Second Life, I’m Dying Soon

Chapter 5 

Contrary to her expectations, the banquet was held in extravagant splendor. Though Empress Elizabeth looked displeased, her complaints vanished the moment the Emperor lavished it with praise.

Meanwhile, the tea party separately hosted in Peridot Palace was no less grand in appearance. Only the vermin had been invited, yet none of the nobles were aware of that fact.

Each of them was too busy lifting their noses, thinking they were receiving special treatment. Not only that, but they were badmouthing the Crown Prince in his absence as if their lives depended on it. Listening to it made Cecil’s blood boil, but he kept his face composed, feigning indifference.

“The cake is delicious.”

Scooping up a bite of the snowy-white cake, he let the soft, sweet custard and tangy apricot jam melt in his mouth. Somehow, it made his worries feel lighter. A satisfied smile curled at his lips.

As he easily finished a slice, Leo, standing by his side, refilled his half-empty teacup with warm tea. Despite his young age, he was quick-witted and diligent. More importantly, he followed Cecil with genuine devotion.

It had been far too long since Cecil had experienced such uncalculated kindness, and for that reason, he found himself growing fond of Leo.

“Thanks. You should eat too, Leo. There’s plenty, so don’t hold back.”

“I’ll have some later. For now, I must attend to you, my lord.”

Perhaps because he bore the heavy responsibility of being the Peridot Palace’s chief attendant at such a young age, Leo acted as though the sky would fall if he left Cecil’s side. Instead of offering more thanks, Cecil simply gave him a look of acknowledgment.

“Did you all hear? They say the Crown Prince survived the Black Forest thanks to a kiss from the Saintess!”

A particularly loud voice echoed from a nearby table. A noble was practically shouting, his face flushed as he spoke fervently.

“Is that true? Does the Saintess actually exist?”

“I heard she was part of the returning procession. Apparently, she’s not even that beautiful—just some plain country bumpkin.”

“Well, whatever the case, her powers must be real. Imagine receiving a divine blessing from just a single kiss… What would happen if someone actually slept with her?”

“You don’t think she’ll become the Crown Princess, do you?”

“As if! How could someone with no proper lineage dream of taking such a noble position?”

Laughter burst forth as if on cue.

The nobles who followed the Empress were as vulgar as ever. Their conversation had not changed in the slightest from the last time Cecil had heard it.

He had thought he would feel nothing this time, but an inexplicable heaviness weighed down his mood.

In the end, he picked up his teacup and stood. Perhaps he needed to step in and give them a proper warning to feel at ease. He couldn’t care less if the nobles spoke ill of him—Cecil had always been notorious for being reckless and unrestrained.

“So, what you’re saying is that lacking lineage is a grand tradition of our empire?”

But before he could act, a low, clear voice cut into the conversation. Cecil’s steps halted. Everyone turned their heads in unison. 

A man stood there, arms loosely crossed over his chest. Platinum-blond hair, gleaming as if woven from sunlight, caught the eye.

The moment the nobles recognized the Crown Prince, they shrank back as if they had committed a grave sin.

“Y-Your Highness! What brings you here?”

“Since when was there anywhere in the imperial palace that I couldn’t go?”

His voice was calm, almost bored.

The nobles frantically exchanged glances. Meanwhile, Alexis took a step into the garden. The blazer, exclusive to the Crown Prince, draped over his distinguished knight’s uniform, shimmering with its signature deep blue hue. At his waist, the longsword engraved with the imperial crest clinked softly.

“I noticed that certain familiar faces were missing from the banquet hall. Turns out, they were all gathered here.”

His gaze swept over the nobles, his faint smile turning even more chilling.

“A banquet meant to welcome the Crown Prince, yet here you all are, enjoying a lavish party of your own. I must say, I find it rather disappointing.”

“T-That’s not true! We are, of course, celebrating Your Highness’s return with great joy.”

“Congratulations on your safe return, Your Highness!”

Flustered voices overlapped in desperate attempts at damage control. Their bodies remained bent in deep bows, their oil-slicked faces now glistening with cold sweat.

“So, I’d like to hear the rest of that conversation from earlier.”

Despite the relaxed tone, the chilling sound of a longsword being unsheathed scraped against their eardrums. Alexis pointed the tip of his blade precisely at one person—the Count of Kilt, who had been the first to utter rumors about Yuria.

“Count, are you insulting His Majesty the Emperor?”

“W-What? No! Absolutely not! How could I dare?!”

The Count of Kilt frantically waved his hands in denial. But Alexis merely tapped the flat of his blade against the count’s chin.

