Chapter 34
Chapter 34
Rosalyn couldn’t understand why Theodor suddenly took her hands and pressed his back against hers. Just this morning, he’d hastily left, saying he didn’t want to exercise anymore, so why was he acting like this now? He had been growing increasingly unpredictable lately.
Still, she didn’t dare voice her thoughts. The look in Theodor’s eyes was unusually intense today, almost menacing.
‘Why is he gripping my hands so tightly?’
Theodor was clutching her hands so tightly it felt like her bones might crack.
He recalled the image of Rosalyn resting her small frame against Aiden’s broad back with her eyes closed and thought, I can do at least that much.
No, he could do better.
Determined, he bent forward with all his strength.
Rosalyn’s body suddenly lifted off the ground.
“Kyaah!”
Startled by the abrupt motion, she screamed.
‘That’s dangerous!’
But Theodor kept leaning forward, more and more. She could feel the trembling of his muscles as he bore her weight on his back. The strain doubled with her added weight pressing down from above. If he continued like this, he might seriously injure his back.
“Your Highness! Stop, it’s dangerous!”
She shouted in alarm, but Theodor didn’t stop. Still holding her up, he looked straight at Aiden and muttered,
“…I’m fine. This is nothing… Kugh!”
Just then, a violent cough burst from his lips, and his body jolted. The tremor was so strong Rosalyn, who was clinging to his back, could feel it too.
“Kugh! Kugh!”
The coughing continued. Rosalyn recalled how he’d been coughing earlier that morning after sprinting.
‘Something’s not right.’
Her voice turned firm.
“Your Highness, that’s enough!”
She quickly dismounted from his back and examined him. Theodor was still covering his mouth with one hand, coughing harshly. His complexion looked pale.
“Are you alright?”
“I… I’m fine. It’s nothing… Kugh!”
That’s when Aiden approached and said sharply, “Miss Rosalyn.”
He gestured toward Theodor’s hand. On his palm was a small but unmistakable smear of blood.
Rosalyn gasped. “Your Highness, are you alright?!”
“I’m fine…”
He forced out the words while staring at Aiden but his voice faltered. Suddenly, his strength gave out and his eyes fluttered shut. Seeing this, Aiden sprang into action, his voice authoritative and composed, the mark of a capable commander.
“Quick! Escort His Highness to the royal physician!”
“Y-yes, sir!”
The attendants rushed to carry Theodor away. Rosalyn followed close behind.
***
Aiden hadn’t been able to follow her due to the soldiers’ morning training. Just then, Anton came rushing down the corridor. He had heard the news after finishing preparations for the Empress’s tea party.
“Miss Rosalyn, what happened?”
She opened her mouth to answer, but a voice from inside the room called them in, and they quickly stepped inside.
Theodor lay on the examination bed, eyes closed.
“What’s going on?” Rosalyn asked urgently.
The palace physician replied in an indifferent tone, “There’s nothing physically wrong. He briefly lost consciousness, but he’ll wake up shortly.”
“That can’t be! He even coughed up blood!”
She couldn’t believe the physician’s words.
But he responded coldly, “That’s my medical opinion.”
‘What is happening?’
Rosalyn looked worriedly at Theodor’s resting figure. Unlike before, when he had appeared deathly pale, his complexion now seemed fine, just as the doctor had said. It was hard to believe he’d coughed up blood at all.
And she had another reason to be concerned.
In the original story, coughing and blood were early signs of mana rampage, the very symptoms that eventually led to Theodor’s terminal condition.
‘I gave him elixirs, had him exercise and did everything to prevent this…’
Had all her efforts been in vain?
But something didn’t add up. If he were going to experience a mana rampage, it should’ve happened during the violent surge of his initial awakening. The changes to his body at that time had been far more severe.
So why was this happening now?
As she turned these thoughts over, Anton cautiously spoke beside her.
“Miss Rosalyn.”
“Yes?”
“Is it possible that His Highness consumed something harmful?”
“What do you mean?”
She looked confused, so Anton explained.
“One of my uncles is perfectly healthy most of the time but if he eats peanuts, he starts coughing, can’t breathe, and even passes out. If there’s no physical issue with His Highness, maybe this was something like that.”
He was talking about an allergic reaction. As far as she knew, Theodor had no allergies. But Anton had a point, sudden symptoms in an otherwise healthy person were usually due to external causes.
‘Did he eat something suspicious?’
