Home Chapter 27463-84

27463-84

As I was having these thoughts, Cameron spoke with a satisfied smile.

“It seems the northern atmosphere has stabilized a lot. The war must have served as a warning, as there haven’t been any incursions from other tribes.”

“That’s fortunate.”

“It’s all thanks to you, Duke Roan. And, of course, to the Duchess, the goddess of victory. Haha.”

“No, it is a fact that my wife contributed much more than I did this time.”

“The Duke is truly humble.”

“Indeed, Bannister Duke is a man of great humility.”

The women around us seemed to be falling for Roan even more as Jafflin added his playful comment.

Good. This was the perfect moment to say what I needed to say.

“You don’t have to praise me that much, oppa.”

The effect of calling him “oppa” was extremely powerful.

-Clink.

Somewhere, the sound of a glass breaking could be heard.

“Ah-choo, ah-choo.”

The crown prince coughed as if he’d swallowed something the wrong way.

“…What the heck is that?”

This voice was obviously Cain’s.

“…….”

Roan was silent, his face showing his shock.

The first to regain his composure was an elderly count.

“Haha, you seem to have a very good relationship.”

“Right? Isn’t that so, oppa?”

“Yes, but now, let’s…”

It felt like Roan was telepathically pleading with me to stop.

I thought it would be incredibly embarrassing, but once I said it, it wasn’t so bad. Haha, Jude, you probably thought I’d never dare to do it.

It was quite fun teasing Roan. But seeing his pale face, I felt I might have gone too far and decided to stop, nodding my head.

“It seems almost everyone is here.”

At that moment, a voice echoed through the hall. Everyone’s eyes turned to the source. It was the emperor.

The emperor was holding something in his hand. It seemed to function like a microphone in this world, probably using magic to amplify the sound. Everyone in the hall took a few steps closer to where the emperor stood.

An attendant announced that the congratulatory speech was about to begin.

“Today marks the historic day of the founding of the Astrid Empire.”

Blah, blah, 271 years since the founding of Astrid… I won’t bore you with the long speech that followed.

I wished the tedious sermon would pass quickly, and I noticed Cameron’s profile, looking just as bored as I was. Now seemed the perfect time to ask the question I’d been holding onto.

“Did you manage to resolve that issue?”

Taking advantage of everyone’s attention on the emperor, I sidled up to Cameron and quietly asked.

Cameron, understanding what I was referring to, immediately darkened. He sighed deeply, ignoring any pretense.

“Hah… It’s calmed down a bit now, but I still don’t know. Did Sophia understand? She seems to have reluctantly accepted it. She’s been very down ever since things quieted down.”

Cameron poured out his words as if he were confiding in me.

“That’s surprising.”

Sophia didn’t seem like the type to give up easily based on the last impression I had of her. Had she really given up? I felt worried.

“Where is the princess now?”

“She went out to the terrace alone earlier. I couldn’t follow her. She probably still doesn’t want to see me.”

Cameron muttered the last part with a bitter expression.

Despite his strong opposition, seeing Sophia so downcast made him worry. The crown prince of the empire was still just a brother who cared for his sister.

“I’ll go check on her.”

After the seemingly endless speech finally concluded, I signaled Roan that I was heading over there and left alone.

The terrace Cameron had pointed to was in a secluded area. As I approached, I saw a familiar figure through the gap in the curtains separating the terrace from the interior.

“Princess.”

“Duchess?”

Sophia’s eyes widened when she saw me.

“Why don’t you come in? His Majesty just gave a speech.”

“Oh, did he? I couldn’t hear it well.”

I couldn’t tell if it was true, but it seemed like she hadn’t heard the magically amplified speech at all. She must have been deeply troubled by something, and we all knew what it was.

“…….”

“I heard from His Highness that it seemed like you had given up… He’s very worried about you.”

“…I didn’t want to give up.”

She turned back to lean on the railing.

“It was Jace who gave up, wasn’t it?”

“What?”

The words seemed to carry a lot of meaning, and I couldn’t help but ask again.

