Chapter 157

He cracked his eyes open slightly and let out a weak, aimless giggle at the sight of Elise’s startled expression.

“If I got out of the Imperial Prison alive just by giving up one eye,” he said lightly, “then I’d say it was a bargain. You know, sis… there’s a terrifying underworld beneath our house.”

Elise’s brow furrowed in recognition. 

“…The labyrinth no one returns from once they enter? The one Father used to scare us with when we were little?”

“Yeah,” Andrei replied with a faint smile. “Back then, I didn’t realize how terrifying it really was—when I was the one locking people in. But once I got thrown in myself… I understood.” He exhaled through his nose, the sound tinged with dark humor. “Breaking the barbed vine shackles the barbarians used on me? That was the easy part. Escaping the prison our ancestors built? That was at least twice as hard.”

Elise’s voice dropped, tight with concern.

 “How bad was it?”

“How could I possibly outmatch the wisdom of our ancestors?” Andrei said, spreading his hands in mock defeat. “Just undoing the magic-nullifying spell took three whole days and nights. It was the most complex spell I’ve ever seen. I don’t even know how many layers of mana it was twisted with… But in the end, I managed to escape safely. And thanks to that—” he winked dramatically, “—my left eye is still fine.”

Elise, who had been visibly struggling to hold back her emotion, blinked at him, completely dumbfounded.

“You don’t actually think that counts as comforting, do you?” she asked, her voice rising. “I’m not in the mood for jokes.”

“Of course not,” Andrei said gently, his expression softening. “I’m just being a little clingy, sis.”

He even used the childish nickname he hadn’t called her since he was five, tilting his head and putting on an exaggerated show of cuteness.

“If I said it didn’t hurt, I’d be lying,” he added, his tone more serious now. “It hurt like hell—felt like I was going to die. So give me some credit for toughing it out.”

“Credit?” Elise repeated sharply. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “Don’t even think about it…!”

Tears welled in her eyes as she stared him down, her voice trembling with fury and sorrow.

“Don’t you ever leave me behind again. I’m not grateful for that at all…! If you pull something like that again—if you put yourself in danger and leave me behind—I’ll never forgive you. Not even in death.”

“Well, I guess I can forget about resting in the arms of God,” Andrei muttered, rolling his eyes.

With a dramatic sigh, he flopped onto his back and laced his fingers behind his head. Elise bit her lip hard, then jabbed his side with a sharp finger.

“Just calling me ‘sis’ doesn’t make everything okay,” she snapped. “You never listen to anyone. You do everything your own way—so don’t even pretend you care. And—wait, why are you so skinny?”

“Ow—don’t. That hurts,” Andrei groaned, flinching.

“No, hold still for a second,” Elise said firmly.

As he rolled over and sat up, pretending to dodge her touch, she followed suit. But the moment she tried to lift her upper body, a sudden dull pain pulsed in her lower abdomen. She grimaced, trying to mask the discomfort, and quickly grabbed his wrist instead.

Something felt off.

He had always been on the lean side, but now he was gaunt—so thin that his bones pressed sharply beneath his skin.

“Andrei,” she said quietly, “are you hurt anywhere else?”

“Not at all,” he replied with a casual shrug, as though she were being overly dramatic.

“It’d be stranger if the deposed emperor gained weight while living in hiding. There’s nothing serious, so don’t fuss.”

Elise frowned, unconvinced.

“Well… that’s a relief, but still…”

“Actually, that’s what I should be asking you,” Andrei said, narrowing his eyes. “Did Rotiara starve you or something? I figured you’d look a bit more lively after being away from me for a while—but you haven’t changed at all.”

“It’s because of the seasickness,” Elise muttered, brushing the comment aside. “It was bad.”

The focus had shifted to her now. When Andrei reached out, clearly intending to check her shoulders and arms, Elise instinctively pulled back to avoid him.

Of course, it wasn’t true that nothing had changed about her.

