LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 7 - This Feeling is Often Called Love
The Next Day
Luance came to see Laurencia again. He seemed to be in an unusually good mood, likely pleased that the ability he had been waiting for had finally manifested.
“I had another dream last night,” Laurencia began.
“What kind of dream, Laurencia?”
At the mere mention of a dream, Luance narrowed his eyes, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“In the dream, Crown Prince Adrian didn’t die.”
“What are you saying, Laurencia? Didn’t you say he died, struck by an arrow fired by Marquis Spencer from the Polloid Empire?”
“Yes, in the first dream, he was hit by Marquis Spencer’s arrow and fell. But in last night’s dream, Marquis Spencer didn’t even attend the hunting competition.”
Laurencia lied effortlessly, her expression calm and composed.
“What? Why? Did you figure out what changed in the dream, Laurencia?”
“Well…”
Laurencia hesitated, and Luance’s eyes narrowed further, his irritation barely concealed.
“Can dreams even change? Do you have no idea why you had such a dream? Are you saying it’s impossible to know?”
His lips trembled—a telltale sign that his voice was about to rise.
“Why did it change? Just yesterday, you said my brother died in the dream!”
Laurencia feigned a downcast expression, pretending to be disheartened by his harsh tone.
“I told you, in last night’s dream, Marquis Spencer didn’t attend the hunting competition.”
“Explain it so I can understand.”
“In the first dream, Marquis Spencer sought me out during the hunting competition.”
“Why would he look for you, Laurencia?”
“I don’t know. But in the dream, Marquis Spencer and I seemed to know each other.”
It wasn’t entirely a lie. Once she met Teyshar Spencer, they would indeed become acquainted.
“What? Are you saying you participated in the hunting competition despite not even having your debutante ball?”
“Yes.”
Laurencia hadn’t participated in the hunting competition in her original timeline. It was only natural—she was an illegitimate child and hadn’t even had a proper debutante ball. Her debutante was held quietly at the Count’s residence after Luance became emperor.
While high-ranking nobles or royalty usually hosted their debutante balls at the Imperial Banquet Hall, others often held theirs at home. Even then, it was customary for a chaperone or a noblewoman to guide the debutante. Laurencia’s chaperone had been Lady Anne.
Typically, a debutante ball held at home would involve preparation and lessons from the chaperone. However, Laurencia had received none of this. On the appointed day, she wore the black dress Lady Anne had prepared, danced an awkward waltz with a male instructor, and that was it.
Later, Laurencia learned that wearing a black dress during a debutante was a deliberate insult, often reserved for illegitimate children.
“In the dream where the Crown Prince died, I was wandering around the competition and witnessed the scene. But in the dream where he survived, I wasn’t there to see it.”
“What are you trying to say?”
“In the dream where the Crown Prince died, I was present. But in the dream where he survived, I wasn’t.”
Luance fell silent, lost in thought. While he was pleased that Laurencia’s abilities had awakened and that she had provided a vision of the future he desired, the sudden shift in the dream unsettled him. It felt as though he were walking through a dense fog, unable to shake an ominous feeling.
“In the dream where the Crown Prince survived, I died after falling down the stairs,” Laurencia continued, bowing her head slightly.
“Falling down the stairs? Are you saying someone pushed you?”
“It’s just a dream. I was probably overreacting.”
“Laurencia.”
“Yes?”
“Didn’t you promise to tell me everything? Did you see who pushed you in the dream?”
“Yes.”
Laurencia had seen over a decade of potential futures. She remembered every detail, from the faintest speck of dust to the people involved. She wouldn’t fall for Luance’s feigned concern anymore.
Now, it was her turn to deceive him.
“Tell me. Who pushed you down the stairs?”
“I don’t think it was intentional. It seemed like an accident.”
“Laurencia, why are you dodging my question?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Hah… Do you realize how tiresome your apologies are?”
The previous evening, after Luance had left her room, Ilina stormed in, visibly irritated. Laurencia had expected this. As predicted, Ilina began yelling the moment she entered.
“When did I ever give you a kitten as a gift?”
“What was I supposed to say, then?”
Laurencia had started noticing the hidden strengths and flaws of others. Ilina, for instance, was impulsive and impatient. She couldn’t bottle up her anger and had to vent immediately. Beautiful but shallow, foolish, and quick-tempered—that was Ilina.
“I can’t exactly tell Prince Luance that Illina has a hobby of killing animals, can I?”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“That’s why I’m saying I don’t think I can let this kitten die. I told Prince Luance I’d raise it.”
“What?”
