Warning – This is a psychological based adult novel. There might be some rape, violence and forceful love making scenes which might be uncomfortable for some readers. If you don’t like such contents then please avoid it.
Chapter 2
Risid, the only son of the emperor and the empress. He is the crown prince of this empire, but he has not been seen in public for a long time.
There were only rumors going around that he was sick, and the exact name of his illness was not known. Everyone whispered that it was a great crisis for the empire that the emperor was unable to carry out his political duties and the crown prince was also sick.
“… … .”
“He doesn’t take his medicines timely neither accepts any other treatment method. It’s no use having all the courtiers stick together to him.”
The Empress’s face was filled with deep sorrow.
“The only way is to wait for him to get better on his own.”
Heloise just listened quietly to the Empress.
“They say the best therapy for a child is to play. It’s okay if the
maids and servants play around, but… … .”
The Empress’s gaze fell on Heloise once again.
“The best way is to have a friend to play with.”
“… … .”
“I’d like to ask you to take on that role.”
When Héloïse made eye contact with the Empress, who was looking at her closely, she lowered her eyes in surprise. The sound of my pounding heart was pounding in my own ears.
“I heard that in the orphanage you also took very good care of the children. It won’t be difficult for you. You just have to do what you’ve done so far.”
“Well, Your Highness.”
“Yes, it hurts a lot. I really need your help.”
A white, slender hand grabbed Héloïse’s hand. Heloise almost pulled her hands away, but barely held it back. The feel of the empress’s hand was soft and delicate, but cold, as if she had touched a snake’s skin.
“Do me a favor, Heloise.”
The Empress looked at Heloise with eager eyes. Heloise was extremely confused by the sight of the country’s empress regent and the mother of the next emperor holding her back and making earnest requests.
It was difficult to readily accept the gaze that had been looking at her as if she was not the one who was criticizing her just a moment ago, but now she was pleading in front of her with the eyes of a mother with a sick child.
“… … Yes, I will do my best, Your Majesty.”
Heloise tried not to tremble. She strengthened her body to speak as clearly as possible. It was said that it is the Empress herself who ordered the Chamberlain to bring her here, so she should never go against her wishes.
“You seem quite young but smart.”
A satisfied smile spread across the Empress’s lips.
“Take this child.”
She sank down on the luxurious sofa and said:
“I hope he likes her.”
What happens if you don’t like it? Heloise couldn’t bear to ask.
The Empress had brought her here purely because she was useful. But what will happen to her if she cannot fulfill her usefulness? Just thinking about it gave her goosebumps.
The Chamberlain’s hand once again pushed Héloïse’s body, and she followed the touch and left the Empress’s room.
The chamberlain just kept walking without saying anything. The place they were heading to was a remote building quite far from the Empress Palace.
As I entered, the fresh air enveloped my entire body. Is the crown prince really in a place like this? She was curious but couldn’t ask.
After passing many stairs and hallways, the chamberlain stopped. On both sides of the door, servants with expressionless faces stood like stone statues.
When I made eye contact with them, my fearful feelings swirled even more. If I could, I wanted to grab the hem of my skirt and run right away.
“Go in and see His Highness the Crown Prince.”
A low commanding voice was heard.
“You have to find him. He’s always hiding, so you’ll have to watch carefully.”
“… Yes.”
The answer barely came out.
“From now on, it’s up to you.”
The chamberlain sounded like Madame Pease. She wasn’t told what that meant, so she had no way of guessing.
However, when I opened the door and entered, it felt like something scary was lurking. I was so scared that I couldn’t even sit down and cry.
Squeak.
The sound of the hinges on the door moving was eerie. Although it was daytime, the room was dark, and her eyes could only see things within arm’s reach.
Although I was standing alone in the dark, a strange fear came over me, as if countless eyes were on me.
What is it? He said there was no one here except the crown prince.
As Héloïse gradually got used to the darkness, she learned the purpose of the room.
The room was full of toys. The unpleasant gaze was the eyes of the dolls crammed into the wall.
Dolls modeled after animals, dolls shaped like babies, even dolls the size of adults… … . Heloise felt like she was suffocating as the doll display cases filled the wall.
These were dolls that she would have liked under normal circumstances. But now she was just afraid. She even felt as if the dolls’ eyes were turning as she moved.
Heloise passed the doll display case and went deeper inside. She was blinking her eyes as she adjusted herself to the darkness.
“… … !”
She was startled and took a step back when she saw something moving in the dark.
Squeak, squeal. The sound of wood rubbing echoed strangely.
Only after looking closely did I know what it was.
Toy wooden horse.
A colorful wooden horse made of hard wood was rocking back and forth. It seemed even more bizarre to be moving like that without anyone sitting there.
Heloise looked back with a face that looked like she was about to cry. But the door was firmly locked. She knew very well that no matter how hard she pounded to open it, it wouldn’t open.
After realizing the identity of the wooden horse, other things in the room gradually began to come into view. The room was full of toys, not just dolls.
Crying.
Heloise was startled by the brilliant sound that echoed in the air and looked up.
I could see the toy mobile hanging from the ceiling shaking gently. It seemed like the wind was blowing in through the slightly open window and shaking it.
In addition to the dolls I had seen earlier, many more dolls were placed everywhere, large and small wooden puzzle pieces were
scattered everywhere.
There was also a merry-go-round toy. It was so elaborately made that it would be a shame to call it a toy.
This large room was filled with toys that would captivate any child.
However, nothing seemed clear to the young girl who was overcome with fear after coming to an unfamiliar place.
All I had to do was stutter forward, relying on the very slight beam of light coming into the room. How far do I have to walk?
Tuk.
What was kicked was a doll with its head cut off. To be exact, it is a plush toy with its neck being torn off and all the cotton inside sticking out. The sight of white cotton sticking out and spreading around like a cloud was quite shocking.
Heloise took steps again to avoid the doll. Her body began to shrink, and her legs began to tremble more and more.
Squeak.
She stopped in front of a toy horse. The wooden horse was still moving with a small bounce. When she looked closer, she
realized that the horse was in pretty good shape for being just a toy.
It looked like a skilled craftsman had carved the wooden horse, assembled it, and decorated it delicately. A long horn was also decorated on its forehead.
A small crown was placed on the head of the wooden horse. Even to my young eyes, I could tell that the jewels were all made of real jewels, not cheap imitations.
Everything, including the reins and the horse’s saddle, were decorated with beautifully colored jewels and sparkled.
Heloise reached out her hand in that direction without realizing it, as it seemed as if anyone would be mesmerized. It was the moment when my fingertips lightly touched the head of the wooden horse.
Sigh.
Suddenly, the wooden horse tilted at a large angle.
“Aaaah!”
She stepped back and ended up falling on her butt. She watched as the horse snorted, tilted greatly, bobbed right before
her eyes, and then it fell back behind again.
Every time the wooden horse tilted, the horn on its forehead moved closer and farther away, almost as if it would stab her.
While watching the process a few times, Heloise’s screams gradually subsided.
However, the fear of the wooden horse that suddenly started moving in the dark grew even more. She apparently only touched it with her fingertips. But why?
“… … .”
As I looked around with anxious eyes, I saw a long bridge extending out from under the wooden horse.
At first, I thought it was a doll, but it was clearly a human leg, a boy’s leg at that. Probably the owner of this room.
The owner of the bridge must have felt Heloise’s gaze and once again touched the rocking bridge of the wooden horse. Then the movement of the wooden horse, which had become quiet, resumed.
Heloise, who noticed the boy moving the wooden horse, was not as scared as before, but now she became scared for a different reason.
However, all escape exits were blocked.
