Episode 135
“…Did she really say that?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
“Sigh…”
Brother Jade let out a deep sigh, rubbing his face as if trying to alleviate the pressure in his chest.
I watched him for a moment before continuing.
“At first, I couldn’t be sure who Princess Daina was referring to, so I didn’t tell anyone. But now, I understand. She was talking about you, Brother. It has to be you.”
“I think so too.”
Father agreed with my conclusion, adding weight to my words.
“Princess Daina wants to help our family, accused of treason, because of you. And… right now, before anything happens, we need her help.”
“Princess Daina’s help?”
“Yes. Before seeking her help, I wanted to know your thoughts, Brother.”
“Ayla, explain more clearly. Why is our family accused of treason? Did you find out?”
“Yes, I did.”
“How?”
I paused before speaking, looking at Father to seek his approval to tell Brother Jade everything.
Father nodded, and I began explaining everything to Brother Jade.
“Father and I, knowing our family was accused of treason, tried to find the cause. We discovered that our family’s danger was linked to the Blighton family. By helping the Blighton family, our family fell into this predicament.”
Starting with that, I went on to tell Brother Jade about my encounter with the Crown Prince.
“At the recent ball, the Crown Prince approached me and asked about you and Princess Daina.”
“The Crown Prince?”
“Yes. At that time, both of you were quite noticeable, so I thought he was just curious. I told him I didn’t know much. But then he asked if I thought you and Princess Daina could be together.”
“What does that mean?”
“I didn’t understand it then either. But soon I realized that someone must have told him about Ian.”
“Ian… you mean the Blighton young master?”
“Yes. You remember how Noah stopped Ian’s rampage with divine power? I asked Noah to do that so I could marry Lloydin.”
“I remember. It even caused a fight between you and Noah.”
“The Crown Prince knows about that. And he said he would reveal everything.”
“But why tell you? If he intended to reveal it, why warn you first?”
“I found that strange too. When I asked why, he…”
I paused and clenched my fists, needing to calm myself before speaking again. The absurdity of the Crown Prince’s proposal still angered me deeply.
“He proposed to me.”
“Proposed? What kind of proposal?”
“He wanted me to divorce Lloydin and marry him.”
“What… How could…?”
Brother Jade, always composed, was now visibly agitated.
“How does that make any sense? What could he be thinking…?”
“Jade, watch your words.”
Father admonished Brother as he spoke about the Crown Prince with clear disdain.
“Father, it’s utterly nonsensical. How can he propose to a married noblewoman? And to use Princess Daina and me to achieve his goal is beyond comprehension.”
“No one here understands the Crown Prince’s reasoning. But be careful with your words.”
“Yes, I’ll be careful.”
Brother Jade reluctantly agreed, his expression still tense.
“Ayla, did you ever meet the Crown Prince before your marriage?”
“No, I didn’t. You know I was always unwell. I couldn’t attend social gatherings, so I never had the chance to meet him.”
“Then why make such a proposal to you? He doesn’t know you well.”
“I don’t know. That’s what frustrates me. He just said he liked me.”
“So what would happen if we asked Princess Daina for help? Do you have a plan?”
“I’m not sure. I just thought she might have a solution since she has strong ties to the temple.”
“I understand. I’ll talk to her. Is it alright if I tell her everything you told me?”
“Father, is that okay?”
“Yes. When asking for help, there should be no secrets.”
“Alright. I’ll do that. And Noah…?”
Brother Jade trailed off, looking uncertain.
Father took over the conversation.
“We need to bring Noah back.”
“Brother Noah?”
“Yes. It’s time for him to return.”
“Do you think he will?”
“He must.”
Father’s firm belief in Brother Noah’s return gave me hope.
“Do you know where he is?”
“No, but I hope he’s not far away. We don’t have much time.”
With that, our conversation ended.
I bid farewell to my mother and father and returned to the Blighton estate.
The next day, I returned to the Anaïs estate.
Mother was delighted to see me again.
After a brief chat with her, I headed to Father’s study.
“I sent a letter to Noah yesterday.”
“Oh, you already contacted him. So, is it still a secret from Mother and Luke that I’ve recovered?”
“I will find an appropriate time to tell them soon.”
“Alright. So for now…”
At that moment, there was a knock on the door.
“Master, it’s the butler. An urgent letter has arrived from the palace.”
“An urgent letter? Come in.”
At Father’s command, the butler hurriedly entered the study.
“An urgent letter? From the palace?”
“Yes. Letters have arrived for both you and the young master.”
“For me too?”
“Yes, young master. The messenger insisted on delivering them quickly. Please forgive the intrusion.”
“No problem. Hand them over.”
“Yes, Master.”
Father and Brother Jade took the letters from the butler, quickly opening and reading them.
Their expressions grew serious, as if something significant had happened.
“What’s wrong? Brother, what’s going on?”
Neither responded to my question, instead standing up swiftly.
“We need to head to the palace immediately.”
“Yes, I’ll make preparations.”
“Father, what’s happening? Brother?”
“The Emperor has collapsed.”
“What?”
Shocked, I grabbed Brother Jade and asked him for more details.
“The Emperor suddenly collapsed, and the Crown Prince has convened a meeting.”
“The Crown Prince?”
“Yes. We need to go to the palace quickly.”
“Ah… okay. I’ll help.”
Trying to gather my wits, I stood up to assist Father and Brother.
But then, a thought struck me, something the Crown Prince had said.
“Wait a moment. He did say that… He said he would seize power himself…”
“What did you say, Ayla?”
Even amidst the chaos, Brother Jade heard my muttered words and asked.
“The Crown Prince told me.”
“What are you talking about?”
“When we were talking at the ball, Lloydin came to find me, so our conversation was cut short.”
“And?”
“After meeting Princess Daina, I went to the Crown Prince’s palace. When I asked for time to make a decision, he said that he would not seize power through someone else but would rise to the highest position on his own.”
“No way…”
At my words, Father stopped and looked at me intently.
I glanced back and forth between Father and Brother Jade, clenching my fists to hide my trembling hands.
“And he said he wouldn’t let the Emperor’s indecision between him and Princess Daina drag on…”
Now I understood.
I had thought his words were just idle talk, but now it made sense.
Could the Crown Prince have really…?
“Father…”
I called out to him, seeking confirmation of my dreadful realization.
Father responded with a calmness that belied the gravity of the situation.
“We’ll go to the palace first. We’ll talk more after we return.”
“…Yes, Father.”
“Let’s go, Jade.”
“Yes, Father.”
I watched as Father and Brother headed to the palace, then returned to the Anaïs estate with Mother.
Upon arrival, the butler informed me that Lloydin had also received an urgent letter and had gone to the palace.
I waited in the study, fighting off the overwhelming anxiety and unease until Lloydin returned.
Time passed quickly, and darkness fell, enveloping the surroundings.
Finally, in the middle of the night, the butler informed me that Lloydin’s carriage had arrived at the front gate.
I quickly left the study and went outside to greet him.
