Aria gently took out the small portrait of Mikhail, which she had been hiding in her room since the day she learned of his untimely death. She stared at the image, tears welling in her eyes. "I will become a mother soon. It's too bad that it wasn't our child. I miss you so much, Mikhail," she muttered as her tears began to fall. "There isn't a single day that I don't think of you." She hugged the portrait tightly. "Why did you have to leave me?" She sobbed as she clung to the cherished memory of her lost love.
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Meanwhile, outside Aria's room, Xerxes was about to knock on her door when he heard her heart-wrenching sobs. He stopped and sighed. I thought she had forgotten him.
During the rebellion, he and Ryu had escaped, and Xerxes had heard from the knights that Mikhail had fallen off a cliff and died. He had asked Ryu to search for Aria while he himself searched for Mikhail. However, when he reached the bottom of the cliff, there was no trace of Mikhail.
'Did he survive?' Xerxes searched the surrounding forest, but there was no sign of him. Eventually, he heard the news that Mikhail was indeed dead, and the knights had found his remains. Still, Xerxes couldn't bring himself to believe it.
He tried to search for Mikhail in nearby towns and villages but to no avail. He couldn't find any trace of his dear friend. Is he really dead? Are those really his remains? Just as he contemplated searching in a neighboring country, he heard news of Aria's wedding and decided to return to see what was happening. When he returned, he witnessed Aria and Izekiel getting married at the cathedral.
It had been one year, yet Aria's love for Mikhail remained strong.
"Aren't you coming in?" William asked.
Xerxes hesitated for a moment, his thoughts filled with uncertainty. "I just remembered I have something to do. I'll visit her later," he said and began to walk away from her room, leaving a torrent of emotions and unanswered questions in his wake.
Aria... What if Mikhail is...
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....
The man cried when Ryu broke his leg.
"P-Please... D-Don't kill me!" the man begged.
Ryu confronted a captured man who was involved in smuggling drugs in the west. These men were not part of the guild, indicating a direct connection to the duke. Ryu pressed the man for answers, he unsheathed his dagger, its glint reflecting a menacing light, as he aimed it at the man's throat. "Tell me, why are you smuggling drugs in the empire?"
The man, trembling in fear, pleaded, "I'm just working for money. I had no idea those were drugs!" Ryu, determined to uncover the truth, stabbed the man's hand, causing him to scream in pain. "AAAHHHH! IT HURTS!!"
"Had the Duke of the South hired you?" Ryu inquired again. The man, wracked with pain, gasped out, "I DON'T KNOW! IT'S THE MAN WEARING A MASK!!"
Ludwig... Ryu thought. "Other than the masked man, what else do you know?"
"N-Nothing... I didn't even see his face. I also have no idea about the Duke's involvement. All I want is to earn money!" The man's voice quivered.
"By doing dirty jobs?" Ryu questioned. In a decisive move, Ryu stabbed the man in the chest, ending his life.
"How is it?" Arthur entered and glanced at the lifeless body.
"He mentioned Ludwig. It seems he's working for the Duke again," Ryu answered, wiping the blood from his hands. "I thought his loyalty was to the Emperor. The Emperor needs to know about this."
"We must provide evidence before telling His Majesty," Arthur advised.
"Isn't the discovery of these drugs enough?" Ryu questioned.
"No, the Duke will likely deny it. We need to catch him in the act and have evidence to arrest him." Arthur said.
"That will be difficult, he won't undertake this task alone, he'll hire others to do it for him." Ryu said. "To catch him, we need to catch Ludwig first."
"That won't be easy either," Arthur scoffed.
Ryu stared at his bloodied hands and said with unwavering determination, "I will catch him with my own hands."
Arthur changed the subject, "By the way, have you heard the news?" He leaned against the wall.
"About what?" Ryu looked at him.
"The Empress is pregnant. Napoleon told me earlier." Arthur said.
Ryu's eyes widened. "What?" he muttered. He quickly headed towards the door.
"It's the Emperor's child," Arthur added.
He paused.
How? Why?
Was this part of Aria's plan to gain control over Izekiel?
But carrying that child was dangerous, and Duke Wolfsbane would pose a threat to both Aria and her unborn child. "She's in danger," Ryu concluded as he rushed out.
"What? Why?" Arthur asked, following him.
"This is only my guess, but I'm thinking that Duke Wolfsbane might harm her child."
"Why would he do that?"
"Because that child is the heir to the throne, and Duke Wolfsbane wants power. He manipulates the Emperor for his own gain. Now that the Empress is pregnant, he might see the child as an obstacle and attempt to kill it."
