By Zephyria 
The bathroom was nothing more than a shabby space. The wooden bathtub that had been prepared was so small that it could barely fit one person.
As Cecile was placed inside the round wooden tub, warm water rose up to his chest. Alexis carefully laid Cecile’s head back and casually perched himself on the edge of the tub.
He rolled up his long sleeves to the elbows. Then he picked up a clean towel, soaked it in the bathwater, and wrung it out.
Without soap or essential oils, all he could do was splash clean water and rub Cecile’s skin with the wet towel. Even though his hands were clumsy, Alexis paid careful attention as he wiped Cecile’s neck and face.
Cecile, receiving this care, was utterly peaceful. His freshly washed face regained its original clarity, and his closed eyelids showed no sign of even the slightest tremor.
The water dripping from his hair ran down Cecile’s face, pooling at his chin before plopping onto the surface of the water.
It was the only sound in the quiet bathroom. At that, Alexis paused for a moment, staring at Cecile.
“I still find you despicable. I can’t forgive you.”
He tossed the towel he was holding onto the floor, a sigh mixed with a scoff escaping his lips.
“When you’re hovering in front of me, it makes me angry, and when you’re gone, I can’t help but worry. What should I do? How did it come to this? I’ve never doubted the decisions I’ve made. But you are the exception. What do you think I should do about this, Cecile?”
Alexis glared intensely at Cecile’s face.
Under the sharp gaze, it seemed as if Cecile furrowed his brows slightly. There was a faint response, as if he might wake up, but his heavy eyelids remained completely still.
“Talking to someone who can’t even think straight.”
Alexis muttered to himself and then chuckled softly. The warm water was starting to cool down, and having washed away most of the sweat, he was leaning forward to take Cecile out when he caught a glimpse of something like a scar on Cecile’s chest. Alexis narrowed his eyes slightly.
It didn’t seem like it was a recent injury; it looked like it had been there for a while… and it appeared to be a very peculiar scar.
He looked closely, but the thin fabric kept fluttering in the water, obstructing his view.
Alexis slowly dipped his hand into the water. Just as he was about to pull back the collar to check properly, Cecile’s hand shot up and firmly grabbed his wrist.
“…I, um…”
Cecile slowly lifted his eyelids. Finally regaining consciousness, his emerald eyes focused for the first time in a long while.
“You’re finally back to your senses.”
Alexis shook off the wetness from his hand. Seeing him rise nonchalantly, Cecile lifted his head. He still had to hold his forehead, as if it was spinning.
“What on earth… happened?”
“How much do you remember?”
“I know that His Highness came to rescue me.”
A faint smile appeared on Alexis’s lips. The way he picked up a dry towel to wipe his arms was utterly nonchalant.
“That’s all you need to know. There’s no need to worry about the rest. The medicine you took has all been dealt with.”
“What about the Marquis…?”
“Are you curious?”
Cecile frowned slightly and nodded. Fragments of the situation began to surface in his mind. He wasn’t sure, but he distinctly remembered Alexis swinging a sword at the Marquis.
Alexis adjusted his rolled-up sleeves and replied.
“I barely spared his life. Once he recovers, I plan to throw him far away to some remote place.”
“……”
“I dealt with him properly. In that state, no one will recognize him as Marquis Valerie. He won’t be able to see, speak, or write, so he won’t be able to ask anyone for help. He will probably live a life worse than death.”
Cecile couldn’t comprehend. He let out a faint sigh and asked again.
“…Why did you get your hands dirty yourself?”
“Why do you ask?”
“If he had been tried, he would have certainly been beheaded. His status and wealth would have been confiscated as well.”
By now, Alexis had tidied up his attire and leaned against the wooden wall of the bathroom.
“Repaying with death is too easy. I want the Marquis to suffer for a long time.”
He looked down at Cecile with his arms crossed.
“Above all, if he were to be tried, what happened to you would become public knowledge.”
“……”
Cecile was at a loss for words. The weight of the meaning behind Alexis’s indifferent tone was so heavy and overwhelming that it choked him.
He thought he could never go back to how things were with Alexis. But he never imagined that not only would he save him, but he would also care for him to this extent.
