Elliot couldn’t stop crying despite the nobles around him casting odd glances.
Kayden…
But Elliot couldn’t calm his overflowing emotions.
“Your Highness First Prince, please… take care of my son…”
Whenever Elliot went to visit Kayden at the Third Prince’s palace, the third concubine, who always warmly welcomed him, had made this request just before she died.
At that time, Elliot was often criticized by the nobles for his lack of qualities as a prince. He had no talent for handling magic, which was already a critical flaw, and his frail body often left him bedridden.
In contrast, Rebecca had a great deal of magical power and had even contracted with a high-level fire spirit at a young age, showcasing her outstanding abilities. Everyone hesitated not at all to scorn Elliot as a half-wit wearing the shell of royalty.
“Hello, First Prince.”
In such a situation, the third concubine was the first, aside from the empress, to show him a genuine ‘smile’ instead of mockery. Naturally, he felt drawn to her.
Whenever Elliot was not confined to his bed, he would visit the Third Prince’s palace. The third concubine always welcomed him like a friend. Thus, after Kayden was born, Elliot practically lived there.
Initially, the empress felt hurt by Elliot’s behavior but eventually couldn’t turn away from the third concubine, whose situation was similar to her own. Over time, they became friends.
The third concubine’s expression grew darker day by day due to the first concubine’s constant interference. She was inherently unsuited to the fierce environment of the imperial palace. Eventually, despite the empress’s efforts to find a cure for her illness, the third concubine slowly withered away and died.
Even if it hadn’t been for the third concubine’s last request, Elliot was already taking care of Kayden as if he were his own. After her death, Elliot devoted himself entirely to looking after Kayden, who was now alone.
Instead of himself, who lacked everything but legitimacy, Elliot tried to place Kayden, who had both character and ability, on the throne. Nevertheless, Kayden constantly faced life-and-death trials. Seeing him now, grown up, married to his beloved, and leading the founding festival ahead of Rebecca brought uncontrollable tears to Elliot’s eyes.
Well, they say Kayden is like a son to Prince Elliot.
Feeling a pang of sympathy, Diana and Fleur patted Elliot’s shoulders.
Huh?
At that moment, Diana’s eyes widened as she noticed a familiar figure. Turning her head slightly, she saw someone running towards her from the palace gates.
…Patrasche Remit?
Diana tilted her head in confusion upon seeing Patrasche. As a member of the Fourth Order, he should have been marching behind Kayden. What reason could he have for running here just before the parade?
Patrasche steadily approached her. It made Diana become increasingly bewildered as she realized he was heading towards her.
Patrasche, having pushed through the crowd, finally reached Diana and bowed his head. “Your Highness Third Prince Consort.”
“Sir Remit. Why are you here…?”
“Please, lend me your ear for a moment.” Patrasche, panting heavily, spoke intermittently.
Fleur and Elliot, who were also curious, quickly stepped back. Diana thanked them with a nod and leaned in. Patrasche brought his face close to hers and whispered, covering his mouth with his hand.
“Your Highness, has Prince Kayden mentioned anything to you? About somewhere to go or something to do?”
“He just said to meet later as he had to prepare for the parade…”
A sudden chill of anxiety gripped Diana’s heart. In that moment of disbelief, Patrasche’s face twisted in distress.
“Prince Kayden is missing.”
Thud. Her heart sank at those words. Her mind went blank. I thought there had been no signs of his magic instability recently, so I even let Hillasa rest. Why now…
Diana’s fingertips trembled as she clasped them tightly together and barely managed to speak. “…How long has he been missing?”
“It’s been a little over thirty minutes. According to the servants, he disappeared not long after you left the Third Prince’s palace.”
“Then he’s still within the imperial palace…or at least in the capital.”
“Yes. We’re currently searching the imperial palace, but to avoid spreading the news, we’re using minimal manpower, which is slowing down the search. There’s only an hour and a half left until the parade begins… Firstly, I understand. Thank you for your information.” Patrasche, seemingly in a hurry, bowed his head again without waiting for Diana’s permission and hurried back towards the imperial palace.
Diana remained frozen in place, her heart pounding and her ears ringing. Could he have had another seizure…
“Diana.”
Imagining him, who always smiled warmly at her, now lying cold and lifeless, she unconsciously clenched her clothes.
“…ana!”
Suddenly, the surrounding noise seemed to come rushing back, and Fleur grabbed her shoulders. “Diana, are you okay? What’s wrong?”
“Ah…”
Fleur’s call snapped her back to reality. Looking up, she saw Fleur and Elliot watching her with concerned expressions. Diana quickly forced a smile.
“It’s nothing.” She replied and glanced around.
As the wife of Kayden, the star of the founding festival, she was already the center of attention. With Patrasche, a knight of the Fourth Order, having come and gone, people were now openly staring at her with curiosity.
I need to go look for him.
Diana anxiously searched for a way out. However, as a member of the imperial family, her seat was right at the front, in the most conspicuous place. Leaving suddenly in such a situation would surely arouse suspicion, increasing the chances of Kayden’s disappearance being discovered.
What should I do… Diana bit her lip in despair.
It was then.
“Diana.”
Fleur, with a gentle yet firm smile, took her hand. Surprised, Diana turned to her. Fleur smiled warmly and whispered, covering her mouth with her hand.
“I don’t know the details, but something happened to Prince Kayden, right?”
After a moment of hesitation, Diana nodded slightly.
Elliot leaned in and asked. “Are you going to look for him?”
“…Yes.” Diana clenched her fists and answered resolutely.
Elliot gazed into her blue-violet eyes for a moment before softly smiling. Kayden, you really found a wonderful person.
Meeting Diana’s eyes, filled with worry and affection for Kayden, Elliot smiled. “You don’t have to struggle alone. We may not be much help, but we are family.”
Family. The word struck her deeply. To Diana, family had always been a term associated with tearing each other apart. But hearing Fleur and Elliot use it felt incredibly reassuring.
Diana, feeling a lump in her throat, barely managed to nod. Elliot, seeing this, smiled warmly.
“Alright then…”
The next moment, Elliot suddenly clutched his chest in pain, his face contorting as he collapsed. Thud! With a loud noise, Fleur screamed.
“Heuk, keugh…!”
“Oh gosh, Honey!”
People, hearing the commotion, turned to see Fleur and then noticed Elliot collapsed. They screamed and rushed over.
“Your Highness First Prince!”
“Are you alright?!”
Given that Elliot was known to collapse frequently without warning, no one doubted the situation. As people stood up from their seats and gathered around, all their attention focused solely on Elliot.
Go, Diana.
Thank you.
Exchanging glances with Fleur, Diana quickly blended into the crowd and disappeared.
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