Chapter 95

As Vivian just stared blankly, Louis tapped the spot next to him again.  

“If you’re sorry, lend me your shoulder for a moment.”  

Swallowing the tears that welled up at Louis’s words, Vivian slowly moved to sit beside him. Louis then leaned his body against Vivian’s shoulder and rested his face on it.  

“Much more comfortable.”  

Seeing Louis smile, Vivian scolded him for being able to laugh in such a situation.  

“I’m more sorry. I always seem to put you in danger, Vivian…”  

Vivian pursed her lips as she looked at the top of Louis’s head, who apologized with a broken voice. She opened her mouth as she looked at his swollen ankle.  

“Why are you apologizing when it’s not your fault, Louis?”  

“You apologized too, even though it wasn’t your fault, Vivian.”  

Although this place blocked the wind better than where they were before, the low temperature of the forest caused goosebumps to rise on Vivian’s skin.  

Vivian carefully adjusted the jacket she had draped over Louis and peeked around.  

Even straining her ears, she couldn’t hear any sign of people.  

When would people come to find us? 

Vivian tightly clenched her hands, which were trembling slightly, as she watched the sun change its position.  

“Vivian, you know…”  

Louis spoke with his eyes closed.  

“I both wanted to be like His Majesty the Emperor and didn’t want to be like him.”  

Vivian lowered her head to look at Louis. His disheveled hair was stuck to his forehead with beads of sweat.  

“His Majesty the Emperor… had someone he loved. She was the second daughter of a humble baron family.”  

Vivian furrowed her brows at Louis’s words. Empress Annette was the eldest daughter of a prestigious Marquis family in the Empire.  

“I heard His Majesty met her while inspecting a territory during his time as Crown Prince. But he already had a fiancée. Still, their relationship didn’t end, and eventually, the current Emperor brought her in as a concubine right after I was born.”  

The eerie sound of the wind cutting through the forest mingled with Louis’s voice.  

“That woman, who was a healer, said she wouldn’t have children for the sake of Her Majesty the Empress and me.”  

With a sound like a deflating balloon, Louis’s body trembled slightly.  

“Still, to my maternal grandfather, she was a thorn in his side. Even just breathing, she received criticism from the high nobility.”  

If she was the Emperor’s concubine, there was a high chance she wasn’t on good terms with the Empress, his birth mother. Yet, somehow, Louis’s voice seemed a bit sad as he spoke about the concubine.  

“She was the only weakness of the strong Emperor.”  

Louis shivered as if he were cold. The jacket covering him slipped off. Vivian reached out to pull the jacket back up and said he didn’t have to speak if it was difficult, but Louis shook his head slightly.  

“When I was young, I think I got along well with her. She would give me candy after my lessons and remind me not to forget to brush my teeth. As a child, I didn’t know what she meant to my mother, and the adults didn’t bother to tell me.”  

Although Louis still had his eyes closed, Vivian felt she could somehow sense what color his eyes would be.  

“When I was seven, I happened to see Her Majesty the Empress crying because of that woman. It was the first time I saw my mother cry.”  

Though Louis occasionally let out shallow groans from the pain, he continued speaking.  

“I ran to that woman and shouted that I didn’t want to see her, that I wished she would disappear…”  

Louis shook with silent laughter.  

“But she really did disappear. They said she was ill.”  

“Louis…”  

“When she died, His Majesty the Emperor didn’t attend to state affairs for ten days. It was the first and last time His Majesty ever set aside his duties.”  

Louis rubbed his forehead against Vivian’s shoulder. Vivian placed her hand on Louis’s pale forehead. Her eyelids trembled as she felt the heat radiating from his forehead.  

“Louis, you have a fever.”  

Louis took Vivian’s cool hand, which was on his forehead.  

“Love brought down my father, who was like a mountain, in an instant. It left a huge wound in the heart of my kind and wise mother. I… I, Vivian…”  

Louis struggled to pause and catch his breath.  

“Louis…”  

“I didn’t want to fall in love, but then… Vivian.”  

As Louis’s voice grew quieter, Vivian began to feel scared. The sound of Louis’s breathing, which had been wheezing, grew increasingly harsh.  

The thin scarf was completely soaked, and the blood dripping from its end started falling onto the dry leaves.  

“Ugh. Louis.”

Vivian looked around, her voice trembling with tears. There was still no sign of anyone, and Louis was losing consciousness.  

If they stayed like this, something terrible might happen to Louis.  

Vivian gritted her teeth against her trembling jaw, lifted Louis’s head, and laid it on the ground. She swept back Louis’s sweat-soaked hair and shouted.  

“Is anyone… Ugh. Is anyone there! Please, please help us. Sob.”

Tears welled up, blurring Louis’s face. Vivian quickly wiped her tears with her sleeve and opened her mouth to shout again.  

Then.  

Crunch, crunch.  

The sound of footsteps on fallen leaves began to approach. Vivian turned her head toward the sound. Through her tear-blurred vision, she could vaguely make out the silhouette of a person.  

