CHAPTER 109 - REALIZATIONAs soon as Ezekiel who was standing behind Axias saw Liam's figure, he could feel his entire reality crumble. Faster than everyone else, he was able to piece together all the facts and came to a conclusion.
Liam Almandine could only wake up on a full moon? That was not true, because the fact was on the night Julian escaped, it wasn't a full moon night. The giant white wolf appeared and joined the fight despite all odds.
Now, seeing the handsome blonde man, whom he thought was Harriet's side lover, standing by her side as Liam Almandine, Ezekiel understood that everything he had suspected about Harriet was a huge misunderstanding.
Harriet didn't have an affair, never. Harriet was a chaste young woman who truly loved her husband, even though they married by agreement and despite how he was a dying monster.
Ezekiel now realized the woman he hated and wanted at the same time was an innocent woman, not having the slightest ignobility. A perfect woman, faultless, unblemished, and uncorrupted.
And he, Ezekiel Euclase, the venerable Crown Prince of the Euclase Empire… was the opposite.
At this moment, having proven herself that the rumors about her were false, Harriet secretly glanced at the transfixed Ezekiel, clutching the back of his head as if he was having a painful headache. Proving someone wrong in front of everyone's eyes could sometimes make them realize the truth, or would make them deny reality even more.
Harriet wanted to know how Ezekiel would react to this fact. Would he be able to come back to his senses and realize what was wrong with his morals after reflecting on this incident, or would he get even more…
When Harriet suddenly saw Ezekiel lower his body, she became worried. Ezekiel's face was pale, and as Harriet drew near, she gasped in surprise. Ezekiel's one eye was dripping with a tear of blood, and his ear was also dripping with the same red liquid.
In Harriet's head, she immediately thought of Liam on that terrible night–when they were attacked by the sorcery.
"Your Highness..." called Harriet.
Ezekiel brushed off Harriet's outstretched hand, and the man quickly fled from there, unable to meet Harriet's gaze. However, Harriet could see that Ezekiel's pale face flushed red at the same time. Why?
The Crown Prince broke through the back door and quickly searched for the toilet. His head was spinning and his whole body was in excruciating pain. When he finally found the toilet, he put his face there and immediately–
“BLERGH!”
He hurled out lots of red liquid similar to blood, but it looked brighter and more terrifying. The liquid was sticky and disgusting, making Ezekiel even more nauseous.
"Ugh-"
Ezekiel vomited out everything with an intense feeling of horror. What happened to him? Why was all this happening? The more he vomited, the clearer his head became, and the longer it took, the heavier his chest felt.
What had he done? No. What was he really thinking all this time?
His face grew paler as he realized what he had been doing all this time. The hazy memories that seemed to be sealed in the back of his head now spread throughout his body. Ezekiel, who was sitting limply on the toilet floor started shaking. What happened a year ago… and what had he been doing lately…
How could he be such a lowly man?
What really happened to him…?
In his head, he remembered Harriet smiling sweetly. The woman who encouraged him with subtle, caring words whenever he hit a dead-end in government matters. Even in his teenage days when he had to go all over the continent and carry out his father's errands, he would look forward to the moment he could return to the capital and meet again with…
With his first love… Harriet Goldlane.
How could he forget that fact? How could he…
“Ah–” clear tears slid down from the man's eyes, wiping the red liquid out of his eyes. “Ah–Harriet…”
The woman he secretly loved in the deepest corner of his heart. The woman he kept away from to protect her from strange rumors as a candidate for Empress… The woman who always made him proud of her achievements. But why this year had she become the woman he hated the most in his life?
How could his love turn to hate and envy? How could his careful protection of her turn into a sly act to eliminate her? And how could he accuse her of things like infidelity and murder?
And now, she was already happily married…
“Ah–” Ezekiel's bitter breath choked his throat. A burning feeling spread from his chest throughout his body which was shaking violently. The woman who was supposed to be his lover, his wife, his Empress – had now…
The woman he loved had–
Harriet had married another man.
And it was all his fault. It was all because he had somehow chosen a strange woman who had appeared out of nowhere.
Ezekiel's brows furrowed sharply, and his watery black eyes shone with a terrifying frown.
That bitch–!
***
Harriet could only hope that Ezekiel would come to his senses. Perhaps, there was still one thing that would be able to provoke Ezekiel, and that was when his position as the crown prince was threatened.
Harriet turned to the Emperor and sighed. Hopefully, she didn't have to. The Emperor noticed Harriet's worried look and gave her a sad look. He fixed his collar and cleared his throat.
"Thank you for coming to my birthday party, Master Liam," said the Emperor, half annoyed.
“Ho, so you still know gratitude. Good, here are some presents for you from the Almandines. Take it," Liam said coldly.
Harriet smirked and summoned Russell and the other Lycan guards with boxes of presents for the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, I brought you some alcohol from the north and some monster fur that has been processed for clothing. My husband also brought you some twin gems and rare books. We hope you like it,” said Harriet.
"Ah. Presents. Thank you," the Emperor's expressionless face made it clear that he was not at all interested in the presents, which made Harriet smile with a chuckle.
“You don't seem to value this present much, so how about we give you another special present?” asked Harriet softly.
Both the Emperor, who was still annoyed with Liam, and Liam, who was still silent with a cold face, turned to Harriet. That was when Harriet took Liam's hand affectionately and smiled widely with happiness evident in her eyes.
"Your Majesty, this may not be a present, but more like a special request," Harriet spoke softly, drawing everyone's attention back to her. “Right now, I am already pregnant with Young Lord Almandine's child.”
Liam smiled, wrapped his arms dotingly around Harriet by his side, and lowered his head to kiss the top of her head. At the same time, Harriet continued her words.
“Your Majesty, we hope that you will be the godfather of our son or daughter when they are born into the world.”
Everyone's eyes bulged at hearing the beautiful woman's words, while Harriet smiled sweetly. Even the emperor, Axias Euclase, needed some time to digest what he had just heard.