Chapter 49: Starry Night

"Oh Little Han moved a lot!" Eli said in surprise. 

"Little Han seemed to like your voice!"  She teased with a chuckle and encouraged Leon, "Talk to him more so that he could remember your voice." 

Leon, who was overwhelmed with the feelings of a soon-to-be father, stroked Eli's baby bump gently and said, "Hello my Little Han, it's me, your Dad.."

As soon as he talked to Little Han, he could feel another movement from Eli's baby bump as if Little Han was responding to his voice.

He happily looked towards Eli who smiled back tearfully. Holding Eli's baby bump gently with his hands he continued to talk to Little Han,

"Little Han, please be good and be healthy.."

"Dad, has to leave you for a little while to ensure your safety.."

"So please grow well and be with your Mum while I'm gone.."

"I'm sorry if Dad wouldn't be around so often.." 

Eli allowed the father and child to converse. Although there still exists a thought at the back of her mind that she was technically an outsider, she couldn't help but be emotionally affected by the heartwarming scene in front of her. 

But she reminded herself that she was no longer a substitute. She was now Eli, a living Eli, mother of Little Han! With Elise's confirmation, she was now living for herself. This was her own body, her own life. 

The two stayed oblivious to the bunch who crowded in the window to observe and eavesdrop to their conversation. 

"*Sniff sniff* Ahh! I couldn't help but shed a tear, they look so warm and loving~~" Azayn said emotionally. 

"Too bad, Lady Eli does not want to get married to the Prince yet.." Randel who was mysterious and injured couldn't also help but comment. 

"Ehh so it's true?! The Lady rejected His Highness's proposal?!" Olivier asked in shock.

"Indeed. Because Eli-chan was firm that she would only marry someone she loved!" Wisey said proudly and continued, "That's why the Prince had no choice but to just be a friend to Eli-chan!"

"I think Prince should woo the Lady immediately!" Olivier asked in panic.

"Nah.. Let us respect Eli's decision. If they are for each other, they are for each other!" Azayn replied with a confident expression. 

The bunch still continued to observe the two under the starry night from the window, like curious expectators.

Back in the garden, Eli let Leon properly say his goodbyes to Little Han. Seeing his pitiful expression he couldn't help but sympathize. Before the Prince showed up, she was sure that whoever Little Han's father would be, they wouldn't acknowledge Little Han as their child. 

But the Prince was actually sincere in fulfilling his role as a father.

"It's actually amazing.." She uttered mindlessly. 

"Amazing?" Leon heard Eli's words and asked curiously. 

Realizing that she just absentmindedly blurted out what she was thinking, she had no choice but to explain, "Uhmm, I was just thinking that both me and Little Han were really fortunate… Because you accepted our existence."

Eli looked up in the starry sky. She remembered Elise's sentiments as she continued, 

"I actually was ready to face this alone. I know that what happened that night was a drunken mistake of mine…I-i was actually so bold to force myself on you..." 

When Eli mentioned that part, her cheeks felt hot, she couldn't help but cover her face as she was feeling secondhand embarrassment for Elise. 

"I never would have expected that you would take responsibility, and even go as far as to ensure our safety…"

"I couldn't help but feel guilty... Yet I am also grateful at the same time." 

Eli's words weren't only for Elise who had already passed, but for her, the one who continued her journey in motherhood. She couldn't help but juggle between her emotions and Elise's sentiments. 

After all, the one who spent the night with Leon wasn't her, but Elise. But the one who was reaping the benefit of Leon owning his responsibility, was her. Her feelings were as complicated as someone who wanted to get closure on one's behalf, as if getting it would grant her freedom as well.

"You do not have to feel guilty about what happened that night." Leon answered with firmness and a hint of guilt.

"The truth of that night… Shall I say?" Leon said with uncertainty. 

"You might collapse again if I revealed it.." He was afraid to shock Eli again but he also couldn't let Eli feel guilty. 

"Why not? So many things happened today, I think I could handle another.." Eli responded helplessly.

Indeed, with how much things are happening to her and Elise, she must be trained to be emotionally prepared for these things. 

Seeing Eli insisted, Leon let out a heavy sigh and started to recount what happened. 

--

Few months ago, in some forest near the border of the Seirende Empire. 

Leon and his small army were marching their way home from subduing a rebel group near the boundary of the Seirende Empire. 

On their way home, one of his soldiers mentioned that there was a festival happening in Riverfort Town. He asked if they could pass by and explore the town, to celebrate their victory before they all went back to the capital. 

