Second Life, I’m Dying Soon Chapter 71

 

Chapter 71

 

“Lord Cecil!”

“Are you all right?”

Ignoring the servants’ cries, Cecil retched again and again. He vomited until his stomach felt completely overturned, until at last only bitter yellow bile came up.

Damn it.

Frowning, Cecil forced himself to steady his churning stomach.

All he’d done was shake hands with Kilian, and this weak body couldn’t even endure that, reacting as though it were something repulsive. How was he supposed to withstand what was coming at this rate? Cecil spat sour saliva onto the ground, as if trying to expel the unpleasant thoughts along with it.

When he reached out while still bent over, the servants immediately offered him a cup of water, as though they’d been waiting for it.

It was water infused with mint leaves. He rinsed his mouth several times in quick succession. As the sharp, cooling sensation spread through his mouth, the dizziness clouding his head finally began to clear.

“A handkerchief, please…”

Bracing his trembling knees, he barely managed to straighten his upper body. After emptying himself like that, all strength had drained from him, and even standing upright felt difficult.

While wiping his mouth with a handkerchief, he leaned against a pillar for a moment and found himself locking eyes with Alexis, who had been watching him intently. Alexis, too, had been startled by the sudden vomiting.

“Ah…”

Cecil let out a weak sigh and belatedly tried to straighten himself properly. But the moment his body slipped away from the pillar, still soaked in fatigue, he lurched forward.

Seeing this, Alexis crossed the distance in a single stride. He caught Cecil urgently and seized his chin firmly.

“What are you doing, not calling for the palace physician!”

At the sharp rebuke, the servants hastily lowered their heads and rushed to carry out the Crown Prince’s order.

Cecil couldn’t hide his discomfort. He tried shaking his head, but he didn’t have the strength to shake off Alexis’s grip.

In the end, he gave up and muttered,

“There’s no need for a physician. It’s just… my stomach acting up. I’m fine now.”

“Do you even know what your face looks like right now to say such nonsense?”

Alexis’s voice dropped low.

The small face caught in his hand was deathly pale, as though it might collapse at any moment. Seeing Cecil stubbornly endure in such a state twisted Alexis’s temper.

His gaze turned even colder. Pinning Cecil in place with a blade-sharp stare, he spoke,

“Head attendant of the Peridot Palace, listen carefully. Gather everything Cecil was supposed to handle today and bring it to me. And your master will rest for the entire day. That is an order.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

In the end, Cecil was forcibly sent back to the Peridot Palace under Alexis’s absolute command.

Naturally, Cecil Adrian was not the type to obediently follow orders. Despite the servants’ insistence that he absolutely must rest, he headed straight for his study.

After locking the door tightly, he pulled out the prophecy book he’d hidden away and began rifling through it. Perhaps because his mind was so unsettled, his hands flipped the pages with sharp impatience.

Soon, he found the section related to the Emperor’s birthday celebration and rapidly read through the coded notes he’d written there.

Starting with this year’s celebration, relations between the Verka Empire and the Kingdom of Kazarjan would sour completely.

Princess Larisa’s visit to the Empire had been part of a predetermined course of events. She would persistently seek Alexis’s affection, but the Crown Prince would coldly reject her. Wounded deeply in her pride, the high-spirited princess would suffer a severe emotional blow.

The King of Kazarjan, who cherished his daughter dearly, would take this as a grave insult. Believing his daughter had been humiliated, he would sever all relations with the Empire. Maritime trade—once thriving—would be cut off entirely, and Kazarjan’s sea routes would be closed.

The consequences would fall squarely on the Empire’s citizens.

The first to be affected would be the price of salt, which would skyrocket overnight. Kazarjan was a major producer of salt, and because it supplied high-quality salt at extremely low prices, the Empire had come to rely almost entirely on Kazarjan salt.

With its sudden, complete prohibition, there was immediately no way to procure it. Even if they belatedly tried to produce salt themselves, the output was limited, and the supply from other countries was insufficient to meet the demand.

As daily life became difficult, public resentment soared. Criticism and hostility toward the Crown Prince reached unprecedented levels.

And the misfortune didn’t end there. An Imperial trade ship secretly attempting to cross Kazarjan waters was sunk. Emperor Arnold immediately declared Kazarjan an enemy state. With that, relations between the two nations crossed a point of no return.

“Haa… what am I supposed to do about this?”

Cecil grabbed his throbbing head and let out a deep sigh.

There was no doubt that he and the Empress had orchestrated the events that undermined the Crown Prince’s authority and plunged the Empire into chaos. Cecil was determined to set things right this time.

Since it all began with Princess Larisa, he had to eliminate the seed of conflict when she visited for the upcoming celebration. Even though he’d already prepared a meticulous plan, he couldn’t shake his unease.

Kilian was the variable.

As the future slowly diverged from the prophecy, there was no guarantee events would unfold exactly as written. Cecil knew this and had prepared several countermeasures in advance.

But Kilian’s appearance had been completely unforeseen.

“Get a grip, Cecil Adrian. Is now really the time to be spacing out?”

Cecil slapped both cheeks sharply. He had to pull himself together. Kilian was someone he could simply ignore—so why was he already being shaken this badly?

