“The Emperor’s Regret”

“Father! Don’t say that! You will live a long live with me!”

Cathain spoke but Emperor Valerian just looked at him with a smile.

“Everyone except Duke Dalton and the crown princess go out.”

Eleanora’s eyes widened in surprise. What does the emperor want to say that he needs everyone except them go out, as well the crown prince?

Cathain was reluctant to go but he had no choice other then going out. It was the emperor’s order so no one could deny it and had to go out.

Eleanora felt heartbroken when she saw the emperor’s lifeless red eyes. Tears pricked her eyes when she saw him trying to cling on to life to the last minute.

historical

Unlike the old him, who kept a certain distance to preserve dignity as a ruler, he treated Duke Dalton as his close friend even if he was older then the duke, which made her heart ache all the more.

After that, The elderly man, who was leaning against several pillows, smiled faintly and spoke.

“Lady Dalton, I’m so glad you are well and safe.”

.....

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I’m so sorry... the crown prince is hurt because of me.”

“Don’t blame yourself. It’s what he should do and you also saved him. So, focus on yourself from now on. It’s a pity that i won’t be able to see you growing up.”

“Don’t say that, Your majesty! You will live long.”

Tears now dropped from Eleanora’s eyes. Wiping her tears, she spoke to the emperor whom she had always respected.

“If I may say, I also have always regarded you as my father. I will never forget your so many favors and benefits.”

Hearing Eleanora’s words, Emperor Valerian smiled.

“Sometimes, I was harsh on you, but I also always regarded you as my daughter. When you were a baby, I kept being worried about you. After I am gone, I feel you’re going to have great hardship... I should have held out until I resolved this matter, so I’m so sorry.”

Emperor Valerian was talking about her engagement with the crown prince which was hanging on a thread.

“You don’t have to say that... Everything will be fine.”

“I hope so...” spoke the emperor, getting his breath back.

“I know you are sick and tired of this story, but listen to me for the last time. So, are you still determined to be the successor of your family?”

“...”

Eleanora couldn’t speak. She herself was in a mess. She desperately wanted to run away from the crown prince but now she is having second thoughts.

She can’t deny that in some corner of her heart, the current Crown Prince has made a new space for him which is stopping her to break the engagement.

But she is also afraid of the history repeating itself.

Emperor Valerian also understood her concerns as he already knew what his foolish son had been doing for the past three years.

“It must be a very difficult choice. I didn’t say that because I am greedy. I still think the position most suitable for you is not the successor of your family, but the empress. I sincerely hope you can keep it in mind.”

“...”

“I don’t know why you desperately keep running away from the crown prince but i hope you will follow your heart and not regret your decisions.”

Eleanora still kept silent and finally spoke.

“I will keep that in my mind, Your Majesty.”

Emperor Valerian’s sick face lightened up as he heard Eleanora’s answer. Which meant she didn’t rejected the crown prince completely.

“Really? Thank you. Can I ask you a favor for the last time?”

“Please go ahead, Your Majesty.”

“Do you remember what I told you in the past? Even if you realize your dream...”

“Yes, I remember, Your Majesty. I will keep it.”

“I’m asking you again.”

“Yes. I swear i will keep it.”

Alexander wondered as what the emperor had asked Eleanora to do.

Eleanora had pledged to the emperor, when she had went to the palace to explain the Rua Kingdom’s negotiations to the emperor.

He told her that he would like to ask her a favor. He asked if she could stay beside the lonely crown prince even as a friend when she became the successor of her family as she wanted.

Maybe deep down in his heart, Emperor Valerian knew about the conspiracy of Duke Raven but could do nothing about it without any evidence.

When Eleanora shed tears, recalling their past memories at the time, the emperor smiled faintly and spoke.

“Finally, I give you a small gift. I hope it can be useful to you. Now, please leave the duke and me alone.”

“Pardon, Your Majesty? What do you mean...”

However, the emperor kept silent, with his eyes closed. He didn’t say anymore.

Eleanora rose from the seat. Now it was time to get out, Alexander smiled at her to not worry and wait for him.

Eleanora took one step then looked back, and again and again.

Her eyes were blurred as he gradually faded away from her eyes.

