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Anastasia immediately instructed the ladies of the palace to stand by Louis’ bedside as a night watch.
If there was a strange person hanging around the prince, isolate him immediately and report to her. Likewise, if Fontaine finds the Prince, report her immediately.”
The ladies of the Imperial Palace seemed to be surprised by Anastasia’s sudden order, but they agreed without complaining.
Then what Anastasia did was to send a telegram to Wilhelm, who left for the inspection.
She wrote down everything she heard from Louis and asked him for his opinion.
‘I’d like to make her pay for it right away, but…’
She couldn’t move recklessly.
Fortunately, the reply arrived quickly.
– Empress, I received your letter safely.
I’m so shocked that such a terrible thing happened to Louis. How on earth did she break into the room of the heavily guarded Prince.
I understand your anger now, but I’m against punishing Lady Fontaine.
The only evidence that she threatened Louis is Louis’ testimony, but it’s not confirmed how she broke into the Prince’s room, so she can manipulate the alibi and work it to her advantage.
Even considering that Louis is a Prince but a child, the testimony is not credible.
Maybe you’re driving the kid to give false testimony. We might get such an opinion.
So I understand your anger, but let’s just put this matter aside for now.
She was sorry, but he was right.
As Anastasia read Wilhelm’s reply, her excitement seemed to have finally subsided.
‘Yeah, it’s dangerous to move quickly now.’
Perhaps, the Fontaine family may move public opinion by spreading rumors that he has plotted a self-made play to alienate the Fontaine family and Louis.
‘Let’s move on.’
But she wasn’t asking further, just following what he said. Whenever the opportunity arises, she intended to expose them immediately and punish them.
~~~~
After that, Anastasia somehow managed to find time to show her face frequently in the Imperial Palace.
She felt compelled to calm Louis after going through a horrific event, and no matter how much he had been brainwashed by Olivia, she felt guilty about not giving Louis perfect affection without any doubt.
“Yeah, was there anyone suspicious?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I don’t know if it’s because of the vigil, but I didn’t see a single ant around His Majesty the Prince.”
“Thank you. Please continue to watch him.”
Not only did she keep her maids vigilant, but also increased the number of soldiers escorting the Prince.
Thanks to Anastasia’s efforts, Louis quickly regained her original state.
“I have something to give you.”
One day, Louis confessed to Anastasia with a shy face. Anastasia asked with a curious look.
“What?”
“Close your eyes for a second.”
Anastasia gladly did so.
After a while, a sound of dragging was heard, and Anastasia wondered what kind of gift it was with her pounding heart.
“Now, you can open your eyes.”
At the same time as she opened her eyes with her expectation at those words, Anastasia let out her exclamation.
“Oh my gosh!”
At last, it was a portrait of herself that Louis promised to paint!
It was a portrait painted according to Louis’ personality by making good use of her own characteristics, rather than a perfect resemblance to her real life like her picture.
As Anastasia grinned heartily and couldn’t take her eyes off her painting on the easel, Louis asked cautiously.
“Do you like it? If you don’t like it…”
“I love it!”
Anastasia couldn’t control her joy and hugged Louis.
Louis looked puzzled at the sudden hug, but he didn’t refuse it.
“Thank you very much, Louis. It’s the best gift.”
“Do you really like it?”
“Of course. I’ll have to tell them to take it to the Empress’ Palace right away and hang it up. I’m going to brag to everyone that Louis drew it for me!”
Louis smiled with a relieved expression as he felt a genuine sincerity in her excited voice.
It’s because he was quite nervous that Anastasia might not like it.
“How did you draw it so well? Louis is definitely a genius.”
“Oh, no, I’m not. What genius…”
“Thank you very much for the present, Louis. I want to give you something in return.”
“It’s alright.”
Louis answered in a low voice.
“You already gave it to me.”
“Me? Uh… What did I give you?”
“…”
Louis hesitated for a moment before confessing.
“Thank you for loving me.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as soon as she heard that.
Of course, it’s because she didn’t expect to hear it.
Anastasia was stiff for a moment and couldn’t say anything.
But the moment she saw Louis’ sincere eyes, she hugged the child tightly without thinking about anything else.
“Thank you for accepting my love.”
Louis looked a little unconscious of the words, but Anastasia was truly grateful for it.
How much effort did she put in to make Louis feel this way for her.
From precious gifts to touching words. I felt like I was being rewarded for all my hard work today.
“Louis, actually I have to go to Asterim in a few days.”
It was to check the progress of school construction.
“The Emperor has not yet returned to the palace, so Louis will be left alone in the Imperial Palace, which is a bit of a concern.”
