I was a little horrified and quickly tried to move away from Prince Christopher, but his arms wouldn’t let me.
Orphen sighed deeply as he saw me flailing. His voice sounded different from before, with a kindness that penetrated my heart. “I still hate the Bernstein family, but the fact that you have Lady Elianna as your spouse... Even as a foolish master, I am happy about it.”
Professor Orphen. I turned around involuntarily and saw his cheerful face.
“You look terrible,” he said.
I realized I probably did look terrible after crying so much. His Highness smiled and lent me his handkerchief. Glen took Orphen away, then Jean, the prince, and I left the room.
His Highness took me somewhere where we could be alone. I hurriedly tried to fix myself up while he teased me. As I angrily blew my nose, he suddenly pulled his warmth away from me. I looked up but didn’t see his usual confident face. Instead, he wore a solemn expression.
“Eli. One thing that Orphen said was true. I didn’t expose Ian’s crimes to the public.”
“Why not?” I asked.
“Ian... His lover and his family were taken hostage. They were all infected with the Ashen Nightmare.”
I finally understood. Just as Orphen had said, if Ian’s crime had been exposed, the duke’s crimes could have been revealed earlier. But then the lives of those who’d been taken hostage would have been lost. No matter what the circumstances were behind the crime, Ian’s betrayal would not have been taken lightly. Laying a hand on a member of the royal family was just that serious of an offense.
“I secretly made arrangements to help them, and slowed down the disease’s progress with a suppressive drug,” Prince Christopher explained. “I’m sure the cure will be delivered there soon. Once they find out what happened, they might resent me. I decided to prioritize my friend’s feelings, even though it meant taking his life.”
His Highness had been forced to hurt his own friend. His position as the crown prince and his position as a friend—they had both come to the same uncompromising conclusion.
“I’m sorry, Eli,” the prince suddenly apologized.
I blinked. The blue eyes that always looked straight at me were now looking down, as if they were afraid of something.
“I don’t even have the right to touch you. I put you in danger over and over again and hurt you. I know you came back here, but if...”
He trailed off, as if he didn’t want to finish what he was saying, but he had such a strong sense of responsibility that he continued anyway.
“If you want to step down as my fiancée, I will respect your wishes. I can’t say that something like this will never happen again. I might put you in the same danger once more. Of course, I would be very careful not to do so,” he said bitterly.
This was the first time I’d ever seen him like this. Normally he was always relaxed and confident, full of dignity and splendor befitting the crown prince, but he was hurting now too. He had killed his own friend himself and even condemned his childhood tutor. He had also confronted His Majesty’s illness and went up against his own uncle.
What’s more, I was sure he’d been in pain for a long time because I had been in danger. Had it been the other way around, I would have been heartbroken too. Therefore, he thought this was the best way to atone.
“Your Highness,” I whispered, startling him. He looked like a scolded child as he waited for me to continue. “Are you okay with me marrying another man?”
He clenched his fist so tightly I could see his veins bulging, and I thought maybe I had teased him too much. After all, I had decided not to hand him over to Lady Pharmia or anyone else.
I gently knelt down and hugged His Highness, who was looking down in remorse, to my chest. Seeing his surprise, I stroked his golden hair, which I’d been hesitant to touch just a while ago. The thought that I might not have ever been able to touch him again filled me with love and affection.
“Your Highness...Prince Christopher...I like all of your weaknesses, and I like how you show them only to me. You used to say that even if I ran away, you’d catch me again and again. That’s why I’m going to catch you this time.”
He sat up a little, touched my cheek with his hand, and stared back at me with slightly cloudy eyes.
“Even if I lose my status as your fiancée, I’ll win the place at your side back myself. I will never give up.”
“Eli.”
“Please let me be by your side at all times, whether they are good times or hard times. Even if we do end up in danger, we’ll be able to get through it together. Isn’t that right?”
We were at a turning point in an era when history was changing. If I were alone, I would drown, but I knew that as long as I was with him, we could overcome anything together.
When I repeated those words, his beautiful face crumpled as if he were about to cry. I wanted to tell him everything I was feeling right now.
“Dear Christopher, please make me, Elianna, your wife.”
“Eli...”
He wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me close. I tilted my head toward him as we exchanged our feelings, a symbol of the promise we’d made. As soon as we pulled away from each other, I tried to look into his eyes, but he buried his face against my chest. I was slightly embarrassed, but I gently wrapped my arms around him.
This man was a king. I didn’t see that side of him now, but I hoped that I would continue to be the only one to whom he showed his weaknesses. I wanted to keep our sights set on each other from now on so that our hearts wouldn’t be separated—so that we would never part.
As I hugged him, Prince Christopher said in a trembling voice, “Elianna...I love you.”