I Was Told to Drink Poison, So I Drank It - 39 - The Duty to Fulfill
When I asked, Prince Lawrence lifted his lashes.
Then, he fell silent as if thinking, lowering his gaze.
“To be honest, I don’t know. My father is a warlike man. If he sees a chance, I don’t think he would let it go.”
“I see…”
“But my older brother, who is supposed to take the throne, is gentle. He believes in working for the peace of the country instead of blindly trying to gain power.”
“Then—”
“But my father won’t grow old anytime soon. Vampires live long lives. I think he’ll still be active for another fifty years.”
“…………”
I fell silent again.
If they really are using the remains of a royal from the Arcana Empire as a catalyst for a barrier—
If the people of the Arcana Empire found out, they would be furious.
I would feel the same if the roles were reversed.
Prince Lawrence, as a vampire, had accepted it as something unavoidable.
But not everyone in the Arcana Empire may think the same way.
And still, I strongly feel that—this situation, where the dead are being disrespected—must be corrected.
While I was breathing heavily from the fever, Prince Lawrence called out to me.
“Sleep now, Chalize. I’m sorry. This wasn’t something we should’ve talked about now.”
I shook my head.
I’m glad I got to know this now.
“I’m going to the forest of Utis.”
“But… isn’t there a barrier in the forest of Utis that keeps vampires out?”
When I asked, Prince Lawrence gave a wry smile.
“Think of the underground traps, Chalize. There was a nerve poison on the tips of the spears, right?
Vampires don’t die from physical attacks, so the traps are designed to stop our movement like that.
But looking at it another way, it means those traps can’t kill me.
It’ll take time, but I think I can make it through the underground.”
“…But you’ll get hurt, right? That’s not okay.”
What came to mind was the image of Prince Lawrence, collapsed and covered in bl00d.
Seeing me stiffen, he tilted his head.
His silver hair swayed softly.
He looked straight at me, quietly.
“Why?”
“What do you mean, why?”
Even if you can’t die, you’ll still feel pain… pain that feels like dying, right?
Knowing that, why would you think I’d agree?
(No… that’s not it. What I should say now is…)
I lowered my lashes and let out a slow breath.
“I’ll go with you to explore underground. So please wait, Prince Lawrence.”
Noah will definitely take the throne.
He’ll lead the people, pull Henry off the throne, and become the king of Victoire himself.
He’s already chosen that path.
(I want… to see it happen.)
So at least, until then, I want him to wait.
With that feeling, I looked straight into his blue eyes.
Prince Lawrence furrowed his brows, narrowing his eyes.
With a troubled smile, or maybe a gentle one, he spoke kindly.
“Chalize, you should do what you must.”
I nodded to his words.
“Of course. As the former queen of Victoire, I will see what happens to this country. So…”
“In that time, I will also do my duty—as a prince of Arcana. So, shall we make a promise?”
“Huh? A promise?”
He suddenly said ‘promise,’ and I was caught off guard.
While I stared blankly, Prince Lawrence held out his pinky.
“In Victoire, you hook pinkies to make a promise, right? You taught me that.”
“…I don’t remember. And also, why are we suddenly making a promise?”
When I narrowed my eyes and glared at him for pushing the conversation forward on his own, Prince Lawrence smiled.
“I love how you’re serious, responsible, and try your best to fulfill your duties…
but still can’t bring yourself to be heartless.”
“Lo—”
The unexpected words made me blink again.
Before I could figure out what he meant, Prince Lawrence continued.
“Because you’re like that, I also thought… I should fulfill my duty—or rather, do what only I can do.
Because you’re trying hard, I want to try hard too.”
“That doesn’t—! Cough cough… Mmnh.”
As soon as I spoke, I started coughing.
I knew I was pushing myself too hard.
But even so, I couldn’t just say goodbye like this.
After clearing my throat once, I spoke to Prince Lawrence.
“I don’t get what you’re saying.”
“You’re sick. I should go now.”
“Will you listen to me?”
When I spoke a bit strongly out of frustration, Prince Lawrence made a troubled face.
“…Let’s talk next time. Behind the Zenefelder country house, there’s a field of pansies. Let’s meet there.”
He wrapped his pinky around mine. Even though we didn’t make a promise.
Our pinkies were tied together.
“Wa—”
Noticing that he was about to end the conversation, I raised my voice without thinking.
But right after that—
A strong wind blew from somewhere. I closed my eyes against the gust.
When I opened them again, he was gone.
“…………”
In his place, a white butterfly was fluttering softly in the room. Each time it flapped its wings, its scales sparkled like light.
That butterfly—without hitting the locked window glass—
vanished, as if it had been absorbed into the air beyond.
(That butterfly…)
I thought for a moment.
But there’s no point thinking about someone who’s already gone.
Leaving without saying everything he meant to say… That hasn’t changed at all.
Thinking that, I suddenly had a strange feeling.
(Hasn’t changed…?)
Something felt wrong. It made my chest feel uneasy. Before I could follow that uncomfortable feeling—
I collapsed onto the bed.
…I had reached my limit. I couldn’t keep pushing myself anymore.