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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: The Prince's Resolve and Forbidden Sweets
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“Your Highness, the Prince, sigh…”
Within Mayerd Palace, located in the most secluded corner of the Imperial Palace, sighs were ceaseless.
“Your Highness, are you reading medical texts again? It’s time for you to sleep.”
“You go to sleep first, Nell.”
Killian, a boy just over ten years old, did not lift his head despite his governess’s worried question.
In the dimly lit bedroom, Killian was reading a book by the light of a precarious barrier he had created.
The pages his gaze was fixed upon contained detailed illustrations of the human body, section by section.
“Your Highness. I have never heard of anyone learning martial arts this way. Last time, you even suffered side effects from trying to learn magic on your own, and then…”
“There’s no other way. Mother would never give me a tutor.”
Killian finally looked up at Nell’s incessant nagging. His eyes, bloodshot from days without sleep, looked sharper than usual.
Nell sighed once more. She was trying to soothe the Prince, who couldn’t sleep and was constantly on edge, but she herself had no idea how to resolve the situation.
This palace, which hadn’t seen any repairs in nearly 30 years, had no warming magic, letting the cold seep straight in.
The only people who came and went from this place, devoid of supplies, were the Empress’s surveillance personnel.
“Mother sent that medicine again. The one that saps my strength so I can’t even walk fifty meters properly.”
“I know. I poured it out myself, didn’t I?”
“The last medicine damaged my magical power.”
“You barely recovered from that.”
“And today, she increased the number of guards protecting Mayerd Palace.”
“They’re making sure Your Highness can’t leave.”
“I deliberately took one step towards the garden, and one of the guards put his hand on his sword.”
“…”
Nell’s complexion turned pale as she looked at Killian. Killian merely shrugged, his expression unchanged.
“I’m trapped here for life without knowing why, so I have to protect myself, don’t I?”
Killian tapped the book he was reading.
The book was not related to swordsmanship or martial arts; it was a type of anatomy text.
Killian looked at the illustrations of the human body within, over and over, memorizing the most vulnerable weak points. This was the self-defense he could learn.
“I’m going to try to go outside the Imperial Palace.”
“Excuse me?”
Nell jumped in surprise at Killian’s sudden remark.
“No, you can’t! If you attempt something like that, Her Majesty the Empress will…”
“How do you think Mother will react?”
Killian asked Nell with a chilling smile. When faced with the question, she couldn’t answer.
“I’m going to find that out, Nell.”
He closed and opened his eyes once as he spoke.
“What Mother, who claims to cherish me by keeping me confined here, will order if I don’t obey her words.”
“Then…”
“If she worries about me, she’ll send you to find me. If she just doesn’t want me out of her control…”
“She’ll send the 2nd Knight Order.”
“Exactly. And if I still manage to escape… if they draw their real swords then, the answer couldn’t be clearer.”
Killian rested his chin on his right hand, speaking bitterly.
“That Mother, who verbally expresses concern for my frailty… might kill me depending on the situation.”
He recalled the Empress’s words, which he had heard so often since childhood they were practically ingrained in his ears.
‘In this Imperial Palace, I am the only one you can rely on. I am also the only one who worries about you.’
She would often say this with a humorless face.
‘You were born a bastard and could have died with your mother, but I brought you here. Never forget that fact.’
Killian had once believed all of the Empress’s words, which were repeated whenever he might forget.
But not anymore.
“I just need to confirm, Nell. When I’m ready, I’ll know.”
Killian whispered.
“Whether Mother is my enemy or not.”
“…What will you do if Her Majesty truly sends the Imperial 2nd Knight Order after you?”
Nell asked again, looking as if she might cry.
“…I have nowhere to go, so I’ll come back. But I’ll return knowing what kind of person Mother truly is.”
“Your Highness! They are known for their brutality. Even if Your Highness complies willingly, they will inflict harm on your body…”
“I’ll leave it to fate.”
He answered indifferently and returned his gaze to the book.
Killian Anais Bayan. He was a Prince allowed nothing but to live.
Everyone except the Empress and her subordinates had forgotten him.
No, it would be more accurate to say that no one had known him to begin with.
Nell sighed deeply once more, looking at the shoulders of the still very small eleven-year-old boy.
***
“Lord Theon gave you a lot of homework, didn’t he? Have you finished it all?”
Vittori said, placing a vial on a shelf.
She was as lively as ever.
As if she had never been kidnapped by the Naitras. As if she had never plunged a dagger into the back of an Elder Council member she had known since childhood.
‘Lady Callista tends to attract assassination attempts quite frequently.’
That was the explanation she had given during my last visit.
Since that incident, I had been visiting Vittori’s laboratory much more frequently.
My movements had become a bit freer after Callista assigned Sion to me. I could go out, but what I wanted most right now was to meet Vittori.
“All done.”
After three days of nauseating study, I had finally memorized the names of all the noble families of the Empire, entangled by blood ties and marriage.
