The Lotus Of East Palace
Chapter 18 (Ludwig)

Two months ago...

I saw it coming. According to the message he sent me, he will come to pick up his sisters. It also says he doesn't want to see me. So I didn't go down to the living room to greet her or just look at her up close. Instead, I commissioned Wilhelm and Heinrich to greet him. After all, she is now the Grand Duchess. We are obliged to welcome his arrival.

Constanza only came for a short while, only to pick up his three younger siblings and then go straight back to Schiereiland. I saw his horse-drawn carriage leave our residence. I could've teleported, stopped his chariot and asked him not to leave. But I didn't do that. I know he hates me.

"Sister, there's a guest." Heinrich came to me in my room.

"Didn't the guest just leave?"

"Not that woman. Her guest told me I shouldn't tell my sister who she was. The guest just told me that he was waiting in my sister's study."

This isn't good. No one I know—besides Constanza—who knows where we live in this border area. I deliberately bought a mansion in a remote area for times like now, so that no one could track the whereabouts of the three of us. Even my mother did not know about this mansion. So there should be no guests other than Constanza.

"Where is Wilhelm?"

"She ran away and hid in her room as soon as she saw the guest."

"Stay right here. Don't comeout. If I do not return, then follow Wilhelm's words and do not oppose them. Understood?"

Heinrich nodded obediently.

I immediately ran towards the underground floor, where my work space was. My guess is correct. The guest was Xavier.

He sat in my seat, reading the papers of my work, the results of my research, as if they were his. For a long time, everything was his. The palace is his. Our father is his. The crown he was not wearing now, was his. He is entitled to everything in this world and I am not.

"Why are there so many rings here?" He asked while observing my latest discovery. The results of my newly completed experiment. He looked up at me after a while I still hadn't answered him. He was so similar to our father that I would inevitably be surprised every time I looked at him. It was as if I was staring at Dad. And that automatically made me answer his question.

"That's a transformation ring. I made transformation magic into a ring form so that even non-magicians can use transformation magic without learning it."

"People who are not magicians can pay for the services of witches for the use of transformation magic. What are the advantages of using the services of a witch?"

"An ordinary transformation magic would disappear if the person's real name was called. But the transformation ring isn't like that. To return to its original appearance, the wearer of the transformation ring only has to remove the ring."

"Do you have to wear a ring? Can't it be if it's just held?"

"could. Most importantly the ring should touch the skin."

He nodded in understanding while re-reading my notes. "So just need to put the blood of the person who will be imitated into this ring stone, then the wearer of the ring can turn into that person? Lfs nice. It's a brilliant invention." She praised me.

"So what did His Majesty do in this place?" My toot.

Xavier put back my notes and is now fully paying attention to me. He watched me, so I watched him back. He was a little different than the last I saw. Did dad's death make it so hard to sleep that he looked paler? Or maybe the job as King kept him awake all night?

"You're still the same." He said, not answering my previous question. "It's great to experiment and create amazing new things. You've been very interested in discovery and science. Very typical of Clera people."

"Stop making small talk and tell me why you came here. Are you going to arrest me and my sisters?"

He looks confused. "Wilhelm and Henry were also my brothers. You're my brother too."

I laughed sarcastically. "Is this your strategy to arrest us and imprison us? By pretending to be a sister after all these years you don't think we exist?"

"You don't think of me. You were the one who stayed away from me first. How many times have I asked you for help every time Selena almost killed me when we were kids? But then you just kept quiet and watched quietly as if I deserved to be tortured and killed. Selena might say that I'm your rival so you're a—ah, that's it." Xavier sighed heavily as if he had trouble breathing properly. "Better not to talk about the past. There will be no end. Anyway, I didn't come here to arrest you or imprison you. If I'm gonna catch you, Ludwig, I'm gonna get somebody else. I won't bother looking for you for days alone."

"How did you find us here?"

Xavier then took something out from under the table. A wine bottle tied with ribbons. "Biriday gift. I-i know. Your birthday is over. But back then everyone was too busy at my father's funeral and coronation, so they might not remember that the King's second son was having a birthday."

