WHO MADE ME A PRINCE
chapter fifty two - incident.

"D–DAD?" Arius asked in surprise as he saw the blond man sitting at the dining table of Sapphire.

"You're awake, how do you feel now?" Claude asked as he went towards his son and picked him up.

"I-I'm fine, but what are...you doing in Sapphire Palace...?" Arius asked, extremely confused by Claude's visit.

"Don't we usually have breakfast together?" Claude asked and Arius simply looked at him trying to figure out his intentions.

"Athanasia will be here soon as well."

Claude placed Arius on his seat and went and sat on his own seat.

"Do you like your new Palace? "

"...Yes! It's so much better than Ruby Palace and especially the gardens! It's amazing dad, Thank you!" Arius genuinely smiled.

This is great! Once Athy arrives we can discuss our problems with him!

What a great way to start the morning! Arius looked at Claude and kept smiling. Claude was here to see his children because he heard they were feeling ill the night before. He came because he was worried.

"Dad, did you sleep well?" Arius asked, still smiling.

Claude looked at Arius, curious about why his son kept smiling.

"I did, what about you, any more nightmares like that previous one?"

"None!" Arius exclaimed.

"That's good." Claude smiled, slightly but Arius spotted it and once again his happiness level rose up, and now he was giggling.

"Is there a reason behind your constant smiles and giggles? Perhaps a good dream? " Claude finally asked.

"I'm just super glad Dad came to see us. You seemed busy lately...I'm sure Athy will be super happy to see you too!"

Claude looked at him with slightly widened eyes. "Busy? When was I–"

"YOUR MAJESTY! IT'S PRINCESS ATHANASIA! YOU MUST HURRY!"

A maid came in screaming her lungs out. Claude immediately stood up and picked up Arius before sprinting to the Emerald Palace.

ATHANASIA AN EXTREMELY FAST heart beat and her mana was going haywire. She was fine upon waking up, but after she got cleaned up and dressed she began telling Lilian she felt something heavy in her chest.

Lilian asked her if she was again worried about the countess, but before Athanasia could reply she puked out blood.

The sight was shocking for Lilian as well as Athanasia herself.

Both of them stared wide eyed at what had just happened but Athanasia soon lost consciousness, leaving Lilian panicking to call the magicians and emperor.

She had sent a maid to call the magicians as well a maid to call the emperor. Out of which the first to arrive, thankfully was the father.

"ATHY!" Arius shouted as he ran up to his sleeping sister. He reached the bed and saw Athanasia, face pale and sweating profusely.

'But...I kept her mana stable. Even if she spent time with Raven it still shouldn't have happened this quickly.'

Arius observed Athanasia and felt helpless. He turned to see Lilian explaining everything that happened to Claude.

"And then she c–collapsed. " Lilian spoke with teared eyes as she remembered the horrid scene.

Thud!

The door opened and in came a crowd of magicians. "Heal her." was the only command Claude gave and the mages scattered around the bed to examine her.

Claude sat on a chair, with Arius in his lap. "Arius, are you feeling well?"

"Yes..."

"You were feeling sick last night as well."

"I–I'm fine."

Claude observed Arius, his eyes looked like he was going to cry. His face was dripping with worry.

"She'll be fine, Arius, you should go back to your Palace."

Arius looked at Claude, with his worried eyes.

"...Okay."

ARIUS LEFT ATHANASIA'S CHAMBERS.

He was useless, no matter how much he kept her mana stable it still ended up going in a frenzy.

And she's going into a coma at the best opportunity to talk with Claude.

Arius went back to his Palace, greeted and hugged by Olivia upon his return.

Olivia picked Arius up and went towards his bed. "I'm not sleepy, Via."

"Then, do you want to read books? Young Master Ijekiel will be arriving in a few hours, should I send a message saying you won't be meeting him today?"

'Kiel huh? There's still about a whole month left until he leaves for Arlanta. He can visit later. I don't really have the mental capacity to have a proper conversation. But I've only met him once. If I suddenly refuse to meet him, that innocent kid might get the idea that I don't like him.'

"No, I'll meet him."

ONCE AGAIN THE CHILDREN MET, but this time in the library of the Main Palace.

"Say Kiel, how many books have you read?"

"I never counted, but it's a lot."

"Your father said you could help me in my studies since you're quite a bright child. "

Ijekiel blushed slightly from embarrassment, and dare I say it was the cutest thing ever.

"No– Your highness, how could I– I help you in your studies?" Ijekiel asked flustered.

Arius laughed at his modesty. Making Ijekeil more flustered. Arius noticed this and smiled a bit, he just sighed.

"Have a seat." Arius gestured for him.

On the table were dozens of books piled up.

The two began studying together. It was studying, something Ijekiel had been doing ever since he could read.

To discover new things. He enjoyed that, but when he became pressured with the expectations of his father.

The duty as the successor. He lost it. The joy in studying. Although he lost it, he thought he didn't. He made excuses, saying he still enjoyed it.

But he didn't.

Studying was now but a thing he must do.

But when he sat with Arius and the two discussed the books. When Ijekiel explained theories to Arius and when Arius would make fun of the names of the scientists.

Studying together...was fun.

He once again found the joy of studying. And studying with a friend was even more fun. Especially if that friend was also on the same level of education as yourself.

This was another problem Ijekiel faced when he met the other nobility's children.

But he had finally found someone whom he could think of as a friend. Someone who was just like– or even better than Ijekiel himself when it came to studies.

The day ended with Arius joking about Max Berlinger. Ijekiel felt bad for making fun of such skilled scientists of the past but he still ended up having a series of laughter with Arius over the stupidest things.

ARIUS BID IJEKIEL A GOODBYE AND honestly he felt his mood get better significantly. He was worried about Athanasia and the situation with Vivia Lennox had not died out either.

But since Athanasia was now in a coma state Arius doubted Claude would have long sessions of talk with that woman.

Arius decided he should search for Lucas and ask him to heal Athanasia. But where should he search?

The same place where he saw Lucas for the first time?

Arius was still deciding on this when he heard a voice. "That's awful."

A voice he had known all too well. He peeked from the side of the wall into the hallway, to see a face he was all too familiar with and a color he had begun to hate. Vivia Lennox and Vincent Lennox.

The name itself brought distaste in his mouth.

But who were they talking to? Ha, who would it be other than the blond male. Indeed it was Claude.

But what were they talking about?

"I hope the princess recovers and wakes up soon." Vivia told Claude.

'What?'

A royal's health status is top secret. A royal's health isn't something the nobles should be told. The nobles are only ever told that they weren't feeling well.

But not given details.

But Vivia just said.

"...Wakes up soon..."

Athanasia going into a coma isn't supposed to be told to anyone. And Yet how– Why did Claude tell her ? I get that they're friends and Claude probably trusts her...ugh I should just go to the forest.

"What about your son? is he okay?" Vivia asked.

"Yes, he is in the library."

"Oh so you were going to see him? "

Claude nodded. "We missed breakfast due to the sudden incident. And his maid said he didn't eat anything afterwards either."

"Shall we... come along?" Vincent asked carefully.

"I'm sure Prince Arius would enjoy the company of a friend." Vivia added.

Claude stared at the two lilac heads before nodding.

Arius who heard this had a series of emotions building up inside his chest.

Anger, Sadness, Disappointment, Frustration.

He hated this, and was now close to cursing the two lilacs to get the hell out of the Palace and never come back.