By Zephyria 
“Everyone, please leave.”
A low voice echoed in the quiet chamber. The movements of the attendants came to an abrupt halt as they all turned their heads. The dazed expressions on their faces were directed solely at the Crown Prince.
“Excuse me?”
One dared to ask again, but the Crown Prince merely shot a piercing glare without responding.
The attendants had to quietly retreat from the bed. A young attendant placed the medicine bowl he was holding on a nearby nightstand. With a soft clink, everyone who had remained in the chamber vacated the space.
Even though they all left without leaving a shadow behind, Alexis remained seated, motionless. Eventually, he let out a long sigh and rose from his chair.
He first rolled up his sleeves. After loosening his stiff neck with a full rotation, he picked up the ceramic bowl that the attendant had left behind.
‘If possible, it’s better to force him to take it…’
He had done it once, so could he not do it again?
As he knelt on the bed, the soft corner of the mattress sank under Alexis’s weight.
Cecile’s limp head tilted in the same direction. His eyelids, once closed, showed no signs of opening, and his eyelashes remained damp, whether from tears or sweat.
Looking down at that sight, Alexis brought the medicine bowl to his lips. He filled his mouth with the herbal concoction, rich with the scent of leaves, and then lowered his head.
His soft lips met, and the medicine slipped down.
Though the method of delivery was much more delicate and tender than before, Cecile was completely asleep and could not even register the third kiss.
Cecile barely opened his eyes when dawn broke. In his dizzying vision, an unfamiliar ceiling came into view. He could not discern where he was and had to blink several times.
The soft bed, the gentle fabric against his bare skin, and the bitter taste lingering in his mouth made him realize that many things had happened while he was asleep.
“Are you awake?”
As he slowly raised his torso, a low voice came from somewhere in the dark space. Cecile flinched and instinctively turned his head.
Alexis stood with his back to the dim moonlight seeping through the window.
Startled, Cecile could only part his lips in surprise, but Alexis straightened his posture and approached him.
Unconsciously, a large hand covered Cecile’s forehead. After checking his temperature with his own hand, Alexis finally felt relieved at the diminished heat.
“It seems to have settled down now.”
“…What happened?”
Cecile struggled to voice his question. His throat was swollen, causing an unpleasant metallic sound to escape, but the clarity in his gaze as he looked at Alexis was as if to say he was not in pain.
Alexis tried to smile lightly but tightened his lips instead. He pressed down on Cecile’s forehead, who was trying to sit up, forcing him back down.
“You had a fever and were completely out of it. You’ve been bedridden for half a day.”
“……”
“The treatment is over, so don’t worry. The Court Physician took great care of you, just as you wanted.”
Cecile lowered his gaze in silence. He absentmindedly rubbed the clothes that had been changed while he was asleep.
His suspicious eyes looked up at Alexis. Seeing his indifferent expression, it seemed he had not noticed the secret that was being carefully concealed.
A sigh of relief escaped him without his knowledge. As he brushed aside his disheveled bangs and straightened his upper body, Alexis no longer tried to keep Cecile lying down and instead took a seat in a nearby chair.
Cecile scanned the spacious chamber. It was late at night, and everyone else was asleep. With only the two of them present, it was the perfect time for a secret conversation.
“Everyone must have heard about what happened in the hunting grounds by now, right?”
“Probably. It’s been quite some time.”
Alexis replied simply, and Cecile did not press further on the matter.
It was an incident where the Crown Prince was attacked during a royal event. Moreover, Cecile had been caught up in it and was seriously injured, so it would not be easy to cover up the incident.
For the time being, a storm would sweep through the palace, and those involved would surely not escape with their lives.
Cecile closed his eyes and fell into thought. He had admitted that it was the Empress’s doing, but realistically, it would be difficult to uncover the mastermind behind it.
Perhaps his mother would cut off the tail at an appropriate point, and someone would appear to take the blame.
