Chapter 83 …
The moment the Empress disappeared from her sight, Elena collapsed to the ground.
Her entire body trembled as if in a seizure, and tears she couldn’t understand poured endlessly down her face.
The memory of that day—etched into her like trauma—rose vividly before her eyes.
“Elena.”
Decarus lifted her frail body in one swift motion and headed straight for the carriage.
Her condition looked far too unstable to leave her standing there.
“Karus… I’m so scared…”
“It’s okay. Nothing happened. Right?”
Elena shook her head like someone half out of her mind.
She was terrified—utterly, madly terrified.
The sound of the Empress calling her name rang in her ears.
She clapped her hands over them in desperation, but it did nothing.
“It’s alright, Elena. Breathe.”
As he repeated that everything was fine, he pressed soft kisses to her forehead and cheeks.
Matching the gentle rhythm of his hand patting her back, she slowly inhaled and exhaled.
“That’s right. Just like that.”
“What if the Empress tries to kill me again? What if she takes me away without anyone knowing, Karus?”
“That won’t happen. I’m right here.”
Elena curled into his arms like a silkworm in its cocoon.
Unable to bear the sight, Decarus unfolded a large blanket and carefully wrapped it around her trembling body.
“There is no one who can touch you. Absolutely no one. I won’t allow it.”
“Mm…”
He stroked her small frame, reassuring her.
She tried to fall asleep, but every time she closed her eyes, the Empress’s face appeared. Sleep would not come.
Eventually, as she stared out the window trying to calm herself, she carefully spoke.
“I think His Majesty the Emperor is a good person…”
“Yes, he is. And more than anything, he loves you very much.”
“Mm…”
She still didn’t quite understand familial love.
But she could tell she was cherished.
The look in the Emperor’s eyes—it was like Decarus’s, perhaps even more intense.
“But he looked very unwell. He kept coughing…”
“Elena, after losing you, his health deteriorated overnight. That’s why his hair turned white as well.”
“Ah…”
How great must the shock have been for someone once so vigorous to change so drastically?
For a moment, her heart ached as if it were her fault.
“It’s not your fault.”
“…What?”
Like a fortune teller, he read her mind.
She flinched internally but looked up at him as if nothing were wrong.
“It’s not your fault. Age played a part—and above all, it was the Empress’s doing.”
“……”
“So you don’t need to worry. From now on, His Majesty will live for you.”
“Live… for me…”
What did it mean to live for someone else?
She had only ever lived for herself.
To sacrifice oneself for another—what would that feel like?
It must be an immense love beyond words.
“So don’t be afraid. Both I and His Majesty will stay by your side for the rest of your life.”
“Mm…”
Soon, the carriage traveling along the winding road arrived at the Grand Duke’s residence.
As expected, attendants and guards stood waiting.
Catching sight of Jane’s face through the window somehow brought her comfort.
Creak—
When the carriage stopped, Decarus held her tightly and stepped out.
And then—
Everyone standing before them suddenly dropped to their knees in unison and shouted,
“Your Highness, the Crown Princess!”
Elena blinked slowly, stunned by the unfamiliar sight.
She was too shocked even to scream.
Decarus gently set her down.
Then he, too, knelt and spoke words one might offer to the Emperor or Empress.
“We greet the noble star of the Empire, Her Highness the Crown Princess.”
“Wh-why, why are you doing this? What is all this?”
Embarrassment surged through her, and she felt her entire body turn red.
This wasn’t the kind of grand reception she had wanted.
And “Crown Princess,” no less.
Looking around, she saw even the surrounding nobles kneeling with their heads bowed.
“W-what is this…?”
What was she even supposed to do?
Was she meant to laugh heartily and declare, “Yes, I am that noble Crown Princess”?
Her mind spun wildly.
Why was she the one burdened with this mortification?
As she flapped her hands awkwardly, unsure what to do, Decarus took her hand and respectfully kissed it.
“Congratulations on your return, Your Highness.”
“Karus, what are you doing…?”
Elena spoke without moving her lips, like a ventriloquist.
She tugged lightly at his hand, signaling him to stop, but he didn’t budge.
Then he whispered so only she could hear:
“They’re waiting for your command.”
A command?
What command?
Her mind was in chaos, but she needed to escape this humiliating situation somehow.
Elena squeezed her eyes shut and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
“E-everyone, please rise.”
As if by magic, all who had been kneeling stood at once.
But they remained stiffly in place, like scarecrows.
“You may… go now…”
Mouthing the words awkwardly, she dismissed them.
After one final unified shout, they dispersed.
“Infinite glory to the Eternal Empire of Estel!”
“Ah, yes… thank you…”
Why had she said thank you?
Elena bowed her head deeply, hiding her burning face.
