TVIQ 16

Chapter 16

“You are correct. The Empire wants something from you—something we desperately desire more than anything else.”

Cled placed two pieces of paper in front of Aine.

Without hesitation, Aine picked up one of the papers and began reading.

“You have a subordinate whose loyalty is almost enviable.”

The paper in her hand was a threatening letter that Mary, the Deputy Commander, had sent to Cled.

Aine gave a bitter smile before picking up the other paper.

This time, the paper felt different from the moment she touched it. The letter was made of gold and had even been sprayed with an expensive perfume.

After reading the elegant handwriting and the various flowery expressions that concealed the true meaning of the letter, Aine stared at Cled as if seeking confirmation that its contents were genuine.

“It says exactly what it says. His Majesty the Emperor wishes to meet with you.”

Cled gave Aine the answer she wanted.

The Emperor of the Empire wished to meet and speak with her.

“The Kingdom won’t attack us for the time being.”

Aine nodded as Cled pointed to the letter Mary had sent.

It was more than a simple threat. The letter clearly implied that the Kingdom would not launch an offensive against them for the time being.

“Then why don’t you leave tomorrow?”

Cled immediately made the suggestion, seeing no reason to hesitate. Aine, too, wanted to negotiate directly with the Emperor rather than waste any more time here.

She was about to leave immediately, but there was one thing holding her back.

“What happened to the child who came with me?”

Aine had been able to see Mane’s condition with her own eyes, but she still had not been able to check on Wilhelm.

Until she knew what condition Wilhelm was in, it was difficult for her to give Cled an answer.

“What should I call the child?”

“Please call him Wilhelm.”

“Wilhelm. What a wonderful name.”

Unlike before, Cled did not answer immediately.

He paused for a moment.

“Get up. It may be faster if you see for yourself.”

Following Cled, Aine began walking.

The farther they went, the quieter, darker, and more deserted their surroundings became.

“Wilhelm is being treated in a special ward.”

“A special ward?”

“After all, the poison that child was afflicted with is not an ordinary one.”

Cled had already figured out what kind of poison Wilhelm had been exposed to.

Aine was trying to decide how to explain it, but Cled spoke first.

“There are more than a few things I’m curious about.”

He preferred speaking directly rather than beating around the bush, and this time was no different.

How had that child ended up being poisoned in the first place? Why had Aine brought such a child to the Empire? And who exactly was that child?

He asked Aine countless questions without holding anything back.

“I can’t explain until you meet him yourself.”

“Then I suppose I’ll have to wait.”

Until she met Wilhelm, however, Aine could not answer each of his questions.

“Wilhelm is beyond this door.”

As soon as they arrived, Aine immediately opened the door to check Wilhelm’s condition.

Fortunately, she had no trouble finding him.

There was no one else in the special ward besides Wilhelm.

Just as when she had last seen him, Wilhelm remained unconscious.

But there was one obvious difference.

‘He doesn’t have a fever.’

Nor was he suffering or groaning in pain.

To an outside observer, he almost looked completely healed.

But the system window floating above Wilhelm clearly said otherwise.

<Wilhelm’s Condition>

[SYSTEM] Unconscious

He is currently poisoned by Eternal Nightmare.

He had not yet been completely cured.

“What is Wilhelm’s condition?”

After checking the system window, Aine asked Cled about Wilhelm’s condition.

“He has barely made it past the brink of death. If we had found him even one day later, he would certainly have gone to be with the gods.”

He had made it past the brink of death.

Hearing those words, Aine almost lost the strength in her legs for a moment, but it was still too early for her to feel relieved.

His explanation did not completely describe Wilhelm’s condition, so Aine continued waiting for Cled to answer.

“For now, all we’ve managed to do is keep him alive. At this point, the best we can do is prevent him from continuing to suffer from the nightmares.”

Aine recalled what kind of poison Eternal Nightmare was.

A poison that drove people to their deaths through nightmares.

