131. Epilogue (2)

After ascending to the prince’s domain, I had reinforced the security, but almost every day, an assassin was caught trying to infiltrate her bedroom.

I instructed the knights to keep silent about these incidents. I didn’t want to worry her, already anxious from the sudden change in environment.

“We’ve captured another one.”

That day too, an intruder had been dealt with in her garden.

She slept soundly, undisturbed by the commotion.

I knelt beside her bed and gently brushed her forehead.

Despite the harsh training, my hands, unlike those of a knight, were free of calluses and often a source of shame. Enemies on the battlefield would mock my clean hands.

But now, I was grateful. My rough hands would have disturbed her sleep.

Unaware of the intruder, she breathed softly in her sleep. I could freely stroke her hair and kiss her forehead with my soft hands.

These hands, mocked on the battlefield, became a perfect shield in front of her.

I had to deny it. I had to suppress these growing feelings.

As the baron had said, I felt I was becoming a despicable person without realizing it. If I didn’t avert my gaze, I might start to covet her.

But the desire grew.

Her clear eyes looking at me, her glances in my direction, made me believe, perhaps, she liked me.

Would she ever love me? No, do I even deserve to hope for her love?

To her, I was nothing more than a master who exploited her.

Moreover, there was nothing I could give her.

The moment I realized she wanted freedom, not dresses, jewels, or power, I became a man with nothing to offer.

And I could never grant her that freedom.

* * *

“Why is she so thin?”

I grasped her wrist. Leonie’s wrist was so slender that I could encircle it with just my fingers. I could feel her slow heartbeat through the delicate bone.

“Some people are naturally born with slender frames. Lady Leonie seems to be one of them.”

The physician lowered his stethoscope. He had been a reliable doctor, serving our family since my mother was the only daughter of the grand duke.

Despite the doctor’s reassurance, I couldn’t shake the concern gnawing at me. Each time I saw her fragile form, a wave of protectiveness and guilt surged within me.

The physician’s examination seemed to confirm that there was nothing medically wrong, yet the sight of her emaciated frame troubled me deeply.

“Ensure she receives proper nourishment and care,” I instructed the physician. “I don’t want her health to deteriorate any further.”

“Yes, Your Highness. We will take every measure to ensure her well-being.”

As the physician left, I lingered by her bedside, contemplating the delicate balance of my feelings and my responsibilities.

Leonie stirred slightly in her sleep, murmuring something unintelligible. The sight tugged at my heart, intensifying my internal conflict.

I had to be her protector, not her captor. Yet, the lines between those roles blurred more with each passing day.

Leaving her side felt like a betrayal of my growing feelings, yet staying only deepened the entanglement of my emotions and duties.

Caught in this quandary, I knew one thing for certain: I had to find a way to keep her safe, even if it meant confronting the depths of my own heart and the complexities of our situation.

“She doesn’t have long to live. I’ll do my best to keep her alive until the next blood bag appears.”

I hesitated.

Drawing blood shortens one’s lifespan. I knew that. Even healthy people die young if too much blood is taken.

I had seen countless soldiers on the battlefield die from bleeding out.

I was angry, but I couldn’t lash out at the doctor.

For them, keeping a blood bag alive was a basic duty.

Just like it was my duty to rule them, to manage the territory, and for the blood bag to supply blood.

But why did my neck feel so hot?

I fidgeted with her wrist. Her skin was so fragile and soft.

She was too young to die. And too young to leave my side.

“How can she live longer?”

“Pardon?”

For the first time, the experienced doctor questioned me. I urged him for an answer, and he cleared his throat.

“She must stop giving blood.”

Stopping the bloodletting. The immense wealth paid to her family would be in vain.

To save her, I would have to relinquish my most potent weapon and approach the throne barehanded.

But there was no other way. Ascending the throne quickly was the only solution to protect her.

* * *

I knew that the moment I entered the capital, all eyes would be on me and naturally on the woman by my side.

But I hadn’t expected even the servants left in the prince’s domain to fall into the enemy’s hands.

Poisons, continuously smeared on teacups, tables, bathtubs, everything she touched. Countless toxins.

I slammed my fist on the desk.

There was no way to identify them. If I dismissed all the servants at once, surely new spies would infiltrate.

Even the employees who had been by my side since before the war turned their backs due to prolonged absences. I couldn’t trust the servants who had been with my mother.

Everyone in the corridors looked like an enemy. Those who would sneak into her bedroom while she slept and wield a knife against her.

They were desperate to exploit my weakness.

In the end, I decided to join forces with Isella and send her to the villa.

I watched her leave for the villa, unable to see her off properly due to the many prying eyes and the dangers lurking everywhere.

Leonie stumbled as she tried to board the carriage but stopped when she saw Ethan approaching.

“Don’t worry too much. She has the necklace, and most importantly, the head butler is with her. I’ve also instructed disguised knights to accompany her as residents.”

A subordinate from the Snowa family reassured me as I looked out the window.

The preparations were perfect. So why did I have this ominous feeling?