“Your Highness.”
At the familiar voice, she looked up to see Jane, on the verge of tears.
“Jane…”
“Your Highness… Your Highness…”
Jane fell to her knees so hard it made a thud and began crying loudly.
Elena was completely flustered.
She crouched beside her and patted her back as if soothing a child.
“Jane, what’s wrong? Hm?”
“Your Highness…”
Jane couldn’t even speak through her sobs.
Elena wanted to cry herself, but she couldn’t press someone who was already weeping so bitterly.
In the end, she hugged Jane tightly and gently patted her back.
“Jane, it’s okay. Don’t cry.”
“I don’t know how long I waited for Your Highness to return. My lifelong wish has been fulfilled… I could die without regrets now.”
Why did everyone keep saying they could die without regrets?
What was so extraordinary about being Crown Princess?!
“Alright, alright. I understand. So please get up.”
“Y-yes…”
“Let’s go upstairs.”
Elena helped the sniffling Jane up to her room.
They reached the maid’s quarters quickly, though along the way attendants kept kneeling and calling out “Your Highness.”
Creak—
“Jane, Jane. Are you alright?”
She had seen Jane cry before—but never like this.
How much must she have held in to break down like this?
“Your Highness…”
“Yes, it’s me. So stop crying.”
Elena kept patting her back, telling her it was alright, but the tears didn’t stop.
“There’s something I must show you…”
Jane suddenly stood and retrieved a necklace and a small frame from her desk.
“This is…”
It was the heart-shaped necklace Elena had once secretly looked at in Jane’s room.
“This was actually a gift from Your Highness. You placed it around my neck when I was crying alone. That tiny, beautiful child… how you’ve grown.”
She had no memory of it, but perhaps she had done many kind things before the age of seven.
Despite Decarus calling her a troublemaker and tyrant, she must have had a good heart.
“So the ‘princess’ you mentioned before—that was me?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Her chest tightened.
How sad it must have been—not being able to call a princess by her rightful title.
“But I don’t remember anything, Jane. I want to hear our memories.”
Jane wiped her tears and nodded eagerly.
Holding up the frame, she continued.
“Do you see? That tiny lady—and me.”
In the picture, a very young Jane held an even smaller child.
“This is… me?”
“Yes.”
“I look like a total baby.”
“You were! You threw such a fuss asking the court painter to paint us together. That’s how this picture came to be. Isn’t it lovely?”
Maybe the tyrant rumor was true.
That tiny child throwing a tantrum at a court painter…
Her head started to ache.
“Haha… any other stories? Something about me being gentle? Elegant?”
“Well… you often beat up the princes. The palace was never quiet.”
“…Ah.”
This was bad.
She had wanted heartwarming stories, but all she heard were tales of bullying.
“No, there must be something else. Something refined?”
Jane tapped her chin, drawing a blank.
“Sigh… fine. Tell me something else.”
“Ah! You cherished me deeply. You always held my hand and toddled along. You shared your food with me too. But after the Grand Duke appeared…”
Jane’s expression darkened.
“W-what? Why?”
“The Grand Duke stole Your Highness away. You were together all day. And you worked him so hard. Everyone was shocked.”
She smiled faintly at the memory.
The Empress had also said he used to follow her around.
“What do you mean? Tell me more.”
“He was practically your underling. He followed you everywhere holding a parasol. On hot summer days, if you asked for food, he ran to fetch it. Completely different from now.”
“He did that…?”
Even worse than Aiden.
She had never worked Aiden like that.
How had she even dared?
“And until you disappeared, he came to see you every single day. Whether by choice or not, he clearly loved you passionately!”
“Passionately? We were children!”
It made no sense.
“But why did Karus follow me around? What did he like about me?”
“I heard Your Highness confessed first—asked him to marry you. After that, he became even more devoted…”
“What???”
Her scream was so loud it seemed to shake the estate.
Even the birds by the window scattered.
Jane winced and covered her ears.
“I asked him to marry me??? Why? Was I insane?”
“Well… you liked him very much…”
“…Ha.”
She collapsed onto the bed, drained.
She liked him?
She proposed marriage?
“Am I crazy…”
Wait.
Was that why he was so obsessed with marriage?
“Right… I was the one who seduced him first…”
“Your Highness?”
“I’m insane. Completely insane. I asked that guy to marry me?”
She bounced on the bed, clutching her head.
Now everything made sense.
She had flirted first with a stubborn, immature boy who barely listened!
That was why he had clung so desperately to marriage.
“This won’t do, Jane. I need to go see that man right now.”
“Ah—yes, go ahead.”
“I’ll be back later.”
Elena dashed up the stairs toward his room.
She was out of breath from running so fast, but she didn’t care.
The only thing filling her mind now was Decarus.
