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“Please, please……”
Maryam gathered her hands together as if to pray, desperately wishing for a miracle. Unlike the noises a while ago, a deathly silence was now hanging over the hallway except for Maryam’s voice. The people gathered in front of the delivery room held their breath and looked inside. Some of them also glanced at Renato.
Trying to ignore the gazes reaching him, Renato calmly looked at the delivery room. He didn’t doubt the medicine’s effectiveness but couldn’t help getting nervous. He repeatedly clenched his trembling hand and reopened it, shaking off his anxiety.
After some time had passed, a loud cheer suddenly rang out within the quiet delivery room. Soon, the palace doctor appeared with a delighted face. He announced the good news in an emotional voice.
“It, it worked. Her Majesty has just come to her senses. Her fever has completely gone down!”
“Aah…… Oh my God, Laila!”
Overjoyed, Maryam called Laila’s name and ran inside as soon as he finished speaking. No one stopped her this time.
It worked.
Renato clenched his fists as he watched the Ziyad family follow Maryam into the delivery room. This completely changed Laila’s fate from the previous life. Relaxed, he sighed and leaned against the cold wall. His worry about Laila’s life also eased. At that moment, a shadow cast over Renato’s head.
“……Your highness.”
Raising his head, Renato faintly smiled when he saw Khalid looking down at him with a complicated expression.
“How……”
Khalid opened his mouth, seeming to have a lot of things to say, but then closed it again. There were so many things he wanted to ask Renato that he didn’t know what to say first.
“I don’t know what you are thinking, but first of all, what I gave to the palace doctor was indeed Fairy’s Tears. And that His Majesty the Emperor gave it to me was also the truth.”
Renato easily knew what Khalid wanted to ask him. So he decided to just explain before the man asked.
Before leaving for the kingdom, Renato secretly asked Tristan for Fairy’s Tears. He made an excuse to prepare for an unforeseen emergency, but his true purpose was to make sure Laila recovered if he chose to save her.
“I was a bit worried because there were only a few Fairy’s Tears left, but His Majesty was willing to give me.”
Due to Tristan’s deteriorating health, Fairy’s Tears had not been produced in the past two years. So Renato asked him but didn’t expect much. He just thought that it would be good if he received it, but still fine if he didn’t. Fortunately, Tristan granted Renato’s request.
“I see. I was afraid that you asked Sir Baikal to do ‘that work’ again……”
Conscious of the people around him, Khalid talked in an ambiguous way about his worry. Realizing the man was talking about blood draws, Renato mumbled while sweeping the back of his neck.
“I also thought about that, but I didn’t have to because His Majesty gave me Fairy’s Tears. And as promised yesterday, I will unconditionally discuss ‘that work’ with your highness in the future.”
“Right.”
Only then did Khalid’s expression soften. He smiled brightly, feeling as if a heavy burden was put down. Then he raised his hand and softly brushed Renato’s hair.
‘The outcome will change depending on what I do. But I don’t know which is the right direction and which is good for us.’
‘I don’t want to be hated by you for making the wrong choice, your highness.’
When hearing that Laila was suffering from a difficult childbirth, Khalid recalled Renato’s unusually dark expression and the concern he had difficulty bringing up on the day they received her invitation.
Was this the choice Renato talked about?
Khalid was quite certain of his thoughts but didn’t ask. He was afraid to confirm the fact, and also because of the promise he had made.
At the time, Khalid promised Renato, who was in agony, that he would not resent whatever choice Renato made. It was sincere without a single speck of lie.
Above all, Renato also said back then that he did not know which direction would be good for ‘us’. It meant Renato was considering not only himself but Khalid as well. It was an extremely political remark. So Khalid wouldn’t do anything to interfere with Renato’s choice.
So Khalid held back what he wanted to ask Renato all the way to the royal palace. Even when the palace doctor indirectly said Laila might die, he desperately resisted the urge to look at Renato.
Truthfully, he wanted to appeal to Renato for help if there was a way to save Laila. Laila was one of the few who helped Khalid live as a royal prince, and she was now a mother who had just given birth.