I even knew the names and portraits of the humble Baron Evans’s mistress and his illegitimate child. Their family genes were so strong that the illegitimate child looked exactly like her half-sister, Clarissa.
I would never have finished it if Theon hadn’t explained that it would be of some help in making money.
“I’m almost ready too. I still have a few experiments left, though.”
She said, placing another vial on the shelf. Each bottle contained plant roots cut into different shapes.
“That’s amazing.”
I genuinely admired her. Vittori was exceptional not only at prescribing medicine but also at researching and creating it.
“Oh, it’s nothing, I’m the one who should be grateful for the commission. Just wait a few more days.”
She, who would handle one pillar of the work Theon and I were preparing, said with a smile.
Her decision was swift upon hearing Theon’s request. She didn’t even ask about the exact plan, only inquiring about the scope of her assigned duties and the payment she would receive.
Thanks to her, Theon’s and my plan could proceed in secret for now.
I was almost moved, thinking it might be an act of goodwill stemming from a prediction that her research results could save many lives, but Vittori overturned my expectations with a single sentence.
‘Money is earned by hitting it big when opportunities arise. How else will I ever save enough to buy land and get a handsome man if I just rely on a salary?’
She had said that with an angelic smile.
“By the way, did you receive a lot of chocolates, Lady?”
Vittori changed the subject and asked. When I shook my head, she handed me a large, beautifully wrapped package with a sympathetic expression.
“It’s the Asemor Festival today, you can’t not receive any. It’s a specialty of the Mueller Estate, so take it and eat plenty.”
“Oh, wow…”
A sweet scent was already wafting strongly from the heavy package, which was half my size.
“Thank yo—”
“Excuse me, Lady Vittori.”
Just as I reached out to take the gift, one of Vittori’s maids delivered a note to her and then left.
No, don’t read it.
My heart sank. I had a feeling who sent the note, and I tried to regain her attention, but it was already too late.
Vittori was already drawing down the ends of her eyebrows, wearing an apologetic expression.
“Then, I’ll enjoy…”
*Whisk—*
Making my subtle attempt to grab the chocolate futile, Vittori moved the package to a place where I couldn’t reach it.
“Lord Theon says you’re not allowed to eat it.”
“But!”
“He says your health is really poor. He thinks your fainting spells are due to your eating habits. He’s not wrong, you know.”
I couldn’t bear the frustration and collapsed onto the table.
Theon’s wicked interference had been ongoing since the moment I woke up this morning. He had been remarkably persistent in blocking any chocolate from reaching me.
‘Lady, these are from my family. They’re shaped like little bunnies.’
‘One shouldn’t casually gift things given by family. Think of your mother, who must have wrapped these imagining Miss Daisy eating them all and being happy.’
He had even taken back the chocolate given by Daisy, my massage maid, and returned it.
‘Lady, I made these for my sweetheart, and I made one for you too. They’re pretty heart-shaped chocolates.’
‘It is rude to offer something made for another to the Lady. Feelings for a lover should be reserved solely for them.’
He had also taken the one given by Lyra, the maid who played instruments well.
‘Lady, this is my masterpiece, crafted with three days and nights of dedication!’
The most regrettable one was what Soyer had given.
He had made a chocolate mansion modeled after Luperne Mansion. He even included trees with candy growing on them in the garden area and a chocolate fountain.
*Gulp.*
As I swallowed, my mouth watering, and reached to break off a piece of the biscuit fence, Theon firmly held my hand, stopping me.
‘Why would you ruin such an elaborate work of art? If you only look at it, you can appreciate it for a long time, so I will display it there and put a barrier around it.’
Now, that masterpiece was displayed in the center of my dining table, giving profound inspiration and emotion to everyone who came and went.
Everyone except me.
I was sad. For the first time in two lives, I had received chocolate, but I couldn’t eat it.
The only piece of chocolate Theon allowed was the one Jena gave me. That was probably the only happiness I had enjoyed all day.
Though that small, sweet happiness vanished two seconds after touching my tongue.
“Ah… so this is where you sought refuge.”
Vittori seemed to understand what had happened from my expression.
“But no, it won’t work. Lord Theon strictly instructed everyone not to give you any more chocolate before he went out.”
“Went out?”
He’s not in the mansion?
My face brightened instantly.
“Yes, but as I said…”
“I won’t ask for it.”
I quickly used all my might to think.
It would be fine as long as I didn’t disobey Theon’s words, wouldn’t it?
He had only prevented me from ‘receiving’ chocolate from anyone.
But he had never given any orders about ‘making’ it. And right now, ingredients for making chocolate were scattered all over this mansion.
“I’ll be back, Vittori.”
I grinned slyly, stood up, and looked for my guard who was waiting outside the door.
“Let’s go to the kitchen, Sion.”
The new head chef, Chris, who loves me very much, happens to be in the kitchen.
