Chapter 5
I tried to summon the strength to keep up appearances, pretending everything was fine.
But the headaches, chest pains, and nausea became more frequent.
Elara, seeing me deteriorate, tried to cheer me up in front of others, but behind my back, she secretly wiped away her tears.
One evening, she burst in cradling a half–dead kitten. “Save it, my lady! It won’t last the night!”
Great, I’m not dead yet, but she’s already losing her mind.
A little while later, she sneaked into my chambers, her eyes furtive as she looked at me, then pulled out a small sickly cat from her pocket.
“Your Majesty, please save it. It won’t survive unless you help.”
Elara, with tears in her eyes, gazed at me.
I was both angry and amused. I didn’t know if she was being clever or just trying to irritate me.
The sick cat was barely alive. I thought it wouldn’t last long, so I let Elara take care of it, just as long as it didn’t bother me.
The next day, when I woke from a nap, I found the cat’s head buried in my milk bowl, drinking so much it looked like its belly would burst.
I feared it might choke, so I quickly scooped it up in my hands, too scared to move it.
Elara heard the noise and rushed in, exclaiming, “Your Majesty! It’s eating so much, it’s going to explode!”
Before she finished speaking, the cat began to vomit and defecate.
I cried, truly cried.
My hands are ruined.
I thought it was about to die, but instead, it grew more lively every day, stubbornly clinging to life.
It loved to drink from my bowl, and because of the cat, my appetite improved.
Every day, I had to drink quickly or else there wouldn’t be any left.
Elara, seeing me regain my strength, happily made a few yarn bails and let the cat play with me.
Neither of us liked it.
We both preferred climbing trees. Every day, we scampered up to the trees in the yard, scaring away several nests of sparrows. One day, as I climbed up to about two or three meters, I heard a crowd calling, “Your Majesty, long life!”
Alaric was standing beneath the tree, staring up at my back with a look of bewildered confusion.
I couldn’t help but laugh. Suddenly, a sharp pain struck my chest, and I nearly lost my grip on the tree.
Alaric quickly extended his hand, seemingly ready to catch me.
He nodded at me, saying, “Sera, don’t be afraid. Jump.”
In that moment, I felt like I was back in a time without Vivienne.
Back when he had been so kind to me.
For a brief moment, I softened, closing my eyes and making a bet with myself.
If Alaric could catch me, I would say goodbye properly, so we could part on good terms.
1 heard Vivienne crying outside, saying, “Where did this cat come from? It hurts!” Alaric, who will you choose?
