to kill her father and that he had no sympathy left for her, she would have chosen death.
“Get up.”
She's afraid of ruining her family again. She didn't want to open her eyes again. She doesn't want to hear that Eden wanted to kill her again.
“You are different from me.”
Again, I'm afraid of meeting you who doesn't love me.
“I love you...”
But aren't you different?
The tears that had been gathering in Cecilia's eyes fell. From that moment on, tears continued to fall down her chin. It was despair, but, ironically, it was also joy. She was tired of forcing herself to do painful things and burning with a desire for revenge.
“I love you.”
Cecilia confessed her feelings with a trembling voice. It was an unvarnished sincerity, unlike when she always hid, ran away, and turned away.
If she hadn't really loved Eden, she would have left him long ago. She would have run away on the wedding day. Instead of claiming revenge, she would have begged him to divorce her.
And by using Ilya, who was burning with revenge towards Eden, she would have stabbed Eden in the chest long ago.
"...still."
But Cecilia couldn't do any of that. She couldn't run away, she couldn't ask for a divorce, and she couldn't use Ilya to kill Eden. She couldn't even respond to the empress's offer to join hands and kill him.
“That’s why I hated it even more.”
Even though everything was ready, Cecilia hesitated. She just held the knife in her hand and trembled. She couldn't even tell if she really wanted it or not.
"Therefore."
The knife that was meant to kill Eden fell to the floor. But instead of the dropped knife, instead of the heart that wished for his death, Cecilia grabbed Eden’s hand. And she leaned her head on that hand and prayed.
“Don’t run away like a coward.”
Clear tears fell down the back of his hand.
“I never allowed you to do that.”
Get up. Don't fall down and die in a way I didn't intend, in a way I didn't want.
I wished so. But in fact, deep down, I knew the truth.
I still can't see you die.
Inside the basement, a painful scream tore through the air. It was the sound of Ilya Jackinson being tortured for the second day.
As Cecilia said, it was suspicious in every way that she was hiding in the dungeon disguised as a maid. Ilya wasn't even invited to this event.
'We really didn't know!'
Even the Jackinson family sensed that things would get worse and immediately withdrew. They strongly denied any involvement, citing Ilya's usual psychotic behavior, her divorce filing, and her hostility toward Eden.
Since Damon, whom they supported, had already become the Crown Prince, why would they bother to harm Eden?
'I was only trying to embrace the child who became my family with love, Your Majesty.'
Lady Jackinson clung to the Emperor, weeping pitifully.
'I will banish her from my family forever. I will erase her name completely, and I will never let she come near me again. Your Majesty!'
Of course, that was possible because Eden wasn't dead yet.
“I know you can’t do this alone.”
If Eden died, there was no telling what would happen to their future. Beneath the Emperor's fair and honest mask, there was a cruel side that no one could imagine.
“Whose fortune did you get?”
Even if Eden regains consciousness safely, she won't be completely free from responsibility in the future. The chief of the guard lowered his gaze as he thought so.
“If I tell you, I’ll let you die comfortably in one go.”
The Emperor was relaxed, but he found it hard to watch. The smell of blood was already stinging his nose, and screams were piercing his ears, but he wanted to at least relax his eyes.
“How foolish.”
“...”
“Well, I wonder if it would be wise to dare to kill the royal family.”
“Ugh.”
Ilya was in a tattered state after only two days of torture. The Emperor gestured again as he watched Ilya gasping for breath, unable to speak due to the pain.
“Speak, speak...!”
Ilya trembled when she saw that sight. And barely opened her mouth. Everything had already changed from Damon's plan. Damon would not be able to protect her. She had a gut feeling that she would die without being able to escape from here.
“Speak.”
The Emperor stopped the torturer with a gesture. Ilya groaned and crumpled her face as the pain pierced her brain every second. The Emperor pressed for an answer with a hardened face.
"Hurry!"
Even if you stop the torture by lying, you will only be in for more pain. It would be better to confess quickly and beg to be killed right away. The chief of the household thought to himself, clicking his tongue.
“Oh, Crown Prince...”
Ilya's lips, covered with blood, barely opened. But what he heard was so nonsensical that everyone in the room froze.
"...what?"
The Emperor barely managed to reply.
“Third Prince. The Crown Prince...”
Ilya opened her mouth slowly, panting in pain. She thought that if she didn't answer, the terrible torture would begin again.
“If I kill him...”
“...”
“He will return the family, the clan...”
