Episode 58
“*Huff…*”
Legios jerked upright with a low groan. His body was drenched in cold sweat, as if he had fallen into water. His breathing was far too rough for someone who had just woken—as though he had sprinted at full speed.
“Are you all right?”
Tail, as if he had been waiting, handed him a glass of water. Even after draining it, Legios’s breath remained ragged. Only after a slow exhale did his breathing finally settle.
“I’m fine. What time is it?”
He looked around. The wide bedroom was pitch-dark, the curtains drawn so tightly that he couldn’t tell whether it was day or night. Oddly, the darkness felt comforting.
“The sun has not risen yet. You should try to sleep a bit more.”
Tail spoke gently, but Legios doubted he could. Despite waking up, his heart still pounded violently, and a headache throbbed as if blood were rushing to his head. Legios pressed his thumb against his temple.
“I don’t think I can sleep.”
“You must rest, or you’ll be unable to handle tomorrow’s schedule.”
“I had a terrible dream.”
If he slept again, he felt certain he would see that dream once more.
“It was just a dream.”
Right. Just a dream. Legios nodded to himself, but then suddenly realized something strange.
“Aren’t you going to ask what I dreamed?”
Usually, people ask what kind of nightmare it was.
“…What did you dream, Your Highness?”
Tail asked in a muted tone, as though he feared provoking a wounded animal. Legios frowned and shook his head, unwilling to even think about it.
Even though he had prompted the question himself, Tail’s words brought back the nightmare, souring his mood further.
“You don’t have to say it if you don’t wish to.”
“I dreamed that Ephelia fell off a cliff.”
It was shocking how vivid his imagination could be. How could he dream something like that?
*‘Please… be happy.’*
She had smiled as she fell. Even the last words she spoke were awful. How could he think he deserved to hear that from her?
He couldn’t understand why he had dreamed something so vile. He had never wished for Ephelia’s death. Yes—her being tied to his fate had always terrified him, but he had never imagined a life without her.
Even without destiny, Ephelia *should* have been by his side. Long ago, the first time they met, he had thought so.
He wished that tiny crying baby would stop crying. He wished that little girl would stay by his side forever. So before Hailon could approach young Ephelia, Legios interfered. But in the end, all of those emotions existed because of fate. Not that he intended to let her go, fate or not.
Maybe it was the dream, but he suddenly missed Ephelia desperately. He regretted that it was still dark and he couldn’t call for her.
“When morning comes, summon Ephelia to the palace.”
“…Yes, Your Highness. So please, try to sleep.”
“My head hurts.”
His head felt as though it would split from the pain. His heart pounded strangely. Ephelia would come in the morning—so why was he so anxious? It was all that horrible nightmare’s fault.
The nightmare had been too vivid—almost as if it had really happened.
Impossible. And yet, both the clarity and the emotions felt disturbingly familiar.
“Where is Ephelia?”
“She is at the duke’s residence.”
“…Hah.”
Legios rose from the bed. Tail followed.
“Your Highness, it is still early morning. You should rest.”
“I want some fresh night air.”
He walked to the window and drew open the heavy curtains. A burst of harsh sunlight poured in. He tapped the windowpane lightly. The glass was warm against his hand.
It was already midday—nearly noon.
“Tail.”
Legios folded his arms and leaned casually against the window. Tail, caught in his lie, fell to his knees.
“Explain why you said it was dawn.”
“You fell asleep only at dawn. I wanted you to sleep a little longer. I lied because of my selfishness. Please punish me.”
Tail bowed low, eyes closed, accepting whatever punishment might come.
“In that case, since it’s daytime, bring Ephelia.”
“The lady is ill. She cannot enter the palace.”
“She’s ill?”
“Yes.”
“What is she sick with? I should visit her.”
“They say it’s contagious. The duke’s residence is not receiving visitors.”
Legios let out a soft, humorless laugh.
“Tail. I never knew you were such a smooth liar. Those excuses slide off your tongue so effortlessly.”
“…Your Highness.”
“How long do you intend to treat me like a fool?”
His tone was sharp, laced with sarcasm. The veins in his neck stood out—he was holding back anger.
“What do you mean…?”
“Have you found her?”
Legios nudged Tail’s knee with the tip of his shoe.
“I asked if you’ve found her.”
Tail bowed even deeper. He could no longer feign ignorance.
“Not yet.”
“I’m going.”
Tail knew exactly where Legios intended to go. He always said the same thing once he woke and recognized reality.
“Your Highness, please. You mustn’t.”
He meant to go search for Ephelia—at the cliff where she had fallen.
The crown prince had changed. To be precise, he had gone mad. Rumors of his insanity spread quietly among high society. But it was not surprising. He had lost his fated partner.
And it had happened on his birthday. His destiny had vanished over a cliff. He saw it happen—so of course he lost his mind. Even the harsh socialites felt pity.
After Ephelia disappeared, Legios was not himself.
Tail’s smooth answers were only possible because this had happened repeatedly since the first onset of his symptoms.
He couldn’t sleep, and when he did, he woke screaming in terror after only a couple of hours.
As if he refused to believe Ephelia was gone, he woke forgetting it entirely. For Legios, each day meant losing Ephelia all over again. When he realized the nightmare was reality, he mounted his horse and rode to the cliff.
Legios began to walk.
“Where are you going?”
“To find Ephelia.”
Tail stood and blocked his path.
“You must not.”
“You dare block me?”
“All available forces are searching for the lady. We *will* find her. So please, Your Highness—wait.”
“You have no intention of finding her.”
His voice dripped with bitterness.
“Forgive my disloyalty.”
Legios smirked faintly.
“My sworn knight blocks me now?”
The outcome was obvious. Tail was the strongest knight, which was why he served as the crown prince’s guard. But even so, he could not restrain Legios without harming him. Legios struck Tail aside and kept walking.
He had to hurry. He had to find Ephelia.
She couldn’t be dead. She must be alive. Crying somewhere, perhaps.
His pace quickened—until it suddenly halted.
“Ngk—”
A sudden wave of dizziness blurred his vision.
“I am sorry, Your Highness.”
“Medicine…?”
Tail watched him with pained eyes. When had he taken medicine? Legios realized the moment he understood—Tail had put it in the first glass of water.
Legios gave a breathless, incredulous laugh. He was strong—when they sparred, their matches were nearly even, though Tail usually won.
*No wonder he only stalled for time…*
The goal had been to restrain him until the sedative took effect. Legios barely slept anymore; even when forced to with medication, he woke quickly. So they had resorted to tricking him. The sleeping drug worked instantly—yet Legios’s obsession kept him awake longer than anyone expected.
No. He had to go.
He had to find her. But the drowsiness hit like a tidal wave.
*Ephelia…*
Images of her—from a crying infant to a sweet girl, to a lovely young lady—flashed before him. Yet only her smiling as she dangled from a cliff came vividly to mind.
If only it were a dream. But it wasn’t.
*I have to find her…*
He fought to remain conscious, but darkness closed in.
*Please… be alive…*
And everything went black.
