Even if the Dawn Abandons You - Chapter 4

‘Your Highness, avoid!’

For a long time, Leonard Antoine de Charleroi regretted hearing those words at that moment, leaving the imperial palace like that. Marquis Paul de Entrivier, who had escorted him from the palace, resisted the attack of the imperial palace by the revolutionary army until the end and was shot.

One of Leonard’s long-held hobbies was wandering the streets of Seine disguised as a commoner, away from the imperial palace. And he did many things. One day, he handed a silver coin to a starving beggar girl who attempted to steal bread, and another day, he saved a commoner boy from being beaten by a nobleman. He enjoyed it and longed for it to be his occupation. Thus, he confronted his older brother, the crown prince, and coveted the throne. He couldn’t tolerate Leang ruled by his father or his older brother.

Ironically, the aristocrats who died protecting the imperial palace until the end of the revolution’s night, including Paul de Entrivier, were the ones who shared his desires and stood by his side. They were as loyal to the Charleroi dynasty as they were loyal to Leonard, and to Emperor Leans. In an instant, Leonard was left alone. The only refuge he had was an old hideout, with no idea when he might be discovered. He managed to survive for about a month with the food he had saved in case he needed to leave the imperial palace for several days. When he emerged from the hideout at dawn after a month, the world he knew had already been turned upside down.

The Revolution succeeded, the Republic was established, the caste system was officially abolished, Enjolras Remicourt was elected as the president, the imperial family was imprisoned in the eastern tower. The central aristocrats of Seine were purged, their properties confiscated, and some were fortunate enough to be exiled abroad.

And the resistance of the Imperialist Restoration began in Basbourg.

First and foremost, Leonard was grateful that there were no wanted posters on the streets searching for him. Given his distinctive height and strong physique, it would have been difficult to hide if he were marked as a wanted fugitive. Perhaps the Revolutionary Army kept his absence a secret, and no one found it suspicious to see a tall young man with auburn hair and gray eyes walking around in broad daylight. However, it was inevitable that the revolutionary army would eventually search for him, so he remained a fugitive. With utmost caution, he wandered the streets in disguise, gathering information as he had done in the pre-revolutionary world. The streets were always filled with new stories and hopeful expectations for a new world. For Leonard, it was the first time he truly saw such sights, as his hobby of stealth had now turned into a necessity.

Once he had reassured himself about his own safety to some extent, he began thinking about the members of the royal family who were said to be imprisoned in the east tower of the palace. He had never been on good terms with the tyrannical Emperor and crown prince, who exploited and oppressed the people, to the point of openly criticizing them. However, his mother, sister-in-law, sister, and nephews loved him. Leonard hoped that the revolutionary army would treat them humanely and reasonably. Or, like himself, he hoped that at least some of them managed to escape.

He had heard rumors that there might be a trial soon. If they were put on trial, it would be difficult for the emperor and crown prince to survive. Leonard didn’t expect that far ahead. But what about the rest? As someone who had once dreamt of becoming an emperor, he naturally resented the Revolutionary Army, but he still held a sliver of faith in them as they advocated for a new world.

Now, what should he do?

That was the next question that Leonard faced. Among his belongings was an identity card proving that he was the second prince of Leang.

As such, seeking asylum abroad was the first option. There were reports that the Kladiev Empire and the Plana Kingdom had offered asylum to the deposed imperial family, so going to the border and seeking refuge there would have been one possibility. However, Leonard didn’t want to leave Leang.

The second option was to head south to Basbourg, the place where the civil war between the imperialists and the revolutionary army was in full swing. Catherine, Countess of Basbourg, was one of the leaders of the Crown Prince faction. If Leonard managed to safely enter the fortress of Basbourg, she wouldn’t hesitate to recruit him and further bolster the resistance.

After careful consideration, Leonard decided to go south.

However, the destination he set his sights on was not Basbourg Fortress.

Leonard Antoine de Charleroi, driven by an unknown force, was headed only to the bloodstained land amidst a nation filled with hopes for a new era.

That’s how he ended up in Dunang, without knowing whether it was an escape or something else. Without a purpose or any particular plans, he spent his days helping with farming in one house and taking care of the injured in another. He was frustrated and enraged when he heard the news that all the members of the imperial family in the eastern tower had been executed, but he didn’t return to Seine or visit Basbourg Fortress.

And so, he lived like that.

In a place he had never expected, he encountered someone he had never wanted to meet.

