Revering Only for You

Chapter 4

Sunlight entered the eldest prince’s bedroom. The boy lying in bed opened his eyes.

Rian Azure’s icy blue eyes didn’t see the embroidered bed canopy above him. Instead, he was still playing out the scenes he had just witnessed.

An unknown disease had inflicted his kingdom. Once someone became sick, their bodies gradually turned stiff and cold until they died. And sometimes, the afflicted dead would move and even attack others, as though a necromancer had reanimated them. Soon, the air in the Capital was filled with smoke as the dead were cremated as soon as possible.

As the crown prince, he had done everything in his power to alleviate the plague. He had visited the common people to dispense aid. Non-mages and those with preexisting conditions seemed particularly susceptible.

But then, he became infected too.

All the best healers attended his sick bed. His door almost constantly open for all the people who came in and out.

But in the end, no one could cure him. The Crown Prince Rian Azure died, his body a husk of what it used to be.

Yet…in a way, he didn’t die. His consciousness remained behind. He couldn’t touch anything, couldn’t communicate with anyone. He could only be a helpless viewer, watching as the plague-curse rapidly took over his kingdom.

It took an entire year for hope to finally appear: a young noblewoman named Cassiopeia Schauss was able to heal the second prince who had just gotten afflicted. Under her magical hands, one by one, the people were saved. And it had to be her, no other healer was able to copy her healing technique.

Rian Azure watched as his younger brother, the second prince, married Cassiopeia Schauss. He watched as Capital Investigators discovered that the plague-curse was in fact sent by a certain neighbouring country as a means to cripple his kingdom. He watched as his parents abdicated and his younger brother ascended the throne, with the queen Cassiopeia Schauss by his side, peace having returned to the land.

After seeing that final image, Rian Azure’s consciousness disappeared and reappeared in a blank white space with nothing…but a book in front of him.

It was then that he discovered that all these events were written in this novel.

Only then had he realised that everything was a story. That he was a side character, an early death to show that not even royalty was safe from the plague-curse. The real main character was Cassiopeia Schauss.

He read the novel, cover to cover. The moment he reached the end, the world turned dark.

And he awoke in his bed, in his childhood body. Based on the current decorations in his room, he was now aged twelve.

He had somehow returned eight years before he had died. He wasn’t officially the Crown Prince yet.

He didn’t know what force had kept him watching. He didn’t know what force had brought him back in time.

But he was the eldest son of the Imperial Family. He was Prince Rian Azure. Now that he knew the future events, he would never let the plague-curse spread through his kingdom again.

He rose from bed, calling for his servants. His maid helped him through his morning routine.

Outfitted as proper for a Prince, in silvery white accented with blue and gold, Rian called in his most knowledgeable aide.

The greying-haired man, Count Leopold Aegean, raised an eyebrow at him when he entered the suite. “The Eldest Prince has decided to study so early in the morning? Your father his Majesty the King will be pleased to hear of your new dedication to study.”

“I realised that I’m now twelve years old,” Rian replied. “Didn’t King Rexius Red ascend the throne when he was only thirteen years old?”

Count Aegean: “…” This child wasn’t already thinking of usurping the throne, was he?

“So, Count Aegean, tell me all the news today. This time, I’ll listen,” Rian added graciously. He didn’t forget to smile innocently, taking advantage of his newly young age. He knew that the Count had children older than himself, and after living through one life, he also knew Count Aegean’s weak points.

Count Aegean, faced with a cute beaming child: “…”

The contrast between the sweet face and the prince’s identity was so conflicting! But telling the prince about recent news wasn’t harmful. As the Eldest Prince, he should know what is going around in the kingdom.

“Very good.” Count Aegean paused to gather his thoughts. “The Queen has already laid out the dates for the upcoming social season. The first is…”

“…This morning, the Capital has just received reports that the Rosewoods have been murdered this very morning…”

Rian’s innocent listening face didn’t show his underlying thoughts. The Rosewood murders… this placed the exact date of his return. He hadn’t come back early enough to prevent it.

“…And only a young boy named Ayden Rosewood survived and sent a report to the Capital Investigators. According to a secondary report, Master Ayden Rosewood is a highly adept fire mage.” Count Aegean continued.

Rian frowned slightly. “Ayden Rosewood?”

“Yes, Ayden Rosewood. His family history is unclear…” Count Aegean trailed off meaningfully. As members of the aristocracy, they all understood that many lords had illegitimate children.

But Rian thought further. There was no Ayden Rosewood in his past life. It was Alyssa Rosewood who had survived, but she didn’t display strong, skilled fire magic ability until her teens.

In fact, in his first life, the Capital Investigators were never called; it wasn’t strictly their job.

The Capital Investigators were a group under the King’s name to investigate matters for the King. However, they wouldn’t turn down a direct request from the aristocracy, since under some technicalities, matters involving the nobility affected the King and the kingdom.

In his first life, after Alyssa was adopted by the Cordovans, the Cordovans had hired some private investigators who’d subsequently found nothing…

Where did this Ayden Rosewood come from? And what happened to Alyssa Rosewood? This was all too suspicious.

“Let me have an audience with my Imperial Father. I want to accompany the Capital Investigators to the Rosewood summer manor,” Rian decided. He saw the dubiousness in Count Aegean’s eyes, so he added, “The Rosewood family is important. With such a devastating event, we the Imperial Family cannot be dismissive. But Imperial Father is busy. I, Prince Rian Azure, will take his place.”