: An Accident

  "Csille, are you alright? You seem a bit troubled," Rufus says, snapping his fingers to get my attention.

We're practicing archery today, with Rufus taking on the role of instructor, a task my father approved since Rufus is renowned for his exceptional archery skills.

I set down the bow and arrow, leaning against the table. "I'm bothered. I couldn't shake off my worry for the Crown Prince. I admit to Rufus. I don't share the details of the King's command to my father, as I prefer to keep that information limited to only a few trusted individuals. Nevertheless, my worry for the crown prince's safety is genuine.

   Rufus sets aside his bow and arrow, joining me. "We're all concerned about him. But try not to fret too much. The King won't allow any harm to come to the future heir to the throne."

I simply sigh and gaze up at the sky, silently praying for the safety of my father and Crown Prince Fraser.

   "So, how's the Count? I heard his condition has worsened."

My father deliberately spread rumors about his fake contagious illness. It was a ruse to throw off any suspicions that he would be traveling to the western region. Coincidentally, there had been reports of an illness spreading throughout the Vrawyth Kingdom, mostly affecting those from distant regions on the outskirts of the Kingdom.

   "It's true. His condition is worsening," I confirm, drawing the bowstring taut as I aim at the target. "Mother decided to take my father to a town on the outskirts of the Kingdom to prevent any potential spread of infection in the city."

Releasing the string, the arrow finds its mark, hitting the red target dead center. Bullseye!

   Rufus tousles my hair affectionately and offers a reassuring smile. "You're improving quickly. I didn't realize you were such a fast learner." Taking the bow from my hand, he gently turns my attention towards him. "You shouldn't worry. The Count is very healthy. A mere illness won't be enough to take him down. So, try not to worry too much, alright? Everything will turn out fine." His words of encouragement soothe my concerns.

   I glance at Rufus with a sad smile. "I'm confident my father will pull through, but that's not my only worry. With him away, who will lead the Lauretré family? If the other nobles perceive our vulnerability, it's likely to shake the balance among the nobility. I simply hope my mother won't be adversely affected by this. She's already struggling to maintain stability in our household. I fear she may not be able to handle this additional burden." I lower my head, hoping everything will turn out alright.

  "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you. If I need to use my title or the Duke's title, I won't hesitate to do so. If that's the only way to protect you and your family, I'll do it. So, don't worry, okay? I promised the Count that I'll take care of you if anything happens." Rufus hugs me and gently runs his fingers through my hair.

    I'm hopeful that things will work out in the end. While my father's illness is fake, my main worry lies with his upcoming trip to the western region to ensure the safety of the crown prince.

     Please, protect my father. Please, protect the crown prince. I silently prayed.

__________

I'm deeply immersed in reading strategic books when a maid unexpectedly enters my room. My eyes immediately sharpens upon her arrival. I am not able to control my body again. "Didn't I tell you not to disturb me while I'm reading?" I snap at her in frustration.

   The maid bows her head and kneels in front of me. "Miss, I have bad news for you. The Countess has been in an accident-"

   My body immediately rises from the seat, interrupting her. "What do you mean? Mother?" I find myself striding towards her, my hands reaching out to grasp both her shoulders. With her still kneeling, it's easy for me to do so. "What happened to my mother?"

The maid cried, likely due to the tightness of my grip. Though I'm only nine years old, my hands have strengthened from my archery training.

In this moment, it's the real Csille who's taking control of my body, and I can feel her pain radiating through me.

"The guard reported that the Countess was in a carriage accident. The horse became uncontrollable, darting into a nearby forest. The carriage collided with a tree, resulting in the Countess sustaining broken bones. She is now receiving treatment at the Holycross Hospital."

Upon hearing her explanation, I immediately rose to my feet and instructed the butler to prepare a carriage. We needed to visit my mother at the Holycross Hospital.

