TSPCOB Chapter 12

Chapter 12

“Your Highness, are you coughing?”

Alvin knocked on the door and called out loudly, but there was no response from inside.

As time passed, sweat formed on his forehead.

If His Highness found out that he had let the young lady into the palace without permission… Alvin was terrified just thinking about it.

However, the Rondinella family had long been a respected line of pharmacists, trusted by the Emperor.

Although their influence had decreased after the previous duchess passed away, they were still the only noble family with a duchess in the empire.

If anything were to happen to her here, not only the nobles but also the Emperor himself would be furious.

Shaking off his hesitation, Alvin grabbed the door handle.

“Your Highness, it’s Alvin. I’m coming in.”

He cautiously opened the door and saw Prince Claude lying on the sofa, eyes closed.

Seeing his peaceful sleeping face made Alvin’s heart race, and he hesitated to move.

After some hesitation, Alvin carefully pulled back the curtains slightly.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a glow over Claude’s face.

Claude flinched and furrowed his brows before slowly opening his eyes.

Standing a safe distance away, Alvin cautiously spoke.

“Your Highness, it’s Alvin. I apologize for entering without permission, but I have urgent news.”

After a long pause, Claude’s dry lips parted.

“What is so urgent that you had to make such a fuss this morning?”

At his irritated tone, Alvin took a deep breath.

“Your Highness, Lady Rondinella was found collapsed in front of the palace gate this morning.”

“Lady Rondinella?”

“Yes, Lady Aselin Rondinella, whom you ordered to be sent away yesterday.”

Claude’s thick eyebrows drew together sharply.

Aselin Rondinella…

The moment he heard her name, a memory flashed through his mind.

The woman he had met while patrolling the forest with a pack of wolves.

And at that moment—

“You have one week. Make the medicine and bring it to me.”

His own words echoed in his head.

Claude pressed his fingers to his throbbing forehead.

“She was found collapsed in front of the palace gate? Is she dead?”

“No, Your Highness. The royal physician said she needs rest, so we have placed her in the annex.”

Alvin closed his eyes tightly, as if confessing a sin.

Claude, who had been leaning back in his chair silently, sighed in frustration.

He could still picture her—her face smeared with dirt, her large sky-blue eyes staring at him.

Was she just foolish?

He had told her to leave, so why didn’t she?

What was she doing outside the palace gate?

From their first encounter, she had been nothing but a nuisance.

Claude ran a hand over his face, his expression growing sharper. Seeing this, sweat formed on Alvin’s forehead.

Trying not to provoke his master’s temper, Alvin carefully suggested,

“Your Highness, if anything happens to the lady, there will be a lot of talk among the nobles. Even His Majesty might not take it lightly. So, perhaps we should let her rest first, and send her away as soon as she regains consciousness?”

Claude lifted his sharp chin, making Alvin flinch.

A long silence followed before Claude finally exhaled deeply and spoke.

“Fine. But—”

His voice was cold and devoid of emotion.

“Bring her to me as soon as she wakes up.”

---

The fireplace crackled, heating the room.

I had been pretending to be unconscious for a while, but now I slowly opened my eyes.

Turning my head, I saw a maid placing more logs into the fireplace.

Sickrooms were always kept warm, sometimes excessively so.

I pushed aside the thick blankets and sat up, then spoke to the maid.

“Excuse me… Where am I?”

I asked weakly, pretending to be disoriented.

The maid, startled, quickly put down the fire poker and rushed to me.

“My Lady, you’re awake!”

I looked at the young maid with braided hair.

She smiled brightly and explained,

“This is the palace annex. I am Anna, your assigned maid. You were found collapsed outside the palace gate this morning, so we brought you here.”

“Oh, I see… I must have fainted. Could I possibly meet the prince? I’d like to thank him personally.”

“Ah, actually, His Highness instructed us to inform him as soon as you woke up. Please wait a moment!”

Anna hurried out of the room, and shortly after, a man in uniform entered.

He was tall, with brown hair, and he spoke politely.

