Florentia did not come near Gallahan’s side.

  She stood far away from the door, talked for a while with Clerivan, and then went back.

  At that appearance, Gallahan smiled bitterly and said to Louryl.

  "Louryl, can you help Tia get ready for bed?"

  "……Yes, Gallahan-nim."

  Louryl bowed her head, then ran toward Florentia.

  The only one left in the room with Gallahan was Lulak, who was still sitting in a chair, and Clerivan standing at the door.

  “I think I’ll have to borrow Louryl’s hand in the future. That’s a big deal."

  There will be more and more things he cannot do in the future.

  Now it’s just one leg, but he doesn’t know when the symptoms of paralysis will spread to other places.

  "Half a year……"

  It was his remaining life as Dr. O’Malley told him.

  After Tlenbrew outbreaks, it is said that usually the sufferer dies within half a year.

  "I’ll bring another doctor, so I’ll see you again."

  "Father ……"

  “It’s a very rare case, So how do we know after being checked just once? Ask another doctor. You have Tlenbrew’s disease. That doesn’t make sense…… "

  Clerivan’s face hardened at Lulak’s muttering.

  "Tlenbrew?"

  "That the doctor said!"

  Eventually, Lulak screamed.

  His messy face doesn’t look like Lulak’s usually quiet and calm expression.

  "Gallahan could not have suffered from such a severe disease!"

  "Father……"

  Gallahan looked at him and nodded and said.

  "I’ll see another doctor."

  “Yes, you should. Dr. O’Malley seems to be rusty."

  Lulak stood up from his seat.

  "Maybe your leg will be fine tomorrow."

  But even though he said so, Lulak’s gaze pointed at Gallahan’s stiffened leg.

  It looks so fine on the outside.

  "You are still too young, Gallahan."

  It doesn’t make sense to have to suffer from a disease without medicine.4

  Lulak turned away, after leaving such a statement.

  "And don’t let this thing leak around. You…… You broke your leg by stumbling at the Imperial Banquet. Okay?"

  “.……Thank you, Father."

  Gallahan, who is showing fame both within and outside of the family, recently had an incredible wave of rumors that something was wrong with his condition.

  This will be great news that will never be again for a competitor looking for its weaknesses, and it will be a big stumbling block for those who wish to work with the Gallahan clothing store.

  "I don’t know when someone will come, so put a splint on that leg."

  "Haha. Yes, Father……"

  Gallahan laughed, and Lulak left the room after telling the boy that ’it’s nothing’.

  Then he said to Clerivan with his calmly sunken voice.

  "Clerivan-nim."

  "Yes, tell me."

  “I think I need to prepare a few things.”


  "What are you talking about?"

  Gallahan sighed in response to Clerivan’s question.

  "I have to be prepared if it really is Tlenbrew’s disease."

  It was a sigh that was more of a kind of resignation rather than frustration.

  "Are you going to leave Tia alone? "

  To Gallahan’s smiling face, Clerivan could not say anything.

  Instead, he squeezed his fist so that the note that Florentia had written and handed over made a crackling sound.

  * * *

  This morning comes brightly.

  Perez has a habit for a long time, that is headed to the Poirak Palace training center with his sword.

  From the day when he first met Florentia.

  It was the morning training he hadn’t missed since being told he had to practice swordsmanship.

  Yesterday’s banquet ended after midnight, and he’s only been resting a few hours.

  But there are no exceptions.

  His body felt heavy, but when he started operating Aura, the feeling quickly disappeared.

  Perez, who was sweating, sat on the training ground and recalled what had happened last night.

  Florentia, who first met in the forest and caught Perez’s attention, that time had passed quickly, but she did not change.

  Still, Perez only saw Florentia.

  Even when she first walks into the banquet hall.

  Even for the sweet time on the terrace that passed so quickly.

  Even when Astana drew his sword.

  It was only Florentia that Perez was seeing.

  And when Gallahan falls and everyone is looking at Gallahan.

  Perez always looking at Florentia.

  "Is she okay?"

  Unlike him, Florentia seemed to be very close to her father.

  Looking at Gallahan, who couldn’t get up while lying down, the face that had closed her lips came to his mind.

  It would be nice if I could go and see her.

  However, there was a word from Florentia, that no one should know the closeness of Perez and Florentia.

  Perez squeezed her own heart when he put his sword in the scabbard.

  But, Perez misses her.3

  Perez’s shoulders while returning to the palace were struck down again and again.

  "Tue, Her Majesty the Empress!"1

  It was just when he got to the Poirak Palace.

  Perez raised his head at Caitlyn’s low voice.

  Then, he saw the Empress walking out of the carriage door on her own.

  And Empress right hand, which went up sharply ready to slap Perez’s face.

  It was slow enough for Perez to think.

