CH 76

“His Imperial Highness has collapsed?”

Khalid, who was changing clothes for a conversation with the Khan Kingdom’s merchant guild leaders that were active in the Empire, stiffened his gaze when he heard the news that Nasir urgently brought.

“What happened?”

“Well, it looks like young Duke Florence threw a tantrum this morning. I think it’s because of the engagement with you, your highness…… His Imperial Highness was uncharacteristically angry and drove him away. Then he collapsed right after that.”

“That jerk……”

After hearing about the specific situation through Nasir, Khalid clenched his teeth. Even though that bastard was like gunpowder that could explode at any moment, he didn’t know the guy would cause an accident right away. Khalid fixed his assessment of Maximo. He knew the man was an egotistical and emotional human being, but he was more of an audacious bastard than he had expected.

“What about His Imperial Highness’ condition?”

“Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to be serious. But I don’t know why he collapsed…… Still, the palace doctors acted quickly, and his personal doctor, Marquis Medus, also entered the palace in a hurry to take a look at His Imperial Highness.”

Maybe it’s because of his trauma. Khalid guessed that Renato’s fainting was due to symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. He didn’t know how Maximo made a fuss, but few people could be okay while their trauma target was throwing a tantrum right in front of them.

“I have to hurry up with the engagement.”

Khalid muttered in a low voice. He wanted to get rid of Maximo in front of Renato right away, but he couldn’t think of a proper way.

To the Empire’s nobles, Khalid was just a foreigner who proposed to the Prince, and he had yet to have any justification to intervene between Renato and Maximo.

Just like the saying ‘Charity begins at home’, if Khalid and Maximo clashed in the current situation, almost everyone would side with the latter. So he had to be patient for now. At least until he became Renato’s fiancé. ( Eve’s note : 팔은 안으로 굽는다, literally means ‘The arm bends inward’: People tend to give preference to themselves, their close family or friends – somewhat similar to ‘Men are blind in their own causes’ or ‘Charity begins at home’.)

And above all, the Imperial Palace was beyond Khalid’s power. Even if he wanted to protect Renato, it was almost impossible as long as Renato was in the Imperial Palace. What happened today proved that.

Considering Maximo’s fiery personality, it was highly likely that something like today would occur again. Before that could happen, the only way to protect Renato was to get him out of the Imperial Palace as soon as possible.

For that to happen, the two had to be engaged quickly. Khalid finished changing clothes, thinking that he should ask Tristan to send a letter of marriage approval as soon as possible.

Is he okay?

Khalid was momentarily engulfed in uncontrollable anxiety. He had the urge to enter the palace right now to check Renato’s condition. But he couldn’t empty-handedly send back the merchant guild leaders waiting for him in the conference room.

“……What is the schedule for this afternoon?”

“In the afternoon, we have to visit the Imperial Art Museum, then do group training for the Knights Order.”

“Cancel the rest of the schedule. Send someone to the Art Museum to apologize, and inform the knights that it has been changed to individual training. I will go to the Imperial Palace when we finish talking to the merchant guild leaders. Send someone to the Prince’s Palace and ask if it’s okay to visit.”

After agonizing for a moment, Khalid made a decision. He thought that the anxiety that overwhelmed his heart would not go away unless he saw with his own two eyes that Renato was safe.

“All right. Then I will send someone to the Imperial Palace right away.”

Nasir’s eyes widened when Khalid told him to cancel all afternoon plans, but then fixed his expression. He was also worried about Renato.

“Should I tell Sir Souad to prepare a medicinal tea that is good for restoring energy?”

“That’s a good idea, do it.”

Khalid nodded his head, then walked to the conference room. The thought that he could go to the Imperial Palace immediately after the talk with the merchant guild leaders made his heart race.

* * *

“Welcome, your highness.”

Renato raised his body with Louis’ help and greeted Khalid with a light smile. Louis put a soft cushion between him and the head of his bed so that Renato could comfortably lean on it.

“I apologize for not being able to get up and greet you.”

“No. You are supposed to be resting comfortably, so I wonder if I’m disturbing you……”

As he came to the bed and looked at Renato’s face, Khalid trailed off his words. When he saw Renato’s pale cheeks and chapped lips, he momentarily couldn’t speak.

“How are you feeling?”

“After taking the medicine and taking a nap, I felt much better.”

Despite Renato’s answer, Khalid couldn’t relax his expression. Renato’s complexion could not be described as good even with empty words. Khalid held back a sigh and sat down on the chair next to the bed.

“I heard a bit about what happened. Young Duke Florence committed great disrespect toward you, right, Your Imperial Highness?”

“Uhm, yes.”

“……Are you okay?”

Khalid moved his lips to choose his words, then carefully asked. Renato realized the real meaning of his question. Khalid was worried about Renato’s trauma and scar. However, he couldn’t ask directly because Louis was here.