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Leon contemplated, seeing the expectant eyes of his loyal knights, he helplessly agreed. 

He also thought that the people at the Riverfort hospital were his people. Doctor Einz, the chief of the hospital, was his dear friend.

He also remembered the Asani, Elise. He was not able to visit for four years, so he planned to drop by the hospital the next morning. 

He was actually curious of how well she had recovered and if she was finally free from all the terror she went through. Although he had received reports and letters from his dear friend Einz, he wanted to see it in his own eyes. 

Upon their entry in the forest Leon allowed his men to enjoy the night of the festival while he looked for an inn to stay and rest for the night. 

On his way from looking around, he noticed a commotion on a dark alley. 

He saw a lady, unconscious. In the dark alley, four men were about head on their way, while one of them carried the lady on his shoulders, like a sack of rice. 

Leon immediately took care of the abductors and got the lady to safety. 

The moment he saw who the lady, he was surprised. A lady with a black hair. It was the Asani, Elise, whom he saved four years ago. Unlike the last time he saw her, her face was now healthy and rosy, far from her previous pale and emaciated face. 

However, Elise was already intoxicated with a strong aphrodisiac potion. The way that the men took her,  they were about to do something that would destroy her womanhood for good. As Leon realized this, his face had a trace of anger and apprehension.

He suddenly felt regret that he killed the men on the spot. He needed to know why they tried to do this thing to Elise.

"Is she specifically targeted? Or Is she just unlucky?"

For a strong aphrodisiac like this to appear in a remote village like Riverfort, it was really suspicious.

Suddenly Elise's body began to convulse, her body temperature began to rise up alarmingly. Her body had just been recovering to the great trauma and torture for more than ten years, even after four years it wasn't enough for her entire body to fully recover. 

Leon had no choice but to rush to the Riverfort Hospital and ask for Einz's help.

"Leon?!" Einz, who was busy finishing his reports, was shocked that his friend rushed from the window, carrying the convulsing Elise in his arms. "Heavens!"

"No time to explain, it's a strong aphrodisiac." Leon said in haste. 

Einz immediately worked to extract the potion from Elise's body. He was able to expel the potion in immediately. Only then the two heaved a sigh of relief, upon seeing her convulsing body relax.

But after a minute, a dark magic circle appeared on top of Elise's chest. 

She started coughing up blood. Dark purple veins appeared all over her body, and her heart rate slowed down.

"This… this.. the potion contains a curse…" Einz said in disbelief, his voice trembling as he tried his best to continue, 

"What was given to her was really meant to destroy her womanhood and life utterly. That curse requires to have her womanhood taken away or she'll die… We have to make a choice."

Seeing Elise's twitching body, Leon couldn't help but be disheartened and feel pity. 

"Einz, should we surrender?" He said with hopelessness in his whole being.

"Maybe she wasn't really meant to live a happy life, that is why no matter how we protect her, how much we wanted to let her see the bright side of life, someone would come and destroy it.

"Maybe if she finally dies she would be free from pain already." He tried to explain, the pity in his heart rose up to his throat as he felt it dry. 

"Leon what the hell are you thinking!? Calm down!!" Einz shouted, reprimanding his friend.

"What can we even do? For me, destroying her womanhood to keep her alive, was no different from what she had experienced in that torture chamber..."

"We would be killing her heart twice!" Leon said in guilt and in pain. 

Einz could see how much he struggled. He too was helpless, what was required to save the poor lady was for them to step beyond their moral boundaries. 

"Leon, I don't have the heart to decide for her life… Even if you accuse me as a mean friend, I will leave the decision to you. The one who let her out of captivity." Einz patted his dear friend's shoulder, letting him carry the heavy burden.

With the dying Elise in front of him, he knelt at her bedside and with his two shaking hands, he cupped Elise's greyish hand. 

"I am sorry.. I am sorry.. I am sorry.." He couldn't utter any other words. He felt like someone who gave a person false hope only to bring death and despair by his own hands. 

"I am sorry.." Leon's tears sobbed as he tightly gripped the dying Elise's hands, his body trembling.

"Hello mister.. your eyes… are like stars… beautiful." Leon heard Elise's weak voice. 

"Mister, I wonder.. will I see more beautiful things like this tomorrow?" Elise uttered almost breathlessly.

Leon was shocked. Elise was conscious.. 

"It would be nice to see some more...right mister?" Elise said longingly as she looked towards the window. 

On that starry night, the rummored Barbaric Blood Prince, decided to really act barbaric. 

With Elise's desire to live, 

He decided to be the evil one and take her most precious thing.

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