"You’re here, Crown Prince."

  "What about Your Majesty?"

  "It’s the same today. I think it’s gotten worse……"

  The Knight guarding the front of the bedroom shook his head.

  "But Your Majesty will be pleased that Your Royal Highness has come. Your Majesty awaits your arrival."

  "I see."

  Perez answered briefly.

  However, a little twist in one’s mouth was unbearable.

  The Emperor must be waiting for his time to come.

  There was a rattling noise from the tray of tea in his hand.

  "Open the door."

  "Yes, Your Grace."

  The loyal knights quickly opened the door to the Emperor’s bedroom.

  Twice a day, Perez’s arrival time was fixed, so all the maids had already left.

  "You’re late."

  Yovanes said, with an intrusive breath.

  It was always the same thing.

  Next to the bed were several small pieces of vases that seemed to have been broken by Yovanes without defeating his temper.

  "I will prepare the tea."

  Perez prepared the tea as usual.

  In a cup, a little larger than a regular one, a warm tea was put into Yovanes’ hands.

  Even with his hands trembling, unable to breathe well, Yovanes quickly accepted the cup.

  "Strangely, when I drink this tea, it’s a little easier to breathe."

  Yovanes said so and gulped down the tea.

  Perez’s gaze watched it from a distance.

  "One more drink."

  Yovanes hastily drank tea and emptied the second glass.

  "Hmm, yes. That’s better."

  Yovanes said, sweeping his chest with a satisfied face.

  While lying in his bed, he lost weight, and the generous appearance of the past has become unimaginably thin and dry.

  However, only the unpleasant gaze toward Perez in those eyes was still there.

  "That day after tomorrow is your celebration."

  "That’s right."

  Perez remained motionless on the spot, still with his hands behind his back.

  Yovanes laughed at the sight.

  "Behind the scenes, how bad will it be? The Crown Prince of the Great Empire, just like you, has become a man of low blood, mixed with it."

  It was Yovanes who coveted the lowly maid and brought a life out of the world.

  However, there was no such guilt in Yovanes’ gaze at Perez.

  "I should have saved Astana, I should have done it."

  That’s what Yovanes has been saying a lot lately.

  As if he thought that word would provoke Perez.

  But Perez always responded with a blank expression.

  Like now.

  "At least……ahh……Astana……hngg……unlike you……arrogant……"

  Yovanes stopped talking.

  It was because he noticed that his body was strange.

  "Gasp! Hukk!"

  He ran out of breath twice as much as usual.

  As if his lungs were completely shrunk, he couldn’t breathe.

  "Heokk!……come on……haa……doctor……!"

  Yovanes said, tearing his stuffy chest and throat.

  The gasping breath didn’t even come out properly.

  But Perez didn’t respond.

  He just looked at Yovanes, still behind him.

  "Go……!……Don’t……haaa……stand still……! Do……something……!"

  Eventually, the body of Yovanes, who was sitting, fell back.

  The teacup that Yovanes was holding rolled over a thick rug under the bed.

  It was then that Perez began to move.

  Perez reached out and picked up the teacup, and with a cold face, he quietly laid it down on the side table.

  "You……you……!"3

  Yovanes pointed a finger at Perez, realizing something.

  Then he started screaming with all his might.

  "……Outside……Call……!" But what came out was only a voice that was less than a yawning sound.

  "Gasp……!"

  Yovanes’ hands and feet began to stiffen.

  Perez, looking down at the trembling limbs, opened his mouth.

  "Die. Isn’t it all going to be comfortable when you die?"4

  Yovanes distorted his face.

  Perez laughed at the sight of Yovanes who doesn’t know what he meant.

  "You don’t seem to remember. I’ve never forgotten it until now."

  "Well……that’s……uhh……"

  "That’s what you said while holding the poison in my mother’s hand."6

  Yovanes’ eyes opened in bewilderment.

  "The…… that…… You……how……"

  "That night, my mother had a fever. I went downstairs and wet the towel."

  Perez said, recalling that dark night.