After half an hour, we arrived at the Holycross hospital. I head first inside the hospital since they still need to look for a spot in the parking lot. I walked towards the front desk and tried to ask the nurse stationed in it, but they just ignored me. It's like they do not see me at all. I smack the front desk with my hand and shouts at them. "I AM CSILLE LAURETRÉ! THE HEIRESS OF THE LAURETRÉ FAMILY AND YOU ALL DARE TO IGNORE ME? I WILL ASK YOU AGAIN, WHERE IS MY MOTHER? WHERE IS THE COUNTESS?"

The hospital hall fell silent, and the nurses paused their tasks to look at me. Enraged, my eyes glared at anyone who met my gaze. I find my breathing quickened as I struggled to suppress my anger.

As my mouth is poised to shout again, someone emerges from the other end of the hallway. The nurses bow their heads and greet the person who approaches me. I raise my eyebrows at him. "Who are you?"

   The man smiles at me and pats my head. "Csille, it's been a long time since I saw you. You've grown up so fast. I almost didn't recognize you." He kneels on one knee and stares at me.

   The man appears to be in his mid-twenties. He's dressed in a white coat, with a stethoscope hanging around his neck.

"Do you not remember me?" He gives me an amused look, as if my question is something unbelievable.

The butler, who arrived with me, hurried towards us. "Miss, we've found a spot. I came looking for you when I heard you shouting. Is everything all right?" he asks, his concern evident. His gaze shifts to the man kneeling in front of me. "Master Pascal!" He's taken aback upon realizing who the person is.

"Master Pascal?" I look at the butler signaling him to explain who he is.

"Miss, you might not recall Master Pascal since you were quite young when those events transpired. However, the gentleman before you is your sole cousin. The son of the late Count Lenard Lauretré. His mother passed away during childbirth, and his father died in a war against the Aeslaerean Kingdom. Master Pascal chose to relinquish his inheritance to Count Waltier and pursue a career as a doctor."

I turned to Brother Pascal and smiled warmly. Without hesitation, I find myself hugging him tightly, tears streaming down my cheeks. Brother Pascal lifted me gently and patted my back, offering silent comfort as I let out my emotions.

"Shh, it's okay. Don't cry," Brother Pascal comforted me, before directing the butler to join us.

He then glance at the nurse nearby. "Nurse Tanya, please ensure that those nurses who ignored the daughter of the Countess are reprimanded. It's unacceptable conduct in our hospital, especially towards Lady Lauretré." After receiving acknowledgment from the nurse, Brother Pascal led us down a corridor, cradling me as I continued to shed tears.

He enters a room and sets me down on a chair, his gaze gentle as he pats my head. Why do people always feel the need to pat my head?

"Do you feel better now?" He reaches for a bottle of water on his table and extends it towards me. "Would you like some water?"

I found myself nodding and accepted the water bottle from him, drinking it slowly. Once I finished, he spoke to me. "I heard about what happened to the Countess. Don't worry, I personally attended to her, and she's currently resting. Everything's going to be alright, okay? She's stable now."

I felt relieved upon hearing his reassurance. "Thank you, brother."

"Anyways, how are you holding up? I heard about the recent events concerning the Lauretré family. How are you coping with it?"

Tears began to flow, and I embraced him tightly. "Brother," I sobbed. It's probably the real Csille in me crying, but at the same time I can feel her pain. It's been two weeks since the Count traveled to the western region, and since then, there's been turmoil in the Lauretré family. Nobles have been harassing our household staff and guards. Whenever I step outside, noble children attempt to provoke me.

    After a minute of crying, I wiped away my tears and pulled away from the hug. "Do you feel better now?" I asked, trying to compose myself.

I nodded in response.

He settled on the floor, meeting my gaze. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when things started to get messy in the Lauretré family. But I'm here now. Don't worry, I'll protect you from now on." He then turned to the butler standing nearby. "Any updates on the Count's health?"

The butler shook his head. "I'm sorry, Master Pascal, but the Count ordered the maids and guards who accompanied him to return to the residence. He said he wanted to be alone and didn't want to risk infecting anyone."

