Second Life, I’m Dying Soon Chapter 84

Chapter 84

 

Dreams usually evaporate the moment one wakes.

This time was no different—Alexis couldn’t recall what he had dreamed about. And yet, the pain lingered, vivid and intact.

Instinctively, his gaze sought out Cecil lying beside him. For reasons he couldn’t explain, he felt compelled to confirm his safety first.

Without warning, Alexis pulled him into a tight embrace. Only after feeling the warmth of his body, the steady rise and fall of his breathing, the regular beat of his pulse—clear signs of life—did relief finally seep in.

Alexis buried his face against the slack curve of Cecil’s neck and drew in a deep breath. For a fleeting moment, it felt as though the sticky stench of blood still clung to his senses.

He erased it with Cecil’s scent instead. Like cream stirred into black tea, the soft, comforting smell of skin gently diluted his terrible memories.

Cecil stirred awake. Pinned almost entirely beneath Alexis’s much larger frame, he felt unbearably cramped. Still half-asleep, he asked without even opening his eyes,

“…What’s wrong?”

“I had a bad dream.”

“Is it because I’m making the bed uncomfortable?”

Cecil shifted, about to rise and offer to move elsewhere. But the more he tried, the tighter Alexis’s arms became, pressing him down until he couldn’t budge at all.

“Just stay. This is comfortable—for now.”

“If you have another nightmare, don’t blame me.”

Cecil let out a long sigh. Despite the gruff tone, his arms circled Alexis in return.

What kind of dream could make him this uneasy? He hoped—sincerely—that whatever dark thoughts plagued him might flow into Cecil instead and fade away. With that wish, his hand patted Alexis’s broad back in slow reassurance.

Thankfully, the rain did not last long. As morning broke, Cecil began preparing to depart, just as planned.

“You heartless brat. Anyone would think I’m kicking you out.”

“I’m just as busy as Your Highness, you know. Do you have any idea how much work is piling up?”

“You don’t even have time for breakfast?”

Alexis narrowed his long eyes slightly, clicking his tongue in reproach. He clearly disliked the idea of Cecil leaving without a meal, but he didn’t try to stop him. Instead, he personally came out to see him off at the guard post.

For someone who had suffered through nightmares all night, Alexis looked surprisingly cheerful.

That alone was enough to satisfy Cecil, easing the faint sense of regret.

“I’ll be on my way. Thank you for the invitation.”

With that, Cecil swung himself up onto the saddle. He soothed the restless horse, lightly gripping the reins, and turned to leave—

“Cecil.”

Alexis called him in a low voice.

“I’ll return in a week. When I do… we’ll try the things you said you wanted to do. Together.”

“…Pardon?”

“When that time comes, make sure your schedule is clear. You won’t be allowed to run away using ‘being busy’ as an excuse like today.”

Was it a request or an order? Alexis smiled as he spoke. Bathed in the morning light, his face was dazzling enough that Cecil found himself momentarily dazed.

“Escort him safely to the capital.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

The accompanying guards responded in unison. The sharp voices snapped Cecil back to his senses. He quickly composed himself and dipped his head slightly toward Alexis.

Though brief, the meeting left nothing wanting. With a lighter heart than he’d had in a long while—and quiet anticipation for what lay ahead—Cecil rode off to begin a new day.

 

***

 

Contrary to his promise, Alexis did not return to the Imperial Palace even after a week had passed.

Monsters had appeared once more in the Black Forest.

The creatures thought to have been completely eradicated resurfaced, plunging the people of the Empire into fear. Anxiety spread rapidly through the regions bordering the Black Forest, and rumors soon grew teeth and reached the capital itself.

Yet Crown Prince Alexis remained calm. Rather, he issued swift, decisive orders—as if he had anticipated this day all along.

The Black Forest Garrison moved immediately. Standing watch atop the towering walls in twenty-four-hour rotations, they responded without hesitation at the slightest hint of danger, raining down cannon fire and arrows to easily eliminate the monsters. Their long training finally bore fruit.

The guards and the walls that constantly protected the forest became a source of reassurance for the people. That reassurance, in turn, transformed naturally into trust toward the Crown Prince.

“The author finds it profoundly moving to live in the same era as Alexis Winter Graham. A valiant knight and the most progressive royal the Empire has ever seen, his brilliant achievements continue to accumulate with each passing day. One can only feel gratitude.”

