The warmth that had once pulsed through the Crown Prince's body was gone, leaving him cold and still. I pressed my fingers against his wrist, searching for a heartbeat, but found only a chilling silence.

He stopped breathing.

Three days have passed since he last showed any signs of life, yet his body remains unchanged, untouched by the usual signs of decay. If he were human, death would be the only explanation. But considering that the Crown Prince is an Izavene, and their nature differs from that of humans, this could be something entirely different.

However, it doesn't change the fact that he's teetering on the brink of death.

I sent Thyra a report about the Crown Prince's condition, but received a wedding invitation in response. I'm not sure if she even received my letter, but her response is infuriating.

Thyra Edevane, who recklessly decided to marry the second prince in a desperate attempt to restore the Crown Prince's life, is now facing a devastating reality. She should cancel the wedding because her true love is ... or likely, dead.

"Raleigh, are you inside?" The voice was soft, yet unmistakable. It could only be Louvienne.

"Yes, you can come in." The door creaked open, revealing Louvienne's bright smile. But her expression faltered as she took in my troubled face, instantly sensing the gravity of the situation.

"What happened? Why the long face?" she asked, walking towards me and pulling me into a comforting hug, as if trying to soothe my troubled mind.

"I don't know if I should be affected, but the Crown Prince isn't showing any signs of life. I sent Thyra a letter, but received a wedding invitation in response. The wedding takes place in a week, so we have to be there."

"Ah, things are getting messed up. But there's nothing we can do when everything's already been decided, right?" Louvienne sighed, a hint of resignation in her voice.

"Our last chance is to talk to her before the wedding. We have to prepare our bags for the journey. But first, how are you feeling? What did the doctor say? Your stomach has been upset for days now, you're pretending to be fine when it's obvious you've been vomiting, and you've been hiding it all with that smile of yours."

"I'm fine. There's something I want to show you, though. Come with me." Louvienne clung to my arm as we headed out of the room. As I locked the door, a servant running by lowered his head and caught his breath, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and urgency.

"Your Grace, apologies for intruding, but we have an unexpected guest. The new Empress arrived without notice, and we couldn't stop her from coming. So ..." The servant's voice trailed off, his eyes darting nervously between me and Louvienne.

I let go of Louvienne's hand, sensing her disappointment in my action. "I'll handle it. Luvi, please rest for now. I don't want you to see her. She did try to harm you once, and I don't want to give her a chance to do something to you, okay? We'll continue our conversation later." She held my hand, rubbing her finger against my wedding ring, and whimpered softly.

"You love me, right? You won't leave me, even if I become fat, or if the Empress is prettier? Or even if I was a tree?" She looked up at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and longing.

"What? Where did that come from?" Her question was the strangest thing I'd heard from her. Part of me wanted to laugh, but her teary reaction made me realize how serious she was.

"I'm not going anywhere. You're my wife, and I ..." My voice trailed off, unsure how to articulate the depth of my feelings.

I could sense our servant watching and listening, making it hard to say the affectionate words that were suddenly on the tip of my tongue. My cheeks felt warm, and I wondered why this had to happen now, of all times.

"Sheesh, is it even that hard to say?" Louvienne pushed me away, sighing. "You have to make it up to me later for making me cry!" She gave me a playful shove, but there was a hint of sadness in her eyes.

Without letting me say another word, she ran away. What had just happened? I stood there, stunned, feeling like I'd just been handed a confusing riddle.

"That's strange. I know she's quite childish and affectionate, but today is far from normal." I muttered to myself, shaking my head.

"Her Grace can be a bit silly at times, but regardless, everyone appreciates her for brightening up the atmosphere of the castle," the servant commented, a small smile playing on his lips.

He should've known that saying that was an insult, especially considering I'm the cause of all the pressure before Louvienne came here. It's something I cannot deny, so I'll let it slide.

"Your Grace?" my servant called out, snapping me out of my thoughts.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

I couldn't bring myself to face Eviona, not after seeing Louvienne in tears. My wife was more important than the Empress. Even if I upset the Empress, she wouldn't be foolish enough to take everything personally. After all, without my power and resources, the empire would crumble.

"Tell the Empress that she needs to wait a little longer. Tell her that my wife isn't feeling well, so I have to attend to her for a while," I instructed, then turned and ran after Louvienne.

Where could she be?

I went into our room and my study, but she was out of sight.

She wasn't in the music room or the library either – the places she usually retreated to when she had time to spare.

Clueless on where else to go, I desperately opened each room on the upper floor, only to find her in a spare room, surrounded by furniture, clothes, and toys I had never seen before.

“These are …”

"How did you know I was here? I was planning to show you when you're least expecting it," she narrowed her eyes, frowning. "So, should you read the room or spell it out for you?"

My mind was flooded with thoughts that didn't seem logical enough to say aloud. Even though I had a conclusion, it was something I couldn't imagine saying out loud.