Ilya, who had been speaking, sobbed and fainted. Since being captured by the Emperor's knights, Ilya had been tortured without being able to sleep for even a moment. It was natural.
“Wake up.”
But the Emperor showed no mercy. Upon hearing the order, his subordinates poured ice-cold water over Ilya's face.
“Take hold of all of Damon’s subordinates and investigate them to see if they are suspicious. Anyone close to him recently, or someone above him, anything is fine.”
Ilya was startled by the cold water and floundered. The Emperor, who had regained consciousness, gave an order in a cold voice. The chamberlain barely suppressed a groan when he saw Ilya’s blue eyes sparkling with a faint madness.
“And Damon’s bedroom should be included in the investigation as well.”
Of course, there was some sadness in his eyes because it was his child trying to harm his other child.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
But no one can escape this bloody storm, not even Damon, who is now the Crown Prince.
As the Empress had expected, it was Cecilia who advised the Emperor, believing that Damon's thoughts would not be much different from those of his previous life.
'Basement?'
'How about taking a look at the prison?'
After he took Cecilia's advice and found Ilya, who was hiding in the dungeon, the Emperor was able to control his anger. However, no fool could not sense that it was the calm before the storm.
'It must not have been done alone.'
The Emperor was already certain of the existence of an accomplice who had attempted to harm Eden and was searching for one. Cecilia's gaze was fixed on the man's face, whose eyes were closed.
Eden just closed his eyes quietly, as if he was asleep. However, it had already been three days since that night, and he had not opened his eyes.
"It's okay."
Cecilia's slender fingers brushed over the bandages wrapped around Eden's chest. Then, slowly moving upward, they cupped Eden's nose. She could feel his lukewarm breath. He was alive.
“Stay alive.”
But she became anxious when Eden didn't open his eyes for several days.
Of course, Eden almost died. But before it became truly irreversible, Cecilia saved Eden. Ilya had to run away in a hurry, so the sword did not stab him in the heart.
As a result, Eden was now clearly breathing shallowly but had not regained consciousness.
'But why can't Eden come to his senses?'
The Emperor scolded the palace doctor for not being able to regain consciousness. The palace doctor, who could not figure out why Eden was not able to regain consciousness, could only sweat profusely.
'It may be because he's been under a lot of stress recently and is feeling confused. I've often seen people unconsciously avoid things like that.'
He quickly changed his words when he noticed that the Emperor's face was painted with despair. He guessed that the Emperor was shocked by the fact that the position of the Crown Prince had been passed to Damon. Then he became sullen. The reactions of the others were not much different.
But Cecilia knew that wasn't the case. If Eden didn't come to his senses on his own, it wasn't because of the Crown Prince's position. If he had been greedy for that, Eden would have already had it.
"Perhaps..."
It might be because of her. It was a cautious guess, but at the same time, it was also a certainty.
Even though she barely managed to stay by his side, their relationship was precarious. Even when they held hands and touched each other, Cecilia did not look at Eden. She tried to ignore him and trampled on his heart.
'Sorry.'
Cecilia knew the misery. The loneliness of finding out that the person you love doesn't love you back. And the pain of rotting away alone with that heart and that sense of betrayal.
'It's not a sin to not love me, but you make me feel guilty.'
On the contrary, the despair of the moment when he has to apologize for that suffering.
“Eden.”
There were nights when she would rather wait for a morning that would never open its eyes because she was afraid to choose death herself.
“...”
Just guessing what the other person was thinking was so painful. The day Cecilia found out that Eden really hated her enough to kill her father and that he had no sympathy left for her, she would have chosen death.
“Get up.”
She's afraid of ruining her family again. She didn't want to open her eyes again. She doesn't want to hear that Eden wanted to kill her again.
“You are different from me.”
Again, I'm afraid of meeting you who doesn't love me.
“I love you...”
But aren't you different?
The tears that had been gathering in Cecilia's eyes fell. From that moment on, tears continued to fall down her chin. It was despair, but, ironically, it was also joy. She was tired of forcing herself to do painful things and burning with a desire for revenge.
“I love you.”
Cecilia confessed her feelings with a trembling voice. It was an unvarnished sincerity, unlike when she always hid, ran away, and turned away.
If she hadn't really loved Eden, she would have left him long ago. She would have run away on the wedding day. Instead of claiming revenge, she would have begged him to divorce her.