“Back then, I couldn’t accept what my brother said. Getting married to support the empire—I couldn’t understand why I had to sacrifice myself in that way, and I didn’t want to understand. Even if it meant saving the empire, I felt like I wouldn’t truly be alive. I couldn’t live without him. Maybe if I had never known him, it would be different, but I already knew him, and without him, I couldn’t go on.”

As she continued, Sophia’s voice, which had started calmly, began to tremble.

“So I secretly sent a letter to Jace. I asked him to run away with me.”

“……!”

Did that mean she had decided to give up her position as a princess?

“I told him we could leave everything behind and live well together. I said I’d wait for him in front of the statue on Asban Avenue, where we often went.”

It was clear that even Cameron had not anticipated this. The depth of Sophia’s feelings was much greater than anyone had thought.

“But on the promised day, Jace didn’t come. I waited for hours, endlessly believing he would come.”

“…….”

What must it have felt like to be abandoned by the person you loved so much that you were willing to give up everything?

“I had no choice but to return to the palace. The maids were already looking for me. Fortunately, it didn’t reach my brother’s ears. And I eventually received a reply from him.”

“What did he say?”

“He said he no longer loved me. He said he didn’t think he loved me enough to give up everything for me. So he couldn’t come…….”

Sophia’s back trembled as if she were holding back tears.

“He said he was sorry and that I should forget him.”

“…….”

Facing such a heartbreaking revelation, I found it difficult to say anything. I bit my lip and spoke to Sophia, who was probably doing the same.

“If you want to cry, it’s okay to cry. You don’t have to hold it all in.”

After all, I wouldn’t tell anyone.

As soon as I finished speaking, I saw tears fall from Sophia’s eyes like raindrops.

She cried silently, without making a sound, just letting the tears flow. In fact, this silent crying hurt more to witness.

If only all love could come true, how wonderful the world would be. But unfulfilled love tears hearts apart this much.

After finishing her silent cry, she gave me a slight smile.

“Thank you, Duchess. I feel a little better now.”

Sophia did seem a bit more at ease than before, whether it was genuine or just a convincing act.

“I won’t cry anymore. I’ll try to forget him, as he said.”

Though I couldn’t show it, I nodded again.

“I’ll just rest my eyes here for a while. You go ahead, Duchess.”

“Yes, I will. Take your time.”

Feeling somewhat complicated, I left the terrace and headed back to where Roan was.

“Ah!”

A maid carrying a tray of wine glasses almost bumped into me as she approached. She was so startled that she knelt down, and one of the wine glasses spilled, soaking her apron.

“Oh, I-I’m sorry. I was distracted.”

The kneeling maid said, shoulders hunched.

“I’m sorry! My legs are weak, so they often tremble…….”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m f-fine.”

But the maid couldn’t seem to get up, her legs too weak to support her.

“Are you sure you’re okay? You should see a doctor.”

“But I was ordered by His Majesty to deliver this wine to the Crown Prince…….”

“I’ll deliver it for you. Change your clothes first and rest your legs for a bit.”

“Thank you so much!”

With my help, the maid stood up and limped away. I noticed Cameron in the distance. He saw me and asked,

“Duchess, how is Sophia?”

“I think she’s trying to calm herself.”

“……I see.”

Cameron still looked troubled. I handed him the wine glass I was holding and said,

“Oh, by the way, this wine is a gift from His Majesty to the Crown Prince.”

“From His Majesty?”

Cameron looked puzzled. Glancing at the Emperor’s seat, I saw he was no longer there, having left after his speech.

“Yes, he sent a maid to deliver it.”

“The Emperor usually gives it personally, but he’s been unwell lately. So it’s true. There are so many things to worry about.”

Cameron pulled at his collar in frustration and drank the wine.

Cough, cough, cough.

Cameron started coughing, covering his mouth with his hand.

I thought he might have choked again, so I asked,

“Your Highness, are you okay?”

-Cough.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I didn’t want to believe it.

“……Your Highness?”

Blood was seeping through his fingers as he covered his mouth.

Thud. Cameron collapsed within seconds.

“Ah!”

“Your Highness!”

The nobles screamed at the sight of blood dripping from the Crown Prince’s lips. The banquet hall quickly descended into chaos.

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