Dangerous Fiancee

Chapter 46

This was the Empress's bedroom.

"Karl!"

Although her voice sounded tired, she called Eckart's pet name with a clear voice.

Her empty eyes, which didn't have any emotions, reflected his blue eyes, which was of the same color as her own.

"I'm sorry, Karl."

Empress Blair pulled her son's arm and embraced him. Kneeling in front of her bed, he touched his cheek against her swollen cheekbone and closed his eyes.

It was a damn dream again.

Although he knew he was dreaming, he did not wake up. This nightmare always ended when it ran its course. No matter what he did, he had to come back and feel it in her bosom.

"I won't dare to ask for your forgiveness."

As if to soothe him, Blair whispered, resting her chin on the crown of his head.

"So, please..."

While touching his golden hair, the evidence of the Frey family's lineage, she suddenly grabbed his hair with a terrible grip. Eckart raised his head.

Now their blue eyes, which were the only two in this whole world, looked desperately at each other.

"Promise me you will survive no matter what happens to you."

Eckart gritted his teeth without answering.

Her skin, which was clean right before, had dark red spots on it. Her hollow eyes were red and bloodshot, and her lips that lost color were stained with blood here and there.

Time passed, and Eckart became a twenty-one-year-old young man, not fifteen.

"Even if you crawl on the mud and chew rotten roots, you have to survive."

"..."

"And get even with them."

Blair began to shake her hands holding his hair. Her smashed and ruptured scars were broken like sand and scattered. Tears and blood came out of her blue eyes.

"Recover what I lost, and get even with them!"

Eckart looked straight at her miserable face. He had to. She didn't loosen her tight grip on his hair. He couldn't even close his eyes or speak. He could feel only the sharp sense of her tears of blood falling on his cheeks.

"Karl, my poor son..."

Blair became emaciated little by little, before only feeling lament. Just like a sculpture made out of snow melting away under the light of the sun, and a castle made of sand swept away by the waves, she turned into a handful of ashes, holding her son.

Eckart extended his arms belatedly. He shook his arms violently as if he was trying to grab her non-existent body. He snatched away at the air in order to catch even ashes falling down to the floor.

"Your Excellency!"

At that moment, an urgent voice rang through his ears.

Eckart opened his eyes suddenly.

"It hurts! Please let me go!"

Fully reflected in his eyes was Marianne, looking down at him, about to cry.

He paused like a broken clock for a moment and then let go of her wrists.

Marianne frowned, touching her numb wrists.

"You were sleeping in an uncomfortable position, so I tried to help you..."

Although she complained, Eckart was so spaced out at the moment to even apologize.