Ch#143
His mind, which had barely begun to awaken again, checked what time it was now.
A moment later, Clois swept his face with both hands.
"My goodness."
A child claiming to be his daughter had appeared, and the banquet hall had erupted in chaos.
After that, the Imperial Knight Order had practically carried him back to this room under heavy guard.
Afterward, memories of day and night blurring together were hazy.
Counting them, he realized about a week had passed.
Startled, he tried to stand, but dizziness hit him, and he collapsed back onto the sofa.
How long had he been awake?
His eyes stung and burned so badly that every time he tried to lift his eyelids, he felt vertigo like riding on a churning ship.
At the same time, a burning fever covered his entire body.
About to lose consciousness again, Clois grabbed the letter on the table.
The moment he saw the drawing of the crying animal, his heart ached.
When Evi sent him letters, she always drew smiling animals.
Yet to draw such an expression.
With trembling hands, he opened the envelope.
[Your Majesty. It's Evi. I heard you're very ill. (Arsel said I shouldn't ask, but I kept insisting, so he told me. Please forgive him just once.)]
Reading up to there, he couldn't help but chuckle.
Indeed, his health status leaking out was strictly forbidden.
Duke Kailun, Arsel—more than anyone, they knew that and would guard the secret even with a sword to their throats.
'Yet they ended up telling Evi after all.'
How much must this child have worried about him for those iron-willed people to break their convictions and tell her.
[Are you very sick? Our Orphanage Director said when you're ill, you must eat well. And wash your hands and feet clean, and always wear clean clothes.]
"Oh......"
Clois let out a groan. He hadn't followed a single one.
'Even a seven-year-old knows this, yet I couldn't manage it.'
Feeling deep self-pity, he continued reading the letter.
[The Genius Academy's Seasonal Festival is over, so classes have started now. I grew taller during break, and my arms and legs got longer, so I got a new uniform. I wear bigger shoes now too!]
Just trivial daily updates, yet Clois couldn't tear his eyes from the letter.
[......So now I'll study Professor Males's new book even harder. It's the cool book with my name in it. I'll treasure it forever.]
In the margin was a drawing of what might be a brick or a book.
[......I'm doing well like this. So I hope Your Majesty gets better soon and healthy too! Please reply once you're recovered. Then goodbye.]
At the end was what might be a bow or prostrating figure......
"......This is a squirrel. Definitely."
Clois muttered confidently to no one.
The letter ended there. Reluctantly, he blinked and reread it several times.
'The Seasonal Festival is completely over.'
A week-long event, gone just like that.
Suddenly, he recalled the promise with Evi.
'We were supposed to go out together.'
He had wanted to make up for losing her at the previous Seasonal Festival, leaving a bad memory.
Fortunately, Evi hadn't feared going out; she'd shrugged, saying she'd earned money working at the duke's mansion, so she'd pay for the raffle this time.
Evi couldn't have forgotten that promise...... Yet the letter held no resentment toward him for breaking it—only worry.
She must be pretending not to remember out of consideration for him.
He looked at the envelope again. The crying animal drawing.
It seemed to be Evi herself, worrying about him.
Still a mess of a drawing, he gave a wry smile.
For a moment, Clois seriously considered summoning Evi to the Main Palace and having the imperial painter teach her separately.
At that instant, the existence he'd completely forgotten resurfaced.
"That child......"
The one who had run to him calling him Dad and clung to him.
He recalled Duke Kailun later saying they'd call her Eve for now.
Since Clois hadn't acknowledged her as his daughter yet, she couldn't use Evebien, but as confirmed imperial, she was staying in the inner palace.
Clois tried to recall the child's face.
He clearly remembered her having the same hair and eye color as Evi, but her face was vague.
Like not remembering a passing child.
'Was I too shocked by Lilian's letter?'
He turned his gaze to the other side of the table. Lilian's letter lay exactly where he'd left it beside Evi's.
Over the past week, seeing it tore at his heart, but now somewhat recovered, he could endure it.
'I can't stay like this.'
There was much to verify.
'Why did Savina only bring that child to me now?'
It had been seven years since he ascended the throne.
There had been plenty of chances to bring her......
......Why now?
As he pondered, other doubts slowly arose.
'Count Aradman brought them.'
Then how and where had Count Aradman met them?
Moreover, without an invitation, how had the child entered the banquet hall alone?
Suddenly, he realized he was desperately suspecting Eve wasn't his daughter.
'......Why?'
The mark on her hand was real.
Savina had cried out that she'd finally brought the princess.
Even bringing Lilian's letter.
Honestly, that alone was enough to recognize her as princess immediately.
In the past, he surely would have.
So why not now?
"......"
Questioning his own actions, he stood.
For now, he couldn't do anything like this.
"She said eat well."
Evi had told him not to skip meals in the letter.
So he should eat something first.
Fortunately, the chief attendant had left food on another table.
Taking a sip of soup while sitting, it still held warmth.
While he'd been out of his mind, the chief attendant must have kept replacing it.
Clois devoured the soup as if he'd never lost his appetite for a week, then pulled over bread and other dishes.
For a while.
After finishing even the steak, he entered the bathroom, washed away all the fatigue clinging to his body, changed clothes, and emerged.
Having done as Evi asked, he began pondering what to do next.
There was so much to handle.
But the top priority was clear.
He went to the desk, picked up a pen.
He had to reply to Evi.
* * *
"I heard His Majesty has risen."
Count Aradman lifted his chin defiantly, glaring at Duke Kailun before him.
"Yes."
"Then I wish to see him directly."
His voice dripped with suspicion that Duke Kailun was blocking his audience.
"And while we're at it, I demand an apology."
"An apology?"
Duke Kailun looked at the count as if wondering what nonsense this was.
The count's guts twisted at the shameless face.
"That woman you sent! The one who wrecked my carriage and dragged me out! If the duke denies it, I have no way to prove it. But that woman will be properly punished!"
Count Aradman's eyes gleamed, finally able to avenge that humiliation.
"She even drew a sword inside the Imperial Palace! That's an unavoidable grave crime! I'll have her head no matter what!"
She'd dragged him from the carriage, grabbed his collar, and hauled him like a dog. The shock of people murmuring in surprise was still vivid.
Then a bright voice came from behind them.
"My head? So many want it—might need a number ticket."
The two turned in surprise. There stood a noblewoman in a cream chiffon dress, matched with a pearl necklace and wide-brimmed hat.
Naturally, Margrave Dershna.
"The capital's great. Overflowing with things to buy. Gifts from the southern Terins Family are nice, but the capital has its own flavor. What do you think, Duke? Doesn't this suit me well?"
"It suits you perfectly."
"And look at this. Bought daggers made of new metal. They're amazing because......"
Thud! Thud!
Before they could blink, the sound of slicing air rang beside Count Aradman, and two daggers embedded in the wall behind.
"They're this light yet so destructive! If lodged right, shattering a person's head is nothing."