"Wow, how did you get the idea? You really have a point." Arthur acknowledged.
"I'm going back to the Palace. I'll leave my job here to you. If the captives refuse to talk, just kill them," Ryu instructed.
"All right, I'll handle it," Arthur accepted.
Ryu mounted his horse and rode off, Arthur watched him until he completely disappeared from his sight.
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....
"You should eat more fruit," Gawain kindly peeled an apple for Aria as he cared for her. She watched him with gratitude, touched by his compassion.
"Thank you for taking care of me." Aria expressed, her eyes fixed on him.
Gawain's devotion extended beyond just her well-being. He spoke with sincerity, "Your child will also be my child. We may not be blood-related, but I promise that I will take good care of the child. If you will allow me, I want to be the child's private tutor in the future." He poured out his heart.
Aria smiled, her affection for him evident, and she embraced him tightly. "Of course you can. You're the greatest professor in this empire." Aria's faith in him was unwavering, and Gawain sealed their moment with a tender kiss on her forehead.
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....
Napoleon disembarked from his carriage, where he was greeted by Lord Campbell and his daughter, who showed him great respect.
"It's our honor to have you today, Lord Napoleon," the Baron greeted him with a warm welcome.
"I apologize for my sudden visit, but there's an important matter that I want to discuss with you today, and I believe it cannot wait any longer," Napoleon explained.
Lord Campbell graciously agreed, "Then let's go to my office to discuss it." They proceeded to his office. Once the servants had exited the room, they commenced their conversation.
"What do you want to discuss with me?" Lord Campbell inquired, eager to hear the reason for Napoleon's visit.
Napoleon took a sip of his tea, gathering his thoughts before responding, "You mentioned before that your servant saw a man wearing the same necklace as your wife, and you believed him to be your son, correct?"
"Yes, I've been searching for him the entire day, but I still can't find him," Lord Campbell confirmed.
"What if I told you that I also saw someone wearing the same necklace you showed me?" Napoleon posed a question that sparked the Baron's intrigue.
The Baron's eyes widened with hope. "R-Really? D-Does it mean that my son is really alive?"
Napoleon introduced a note of caution, "Yes, I saw him wearing that necklace, but we can't be sure if he's truly your child. What if he simply picked it up accidentally on the street and decided to wear it?"
The smile faded from the Baron's face. "You're right..."
Napoleon offered a glimmer of hope. "But don't worry, I can help you confirm if he's truly your son." His words reignited the Baron's enthusiasm.
"How?" Lord Campbell inquired with renewed optimism.
"I know someone who can assist us. He's the leader of a guild, and he mentioned that he has acquired a method for a paternity test, taught to him by a doctor from another country," Napoleon explained, referring to Arthur.
Lord Campbell was eager to take this step. "Then let's meet him immediately!" he exclaimed.
"Not so fast, my Lord. The guild leader is not easy to meet, and he only assists if you pay him according to the nature of the task you ask of him." Napoleon tempered his enthusiasm with a touch of realism.
"I will pay no matter how much it costs. All I want is to find out the truth about my son." Lord Campbell declared with unwavering determination in his eyes.
Napoleon smirked. "Then I will arrange an appointment for you. I'll send you a letter once we confirm the schedule."
"Very well. Thank you so much, Lord Napoleon!" the Baron expressed his gratitude, bowing respectfully.
Napoleon concluded their meeting, saying, "No problem. I'm leaving now."
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....
Meanwhile, Aria grappled with her feelings regarding Napoleon. She contemplated whether to accept him as her consort or reject his advances.
"He's been helping me for more than a year, but I don't want to marry him just to repay his kindness. Yes, I like him, but not as much as I love my husbands," she mused.
As she lay on her bed, gazing at the ceiling, she couldn't ignore the dilemma she faced. "He will be upset if I reject him. But I don't want him to get hurt. How can I reject him without causing him pain?"
It's really hard to decide.
Aria rose from her seat and carefully poured tea into her cup. As she sipped her tea, Ryu suddenly appeared at the window.
"Ryu!" Aria exclaimed with excitement. "I have good news for you!"
"Really? What is it?" he asked, walking closer to her.
"I'm pregnant!" Aria beamed, her happiness radiating from her.
"That's good to hear," Ryu acknowledged, casting a glance at her belly. "And the father is?"
"It's Izekiel. This child will be the future Emperor of this empire," she proudly affirmed.
