Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Relief washed over the Chamberlain's face as he followed Johannes. He bowed deeply towards the empire's little sun.
"Your Highness, your chambers and office have been prepared. Please let me know if you require anything else."
"Hmm, well," Johannes shrugged casually as he strolled down the hallway of Adrian Palace. "Don't make it a big deal, I'm just here to relax. The capital gives me a headache. Too much to do and too many people interfering."
"I will do my best to alleviate Your Highness's concerns."
"Speaking of which, I heard there was something interesting happening in the south recently?"
"Ah... there was a somewhat noisy incident."
Despite saying he was here to relax, Johannes entered the office. He naturally sat at the desk and opened the documents.
"Aslan is my brother, but he has some peculiar quirks. I hope he hasn't caused any trouble for you."
Rumors had been swirling around the south about Aslan buying a mansion for his fiancée who had Consumption.
But no one saw his actions in a positive light. Everyone knew that Vivian Eleonora possessed wealth that ranked among the empire's finest.
If she died without changing her will, her fortune would naturally pass to Aslan.
"Your Highness, may this old man offer a word of advice? I fear that Your Highness is being too lenient with the Second Prince."
"Do you think so?"
"Yes, Your Highness is destined to become the empire's one and only sun. Even with blood relations, it might be better to show firmness at times."
The Chamberlain had dedicated his life to the Imperial Family. He was always worried that the kind and upright Crown Prince would be taken advantage of by the cunning Second Prince.
"I've been too talkative today. Please consider it an old man's slip of the tongue."
"No, I always appreciate your advice."
Johannes, who had been looking at the documents, raised his eyes.
"But I also believe it is the duty of the Imperial Family's eldest son to take care of his lacking brother. If even I abandon him, who will forgive his misdeeds?"
"Your Highness..."
"So, let's end the gossip about Aslan here. I'll keep it a secret. You may leave now."
The Chamberlain still couldn't hide his worried expression. But he couldn't refuse his master's command.
He bowed low and left the office.
The moment the door closed with a click, the light in Johannes's eyes, which had been full of smiles, turned cold. He lowered his gaze leisurely and muttered.
"It's a shame I couldn't see the filthy, hideous beast myself."
Well, it'll be fun for a while anyway.
The documents Johannes held contained detailed information about everything that had happened in the forest.
Including the identity of the woman who had been with the Demon Hand.
＊ ＊ ＊
Vivian was currently sitting in an outdoor garden overlooking the sea. She had Darjeeling tea and buttery cookies to enjoy the scenery.
"Woof woof woof! Woof woof!"
"Kang kang kang kang!"
"Yelp, yelp! Squeak!"
But it was far from the romantic scene one might imagine.
Vivian was desperately trying to stop the dogs from causing chaos, reflecting on how she had ended up in this situation.
It had been the previous evening, Aslan had seemed in a very good mood since returning from the city. He had a strangely flushed look throughout the meal and told her to ask for anything she wanted.
So Vivian had said,
'I'm going out tomorrow.'
Aslan had naturally said he would go with her, but Vivian had refused.
'If you secretly follow me or send someone after me, I'll be genuinely angry.'
Having barely won the victory, Vivian headed to the bank the next morning. It was to separate her nominee accounts.
But before she could even step through the bank's doors, someone grabbed her.
'Oh, well, who do we have here.'
Who are you, sir.
'Since we've met like this, why don't you come and visit Adrian Palace?'
To the empire's Crown Prince and the original novel's main villain, Johannes Friedrich Astaroth.
Vivian snapped out of her reverie. Johannes was sitting across from her, smiling.
The Johannes in the original novel was described as having the appearance of a prince from a fairy tale come to life. And to Vivian's eyes, his appearance was indeed beautiful.
But Vivian knew his true nature too well to simply stare in awe.
'The one who drove Aslan to his death in the original story.'
That's right. She knew it, but still.
"Woof woof! Woof woof woof woof!"
"Yelp, yelp! Squeak!"
"Haha, cute little fellows."
Seeing how he had turned Adrian Palace into such a mess, she couldn't help but suspect that he was just a crazy bastard.
