By Zephyria 
After finishing the night walk, I returned to Peridot Palace.
In the meantime, Leo, who had completed all his tasks, welcomed the Crown Prince. It was already well past midnight, and most of the candles in the chamber had been extinguished. Regardless of the darkness or light, the master of Peridot Palace was peacefully asleep.
“The night air feels quite cool tonight. Cecile must be feeling stuffy being cooped up in his room, so it would be good to open the window a bit.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
While Leo busily moved about, Alexis approached the head of the bed. The single sofa placed right next to it was his designated spot, and it had become a natural routine for him to keep watch over Cecile from there.
“Um….”
Leo timidly approached. Although it was no exaggeration to say they had been together all day recently, the Crown Prince was still a difficult presence to face.
Sensing the discomfort from the other, Alexis spread out some documents on his lap and replied in a calm tone.
“I will stay here. You may go now.”
“Are you planning to stay up all night again?”
His blue eyes turned to look at Cecile, who was lying in bed. Although he wanted to see that familiar face, it was hard to feel at ease seeing him unconscious.
“Just watch.”
“If you need anything, please feel free to call us. We will be waiting outside.”
Leo politely bowed and left the chamber. With just the two of them remaining, a quiet stillness settled in. Alexis watched Cecile’s sleeping face for a long time before turning his attention back to the documents.
A cool night breeze rushed in through the open window. The thin canopy, as delicate as dragonfly wings, swayed gently with the wind.
It was a peaceful and cozy night, yet it was also a night he could not sleep at all.
The next day, Sir Claude Van Dell arrived at Peridot Palace as the sun rose.
As expected, the person he wanted to meet was here. Despite the early hour, Alexis was already dressed and sitting on the sofa beside the bed.
From the lack of any signs of sleep on his face, it seemed he had stayed up all night again, but Claude refrained from pointing it out. Instead, he stood before Alexis with a more serious expression than usual.
“Your Highness, everything is ready.”
Today was finally the day they would set out.
Having kept watch by Cecile’s side until the day of departure, Alexis pressed his fingertips against his deeply fatigued eyelids.
“There won’t be any issues, right?”
“Of course not.”
A firm answer followed. Claude had taken on the preparations for war in Alexis’s stead. He too had a heavy responsibility as the commander of the Imperial Knight Order representing the empire.
“Bring the uniform. I will change here.”
As Alexis grabbed the armrest of the sofa and stood up, the attendants presented the prepared uniform and the Crown Prince’s Long Sword on a golden tray.
Throughout the preparations for departure, Claude remained in front of Alexis. Watching the Crown Prince gradually transform into a more dignified figure as he donned the neatly pressed uniform, Claude’s lips twitched as if he had something left to say. He was not one to keep secrets.
“If you have something to say, say it now. There won’t be time later.”
Alexis had an extraordinary sense of perception. Just by reading Claude’s expression, he quickly grasped his true feelings.
“…….”
“Are you sure you can go to war in that state? I don’t mind, but…”
“Alexis, that is….”
It was a name he hadn’t called in years. Claude exhaled deeply, clenching and unclenching his trembling hands multiple times. It was a topic that was difficult to bring up.
“I… I mean…”
In the meantime, Alexis had fully donned his uniform. Unlike Claude, who was too nervous to speak properly, he calmly adjusted the cuffs of his shirt that had rolled into his jacket.
“I’m listening, speak.”
Claude lowered his head deeply. Then, a confession mixed with a sigh escaped his lips.
“I… have wronged you greatly.”
“Wronged?”
“I kissed Yuria last night.”
“…….”
“I’m sorry. But it wasn’t a mistake. I don’t want to lie to you. I was fully aware of the consequences of my actions. Yet, despite that….”
“I know. You’ve had feelings for Yuria for a long time.”
At Alexis’s calm voice, Claude’s head lifted. His complexion was extremely pale.
“You knew?”
“How could I not? We’ve known each other for years.”
Before long, Alexis had taken on a clean and dignified appearance and faced his long-time friend and blood brother. A faint smile spread across his face.
“What about Yuria? Does she feel the same way as you do?”
“…….”
“Can you take responsibility and make her happy?”
Claude couldn’t believe it. Even though he had mustered the courage to speak, he thought it was a feeling that would never be permitted.
“Alexis.”
“We were both so ignorant. We should have realized it sooner. If we had, we wouldn’t have wasted so much time.”
Alexis slowly moved his steps. He approached the bed, gently brushed back Cecile’s disheveled hair, and carefully pulled the thin blanket up to his chest.
“Even now, it’s a relief that a lost heart has found its way.”