"Where is he staying? I could visit him."

My hand instantly holds Brother Pascal's arms. "Brother, can I see my mother now? I'm worried about her."

Brother Pascal looks at me and lifts me up. "Of course, I'll take you to see your mother."

I glance at the butler, and we both exhale silently, relieved. Brother Pascal leads us into a room, and I spot my mother lying on the bed. Her face lights up with a smile as she sees us enter.

"You've already met. I'm glad you two are getting along," she remarks, gesturing for Brother Pascal to set me down. Without hesitation, I rush over to my mother's side.

   "Mother, are you okay? I was so worried when the maids told me about the accident. What happened?" I climb up onto her bed and wrap my arms around her.

She returns the embrace, patting my head gently. "I'm fine, dear. Brother Pascal has probably already told you about what happened, so there's no need to worry, okay?"

I nodded and rested my head against her arm. Though I knew it was the real Csille inhabiting my body at that moment, I couldn't help but empathize with her emotions.

"Countess-" Brother Pascal says, but my mother interrupts him.

"It's Aunt, Pascal. You're a Lauretré too. You don't need to follow the titles." My mother raises her hand and gestures for Brother Pascal to sit on the visiting chair.

"Aunt, I don't think it's a simple accident," Brother Pascal muttered.

My mother stops combing my hair. "What do you mean by that?"

   I look up at my mother and then at Brother Pascal. He glances at our butler. The butler retrieves a piece of paper from inside his suit and hands it to my mother. "Countess, these are the pieces of evidence that someone might be plotting something against you."

   Mother takes the paper and examines it closely. There are photographs showing the horse's leg with bite marks, clearly from a snake. Flipping to the next page reveals a scene where the horse is just beginning to go berserk. Subsequent pages show photographs taken before the incident, capturing two individuals, one of whom is holding a snake. They were observed lingering at the scene for two hours, with timestamps on each image. The final photos provide evidence that these individuals intentionally released the snake upon seeing our family's carriage.

   With a trembling voice, my mom asked Brother Pascal, "Who would do this?'" My mother is inherently kind-hearted, always seeing the best in people she encounters. It might difficult for her to fathom that anyone would dare to harm her.

  "As of now, we are still uncertain. However, we have already submitted this evidence to the court. His Majesty even discussed this matter with court officials and promised to ensure justice for you." Brother Pascal moves closer to my mother's bed. "Aunt, you should have informed me. If not for this incident, I wouldn't even know what's happening to you and my cousin."

   My mother grasps Brother Pascal's hand. "Pascal, you chose to pursue a life as a doctor. As your aunt, how could I dare to disrupt your peaceful life?"

   Many might romanticize the life of nobility, but they often overlook its negative side. The Lauretré family's longstanding status as the highest-ranking noble lineage for over a century makes it a prime target for those seeking to weaken and destabilize its power and influence.

   Brother Pascal shakes his head. "Aunt, you, the Count, and Csille are my only family. Of course, I would temporarily give up my life for your safety. I could even totally give up on this if something happens. Although I know the Count will come back safe and healthy."

  My mother gently pats brother Pascal's head. "Thank you, Pascal. Your presence makes everything better."

Brother Pascal offered a warm smile before engaging in a discussion with my mother regarding the current circumstances surrounding the Lauretré family within the nobility. After their conversation, Brother Pascal bid us goodbye, assuring that he would remain by our side once my mother was discharged from the hospital.

    Who is Pascal Lauretré? I racked my brain, but I couldn't recall creating such a character in the original version of the novel. And in the revised edition, I never even considered introducing a cousin for Csille. So how did he come into existence? Could it be due to gaps in the timeline, or perhaps because I didn't delve deeply enough into Csille's backstory? Despite my confusion, I can't shake the feeling that Brother Pascal isn't a negative addition to the story. In fact, I feel a unique bond with him.