It's best to avoid crazy bastards. Vivian quickly decided to finish her business and leave.
"Your Highness, what is the reason you summoned me?"
"Reason? Do we need a reason to see each other?"
You call that a reason!
"I'm sorry to say, but I'm not feeling well. Cough cough!"
"I heard that the Lady is staying in the south for a while to recuperate."
"Yes, so..."
I don't think I can stay here for long, she was about to say.
"My brother is so inconsiderate. Not even showing you to an Imperial Physician."
"Pardon?"
"No matter how many excellent doctors there are in the empire, none can compare to the Imperial Physician. Aslan only needs to say one word, but he's such an inconsiderate fiancé. Aren't you upset?"
Vivian tilted her head. She felt like she vaguely understood why the Crown Prince was saying this.
This is a test.
"I'm not upset. Aslan is simply trying not to abuse his power as a prince."
"Do you really think so?"
"I know that Aslan has a bad reputation in the world. But I believe in him. Aslan is a man of noble and lofty ideals. Of course, I'm sure Crown Prince is well aware of that."
"Wow, the Lady is amazing."
The Crown Prince blinked as if genuinely surprised.
"I see the Lady in a new light. I understand that one shouldn't take rumors at face value."
"You flatter me."
Vivian breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, seeing the expected response.
'I've read a similar scene in the original story.'
In the novel, the Crown Prince meets the heroine under the guise of coincidence. And he treats her with great care and asks.
'Aren't you afraid of Aslan? Aren't you curious about his true identity?'
The heroine is deceived by the Crown Prince's attempts to sow discord and reveals her uneasy feelings.
But Aslan is hiding behind a pillar, eavesdropping on the entire conversation. It was a trap deliberately set by the Crown Prince.
'It was the most important turning point in the story, where the atmosphere shifted from romance to despair.'
The reason Vivian hadn't suspected the Crown Prince from the start, even knowing this fact, was simple.
That scene didn't take place in this chaos. It didn't take place in this mess of flying dog hair!
But Vivian's inner scream soon subsided.
"I'm glad you realize that now."
There was no sound of footsteps. But the sudden presence weighed heavily on her shoulders.
"My fiancée is not to be compared to such street rumors."
Aslan, who had appeared unnoticed, took Vivian's hand and kissed it as if branding it.
"She is too good for me. An undeserved partner beyond words."
"If you know that, you should treat her more preciously."
"I will. Even if it means giving my everything."
The brothers glared fiercely at each other.
Meanwhile, Vivian, the commoner caught between them, was suffering from a suffocating pressure.
'Vivian, help...'
The two strongest beings in the world were sandwiching her between them, silently emitting madness, causing her head to throb and a chilling tinnitus to ring in her ears.
At this rate, the poor shrimp's back would be crushed.
In the end, she decided to use her carefully saved ultimate skill.
"Cough cough!"
"Vivian."
"Lady?"
"Hic, cough cough! Cough!"
Vivian took out a handkerchief that had been pre-stained with blood and coughed violently.
As expected, Aslan's face turned pale.
"Vivian, stay strong. Vivian!"
"I can't breathe, hic, Aslan..."
"Vivian!"
But something was strange. The Crown Prince's complexion wasn't good either.
He alternated between looking at Vivian, who was coughing laboriously, and the blood on the handkerchief, blinking in confusion.
The impact of the cough was more powerful than expected. Cold sweat streamed down Vivian's back, who had only intended to get out of the situation.
"I, I'm fine. It's just a normal cough..."
"You've been like this every day? You've been hiding your symptoms from me?"
No, I misspoke. Not normal, but ordinary, just ordinary Consumption symptoms!
But Vivian's inner scream went unheard. Aslan, his brow furrowed fiercely, picked her up in his arms.
"I'll call a doctor right away, so don't lose consciousness and hold on."
But here, a problem arose.
'Was Aslan actually planning to kill me?'
Her lungs were shrinking tightly because she was being held so tightly by him. She gasped for breath, but she couldn't move an inch as if she were trapped in a steel frame.
Ah, her vision is blurring from lack of oxygen.
'That damn human...'
And then, darkness.