Cecil read the words aloud, enunciating each line clearly.

He lay reclined against the sofa at an indolent angle, looking entirely relaxed. Standing before him, however, the head attendant Leo could not hide his unease.

What Cecil held was an editorial from a privately published newspaper that had recently gained popularity in the capital—one infamous for its merciless critiques regardless of status.

Cecil turned the page. Then he let out a small snort of laughter. His head tilted lazily to the side, emerald eyes still tracking the text.

“In contrast, Cecil Adrian can be said to be a character not worth discussing. He is dissolute, excessively wasteful, and his discernment in choosing ventures has reached a pitiful level. Of course, one cannot deny that his external appearance is splendid and attractive. However, one must remember that falling for his surface may lead to losing one’s entire fortune and ending up on the streets.”

Cecil asked, sounding genuinely curious,

“Who do you think wrote this? They make me sound like some legendary villain.”

“Lord Cecil, please… Don’t read such pointless nonsense. It’ll only sour your mood.”

“Well, it’s not completely wrong.”

Cecil tugged his lips into a long, crooked smile and continued reading the scathing piece.

“How fortunate it is that not even a trace of gold runs through Cecil Adrian’s hair. Had he been a successor to the throne, the future of the Empire would have been nothing short of despair. One can only earnestly hope that the legitimate Crown Prince ascends the throne as soon as possible and becomes the new hope of the Verka Empire.”

After finishing the editorial to the very end, Cecil neatly folded the newspaper and set it aside.

“They’re right from beginning to end. What do you think, Leo?”

“What do I think?! Everything written about you is utter nonsense!”

Leo clenched his fist in indignation. Cecil only smiled, his eyes curving gently.

“I’m kidding. It’s enough if a few people understand who I really am.”

He smiled, thoroughly satisfied.

Under normal circumstances, Alexis’s reputation should have been dragged through the mud, drowned beneath waves of public condemnation.

The fact that public opinion flowed exactly as he intended filled Cecil with nothing but gratitude. Even if it meant he alone absorbed all the hatred—this, too, was what he wanted.

“Well then… shall I go ruin the country a little today as well?”

He rose lightly to his feet.

 

***

 

Empress Elizabeth bit at her fingernails in agitation.

With each passing day, she felt her position narrowing, tightening like a noose.

Even worse, the Emperor’s condition continued to deteriorate. Age made it increasingly difficult to recover from illness.

Emperor Arnold had all but withdrawn from the front lines of governance and now required extended convalescence. As a result, Alexis’s authority only grew stronger. Though he had yet to ascend the throne, he was emperor in all but name.

The Empress ground her teeth.

“We can’t just sit by and watch. If that bastard becomes Emperor, my life is over.”

“Everything is unfolding contrary to our expectations. We believed diplomatic friction with Kazarjan would damage the Empire’s economy, yet it remains stable. Worse still, the Crown Prince has complete control over the Black Forest. Public sentiment has now tilted entirely in his favor.”

Count Lawrence, the Empress’s closest confidant and newly appointed Minister of Finance, added his assessment.

At his words, her eyes sharpened dangerously.

“Hah. So what—are we supposed to watch helplessly?”

“I, too, have been considering every possible angle. But as Your Majesty knows, the cabinet’s situation is unfavorable. For now, it would be wise to bide our time.”

“How is it that not a single person remains who will act as my hands and feet?!”

The Empress snarled in fury.

Alexis had cut down not only the nobles openly aligned with the Empress’s faction, but also those who had secretly supported her in the shadows. Unless a god had whispered secrets into his ear, such precision was impossible.

“Count. We must start a war with Kazarjan .”

“Your Majesty! A war?!”

“The current tide belongs to the Crown Prince. If we are to survive, we must seize an opportunity—even if it means shaking the Empire itself.”

She clenched her fist tightly. In her emerald eyes, naked ambition boiled violently.

“I will persuade His Majesty the Emperor. Though his strength has waned, he is still the Emperor of Verka. He retains enough authority to declare war.”

Count Lawrence swallowed hard. A war with Kazarjan was unexpected—but her plan was not entirely without merit.

“At any time, give the order. I will follow without hesitation.”

The Empress nodded, a faint smile curling her lips. If war broke out, the Empire would become a hellscape. As long as she could push Alexis into that pit of fire, anything would be worth it.