Chapter 66: The Stolen Soul

“The ancient Yubrita book, huh.”

Late at night.

Under the candlelight, Rohan examined the book.

The book, worn and stained with age, clearly showed signs of being cherished.

On the front cover, beneath the Yubrita script, the awkwardly carved word ‘Wildflower’ stood out.

Thinking of Goopy’s story, it was likely that he had engraved those letters when he was a child.

“I have no idea what this says, even after looking at it.”

The Yubrita language was truly peculiar.

It resembled drawings, or perhaps some kind of symbols.

To someone who couldn’t read it, it was nothing more than a cipher.

The reason Rohan borrowed this book from Goopy was none other than...

“Retina will be back soon, so I’ll ask her then.”

Considering that it was Elfirians who had taught Goopy to read, Retina might know something about these characters.

Elfirians.

Unlike humans, they lived much longer lives, preserving ancient history far better.

“Haa, I’m exhausted.”

Rohan had recently been cutting down on sleep to focus on his work.

Handling the major and minor affairs of the Empire in place of the Emperor, who was currently unable to govern properly.

And in the midst of it all, keeping the Marquis in check and preparing for the impending trouble.

He was so busy that sometimes, even when eating, he couldn’t tell whether the food was going into his mouth or his nose.

“Ah, right.”

Rohan gathered up the pile of letters scattered across his desk and pulled them closer to him.

These were letters that had arrived recently, but he hadn’t had a chance to check them due to his busy schedule.

Most were from nobles, sent after the Council’s vote.

But among them, one letter caught his eye.

“Isabel?”

Come to think of it, William had told him not long ago that a letter had arrived from Isabel. He’d completely forgotten about it.

Rustle.

He broke the seal and unfolded the letter.

And as Rohan read the contents, his face grew heavy.

“Rohan, Elliot is sick.

Every night he has nightmares, and yesterday he scratched his whole face with his nails. Is it really alright to leave things like this?

They say everything happens in its own time but...

Elliot looks so unstable.

Isn’t there something you could do to help?”

“Elliot.”

He was aware.

But now was not the right time, so all he could do was hope Elliot could endure a little longer.

However...

“If it’s this serious...”

Rohan rose from his seat.

The place he headed to was Martin’s room.

“Your Highness?”

Martin was in the room, shirtless, with a towel around his neck.

“Were you exercising?”

“Yes, it’s a sort of routine before I go to bed.”

“As expected, impressive.”

Rohan thought that, more than his talent with the sword, Martin’s dedication was truly his greatest gift.

“We need to leave for somewhere urgently.”

“Right now?”

He glanced out the window.

Outside, it was nothing but pitch darkness.

But...

“Understood. I’ll get ready at once.”

As always, Martin followed Rohan without a word of complaint.



“This place is...”

The destination they headed for was none other than—

“The Empress Emilia’s palace, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.”

Rohan nodded.

The two hid within the bushes, speaking in hushed tones.

“I need to take Elliot somewhere for a bit.”

“...!”

Martin’s expression turned resolute, as if he’d figured something out.

“So, we need to bring him out secretly, correct?”

“Can you do it?”

“Hm, I’ll give it a try. The security isn’t all that tight inside the palace anyway.”

Rohan pointed with his index finger in a particular direction.

“There, the room at the end of the second floor is Elliot’s bedroom. You’ll need to bring him out as quietly as possible.”

“Understood.”

Martin quietly disappeared into the darkness.

“Will he be able to bring him out safely?”

What if Elliot got startled?

As he worried—

“Your Highness.”

With a whisper, Martin reappeared.

“Why, is the security tougher than expected?”

He’d come back much faster than expected.

Which probably meant he’d failed to bring Elliot—

“He’s right here.”

“...Huh?”

As Martin drew closer, Rohan saw something white cradled in his arms.

“Elliot.”

It was Elliot, wrapped tightly in a white blanket and sound asleep.

“Mmm.”

He didn’t even wake up while being carried by Martin.

That could only mean—

“You gave him a sleeping pill.”

There was no other way.

“I thought so. He didn’t stir at all, even when I tried to shake him awake.”

“For now... let’s take him to the carriage. He’ll probably wake up on the way.”

“Understood.”

With careful hands, Martin placed Elliot in the carriage.

“But, Your Highness. You’re not planning to go to ‘that place,’ are you?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Rohan spoke as he gazed at Elliot, sleeping on the long bench inside the carriage.

The scratches all over his little brother’s delicate cheeks pained him deeply.

“Whatever else, the child must be saved.”

This child had done nothing wrong.

It was the adults’ dark intentions—using the child’s birth—that were the problem.

The child, tainted by their darkness, had inevitably fallen ill.

And Rohan... could not just ignore that.

When the carriage was about halfway to its destination—

Elliot finally opened his eyes.

“Gasp!”

The child sprang up in surprise, then swayed unsteadily.

Fortunately, Martin quickly caught him before he could hurt himself.

“Where am I...! Oh, Hy, Hyung?”

Elliot looked around, eyes still glazed, perhaps from the lingering effects of the medicine.

“Am I dreaming?”

He tilted his head in confusion.

The sight made Rohan smile softly.

“You’re not dreaming, Elliot.”

“...!”

Elliot stared at Rohan.