Even if it was someone who meant harm, Vivian wanted to cling to their legs and beg for help. Vivian’s eyes widened as she quickly wiped her tears and saw who it was.  

“Aitor!”  

Aitor was approaching Louis and Vivian.  

“Aitor! Help us! Lo-Louis right now!”  

Vivian ran to Aitor. She nearly collapsed from relief, but she gathered her strength and ran to Aitor, grabbing his sleeve.  

“Ai…tor?”  

Aitor stopped walking as Vivian ran to him and grabbed his sleeve. Despite Vivian’s tugging, Aitor didn’t move and looked down at her.  

“Aitor…”  

Vivian’s hand slipped from Aitor’s sleeve. Her hand fell limply in the air.  

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Vivi.”  

With an expressionless face, Aitor caught the fainting Vivian with one hand and looked at the fallen Louis.  

Effortlessly hoisting Vivian onto his shoulder, Aitor walked over to Louis.  

Kneeling on one knee, Aitor coldly looked down at the unconscious Louis and placed a finger on his forehead.  

A small light flowed from Aitor’s finger and seeped into Louis’s forehead. Louis’s eyelids twitched.  

When Louis opened his eyes, he struggled to focus his gaze.  

Seeing Vivian slumped over Aitor’s shoulder, Louis began to panic.  

He opened his mouth to ask Aitor what had happened to Vivian and why she had suddenly collapsed, but no matter how hard he tried, no voice came out.  

Aitor, who was watching Louis cough painfully, slowly moved his red lips.  

“Do you know what kind of relationship His Majesty the Emperor had with my father?”  

Louis continued to breathe heavily and looked up at Aitor.  

“They say the Emperor is the one who killed my adoptive father.”  

At Aitor’s words, Louis’s eyes shook like a ship caught in a stormy sea.  

“What should I… do?”  

Aitor lowered his head. Louis couldn’t see Aitor’s expression clearly, but he could easily tell that Aitor was in pain.  

Seeing Aitor struggling with his head bowed, Louis no longer felt the burning physical pain that had started in his arm.  

He felt he should get up immediately, pat Aitor on the shoulder, and reassure him that it might be incorrect information and that they should investigate further.  

However, with his heavy body and voiceless mouth, Louis could only open and close his mouth.  

“Please ask the Emperor why he killed my father and how he could send me, who was trying to find my father’s killer, to the magic school, and tell me the answer. Until then, I will take Vivian with me.”  

“Ugh!”  

At Aitor’s words, Louis twisted his body, but for some reason, he couldn’t even move a finger. Aitor, who was watching Louis’s labored breathing, adjusted Vivian on his shoulder and stood up.  

“You shouldn’t move like that. I’ve contracted your muscles to stop the bleeding. Soon, people will come looking for the Crown Prince. By then, the magic will be lifted.”  

Aitor adjusted Vivian, who was slumped over, and looked at Louis, who was barely able to lift his head and was breathing heavily. Then he turned his back.  

“Ugh! Ugh!”  

As Aitor moved away with Vivian, Louis twisted his body even more, but it was useless.  

And so, Aitor disappeared with Vivian in front of Louis.  

* * *  

It felt like a dream.  

Images of Violet, who had looked at him warmly when he was young, came to mind.  

The candy and snacks she gave him. Her warm hand that stroked his hair with a smile.  

And the sight of his mother, who turned away and cried, and the Emperor’s door, which was tightly locked after the concubine’s death.  

As he pondered why he had such a dream, Louis frowned at the burning thirst he felt.  

And then, the memory that came to mind.  

Louis opened his eyes wide and lifted his upper body.  

“Ugh!”  

The pain and intense heat from his arm made Louis groan.  

“Louis!”  

“Your Highness! You mustn’t get up like this!”  

At the sound of his name, Louis turned his head to see Empress Annette and Rayden.  

“Where’s Vivian?”  

When Louis asked Rayden, Rayden stepped back and bowed his head.  

“I’m sorry.”  

“Damn it.”  

Louis pushed the blanket aside with one hand and sat on the edge of the bed, attempting to stand by placing his foot on the floor.  

“Ugh.”  

The sharp pain from his ankle caused Louis to lose his balance and sit back on the bed.  

“Louis!”  

Empress Annette grabbed her son’s shoulders.  

“You mustn’t move like this. The wound on your arm is deeper than we thought. Your ankle is still swollen, and if you strain it, it might get worse.”  

Louis shook his head and grabbed Empress Annette’s wrist, which was on his shoulder.  

“Vivian… Vivian.”  

Louis couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence.  

Aitor had kidnapped Vivian.  

Louis’s golden eyes trembled, and he quickly erased his confused expression, gathering strength to rise again.  

“Louis, please calm down for now. The imperial knights and the Ducal family are searching everywhere for Lady Vivian, so we’ll find a lead soon.”  

Louis noticed the violet eyes looking at him were wet with tears.  

Only then did he see his mother’s face.  

Her face was pale and emaciated, with red-rimmed eyes as if she had been crying.  

It was the second time Louis had seen his mother’s tears.