I increasingly do not understand the real purpose of his coming here. He's always been like this. Strategizing, pretending, he didn't attack openly. I think my mother's treatment of her since she was a child made her like this. No. gabe. It's not my mother's fault, it's everyone's fault in the palace.

"Don't think too much. I didn't put in any poison or anything. Still sealed tight. Unless your fiancee turns out to put poison in the wines she brought me." Said. He then took out two glasses from the corner of the room and poured them. "Grand Duchess Smirnoff came all the way from Schiereiland to give me a pot of wine. He knew wine could lessen the pain I felt as a result. He then said that he would go somewhere else after meeting me, so he could not linger. That's where I found your house."

"You're following Constanza."

"true."

I refrained from directly attacking him with my magic. He's following Constanza!

"Say. Whatdoyouwant?"

"I came here because I needed you. I want to ask you a favor, and I hope that this time you can help me."

The answer made me laugh. "Say it again. Looks like I got drunk because I just misheard—“

My words immediately came to a halt as Xavier rolled his sleeves up to his elbows. He showed his arm covered in black stripes. No. gabe. The black lines are not paint. It was his blood vessels that protruded like they were going out from behind his pale skin. It was Morta's poison effect. My poison.

I couldn't hide my surprise when I saw her, "For the Goddess... From mana—“

"Your engagement." Said. "He's trying to kill me. It was, but I forgave him because he gave me a free wine. Oh, I'm sorry, I was wrong about that, I mean your ex-fiancee. He used the poison you made and fired it at me. Almost the heart, but not up."

"And you're not dead?"

"You... disappointed?"

"You should be dead!"

This time he laughed. "I don't want to die yet. Not time. There's still a lot of business I haven't done."

Now I understand why it came to me. "So that's why you came here. You need the antidote. It's a waste that you came all the way here. I don't have an antidote. I've been trying to make it, but I can't. Morta was created to kill instantly within seconds, so the poison had no antidote. You might be dead soon, so just accept your fate."

"I thought..." Said. "I didn't expect too much of a poison cure. Even if you do have it I'm pretty sure you won't give it to me. And really, I didn't come here to ask you to make an antidote. I just want you to go back to the Palace and be King."

I choked on the air. "You drunk?"

"Little bit. I told you, right? Wine reduces my pain. That's why I've been drinking more lately. The wine made me feel less when the poison destroyed everything." He made a gesture showing the entire organs in his body. I know what Morta destroyed. Hearts. Kidneys. Gastric. Lungs. Cardiac. The bone. Everything was. And no one should be able to survive. Xavier seemed satisfied when he saw me grimacing at the pain he felt Morta's effect on him. He continued, "But I'm sane enough and aware to know that I won't be able to last long. You might be a better king than me. You're a genius and can make anything. You'll be a great king later."

"You're my sister. You're the late King's second son. Can we see it from that point of view?" He was silent for a while, visibly frowning in pain, then added, "You met Anna, at the Schere Tower. Anna told me that you saved her. Thank you very much. I owe you."

"I didn't mean to save her."

"Stop pretending, Ludwig. Anna made me realize, that you've been suffering all along. You don't want to compete with me. But you know... You deserve that crown, too."

I-i know. I know I'm entitled. Sometimes, when we were kids, when I was jealous of Xavier because he was more cared for by my father, I imagined that one day he would bequeath his crown to me. But it only lasted for a moment because I knew I would never be King. Xavier has always been superior to everything and I admit that myself. He didn't even need to learn magic to be recognized by people.

"You know, I'm getting engaged to Princess Anastasia." I don't know why I said that. I was like a kid who managed to snatch his brother's favorite candy. I knew Xavier liked the Princess and as if by saying that, I could hurt her more than what my poison had done to her.

Her facial expression changed when I mentioned Princess Anastasia's name. But he can control his emotions well. For a moment he just kept quiet and nodded calmly. "I know." Said. "I knew. Anna told me that too."

"I'm not going to marry her." I said right before he misunderstood.

"You should probably marry her. Your mother wants you to take control of Schiereiland, too."

