Until The Real One Shows Up​

‘As expected, you’ve been waiting for me.’

When she found him, Anastasia knew her prediction had been correct when she saw Louis’ expression. His surprised eyes and embarrassed look were oddly pleasing. 

‘It’s hard to forget the sticky feeling once you touch it. It’s so addictive,’ she thought.

Smiling inwardly, Anastasia approached Louis and greeted him. 

“How was your day, Louis? The moon looked so beautiful on the way here. Haven’t you seen it yet?”

“Hey, how are you….”

“I came to see Louis.”

Anastasia replied with a grin.

“You’re finished with your schedule for today, right?”

“Yes… that’s correct.”

“Do you need to do your homework tonight?”

She was right, but if he responded that way, Anastasia might leave quickly.

‘Even if I have to send her away, I need to get a new slime before I do,’ he thought.

Louis shook his head, looking somewhat grim.

“No, it’s not that. I don’t have any homework.”

“Oh, really?” Anastasia replied with delight. “I’m glad. Actually, I came to see you because I have something for you.”

“Something to give me…?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

Louis looked at Anastasia, unable to conceal his anticipation. 

Anastasia grinned at him and pulled something out of her arms. 

It was a liquid monster identical to the one Louis had made earlier.

“Wow…!”

Louis’ face lit up when he saw what Anastasia was holding.

“It’s just like the one you made earlier.”

“That’s right,” Anastasia nodded, then asked, “Did Olivia return the dough she took from you?”

Louis shook his head, looking down.

‘Huh… She was supposed to return it,’ Anastasia thought, feeling a surge of anger for a moment. However, she decided to hold it in.

“It’s okay. I anticipated this might happen, so I made another one and brought it for you.”

Anastasia affectionately held the liquid monster out to Louis. 

“Here’s your present.”

Louis hesitated for a moment, wondering, ‘Can I really accept this?’

‘I don’t think Olivia would like it…’ he thought. But his desire to touch the dough again made it hard to refuse the gift.

In the end, the memory of Olivia’s disapproving expression was overshadowed by the allure of the addictive texture that had occupied Louis’ thoughts all day. He carefully took the dough and thanked Anastasia with a bow.

“Thank you.”

…so cute!

Anastasia glanced at Louis, who was bashfully playing with the liquid monster and posed a question.

“But you know what, Louis?”

Louis, engrossed in touching the dough, looked up.

Anastasia, with a mischievous smile dancing on her lips, remarked, “Gifts are meant to be exchanged between friends.”

“Friends…?” Louis asked.

“Yes, ‘Friends.’ Can we be friends now?”

Louis felt conflicted. What did she mean by “friend”?

‘Olivia definitely wouldn’t approve of me being friends with Her Majesty…’ he thought. But then again, he had already openly expressed his dislike for it the previous night, and now he had received something from Anastasia, so his conscience pricked at him.

‘If I refuse to be friends, will she take the dough away?’ he wondered.

His hand that held the liquid monster unconsciously tightened as he asked, “Do you want to be my friend that much?”

“Yes!” Anastasia replied enthusiastically as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“It would be wonderful to be Louis’ friend.”

“Why’s that?”

“I feel like we would get along well.”

“What would you do if we became close friends?”

“I can continue giving you gifts like this. I know you’ll eventually have to throw it away because it gets dirty after a few days of playing with it.”

“Throw it away…?” Louis glanced down at the liquid monster in his hand, wearing a sad expression.

Seeing his reaction, Anastasia quickly reassured him.

“You don’t have to worry. You can throw it away and make a new one, right?”

“Really?”

“Of course! If you are my friend, I’ll keep replacing your dough with a new one,” Anastasia said, then leaned in and whispered as if sharing a secret. “Actually, it’s a secret, but I can make you an even better dough than the one I just gave you.”

“Really…?”

“Yes, it’s much stretchier and shinier.”

He would look forward to it, right? He’d miss her, right? Anastasia’s exaggerated expression piqued Louis’ curiosity, and he was easily tempted by her offer.

“I can have a dough that’s even stretchier and shinier than this?”

What he had now was already so good. He couldn’t believe there was something even better!

The mere thought made Louis blush.

“If the Empress makes me dough, what should I do for her?”

“Well, nothing. Just talk to me and play with me.”