Being played by Kilian once was enough. He swore that in this life, he would never get involved with that bastard again.

 

***

 

That night, the guests from Kazarjan visited the Empress’s palace.

As Kilian strolled leisurely across the spacious hall, he shot a sideways glance at Larisa beside him and snickered.

“Well, look at that. You’ve actually covered your chest for once?”

“Don’t mock me, Kilian. I know how to read the room.”

Larisa looked fairly tense at the thought of meeting Empress Elizabeth. Dressed in Imperial fashion, she appeared more restrained than usual, exuding an elegant charm.

“This palace is absurdly lavish. Makes it pretty clear who really holds the power in the Empire.”

Kilian let out a low whistle as he scanned the surroundings. The vast Empress’s palace was wrapped in gold everywhere the eye could reach, with paintings and ornaments filling every empty space.

Even for the Kazarjan siblings, who were accustomed to extravagance, the palace where Empress Elizabeth resided seemed excessively luxurious. Was this truly fitting for the woman who commanded the Emperor’s favor and wielded power?

“I like it. Seems the Empress and I have similar tastes.”

“Of course you would.”

As they exchanged banter, they soon arrived before the guest chamber.

“Welcome. I’m very pleased to meet you at last.”

“Thank you for inviting us, Your Majesty Empress Elizabeth.”

The Empress herself stepped forward to greet the guests. The guest chamber, too, was breathtakingly beautiful.

The Empress guided the Kazarjan royals to the prepared seats. On the elegant table lay an exquisite tea set, looking like a work of art.

“This is my son, Cecil Adrian. I hear you’ve already exchanged greetings earlier.”

Cecil, seated with them, offered a polite greeting. Perhaps intrigued by the striking resemblance between mother and son, Kilian smirked slightly, while Larisa glanced around restlessly.

“Is Crown Prince Alexis… not here?”

“He’s a busy man, so I didn’t call for him. It seems you take quite an interest in the Crown Prince, Princess Larisa.”

“Yes. I would appreciate it if you’d invite him as well next time, Your Majesty.”

At the princess’s bold request, the Empress merely smiled, offering no direct answer. Instead, she deftly steered the conversation elsewhere and took control of the tea gathering.

Amid the pleasant exchange, the atmosphere gradually softened. As she sipped her tea, Larisa finally voiced a question she’d been holding back.

“There’s something I’d like to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Does His Highness have no intention of marrying? I understand the position of Crown Princess has been vacant for quite some time.”

Once again, the topic turned to Alexis, twisting something inside the Empress. Yet outwardly, she smiled like a gentle, concerned mother.

“I find that deeply regrettable as well. For the sake of a stable succession, it would be best for him to find his partner soon.”

“Then how would you feel about forming a royal marriage with Kazarjan?”

“Princess Larisa… are you saying you wish to become Alexis’s partner?”

Larisa nodded without hesitation.

When it came to pushing forward a marriage, nothing was more effective than adult influence. She was determined to fulfill her desire, even if it meant persuading the Empress herself.

But the Empress’s reaction was lukewarm. Elizabeth lifted her teacup—now cooled to just the right temperature—and smiled faintly.

“Well… that isn’t a decision I can make lightly.”

“Am I not to your liking?”

“Of course not. Among all the women I’ve known, you are the most perfect candidate for a bride. However, I’ve heard the King of Kazarjan cherishes you dearly. Sending his only daughter so far away to the Empire would surely break his heart.”

The Empress paused, appearing thoughtful. Then her long eyes curved into a narrow smile.

“Unless, perhaps, we were to take Alexis as a royal son-in-law and bring him to Kazarjan. If that were the case, I would wholeheartedly support you, Princess.”

At the audacious proposal, Larisa was left speechless, while Cecil covered his mouth and sighed. It was so absurd he didn’t even bother trying to stop it.

“Surely… you’re joking?”

Kilian interjected with a scoff. Though his voice held amusement, his gaze fixed on the Empress was razor-sharp. The Empress, too, let her smile fade as she met his eyes.

“Does my suggestion sound like a joke to you?”

“I can tell there’s sincerity mixed in. It seems Your Majesty is quite wary of Crown Prince Alexis—almost as if you’re hoping to use this opportunity to remove a thorn in your side.”

“That’s quite an accusation.”

“If I was rude, I apologize. But as someone who stands to inherit the throne, the idea of Alexis joining Kazarjan is… concerning. I would very much prefer not to have someone like him as my rival.”

True to his status as Kazarjan’s heir, Kilian showed not a trace of intimidation before the Empress. His blunt manner revealed his uncompromising nature without restraint.

Of course, while somewhat rude, he wasn’t entirely without tact. Sensing the atmosphere growing colder than expected, Killian deliberately mixed laughter into his words.

“If Larisa were to become Crown Princess, it would be a blessing for both our nations. Personally, I hope she marries soon as well—so I can enjoy a brief moment of freedom. We’re both under constant pressure to wed, after all…”

Seeing the Empress’s rigid expression, Larisa hastily chimed in.

“Kilian is a shameless libertine who beds both women and men.”

“Gender doesn’t matter. If they’re beautiful, I always welcome them.”

Kilian replied brazenly. As he turned his head, his eyes met Cecil’s—and he broke into a crooked grin.