As a child, Khalid had to helplessly watch Jamila suffer from a terminal disease. Knowing better than anyone the feelings of a mother who left her child first and the feelings of a child who was left alone, he wanted his nephew, who had just seen the light of the world, not to part from Laila.
‘I think I can help Her Majesty the Queen Consort recover safely.’
When he recalled the voice he heard at the moment of despair as death approached Laila, Khalid’s eyes sank darkly. It was like a ray of light in the darkness.
Turning his head to meet Renato’s gaze, Khalid realized something when seeing the small lips slightly raised toward him. He realized Renato had left behind all political judgments and tried to save Laila solely for him.
“Thank you…… for saving Laila-nim.”
Khalid tucked the silver hair wet with sweat behind his ear, gently stroking the round earlobe. Then, he said the words of gratitude that he had wanted to say to Renato from a while ago.
“It was, nothing.”
Renato’s chin twitched as the finger brushing his earlobe went down his neckline. Having weighed Laila’s life just a few minutes ago, he didn’t deserve Khalid’s thanks.
“……Are you not disappointed with me?”
Quietly opening his mouth, Renato plucked up the courage to ask what was on his mind. He eventually saved Laila, but he couldn’t deny also considering ignoring her death. Renato feared that Khalid would be disappointed in him. Despite knowing it was a selfish wish, he didn’t want to be hated by him.
“How can I be disappointed? Rather, I am very grateful.”
“But I……”
“I already told you, my top priority is Your Imperial Highness. No matter what choice you make, I will not resent you.”
Interrupting Renato’s words, Khalid held the back of his neck and pulled him closer. Smooch, a soft warmth touched Renato’s round forehead before parting away.
“Your, your highness?”
Unknowingly hugged by Khalid, Renato stuttered in embarrassment. His forehead where the man’s lips touched immediately became hot.
“Thank you very much.”
Khalid tightly hugged Renato, softly whispering in his ear. The brief thanks were filled with countless emotions that couldn’t be expressed in words. However, it didn’t carry any resentment or disappointment towards Renato.
Feeling that, Renato bit his lips. The ripple in his heart, caused by the sincere words, spread throughout his body. He blankly leaned into Khalid’s embrace as if having forgotten to breathe. Then, he closed his eyes and gently hugged the man. Huu, leaning his forehead on the firm shoulder, Renato let out a long breath. He finally felt relieved.
* * *
“When will I finish arranging all of these? No matter how long I’ve done it, I still can’t see the end?”
Organizing the pile of gifts filling up the drawing room, Louis looked exhausted. Shortly after the news that Renato used Fairy’s Tears to save Queen Consort Laila was spread, the nobles’ gift procession began. They all praised Renato for saving the Queen Consort’s life.
Because of that, only Louis was extremely busy. He checked each gift and sorted the greeting letters and invitations. However, there was no end in sight. A new gift would arrive like a ghost as soon as things were organized a bit. Just like right now.
“Your Imperial Highness. The Abtum, Farzan and Huzbach families have sent gifts and letters.”
“Again? No…… I can’t, I can’t do this anymore.”
Louis covered his face with both hands as Arche came in with beautiful gifts and letters that had just arrived. Then he said he would give up and raised his arms to surrender.
“It seems that every family in the Khan Kingdom has decided to send gifts.”
Looking at Louis amusedly, Arche put down the newly arrived gifts one by one. She didn’t seem to dislike the situation.
“You were already popular, but now your popularity is truly explosive. A lot of people are trying to make ties with you, Your Imperial Highness. They seem to approach not only the delegation’s members but also his highness’ knights.”
“It means there are many desperate people.”
Sitting at the drawing room’s table and writing replies to refuse the invitations, Renato murmured bitterly. Among the nobles sending him gifts yesterday and today, many had sick family members. Most of the letters coming with gifts also expressed hope that Renato would do them a favor. Renato’s heart became heavy as each sentence contained hope for a miracle despite knowing there was little chance.
“Your Imperial Highness, someone has arrived from the main palace.”
When Renato finished one reply, Count Horam’s voice came along with a knock. The person coming from the main palace was Maryam’s chamberlain. After entering and courteously greeting Renato, he immediately stated his business.
“I have come to visit the successor of the noble blood under Her Majesty the Queen’s command.”