By Zephyria 
“Cecile!”
“Are you alright?”
Ignoring the commotion of the attendants, Cecile retched several times. As he heaved, his stomach turned, and eventually, only yellow bile came up.
Damn it.
Cecile furrowed his brow, finally calming his churning stomach.
He had only shaken hands with Killian, yet his weak body couldn’t handle it and was revolted. How was he supposed to endure like this? Spitting out sour saliva onto the floor, he tried to erase the unpleasant thoughts.
Bending over, he reached out, and the attendants promptly offered him a glass of water.
He rinsed his mouth repeatedly with the mint-infused water. As the sharp taste lingered in his mouth, it felt like his dizzy head was finally settling down.
“A handkerchief, please…”
He leaned on his trembling knees and barely lifted his upper body. After emptying his stomach, he felt drained of energy, struggling to keep himself upright.
Wiping his mouth with a handkerchief, he leaned against a pillar for a moment, only to lock eyes with Alexis, who was watching him intently. He too seemed startled by the sudden vomiting.
“Ah…”
Cecile let out a weak sigh, trying to straighten his posture belatedly. However, his weakened body swayed forward as soon as he detached from the pillar.
Seeing this, Alexis rushed over. He grabbed Cecile urgently and firmly held his chin.
“What are you doing without calling for the palace physician?”
As a sharp reprimand flew at him, the attendants hurriedly bowed their heads and scrambled to follow the prince’s orders.
Cecile couldn’t hide his awkward expression. He shook his head, but it was futile to shake off Alexis’s grip.
Finally, in a state of surrender, he muttered, “There’s no need for the physician. It’s just… I’m feeling unwell. I’m fine now.”
“Do you even know what your face looks like right now to say such nonsense?”
Alexis lowered his voice.
Cecile’s small face, held in Alexis’s hand, looked pale and as if he might collapse at any moment. His stubbornness to endure in such a state only twisted Alexis’s mood further.
His gaze grew colder. He fixed his sharpened stare on Cecile’s face and spoke.
“Perridot Palace’s head attendant, listen. Organize what Cecile needs to do and bring it all to me. And your master must take a complete rest today. That’s an order.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
In the end, Cecile was forcibly returned to Perridot Palace under Alexis’s stern command.
Naturally, Cecile Adrian was not the type to obediently follow orders. Despite the attendants’ insistence that he must rest, he headed straight for his study.
After locking the door tightly, he began rummaging through the hidden prophecy book. Perhaps due to his anxious heart, his hands flipped through the pages hastily.
Eventually, he found the section related to the birthday celebration and quickly read through the coded notes he had written.
Starting from this year’s birthday celebration, the Verka Empire and the Kazarsan Kingdom would fall into discord.
It was predetermined that Princess Larisa would visit the Empire. She constantly craved affection from Alexis, but the crown prince coldly rejected her, which deeply wounded the proud princess’s self-esteem.
The king of Kazarsan, who cherished his daughter dearly, felt that his daughter had been insulted by this incident and severed ties with the Empire. The once-thriving maritime trade came to a halt, and Kazarsan’s sea routes were blocked.
The damage from this would fall upon the Empire’s citizens.
First, the price of salt began to skyrocket. Kazarsan was the main source of salt, and they distributed high-quality salt at very low prices, so the Empire primarily used Kazarsan salt.
Suddenly banning it left them with no way to obtain it. Even if they tried to produce salt belatedly, the quantity was limited, and the supply from other countries was woefully insufficient to meet demand.
As issues arose regarding basic sustenance, the citizens of the Empire’s grievances reached the heavens. Criticism and resentment towards the crown prince were at an all-time high.
The misfortunes didn’t stop there. An incident occurred where a trade ship from the Empire, secretly crossing into Kazarsan waters, sank. Emperor Arnold immediately declared Kazarsan an enemy nation. Thus, the two countries became irreparably estranged.
“Ha, what am I to do about this?”
Cecile sighed deeply, cradling his throbbing head.
It was clear that the discord, which undermined the crown prince’s authority and cast a shadow over the Empire, was led by him and the empress. Cecile was determined to rectify this situation.
Since it all began with Princess Larisa, he had to eliminate the seeds of conflict when she visited for this birthday celebration. Even though he had thoroughly planned everything, he couldn’t shake off his anxiety.
Killian was the variable.
In a situation where the future was gradually changing, there was no guarantee that events would unfold as the prophecy stated. Cecile was aware of this and had prepared several countermeasures in advance.
However, Killian’s appearance was something Cecile had not anticipated.
“Get a grip. Cecile Adrian. Is this really the time to be spaced out?”
Cecile slapped his cheeks with both hands. He needed to collect himself. Ignoring someone like Killian was all it took. Why was he already being swayed and causing a fuss?
Once was enough to be affected by Killian. He vowed that in this life, he would never get entangled with that bastard again.