  "You’re there. But when mother sent dozens or hundreds of letters like that, even if she screamed for courtship, she couldn’t even see the hem of your clothes."3

  Do you know that it’s not something I’m proud of?

  That night, Yovanes visited the villa alone with neither an attendant nor an escort.

  Funny, it was also Perez’s first time to see his father.

  It was the first time I saw a cowardly back through an open door.

  Perez calmly recalled the memory of the day.

  "My mother’s hand, who was holding her hem while crying for help, was very compassionate to Your Majesty."

  "Well, that’s……at that time……"

  Yovanes puffed as if to make some excuse.

  But he was short of breath, so even that was difficult.

  He liked it.

  And Perez even laughed looking at him.

  And said.

  "Go ahead and die. My position is very uncomfortable because you are not dying."22

  "Cough! Cough!"

  Eventually, Yovanes’ eyes began to turn.

  It smelled bad, whether he had incontinent or not.1

  Perez said in Yonvanes’ ears, who was trembling like a seizure.

  "Your Majesty, I will take responsibility. I will leave you in the history books as the worst, stupid Emperor in the history of the Empire. So take it easy."14

  A ravenous sound, like an animal biting a bubble, emanated from the mouth of Yovanes, which opened up meaninglessly.

  It was the sound of a person who had to die a long time ago, saying that he would try to breathe a few more times, so ravenous greed was met.

  Eventually Yovanes’ movement stopped.

  Perez looked into the eyes of Yovanes, which was wide open.

  The red bloodshot eyes were filled with resentment for not knowing their sins.

  But it’s also for a while.

  Perez closed Yovanes’ eyes with an expressionless face.

  He also released his hand, which had grasped his neck as if tearing it, and laid it neatly on both sides.

  Finally, the mouth that had opened like a devil was also closed by pressing it.

  Before you knew it, Yovanes looked calm as if he had fallen asleep.

  Over the past hour, Yovanes’ was breathless and the bedroom without a quiet day was finally immersed in perfect silence.

  Perez turned around.

  Then he opened the bedroom door and said.

  "Your Majesty is dead."

  While the startled knights hardened in place, the maid and court lady waiting outside the bedroom jumped inside.

  "Your Majesty!"

  Surprised, they immediately checked Yovanes’ breathing and heartbeat, but it was too late.

  "Gasp!"

  When the Emperor died, it was the etiquette that the whole country, as well as those he served by, fell in sorrow.

  "Your Majesty……"

  Soon, the knights dropped their heads.

  But in the meantime, Perez was far away.

  "I have to inform the obituary."

  It was when he spoke shortly and turned back.

  "……Tia."

  At the end of the corridor, Florentia stood.

  At that moment, he could tell.

  That she already knows everything.

  Perez’s face hardened.

  As if he had been caught, he wanted to run away.

  I was afraid.

  I’m afraid she’ll despise me.

  It’s dirty and ugly. She might even curse at me.2

  As she approached one step at a time, his heart beat faster.

  And when they finally met each other.

  "Perez."

  She called his name and hugged him tightly.

  Florentia’s warmth smeared on his hardened body.

  The eyes of the knights and attendants near the bedroom gathered at the two.

  So that they do not hear it.

  She pulled Perez’s head and whispered in his ear.

  "I’m sorry, Perez."

  It was a voice full of sadness.

  "I’m sorry I didn’t find out in advance that something like that happened to you."

  Her hands, hugging his waist, swept his back.

  "I’m sorry that you have been hurt alone."7

  Snap.

  It sounded as if a crack was breaking.

  A drop of tears fell from his eyes, smearing over her shoulders.

  Perez curled up his large body.

  He put his body deeper in her arms and hugged her protectively.

  Those who watched it were simply thinking, "The Crown Prince is saddened by His Majesty’s death."16

  Like they are trying to protect each other.

  Like they were keeping this a secret between them.

  No one knew the true reason that the lovers who hugged each other tightly were sharing.+

  It was on the day of Yovanes, Emperor of Lambrew, died.1——

  A/N: You did great, Perez! I’m so proud of you! Live a happy life from now on!

  And here’s my promised update! Enjoy the next one too!