At that moment, a scene flashed through her mind, something she’d witnessed in the palace apothecary: an imperial attendant secretly pocketing a vial of violet liquid.
That attendant served the Empress.
And the Empress despised Theodor’s awakening.
‘It couldn’t be… could it?’
Doubt crept in her mind, something she couldn’t dismiss.
Rosalyn turned to Anton and asked in a low voice, “Tony, have any of the food tasters shown symptoms similar to His Highness?”
“Not that I’ve heard.”
That ruled out his meals.
Meals for royalty were always thoroughly tested by tasters before being served. If someone had slipped poison into the food, one of them should’ve shown similar symptoms.
“Why do you ask, Miss? Don’t tell me… do you suspect someone did this to His Highness?”
“I’m not sure yet.”
Just then, there was a rustle from the bed. Theodor was waking up.
“Your Highness!”
He sat up suddenly and scanned the room. Thankfully, Aiden wasn’t there.
“Are you alright?”
Hearing Rosalyn’s worried voice reminded him of the moment he’d collapsed in front of Aiden, her, and all those attendants.
‘Of all people… Why in front of Aiden?’
Shame and frustration bubbled inside him, and his voice came out gruff and irritable.
“Of course I’m fine. It’s nothing. Don’t make a fuss.”
Rosalyn was baffled by his detached reaction. This might not be nothing, someone could’ve tried to take his life. She leaned in, eyes wide, voice raised.
“It’s not nothing! You coughed up blood! If something were to happen to Your Highness…”
She trailed off when she noticed Theodor was staring at her. He silently repeated her words in his head.
‘If something were to happen to Your Highness.’
She wasn’t talking about Aiden or anyone else. Only him. Aiden had probably never heard her speak with such concern. A strange feeling of satisfaction washed over him, triumph, even. His tone softened.
“…Are you worrying about me?”
Just moments ago, he’d been snappish. Now his voice was gentle. Rosalyn was bewildered by the shift, but steadied herself and asked carefully,
“Your Highness, have you eaten or drunk anything new since your awakening? Aside from your regular meals?”
He tilted his head slightly at the question but answered.
“… Nothing really. Just the tea during class.”
“Tea? What kind?”
“Lavender, a servant, brings it every day. They say it helps with focus. Honestly, it tastes bad and I don’t feel any effect.”
As he shrugged, Rosalyn’s eyes widened. Lavender tea was purple, meaning that mysterious substance could’ve been mixed in unnoticed. Highly suspicious.
“Do you remember what the servant looked like? Was it a boy with short black hair and tanned skin?”
She thought of the page she saw in the apothecary. Anton answered for him.
“Yes, that’s him.”
Rosalyn’s expression darkened. She turned to Theodor and said in a firm voice,
“Your Highness, from now on, don’t drink that tea.”
Her tone was far more serious than usual. Theodor remembered how the tea had made his chest tingle and triggered a cough in class.
Anton whispered, stunned, “Miss Rosalyn, do you think there’s something wrong with the tea?”
“I’m not sure. But…”
She glanced around and quietly explained what she saw at the apothecary. Theodor and Anton both looked grim.
“Hans is one of the Empress’s servants. If Her Majesty is involved…”
Anton cautiously began, but Theodor suddenly sprang up from the bed.
“Take me to the Empress’s quarters. Immediately.”
His voice was shaking with fury. The wrath and bloodlust radiating from him made Rosalyn tremble. But she understood how he felt.
‘Of course he’s angry.’
He had been neglected and mistreated since childhood, even confined. Now that he’d finally awakened and begun to live as a true prince, this happened.
Anyone would be furious.
‘But there’s no proof yet.’
All they had were suspicions and circumstantial evidence. If Theodor barged into the Empress’s quarters now, she would feign innocence and cut off any loose ends.
The truth would be buried and worse, she might plan something else.
Rosalyn grabbed his arm just as he tried to leave.
“Your Highness, wait!”
“Let go of me!”
His heterochromatic eyes blazed with rage. Then it happened.
“Khuh!”
Theodor groaned and doubled over, coughing violently again.
“Khuh, khuh!”
Droplets of blood stained his palm as he collapsed to the floor. Anton hurriedly helped him back onto the bed. Still gasping, Theodor looked up at Rosalyn, his face a mix of pain and frustration.
She met his gaze and said quietly,
“… Your Highness, don’t worry. I’ll take care of this.”
TN: Ahuh, I see noow…
