TEIB Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Who Dares to Harm My Child?

“It’s cold today.”

A little boy, smaller than most kids his age, was sitting by the fireplace, hugging a stuffed doll that was even bigger than him. The doll was his only friend. He liked the sound of the firewood crackling—it was like a lullaby. The warmth reminded him of a mother’s embrace.

“What’s that?”

The boy perked up his ears. He had very sharp hearing and could catch even the smallest sounds from outside the building. A horse neighing. The rattling of carriage wheels. He flinched as he heard someone step out of the carriage and looked toward the sound. He could also hear the nanny’s voice greeting someone.

“Kyle is here!”

Excited by the voice of someone he liked, the boy jumped up and headed carefully toward the door. He grabbed the doorknob tightly, waiting for Kyle to walk in. He wanted to open the door and surprise him. He was excited—Kyle was the only person who ever visited the castle. But something felt off. Kyle wasn’t coming in.

Unable to wait any longer, the boy opened the door and peeked outside.

“Kyle?”

His small voice echoed through the hallway. No one answered. The boy looked around and placed his hand on the wall.

“Nanny?”

Only his own voice replied. He was completely alone. The thought scared him. What if they took the nanny away? What if he was left all alone here? It terrified him. No one would protect him. The emperor, his father, had abandoned him, and his mother was said to be in heaven.

“Where are you?”

The boy trembled with fear, tears starting to fall from his eyes.

“Rogi, Rogi!”

He began to cry for his stuffed doll, Rogi, which he had left on the sofa. The doll couldn’t move, and the boy sank to the floor, sobbing.

“Your Highness!”

“Nanny!”

The crying boy quickly looked up when he heard someone calling him. Wiping his tears with his sleeve, he rushed into the nanny’s arms.

“Where did you go!”

“I just stepped out to receive something. Why did you come out on your own? Come on now, it’s cold, you’ll catch a cold.”

The nanny picked him up and carried him back to his room. He whined, burying his face into her shoulder. As they entered his room, the nanny bowed politely toward someone behind them.

***

What did I just see?

Lobelia stood frozen. She had feared it ever since Kyle mentioned it in the carriage. She denied it, telling herself it couldn’t be true—but now she knew.

“It’s exactly as you saw.”

No… Lobelia clenched her teeth as she looked at the spot where her son had just been crying. When she arrived at the castle, she saw a nanny carrying something. She greeted her, wondering if the face was familiar, but it was someone she had never seen before.

Kyle asked her to wait a moment, and the three of them stood quietly in the hallway near the prince’s room. After a short while, the door opened slightly, and a small head peeked out. It was her child.

His long black hair hung over his shoulders as he looked around, and Lobelia quickly covered her mouth.

“Lupin!”

It was exactly as she imagined. A round face, blue eyes that looked just like hers, his nose, his lips, his tiny hands—she wanted to run up and hug him. She wanted to kiss him and tell him she missed him so much. But Kyle stopped her.

Then she realized something was wrong. Lupin, who had been crying out for Kyle and the nanny, had no idea they were standing right there. His beautiful wide eyes had no light in them.

That’s when Lobelia understood.

Just as Kyle said… he couldn’t see.

When Lupin cried, Lobelia cried too. She covered her mouth so her sobs wouldn’t escape. Still trembling with emotion, she followed Kyle out of the building.

“This is why I don’t let people in easily,” Kyle said with a heavy tone.

Because it was dangerous for Lupin. Because he couldn’t know who meant harm. Lobelia wiped her tears and nodded.

“When did he lose his sight? Was he born like that?”

Her voice trembled. She didn’t get to hold him for long after he was born. She never noticed anything wrong. Newborns don’t have perfect vision anyway.

Kyle sighed.

“It started three years ago.”

“Why? Was he sick?”

Lobelia grabbed Kyle’s arm and asked urgently. But he didn’t answer right away.

“Was he sick?!”

She raised her voice, but Kyle still stayed silent. It was clear he didn’t want to hurt her more. But when he looked into her desperate eyes, he finally spoke.

“He was poisoned.”

“What?”

Poison? Why? Who would do something so cruel to a child?

Lobelia collapsed. Kyle quickly caught her in his arms.

“Bella!”

Shaking in his arms, Lobelia clenched his shirt tightly. She couldn’t stop the overwhelming emotions.

“Who… who did it? Why?”

“I don’t know. But this country only follows what God says.”

It sounded vague, but Lobelia understood immediately.

‘What God says’… it wasn’t fate or divine punishment.

“It was… the words of God.”