Ryu could clearly see the happiness in her expression. He cared deeply for Aria, so it would be better if he would not tell her about his intuition. He resolved to guard her secretly, determined to protect both her and her unborn child from the threats posed by the Duke and Ludwig.
"You should stay healthy. Here, I brought some fruits for you," Ryu offered, producing a bag of fresh fruits.
"Thank you!" Aria selected an apple and took a bite. "By the way, how's the investigation in the west?"
"We captured some men who were working for the Duke, but they claim to have no knowledge of his involvement. They said they were in it for the money but never met the Duke. They did mention the masked guy, though. Ludwig is the one behind these schemes," Ryu informed her.
"Ludwig? But isn't he in the Palace? I should hire a spy at the palace," Aria contemplated.
"He goes out at night, and he's able to do so without being noticed by the knights," Ryu explained.
"Hmm.. Can you spy on him?" she asked.
Ryu, however, had a more pressing duty in mind. "I don't think I can. There's a more important task that I need to attend to."
To guard you, Your Majesty...
"Is that so? Then whom should I hire?" Aria pondered.
Ryu made a suggestion, "How about Lord Nikolai? He's also investigating Ludwig and the Duke."
"You're right, I will send a letter to him later," Aria decided.
Ryu, with deep concern, knelt down to tenderly caress her belly. "Take care of yourself; the baby must stay healthy."
She nodded and stroked his hair.
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....
"Nooooo!!!"
Napoleon covered his ears as he watched Arthur complaining.
"Why did you tell him that I could help you?" Arthur inquired with exasperation.
"C'mon, you mentioned to me before about the procedure. You can do it, I believe in you," Napoleon defended his decision.
"Are you crazy? I'm not an expert in this," Arthur protested.
"But you said it's just blood mixing," Napoleon argued.
"Yeah, that's the only thing I know. How will we be sure if that really works?" Arthur expressed his doubts.
"But your friend is a doctor, right?" Napoleon pressed on.
"Argh!!!" Arthur tugged at his own hair in frustration.
"C'mon, you'll receive a large sum of money for this," Napoleon persisted.
"Yeah, I know, but can't you see I also have work to handle here?" Arthur showed the dead bodies of the captives.
"I'll pay you as well. When you finish here, see me to discuss this matter again," Napoleon offered, tossing a small bag of gold at him.
Arthur caught the bag and opened it.
"I'm leaving now." Napoleon announced and departed.
Arthur scratched his head, shaking it in disbelief. "Why do they always ask me to do these difficult tasks? I'm a guild leader, I should stay in my office and drink my wine."
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....
Izekiel had just finished taking his medicine when Aria entered his room. His face lit up as he watched her approach.
"I'm glad you decided to stay with me tonight," he remarked, his tone warm and affectionate.
"I can't sleep alone," Aria admitted as she settled onto his bed.
He embraced her, his hands gently resting on her growing belly. "You don't want to stay in your consort's room?"
Aria shook her head.
He gently caressed her belly, "I'm so excited to see our child. I'm really hoping that it's a boy."
Aria playfully questioned, "But what if it's a girl?"
"It's fine with me, she can still become the emperor." he affirmed.
"Pft. You really want to give your throne to the firstborn?" she chuckled.
"Yeah, the firstborn should be the heir," he explained, echoing the tradition that had led him to become the Emperor. It's the right of the firstborn.
Aria knew it and that was also her plan. She intended to use the child to thwart Duke Wolfsbane's ambitions. She couldn't wait to give birth, but there were still eight months left, and she resolved to be patient.
A small piece of paper on the table caught her eye, and she picked it up. "What's this?"
It was the paper from which Izekiel had taken his medicine.
"Ahh, that? It's my medicine. It has run out. I will ask Ludwig to bring me medicine again tomorrow," he explained, taking the paper from her.
Aria was puzzled. "Medicine?" Her concern grew. "Are you sick?"
"No, I've been taking it for years. It's a stress reliever. I easily get angry. Lord Wolfsbane said that I should take this medicine to prevent me from being aggressive," he said calmly.
"Prevent you from being aggressive? But you are fine..." Her eyes widened as she finally grasped the truth. That's not for prevention; it's making him worse.
There were instances when she caught him throwing fits, causing harm to the servants, and raising his voice uncontrollably. He struggled to control his temper, and it was fortunate that she was present to intervene and prevent any untoward incidents.
"Kiel..." she said, taking the paper once more. "Can you stop taking this?"
Baffled, he asked. "Why? Is there something wrong with my medicine?"
"I'm not saying that this medicine will harm you, but... I think there are other ways to help you cope with your stress and anger issues," Aria explained.