"When did you have the time to buy all of this?" I finally managed to ask, my voice laced with confusion.

Louvienne covered her face with a palm, frustrated by my question. She walked towards me and grabbed me by the collar, her eyes narrowed.

"Ral, you dummy, these are for our child. Can you believe it? You're going to be a father soon."

The world felt like it stopped, leaving only the sound of a ticking clock echoing in my mind.

Was this real? Did I hear correctly? What should I do in this situation?

"My goodness," a pair of warm hands cupped my cheeks, bringing me back to reality. "You really don't know how to react naturally, do you? If you could only see your expression right now!" She chuckled, a blush creeping across her cheeks.

I pulled her into a gentle embrace, kissing her forehead. "Apologies, my dear wife. I'm still learning, so I don't know how to react. This marriage, and now becoming a father – I need to process it all one step at a time. Even so, I wouldn't change a thing. Thank you for teaching me what love truly is. You're like the sun, warming my cold, bitter heart, once filled with resentment. I promise I'll be a good husband and a loving father to our child."

"That sounds more sincere than your wedding vow. You have no idea how grateful I am that I chose not to give up on you. You're far from perfect, Ral, and you don't have to be. Just promise me one thing – that you will stretch out your patience even more, because kids tend to do silly and sometimes reckless things that can get on your nerves. You can't be a short-tempered father, get it? That's your assignment."

"Understood, ma'am." I replied, a chuckle escaping my lips. She mirrored my laugh, for laughter is contagious.

"Hey, now that I think about it, you were about to meet the Empress, right?"

"Ah, right. But either way, you know that I really don't give a damn, right?"

"Shut it, you idiot! Even if you're not impressed by her, she's still the Empress."

"Fine. I'm not afraid of her. I'm the last person she'll consider lifting a finger on. Everyone knows that I'm the one funding the empire. Without my resources, they're nothing. After all, Izavenes only use the destructive powers flowing in their veins, and on the contrary, my power is to support people's well-being."

"Right, you don't have to spell it out to me. You won't be called a grand duke for nothing. But then again, you have to meet the Empress. I'll be fine. It won't take long, right?"

"It won't, I promise."

──•~❉᯽❉~•──

Eviona stood before our wedding portrait, her fingers tracing the delicate embroidery of Louvienne's gown. Her brows were furrowed, a frown etched on her face as if she were displeased by the sight of me married to Louvienne.

I couldn't think of any other explanation for her expression except anger and jealousy.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked, and she turned to face me, regaining her composure.

"And why are you here? I don't remember sending an invitation, and according to etiquette, it's rude for someone to visit without invitation unless urgent. What can that be?"

"You truly are provoking me on purpose, aren't you?"

Hearing a question after a question as a response is unethical, but it's nothing surprising. Eviona has never carried herself like an empress, let alone given a good impression to anyone, especially the nobles. When will she ever learn?

"And what may Her Majesty mean? I haven't done anything against the imperial laws. If you can't stand my way of speaking to people, then I apologize. This is simply a part of who I am. As you know, I'm straightforward in my thoughts and actions, and I'm not willing to engage in pleasantries because you're not even a guest in the first place."

"You – !" She stopped herself before saying anything reckless, and changed the subject. "I'm here because I learned from the Euhryian king that you're keeping Thyra Edevane here. The king is searching for her, so – "

"I'm afraid that's no longer your business. You're only using that as an excuse. Thyra came here of her own free will, so I can't be accused of kidnapping, assuming that the king twisted the facts. She's my friend, so it's only natural to let a friend stay in my territory as I wish. She's no longer here because she no longer has any reason to stay."

Eviona is using Thyra's disappearance as a pretense, despite having no knowledge of who she actually is. It's anyone's guess how she'll react upon learning that her soon-to-be sister-in-law is the very woman she's been searching for.

"Thyra Edevane is the least of your worries. She's no threat, and she simply wants to start a new life outside the empire. Now, if you're finished concerning yourself with something you shouldn't stress about, then I'll excuse myself."

I turned away, dismissing her with a flick of my wrist. I wasn't interested in discussing anything further. Though I didn't look back, I could feel her gaze burning into my back.

"You're hiding something, Raleigh," Eviona remarked, her gaze piercing. I turned to face her; my curiosity piqued. "I can sense ... a familiar presence in this place. A presence of someone who is alive, but near death's door. It's like some kind of dying flame."

Could it be that she's sensing the crown prince's presence? Considering his condition, barely a breath away from the grave, calling him a "dying flame" is actually quite generous.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied, keeping my composure to avoid raising any suspicions.

"My brother is here, isn't he? I can sense him in this place, but he's on the verge of dying," her accusation was unwavering – not a guess, but a certainty.

"Don't underestimate me, Raleigh. I'm the strongest Izavene alive, and I'm more than you think I am."