Little did Audrey know that days after the bathing incident, Kohtaro and Red would collapse, sending the entire palace into a frenzy. A few days after the collapse, a letter returned, signaling Debbie’s death and the initiating cry for war. As the Hellenn court began to panic, Kohtaro and Red wreathed in pain with an overwhelming headache pounding against their brain.
Every so often, Kohtaro received visions of his past, and soon he realized he was regaining his memories. He groaned in pain again as he remembered the moments before his memory was stripped away. Debbie stood over his trembling body and smiled brightly. “Don’t worry, I can’t take away all of your memories because that’ll be no fun. It’ll come back eventually, when she’s dead. How tragic would it be to kill her and then remember her?”
He shivered uncontrollably, overwhelmed with shock. He felt the healers and officials in his chambers, yet he was already entering a parallel world.
His head felt like it was going to explode from all the memories he gradually recovered. Even Red roared, for their minds were connected as one.
“Audrey..” his voice murmured as a million flashbacks hit him all at once.
Her smile under the cherry blossoms as a child. Her angel-like appearance when she walked into his shabby room for the first time. The nights curled up in her room as he watched her dazzling form. The way his heart pounded uncontrollably as she swept him away from the burning forest of monsters. He had watched her grow into the most perfect woman he had ever seen. Her figure shimmering under the moon as she fastened a sword on his heart. The night bazaar. His boiling heart as she danced with the Crown Prince. The dirty looks other people had given him, while Audrey had always covered his ears as if he would be hurt by their words. “You are very beautiful, Prince Zayden.” She had educated him, found him tutors and sword trainers. She had been the only light in this world, and the untouchable angel had slowly become the woman Zayden desired. How could he possibly look at another woman when there was Audrey?
However, the past wasn’t over. He received another set of memories, memories that were similar yet completely different from what had truly happened.
The visions didn’t seem real, yet he clearly felt the same heavy emotions and the heart wrenching pain.
After he regained his memories, he regained the memories of his past life, all because it was connected to his current life.
Zayden’s eyebrows furrowed in pain and confusion before he passed out.
***
“Kohtaro!” Audrey cried as she clung to the emperor who was sweating profusely in his sleep. Audrey wiped the emperor’s entire face again, shocked at how fragile and vulnerable the emperor appeared to be. He was ghostly pale, and she was afraid Debbie had somehow cursed him from a different country. She had been by his side for many days now, refusing to rest as she closely observed and took care of Kohtaro. Audrey couldn’t help but feel extremely anxious and worried. She felt restless, and the thought of Kohtaro disappearing from the world suddenly made her nauseous and heavy.
Even when she had left Zayden a few years ago, she had secretly suffered from many sleepless nights. She constantly worried for Zayden, yet she refused to accept such a weakness. She ran away from whatever emotions she felt for him, whether it was a family love or something more. She didn’t want to think about such a life and especially didn’t want to love during this time period where happiness was never guaranteed. However, the world seemed to be crashing down, and she couldn’t avoid her emotions forever.
“It’s because Debbie has passed. Whatever curses she placed were released, so he is only suffering from the repercussions. The Zionitte emperor also seems to have collapsed. They will recover soon, your grace.” Sir Vigos reassured Audrey, although he was also worried for his dear friend.
“Why is he suffering so much?” Audrey whispered, patting the emperor’s forehead again.
Panic was written all over Audrey’s expression, which she rarely revealed. She felt as if Kohtaro was slipping away from her grasp, and the sudden thought of his death made her heart stop again with dread. It was as if her heart was breaking all over again, and Audrey could barely breathe. She desperately wanted him to live.
“Wake up, Kohtaro. Zayden.” Audrey whispered in frustration. She urged, “You can’t just leave like this. Not you. . . You still have to suffer for not remembering me.”