“I am Alvin Krex, His Highness Claude’s aide. Are you feeling better, Lady Rondinella?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Excuse me, but could I meet the prince now? I’d like to thank him and discuss something important.”

“His Highness has ordered me to bring you to him as soon as you wake up. Please follow me.”

I quickly grabbed my bag and followed the aide.

After walking through the spacious corridor, Alvin knocked on a large door.

“Come in.”

A deep, cold voice answered.

Alvin guided me into the room.

A thin beam of light seeped through the slightly parted curtains, highlighting the prince’s face.

He sat in his chair, reclining slightly, his gaze meeting mine.

Disheveled black hair, deep shadows under his eyes, pale skin, a sharp nose, and lips pressed into a firm line.

And those blood-red eyes.

He was staring right at me.

A shiver ran down my spine.

[First rule: Always maintain a gentle tone and a friendly expression.]

I suddenly remembered the instructions I had read this morning.

So, I lifted my lips into the brightest smile I could manage—almost stretching to my ears.

Claude, who had been staring at me, suddenly scowled.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Huh?”

“Why are you suddenly smiling?”

Claude frowned, his gaze sharp.

I blinked in surprise.

I couldn’t exactly say, “Because I’m scared you’ll kill me.”

His stare was so intense it felt like it could pierce through me.

Just as his frown deepened, I blurted out,

“Well, it’s just that… I’m happy to see you again, Your Highness.”

His sculpted eyebrows twitched violently.

He stared at me for a long moment before speaking again.

“You brought the medicine, I assume?”

“Yes, I used Lazeren Mana Herb to make it.”

I took out a potion bottle from my bag.

But—oh no.

Originally, the potion had been a deep violet, but now the color had faded significantly.

The lighter the color, the weaker the effect.

I should explain this first.

After a brief hesitation, I spoke while holding the bottle.

“Your Highness, before you take it, I need to explain something. Since it’s been a day since I made this, the effects might be slightly weaker. However—”

“So, you made the medicine, but you’re saying it’s not reliable?”

Claude cut me off, his brows furrowing.

“No, it’s effective. Maybe not as strong as when freshly made, but still powerful enough for a first dose. And if you keep your promise, I can prepare fresh medicine for you next time.”

I smiled and spoke gently.

But Claude’s expression only darkened.

He clenched his fist against the couch, his jaw tightening.

“The world doesn’t always go as planned. Being prepared for unexpected situations is also a skill. Your usefulness has already been proven. Now leave.”

“Your Highness, if I have offended you, I apologize. But trust and cooperation between patient and healer are essential. No illness can be treated with one-sided effort. If you give me one more chance, I will do whatever it takes to ensure you receive a fresh dose next time.”

I maintained my smile and spoke calmly.

But—

“I won’t say it again. Leave. Now.”

His sharp gaze pierced through me.

Fine.

I held back my frustration, gave a polite bow, and turned to leave.

But then— thud.

I spun around and saw Claude collapsed on the carpet, clutching his chest in pain.

I rushed to help him, but he shoved me away.

“I told you… to leave.”

His eyes were bloodshot with burst capillaries.

As he staggered toward a drawer and pulled out a red potion, I grabbed his wrist in alarm.

“Wait! Is that made with Cytirian Mana Herb?”

His piercing red eyes locked onto mine.

In the silence, I saw multiple empty bottles inside the drawer.

Had he taken an entire week’s worth of medicine in a single day?!

Fighting back my fear, I firmly held his arm and pleaded,

“Please, Your Highness. You can’t take that!”

“If you keep overdosing on Cytirien, your heart will stop immediately. So if you’re in pain, take the medicine I brought instead,” I said urgently, opening the bottle of light purple liquid and handing it to Prince Claude.

But he frowned and pushed my arm away forcefully.

Cold sweat dripped down his pale face, making him look even weaker.

Seriously, what a stubborn man. Does he have a death wish?

Realizing this couldn’t go on, I quickly reached for the bell to call a servant.

But before I could ring it, Claude let out a rough breath and suddenly collapsed right on top of me.