She had no idea what kind of magic Olivia and the Fontaine family would use against Louis, taking advantage of his lack of confidence.
‘I want to wait for Wilhelm to come, but…’
After that, the schedule was packed full, so she didn’t have time for anything other than that.
“So, if it’s okay with you, would you like to come with me?”
“Okay.”
As soon as the answer came, Anastasia, who was nervous inside, asked again with a surprised expression.
“Ah… …Are you really okay?”
“Yes!”
Louis replied brightly.
“It’s like going on a picnic.”
At that, Anastasia smiled and nodded her head.
“There is a beautiful lake in Asterim. Let’s go on a picnic there after work.”
~~~~
Then a few days later, Anastasia and Louis got into the carriage to Asterim.
Louis rode in the same carriage as Countess Fiagel, and Anastasia reviewed the documents she had to see while riding alone.
But while the carriage stopped for a short break, Louis came to Anastasia’s carriage.
“Oh, Louis.”
“Can I go with the Empress?”
“With me?”
For a moment, Anastasia blurted out the end of her words in an embarrassed voice.
“Well, I have a document to look at…”
The reason why she picked the same carriage for him as the nanny was because she was worried that the child would be bored.
“It’s alright. I won’t ask you to play with me.”
But Louis shook his head as if it didn’t matter.
“I still want to be here.”
Anastasia had a hunch at the words.
‘Ah, I’m tired of looking at the documents now.’
She decided to do the documents later, even if she stayed up all night, and decided to play with Louis.
Anastasia smiled brightly and said to Louis.
“No. I changed my mind. I’m going to play with Louis right now.”
“Is that okay?”
“Yes, come over here and let’s…”
And at that moment, the horse made a loud cry and trembled.
As a result, the carriage shook violently, and Louis, who was standing, fell to the side of Anastasia.
Anastasia quickly took Louis, hugged him and asked.
“Louis! Are you okay?”
“Yes, Empress. But why all of a sudden…”
While Louis was bewildered, the horse, which had apparently stopped, suddenly began to run.
When the carriage started while the coachman had not yet ridden, Anastasia and Louis, as well as the rest of the group, were startled and instantly froze like ice.
“Your Majesty the Empress!”
Belatedly, Anastasia’s escorts pursued Anastasia’s carriage, but the horse ran too fast to catch up.
“Your Majesty, I’m afraid…”
“It’s okay. It’s okay, Louis.”
Anastasia hugged Louis tightly and comforted him, but the situation was so dangerous that it felt like empty words.
Anastasia opened the window connected to the coach’s seat with her one arm, not holding Louis.
As it ran at high speed, the heavy wind swept through Anastasia’s face.
‘The horse is running like crazy…’
At that moment, a terrible hypothesis flashed through Anastasia’s mind.
‘Maybe Olivia…!’
The situation was too similar to the death of the former Emperor and his wife to say no.
Anastasia trembled with explosive anger with an astonished look, but this was not the time to do this.
“Louis, hold onto this for a second.”
Anastasia then pulled her body out as far as she could through the window connected to her carriage seat.
‘You can stop the carriage by just removing the iron ring that the carriage and horse are attached to.’
But the wagon was running too fast for her to do it calmly, and the chain between the wagon and the horse was so tight that she couldn’t untie it.
“Ah…!”
At that moment, a cliff appeared in front of Anastasia’s eyes.
Anastasia bit her lip with a despairing look before she returned back into the carriage and hugged Louis, trembling with fear.
“Your Majesty the Empress…?”
Anastasia smiled, raising the corners of her trembling mouth toward Louis who was staring at her with a puzzled expression.
Even if she died… … he had to live.
‘A life that was created as a bonus anyway…’
If only this child could be saved, it would have been fine.
Anastasia struggled to hold back her tears, and hugged Louis as if she was covering him.
This child had to be safe. This kid…
“Louis.”
Anastasia’s will left in a trembling voice.
“I love you. I loved you so much.”
And that was also the sincerity that had not conveyed to Wilhelm.
Anastasia, who was nearing the end, calmly closed her eyes.
And the moment the wagon was about to crash into a cliff…!
Slice!
She heard the chain breaking with a strong force. Anastasia looked up in surprise.
“Your Majesty…”
Wilhelm’s blade, who was riding on a horse, shattered the chain and it scattered.
As a result, the runaway horse fell alone under the cliff, but the carriage continued to run toward the cliff due to inertia. Wilhelm tried to stop the carriage, but it was not enough.
“Ah…”
Then at one point, the front wheel of the carriage was caught on a cliff and tilted forward.
“Anastasia!”
With the cry from a startled Wilhelm, the carriage fell straight down the cliff.