If I were in Xavier's position, and my own brother said he would take the woman I love, I might explode in anger. I'm now upset that he's not angry and instead supports my mother's plan. "Crazy yeah! You're what the hell? What makes you—“

"I'm dying!" He cut my words. His voice was hoarse as if by saying just that, he could soon die before me. "My time isn't much, Ludwig. You know that too. Even if I wanted to marry Anna—which I really wanted to do—I would just leave her and make her a widow. Even if I insist on maintaining my position as King, after my death—which will not be long—you will still be King. So why don't I just give it all to you now? There's no harm in pleasing my stepmother once before I die. He must be so proud to see you sitting on a throne wearing a crown."

"What do you really want? Why did you come to me and hand over all of yours to me?"

"What do I want?" He pondered. Her eyes were red withstanding tears. I know he's scared. Know that his life will not be long no matter how many people shout 'the long life of His Majesty' to him every time he passes in the city. He knew that he would soon leave this world, or suffer for the rest of his life with the pain caused by the poison. "All I want is to keep our country from being destroyed and make sure Anna lives, lives long and is happy all her life. That'sthat's all. But even my wish is too much." He laughed bitterly, then looked at me. "But you... You can make it all happen. I will help you prepare to take over my duties. I'll tell you what you have to do as King and how to do it all. So go to the palace when the nobles come to pick you up. Be a wise king, and..." He clutched his chest, closed his eyes, seeming to have difficulty enduring the pain. It seemed like the poison was starting to attack him. He immediately drank the wine and regulated his stingy breath as if breathing alone was painful to him. Of course it hurts if his lungs are destroyed from the inside. "And please take care of Anna for me. Please make her happy." He continued his words. He meant everything he said. Especially that last one.

I looked at my brother who was now sitting while enduring the pain. His skin paled, his blood vessels appearing prominent in black. He's not like anyone I know, capable of anything and always number one in Dad's eyes. He seemed easy to subvert at any time. If mom saw him like this now, would she feel satisfied and happy? But why don't I feel happy at all?

"All right..." I finally said after wondering if I should trust all his words. "Another request I might be able to make. I can become King and learn quickly to replace you. But your problems with Princess Anastasia you have to take care of yourself. I don't want to marry her and I'm pretty sure she won't marry me either."

"But—“

"I'll just marry Constanza." Cut me right away before he debates me again.

He looked surprised. "Your mother won't agree."

"Even if my mother disagrees. I love Constanza. Only him. And I'm just gonna marry him. If Constanza isn't willing then I won't marry anyone."

Xavier sighed. Either because I'm tired of arguing with me or because of the poison. He looked pondering, not thinking what. I don't think I'm gonna be able to be in his position. I don't know what made him think that I'd be able to do what he's been up to. I'm a scientist, not a politician let alone a king. I'm used to confining myself to my work space with all my research and my books, not talking in front of people and acting like the most important person in the country. But Xavier trusts me. He gave this land to me, the son of the woman who had been waiting for his death since the day he was born.

He then looked at me seriously. "alright. Just look at this..."

Xavier explained his plan to me. He then returned to his palace while I studied what I would do as King. Before leaving, Xavier took out two transformation rings that I created. He said he would need it to run a secret mission.

After that, Xavier did not appear before everyone for days. He did not come out of his room at all thus making everyone worried. The nobles finally asked me to come to the Palace to replace Xavier for a while. When I came to the Palace, I knew what I had to do so that all the affairs of state could be done smoothly. During the day, I became the King's successor. In the evening, I kept going to my workplace in my house, trying to re-create Morta's antidote by researching Xavier's blood samples. I should be able to make it. I have to make it.

Until finally that day came. Mom sent me a letter to come to Schiereiland to see Princess Anastasia. He told me his plan to make Nordhalbinsel and Schiereiland mine his—.

When I met the Princess, I was told that she was now mute. I also asked everyone to let me both with my future fiancee. I need to talk to him. And I know he's not a real mute.

I told Princess Anastasia about my meeting with my sister. I told him everything. Especially about my brother's health. About the poison of my creation that still devours it from within.

He just quietly listened. Not because he was mute, but because he was too shocked to be able to say anything. He looked devastated when he learned of Xavier's condition. Knowing that Xavier won't last long.