It must be because I haven’t slept well for a long time. And the impending war was probably causing these thoughts.

I had heard that the emperor didn’t have much time left. I had saved my energy for the throne struggle, aligning with other families.

I convinced myself that my unease stemmed from that.

The source of the strange premonition soon revealed itself.

The fight for the throne was successful. Azanti’s army crumbled easily. It was only natural, given that I had allied with the powerful Snowa family.

“I burned it all down as I left, so we’ll have to rebuild the prison.”

Azanti, kneeling between my knights, gritted his teeth.

“Oh, but we probably only have bars for materials. It should suffice for a cage to hold beasts. Let’s see how well you endure the northern winter.”

They would die soon enough, trembling in the cold, slowly.

The northern cold was brutal, far beyond what bars could keep out. A pampered prince like him would find it particularly hard to endure.

But Azanti, staring at me, suddenly smirked.

“Do you think you’ve won? Even after losing that woman?”

Even with death at his doorstep, he had the audacity to taunt me. Only after everything was settled did he learn that the woman I had hidden away was Leonie.

It was his last attempt to rattle me. In the past, I would have laughed it off, but now I couldn’t.

He was right. I had lost her.

Was I truly the victor after bringing him to his knees?

After Leonie went missing, I summoned the man who had drawn her blood.

I had regularly sent people to check on Leonie’s health at the villa. Thankfully, there was still some of her blood stored in the prince’s domain.

“She’s alive. The concentration of her blood has significantly thinned.”

His words reassured me, yet left me puzzled.

“…Then why hasn’t she returned to the prince’s domain?”

No one could answer my muttered question.

Could she be injured? Unable to move?

Days passed with her absent. In the silent office, I waited for any news of her.

Eventually, I realized the answer myself.

She had no intention of returning. She chose to leave my side for good.

I could scour the empire and find her. I heard from the knights that they were closing in, but I hesitated.

Did I have the right to hold onto her?

In the end, I ordered the knights to withdraw.

She should run far, far away from my grasp. Perhaps this time, I wouldn’t be able to control myself.

Either I would eliminate her discreetly for the sake of a stable succession, or I would cripple her to keep her by my side forever.

I knew it would be one or the other if we met again.

But when I saw Leonie in the courtyard, I couldn’t think at all.

All the anger I had built up crumbled with just one look from her.

She struggled to escape my grasp. But her efforts were weak, unable to break free from my firm hold.

“Where are you taking me?”

She asked as I stared down at her wrist in my hand.

It was too thin. If she had run away, why hadn’t she lived comfortably? How had she ended up so frail?

“You need to eat.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

Hearing that, she stopped struggling.

* * *

I prepared to let her go.

Every time she moved, the spring breeze seemed to follow. Even in the cold north, she brought the warmth of spring.

Her occasional smiles, though faint, stirred my heart. Throughout her stay at the palace, my emotions had swung back and forth countless times.

Leave. No, stay. Stay by my side.

Though I never said it aloud.

It was a rare moment of peace. But no secret lasts forever, and Isella revealed everything to her.

Leonie was crying in front of me. Seeing the tears streaming down her pale cheeks, I finally realized.

The enemy obstructing her was not Azanti but me.

She opened her mouth, tears flowing freely.

“I’ll give you time.”

She spoke, her fingers fidgeting.

Her eyes were red. I had thought her cheeks turned red from the cold northern wind, but her skin was naturally delicate.

Whenever she stood before me, debating something, her cheeks would easily flush. She might not have noticed, but I did.

“Just until I cross into another country. Remember, this doesn’t mean I intend to stay by your side.”

What other woman could command me like this?

“Alright.”

She moved her small lips, granting me a sliver of mercy.

It was a mistake. You shouldn’t have shown me compassion. The only way to escape me was to cut me off coldly and speak harsh words.

If you can escape, then try. From now on, I will do my utmost to entice you.

When I kissed her forehead, she trembled and pushed me away.

I had kissed you countless times while you slept.

That was one thing I planned never to tell her. Forever.

『The Crazy Prologue Never Ends』 End

Tl/N: And!!! it has finally ended, God it was a ride but we made it though. First of all I would like to thank my lovely loyal readers. Thank you soooo much fo being here for me. Thank you lilianasabitha, vinkoo7, Matchii,Tianna, RedPanda, K KH, and each and every commenter. By my heart I’m really grateful and always be. I have never ever seen anyone of my novels have soo many reactions and so many readers. Secoundly I myself have seen soo many loopholes in this novel the thing unanswered for me was the backstory of leonie. How was she living in Korean what was her life etc all that. and the thing that irked me that how short Deo’s POV was I needed more of this. But well its okay anyways.

 

TL/N: Oh I forgot to the readers if anyone of you says this was dragging or the plot was really dragged when it could have ended early etc etc I’m gonna come at you. Please understand that these are web novels they are supposed to be this dragged or otherwise how will they buildup the plot.

Lots of love from TL Bree. I hope you enjoyed this novel as I did. You can read my other novels on this website. Have a great day.