"But this medicine can help me calm down," he defended.
She smiled warmly and caressed his face. "Can you stop? For me and for our child?"
"But what if I accidentally hurt you because of my bad temper? I already hurt you before..." He responded in a worried voice.
"It's all right; I can understand you. I just want you to be yourself. I love you for who you are. And if you ever get mad again, don't forget that I am always here to stop and comfort you." She embraced him.
His smile was tender as he kissed her forehead. "All right, I will tell Ludwig that I am going to stop taking any medicine."
Aria, however, had other ideas. "Don't tell him," she urged.
"Why?" Izekiel was confused by her request.
"You know that I don't trust him. What if he asks you to take that medicine again?" she explained, her arms crossed.
He chuckled and affectionately pinched her cheeks. "You don't really want me to take it again, do you? All right, I won't tell him. I'll pretend to take it and dispose of it in secret so he won't become suspicious."
"Really?" Aria wanted confirmation.
"I promise," Izekiel affirmed, raising his right hand.
She smiled, her fingers ruffling his hair. "Good."
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Outside, Ryu sat down and leaned on the balcony door. Aria and Izekiel were already asleep inside, but he remained vigilant.
As he gazed at the moon, he pondered the many things that had transpired. Despite the challenges and the changing circumstances, his feelings for Kaye remained constant. He loved her deeply, though he knew he could never have her. It pained him to know that Kaye was carrying another man's child, but he had no right to voice his feelings. He was merely her protector, a loyal assassin willing to sacrifice everything for her safety.
I also want to be your hero...
Staying in her shadow and protecting her in secret were the only things he could do. Compared to those nobles who are wealthy and well-known, he's nothing.
Ryu Ishikawa, born into the house of the Crimson Blades, had endured a harsh upbringing. His parents died when he was just a month old, and the chief of the Crimson Blades had trained him relentlessly to become their new leader. The Crimson Blades had served the Imperial Family for generations, and Ryu's destiny was intertwined with theirs. He first met the original Aria when she was sixteen, introduced as her protector by the Emperor. He had promised the chief that he would safeguard the Imperial Family for life. However, the Emperor's last wish had been different. He had instructed Ryu, "Aria is your priority. She's weak and needs someone like you. If anyone threatens her, you must eliminate them."
Ryu had failed to protect the real Aria, and he was determined not to let history repeat itself. He loved Kaye, and he would protect her, even if it meant sacrificing his life.
He stared at his hands, hands that had taken countless lives. She would not fall for someone like him.
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....
Hadrian, meanwhile, found himself deep in thought as he played his harp in his room, his wheelchair positioned near the window. His thoughts dwelled on his brother's involvement in drug smuggling.
"I don't want him to get arrested and punished, but what he's doing isn't right. I need to stop him before he turns worse," Hadrian mused.
Placing his harp on the table, he pushed his wheelchair to the door. He cautiously surveyed the area, ensuring no servants were present. Satisfied that he was alone, he ventured out and made his way to his brother's room.
His brother was absent that night, attending the birthday party of a friend's daughter in the west. Hadrian searched the room diligently, opening drawers and cabinets, but found nothing incriminating.
Frustrated, he mused, "I'm sure there's some evidence here...a list of his plans or something." He glanced at his brother's bed, which he had yet to inspect.
With determined effort, he pushed his wheelchair closer to the bed. It was a challenging task, given his condition, but he managed to peek underneath and spotted something—a small box.
Excitement welled up in him, but he couldn't open it without the key. A sigh escaped him as he realized the box remained locked.
Just as he despaired, the door creaked open, and he swiftly concealed the box behind his back.
"Douglas!" he exclaimed in relief as he recognized his butler.
"Young master, what are you doing here?" Douglas inquired, approaching him to assist with his wheelchair.
"Nothing, I just wanted to borrow some books from my brother. I've been bored alone here," Hadrian explained, attempting to divert suspicion.
"It's already late, young master. You should retire for the night," Douglas suggested, ready to guide him back to his room.
"Aaahhh! Cockroach!" He feigned a scream of terror, pointing at an imaginary cockroach on the wall.
Douglas was immediately distracted, searching for the nonexistent pest. "Where?"
Hadrian seized the opportunity to hide the small box beneath the blanket that covered his legs. "There! On the wall, I saw it there!"
But Douglas found nothing. "But I don't see any cockroaches here."
Hadrian relented, "Forget it, it must have escaped. I want to return to my room now."
Douglas nodded and wheeled him back to his room.