Chapter 126 Rumors
‘No way… how do you know about him, and why are you looking for him when I’m not looking for him?’
Sandra’s head was spinning at the absurdity of the situation, but Jonathan’s face was still beaming as if he didn’t care about her dilemma.
“I’ll have lots of good news for you soon, and that will make you even happier.”
“….”
What’s wrong with his eyes, or his head? Sandra was stunned by Jonathan’s unreadable reaction.
‘Is he crazy, or is he pretending to be crazy?’
The old saying that it’s many times harder to deal with a crazy person than a vicious one was not wrong. Jonathan’s unpredictable behavior and the maniacal glint in his eyes made Sandra’s throat tighten.
“So please, mother, don’t put so much faith in Tate, and put some faith in me too.”
She didn’t realize he meant to let go of Tate and take his hand. Sandra nodded, trying to look nonchalant.
“I know what you mean, I’ll do that, and I’ll be waiting for the good news.”
As Sandra left Jonathan’s office, her whole body trembled and she struggled to take a single step. For the first time, she felt fear as she realized that Jonathan, the man she had thought of as an idiot, was actually using his brain.
‘I thought Tate was better at gathering information and being strategic, but… now I realize Jonathan is no slouch either.’
Sandra slowly ran a hand down her goosebumped arm and hurried out of the Imperial Palace. She didn’t want to linger in that ominous place for a moment longer, not knowing what sparks might fly.
***
The sun had risen, but it was dark in the uncovered bedroom. Killion looked at Veronia with wet eyes and spoke quietly.
“… Nia, you’re sleeping, aren’t you, and you’re sleeping this long because you’ve been exhausted?”
It had been two days since she had collapsed at the scene of the nursery explosion, and Veronia still hadn’t regained consciousness. Evangelina had been healing her morning and evening, but nothing had changed.
“When you’ve had enough sleep, when you’re fully recovered, then… will you open your eyes, please promise me you will?”
A tear rolled down Killion’s cheek and landed on the back of Veronia’s hand, which he held.
“Brother Aaron… Please help Veronia.”
Killion called out to his brother, a name he’d come to rely on in times of trouble, a name that brought him stability and comfort.
“I need you to help me find my strength and open my eyes again. You’re invincible, you can do anything. Just like you brought her back to me… this time, I need you to bring her back to me. Brother Aaron, please…!”
He was still praying when there was a knock on the door. Evangelina had come, and Killion, wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his robe, rose to his feet.
“Welcome, saint.”
“Good evening, Your Excellency. How is His Highness Veronia?”
“She is …well.”
“…I see.”
Evangelina stared at Killion’s dark, shadowed face. He hadn’t slept or eaten for the past two days, and his face was gaunt as he stood by Veronia’s side.
Evangelina had so many things she wanted to say, but she decided to hold back for now. For now, Veronia’s healing was a priority.
“May I see her condition for a moment?”
“Yes. Please.”
After a brief treatment, Evangelina gazed at Killion and spoke softly. For the first and last time, she was going to flatter him. So many people were on edge, worried about Killion.
“Your Excellency, you haven’t slept or eaten much lately, have you?”
“…”
When he didn’t answer, Evangelina let out a shallow sigh. She forced herself to speak, syllable by syllable. Hoping it would reach him.
“I am not unaware of your sorrow, Your Excellency, but as you know, Princess Veronia will surely open her eyes again.”
“…”
“You have to think about when she wakes up, and how sad she’ll be when she realizes that you’ve been at her side all this time, not sleeping or eating. Is that what you want her to think, Your Excellency?”
Killion simply bowed his head. He knew well enough. That he looked terrible right now. And that Veronia would be disappointed if she saw it.
“But… it’s all my fault that she’s hurt to the point where she is. I should never have left her alone in a dangerous place… and it’s all my fault for not thinking straight.”
Swiping a hand down his face, Killion looked like he might burst into tears at any moment. Evangelina felt very sorry for him.
