Translator: HH Editor: HH

This can be my early birthday present. Will you do it for me?

A wish. Whats that? Go ahead.

I want to draw a portrait. Like the other family portraits of the royal family. With you.

And with the new migraine, Claude pushed back his groan and gripped his head.

Yeah. It didnt have to be this complicated. He just had to get rid of the thing in front of him.

So he needed to destroy that painting. He needed to break it..

For some reason, his hand didnt move from his side.

Just what was it. What was that painting. Just what did that person in the painting mean to him..

Ive gone completely crazy.

Seeing as how his mind was like this even now, the girl had probably done more than a thing or two to him.

Claude continued to look at the painting with a foolish expression, feeling like he had swallowed a thorn. Feeling like he had lost something precious to him. Remaining in that position until the sun set, asking himself if he had gone crazy.

* * *

After that, Claude was struck with insomnia.

Even after trying to sleep after taking care of his pushed back schedule, he kept thinking of the person he didnt want to think of. He spent his nights tossing around in his bed.

When he saw the girl in the painting again, he thought that he should really kill that girl now.

Dad!

He shouldve killed her when he first saw her. That was right, and whether she was his daughter or not, it didnt matter.

The image of the person he didnt want to see kept on flashing in front of him, and he felt annoyed every time it happened.

Did you take Blackie?

But even when he decided to kill her, he couldnt carry through with it. His consciousness was avoiding his thoughts about his daughter.

So he needed to kill her when she was right in front of him. If he lost the chance, he wouldnt be able to do it again.

Dad, dont kill Blackie.

Foolish girl. She should be worried about her life, but why was she worrying about someone else? Not knowing he was looking at her with the eyes of a murderer.

Dad..

Dad?

Everytime she called him, his heart felt like it was being squeezed.

Shut up. If you say that again, Ill cut your tongue out.

But why.

He couldnt kill the person in front of him.

I should kill you, but your attitude is amusing me, so Ill save your life.

Crazy bastard. What was he going on about? He was going to save that evil girl he should kill? It was simple to kill such a defenseless girl. All he needed to do was extend his hand and cast his magic.

From now, this girl is confined to the Emerald Palace.

But he wasnt able to do that simple thing.

If you value your life, I better not even see a strand of your hair.

Claude ignored the pleading face looking at him and stood up.

Ill really kill you if I see you again.

But once he passed the girl, his calm mask of his face was crumpled into a mess.

Even if he couldnt understand, his chest hurt like someone punched him. It was like someone was squeezing his heart.

Kwang!

Claude punched the wall as soon as he entered his bedroom. But his chest hurt more than his ripped hand.

From the night, Claude started to dream nightmares.

I hope you love this child.

It couldnt be explained other than the fact that it was a nightmare.

The person he had barely pushed back to the back of his mind whispered in his ear.

Like you loved me, please love and take care of this child Im leaving behind in your arms.

Claude laughed in disbelief at the voice in his head.

Stop. Who was whos child? He didnt have a daughter. He had never even loved the woman in his dream right now.

She was dead. She had pushed away his love and died by herself. And she was asking for what?

Yes. Felix had said it too. That Athanasia was the daughter of him and Diana. And this was the only trace of the woman in his dreams.

So he couldnt accept it.

Accept and love this girl instead of the person in front of him? That was complete nonsense.

Claude coldly looked at the woman in front of him.

I will never love that child. I never have, and never will.

So if youre so worried about that child, you can return as a ghost.

But although he said that, his face was extremely sad.

But he couldnt say anything affectionate because he couldnt take the fact that she had left him alone to die.

However, Diana smiled at him.

Like she knew, even if he didnt say anything.

He was trying not to tear up, but as the person started to fade away, it didnt matter.

Claude stretched his hand out to the person in front of him.

Dont leave.

His voice was unlike his usual voice. It was filled with urgency.

This was why he didnt like it. He didnt like to have emotions. He became so pathetic and powerless and the emotions he couldnt control. Like these words that he didnt mean to say.

But Diana continued to fade away, softly smiling at him. Leaving him with longing on his face.

What..?

When he woke up, he didnt remember anything.

Claude forgot everything in his dreams. He thought he dreamt about something, but right after he woke up in the morning, he couldnt remember anything. He became frustrated, and couldnt breathe.

After that, Claude was struck with extreme migraines.

During all that, he focused on his work to get his mind off of things, and he didnt get a wink of sleep unti the day of his birthday ball arrived.

He thought he would have another strange dream, so he didnt step foot in his bedroom.

So he was tired from the lack of sleep everyday. Felix told him to take walks and nagged at him, but after he met the girl pretending to be his daughter, he didnt leave the building.

Claude became sharper every day. So not long after the ball began, he gripped his head and thought of how long this ball would last.

But did Princess Athanasia not come to the ball today? I thought I could see the two of you being affectionate to each other like the debutante ball. Huhuh.

That was the reason why he reacted sensitively to what someone said.

It was funny to him that he hadnt been able to kill the girl yet.

No, killing her wasnt even the problem. He felt like vomiting every time he said something harsh to her.

Looking at the girl who was kneeling on the red carpet in front of him didnt amuse him, but made him feel like he was making a big mistake.

That was why he was even rude to her.

Take that girl away from my eyesight.

Claude realized in that moment that he wasnt ready to kill that girl.

Even if you dont force me to, I can leave on my own accord.

No, readiness aside, he was confident enough to kill that girl.

The girl didnt call him dad again. After realizing that fact, a heavy stone was dropped on his heart.

Claude couldnt say anything and just breathlessly looked at the person walking further away from him.

Clang!

After the ball ended, Claude swiped everything aside on his desk in his office.

His migraines became even worse.

As day by day went by, he felt like he was going crazy. He kept on trying to remember something that he couldnt for the life of him.

Now Claude wasnt able to sleep at all.

Chirp chirpy.

The sound of a bird passed his window. Lifting his head, it was already midday.

Felix, who had already loudly made a fuss outside his door was quiet since yesterday, like he had given up.

Today, his mind felt clear. His migraine had somewhat disappeared.

Yes. Then lets get rid of the origin of the migraine today. And end it all.

With those thoughts, for the first time, he headed to the Emerald Palace.