My whole body was trembling from the strong scent of blood, but I quickly searched his pocket with one hand, while supporting him with the other. I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his mouth, when I heard his faint voice that seemed to fade away right away.

“… Tia …”

“Yes, yes, Your Majesty! I’m here! Please tell me …!”

While calling him with a trembling voice, I suddenly stopped because I couldn’t feel his body temperature as I had a moment ago.

I quickly reached out and touched his forehead. I knew I was very polite, but I couldn’t help it.

I was scared as his temperature, which was so hot, went down suddenly, but I called him once again, clearing my trembling throat.

“…Your Majesty!”

“… You are…”

His head, feebly leaning on me, fell to one side.

“Your Majesty?”

“… ”

“Your Majesty!”

Shaking off the chilling horror that came over, I put my trembling hand to the tip of his nose.

…I didn’t feel him breathing..

“Your Majesty! Come to your senses, Your Majesty! ”

His head was bent to one side when I shook it violently. When I saw him, I was almost spaced out. His body was getting cold gradually.

“No, he can’t be…”

When I shook my head, I noticed his red lips covered with blood in contrast to his face that turned white.

Yes, something bad must have happened to him. Who is he? Isn’t he the emperor who rules the 20 million people of the empire and the ruler of the only empire of the continent? It’s impossible for him to pass away like this. No, he can’t, given his vibrant lips.

I carefully put my ear to his chest. He might pretend to close his eyes, but I didn’t know when he would wake up suddenly and get mad at me for my rudeness.

“… ”

I tilted my head. Why can’t I hear my heartbeat? Why isn’t his chest moving up and down? He really looks like he is dead.

“Your Majesty, that’s very naughty of you. It’s not funny at all. Your Majesty, please open your eyes now!”

But he didn’t reply. Even his closed eyelids did not open. With my heart beating nervously, I shook him again. “Stop it now, please!”

“… ”

“Please stop it.”

“… ”

“Please…”

Suddenly, I was choked up with emotions. Then, my tears fell in big drops even before I could control my emotions.

Straining my blurred eyes, I shook him as he grew cold. No matter how much I shook him, he didn’t respond. I just felt coldness on my fingertips that touched his body.

Suddenly, I felt some hot liquid flowing from my lips. That warm blood falling on the back of my hands was so different from the coldness in my fingertips.

“Alas…”

I moaned at the warm drops of blood soaking my cold hand. My heart ached so much, along with the burning tears.

“Open your eyes, Your Majesty!”

“… ”

“Please… ”

Oh God! If you care about me at all and have pity on me, save this man, please. Although I said I wouldn’t believe in you anymore, I would do anything for you if you could save his life.

Even if you tell me to accept my fate without resistance, and even if you take back my second life, I would gladly accept it…

“… Ah.”

“Please…”

“… Ah, Tia? ”

“Save him, please…”

“Tia, come to your senses!”

I opened my eyes. Something silvery came into my blurred vision. How did this happen?

I was clearly at the Imperial Palace …

“Is the emperor okay?”

“…Daddy?”

A familiar figure came into my vision that was getting gradually clearer. I hurriedly asked, holding my father who was looking at me anxiously.

“Is the emperor safe?”

“What are you talking about, Tia?”

“Obviously, he fell, vomiting blood…”

He cut me off right away when I was babbling on, and said firmly, “He is fine. You had a dream.”

“But…”

“I just came back after seeing the emperor a little while ago. You don’t have to worry so much. ”

“Ah…” At that moment, my tense body relaxed and I felt like a limp noodle, almost collapsing.

He hugged me cautiously and gently patted my back.

“You must have had a nightmare. Perhaps you were bothered by what happened in the afternoon.

“… ”

“I heard from the emperor that you really did a good job to save him.”

My head, which had been in the clouds because I cried too much, began to clear little by little, when he spoke to me kindly.

I slowly raised my head and looked at my father. As if it was true that he met the emperor a little while ago, he held me in his arms, wearing the dark blue uniform.

When I sighed deeply, he paused for a moment while patting my back, then resumed patting. He whispered into my ears, “Well, I just wanted to step back and watch you, but it looks like I can’t sit idle. What can I do for you, honey?”

“Pardon? What do you mean…”

“I mean what happened today. Only you and the High Priest know that. You don’t have to worry about the Lord Chamberlain as you made some plausible excuses to him.”

“Ah yes. In fact, I was thinking of asking you for help, Daddy. This is a matter I couldn’t solve on my own…”

“I see. Tell me anything right away instead of agonizing about it on your own.”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Okay. Let’s talk again tomorrow. Take a rest first. Let me stay here with you until you fall asleep. So, don’t worry.”

“You are not going out to the palace today?”

“No, I’m going to be with you here. I think I have neglected you because I had some work to do at night. Sorry, Tia. ”

He laid me on the bed gently and pulled the blanket over me.

Feeling him patting me steadily, my eyelids slowly closed.

I fell into the world of sleep again under my father’s strong protection.

The hem of my navy blue uniform was wet with the raindrops bouncing over the gravel. The silver epaulets on my shoulders were wet with water, and my whole body was wet from the cool rain.

Looking up at the gray sky, I walked toward the palace slowly. I seemed to come to my senses because of the cold raindrops falling on my face.

‘I was too complacent. How did I feel relaxed so easily?’

My nightmare last night was so terrible that I didn’t even want to think about it anymore, but I, whose mind and body were relaxed, became alert again easily because of it.

Even though the High Priest neutralized the emperor’s poisoning, I should not have been complacent just because he was safe. Come to think of it, the fact never changed that his life was threatened. The emperor could experience the same thing as long as I didn’t know who the enemy’s spy was, who was behind him, and how big his force was. The enemy’s attack later might be bigger than now. If the enemy found out that the emperor’s poisoning was neutralized, they would come up with another attack.

‘There is not much time. I have to solve it as soon as possible and secretly. ‘

Gazing at the white roof that appeared right before me, I vowed that I would find the mastermind of the treason as soon as possible.

“Welcome back, Lady Monique.”

When I arrived at the Central Palace, the servants who bowed politely pulled the heavy door to both sides.

I stepped inside the gate, lightly brushing my hair that was soaked on my way here. When I frowned at the dripping water a bit, a familiar man approached and bowed his head.

“It has been a while, Lady Monique. How are you doing?”

“I’m fine. Viscount Pei. I heard that you were appointed as the chief of the palace affairs department. Congratulations!”

“Thank you, Lady Monique. You were soaked in the rain. What are you doing? Come on, bring her a dry towel.”

The middle-aged man, who was the Lord Chamberlain of the Central Palace during the late emperor’s reign, was old now, but he seemed to have total control of his staff like before. As soon as he shouted, a servant hurriedly came to me and handed me a dry towel. Soon the maids began to wipe my wet body.