“I heard it clearly from your own mouth just now. You said that someone with no lineage was coveting a noble position. Which means, in other words, you are slandering both His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress.”

“Hiiiik—!” 

The Count of Kilt let out a bizarre gasp of horror. The others who had been eavesdropping held their breaths.

Alexis cast an unimpressed gaze over them.

“It is well known throughout the Empire that Her Majesty the Empress is not of noble birth. It was His Majesty himself who personally raised her to the position of Empress. If I recall correctly, you were also in agreement with that decision.”

The Count of Kilt’s face turned deathly pale. His words were being twisted into an entirely different meaning from what he had intended.

According to Alexis, he had now committed the grave crime of insulting the Imperial family—a crime worthy of immediate execution.

“That was never my intention! Ugh, I-I mean, that is to say—”

The Count frantically darted his eyes around, seeking help from the other nobles, but not a single one met his gaze.

“Your tongue is too long.”

“Y-Your Highness, please, grant me a chance to explain—!”

“It’s best to cut off what’s useless.”

Alexis effortlessly swung his heavy longsword. He was a man who had spent five long years subjugating demonic beasts. His swordsmanship was unrivaled within the Empire.

The blade sliced through the air with a sharp whoosh.

Slash—

A crimson line splattered across the pristine white tablecloth, the cakes, and the colorful pastries.

The Count of Kilt, who had been trembling under Alexis’ overwhelming presence, didn’t immediately grasp what had happened to him. But as his evening coat became drenched, and searing pain spread through his body, he finally realized—his left ear was gone.

“Aaaaaagh!!”

His agonized scream echoed through the garden. The surrounding nobles collapsed weakly to their knees, trembling uncontrollably.

Some desperately crawled away, trying to escape with their lives. The once cheerful gathering had vanished, leaving behind nothing but blood and wailing, as if a battlefield had materialized before them.

“……”

Cecil lowered his gaze in silence. In the teacup he held, an ear bobbed and sank with a gurgle.

He had seen this scene before. How could he forget? The exact same situation was unfolding once again. All he could do was let out a dry, incredulous laugh.

He had truly wanted to host a peaceful banquet this time, one that wouldn’t harm anyone. But changing the future seemed to be more difficult than he had expected. In the end, it was ruined yet again.

Cecil let out a small sigh and handed the teacup to Leo.

“Return this to the Count of Kilt.”

Though he wasn’t sure if it could be reattached, he added that remark.

Leo, who had been frozen in shock, instinctively reached out his hand—only to recoil in horror upon seeing what was inside. He flinched so violently that the teacup went flying. It was probably beyond salvaging now.

Amidst the cacophony of screams, Alexis nonchalantly flicked the blood from his sword, then slid the blade back into his sheath. His face now expressionless, he naturally turned to the owner of this estate.

“It’s been a while, Cecil.”

Cecil bowed politely in greeting.

“It has indeed been a while, Your Highness. Have you been well?”

“You’ve grown… a lot taller. I hardly recognized you.”

For Alexis, it had been five years since their last meeting. The last image of Cecil in his memory was of a fifteen-year-old boy.

Back then, Cecil’s head barely reached his chest. A child who had been too wary to even meet his gaze properly.

But the Cecil before him now had grown over two handspans taller and had the appearance of a full-fledged adult.

Slowly, Cecil raised his eyes to meet Alexis’. Despite having just witnessed a brutal punishment up close, his expression remained unnervingly calm.

“Your Highness, you are the same as ever.”

Within Cecil’s emerald eyes, the face he had longed to see was reflected in full.

That platinum hair, a trait possessed only by the Imperial bloodline. Those cold, piercing eyes that always looked down on others with arrogance. The lips that had never once curved into a smile for him.

The twenty-two-year-old crown prince still bore a faint trace of youth, yet his oppressive presence remained unchanged by time.

Perhaps the hardships of the past five years had only sharpened his nature further.

But Cecil knew the truth. He knew that, deep down, Alexis was lonelier than anyone else. That when it came to the people he cherished—when it came to the woman he loved—he could be utterly devoted.

If only he had shared even a fraction of that affection with him. If only he had, then he wouldn’t have committed the same cruel acts as in the past. Then he would have gladly stood by his side.

But what use was regret now?

For a fleeting moment, Cecil’s brows furrowed unconsciously. Alexis, noticing the change in expression, seemed to be lost in thought, while Cecil remained unaware—too absorbed in blaming himself for his past mistakes.

 Hey there! I'm Eve! 😊 I mostly translate BL novels, and you can find my work over on our other site, Story Seedling. Just ping me on Discord for more details! If you enjoy my translations, you can support me by buying me a Ko-fi! ☕💕