“You told me I could do whatever I wanted with the kitten, whether I kept it or not, didn’t you?”
Laurencia licked her lips with a sly smile and then let out a hearty laugh. Illina felt increasingly uncomfortable, as though Laurencia’s laughter was mocking her. The thought that Laurencia—who had once grovelled like a dog or a pig—had changed since coming to this room deeply unsettled her.
“I named the kitten Leo. Doesn’t it suit him well?”
Illina’s eyebrows twitched erratically. She couldn’t suppress her anger any longer and let out a scream. Startled, the maids outside the door knocked quickly before entering Laurencia’s room. They restrained the furious Illina, who was throwing objects and stomping her feet, and escorted her out.
“Laurencia, stop beating around the bush and tell me: who pushed you down the stairs?”
“It was Illina.”
“What? Illina?”
Luance recalled storming into Illina’s room the previous day to admonish her for giving Laurencia the kitten. He had been furious, warning her that Laurencia must never have something precious to hold on to.
Laurencia had to value only him, depend only on him.
At first, Luance was annoyed that Illina had given her the kitten, but his thoughts changed. Perhaps having one precious thing wouldn’t be so bad. If he pretended to protect and care for it, Laurencia might lean on him even more. And when that precious thing was eventually lost or destroyed, comforting a heartbroken Laurencia could serve his purpose just as well.
For now, though, the kitten had to go.
Then he would tell Laurencia that having something precious only brought pain. He would remind her that if she had refused the gift, the kitten wouldn’t have died. Afterward, he’d give her a new “toy” to replace it.
“Get rid of the kitten when the time is right,” he had told Illina.
“Yes, Your Highness. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking clearly,” Illina had replied, apologizing profusely.
With Laurencia’s newfound abilities, Luance had to tread carefully. This was a critical time, and Illina had made an unnecessary mistake.
“But I only wanted to… for our outing today, I thought—”
“Really? Why did you give her a kitten of all things?”
“I had my reasons.”
“Whatever those reasons were, the fact that she’s cradling that thing like it’s her treasure is all that matters.”
Some jealousy was understandable, but petty jealousy leading to dangerous actions like pushing Laurencia down the stairs could jeopardize everything. He couldn’t let a woman’s trivial envy ruin his grand plans.
Luance rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. He needed Count Pol Heredian’s financial support and couldn’t afford to discard Illina. But neither could he neglect Laurencia—she was his carefully nurtured “monster,” and her abilities were finally awakening.
“So, Laurencia,” Luance said finally.
“Yes?”
“If you’re present, my brother, Adrian, dies.”
“That’s how it appeared in my dream, Prince Luance.”
In the future where Crown Prince Adrian died, Laurencia had been there. But in the future where he survived, Laurencia herself had died.
The solution was clear. Laurencia had to live. And if she were to attend the hunting competition, there was one thing Luance needed to ensure.
“Since you’re now officially the Countess of Pol Heredian, I’ll personally prepare your debutante ball, Laurencia.”
“My debutante ball? Really? I can’t believe it.”
Laurencia’s face lit up with a radiant smile.
“I’ll recommend a chaperone for you and personally escort you to the banquet at the end of the month,” he added.
Luance doubted anyone would take an interest in such a plain, short, and unimpressive “monster.” Instead, escorting her himself would only make him appear as a benevolent and compassionate prince. The more he thought about it, the less he minded organizing Laurencia’s debutante ball.
After all, didn’t gemstones shine brightest when buried in dirt?
“But I’m an illegitimate child. If you escort me, people might criticize you,” Laurencia said hesitantly.
“Criticism for your sake is nothing to me, Laurencia. Don’t worry.”
A faint blush spread across Laurencia’s cheeks, and Luance looked down at her with satisfaction.
“You see, Laurencia, I’m willing to endure that kind of criticism for you.”
“Why would you go to such lengths for me?”
“Because I like you, Laurencia.”
“You like me?”
“Yes. This feeling is often called love,” Luance said in a voice so sweet it could make anyone melt.
Laurencia’s eyes widened momentarily as she recalled the words he had once whispered to her, right before her death:
“Love is just another form of delusion.”
“Remember this, Laurencia. I’m always on your side. And so is my heart.”
“Don’t mistake my love for something it’s not, Laurencia.”
She could never forget.
“Thank you for your confession, Prince Luance. I’ll always remember that you’re willing to endure any criticism for my sake.”
As she spoke, Laurencia murmured under her breath, so softly that Luance couldn’t hear, “I hope you don’t regret those words.”
A content smile spread across her face, tinged with a faint glimmer of madness that Luance failed to notice.