It was horrifying just to hear about.

Even an adult would have difficulty enduring eternal nightmares, so how long could a five-year-old child possibly survive them?

“He’s done well to survive this long.”

Aine tightly held Wilhelm’s tiny hand.

At least because he had refused to give up and had endured until the very end, he no longer had to suffer from the nightmares.

There was still hope.

“If we go to the Imperial Palace, will he be able to wake up completely?”

The only problem remaining was whether Wilhelm would actually wake up.

Cled fell into thought upon hearing her question.

The process of detoxifying Eternal Nightmare was extremely difficult, with a high probability of failure.

The possibility of a complete recovery also depended on how quickly the victim received treatment after ingesting the poison.

That was why all the military physicians had told him the same thing after examining Wilhelm.

A complete recovery was unlikely, and even if he woke up, his prognosis would not be good.

‘He might never wake up.’

Cled’s thoughts were not much different from those of the military physicians.

No—perhaps even waking up would be impossible.

Most of the people he had seen who suffered from this poison had closed their eyes forever.

Cled, a man who completely shut out his emotions, intended to tell Aine the truth.

He knew better than anyone that there was nothing more cruel than giving someone false hope.

“If we go to the Imperial Palace, he’ll definitely get better.”

But when Cled saw tears flowing from the corners of Aine’s eyes for the first time, he was rendered speechless.

Holding Wilhelm’s hand tightly, Aine spoke earnestly.

She told herself that Wilhelm could get better if they went to the Imperial Palace.

Seeing Aine like this, Cled fell into thought.

‘She is the enemy commander.’

Until only a few days ago, they had been enemies trying to take each other’s lives.

Since killing the other was the only way to secure victory for their respective countries, Cled had spent every waking moment—from the instant he opened his eyes at dawn until he collapsed into sleep at night—thinking about how he could kill Aine.

She was a dangerous woman, but he respected her in her own way.

She was the only woman who had consistently slipped effortlessly through his meticulously crafted plans, and the only woman who had even tried to kill him.

‘But this side of her…’

Perhaps it was because he had witnessed the vulnerable side of someone he had always believed to be one of the strongest people on the continent.

Cled was genuinely shocked.

“If we go to the Imperial Palace, I can’t say for certain what will happen.”

He swallowed the words he had been about to say.

Then, at the same time, he said things that were unlike him.

“There are renowned Imperial physicians there, as well as miraculous medicines. Perhaps Eternal Nightmare can be treated there.”

The odds were extremely low, but he was not lying to her.

It truly was not completely impossible.

After all, he himself had once been poisoned by Eternal Nightmare and nearly died from it.

‘If this child is as lucky as I was, he might survive as well.’

He looked at Wilhelm, who was sleeping peacefully on the bed.

‘Still, considering everything up to this point, the boy does seem rather lucky.’

After all, the person protecting that child was none other than Aine Kleine herself.

‘Now I understand who he takes after. That child is definitely…’

After hearing Cled’s answer, Aine had no reason to hesitate.

A carriage was prepared immediately, and she decided to head to the Imperial Palace.

“You could receive a little more treatment before leaving.”

“How could I leave the Commander alone there? And my wound isn’t very deep, so you don’t have to worry about me.”

“If that’s the case, I suppose I can’t stop you.”

Worried about Mane’s injury, Aine had suggested that she remain in Brontfort or rejoin the main army where Mary was stationed.

But Mane rejected both options.

She insisted that she would stay by Aine’s side until the very end and strongly argued that she should accompany her.

Aine reluctantly agreed when Mane pointed out that she might be needed to check on Wilhelm’s condition.

While they were talking, Cled appeared and extended his hand toward Aine.

“Everything is ready, so let’s depart.”

“Commander, I’ll see you later.”

Before Aine could say anything, Mane was helped by another soldier and climbed into a different carriage.

Now alone with Cled, Aine looked at his outstretched hand.

She hesitated for a moment before taking it.