His complicated feelings made his eyes well up. Cecile took a deep breath and splashed some water from the tub onto his face. It was obvious he was trying to hide his tears, but Alexis pretended not to notice.
“…Thank you.”
“Yeah.”
A short reply came back. Alexis revealed his original sharp demeanor and left the bathroom first.
Outside, Claude was waiting with several knights. They had already roughly figured out that Cecile had woken up from the conversation they could hear beyond the door.
“Your Highness, shall I prepare to return?”
“You’re not in perfect condition yet, so stay for another day and keep an eye on him.”
“But you’ve been away from the palace for too long.”
“I know. That’s why I plan to return first.”
Before leaving the inn, Alexis instructed Claude to take good care of Cecile. Claude, who had naturally expected to assist the Crown Prince, asked back with a hint of confusion.
“Me?”
It was rare for him to personally ask someone to look after another. It indicated how important the other person was.
Honestly, it was hard to understand. Cecile had tried to harm Yuria, and because of that, he had fallen out of Alexis’s favor.
Searching all over the capital for the missing Cecile and punishing the Marquis brutally could be justified as a matter of royal safety.
However, entrusting Cecile’s protection to Claude felt a bit excessive.
“Is there a problem?”
“…No, Your Highness.”
Claude quickly lowered his head. A glance at Alexis’s expression revealed that it was as complicated as his own, making it difficult to gauge his true feelings.
“I will obey your command. Please return to the palace safely.”
* * *
As soon as Alexis returned to the palace, he had to work frantically.
He had only been away for two days, yet there was a mountain of administrative matters waiting for his approval.
Being busy left him no room to think about anything else. In fact, it was for the best. His mind was so tangled that he needed a distraction.
While he was processing the piled-up administrative tasks without a break, a guest arrived. It was the prince of Temion, who had requested a meeting a few days prior.
Having heard the news that Alexis had returned after a brief absence from the palace, he had come to the office, disregarding etiquette.
“It seems that in Temion, it’s normal to come uninvited.”
Expressing his displeasure, Alexis continued to handle his administrative work even with the guest present.
In response, Johannes bowed politely. He was well aware that his actions were against protocol.
“I apologize, Your Highness. I have something important to tell you, but today is my last day in the Empire, so I had no choice. Please forgive my rudeness.”
Alexis let out a small sigh and tossed the documents he was holding onto the table.
No matter how busy he was, he couldn’t neglect the representative of a diplomatic mission, especially someone from foreign royalty.
“I can’t set aside a separate time for you. So go ahead now.”
Once granted permission, Johannes took a deep breath, his chest swelling with anticipation. He was so nervous that sweat was already forming on his palms.
The Crown Prince of the Empire was as handsome as he had heard, and above all, he exuded an overwhelming presence. Just standing in front of him made Johannes’s knees tremble.
“I wish to tell the truth about the incident that occurred recently. The one who harmed the saintess… is not Cecile. It was I who did it.”
Gathering his courage, he confessed all the wrongs he had committed.
The incident of harming Yuria in the middle of the night, begging Cecile to take the blame, and even the fact that he was suffering from an incurable disease and had little time left to live.
As his confession continued, Alexis’s expression hardened. He glared at Johannes with a fierce look, his head tilted slightly.
“Albrecht IV. Is there a single lie in what you’ve said to me?”
“I swear on the name of Temion.”
“It’s a matter that has already been settled. Cecile took the blame for you and has already been punished. What is the reason for revealing this now, when you could simply return to your homeland?”
“If I leave the Empire… I probably won’t be able to see Cecile again until I die. I can’t leave while ruining my friendship with my precious friend. I hope that Cecile… will come to my funeral.”
In the suffocating silence, Alexis’s index finger tapped a steady rhythm on the desk. He was carefully contemplating Johannes’s words.
“The saintess… predicted the date of her death. Cecile surely said that?”
“Yes. I have little time left to live. At first, it was just a desire to live a little longer… I made a mistake I shouldn’t have, but now it’s different. Even if I pay for my sins, I want to spend the rest of my life with a lighter heart. Please clear up the misunderstanding about Cecile.”
Johannes pleaded with a trembling voice, his sincerity evident in his words, making his shaking body appear pitiful.