By Zephyria 
On the day of the funeral, it poured rain like a deluge.
As dark and gloomy as the sky, the mourners gathered in front of the royal tomb wore somber expressions. Under their black umbrellas, each expressed their sorrow and mourned the death of Cecile.
The crown prince stood bare, without an umbrella, staring intently at the wooden coffin with his lips tightly pressed together.
The relentless rain washed away all tears. Yet, it was clear to everyone that he was crying. The deep sense of loss etched on his face could not be erased by the rain.
Alexis helped prepare for Cecile’s funeral. Just before she was placed in the coffin, he was the one who cleaned her body and changed her clothes.
Cecile’s chest was unblemished, without a scar. Just as he was puzzled by this, Cecile’s chamberlain came to me and revealed a secret.
Hearing that the scar on her chest actually signified her remaining lifespan shattered his heart.
“You are truly cruel until the end! Deceiving and tricking me like this… How can you be so heartless?”
Alexis embraced the cold corpse and wept silently. It felt as if this devastating moment would never end. He barely swallowed his sobs and kissed Cecile, whispering his final farewell.
“I love you. I truly love you. Cecile… don’t forget how much I cherished and loved you.”
The wooden coffin was lowered into the ground, covered by the imperial flag. Cecile Adrian had met her end as a member of the royal family.
Then, the first shovelful of dirt was sprinkled over the coffin, followed by prayers of mourning. As the shoveling continued, the weight of sorrow pressed heavily on the air. The grave soon took shape, and with it, the funeral came to a close.
As the mourners finished their condolences, they began to leave one by one. However, Alexis remained in front of the gravestone for two more hours. His eyes, stained with despair, endlessly gazed at Cecile’s name engraved on the stone.
Unable to bear it any longer, a servant from Saint Palace approached Alexis. The umbrella he had repeatedly declined was now held over his head.
“Your Highness, I am concerned for your health. Please, let us return.”
“…Isn’t the surroundings too desolate?”
Alexis spoke with difficulty. It was quite cold, but the prolonged exposure to the chilly air left him unable to exhale even a breath.
“I fear Cecile will be too lonely. Plant flowers and trees around her grave so that she can see something beautiful at any time. Bring tables and chairs as well.”
He instructed that Cecile’s grave be tended to like a garden. The servant nodded without asking any further questions. It was not easy to go against the wishes of the grieving crown prince.
* * *
The entire palace was silent.
The main palace, the empress’s palace, and the Peridot Palace had all lost their masters. The once-bustling grand halls now felt empty, as if ghosts were wandering through.
The only place that remained as it always was was the Saint Palace where the crown prince resided. However, even there, the atmosphere was quiet. Everyone was careful to avoid drawing attention to themselves, watching the crown prince’s mood.
Alexis had been sensitive and sharp lately. He was barely managing to fulfill his duties while trying to escape his sorrow, but it was evident to everyone that he was not the same as before.
The day of his ascension to the throne was approaching. As the only one capable of leading the empire, he had to faithfully carry out his responsibilities as the heir to the throne. There was no room for escapism or wallowing in grief.
Yet, amidst his busy days, there were moments when his heart felt empty, and all emotions seemed to vanish.
Once trapped in that emptiness, it was not easy to escape. He felt like a hollow shell, unable to do anything and wasting time.
Each time that happened, Alexis reminded himself of the promise Cecile had left him and steeled his resolve. He immersed himself in work as if it were the sole purpose of his life to become emperor and prosper the empire.
“Your Highness.”
Chief advisor Tristan Dyke entered the office. He handed Alexis a thickly bound book.
“This is regarding the code decryption you instructed earlier.”
Alexis flipped through the book with an impassive face.
On the first page was a note written by Cecile. Seeing her familiar handwriting made his eyes well up again. Alexis pressed his brow tightly, struggling to suppress his emotions.
“It took quite a while.”
“I apologize. The code was so complex that even the experts had a hard time with it.”
Tristan bowed deeply. He knew better than anyone that Alexis’s nerves were frayed since the funeral, so he was cautious with every word related to Cecile Adrian.
However, Alexis’s reaction was not as bad as expected. In fact, he even managed a faint smile. He slowly turned the pages, absorbing the interpretations of the code.
“It makes sense that it took a long time. Since Cecile made it, it must have been difficult to decipher.”
“…….”
“She really did a great job. It would be a shame to bury it like this. We should utilize it in the future.”
Tristan nodded in agreement, having been about to seek Alexis’s permission anyway.
“Your Highness, may I take it that we can commercialize the code?”
“Do so.”
With the approval given, Tristan respectfully bowed and left. Left alone, Alexis continued reading the code interpretation book.
Time passed endlessly. Alexis did not leave the desk for the duration of two oil changes in the lamp. Only when he had memorized the entire code could he finally close the book.