* * *
That night, guests from Kazarsan visited the Empress’s palace.
As Killian strolled gracefully across the wide hall, he glanced sideways at Larisa and chuckled.
“Why are you covering yourself up so much?”
“Don’t be sarcastic, Killian. I have some sense, you know.”
Larisa seemed quite nervous at the thought of meeting Empress Elizabeth. Dressed in the Empire’s style, she appeared more demure than usual, exuding an elegant charm.
“By the way, this palace is stunningly extravagant. It’s clear who holds the real power in the Empire.”
Killian whistled softly as he surveyed the surroundings. The massive Empress’s palace was adorned with gold at every turn, and it was nearly impossible to find a blank space among the paintings and decorations.
Even the Kazarsan siblings, accustomed to luxury, found the palace where Empress Elizabeth resided to be opulent. It truly seemed fitting for a woman who wielded the Emperor’s favor and power.
“I like it. The Empress seems to have similar tastes to mine.”
“Of course.”
As they exchanged jokes, they soon arrived at the guest room.
“Welcome, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Thank you for inviting us, Your Majesty Empress Elizabeth.”
Empress Elizabeth personally stepped out to greet the guests. The guest room was also indescribably beautiful.
The Empress led the Kazarsan royals to their prepared seats. On the elegant table was a delicate tea set that looked like a work of art.
“This is my son, Cecile Adrian. I heard you exchanged greetings earlier.”
Cecile, seated with them, also greeted politely. Killian, intrigued by their striking resemblance, smirked, while Larisa looked around curiously.
“Prince Alexis… is not here?”
“He’s a busy man, so I didn’t call for him separately. It seems Princess Larisa has a keen interest in the crown prince.”
“Yes. I hope you will invite him next time, Your Majesty.”
The Empress smiled at the princess’s bold request but refrained from answering. Instead, she skillfully shifted the topic and began to lead the tea time.
Amidst the pleasant conversation, the atmosphere seemed to loosen up. While sipping tea, Larisa suddenly brought up a question she had been holding back.
“I have one thing I’d like to ask.”
“What is it?”
“Does the crown prince have no thoughts of marriage? I understand the position of crown princess has been vacant for quite some time.”
As the topic of Alexis came up again, the Empress felt a twist in her stomach. However, she maintained a gentle motherly smile and replied.
“I find that quite unfortunate as well. It would be best for him to find his match soon for the stability of the succession.”
“Have you considered a marriage alliance with Kazarsan?”
“Princess Larisa, does that mean you wish to become Alexis’s match?”
Larisa nodded confidently.
There’s nothing more convenient for advancing a marriage than the influence of adults. She wanted to achieve her desires, even if it meant persuading the Empress.
However, the Empress’s reaction was lukewarm. Empress Elizabeth took a sip of the perfectly cooled tea, wearing a subtle smile.
“Well, it’s not something I can decide recklessly.”
“Am I not to your liking?”
“Not at all, Princess Larisa is the most perfect bride-to-be among the women I’ve seen. However, I’ve heard that the King of Kazarsan cherishes you greatly… If he were to send his only daughter away to this distant Empire, it would surely break his heart.”
The Empress paused for a moment, lost in thought. After a while, her long eyes narrowed with a playful smile.
“Perhaps if you were to bring Alexis as a son-in-law, it would be a different story. If that were to happen, I would wholeheartedly assist the princess.”
Larisa was taken aback by the bold proposal and was left speechless, while Cecile covered his mouth and sighed. It was such an absurd suggestion that he gave up trying to dissuade her.
“Surely, you’re joking?”
At that moment, Killian scoffed and asked. Despite the laughter in his voice, his gaze towards the Empress was sharp. The Empress also dropped her smile and faced Killian.
“Did my words sound like a joke?”
“I can tell there’s some sincerity mixed in. It seems Your Majesty is quite wary of Crown Prince Alexis. It feels as if you’re trying to take this opportunity to remove a thorn in your side.”
“That’s quite harsh.”
“If I was rude, I apologize. After all, being in line for the throne, I’m concerned about the issue of him being integrated into our Kazarsan. I would prefer to avoid having someone like Alexis as my rival.”
He stood before Empress Elizabeth, unyielding, as befitted the heir to the Kazarsan throne. His straightforward tone revealed his formidable character without reservation.
Of course, it might be somewhat rude, but he wasn’t oblivious to the atmosphere. As it became colder than expected, Killian forced a smile and added.
“If Larisa were to become the crown princess, it would be a tremendous blessing for both nations. I too hope Larisa marries soon. That way, I could be liberated, even if just for a moment. Right now, both of us are under pressure to marry…”
Larisa, seeing the Empress’s stiff expression, quickly chimed in.
“Killian is a lecher who doesn’t discriminate between men and women.”
“Gender doesn’t matter. I welcome beauty at any time.”
Killian replied shamelessly. As he turned his head, his eyes met Cecile’s, and he grinned.