Moreover, he heard that this person had settled in Dunang and opened a hospital.

? ? ?

Philippe Ardinand was right. Even in Anais Belmartier’s eyes, Dunang was a village that struggled in many ways due to its impoverished environment. Although it was the smallest and most vulnerable village in Basbourg, its proximity to the war zone made it a constant target, with death and injuries being a common occurrence.

If things continued this way, the village itself might turn into ruins within a few months. Dunang may have been a very small village, but it was still inhabited, and above all, its situation was no better than that of other villages in Basbourg.

When Anais first witnessed the situation there, she was furious. And she knew exactly who to blame. Anais was furious at Edmond Lambert for not telling her the truth, despite knowing the grim reality firsthand.

‘Seine needs you.’

Those were the words Edmund had repeatedly instilled in Anais. Little did he know that what Seine needed most desperately was a doctor, and among the ranks of the Revolutionary Army, Anais was the only one. If he had revealed the truth to her, she would have come down without hesitation.

After being thoroughly angered by Edmund, who spoke passionately on the podium but always had cold intentions, Anais turned her anger inward for believing his words and not investigating the situation herself. She was stunned by the fact that she had volunteered to be a doctor, yet had forgotten about those shedding blood in the unrelenting heat of the revolution, the joy of victory, and the promise of a new era.

Then she met him. At that moment, she wished she could disappear on the spot.

But after a few days of settling in Dunang, she couldn’t afford to let her anger or guilt distract her any longer. She began tending to the wounded, rushing from one place to another in Dunang and even to neighboring villages. They were all civilians caught in the crossfire of the Civil War—some shot, some bombed, some injured or disabled by the revolutionaries, and some on the brink of death. As she healed them, Anais began to question, day by day, whether they had truly created a new and “better” world. But after a while, she stopped entertaining such doubts.

Living like this, she felt as if she had been yearning for a good life for a very long time. Fixing people over and over again, without dwelling on useless and overwhelming guilt.

? ? ?

“What the hell am I doing here?”

Leonard dried his face while contemplating the question.

He didn’t regret coming to Dunang.

During that time, many old aristocrats had been selling their wealth, such as jewels and trinkets, to raise money for bribes or to seek asylum with the revolutionary army. Moreover, the fact that the Revolutionary Army couldn’t find the second prince was kept top secret from the outside world. Leonard made a modest living by selling the clothes he wore without raising much suspicion. Due to his thrifty nature, he didn’t make much money, but it was enough to settle down, thanks to the generous hospitality of the small rural town.

The people of Dunang didn’t question Leonard’s past. In fact, there were hardly any inquisitive individuals in the village. Any strong young man who could easily do the work of several people and take care of the elderly and children was highly valued. Regardless of who Leonard was or why he had come to this rugged land, people welcomed his presence.

“Mr. Belmartier, I brought some potatoes…”

But what about her? Anais’s status as a doctor was well-known to him. The villagers were understandably excited that a doctor of such stature, who had been a key figure in the revolution, had come to their small remote village.

There was an elderly woman living alone with her son, who had been severely injured by a bomb lodged in his leg. These days, Leonard took care of the wife while her bedridden son was still recovering. Leonard had unintentionally become a porter, carrying a mountain of potatoes, and ended up following her to deliver them. And that’s when Leonard and Anais unexpectedly crossed paths again, standing face to face with only a door between them, both wearing puzzled expressions. Only the oblivious old woman smiled and handed Anais a basket of potatoes.

“If it weren’t for you, my son would have died. I brought these because there’s nothing else I can do for you. Please don’t refuse them.”

“I was just doing what I had to do…”

Leonard gritted his teeth for a moment. Anais, who had saved the old woman’s son’s life without even asking for payment, laughed awkwardly and accepted the basket. As she held the basket in her hands, she looked under the hook.

“Th-There’s… way too many, ma’am. Your son still needs time to recover. A nutritious diet is crucial for his healing. If you give me everything like this, what about you and your son?”

The old woman had large hands, and the amount of potatoes she brought for her son’s benefactor seemed like it could feed a woman for an entire season. Leonard believed that the old woman had brought all the potatoes she had harvested that summer to offer to Anais.

“Oh, we left plenty for ourselves to eat. Don’t worry, take them. Mr. Serdieu, you seem quite burdened. Shall I help you carry them inside?”

“Oh, no, it’s alright…”

“I insist.”

Leonard swiftly took the basket from Anais, who was holding it with both hands, and entered the house with determined steps.