He could not suppress the sigh that escaped him. His mother’s greed had always been excessive, and her target had always been Cecile. This meant that all these evils would only end when Cecile took Alexis’s place.
He could not bear to face Alexis. Even if he were to let go of his own greed, the future would not change significantly. The Empress would continue to threaten Alexis, and it was an undeniable fact that the repercussions would fall on Cecile.
Cecile wiped his face with his dry palm. No matter what he did, his resolve to save Alexis remained unchanged, so he had to force out the words that would not come.
“…I’m sorry. I will do whatever it takes.”
“Why are you apologizing?”
The sharp inquiry struck like a dagger. Cecile could not respond and merely clutched the thin blanket tightly.
As he turned his head slightly, his gaze met Alexis, who was firmly crossing his arms. His expression was consistently indifferent and cold—a look that was all too familiar to Cecile.
For a moment, their gazes intertwined. Alexis tilted his head slightly, his hair shining brightly even in the darkness.
“You came to me and warned me of the danger in advance. Moreover, you threw yourself into harm’s way to save Yuria. You should be in a position to be thanked, so why are you apologizing?”
“……”
At a loss for words, Cecile looked up at Alexis with his mouth agape. Perhaps it was because he had just recovered from a fever, but he seemed somewhat dazed.
Only then did Alexis smile. The one who had been endlessly cold and indifferent finally opened his heart to Cecile.
“Thank you for today. I’ve been thinking for a long time about how to convey my feelings. The truth is, I’ve doubted and been wary of you a lot until now.”
“……”
“I know it must not have been easy for you to act against the Empress’s wishes, given your position. But I also understand that you genuinely care for me.”
“What… are you saying right now?”
Cecile asked back, not understanding. His eyebrows furrowed, and he wore a somewhat cautious expression. Seeing this, Alexis chuckled softly.
“I’m saying that I will trust you and keep you by my side from now on.”
The softened tone of Alexis’s voice indicated that his feelings were sincere.
Cecile’s face brightened with the unexpected words, and a healthy flush returned to his cheeks. His rosy cheeks were unmistakably those of someone who was very happy.
“Is that really so good?”
“Yes. Truly.”
Upon hearing the honest response, Alexis laughed out loud. Deciding to embrace Cecile was a significant resolution for him as well.
While Cecile was bedridden, Alexis had constantly pondered. Once he made up his mind, he found it strangely easy to be generous toward Cecile, and his actions even appeared endearing.
“I hope my decision is not in vain.”
“No problem. I will always follow you, Your Highness. I will never change.”
“Let’s see. Oh, I happen to have something for you.”
Alexis uncrossed his arms and extended his right arm downward. Leaning slightly, he searched for something in the dark space.
Cecile watched Alexis’s actions with a subtle sense of anticipation. As his shadowed face emerged under the pale moonlight, Cecile’s green eyes sparkled in response.
“This is a reward for what happened today. I hope you will accept it.”
Alexis placed something on the bed. The dagger, over two spans long, was beautiful from the hilt to the scabbard. It was a treasured sword that only the Crown Prince of the Empire could possess.
“……”
Cecile froze upon seeing the dagger that had come into his hands. There was no way he could not recognize it. This was the very sword that Alexis had commanded him to use for self-harm.
“How… is this possible?”
His heart tightened, and his throat felt constricted.
He remembered the dazzling jewels, the weight that transferred to his palm, the cold temperature, and even the sensation of the blade piercing his heart.
“It’s old, but it’s something I’ve cherished. I’ve taken good care of it, so there shouldn’t be any issues using it. The blade is well-honed. It’s not just for display; it’s a dagger that can actually kill.”
“……”
“Keep it close to you. There may come a time when you need it.”
Alexis smiled as he subtly observed Cecile’s reaction. He had expected Cecile to be overjoyed, but instead, the color drained from Cecile’s face as if he were about to faint. The hand that held the dagger trembled as if it were in an earthquake.
Surprised by this reaction, the smile that had been forming on Alexis’s lips stiffened.