Even if the Dawn Abandons You - Chapter 20

Continental calendar: April 18, 1891.

The President of Beauharnais University, Frederic Belmartier, had died.

The officially announced cause of death was an unfortunate accident during the suppression of the unrest that occurred the night before. However, very few people knew the detailed story leading up to the announcement.

Riot forces entered Beauharnais University and successfully captured dozens of students who had not yet managed to escape. Bodies were found neatly arranged in each building. A bigger problem was that Prince Henri, who had initially planned to summarily execute the captured students, changed his mind and began torturing them instead.

Prince Henri sought answers from the students, specifically the testimony that President Belmartier had hidden and aided those who had fled.

Although the students who participated in the uprising at Beauharnais University were captured, there was no evidence that Frederic had helped them. Furthermore, before he was shot, Frederic Belmartier had opened the school gate on his own and walked out. Some of the aristocrats who had heard of the situation speculated that he might have been leaving to inform the riot forces that the school had been occupied by runaway students. In other words, the narrative began to circulate that Prince Henri had accidentally shot and killed the innocent Frederic Belmartier. Henri was troubled by the fact that even among the aristocrats who supported him, there were those sympathetic to Frederic Belmartier, a respected intellectual. His unwillingness to admit his mistake was more than embarrassing.

Therefore, Prince Henri needed to portray Frederic Belmartier as an assistant to the revolutionary army in order to compensate for his mistake. He brutally tortured the students to get the answers he wanted. President Belmartier repeatedly asked a question with a predetermined answer, inquiring whether he had helped them.

However, not a single student answered “yes” to the prince’s question.

All the students’ testimonies were consistent. They stated that they forcefully occupied the school, and President Belmartier had tried to expel them. Despite the relentless torture, no one claimed that President Belmartier had aided them. Prince Henri tasted his first disappointment.

It was his younger brother, Leonard, who delivered the second blow to the crown prince.

The day after Frederic Belmartier’s death, Leonard hastily returned to the palace and went to see Antoine XIII himself. He admitted, word for word, that he was merely exploring the campus in the middle of the night.

While reproaching Leonard for his unworthy friendships, Antoine XIII believed Leonard’s account rather than Henry’s speculation that Frederic Belmartier had supported the revolutionaries. He couldn’t help but believe it. If they considered Henry’s guesses, it became impossible to explain why Leonard was at Beauharnais University the night before.

In fact, it was sufficient to manipulate the students’ testimonies, but Henri, unable to dismiss even the testimony personally provided by his younger brother to the emperor, had to acknowledge his mistake. Thus, Frederic Belmartier’s death was announced as the unfortunate death of one of the riot troops—caused by mistaken fire, which was not entirely inaccurate.

This also meant that the captured students and Leonard had rescued Anais Belmartier, who was in danger of being executed on charges of being the daughter of an alleged criminal.

? ? ?

Anais, who had been imprisoned in the dungeon of the imperial palace for several days without even having time to mourn her father’s death, was released once Frederic’s innocence was proven. During those days, Anais had a lot of time to reflect.

After taking a bath and changing into a clean dress, Anais was escorted from the dingy dungeon to the opulent palace corridors. She didn’t know what awaited her in the lavishly decorated hallway that dazzled her eyes, but as she walked, Leonard’s attendant, Gina, appeared. Walking alongside her, Gina led Anais to Leonard’s drawing room. As they passed through the hallway, Anais’s mind was preoccupied with thoughts. Her thoughts, which had been delayed even while grieving Frederic’s death, were interrupted the moment she laid eyes on Leonard waiting for her in the drawing room.

Leonard sat on the sofa, dressed in the most glamorous outfit she had ever seen. His legs shook restlessly as he clasped his hands. As soon as he received the report from his attendant that “Mademoiselle Belmartier has been brought in,” he jumped up from his seat.

Anais, meeting him again after a few days, stood still in front of the door, emanating an aura of uncertainty and calmness. She seemed a bit thinner, perhaps due to the hardships she must have endured.

“Anais!”

After the servant left, Leonard rushed toward Anais. He felt the urge to turn her around and check if she had suffered any harm, as well as the urge to hug and comfort her immediately, but he resisted both. From the time he was fourteen until now, Anais had been a formidable opponent for Leonard, someone he didn’t even dare to touch casually.

“Are you okay? Are you out of harm’s way?”

“I’m fine, really.”

Anais replied calmly. Then, she took a moment to catch her breath before slowly lowering her gaze.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness. Even His Highness went through difficult times because of me.”

On the evening when Leonard had visited the Bellemartiers as usual, Frederic and Anais had lightly argued about Anais accompanying Frederic.

Leonard held no animosity toward the republicans. After all, wasn’t there a Wisteria Republic right next door? He couldn’t blame them for wanting a world without emperors in a country that was declining. And since he had already conveyed his thoughts to Anais, he understood the source of her conflict with her father.

Student uprisings continued in various places due to Prince Henri’s summary execution of five college students who had read a book on republican thought. It was predicted that tensions would be especially high that evening. Frederic intended to make necessary preparations for the school in case the students sought refuge there, but Anais insisted on joining him. Frederic believed it was dangerous, but Anais believed that if people were in trouble in a dangerous place, she was willing to take the risk and help them.

While observing the argument between father and daugher, Leonard came up with his own idea. Originally, he believed that Henri’s actions were unjust and that the students’ anger was justified. Although he couldn’t support them as a member of the imperial family, he was willing to assist them in a different manner.

So, Leonard’s ingenious plan was for both him and Anais to accompany and aid the students. In the event of a dangerous situation with the riot forces, he, as the prince, would take responsibility and ensure Anais’s safety. Her father and she considered it a risky course, but it was her own compromise, so she decided to go along with it.

Looking back now, it was incredibly fortunate. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Anais could have lost her life if Leonard hadn’t been there.

“I don’t mind. I’m just glad that you weren’t harmed too severely. Besides, parents have no control over who their grown-up children associate with, right?”

“But I heard that if Your Highness hadn’t made an effort, I might not have survived.”

Leonard listened quietly as Anais spoke softly, dressed in a lavish outfit that he wouldn’t wear outside the imperial palace. Then, he let out a bitter sigh. It was clear that he wanted to express his sorrow.

“…Unfortunately, your brother always seems to bring misfortune upon my life.”

Leonard didn’t appreciate that remark.

“I wanted to protect you and apologize for your father and brother.”

“Apology is too strong a word. I simply want to thank you once again, Your Highness.”

“Please, Anais, don’t thank me. Not this time.”

Leonard made a firm and heartfelt plea, and he involuntarily approached Anais, boldly resting his forehead on her shoulder. He felt like he was going mad, like Anais was driving him insane. So he convinced himself that he had to accept this level of deviation. His warm breath grazed Anais’s shoulder. He had been frustrated because he couldn’t comprehend Anais, who only expressed her gratitude. What was she thankful for? Gratitude is something that can be felt when there is no obligation or necessity to reciprocate. He whispered earnestly, resting his forehead on Anais’s shoulder.

“Don’t speak as if it was natural for me to abandon you…”

The weight of his responsibilities and reasons to protect her had become so overwhelming that he couldn’t even enumerate them anymore.