If You Take the Enemy Prince as Your Knight Chapter 104

At that moment, there was a rustling sound. On a tree branch casting a shadow over the window, a squirrel was looking around.

 

Regen spoke. “It must be looking for nuts since fall is near.”

 

“There aren’t many things to eat around here. They mostly planted ornamental trees. As for trees that bear fruit… hmm, there is one. Regen’s mana core.”

 

Regen smiled. “Come to think of it, you said flowers bloomed on my tree. Later, it really might bear acorns. You’ll have to be careful when you visit my mental realm. So you don’t get hit on the head by one.”

 

“I think I’ll be fine. As long as the tree doesn’t deliberately drop acorns to hit my head.”

 

“Deliberately?”

 

“Oh, didn’t I mention? The tree is a bit like a person. When I’m asleep, it makes a bed shaped like a soft nest out of its leaves, and when I’m barefoot, it lays down a carpet of velvety new leaves. And when I say something it doesn’t like, it drops its thickest leaf right onto the top of my head.”

 

“What kind of joke is that?”

 

“It’s true.”

 

“…”

 

For some reason, Regen seemed quite flustered. It appeared that the idea of his mana core tree possessing a personality and acting on its own embarrassed him, as though it revealed his subconscious.

 

The subconscious is both uncontrollable and secretive. To reassure him, I spoke. “Sir Regen is a considerate person. Your tree felt equally gentlemanly.”

 

“…I’m glad that Sasha thinks well of me.”

 

Is he really pleased? I can’t tell since his voice has no change in tone.

 

Talking about his mana core naturally made me curious. “Regen, how much of your strength do you think has recovered?”

 

“I believe most of it has.”

 

“I see… That’s a relief.” I smiled at the good news, but inside I felt slightly bitter. It meant the core treatment was nearing its end.

 

Just then, Regen said, “Even after the treatment ends, you must continue to make me stronger.”

 

“Ah, right.” His request swept away my lingering regret. I was happy that I still had a justification to be greedy with him.

 

“Shall we go for a walk?”

 

“Sure.”

 

At his suggestion, I rose from my seat, my heart fluttering as if I had just been asked out on a date. As if he had been waiting, Regen placed a wide-brimmed hat on my head. While he tied the ribbon under my chin, I suddenly grew curious.

 

“How are you so good at tying ribbons?”

 

He said he doesn’t even do that for her younger sister. Then doesn’t that mean he has done it for some other woman?

 

The answer to my shallow jealousy was not romantic at all.

 

“Knights and soldiers originally learn various ways of tying knots. Methods for securing ropes to tree branches or binding people. Ribbons are the most basic among them.”

 

“I see. Ribbons aren’t the exclusive domain of women. I was being narrow-minded.”

 

Strangely, I felt better. But that good mood was shattered the moment we crossed the threshold of the Silver Bird Room.

 

“Your Highness, something terrible has happened.”

 

“Hamel?”

 

I ran into Hamel, who seemed to be on her way back after gathering news from the imperial palace.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Princess Blue Wave—!”

 

At that moment, a tearing scream rang out from somewhere in the annex. It was Sister Vivian’s voice.

 

✦

It was a premature birth. The mother had been under severe pressure due to the imperial succession competition, and the early compression of her abdomen to hide the pregnancy had also played a large role. Despite the risk of miscarriage, she had somehow managed to carry the child for more than eight months. Both mother and baby had endured.

 

The baby, born before full term, was extremely small. With immature lungs and heart, the tiny life struggling to breathe and circulate blood looked unbearably fragile. Perhaps having to fight from the moment it was born was a direct inheritance of their mother’s fate. The blood-red little infant bathed for hours in a potion more expensive than gold before finally letting out a cry like any other newborn.

 

The female imperial doctor, though exhausted, looked proud as she reassured Vivian. “If the baby steadily consumes breast milk and potion for a few months, it will soon grow strong.”

 

“T-Thank goodness. Really, thank goodness.”

 

Sister Vivian let out a sigh of relief. Only then, as if the tension had finally left her, she buried the back of her head into the pillow and closed her eyes.

 

I looked into the cradle. The tiny life was half drinking and half spilling the lukewarm potion continuously fed by a maid.

 

In the bedroom were only Blue Wave Room’s maids, the imperial doctor, and me. All the princesses had rushed over upon hearing of the premature birth, but I was the only one permitted to enter the bedchamber.

 

I knew very well what I had to do. “I’ll find a wet nurse by tomorrow.”

 

“…”

 

“You’ll need a lot of potions. The palace supply won’t be enough. I’ll take care of that as well.”

 

“…”

 

I also gave orders to the maids of the Blue Wave Room. “Clear out the adjacent room. The imperial doctor and wet nurse will have to reside here for a while.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

It was somewhat overstepping, but the maids bowed obediently.

 

A choked sob came from the bed. “Sa-Sasha…” Tears pooled in Sister Vivian’s violet eyes. Even haggard from labor and drenched in sweat, my eldest sister was poignantly beautiful. “T-Thank you. You were the only person I could think of to ask. I-I-I was so tired and scared.”

 

“You’ve done well. I’ll help you.”

 

“I-I’m the older sister, but I’m so useless. I can’t do anything on my own. I only rely on others.”

 

“Don’t say that. You accomplished something incredible today.”

 

I understand Sister Vivian’s heart. Each of us is an orphan abandoned in the annex. Our father is no different from an oppressive enemy, and our mother is a captive confined in the harem. When body and mind grow weak, there is no proper place to entrust everything to. Moreover, the noble heir, who is the baby’s father, is restricted from even entering the annex.

 

In the end, Sister Vivian endured that painful childbirth alone, without the baby’s father. In such circumstances, it was not strange that Sister Vivian thought of her sisters as someone to rely on, like her maternal home. It was only slightly surprising that she chose me instead of Sister Orlette. In any case, since she asked for help, I intended to care for both mother and child as much as I could.

 

“Get some sleep. I’ll leave after I see you asleep.”

 

“Mmm…” As if she could endure no longer, Sister Vivian’s eyes slowly closed.

 

At the end of such a grueling day, I hoped she would be granted a peaceful sleep. But my small wish was mercilessly shattered.

 

“Your Majesty the Emperor is entering!”

 

“…!”

 

Even the god of plague would receive a warmer welcome than this.

 

Sister Vivian’s eyes flew open, and the newborn burst into tears. I, too, rose from my seat and stepped back toward the wall.

 

The mad emperor strode into the bedroom, followed by Dominic and the chief chamberlain. He seated himself on the stool where I had been sitting just moments before.

 

“Y-Your Majesty.”

 

He did not even tell Sister Vivian, who was struggling to sit up, to lie back down. Instead, he deliberately chose actions that would make her more uncomfortable. “You all, come in as well.” He even summoned the princesses waiting in the parlor.

 

There was not the slightest consideration for the stability or hygiene of the mother and baby. The imperial doctor and the maids fidgeted anxiously.

 

“Princess Vivian! I’ve arrived!” Lord Ronde, who had just arrived, attempted to enter the bedroom as if it were only natural. Such was the automatic justification granted to the baby’s father. But unexpectedly, the mad emperor didn’t permit it.

 

“Lord Ronde, who told you that you may enter a princess’s bedchamber?”

 

“Yes? Y-Your Majesty, I merely came to see my child—”

 

“You will stand by the door.”

 

“Y-Yes, Your Majesty…”

 

Each person was assigned where to sit or stand.

 

As the maid barely managed to soothe the baby, an eerie unease and tension took hold of the now-quiet bedroom.