After sharing the joy of their reunion, Jerald’s first action was to call for a palace healer.
Pristin thought she was fine, but she wasn’t sure.
“The countess and the baby are both safe.”
Fortunately, the outcome was good. Pristin was so grateful that the child endured the extreme conditions well. She tried not to be stressed as much as she could, but she was worried because it wasn’t as easy as it sounded, but she felt she could relax now.
Jerald and Pristin immediately went to bed after the court healer returned. Both Jerald and Pristin were now very tired. Pristin was exhausted from the long trip, and Jerald had been up for several sleepless nights waiting for her.
The two slept for a very long time and opened their eyes.
“…”
Jerald’s face was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes. After blinking a few times, Pristin was relieved to realize that he was still alive.
Even after waking up, she couldn’t open her eyes easily. It was because she was very worried about what if it was a dream.
She would be so miserable if yesterday’s reunion was a dream. No, beyond miserable, she would feel hopeless.
“Jerald,”
Pristin called out her beloved’s name in a trembling voice.
“Jerald.”
It felt so good to be able to look at him and call his name like that that the corners of her eyes were moist from the morning.
In the meantime, Jerald opened his eyes. And as soon as he woke up, he found Pristin in tears and was greatly flustered.
“Pristin, what’s wrong?”
“Hic…”
“Did you have a bad dream?”
Jerald asked restlessly.
“Or are you sick? Should I call the palace healer?”
“No, no. No…”
Pristin shook her head and burrowed into Jerald’s arms.
“I’m just happy that this is not a dream.”
The words struck Jerald harder than if he’d had a nightmare or if he’d been hurt somewhere. He hugged Pristin tightly and whispered,
“It’s all right, Pristin. Everything’s all right now…”
“Is it really safe now?”
“Yes. I promise that nothing like that will happen again,”
Jerald whispered, his voice low and promising.
“I’ll protect you with everything I have.”
“…I was worried that Your Majesty might really hand over the throne to the former emperor.”
Pristin spoke in a low voice, confessing the last bit.
“I even thought I would rather die than be the one to hold you back.”
“Shh, the child can hear,”
Jerald whispered gently to Pristin.
“I understand how you felt, but that’s all in the past now.”
“…”
“Even in the worst-case scenario, I would have chosen you.”
He was sincere.
Jerald would have gladly abdicated the throne if he had to choose between them. Of course, not because he took the position of emperor lightly.
It was a situation where the role of emperor would be handed over to the uncle who betrayed his father. The throne was not something he inherited without incident, but something he risked his life to regain. There was also the matter of pride.
“And I would never have thought that you were holding me back.”
Still, it wasn’t so serious that he would let the person who made him the happiest die.
If he lost the person he loved with all his heart, the child he had with her, in defense of the throne, the rest of his life would be hollow and fleeting, no matter what happened next. Even if he went down in history as a saint, what would it matter if he was unhappy with his own life?
“You are the most precious thing in my life, more precious than the crown I wear.”
Maybe he would have been overwhelmed with guilt and helplessness for not being able to protect even his loved ones. It would have been impossible to maintain a full life.
So Jerald was grateful to be where he was now, with everyone and everything he cared about protected.
“I love you, Pristin.”
“…Me, too, Your Majesty.”
Pristin said in a small voice, closing her eyes tightly,
“I was so scared that I couldn’t tell you again.”
“…Me too.”
He whispered sincerely, pulling Pristin into a tight embrace.
“I’ll never let go now.”
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
“Pristin!”
It was the first time in a long time that they met again. Claret ran to Pristin and hugged her with an expression that seemed on the verge of bursting into tears at any moment. Pristin also gave Claret a big hug with an emotional expression.
“Your Highness the Princess.”
“I really, really missed you.”
Claret still worried about Pristin with a tearful expression.
“Are you hurt anywhere? You’re safe, right?”
“Yes, Your Royal Highness. I am safe,”
Pristin relieved Claret with a warm voice.
“I apologize for concerning you.”
“No, no. How could you say that? I’m just so relieved you’re back safely,”
Claret said, her eyes holding back the tears, though it wasn’t easy.
“Everyone was very worried. I… I was afraid I wouldn’t see you again…”
“Don’t cry, Your Royal Highness.”