“Is that all?” Louis asked, sounding slightly surprised. “You don’t want anything else?”

“Of course. That’s how friends are. We’re just having fun together,” Anastasia replied, as if she needed nothing more. Louis was a bit shocked by her answer.

“I thought you were coming because you wanted something from me.”

That was Olivia’s habit. Everyone who approached him, except for her, had hidden motives. Moreover, the Empress was allied with his uncle, who had killed his parents, so he assumed she would want something from him. But there was no ulterior motive.

‘No, maybe she just hasn’t told me yet,’ he thought. She might ask for something later. But Louis had no intention of agreeing to any of Anastasia’s future requests, whatever they might be.

‘So… if I’m cautious, wouldn’t it be okay to be friends? Just keep it a secret from Olivia.’

Above all, he couldn’t ignore the appealing texture of the dough still clutched in his hand.

“…Okay,” Louis said, nodding. “Let’s be friends.”

“Really?” Anastasia exclaimed happily. “Don’t lie. Promise with your pinky!”

She held out her pinky finger. Louis hesitated for a moment, then hooked his pinky around hers.

“…Promise.”

He promised himself he would never give her a piece of his heart.

~~~~

“I see the Sun of the Empire, Your Majesty the Emperor.”

It had been a long time since he had knelt before anyone. The person before him quickly helped him up.

“Stand up, Wilhelm. I’ve told you many times that you don’t need to be so formal with me.”

Alexander Rosenberg.

The ruler of the great Rosenberg Empire, and his only older brother, despite having different mothers.

“Before you are my brother, you are Rosenberg’s one and only sun. I cannot show disloyalty.”

“Regardless, you’re very perceptive,” Alexander said, shaking his head. “So, how was Ishstabil?”

“As you mentioned, it was a beautiful place. It’s easy to see why His Majesty the Emperor was captivated by it.”

Wilhelm, recalling the memory, smiled. “The red roses blooming by the stream were very lovely.”

“That’s why I asked you to paint the landscape there. I’ve visited many places since ascending the throne, but it was the first time I saw the roses in full bloom.”

Alexander’s eyes grew wistful as he remembered his visit long ago. Wilhelm thought he must have cherished the place enough to personally request a landscape painting.

“Honestly, wasn’t the journey quite difficult?” Alexander asked.

“I wasn’t tired at all, thanks to the excellent carriage the Emperor provided,” Wilhelm replied.

“You’re being ridiculous. I’m glad the carriage kept you from feeling fatigued. If you were exhausted, the painting wouldn’t turn out well.”

Alexander then grinned and asked, “So, when will the painting be completed?”

“I’ll do my best to show you soon.”

“Yes, yes. Don’t overexert yourself. If you need anything, just let me know, okay?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I have a question for you, Wilhelm.”

Wilhelm looked at Alexander with a puzzled expression. Alexander was still smiling.

“Please speak.”

“Come closer.”

At Alexander’s request, Wilhelm rose from his seat and approached him. As Alexander finally reached out to Wilhelm with his arm, his expression suddenly turned grim. He grabbed Wilhelm firmly by the neck.

“Gasp!”

With both hands pressing relentlessly on his neck, Wilhelm struggled to speak, his face panicked.

“Your Majesty…”

“You!”

The warm, friendly expression Alexander had shown his only brother vanished completely, replaced by a horribly distorted face. Alexander, with a strong grip that seemed capable of breaking his neck, questioned Wilhelm while strangling him.

“You fed the horse pulling the carriage madman’s grass, didn’t you?”

“No, Your Majesty, I…”

“Don’t lie!”

Alexander’s grim expression made it clear he had no intention of listening to Wilhelm’s answer.

“Even if you deceive everyone else, you can’t fool me! You killed me to take my place, didn’t you? You did it, didn’t you? Answer me! Come on, answer me!”

“I… I really, really…”

“Your Majesty!”

A familiar voice suddenly interrupted, snapping him awake with a loud exclamation.

“Your Majesty, are you all right?”

“…”

Hearing the sound a second time, Wilhelm opened his eyes with a puzzled expression. Scattered papers lay on the desk, and next to them stood a concerned Colton.

“I’ll call the court doctor immediately.”

“…No,” Wilhelm managed to say, dissuading Colton. “You don’t need to.”

Once again, it was the same nightmare.

His eternal incurable affliction that no one could heal.