In fact, the changes in her body had grown more undeniable with each passing day. Elise clutched the front of the robe she was wearing, her fingers curling tightly around the fabric.

At this rate, she wouldn’t be able to hide it much longer. Maybe… maybe it was better to just say it now, while the conversation had shifted.

“The truth is… Andrei,” she began hesitantly, summoning her courage, “I wasn’t struggling just because of the seasickness.”

But before she could go on, Andrei let out a deep sigh and cut her off.

“Yeah, it must’ve been unbearable,” he said quietly. “You probably didn’t get a single day of rest after disembarking, and then rode all the way to Everil. It’s been what—nearly three weeks without a proper break, hasn’t it?”

“Ah… well, that’s true, but…” she started to explain, her voice faltering.

“I’m just endlessly grateful that you endured it,” he said with a strained smile. “And I feel so ashamed… for dragging you back to my side again like this. Elise.”

“Don’t say that,” she whispered, barely getting the words out before biting the inside of her lip.

Andrei didn’t respond. Instead, he turned away and limped to the nightstand, returning with a bowl of water and a folded towel. Elise’s heart sank at the sight of his gait—his right foot dragged behind him, lifeless, his steps uneven and heavy.

So he didn’t just lose an eye… she realized, her chest tightening.

His once-elegant stride was gone, and so were the golden eyes that used to gaze at the world with clarity and confidence. What remained was a shell of that man—worn down, broken.

Tears welled up, stinging behind her eyes and nose.

Who had truly suffered here?

Andrei sat back on the edge of the bed, dipped the towel into the bowl, and gently pressed it to Elise’s cheek. Dried flecks of dirt—ones she hadn’t even realized were there—rubbed off onto the cloth with each soft stroke.

“Don’t look at me like that, sis,” he said with a crooked smile. “Honestly, I feel like dancing, I’m so happy.”

After carefully wiping her face clean, he paused. New tears had begun to fall down her cheeks, and he let out a small, breathy laugh laced with a sigh.

“You’re the most important thing in the world to me. Not as the emperor… but as your family.” His voice softened. “If I could save you, then nothing else mattered. Not even myself.”

He paused, his tone sharpening just slightly. “Of course, I fully intend to repay every last humiliation to those barbarians and Northerners.”

Elise remained silent, her heart beating painfully in her chest.

“But right now,” he continued, his voice gentling again, “I’m just endlessly thankful that you came back safely.” His hand briefly squeezed hers. “Thank you… for staying alive.”

The more his quiet sincerity reached her, the harder Elise’s heart pounded. Her throat tightened, and her lips felt dry.

She, too—not as a princess, but as his twin—had something she needed to say. Something she couldn’t keep inside any longer. If she let this moment pass, she knew the courage would leave her, and the silence would stretch on too long.

You’ve loved me so deeply… What kind of face will you make when you hear this?

The hand still gripping the robe at her chest began to tremble. She reached out with her other hand and gently clasped the back of Andrei’s.

“Andrei, I… the truth is…”

I’m pregnant.

You begged me not to. You tried so hard to stop me. But like some cruel twist of fate… I ended up carrying that man’s child.

Perhaps… the child of the very man you might face as an enemy right here.

“What is it, really?”
Andrei asked again, his voice gentle, still wearing that familiar smile.
“Is there something you want to say, Elise?”

The words caught in her throat. Elise couldn’t bear the warmth in his eyes and slowly lowered her head.

“…I missed you,” she whispered.

“I missed you too. Of course I did.”  

Andrei’s reply came without hesitation.

“Without you… it really felt like I was the only person left in the world,” she murmured. “There’s nothing I can do on my own, so I couldn’t understand why I had to live while you had to die.”

Andrei let out a soft chuckle, tousling her hair like a mischievous older brother. “And who was it that turned Norella upside down in the most spectacular fashion, Your Highness?”

“Don’t tease me.” Elise tried to smile but failed.