  ’Will I get hit?’


  That thought crossed Perez’s mind.

  It was because he could predict why Empress would slap him in the face.

  Perez, standing still, turned slightly at the last minute.

  The Empress’s hand narrowly missed Perez’s face.

  "How dare you!"

  Empress becomes even more annoyed.

  "You lowly! How dare you put your sword at my son!"

  Rabini tried to hit Perez again, but each time Perez avoided it with a slight move, it’s raising more anger.

  "Catch that lowly thing!"

  Eventually, the Empress ordered the knights who accompanied hed.

  However, the knights who were approaching also flinched to see the sword tied to Perez’ waist.

  The fact that the Second Prince was already a talented person in creating aura was spread throughout the Imperial Palace.

  It is also a vivid blue aura.

  Although he was still young, it was evident that he already had the same skills as the Knights.

  Just as expected.

  The Second Prince had already stepped back two and a half steps as if he had already figured out their next move.

  Even if the knights pulled out the sword, it was a distance that the tip of the sword could not reach.

  All of them had already been figured out.

  While the knights lingered, the Empress poured out all sorts of swearing toward Perez.

  "I should have killed you at that time! I should have buried you with your lowly mother! This disgusting thing knows your roots! Dare to touch my son……"

  "What do you mean of ’knows your roots’, Empress?"

  The Empress’s footsteps stopped.

  It was the Emperor who came out because of the fuss while waiting for Perez in the gardens of Poirak Palace.

  The knights who approached Perez quickly stepped back.

  "Are you saying that it is inappropriate for a Prince to be my son? Or……"

  The Emperor said without hiding his displeasure.

  "The root that the Empress says, it’s me?"

  “I don’t mean that……”


  Rabini was embarrassed for a moment, but soon returned to her composure and answered.2

  She was even very confident when she spoke with her chin slightly raised.

  "I heard what happened to Astana yesterday. Why didn’t you tell me?"

  "What am I supposed to say? My fourteen-year-old son pushed Gallahan’s daughter for no reason and tried to hurt her in the presence of Lombardy?"

  Jovanes was sarcastic.

  "Astana must have had a reason for that too!"

  Rabini, angry, shouted in a hoarse voice.

  But the Emperor frowned and shook his head.

  "As the Prince of this Empire, he should have known how to make the Lombardy family on his side."

  Those words eventually made Rabini’s anger pop and burst.

  "Why! Why do you always seek Lombardy’s attention! The lord of this Empire is His Majesty! The Durelli family!"

  "So?"

  "In the same situation as yesterday, you should be sided with Astana! You should have punished the Lombardy girl who made Astana so angry, instead of letting that lowly servant’s son point his sword at Astana!"

  The Emperor asked, clicked his tongue with a completely tired face.

  "You want me to pretend to play with Lombardy and throw them away just because of Astana?"

  "How can you just rely only on Lombardy when you have so many nobles? If Lombardy neglects the Imperial Family……”


  "Angenas will try to take the place.”1

  "Well, that’s……"

  "Push Lombardy out and fill the spot with Angenas. How far do you want me to be a stupid Emperor?"

  Jovanes smirked.

  "Empress."

  Emperor’s voice called Rabini was so piercing.

  "Angenas can never, replace Lombardy. You can’t do that. So don’t be too greedy."15

  The Empress trembled, but the Emperor did not care.

  It wasn’t just on the surface. Lombardy was like a giant pillar of maintaining this Empire and the Imperial Family.

  In his youth, it was very difficult to admit it, but Jovanes became wise.

  I have used Lombardy as Lulak said, accepting that clashing with them can destroy everything.

  Sometimes empowering them, sometimes pretending to push them out.

  However, there was something that even Lulak, who had a quick count like a fox, never tolerated.

  It was a matter about his own blood and flesh.

  If Perez didn’t get in the way yesterday, Jovanes would have to publicly reprimand Astana to relieve Lulak’s anger.

  However, the reason Perez ran out with a sword to protect Florentia was still unknown to Jovanes.

  That why he visits Poirak Palace to ask about that today.

  However, it seems that the Empress also come.

  Thinking that Astana will tell his mother, makes the Emperor angry.

  Bad boy.

  Then Perez, standing still to one side, appeared.

  While entering the banquet hall, the Emperor remembered that Perez couldn’t take his eyes off Gallahan’s daughter.

  And suddenly a strange impulse arose.

  Jovanes told Perez, standing against the Empress.

  "You should visit Gallahan Lombardy in the hospital instead of me."

  Perez’s sour face turned bright.1

  "And send my letter on the way to the Lord of Lombardy. It says that Gallahan’s daughter will be your playmate" [1]2

  ______________________________________________

  [1] Same as Astana and Belsach relationship. It seems better to use ’playmate’ than ’your person’.