“Then I’m really in a carriage, Hyung?”

“That’s right. I came to get you because we need to go somewhere secretly, but you were sound asleep, so I just bundled you up in the blanket and put you in the carriage. Are you alright?”

“O-Of course! Then we’re not in the Imperial City anymore? We left the Imperial City?”

The child’s face lit up.

It was such a stark contrast to the lifeless look Elliot had just a short while ago.

‘That’s right, this is how he used to be.’

It was both bitter and heartbreaking.

“This is...”

When the carriage stopped, Elliot stepped down, looking frightened.

In the pitch-black forest, only the small lights of the monastery’s entrance softly illuminated the surroundings.

“Martin, go and bring Headmaster Colin.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Rohan led Elliot, walking down the corridor with practiced steps.

“Where are we, Hyung?”

“This is a place for people to rest and recover when they’re sick.”

“A hospital?”

“More of... a retreat, I’d say.”

Elliot repeated the word ‘retreat’ several times, as if it was unfamiliar.

Soon, as they arrived at Noah’s room, someone rushed over, panting.

“Y-Your Highness!”

It was Colin.

His hair was a mess, and his half-awake eyes were puffy and swollen.

“All of a sudden, ahem! What brings you here at this hour? Didn’t you visit not long ago as well?”

Colin asked, his voice raspy with surprise.

“Sorry to disturb you so late, Headmaster Colin. I didn’t think I’d need to come again so soon, either.”

Rohan spoke as he lowered his gaze.

Colin, lowering his eyes as well, suddenly stepped back in shock.

“Isn’t this Prince Elliot!”

“That’s right. Today’s real guest isn’t me, but Elliot.”

“But, Your Highness.”

Colin drew close and whispered urgently.

“How did you bring Prince Elliot here? If they find out over there, it’ll be chaos!”

“If we get him back before sunrise, there won’t be any problem. And even if something does happen, don’t worry. I’ll take all the responsibility.”

“Hng, alright then. Would you like to go inside?”

At his cautious question, Elliot tilted his head.

“Is someone inside?”

“Elliot.”

Rohan knelt down to meet the boy’s eyes.

“Don’t be scared and listen. Inside here...”

Just then—

“Waaah, waah!”

A loud wail carried through the door.

“A baby...?”

Elliot’s eyes widened, and he quickly opened the door and rushed inside.

“No way.”

With disbelief etched on his face, Elliot slowly approached the crying baby.

“No way...”

In an instant, Elliot’s eyes filled with tears.

“Is that... Noah?”

No one had told him, yet Elliot recognized his little brother right away.

“Waaah, waaaah...”

Noah, perhaps recognizing his own blood as well, stopped crying and gazed at Elliot, bathed in the soft light.

It was truly a wondrous sight.

“N-Noah.”

Tears like large raindrops rolled down Elliot’s flushed cheeks as he turned back.

“Hyung, it’s Noah. Sir Knight, Grandpa, this is Noah. He’s my little brother.”

And then—he burst out crying.

“...”

Rohan silently embraced the sobbing Elliot and patted his back.

Martin gritted his teeth, while Colin turned away, eyes brimming with tears.

“I-I missed Noah so much, hic! I wanted to see him, hic!”

Elliot’s uncontrollable tears were overflowing with longing and love for his little brother.

“Yes, you must have missed him so much. How much you must have missed him.”

Pat, pat.

Rohan comforted Elliot until he calmed down.

“Are you feeling a little better now?”

“Yeah...”

“Then shall we really look at Noah now? I think you startled him a bit by crying.”

“R-Really?”

Elliot wiped his tears with the back of his hand and approached Noah.

“Noah, did I scare you by crying? Sorry.”

His voice was stuffy with tears, but gentle.

Elliot didn’t even seem to notice the black bruise covering half of Noah’s face.

“Noah, I really missed you. Oh, by the way, I left a present with Grandpa—did you get it?”

Rohan glanced at Colin, who shook his head.

He clearly hadn’t received anything like that.

“Noah, you’re so beautiful...”

Elliot beamed through teary eyes.

“Ah, uwaa.”

Noah, as if responding, gurgled and waved his hands.

“Really... Empress Emilia has truly done a terrible thing as a mother.”

Outside, Colin and Rohan sighed quietly.

“To sever the bond of siblings that heaven has given by force—how heartbroken must Prince Elliot have been? Just look at his face...”

Colin scratched at his own face, making a dreadful expression.

Rohan nodded.

“Yes, it’s something that never should have been done.”

That was why Rohan had intervened.

‘I was planning to do this after everything was over...’

But Elliot’s condition had become too grave, so there was no choice.

Whatever happened, he had to save the child first.

“Haha, Noah, what are you? You’re so cute!”

“Kyaa, ahuaa!”

Hearing Elliot’s bright voice from inside, Rohan found himself smiling too.

“I have no doubt that tonight will be a dreamlike night that changes everything for Elliot in the future.”

The child, whose soul was being lost to the terrible greed of adults, tonight—regained his sparkling spirit.



“Elliot. There’s something important I need to tell you.”

On the way back to the Imperial City after such a dreamlike night,

Rohan spoke, his face serious.

“Soon, something big will happen in the Imperial City. So you must...”

Elliot, more serious than ever before, listened intently to his brother’s words.