She's not crying. I think she's been crying a lot lately because of her mother's death, so she doesn't have any more tears to shed. First of all he just kept quiet and stared blankly until I thought he was possessed by something. Then he accused me of lying. The next second he fell on the floor until I thought he had fainted. But he didn't faint. He covered his face with his hands. Shoulders shaking. She was crying without a sound. I wanted to do something for him, anything to calm him down, but I didn't know what to do. Constanza never cried like this. He'll be angry, rampaging, berate, vengeful, crushing, but he won't look this destructive.

Then began to sound sobs from him, the longer the firmer. Suddenly outside there was a heavy rain, whether by chance or not. He then caught my hand, with great effort, he looked up at me who was still standing before him. His face is crying tears. I can't bear to see it that way.

"Please save him." His voice was nothing more than a small whisper with a hoarse voice. "Please... Please make the antidote. Please save him." Her eyes reddened, her tears kept flowing while she continued to beg me as if only I could save her. It's like I'm a god who can change someone's destiny.

With great difficulty I let out my voice, "I can't."

"Anything. Whatever you want, I'll give it to you as long as you give him the antidote. You want Schiereiland, right? That's why you came here, isn't it? Because Luna—because your mother wants you to rule Schiereiland."

"I don't want your kingdom." My answer.

She let go of my hand and sank back in her tears. He held onto his chest as if someone had just stabbed his heart. "Why it hurts so much. Why..." He seems to have trouble breathing. I immediately circled my eyes around, looking for a sedative. But there's no. Has he never taken a single sedative? Even after all the loss he had experienced? How has he handled everything all this time?

As his cry grew, the rain outside grew heavier. At that moment, I looked through the window of his room, hundreds of roses that had been blooming in the garden in front of this room began to wither. The sky became darker when it was still day.

I finally gave him a glass of water. He accepted it, but did not drink it. He just held the glass of water while daydreaming, letting his tears just flow until they fell into the glass.

"Why didn't he say anything to me? Why is he hiding it from me? Why did he tell you but not tell me?" He asked me.

"He doesn't want you to know."

"But why? I thought she loved me, so why did she keep it a secret from me?" Ask in her tears.

"That's because he loves you. He loves you more than he loves himself. More than anything. Even when he knew the circumstances, when he knew there was no hope for him to survive any longer, all he thought about was you. He's worried about you. He even asked me to marry you so I could take care of you because he didn't know when Leon would come back to you. He won't propose to you because he knows he'll leave you soon."

I was there, in her room for either how long, until her crying stopped, or until she had no more tears. I can't do anything for her. I don't know what I can do or say to comfort him. If I say that I am still trying to make an antidote to the poison, it will only raise false hopes when not necessarily I will succeed. So I just accompanied him until he was calm enough to talk again. I suspect that if I leave him alone he might do something dangerous.

Now I understand why Xavier doesn't want him to know. If I knew he'd be this broken, I wouldn't have told him either. I can more or less understand it, Princess Anastasia lost everyone she cared about, her father, her mother, Leon and now Xavier. If I were in his position, if I lost my mother, Wilhelm, Heinrich and Constanza, I don't think I could live anymore. I'd rather die. Just imagine that I can't.

"Can you pretend for me, Ludwig?" He asked finally after he had calmed down enough. I listened. "Thank you we never met today. Pretend that I don't know about her condition. Don't tell him I already know and I'll pretend that I don't know. Xavier and I are going to Orient, for how long. We will be there to try to prevent a war between your kingdom and the Orient. I can take away her pain as long as I am around her just as she can take away my pain. So I'll keep it with him. If you can't make the antidote, at least I can make him feel no more pain."

"But engagement—“

"Constanza's gonna take my place is engaged to you." Cut it. "Change him to be as close to me as possible. Just run your role as usual and Constanza will be me."

"Why do you want to do all this? Isn't it free? My brother will be dead soon. No matter what you do, he'll still die. So why are you—“

"Because I love her." Said. "I can't just give up on her situation. He never gave up on me. No matter how broken I am, even when I am immersed in my grief, he does not leave me, he remains there for me and accompanies me until I recover, until I can rise again. I'd do the same for him. If I can, I'll take him from the dead."

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