Chapter 62
One of the aides said:
“But we can’t exactly ask His Majesty the Emperor to confirm this, can we?”
That was true. The Emperor was still in a coma.
Plus, Asel was only five years old when the incident happened.
He didn’t know anything, and the Empress’s closest attendants had already passed away over time.
“So even if the Empress is alive… there’s no way to find her?”
“Well…”
“It’s possible.”
While the others hesitated, a sharp answer came from Pell, the efficiency-focused aide.
“There’s one survivor.”
Pell handed over a document.
It was about the former commander of the Imperial Knights—Count Bellua—who had been dismissed the day the Empress disappeared.
Viscount Mueller spoke up to object.
“Count Bellua wasn’t removed for failing to protect the Empress. He was criticized by both factions and went back to his land. He’s lived quietly ever since. We found nothing suspicious—so he’s probably not involved…”
At that moment, a divine message appeared to me:
“A major clue related to the missing person has been discovered.”
“You’ve reached a turning point that can change the future.”
“You’ve gained a chance to shift history.”
“Curse reduction calculated based on contribution.”
“Curse of Forgetting reduced by 64%.”
This wasn’t just a lead—this was destiny knocking.
“No, Count Bellua knows something.”
And I was sure of one thing:
‘The Empress is alive.’
* * *
I worked with the administrative staff to compile all the information.
After hours, we finally created a report strong enough to show Asel.
This was no longer wishful thinking—it had real data, clues, and logic.
Asel read through the report in silence.
Only the sound of pages turning filled the quiet room.
Eventually, he looked up and asked:
“Is what’s written in this report true?”
“Yes.”
His reaction was similar to mine earlier.
“…So Her Majesty is still alive.”
His voice wavered slightly.
He referred to her not as “Mother” but formally—“My Lady Mother.” That’s how distant she felt to him.
He hadn’t seen her since he was very young.
Even so, his voice cracked a little, and his breathing grew shallow.
His aides went silent.
They knew this might emotionally shake him—he wasn’t a ruler in this moment.
He was just a son, discovering a piece of a lost past.
“There’s a strong chance, but…”
“No. She’s definitely alive.”
I knew this was the time to speak clearly.
Angel frowned and stood up, glaring.
“Are you ready to take responsibility for what you’re saying, Lady Laura?”
“You think His Highness hasn’t searched for her? He did—desperately. He gave up only when there was absolutely no sign!”
But then—
“No.”
Asel raised a hand to stop him.
“I believe in Laura.”
He looked at me.
“She’s not someone who’d make reckless claims. I trust she has reasoned this out.”
He believed in me—not just as a person, but as someone who could create miracles and stay steady in a crisis.
“She has always been my salvation.”
He ran his hand over the report.
It felt like a trace of his mother was truly there.
“Honestly… I’m happy. I never thought I’d find anything like this. I thought I’d only have childhood memories of her until I died…”
“But now, because of all of you, I have hope that she might still be alive.”
He met the eyes of each aide, acknowledging their efforts.
Some even got teary-eyed.
Then, turning to me:
“But… I’m scared too.”
“If she’s been alive all this time… why didn’t she come back? Not even one letter?”
Maybe back then, she stayed hidden to protect him—afraid of Marquess Lewaze and the former Empress.
But now, that danger had passed.
And yet, she still hadn’t returned.
“Could she already be gone?”
“Or maybe… she just doesn’t want to see me.”
“Maybe she hated the Emperor for not protecting her and started a new life without us.”
So many possible answers—hidden in one long silence.
Asel didn’t know which one was the truth, and that frightened him.
He gave a bitter smile.
“Haha… I thought I was grown up. But I guess there’s still a five-year-old in my head.”
He didn’t look like a ruler anymore.
He looked like a child—lost and aching.
I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
He had always seemed so strong and self-sufficient.
But now, he looked vulnerable.
“Your Highness.”
Asel reached out his hand.
“Will you come with me?”
Not long ago, I had rejected his confession.
Logically, I should have said no.
But this wasn’t about romance.
This was a cry for help from someone who had never asked before.
…I couldn’t ignore that.
“If I can be of help…”
“You always are.”
He smiled.
“You’ve always been my salvation.”
Mueller noticed a book lying on Asel’s desk—something very out of place.
Not a report, not a military file.
“101 Ways to Win Her Heart.”
He casually skimmed a page:
“If you’ve always shown strength, show a little weakness. An unexpected gap can be charming too.”
Mueller looked up at Asel and Laura.
Asel was gently holding her hand.
Laura hadn’t looked away once.
Mueller thought to himself:
‘Wow… His Highness really knows what he’s doing.’
And also:
‘Princess Luigi probably doesn’t need to worry after all.’
There was no urgent work to keep them in the palace.
So, Asel and I left—hiding our identities under deep hoods.
We were going to find the man who might know where the Empress had gone.
Of course, Angel followed as a bodyguard—because even in disguise, Asel was still the Crown Prince.
After several days of travel, our carriage reached Count Bellua’s estate in the far western region.
“We’re almost there, Your Highness.”
“All right. Let’s get ready.”
Asel adjusted his outfit.
This was the end point of the escape route Laura had tracked.
Maybe his mother had gone through here and fled the Empire.
Or maybe… she was still nearby.
I checked my appearance, too.
Then suddenly—
The carriage came to a stop.