“Your Excellency, how foolish you are. All of this is not your fault, but that of the director of the Mickelson Nursery. It was he, not you, who blew up the building to destroy evidence of the illegal research in the basement.”
“…”
“The fact is, and you know it, Your Excellency, it wasn’t your fault.”
Evangelina took Killion’s hand gently, his grip rough and cold.
“I don’t think this is the time to grieve, Your Excellency. This is the time to… care for the people of the South, who have been ravaged by an inexplicable plague. We need to get to the bottom of the illegal experiments the Nursery Director was conducting, and… we need to make concrete plans for the future of the Princess Veronia.”
“You’re right.”
Killion finally nodded. There was nothing wrong with what Evangelina had said; he had much to do, and all of it was for the sake of Veronia, who would awaken any moment. It was time to wake up and get moving.
“I’m sorry for the worry. It won’t happen again.”
***
With the plague preventing proper economic activity, many people’s livelihoods were in jeopardy, so the imperial government provided them with a certain amount of food each day.
As she waited her turn at the supply station, a man with a long beard whispered to the bald man standing next to him.
“Have you heard the story?”
“What story?”
“Why… that Her Highness the Princess of Veronia, who died five years ago, has returned to life.”
“Nonsense! How can a dead person come back to life?”
The bald man gasped in disbelief. Embarrassed by the strong rebuttal, the bearded man scratched his cheek in vain.
“What’s the matter… maybe she wasn’t dead in the first place?”
“Her funeral was held with great fanfare across the country, and the tears shed by the people could form a river, so cut the crap.”
The bald man turned his head away, as if he didn’t think it was worth listening anymore. But the bearded man’s eyes sparkled with an unmistakable gleam of conviction.
Rumors of the Veronia had been heard elsewhere.
The red-haired girl, returning from the supply depot, went straight to the kitchen, handing her mother the provisions.
“Mum, I heard something strange at the supply depot earlier.”
“What story?”
“They said that the late Princess Veronia has come back to life.”
“What? Who in their right mind would say such a silly thing? How can someone who has died come back to life?”
“But is it true, and why… the Mickelson Nursery that burned to the ground, and she saved a child who was almost killed when he couldn’t get out of it?”
“Mickelson Nursery?”
She had heard that the nursery had burned down, she knew, but to have a dead maiden from five years ago appear in such a place? It was ridiculous. She shook her head and hustled the girl.
“Stop chattering and go fetch the laundry.”
“…Yes.”
The girl was upset that her mother didn’t believe her, but inwardly she hoped and hoped that the rumours were true.
‘I hope the Princess really did come back to life, it would be like a fairy tale!’
The red-haired girl wasn’t the only one who wanted to believe in the story of the resurrected Princess. Most young children embraced Veronia’s story like a fairytale heroine.
Despite the bleakness of the situation, with people barely able to put glue in their mouths and many dying of disease, the children’s faces were still bright as they gathered in the alleyways to play in the dirt.
“Someone came out of the burning building carrying a child, and guess who it was?”
“I don’t know!”
“Who was it?”
“Tell me quickly.”
The children’s luminous eyes turned to the short-haired girl. The girl spoke in a squeaky voice, enjoying the attention.
“It was none other than… Princess Veronia!”
“The Princess?”
“Princess Veronia?”
The name was unfamiliar to the children. As they scratched their heads, the short-haired girl smiled broadly and added an explanation.
“Yes, that’s right, Princess Veronia, she died five years ago, when we were all very young babies, and now she come back to life!”
“Wow! That’s amazing!”
“She died and came back to life! That’s possible! She must be very powerful!”
The children’s mouths dropped open. The short-haired girl with the unnecessarily smug expression shrugged her shoulders and continued.
“She’s great, she’s very strong, she saved a child from a burning building, she’s a great Princess, she can cure us of our illnesses.”
The children’s jaws dropped even wider at the girl’s words, and they couldn’t wait to get home and tell their parents about this incredible story.