And by using Ilya, who was burning with revenge towards Eden, she would have stabbed Eden in the chest long ago.
"...still."
But Cecilia couldn't do any of that. She couldn't run away, she couldn't ask for a divorce, and she couldn't use Ilya to kill Eden. She couldn't even respond to the empress's offer to join hands and kill him.
“That’s why I hated it even more.”
Even though everything was ready, Cecilia hesitated. She just held the knife in her hand and trembled. She couldn't even tell if she really wanted it or not.
"Therefore."
The knife that was meant to kill Eden fell to the floor. But instead of the dropped knife, instead of the heart that wished for his death, Cecilia grabbed Eden’s hand. And she leaned her head on that hand and prayed.
“Don’t run away like a coward.”
Clear tears fell down the back of his hand.
“I never allowed you to do that.”
Get up. Don't fall down and die in a way I didn't intend, in a way I didn't want.
I wished so. But in fact, deep down, I knew the truth.
I still can't see you die.
***
Inside the basement, a painful scream tore through the air. It was the sound of Ilya Jackinson being tortured for the second day.
As Cecilia said, it was suspicious in every way that she was hiding in the dungeon disguised as a maid. Ilya wasn't even invited to this event.
'We really didn't know!'
Even the Jackinson family sensed that things would get worse and immediately withdrew. They strongly denied any involvement, citing Ilya's usual psychotic behavior, her divorce filing, and her hostility toward Eden.
Since Damon, whom they supported, had already become the Crown Prince, why would they bother to harm Eden?
'I was only trying to embrace the child who became my family with love, Your Majesty.'
Lady Jackinson clung to the Emperor, weeping pitifully.
'I will banish her from my family forever. I will erase her name completely, and I will never let she come near me again. Your Majesty!'
Of course, that was possible because Eden wasn't dead yet.
“I know you can’t do this alone.”
If Eden died, there was no telling what would happen to their future. Beneath the Emperor's fair and honest mask, there was a cruel side that no one could imagine.
“Whose fortune did you get?”
Even if Eden regains consciousness safely, she won't be completely free from responsibility in the future. The chief of the guard lowered his gaze as he thought so.
“If I tell you, I’ll let you die comfortably in one go.”
The Emperor was relaxed, but he found it hard to watch. The smell of blood was already stinging his nose, and screams were piercing his ears, but he wanted to at least relax his eyes.
“How foolish.”
“...”
“Well, I wonder if it would be wise to dare to kill the royal family.”
“Ugh.”
Ilya was in a tattered state after only two days of torture. The Emperor gestured again as he watched Ilya gasping for breath, unable to speak due to the pain.
“Speak, speak...!”
Ilya trembled when she saw that sight. And barely opened her mouth. Everything had already changed from Damon's plan. Damon would not be able to protect her. She had a gut feeling that she would die without being able to escape from here.
“Speak.”
The Emperor stopped the torturer with a gesture. Ilya groaned and crumpled her face as the pain pierced her brain every second. The Emperor pressed for an answer with a hardened face.
"Hurry!"
Even if you stop the torture by lying, you will only be in for more pain. It would be better to confess quickly and beg to be killed right away. The chief of the household thought to himself, clicking his tongue.
“Oh, Crown Prince...”
Ilya's lips, covered with blood, barely opened. But what he heard was so nonsensical that everyone in the room froze.
"...what?"
The Emperor barely managed to reply.
“Third Prince. The Crown Prince...”
Ilya opened her mouth slowly, panting in pain. She thought that if she didn't answer, the terrible torture would begin again.
“If I kill him...”
“...”
“He will return the family, the clan...”
Ilya, who had been speaking, sobbed and fainted. Since being captured by the Emperor's knights, Ilya had been tortured without being able to sleep for even a moment. It was natural.
“Wake up.”
But the Emperor showed no mercy. Upon hearing the order, his subordinates poured ice-cold water over Ilya's face.
“Take hold of all of Damon’s subordinates and investigate them to see if they are suspicious. Anyone close to him recently, or someone above him, anything is fine.”
Ilya was startled by the cold water and floundered. The Emperor, who had regained consciousness, gave an order in a cold voice. The chamberlain barely suppressed a groan when he saw Ilya’s blue eyes sparkling with a faint madness.
“And Damon’s bedroom should be included in the investigation as well.”
Of course, there was some sadness in his eyes because it was his child trying to harm his other child.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
But no one can escape this bloody storm, not even Damon, who is now the Crown Prince.
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