A deep sigh escaped him. Alexis covered his face with his hands and slowly pushed his chair back to stand. As he exited the office, the attendants waiting outside instinctively followed him.
“I want to be alone, so do not follow me.”
“Your Highness, may I at least know where you are going…?”
“I will go to the Peridot Palace.”
At the mention of the name, everyone froze in place.
As the attendants stood still, Alexis took long strides and walked away alone.
Yet, they could not follow. They all understood that this was for the crown prince to resolve the grief that had festered within him.
It was the first time he had visited the Peridot Palace since Cecile’s death.
From the moment he stepped into the garden, he was engulfed by a familiar and nostalgic feeling. The camellia flowers blooming abundantly without a master, the green grass spread across the ground, and the tables and chairs set up for tea time all caught his eye.
After slowly wandering through the garden, he entered the palace. Inside the closed palace, there was not a shadow of a person to be found. The only sound in the wide hallway was the echo of Alexis’s footsteps.
The paintings hanging in the hallway, the ceiling mural sparkling faintly with glass powder, and the lingering scent of the Peridot Palace still filled the air.
The memories were so strong that even his sense of smell seemed affected. It was strange that a subtle butter scent lingered, even though no one was baking cakes anymore. The corners of Alexis’s stiff mouth relaxed slightly.
He paused at the fork leading to the drawing room. At the end of his gaze was a firmly closed door. It would only take ten steps to reach it, but he still could not muster the courage to enter.
Without lingering, he turned away. His steps were directed toward the study.
As the door opened, the dust that had accumulated in the room swirled and clung to his breath. Alexis stood in the middle of the study, facing the space he had been trying to avoid.
Everything was just as it had been. Nothing had changed. Only Cecile, who should have been in this space, had completely vanished.
His hand brushed over the sofa with a tender touch. Alexis slowly wandered through the study, recalling the memories he had buried.
He was now trying to accept it. Slowly, but surely, he believed that facing his sorrow would eventually lead to a day when it would dull.
He reached the dark brown mahogany desk. As he ran his fingertips over the wood grain, the dust that had settled there came off as expected. He thought to himself that it was time to clean this place as well, smiling bitterly as he moved behind the desk.
He sank into the chair that Cecile used. His head tilted slightly back over the backrest. With vacant eyes, he stared blankly at the edge of the desk.
Then suddenly, something caught his eye, and he straightened his back. Alexis picked up the book that was at the very bottom of the neatly organized papers.
It looked familiar. This was definitely the book where Cecile had scribbled her codes. As he opened it, he found it filled with picturesque handwriting.
Having learned how to decode the messages, he could now read Cecile’s writings with ease. Alexis began to read slowly from the first page.
“She wrote it down meticulously. Well, that’s just her nature.”
Alexis smiled faintly as he looked at the names of the nobles she had categorized.
Cecile had successfully encompassed all the nobles she had targeted. The names marked with circles were those currently holding significant positions in the cabinet. It went without saying that they supported and followed Alexis wholeheartedly.
The names crossed out were all those who had followed the empress. They could no longer be seen in the palace, having been eliminated. It dawned on him that this had been a plan long in the making.
He turned the pages further. From here on, the prophecies began in earnest. Cecile had meticulously organized the events that would unfold in the future, detailing how they were resolved and how the future changed.
Alexis focused even more intently. The comments that accompanied the explanations were quite enjoyable to read. He could glimpse what Cecile had been thinking at the time.
*Keep your distance from Felix the chamberlain!
(Solution)
I chased away the chamberlain and replaced all the servants in the Peridot Palace. This effectively eliminated the conditions for Felix’s adopted son to infiltrate the Saint Palace. The newly acquired servants are young but have a pure side. At the very least, they seem like they will be on my side. It feels… a bit strange to have people who genuinely care for me.
*Accident leading to the death of Duchess Olrike Vandell’s carriage overturn.
(Solution)
Revealing the future to others brings a tightening pain to the heart. It is still difficult to ascertain when the pain begins and how severe it is.
I have never felt such pain in my life. No, it’s not as bad as when I was stabbed with a knife. …Still, it hurt too much. I must be careful about revealing the future.
Alexis covered his mouth. He had belatedly realized the consequences of his ignorance.
“I am certain you know the future.”
“Rather, you should help me think of ways to win the war.”
“Though Kazarsan may have warships, we have the divine messenger who can foresee the future.”
He did not even know what kind of pain he would suffer in exchange for knowing the future.
What had Cecile’s expression been like when I rambled on about such nonsense?
Was it empty, or was it sorrowful?
Even as he tried to recall, his mind felt foggy and unclear. For some reason, not a single image of Cecile’s beautiful face came to mind.