Chapter 11 – Part 4

After reluctantly sending Rachel away, Cedric sat in his seat, uneasy. Rachel ended up sitting in the front row with Noah. Though it was still a privileged seat, with other nobles moved to the back, it did little to comfort Rachel.

The Emperor began his speech about the significance of the Founding Festival, but Cedric couldn’t focus. Frustration bubbled inside him as things weren’t going as planned.

“Next, we will hear a speech from His Highness, Crown Prince Cedric.”

When it was his turn, Cedric stepped forward. The crowd burst into applause at his appearance.

All eyes were on Cedric. The streets were packed with commoners drawn in by the event.

“I believe everyone here understands the meaning of the Founding Festival. Every year, on this day, I, Crown Prince Cedric, reflect on the many glories and future prosperity our Moira Empire would not have attained if it had not been founded….”

Cedric continued his speech, looking into the faces of the nobles seated before him. His voice was strong, and his content was excellent. His clear speech captivated the audience.

However, amid his speech, Cedric suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest.

“…!”

Just moments before, he had been perfectly fine, confident in finishing his speech with strength. But as always, the unexpected pain struck him mercilessly.

It was the first time he had felt this pain since his fight with Eliana at the Great Temple, and this time, it was even more severe. It felt like a blade was twisting in his chest, and Cedric clenched his fist tightly.

“Ugh.”

He gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his composure. But he could no longer project his voice as confidently as before.

“Hah.”

His speech abruptly stopped. He tried his best not to show it, but the overwhelming pain was impossible to hide, especially when it was several times stronger than usual.

“What’s going on? Why did His Highness suddenly stop speaking?” a noble murmured, seated next to Noah.

‘This is bad,’ Noah thought, being the first to notice Cedric’s change in complexion. He watched the situation closely, unsure of how to respond.

‘With so many eyes watching, it’s better to help him discreetly than cause a scene.’

But the situation escalated rapidly in just a few seconds.

Cedric was in no state to quietly endure the pain and carry on. Noah jumped to his feet.

“Hah…”

Cedric no longer had the strength to stand or even pretend to walk back to his seat. His entire abdomen hurt, and he felt like he might vomit at any moment.

“Why is His Highness acting like that? Is he unwell?” murmurs spread through the crowd. The whispers reached Eliana, who was walking among the commoners.

“Indeed, it seems unusual,” Eliana muttered, though she had little interest in the royal speeches. She had planned to observe other things while attention was focused on the speeches, but the disturbance caused her to stop in her tracks. Something was clearly wrong with Cedric.

Though she was far away and couldn’t see his face clearly, she could guess why he had stopped speaking.

‘It’s the pain again.’

Eliana could tell the severity of Cedric’s pain just by the way he moved. Judging by how he couldn’t even pretend to manage the situation, it was clear that the pain was intense. She noticed someone running up to Cedric.

‘It’s Noah.’

Noah, trying not to alarm anyone, grabbed Cedric’s arm firmly with a calm expression. Cedric’s face was as pale as a sheet, and sweat poured from him like rain.

“Let’s get you to the back,” Noah said, supporting Cedric.

Cedric didn’t want to retreat. He couldn’t let a mere bout of pain ruin such an important event.

‘I can’t let the image of a strong Crown Prince be shattered.’

But no matter how hard he bit his lip, tasting blood, there were some things he couldn’t overcome.

“Alright,” he finally conceded.

Noah pressed Cedric’s body close to his own to help him walk safely to the back. Then, they could walk a few steps, grab a chair, and move behind the tent.

However, as soon as Cedric took his next step, an even more intense pain surged through his entire body. Before he could react, his body collapsed.

Thud!

Cedric fell to the ground with a loud crash, smashing his knees and burying his face into the floor.

The Empress stood up. She had refrained from reacting earlier to avoid drawing attention to Cedric’s illness, but now the situation left her no choice.

Chaos erupted everywhere. Nobles in both the front and back rows stood up, murmuring anxiously.

“Your Highness!”

The attendants rushed to support Cedric. They quickly helped him to the back, away from prying eyes. Empress Heather, pale with worry, followed her son.

While the crowd buzzed with concern,

“Proceed as usual,” Emperor Davon ordered, his voice tinged with irritation. The noise settled down under his command, though unease lingered.

A major blemish had marred a critical day.

‘Cedric has never collapsed in front of so many people before,’ the Emperor thought, displeased that the Crown Prince’s condition, something he wished to keep hidden, had been publicly exposed.

“Your Majesty, may I finish the speech in his place?” Elesio seized the moment, asking for permission to continue.