She felt like she was about to cry anytime soon, so she took one last look at the emperor, then went out the room.

‘It was all because of me. The emperor wasn’t attacked like this in our past life.

He was healthy. It all happened because i changed the past. The war i desperately wanted to stop will also happen.

I have become a complete mess now.’

...

After Eleanora left, the emperor’s bedroom become silent as none of them spoke.

As if it was too hard, emperor Valerian remained silent for a while, then continued as it was only Alexander and him left in the room.

“Duke, I truly believed and relied on you. Even without your oath of blood, I would have given you my full trust and confidence. Out of the total three dukes, I’ve always liked you most.”

“I am very grateful, Your Majesty. How can I repay your favor?”

“This is my request, Duke. Please help the crown prince build the empire that you and I dreamed about together in the past...Lend him your power.”

“Yes, I will, Your Majesty.”

Alexander replied solemnly as he remembered how the crown prince he would be helping now would turn into a puppet of Duke Raven and destroy not only the Dalton Duchy but also this whole empire.

“Thank you. Now I can feel a little relaxed.”

“Your Majesty.”

“Thanks to your daughter, I can say my last greetings to you.”

“Oh no, please don’t say that, Your Majesty.”

“Duke, you already know my condition. So, let’s not waste time. I don’t have so much time now.”

“What do you want me to do about them, Your Majesty?”

Alexander was talking about the Duke Raven and the other rebel parties.

“They must have been planning for a long time and they become successful into poisoning me even after the heavy security.

Am afraid what they would do once am not here anymore with him to guide and protect.”

Emperor Valerian was always worried about his son, who was rebellious.

The emperor purposesfully had to keep the crown prince at a distance so that no one would target the crown prince for the time being.

Thinking the crown prince is useful for them.

It also worsened the father-son’s relationship but the emperor didn’t wanted to lose his son after his wife.

His situation was similar to Alexander, when he had to keep distance to keep her safe after his wife died.

Sometimes Alexander thoughts what if they could protect them more firmly rather then push them away to keep them safe.

Would the ending be different for them, if they had grown in a healthy atmosphere with their father’s love and protection, knew how to love properly?

But it’s too late for it.

“I will protect him, Your Majesty.”

Alexander spoke with a firm voice. He doesn’t want anymore tragedy and only wants his daughter to live happily.

With the emperor being poisoned, he also knows that the emperor wouldn’t last long and Duke Raven would try to poison while misleading the crown prince for his own benefit.

If it happens, then there would be no way to prevent the past from repeating.

.....

“Alexander... sometimes i wonder, if i had let go of her, would she be more happy? She was so carefree and happy when she wasn’t in the palace.

I feel like a murderer who killed her for my own happiness.”

Emperor Valerian was talking about his wife, late Empress Catherina Valerian Valentino, who died right after the birth of the crown prince.

Catherina was actually a carefree princess of a small kingdom, who meet the emperor when he was thirty five years old.

At first, they had a long and deep relationship, as she thought he is also a prince of a small kingdom like hers.

Never she imagined him to turn out be the Emperor of the great Valentino Empire.

Despite everything, Catherina had fall harder for Valerian, so in the end, she choose to struggle and be with him.

There was many times when she wanted to give up but Valerian, who loved her dearly couldn’t let her go.

He was working day and night to bring down those nobles but, in the end, she couldn’t wait or fight those power hungry nobles anymore and died right after giving birth.

“I can’t say anything because i feel the same, Your Majesty.”

Alexander spoke as he also felt the same as the emperor and sighed.

His Duke is also the same as him, maybe this was why they both felt comfortable with each other because of the same kind of personality.

This is also why, he can trust his son and empire to Alexander.

“The crown prince isn’t heartless or cold like he looks... if you guide him correctly, am sure he will be a great ruler and cherish you daughter. I can see how much he loves your daughter.”

It wasn’t that Alexander didn’t knew this. He knew how much Cathain loved Eleanora even in the past.

But it’s also his love that turned out to be a poison for his daughter, which ended up killing her and destroying everything.

A tear drop left the emperor Valerian’s eyes and after staying silent for some moment, he spoke again as he closed his eyes.

“I really wanna see you again, My empress...”