You are at the End of the Downfall

“Are you okay?”

She could never deceive her father’s eyes, always concerned and doting on his daughter. Kaela put on a brave smile for her quietly inquiring father who had approached her.

“I have a slight cold. I’m fine.”

“Seems like you overdid it. Do you have any medicine?”

“I took some.”

In fact, the medicine she hastily took had no effect at all. Her fever was raging, her body aching and starting to hurt.

If this continued from the very first day of the event, what would she do? She sighed, but still did what needed to be done. What else could she do? As always, she had to endure.

The Emperor slipped out early, citing his empress’s poor health as an excuse for his gloomy mood, while Prince Elkanan had a long conversation with Duke Ostein. And Beatrice Ravalley was once again clinging to Peon’s side.

“Peon, let me greet the prince too.”

Peon swiftly grabbed a drink from a passing servant’s golden tray and handed it to Beatrice.

“Here, drink this first.”

He used the liquor to shut Beatrice’s mouth, hiding his displeasure.

But Kaela, who had witnessed this from afar, turned away. Her vision was swimming, so it was better not to look at such sights if possible. It was nothing new. After all, he always unfailingly doted on Beatrice alone.

“I had such a wonderful time today!”

“Thank you for the grand banquet, Your Highness the Princess.”

“No need for such words, Your Highness. It was all thanks to His Majesty’s efforts, not mine.”

Her breathing started becoming slightly ragged, but Kaela did her best until the very last moment.

Duke Ostein would be working late at the royal palace tonight. The negotiations with Keruzhan were just beginning in earnest. After everyone had left and the banquet hall was empty, she leaned against the main gates, exhaling hot breaths as her fever raged.

She had done all her duties. In any case, this event hosted by Princess Ostein would be evaluated as a great success, enhancing Duke Ostein’s reputation.

It was fortunate that her father was at least the Emperor’s trusted aide. That slightly lowered the chances of him being assassinated.

“Excuse me, Your Highness.”

She turned, holding her head. A knight she knew but the ‘present’ her shouldn’t have, stood politely, holding out a cloak.

“I am Sir Renard, serving under His Highness the Grand Duke of Lusenford. His Highness was concerned about Your Highness’s light attire and sent this.”

It was the soft cloak the Grand Duke had worn today, neatly folded and sent through this knight. Even before her death, she had always been like this.

If she looked unwell, he would swiftly send a message telling her to rest, say a curt remark, then abruptly turn away. He never once visited when she was bedridden. If it seemed she needed anything, at most he would have Sir Renard or Sir Wilberke bring it.

The only person he directly looked after was Beatrice Ravalley. He would personally hand her drinks and everything, while merely sending subordinates for Kaela.

Perhaps that was his idea of special treatment, simultaneously telling Kaela ‘but not you’. Kaela bit her lip, glaring at the cloak.

If it was ‘but not you’, then he shouldn’t have sent anything at all. He shouldn’t have made remarks about her light attire concerning him.

“Sir Renard. Take me to His Highness the Grand Duke.”

“Pardon?”

“Quickly, lead the way.”

Though she just wanted to collapse and sleep, though her condition demanded rest, she headed for Peon, guiding the way with Sir Renard who always brought her ‘something His Highness sent’.

It didn’t matter if he was in a tryst with Beatrice Ravalley. Kaela couldn’t tell if the fever flushing her body was due to illness or a twisted, hurt victim mentality.

It would have been better if Peon was with Beatrice. Then she could clearly draw a line before them. But unfortunately, he was engaged in quiet conversation with just one of his knights.

“Your Highness.”

Peon looked at Kaela in surprise as she approached steadily.

Her feverish face was flushed red, so it would be better if she rested, but she didn’t even accept the sent cloak from Sir Renard, instead coming with her dress’s shoulders completely bare. Her expression was one of deep anger.

“Do I look pitiful to you?”

“What?”

Tears welled up in Kaela’s eyes, famously praised as being so blue it seemed the sky was captured within.

No, was he making her cry? Kaela snatched the cloak Sir Renard was holding and forcefully shoved it into Peon’s arms.

Peon was utterly flustered, as Kaela had never treated him with such discourtesy before.

“Do I look pitiful to you?”

“Kaela.”

The atmosphere turned ominous, causing the maids trailing Kaela and Peon’s knights to slowly back away.

“What are you talking about?”

“Why send things like this through your subordinates?”

Her voice didn’t come out properly due to illness, so Kaela strained her throat to enunciate more clearly. Thus, her voice sounded sharper, piercingly aimed at Peon. He accepted the cloak she thrust at him.

“Kaela.”

“Did you want to give something to the pitiful me through your subordinates?”

“That’s not it.”

“Then why give it to me?”

The force drained from her questioning voice as the exhausted, weary Kaela asked,

“Why?”

Why did he seem affectionate yet unaffectionate? From their first meeting in early childhood she couldn’t even recall, he must have been affectionate.

Though seeming annoyed, he waited when Kaela chased after him saying “let’s go together.” If she fell, he helped her up, then held her hand thereafter.

Even after going to Lusenford, he diligently replied to her childishly written letters, and the few times they met at the palace, he was still her unchanging first love.

But this accumulation of kindness and affection was, regrettably, entirely one-sided–a line was abruptly drawn.

The moment Kaela took the seat that should have belonged to Beatrice as Grand Duchess, whether by Kaela’s will or not, Peon erased even their childhood memories.

“Are you watching how I’ll react?”

It was so preposterous, laughable. For the man who had imprisoned her without a shred of courtesy, what had his past affection towards Kaela been?

Had he treated her well only as Princess Ostein, discarding her the moment that tie snapped? Had he been benevolent out of pity?

What memories did they even share in Lusenford? The husband who wouldn’t look at her occasionally saw to her needs, it seemed. But that was merely psychological torture for her.