“I’m okay. It wasn’t as big of a deal as I had thought. My attendant and guard knight suffered more than I did.”

Renato briefly glanced at Louis, then softly smiled. He felt grateful to Khalid for keeping his secret.

“Louis, can you bring some tea for his highness?”

“Yes, Your Imperial Highness.”

After sending Louis out of the bedroom to prepare tea, Renato only spoke again as he had completely disappeared.

“Fortunately, what you are worried about did not happen. I wasn’t caught by either of them.”

“Is that so?”

“I was lucky.”

With a bitter smile, Renato recalled what had happened a few hours ago. Contrary to what Renato feared, Marquis Medus was not angry with him. Rather, he was outraged because of Maximo’s behavior. As it turned out, the man already made a bad impression on the Marquis.

‘I knew that the young Duke was looking down on you, but I didn’t know it was this bad, Your Imperial Highness. So impudent…… Tsk, you handled it well.’

‘What should I do if His Majesty the Empress is angry?’

‘That will never happen. This is obviously the young Duke’s fault. Rather, this is for the better. He has been self-indulgent for too long. I will take this opportunity to fix his behavior.’

Renato felt a little puzzled because the Marquis’ attitude was different from what he had expected. He was not exactly sure what happened between the two, but the man’s reaction put his mind at ease. It would be great if there was a conflict between Marquis Medus and Maximo with this opportunity.

The scar he was worried about the most was not noticed, either. He was nervous when Marquis Medus took out his stethoscope, but Renato’s fever was so severe that the man stopped after doing a check-up above his clothes. The reason for his body ache was being under excessive stress in a short time, according to the diagnosis of a palace doctor that took care of Renato before the Marquis came.

“Excuse me, your highness.”

Fiddling with the blanket while recalling the conversation he had with the Marquis, Renato looked at Khalid with a gaze that he had something to say. There was something Renato had been thinking about ever since the man contacted him to inform his visit.

“I’d like to receive the trauma treatment you mentioned last time…… Is it possible?”

“Do you really mean it?”

When Khalid delightedly asked back, Renato slightly nodded his head. He had been hesitant to treat his trauma for several reasons, but he made up his mind after encountering Maximo today.

“You thought well.”

Realizing that Renato’s determination was firm, Khalid pleasantly smiled as if it was his own matter. For mental problems like post-traumatic stress disorder, it was important for the person concerned to have the will to seek treatment.

Renato was momentarily distracted by the man’s happy smile, then fiddled with the blanket in his hand for no reason. His chest felt strangely ticklish.

“When can I start treatment? I’d like to start as soon as possible……”

“If you want, you can start tomorrow. Ah, since you have had a tough day today, let’s start after your body recovers.”

“I think it would be okay to start right from tomorrow. I was just a little surprised today……”

“How could it be okay? Do you know how bad your complexion is now, Your Imperial Highness? You even fainted due to trauma symptoms, so please don’t overdo it and rest for a few days.”

“I fainted earlier not because of trauma but because my fever went up again, and the palace doctor also said that there was nothing wrong……”

“Please wait, did you just say fever? Did anything else happen apart from the young Duke making a fuss?”

“Ah, well, I was a little sick last night.”

The smile disappeared from Khalid’s face when he said that he was sick. Seeing Khalid with a stiff expression, Renato felt his heart pound. The man’s words ‘Please don’t make me worry too much’ came to his mind.

Is he perhaps disappointed in me? What should I do if he is angry?

For a moment, Renato was afraid that Khalid was disappointed in him. Frightened, he hurriedly continued his words.

“I’m really okay now. The medicine prescribed by the palace doctors was effective, so my fever went down. I took a fever reducer last night as well. I’m also thinking of telling Louis to bring me an ointment to treat the bruise later……”

“Why ointment?”

Khalid interrupted Renato’s words, his gaze becoming cold. Realizing that he had made a speech mistake in surprise, Renato was startled and closed his mouth. Khalid had yet to know that Marquis Medus was drawing his blood every month.

“Where did you get hurt? Did the young Duke……”

“No, I’m not hurt, I just accidentally got a bruise on my arm.”

Toward Khalid’s interrogation, Renato unknowingly hid his left arm behind his back. But that didn’t escape Khalid’s eyes.

“Excuse me for a bit.”

“Ah.”

Without having time to do anything, his wrist was caught and his sleeve was rolled up. His sleeping gown was looser than other clothes, so just by holding his arm and slightly lifting the sleeve, his wrist was clearly exposed.

“What is this……”

Khalid couldn’t say anything when seeing a black bruise on the inside of Renato’s elbow. Because of the wound that seemed unusual with just a glance, the man’s straight forehead frowned, and his eyes became stiff.