“Then who exactly do you… wait, no way.”
Claude let out a short sigh in disbelief. He had realized what Alexis’s actions implied.
“…Is it true? Are you with Cecile?”
“Yes.”
His voice, devoid of highs and lows, acknowledged his feelings. After finishing all the preparations, Alexis murmured somewhat weakly.
“Just give me a moment to say goodbye. Ten minutes will suffice.”
“I will wait outside.”
Returning to his position as a friend and then as the commander, Claude immediately stepped aside. Once the door closed, only Cecile and Alexis remained in the now quiet chamber. The bright morning sunlight filled the room with a white glow. The day designated for departure by Cecile was perfect in weather as well.
Alexis lightly perched on the edge of the bed. Although his carefully arranged uniform was getting wrinkled, he didn’t mind.
“I wished you would wake up before I left. Was that too much to hope for?”
A slight sigh escaped him. He was not afraid of war, but the fact that he had to leave without Cecile felt like shackles around his ankles.
“I know it’s already too late to turn back… but I regret so much. If I had accepted your feelings back then, would we have been better off?”
Despite his anxious confession, there was no response. Alexis smiled faintly as he caressed Cecile’s cheek.
“I will definitely win and return.”
“…….”
“So you too, do your best to come back to me.”
I love you. He whispered into Cecile’s ear, hoping he could hear it even in his dreams. A heartfelt kiss briefly touched his dry lips before pulling away.
Then Alexis returned to the dignified form of the Crown Prince and left the chamber.
* * *
Cecile regained consciousness long after that.
When he opened his eyes, the room was bright, and the familiar voices of the attendants were murmuring around him.
He had to blink several times to adjust to the brightness. His limbs felt stiff, but he also felt refreshed as if he had woken from a deep sleep.
“Water….”
At his faint voice, the attendants froze in their movements. Then, with a crash—! The sound of breaking dishes startled them, and they rushed over.
“Cecile!”
“Are you awake? Do you recognize us?”
Cecile nodded in response. His mind was still hazy, and it took him a bit longer to regain his sense of reality.
As he attempted to rise from the bed, many hands reached out to assist him. Soft cushions were piled behind his back, and a teacup filled with water was presented on a silver tray.
News of Cecile’s awakening had reached Ethan, who rushed over like lightning. Cecile sighed deeply as he was examined.
“…How long have I been lying here?”
“It’s been a week. However, you did show signs of waking up intermittently… do you have no memory of it at all?”
Cecile shook his head. Although a week had passed, it felt as if time had been abruptly cut off for him.
The only memory that surfaced was of Alexis’s face in the operations meeting room. Remembering the shocked expression he had seen made him involuntarily sigh.
“What about the Crown Prince?”
“The imperial army is currently engaged in battle. The Crown Prince is also participating.”
“I want to hear more details. I need someone to inform me.”
A little while later, one of the staff members came to Peridot Palace.
After listening to his report for about an hour, Cecile was finally able to grasp the current situation. Although they had been in combat for a week, fortunately, the imperial army was said to have the upper hand.
Putting his worries aside, he focused solely on his recovery. One day, while he was gradually regaining his health under the devoted care of the attendants, Ethan finished his morning examination and spoke in a firm tone.
“I can no longer prescribe any more medication.”
“…….”
“As your attending physician, I advise you to please take care of your body. If you continue to harm yourself, I will have no choice but to tell the Crown Prince the truth.”
Ethan’s earnest plea left Cecile feeling extremely troubled. If Leo were to say something, it would be one thing, but for Ethan, who had no deep connection with him, to step in meant the situation was serious.
“I understand. I promise.”
Cecile was already aware that his body had been pushed to its limits. Spending a week in bed had brought him significant realizations. Wasting the rest of his life in bed would be foolish.
That afternoon, Yuria visited Peridot Palace. She was carrying a bouquet of flowers and a bunch of cookies. Upon hearing the news of Cecile’s awakening, she showed her face, overwhelmed with joy.
“I’m so glad you’ve regained your health. I can’t express how worried I was. Especially how much the Crown Prince cared for you….”
Yuria shed a few tears of joy and sorrow. She also shared that while Cecile was lying down, Alexis had been by his side, taking great care of him.
Although he had already heard this from the attendants, it still felt hard to believe.
Could it be that everyone was just lying to him out of pity for his weakened state? Cecile wore a bittersweet smile along with his futile assumptions.
“Cecile. I have something to tell you.”
“Yes.”
Yuria took a deep breath, as if the words were difficult to say.
“I think I’m going to get married soon.”