“The news from the far northeast even reached the southwest,” he went on. “Everyone knows you pulled off quite the fiery act.”

“That wasn’t entirely my doing,” she muttered. “I just got lucky, that’s all.”

“But soon,” Andrei said, his tone laced with quiet certainty, “you’ll be capable of much more.”

He glanced toward the window. The golden light of sunset was spilling through the small glass pane, streaking the room in orange and red.

“Alright,” he said, rising slowly to his feet. “It’s about time we got moving.”

Then, with careful fingers, he gently pried her hand away from the robe she’d been clutching so tightly. Before Elise could react, the brooch came undone, and the robe slipped from her shoulders, pooling in a soft heap on the bed. Her heart plummeted.

Andrei paused, his eyes briefly scanning her form. A flicker of something unreadable passed through his gaze as he narrowed his eyes.

“First things first,” he said with a half-sigh, half-teasing tone, “get washed up and changed. I’m starting to wonder if I had a brother, not a sister.”

Having passed out the moment she arrived, Elise was still dressed in men’s clothes. The oversized shirt hung awkwardly from her frame—loose at the shoulders, waist, and sleeves. The brown cotton trousers, held up with shoulder straps, were barely staying in place, fastened with a single haphazard pin.

Andrei, seemingly unfazed by the state of her appearance, muttered with mild irritation, “This kind of rag will never touch your life again.”

“I don’t understand why everyone’s so obsessed with clothing,” Elise replied under her breath, discreetly tugging at the shirt to better cover her stomach.

“You’re royalty,” Andrei said firmly, fixing her with a serious look. “What you eat, drink, wear, and use all reflect the dignity of the Empire. Even if we can’t meet the standards of the Imperial Palace, you should at least wear something proper. It puts my mind at ease.”

He rang the small bell on the table beside him.
“I had them prepare the room right across the hall for you. If you need anything, tell the head attendant. If it can be obtained, I’ll get it for you.”

“Alright. Got it,” Elise murmured with a nod.

“I have a lot to report to Barnon tonight, so I won’t be free until late. Eat dinner first and get some rest,” he added as he turned toward the door.

Elise nodded again and slowly rose to her feet just as the head attendant entered with a polite knock. She followed the servant quietly out into the corridor.

As the door opened, Barnon and Duke Bellator—who had been deep in conversation just outside—paused and turned toward the sound.

Elise gently patted Duke Bellator’s shoulder as she passed, offering silent comfort. The older woman’s eyes welled with tears the moment she saw her, but she said nothing. Elise gave a small, understanding smile before continuing down the corridor.

Barnon stood nearby, watching her approach. As she passed, he raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry. Elise gave a subtle shake of her head—now wasn’t the time—and quietly slipped into the room diagonally across the hall.

“The bathwater has been warmed. Please, this way,” one of the maids said softly.

“No,” Elise replied, her voice quiet but firm. “I’d like to be alone for a while.”

The maids exchanged a glance but bowed and withdrew without a word. Left in silence, Elise dragged her heavy, aching body toward the bath. Every step felt leaden, but she managed to wash, though only barely.

“So foolish…” she murmured under her breath, pressing a palm to her lower back. “As if I could hide it for much longer anyway…”

The pain in her lower back and hips had yet to subside. After drying off, she collapsed into the soft bedding, her limbs like stone. As she lay staring at the ceiling, she made a firm resolution.

Tomorrow, she thought. I’ll tell him. Honestly. Everything.

But the twins would not be granted the peaceful morning she hoped for.

Just before dawn broke the next day, urgent news arrived at the castle: the barbarians had launched an attack at the base of the gorge.

***

The castle of Riosa had once served as a royal summer retreat, cherished for generations by the Regal family. Towering above a vast ravine, its stone walls clung to the mountainside like a crown. Deep canyons encircled it on either flank, and far below the sheer cliffs, a winding turquoise river flowed like a ribbon through the valley.