Chapter 52
I really wanted to ask Regis what he planned to do if I didn’t sit still.
He spoke as if he held the authority to kill me.
‘Where does he get that confidence from? Does he think I’m still the naive fool he used to push around?’
I was the daughter of a duke, and now, the consort of a prince.
It was laughable that he believed he could harm someone like me without consequence.
Still, I only scoffed internally.
I didn’t want to stir up unnecessary trouble.
Unaware of my true feelings, Regis continued to yap without rest.
“Even if I step away for a while, you better not even think about bullying Nayla.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Didn’t you hear before? Father approved my deployment. Oh, right. You were kicked out of that meeting, weren’t you?”
“…”
“Anyway, with the Principality acting up, as a prince — not the crown prince — I can’t just sit idly by. I’m going to suppress them.”
In the end, Regis would be the first to head out against the Principality.
All because, for some reason, Nathan had declared he would stay holed up in his quarters for an entire week.
Still, I decided to think positively.
‘It’s fine if Regis goes first. I doubt he’ll achieve any grand feats anyway. Honestly, he’ll be lucky if he doesn’t get captured.’
Of course, I didn’t say any of this aloud.
Otherwise, Regis would have thrown a tantrum like a dog with its tail on fire.
Instead, I decided to wish him a half-hearted good luck.
“Alright. Then I hope you return safely.”
“Cut the fake concern. I was already planning to return safe and sound, so spare me the useless pretense and just stay put.”
“…”
“With the Principality stirring up chaos, don’t go wandering around looking for spirits or whatever, and don’t give Father more headaches. Understood?”
Without waiting for a reply, he huffed and stormed off.
From his retreating back, I could feel an uncontrollable arrogance radiating from him.
Let him think whatever he wanted. I calmly closed my eyes, intending to resume my interrupted rest.
“I informed Her Highness the Princess Consort. Thankfully, she left without any major complaints.”
After sending Claudia away, Nathan’s attendant gave a report.
But no response came.
Only the sound of ragged breathing could be heard from within the curtains surrounding the bed.
Occasionally, a faint groan would slip through.
“Your Highness…? Are you alright?”
Just then, the clouded sky shifted, and the moonlight shone through.
For a fleeting moment, the moonlight streamed into Nathan’s bedroom.
Through the sheer curtains, Nathan’s shadow became faintly visible.
The attendant swallowed dryly at the sight.
Nathan was writhing, like someone who had swallowed poison.
‘So this is the secret the royal family has kept so tightly hidden…’
Outwardly, it was known that the prince suffered pain when touched by women.
But that wasn’t the full story.
Only a select few knew the real secret behind it.
The attendant hadn’t dared to reveal it even to Claudia earlier.
The imperial family enforced strict silence on the matter to prevent leaks.
And the deeply guarded truth was—
“Damn it! Get out of my body!!”
“…!!”
Nathan’s roar interrupted the attendant’s thoughts.
For a second, he thought Nathan was yelling at him and flinched — but soon realized that wasn’t the case.
“I said, get out! You bastard!”
Nathan was shouting at something unseen, as if fighting an invisible presence.
The attendant recalled what the emperor had told him before being assigned to Nathan.
“You’ll likely witness some shocking things while serving Nathan. Sometimes, he’ll act unlike any normal person. When that happens, make sure no one else sees him — protect his dignity at all costs.”
“Unlike a normal person…?”
“Nathan is fighting something that seeks to take over his body. When the struggle intensifies, he must summon all his strength to suppress it.”
At the time, he hadn’t understood what it meant.
But now, he could.
Nathan truly seemed to be fighting another self within.
When the internal battle raged, he would shout into empty air, lash out at nothing.
‘What… what is trying to take over His Highness? A ghost…?’
A shiver ran down the attendant’s spine.
Trembling, he stared toward the bed.
Seeing Nathan suffer alone filled him with dread.
Yet, a gnawing curiosity also grew within him.
‘Should I just take a peek? Just a little…’
He swallowed again and cautiously approached.
Then, speaking in a voice barely above a whisper:
“Your Highness… In case you didn’t hear me earlier, the Princess Consort has left…”
Pretending to give another report, he slightly parted the curtain.
Just to glimpse what lay behind it.
“…!!”
The attendant recoiled in horror.
Inside, Nathan was hunched over, drenched in sweat.
But the sweat wasn’t what terrified him.
‘His Highness’ hair…?’
Nathan’s once jet-black hair had turned pure white.
It shone so brightly, it almost seemed to glow.
Then, Nathan’s writhing ceased.
Slowly, he lifted his head — and locked eyes with the attendant.
No longer the usual deep blue, his eyes now gleamed a brilliant gold.
“Princess Consort, you say?”
It wasn’t Nathan’s usual voice.
It resonated strangely, as if speaking directly into the attendant’s mind.
Still, the attendant, thinking it was Nathan, answered:
“Y-Yes, she came by a moment ago and has returned.”
“Is she beautiful?”
“……Pardon?!”
“I asked. Is she beautiful?”
The stark contrast to Nathan’s usual demeanor made the situation deeply unsettling.
Moreover, the question itself was bizarre.
It was as if he had no idea what Claudia looked like.
“Answer me.”
“S-She’s very beautiful. Personally, I think she’s the most beautiful woman in the empire…”
“Her name?”
“L-Lady Claudia, Your Highness…?”
Nathan chuckled — a light, mocking laugh.
It was nothing like his usual composed manner.
“Claudia… Pretty name. She must be quite the beauty. For someone cursed not to even touch women, you sure lucked out marrying a beauty, didn’t you?”
He snickered again.
The attendant wondered if he had stumbled into a nightmare.
Nathan laughing in such a vulgar, carefree way was unimaginable.
Then, suddenly, Nathan’s voice returned to its usual deep, composed tone.
“Shut up. Don’t you dare stain my wife’s name with that filthy mouth.”
“Filthy mouth? It’s your mouth too. We’re one and the same.”
“…I said shut up.”
“Which means your wife is also my wife. Claudia… I should call her to the marital chamber soon.”
“Shut your mouth!!”
Nathan’s body now held two arguing voices battling for dominance.
Caught in this grotesque spectacle, the terrified attendant could no longer hold it in.
He wet himself, a warm patch spreading down his legs.
Panicked, he staggered backward.
“A-aaaah!! H-Highness, you’re possessed by a ghost—!”