“After all, the conclusion is necessary, isn’t it?”

The Emperor glanced toward where Cedric had been taken, sighed briefly, and said, “You may.”

Elesio moved to where Cedric had been standing, seamlessly continuing the speech. He began outlining plans to maintain the empire’s strength, speaking so well that it was hard to believe he wasn’t the original speaker.

‘Prince Elesio is quite the orator,’ Eliana thought.

Cedric rarely gave Elesio important roles—or even minor ones, for that matter. So, Eliana and the gathered nobles found it strange to hear Elesio’s speech. It was clear that he viewed this as an opportunity.

When Elesio finished his speech, thunderous applause followed. The royal family exited first, and the applause continued until they were out of sight.

The commoners quickly began to gossip. Though some discussed the content of the speech, most conversations centered on Cedric, focusing on topics he would have loathed.

“There have been rumors that he’s been unwell for some time.”

“Really?“

“Yes, they say that’s why he hasn’t been able to perform well on the battlefield.”

“Oh my, isn’t that a serious issue?“

“Of course it is! If the one meant to become Emperor is gravely ill…“

“Watch your tongue! Who says he’s gravely ill?“

‘There are no secrets in this world,‘ Eliana thought. Despite efforts to keep things under wraps, the commoners seemed to have a surprisingly accurate grasp of Cedric’s condition.

“Oh!”

Those gossiping quickly turned away and disappeared into the crowd when they noticed Eliana. They recognized her and grew wary.

‘They could speak as much as they wanted in front of me. I don’t care anymore,‘ Eliana mused. Cedric’s illness was no longer her concern. She glanced toward the podium where Cedric had collapsed. Now, there wasn’t even an ant in sight.

* * *

He had fallen, smashing his face into the ground. On top of the unrelenting abdominal pain, now his knees and cheekbone ached too.

“Damn it,“ Cedric groaned, lying on the ground. The physical pain was unbearable, but what hurt even more was his pride. He couldn’t stand having a body that wasn’t perfect, and now, having exposed his weakness in front of so many, he was filled with rage. Hearing Elesio’s speech in his place only fueled his anger.

“Your Highness, are you alright? How are you feeling?“ the doctor, who had been on standby, continuously asked Cedric about his condition. Cedric clutched his abdomen, panting heavily. He felt no improvement. The medicine the doctor had given him, a mixture of three calming herbs, had no effect, just as usual. Cedric always sought it out whenever the pain hit.

“It’s completely useless,“ Cedric growled, beads of cold sweat dripping.

“Bring more medicine, quickly! I can’t make it back to the palace like this,“ he ordered, gasping for breath.

“Cedric,“ Empress Heather clasped his hand tightly. Her large eyes were filled with worry. The cold demeanor she had shown earlier when she arrived with Rachel was gone.

“Are you in that much pain? What should we do with you? Doctor, what are you waiting for? Bring the medicine at once!“ Empress Heather commanded. The doctor hurriedly ran outside to fetch more.

Noah looked at Cedric with worried eyes.

‘He seems to be in more pain than usual. There’s no sign of improvement either.’

Noah couldn’t help but recall a concern he had before—whether Cedric had become even sicker after parting ways with Eliana. He had never voiced this fear, afraid it might bring about worse outcomes by speaking it aloud.

“Your Highness, are you still in the same amount of pain?”

Cedric nodded, his face pale.

“Can’t you tell he’s still in pain after being with him all this time? Anyone can see that he’s been suffering continuously!”

Empress Heather lashed out at Noah.

“If you had properly supported him, Cedric wouldn’t have collapsed like that!”

Noah bowed his head repeatedly in apology. He always wanted to take the best possible care of Cedric, but whenever Cedric was in pain, it felt like Noah’s own heart was shrinking in agony. The thought that he hadn’t found a perfect solution made him feel like he was falling from a great height.

‘Lady Eliana used to look after me, too, at times like this.’

Though their relationship had long ended, Noah couldn’t help but think of Eliana. No one had ever devoted themselves to Cedric as entirely as she had.

“Your Highness, this pain doesn’t seem like something that will subside easily. It would be best to return to the palace, summon healers, and take the medicine there. Let’s head to the carriage.”

Cedric frowned at Noah’s suggestion. He didn’t like leaving the Founding Day event in such a manner, but he had no choice. Noah helped Cedric sit up, his forehead still damp with sweat, hair clinging to it.

“Damn it to the palace. Quickly,“ Cedric grumbled, his face twisted in frustration. He hadn’t even been able to properly participate in the Founding Day celebration before it all ended for him.