It was all because of me. All because of me.

Come to think of it, Blake's condition began to deteriorate ever since Diana entered school.

In the novel, Blake became seriously ill in the year he turned 11. But it was after the Festival of Lights. It wasn't this early.

It was all because of me. All because of me.

I held Blake's hand tightly. His left hand was always cold. Perhaps because of the curse, it was cold and numb most of the time.

I used to hold Blake's hand when he fell asleep. But no matter how hard I tried, the place where the curse spread did not become warm.

"I'm sorry. Your Highness, I was greedy."

Diana was the only one who could lift Blake's curse. I knew that, but I became greedy because I wanted to stay by his side.

I don't know if the person who showed me the past and led me to Tenlarn Palace was really the Goddess or someone else in charge of this world, but I could guess why they used the Macul to show me the golden door that had nothing to do with solving the curse.

Phillip was much worse than I thought, and the Goddess of Light would not forgive him. It was to put a stop to my false hope.

"I won't be greedy. So please, please don't let Blake get sick..."

I prayed desperately. I couldn't tell whether I was praying to the Goddess of light who cursed him or to the god who was in charge of the world in this novel.

I could see why Tenstheon was deceived by Richard's black magic in the original novel.

"It's my fault. I'll leave as soon as Blake wakes up. So please..."

"....Don't go."

I looked up in surprise. Blake was looking at me with his crimson eyes.

"Your Highness, are you awake? How are you feeling? I'll call the doctor right away!"

As I rushed out of my chair, Blake grasped my hand tightly.

"Ancia, don't go."

"Your Highness."

"You can't go...Don't leave..."

"Ah, I'm not going. Where would I go?"

I couldn't tell him I was going to go away when faced by his eyes that were full of desperation. I shook my head reflexively.

"Promise me..."

His voice sounded weak. Then, his eyes closed again.

***

Blake didn't wake up the next day. He opened his eyes for a while last night, but only told me not to go before losing consciousness again.

His breathing was feeble and his body temperature kept rising.

"He's never passed out for this long before. He's been unconscious for 4 days?"

"Shh. Her Highness might hear you."

I heard Hans and Melissa's voices outside the door. They could no longer pretend to be calm now.

I held Blake's hand tightly. I wished I was Diana. Blake might not be ill if I was her.

She was the heir of light. Even if she didn't do much, she'd be much more helpful than me.

"Your Highness, I'm sorry."

I apologized to him again. Suddenly, the door opened.

It was Tenstheon.

For the first time since Blake was cursed, the Emperor came to see him. I had been looking forward to this happening so much, but my heart sank as soon as I saw Tenstheon.

I asked the Emperor over and over again to meet Blake, even just for once.

But Tenstheon didn't accept my request, and I knew that it was only to protect Blake.

But Tenstheon came here of his own accord now. It meant Blake's condition was serious.

"Father..."

After patting me on the back, he approached the bed where Blake lay. And for the first time in three years, he touched his son's face.

"I'm sorry. This father came too late..."

Tenstheon apologized to his son. But even though his father had come, Blake didn't open his eyes.

I approached the Emperor's side.

"It's not too late. This is the beginning."

"He'll be all right. He'll wake up soon."

I answered valiantly, clearing his anxiety.

There was only one time in the original novel when Tenstheon visited Blake. It was when he decided to move his son's curse to him using black magic.

I was worried that it might turn out like that again this time.

"So don't think about anything weird. You have to protect him for a long time."

"I have two children to protect. There's no way I'd think of something strange, would I?"

"I'm saying this just in case, but you shouldn't believe in dark magic."

"Why are you saying that again?"

"I felt nervous for some reason."

"Don't worry. I don't want to be scolded by you, and I'm not interested in that kind of thing anyway."

Tenstheon held my hand firmly.

Right. I had reminded him of it many times in the past three years, so he wouldn't be fooled by the black magic trick like the original.

I believed in Tenstheon. He couldn't leave Blake's side in vain.

"Yes, I'll believe you."

***

Tenstheon stepped into the Crown Prince's room. It was the first time since Blake was cursed.

News of Blake's critical condition spread quickly.

But Frank, the eldest son of Duchess Cassil and the most likely candidate for the next Crown Prince, was full of complaints.

"So what if the Emperor went to find the monster? Does this make sense? We should take this opportunity to send that monster to the Southern Island! What the hell are the other nobles waiting for?!"

Frank raised his voice in excitement. When Richard saw his half-brother acting this way, he scoffed. Frank noticed it.

"You slave, did you just laugh at me?"

"That's not going to happen. I was just wondering what you were trying to achieve by confining someone who might die any time."

"I'd tell that monster to die on the Southern Island! That monster's presence in the Imperial Palace itself is gruesome!"

Frank was stupid and simple and he'd do whatever he wanted to do to relieve his anger. That personality of his only got worse as he got older.

Frank was unable to tolerate Blake's presence, so he was obsessed with kicking him out of the Palace.

The Crown Prince was going to die. Was that a problem? Richard looked at Frank as if he was pathetic.

"Is the Crown Prince really going to die?"

After hearing the news that Blake was sick, the Duke's third son, Neon, who had been quiet, suddenly asked.

"You idiot. That's why I'm going crazy. I can't wait to find out. He's going to die anyway. But, before that, I want to kick him out of the Palace. It's the place where I'm supposed to be, but if the monster dies there, it will be bad luck for me."

Frank was excited at the thought of becoming a prince. After Blake died, he'd be the new Crown Prince. Ah, there was the Duke of Cassil, but he was only a year younger than Tenstheon, so it was more likely to be Frank.

But Neon's thoughts were different.

"Isn't there any cure or something? Our father has a lot of precious medicines. Why doesn't he send those?"

"Neon, what the hell is wrong with you? Are you jealous of me becoming the Crown Prince? Or are you trying to take my place ?"

Frank wouldn't forgive someone who wanted to take his place even if it was his own brother. Frank shouted. But Neon shouted even louder.

"Of course I want to save him! If he dies, it will be our turn!"

"Our turn?"

Frank blinked his small eyes slowly. Funny enough, he seemed to be shocked.

Richard glanced at his half-brother.

How stupid was he? He wasn't even as good as a nine-year-old.

"If the Crown Prince dies, as Neon said, the curse will be passed on to one of the members of the royal family. We don't know who will take over the curse, but given the precedents, it will pass onto someone who is not yet of age and closely related to the Imperial family."

Frank had just been excited at the thought of becoming the Crown Prince, but now, his excitement was quickly overtaken by fear.

"What? Then he can't die now! I need a year before I become an adult! Tell him to live longer in the meantime!"

"Brother, what if I'm cursed!"

"Ah, why ask me that?!"

Frank was irritated. It would be nice to be safely crowned without being cursed.

Neon was greatly disappointed by his brother's cold hearted answer.

"Do you think you can become the Crown Prince just because the monster dies?"

"What?"

"If Blake dies, the Emperor will adopt the Crown Princess as the Empire's princess."

"Are you a fool? Do you believe that crap? How can a child without the Imperial blood become a princess!"

"Why doesn't it make sense? The Emperor cherishes the Crown Princess more than his own child. Then someone just has to marry into the royal family with Ancia as the princess. Then it would be the same as being a member of the royal family so they'd become the Emperor in the end."

"Hey, slave! Is this true?"

Frank looked at Richard. Frank always ignored this half-brother of his, but whenever something important happened, he would still check with him.