Pristin patted Claret and whispered,
“It’s all over now. I’m safe, and the child in my belly is healthy.”
“I’m so, so, so glad.”
“I am. Now you don’t have to worry.”
“I never dreamed that Lord Bachell would be a traitor.”
Changing the subject, Claret brought up Akkad.
“How could he do that? They say the axe you trust will really cut off your foot*!”
[*TN: Korean idiom meaning to be betrayed by someone you trusted.]
“…But he cared a lot for me while I was in Batsukal.”
“My goodness, Pristin. Are you defending Lord Bachell now?”
“No. I don’t mean to. He’s definitely done something wrong.”
Anyway, he was a traitor, as Claret said. That fact wouldn’t change.
‘But…’
It was a strange thing. Even though he had betrayed Jerald and deceived her, Pristin couldn’t bring herself to simply hate him. Oddly, she felt a sense of sympathy and hoped that, even though she didn’t know if he was alive or dead, he was safe somewhere.
“I suppose I’ve become a bit strange.”
Even though he did eventually help her, his wrongdoings were not something that could be overlooked for that alone.
Claret, staring at Pristin with a dazed expression, nodded as if that might be the case.
“You must have become much softer-hearted over there.”
Pristin wondered if that might be true.
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
Then the situation settled quickly like a lie.
Albert, who had fled, was soon captured and sentenced to death for his role in the rebellion. With Albert’s downfall, the entire Gennant family, with whom he had been in league, were also sentenced to death for treason.
Jerald tried to pin the crime on Akkad, Albert’s confidant and the man who had slowly poisoned him, but he was nowhere to be found.
There was no evidence that the Bachells were involved in the conspiracy, either, so the trial ended with the Duke of Bachell being deposed.
Grateful that the punishment was limited to deposition, the Duke of Bachell announced his intention to pack up his mansion in the capital and leave for the Bachell estate.
“Your Grace.”
It was the day before the duke was to leave for his estate.
“You have a visitor.”
Having already greeted everyone he could, the duke was taken aback by the unexpected visit.
“A guest? Who is it?”
“Countess Rosewell.”
How could he not recognize that name? The duke was momentarily puzzled.
“Me? Why?”
“Well, she didn’t give me the reason for her visit.”
The Duke of Bachell was even more nervous at the words, but he could not recklessly reject a guest who would soon become an important person.
Eventually, he brought Pristin into the reception room of the mansion.
“I hear you’re leaving for the Bachell estate tomorrow.”
The duke flinched at Pristin’s words and replied,
“Yes. That is so. But what brings you here…”
“…”
“If you’re here to get an apology from me…”
“No. I didn’t come here hoping for that.”
Pristin shook her head and said,
“Not that the duke had anything to do with this, anyway.”
“But I’m guilty of raising my child wrong.”
“…”
“I apologize for that, Your Excellency. I hear you’ve been through a lot over this.”
“I’m over it now, and I’m fine. The child is safe, and we need to put it behind us as soon as possible.”
Pristin spoke in a bitter voice.
“Anyway, as for the reason I’m here, I have a message for you.”
“What…?”
“The last time I was with Lord Bachell that day.”
The words shook the Duke of Bachell once again.
“He asked me to give you a message, saying it was his last request.”
“…What do you mean a message?”
“To the duke.”
Instead of immediately continuing her words, Pristin spoke again after a brief silence.
“I’m sorry for leaving you with an unpleasant final memory.”
“…What?”
“And thank you for raising me well, despite everything.”
Pristin concluded gravely,
“That’s what he wanted me to convey.”
“…”
“He said that even though there were a lot of bumps along the way, he’ll always remember you as his only parents.”
“Ah…”
“Still, it’s his last request, so I thought I’d pass it on.”
Pristin slowly got up from her seat after she had finished saying that.
“I forgive you all.”
“…”
“I hope you have a safe trip tomorrow.”
Pristin turned around as if she had no regrets after bowing. It was a problem that had been on her mind ever since she left Batsukal, but she was relieved to shake it off.
She opened the door of the drawing room to go outside, and she heard a small sob from behind.
“…”
Pristin paused for a moment, and soon moved her feet again like nothing had happened.
