Chapter 4 -- Nightmare (3)

Afterward, Athanasia's days settled into a routine. Her schedule consisted of eating, sleeping, eating, sleeping, and so on. She contemplated her new, lazy lifestyle. Because it was Athy's second time collapsing due to a magical rampage, people treated her with the utmost gentleness and care, as if she was a flower in a greenhouse.

The princess asked what happened with the ladies who'd been attending her picnic, after the incident. Apparently, Felix and Lily had taken care of them as well. Putting thoughts of the ladies aside, Athy worried about Jennette the most. The strange and powerful force had caused the girl to fall onto the ground. But according to Lily, the force had barely affected Jennette; the girl had managed to stand up rather quickly. They told her that Blackie also behaved well and rested in the garden.

Upon hearing the news, she felt an immense sense of relief. Athy knew that what happened hadn't been her fault, but she was glad that no one had been injured due to Blackie or herself. Still, it does seem a bit strange that Claude is simply letting Blackie be. Perhaps he doesn't know that my touching Blackie was the reason my magic exploded?

The princess stared at the ceiling. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Felix in a while. For the first few days, Felix had come to give her updates regarding Claude. But he'd been absent as of late. Once Claude had opened his eyes, Felix had left his place by Athy's side and returned to the emperor. She had ordered him to do it. Claude's condition didn't seem normal, so she believed at least one person he could trust should be by him at all times. Thus, Felix attended Claude every day, just as he had served him nine years ago.

Sometime later Felix came by to give Athy a quick update. Claude seemed to be regaining his health. He was no longer vomiting blood, and his complexion had improved a lot. The emperor had begun looking over the various documents that had piled up during the ten days he'd been asleep. People in the palace were relieved, thinking that everything was back to normal. The news made her feel relieved, as well.

I knew it. Claude isn't someone who would be brought to the brink of death because of something like that. I'm sure he jumped in because he knew he'd be able to block my magical explosion and more. Claude is someone who would be able to beat a bear with his bare hands! There's no way that a person like that would gamble his own life to save me. I mean… It's only logical that only someone who was utterly stupid would act that way, knowing it would put their lives in danger. Since when was Claude a self-sacrificing person?

It was precisely these sorts of thoughts that the princess had been obsessively repeating to herself. Regardless, Athanasia felt slightly irritated that the man who'd collapsed and been unconscious had begun to work without having taken any break.

He really doesn't know how to take care of his own body. Who does he think he is? The man of steel?

Despite her complaints, unease and doubt began to bloom within Athy.

Why is he not coming to see me, exactly? If he's well enough to take care of national affairs, couldn't he come to visit me in the Emerald Palace at least once? Doesn't he want to know if I'm hurting anywhere else? Or check up on how I've been after all that happened?

Of course, she couldn't help being bothered that Claude appeared not to have recognized her. Felix and Lily had, with great certainty, told her that Claude's memory was merely chaotic due to his having just woken up from a ten-day-long slumber. If that was the case, Athy wondered if the reason the emperor hadn't visited was that he was angry with her. Well, he has a right to be angry. The princess had no defense; she knew very well that Claude had gotten hurt because of her.

Then I can see him for myself. If this were like any other day, I would have simply sought him out first and gone to the Garnet Palace.

But for some reason, Athanasia was hesitant to see Claude. As she mulled over the possibility of going to visit him, a day passed by.