IGBD 84

chapter 84

“The Emperor has passed away.”

Lydia buried her face in Yuan’s chest, weeping bitterly.

Having just heard the news from the chief attendant, Lydia was so overcome with grief that she could barely stand. The shock had even made her lose consciousness for a short while.

When she finally came to, she ran straight to the Emperor’s chambers. The Emperor lay in a deep, eternal sleep. Lydia rushed to him, calling out for her father and grabbing his hand.

The cold, stiff touch startled her—it was then that Lydia truly felt the reality of his death. The lifeless chill of his hand terrified her so much that she fled the palace in panic and ran straight to the hotel where Yuan was staying.

Now, in Yuan’s warm embrace—so different from the Emperor’s cold hand—Lydia finally felt a shred of safety. She was so grateful Yuan was there.

“The Emperor…?”

Yuan gently moved Lydia away from his chest, gripping her shoulders as he looked at her with a grim face.

He had known the Emperor’s health was not good. Age and illness had taken their toll, and the Emperor had grown weaker each year.

But this—this was far too sudden. Not to the point of death. The royal family’s health had always been monitored closely by the Fractus family’s hospital, and Yuan had been receiving regular reports.

There had been no sign of sudden decline in recent weeks. The Emperor’s abrupt death made no sense.

“Just yesterday… we even went for a walk together. And now, suddenly…”

Lydia still couldn’t believe it. Just yesterday, her father had gently scolded her for not covering herself properly at night despite the heat.

“……”

“Now I’m all alone. With His Majesty gone, there’s no one left beside me.”

Lydia clutched Yuan’s arm and sobbed uncontrollably. She truly felt abandoned—utterly alone in the world.

Sereret stood by silently, watching Lydia weep in Yuan’s arms.

Her pale face trembled with grief—it was such a pitiful sight that even her enemy, Sereret, couldn’t help but feel an ache of sympathy.

Yuan looked down at Lydia with a dark expression before slowly raising a hand to pat her shoulder.

At that, Sereret felt her chest twist painfully, and she clenched her skirt tightly.

“His Majesty’s hand was so cold… like holding a block of wood. It was so terrifying. I don’t want to go back to the palace.”

“You must go back.”

“But His Majesty isn’t there anymore. I still can’t believe he’s gone—it feels like a lie. Yuan, what do I do now? How do I go on?”

“Calm down, Lydia.”

Yuan gripped her shoulders firmly to bring her back to her senses. The Emperor’s sudden death would have grave consequences for her.

Lydia had no power base of her own. Her mother had been a concubine of Heldian descent, so there was no maternal family to protect her. And being unmarried, she had no husband’s family to rely on either.

She needed to stay alert. It was dangerous to be outside the palace at a time like this.

“Pull yourself together and go back. That’s where you need to be right now.”

If Lydia—never officially recognized as a royal princess—was seen wandering outside at such a time, it would cause scandal. The crown prince, who disliked her, would surely seize on it as an excuse.

“Come with me, Yuan. I can’t go alone.”

Lydia looked up at him with tear-filled eyes that stirred his pity.

“…All right.”

Yuan nodded. If the Emperor had died, he would have to return to the palace anyway.

He gathered Lydia’s things and led her out of the hotel room. Only when they stepped into the corridor did he remember—Sereret was still inside.

“Go on ahead. I’ll follow in a moment.”

He tried to send Lydia downstairs first, but she shook her head frantically.

“No! Yuan, I don’t want to be alone. I’m scared.”

She grabbed his arm desperately.

Lydia truly felt as though her world had ended. The father who had been her whole foundation was suddenly gone, and it was as if the ground beneath her feet had caved in.

She needed something solid to hold on to—and that something was Yuan.

Seeing the terror in her face, Yuan hesitated. She looked so fragile, but he couldn’t just leave Sereret behind either.

“Then wait here for a moment. Sereret is still in the—”

“Yuan, I feel dizzy.”

She cut him off. Before he could finish speaking, Lydia collapsed into his arms.

She didn’t want him to go to Sereret—not even for a moment. She was suffering, she was grieving—so naturally, he should stay by her side.

Of course, Sereret should understand that.

