125. Please

Larael’s back drew closer, as if she could catch her simply by stretching out her hand. Cecile reached toward her, determined that if she caught her, she would kill her. At that moment, as if out of nowhere, a boy with a sword appeared and, with a swift and clean motion, struck her down in a single blow.

“Huh? What…?”

Cecile couldn’t even finish her words before she collapsed to the ground. The last thing she saw was the silver hair flowing softly like a galaxy in the dark night sky. The last thing she thought of was neither her thirst for revenge against Edward nor her hatred for Larael—it was simply that her silver hair was so beautiful.

“Joy, don’t kill him. Cut off both his arms.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

As Cecile fell instantly, Cloud stared blankly in shock before finally coming to his senses, gripping his sword and readying his stance. Joy charged at him. While Joy crossed swords with Cloud, Larael knelt beside Cecile, gently closing the eyes that had not yet shut.

“I don’t know what grudge you bore, but may it not become chains that bind you to your next life…”

A terrible scream rang out. Larael raised her head to look at the one who screamed. Joy stood over Cloud, who writhed in agony after Joy had severed both his arms, exactly as Larael had commanded.

Larael approached Joy and held out her hands. Joy quickly and carefully cut through the leather straps that bound her wrists. Then, together, Larael and Joy bound Cloud’s feet and staunched the bleeding from his arms as he eventually lost consciousness from the pain. He could not be allowed to die from excessive blood loss.

“Thank you, Joy. But how did you manage to follow me here?”

“Strangely, I just had a bad feeling. So I waited in front of the palace gates. Then I saw a carriage racing out at high speed, and I followed it. I didn’t know how many assassins might be inside, so when it finally stopped, I couldn’t act carelessly. I’m sorry. I should have rescued Your Highness sooner…”

Joy lowered his head. Larael patted his shoulder and shook her head.

“No, you did well. We need to return to the palace at once. Edward is badly injured.”

“His Majesty??” Joy asked, wide-eyed.

“Can you reconnect a horse to the carriage?”

“Yes, of course. I’ll—”

“All right. Please do it.”

Joy stopped himself from saying more when he saw the severity in Larael’s expression. He quickly harnessed the abandoned horse and reattached the shafts. Larael, watching him work, anxiously bit her nails.

“Joy, is there anything I can do to help?”

“No, it’s almost done.”

Larael desperately wanted to return to Edward. Once everything was secured, Joy loaded the unconscious Cloud into the carriage.

“Your Highness, are you uncomfortable?”

“No, I’m fine. Let’s just go quickly.”

Larael nodded to him. Joy closed the carriage door, climbed onto the driver’s seat, and set the horses in motion.

‘There’s nothing Joy can’t do,’ Larael thought, staring out the window and wishing the palace would appear sooner. Yet no matter how far they traveled, the palace did not come into view, and her anxiety grew. Only after a long ride did they finally arrive.

Because of the attack during the masquerade ball, security at the palace gates was extremely tight. Larael stepped out of the carriage and showed her face to the guards before she was allowed to pass.

The carriage stopped in front of the main palace. Joy quickly jumped down to open the door, but Larael had already opened it and was stepping out.

“Joy, go directly to Count Winters. Tell him everything about what happened. He is the one I trust the most. Say I will contact him soon.”

At her words, Joy’s face briefly showed regret. He wanted to stay by Larael’s side and protect her. He didn’t want to meet Count Winters, but since it was Larael’s command, he could not refuse.

“Yes, understood, Your Highness.”

With that, Joy departed once again with the carriage.

Larael lifted the soiled hem of her dress and hurried toward Edward’s chamber. As news of her return spread, Marquis Argen, who had rushed out to greet her, encountered her in the corridor.

“Your Highness!!”

Marquis Argen called to her in a trembling voice. Relief and exhaustion washed over him at the same time. The sight of her face made his nose sting with emotion. But Larael’s appearance was also in terrible shape.

“Marquis Argen, how is His Majesty?”

Larael stopped when she saw him, gasping for breath as she asked her question. Marquis Argen could not bring himself to answer; he lowered his head instead. With a short, stifled groan, Larael broke into a run once more toward Edward’s chamber.

‘Please, please…’

Until she reached the chamber, Larael prayed desperately that it would not be Edward’s life that was taken, but her own. It must never be Edward.

“Your Highness, shall we open the door?”

The attendants standing beside the door asked cautiously, glancing at Larael. She shut her eyes tightly in front of them. If she saw Edward, she feared the tears she had been forcing back would burst all at once. When Larael gave a nod, the attendants opened the chamber door.

The moment she stepped in, the air felt different. Gone was Edward, standing in the middle of the room with a smile, waiting for her. Instead, the chamber bustled like a military outpost.

The Empress Dowager, seated on the sofa, fixed her gaze on Larael as she entered. She was not the only one. Everyone in the chamber halted their movements and looked at Larael, their stares pulling her down as though into deep waters. Her breath caught in her throat.

“Empress Consort… you’ve returned safely. What a relief.”

Larael did not reply to the Empress Dowager. Instead, she slowly turned her head toward the bed.

Edward was lying there. Step by step, Larael moved closer. The moment she saw him up close, a dull pain struck her chest. An overwhelming urge to flee gripped her, as if she were trapped in a darkness too deep to ever escape.

“Ed… ward.”

Larael collapsed onto the floor. The Empress Dowager watched her with cold eyes before frowning and turning her head away.

“Go back to your quarters and wash. Whether you remain here or not, His Majesty will not rise because of it…”

Even after hearing those words, Larael could not get up for a long while. At last, she forced herself to stand and approached Edward’s bedside. At the sight of his pale face, the tears she had suppressed burst forth. Marquis Argen came to her side.

“The treatment has been completed. Thankfully, the injuries were not fatal, but His Majesty has yet to regain consciousness.”

Covering her face with both hands, Larael sobbed uncontrollably. It was all her fault. She should not have missed any sign, yet she had been far too complacent.

“Empress Consort, do not cause a disturbance beside the patient. Return to your quarters. Do you not hear me?”

Marquis Argen glanced at the Empress Dowager, then bent closer to Larael’s ear and whispered.

“Your Highness, I will summon the physician and the high chamberlain at once.”

“No. I’m fine.”

Marquis Argen’s eyes flicked to the wound on Larael’s head and the injuries visible on her skin.

“Your Highness…”

“I will first explain how I returned. Everything else can wait until after.”

Lowering her hands from her face, Larael spoke. Tears streamed endlessly from her reddened eyes. She rose, unable to take her gaze off Edward, and walked with Marquis Argen toward Edward’s office, her expression vacant.

“Please, do not leave His Majesty alone with the Empress Dowager.”

“…Yes. Understood.”

She gave him this instruction as they left Edward’s chamber, and it was something Marquis Argen already had in mind.

When they reached the office, several of Edward’s aides were waiting. Larael seated herself at the meeting table and closed her eyes tightly, recalling their conversations and actions.

“Your Highness, during the masquerade ball, the assassins attacked unguarded nobles. Four were killed, and thirteen wounded. Three of them were subdued and killed by the Imperial Knights, while the remaining two kidnapped Your Highness and fled.”

“Why… why did the Imperial Knights not pursue me?”