That meant it was someone acting in God’s name. And only one person fit that description—Cecilia, the holy priestess sent by the temple to the imperial palace.

“That woman…!”

Lobelia gritted her teeth.

Both the emperor and the priestess. She had died in Lupin’s place. She hated them—for not protecting him, for hurting an innocent child even though they already had everything they wanted.

She said nothing when Cecilia declared her love for the emperor, or when she spent nights in his room. She said nothing because Cecilia was the priestess—the representative of God. Everyone in the empire obeyed God. From birth to death, their lives were dictated by divine words. No one dared to stop Cecilia.

Only Lobelia endured it all alone.

Thinking about the past, her emotions began to calm.

“Did you try treating him?”

She asked Kyle in a much calmer voice now.

“We did. But it didn’t help much.”

Kyle looked away, embarrassed. Lobelia understood immediately.

He didn’t have the money.

The emperor wasn’t supporting them. Expensive treatments were out of reach. She wanted to call a doctor or a high priest immediately, but she didn’t have money either.

“Let me stay here and care for the prince.”

She wanted to protect him. To comfort him. To pour all the love she couldn’t give for the past ten years.

Kyle looked at her sincere face and shook his head.

“I can’t let you.”

“Why not…!”

Before she could finish, a piercing scream echoed from inside the prince’s room.

“Aaaah! Your Highness!”

It was the nanny’s voice. Kyle was the first to react. He rushed inside without hesitation, and Lobelia followed, her face pale.

“What happened?”

Kyle pushed past the guards at the door. Lobelia tried to follow, but the guards blocked her way.

She saw everything through the open door.

Blood.

A messy room.

A boy lying face down.

“Lu… Lupin! Lupin!”

She shouted with all her strength, desperate to know if he was okay. But her cries were drowned out by the nanny’s screaming.

She wanted to hold him. But the guards didn’t budge.

“Lupin!”

Kyle was already holding the limp prince. Lobelia wished it were her arms instead.

“Call the doctor, now!”

Kyle shouted, and the guards rushed off. Lobelia, caught in the chaos, was pushed further back. As she was pushed away, her eyes met Kyle’s. She mouthed silently, “Let me in.” But all she heard back was—

“Close the door.”

“No…!”

She reached out her hand as the door closed.

Bang!

The door shut.

All she could do now was pray. Pray that her child would live.

‘You promised I’d see him grow up! Please! Please!’

She sank to the floor, her back against the door. She was angry at God. Was this the healthy child He promised her? It hurt, not being able to stay by her son’s side as a mother. He must be so scared. She couldn’t even hold his hand.

“Your Highness! Please stay with us!”

She kept praying. If they needed blood, take hers. If they needed flesh, take it from her. Anything—just save him.

“The doctor is here!”

She looked up as the doctor rushed in. And she recognized him.

The same doctor who had helped during her pregnancy and Lupin’s birth.

She quickly hid herself on a nearby staircase.

“Your Highness!”

Urgent voices filled the room again. Then finally, the doctor said—

“He’s stable now. But it was poison again.”

Outside the room, the doctor explained the situation to Kyle. Lobelia listened quietly.

“Same as last time.”

“Same poison?”

“Yes.”

So it was that woman again. Lobelia clenched her fists.

She trembled with anger. Cecilia had the backing of God and the emperor. She got everything she wanted. But she still tried to kill her child?

“I won’t forgive her.”

She whispered so softly, no one else could hear. She didn’t care if they were the emperor or a holy priestess. If they threatened her child, she would never forgive them.

“Bella.”

Kyle called to her from the bottom of the stairs. She peeked through the railing and looked down.

He had come straight to her after sending in the doctor. His once-white shirt was stained red with blood.

“Come down, Bella.”

He held out his hand to her. She noticed he had tried to clean the blood, but some still remained.

“Does this happen often?”

She asked quietly.

“Yes. That’s why I doubted you at first.”

“And now?”

“I don’t know.”

His answer was short. But Lobelia understood. He didn’t doubt her anymore.

“Let me protect the prince with my own hands.”

Kyle looked at her. Her red, swollen eyes. Her tightly clenched fists. Her trembling lips.

“I’ll do anything. Whatever it takes.”

Before he could answer, she continued. Her blue eyes were fierce—like she had made a vow.

Kyle believed her.

He had seen eyes like those many times in battle.

“Alright.”

He nodded.

Then he held out his hand to her again.

“Become mine, Bella. That’s the only way.”

Lobelia saw the bloodstained, rough hand—and took it without hesitation.