“Lydia…”

Yuan quickly caught her, looking helpless and conflicted as she slowly opened her eyes.

“Yuan… I want to go to the palace. I want to see His Majesty.”

Her voice was weak and trembling.

Yuan finally nodded.

He had no choice but to take her back. Without the Emperor’s protection, Lydia had to act with great caution now—if she wanted to survive.

As for Sereret… Yuan glanced back at the closed door.
She would understand.

He left with Lydia in his arms.

Only once he was in the carriage did Yuan admit to himself that part of the reason he’d left Sereret behind was cowardice—because he didn’t want to face the conversation about divorce.

Sereret stood frozen, as if nailed to the floor.

Her husband had just left with another woman right in front of her—without a single word.

Yes, they were to be divorced soon, but witnessing it like that was far from pleasant.

Calm down, Lydia, Yuan had said. His tone had been firm, yet within that firmness, Sereret had heard gentleness.

Come to think of it, that was the first time she had heard him call Lydia by name. He had never once spoken it in front of her before.

Not out of consideration for his wife, of course—Yuan Fractus was far too precise a man to make such a slip.

“How desperate she must have looked,” Sereret murmured bitterly, recalling the way he’d said Lydia’s name. He’d shouted at Regan before, yet his tone toward Lydia had been soft.

She had watched every moment—Yuan comforting Lydia, taking her away—without missing a thing. It was as if her own existence had been erased.

The image of them together, so focused on one another, replayed in her mind until she could only give a hollow laugh.

I won’t let this hurt me, she told herself over and over, unaware that every repetition only deepened the wound in her chest.

“I’m really fine,” she whispered blankly, stepping out of the room and walking down the long corridor with steady, unshaken steps.

Guided by attendants, Yuan and Lydia entered the Emperor’s chamber. The Emperor’s face was covered with a white cloth as he lay neatly upon the bed.

“Your Majesty…”

Seeing him, Lydia broke down again and fell to her knees.

“Lady Elliot,” Yuan said softly, helping her to her feet. Watching her drown in grief made his chest ache.

“It feels like I’m dreaming—a nightmare. This has to be a dream, right, Yuan? A horrible dream…”

She buried her face against his shoulder and wept.

Yuan hesitated, then gently patted her back.

At that moment, Crown Prince Henderson and Regan entered the room. Yuan quickly and carefully separated himself from Lydia.

“Duke Fractus, you’ve come. I was about to send for you,” said Henderson.

“I came after hearing the news from Lady Elliot,” Yuan replied calmly.

He could feel Regan’s gaze and turned slightly. Regan met his eyes with a complicated expression but offered a faint smile.

“My condolences,” Yuan said, shifting his attention back to the Crown Prince.

Henderson pressed a hand to his forehead, voice strained. “It was so sudden… I can hardly bear it.”

“Liar! You’re glad he’s gone!”

Lydia’s sharp cry cut through the heavy air.

The atmosphere froze instantly. Henderson’s eyes narrowed in fury, and Regan grabbed Lydia’s hand in alarm.

“Lydia,” he murmured warningly.

“You’re happy His Majesty is dead, aren’t you? Now you can be Emperor. How disgusting—so utterly disgusting!”

She shook off Regan’s hand and glared at Henderson.

You wanted this. You were waiting for him to die, counting the days until you could wear the crown.

Tears streamed down her face as she trembled with rage.

“How dare a filthy concubine’s daughter speak so!”

Henderson’s anger boiled over, and he raised his hand to strike her.

Yuan instantly stepped between them, blocking him. Henderson’s raised hand quivered before he slowly lowered it.

“Get out of my sight!” Henderson roared.

Lydia crumpled to the floor, sobbing. Everything felt unbearable. How was she supposed to live in a world without her father?

Then she heard Yuan’s voice.

“Lady Elliot.”

He was holding out his hand to her.

Through her tears, Lydia looked up. Their eyes met, and Yuan gave a small nod—urging her to take it.

She reached out and clasped his hand. It was warm, unlike the Emperor’s cold one.

That hand was salvation.

I’ll never let go of it, she vowed, her blue eyes gleaming with obsession.