hat Elsie said today kept lingering in Jessica’s mind.
Jessica thought, ‘Leon must have loved me for years.
‘So many years…
‘I’ve never lost my memory. But if there’s anything I can’t quite recall, it could only be that one thing…
‘After being rescued from that fire nine years ago, I was seriously ill for quite some time. They said I remained dazed for nearly two weeks!
Leon was gazing intently at Jessica. For a moment, Jessica seemed to see Leon again from that particular night. He looked at her with those pleading eyes and said pitifully, “Jessica, I feel so wronged.”
His eyes showed genuine hurt, unmistakably.
However, only Jessica could see his hurt.
When Leon met the King’s gaze again, there wasn’t a ripple of emotion in his eyes.
He said calmly, “Nine years ago, when General Algernon accompanied Your Majesty on a southern tour, all of us princes were present, including Jessica.”
Nine years ago!
Finally, it all started coming back to everyone.
During that trip, they were ambushed by assassins who set a massive fire, leaving many injured.
In protecting the King, General Algernon had to leave his young granddaughter unattended.
Many were injured at that time. Jessica was among them, and she subsequently suffered a prolonged illness.
Leon added, “I happened to rescue a little girl during the fire that night. Afterwards, since Your Majesty was also injured, our priority became both protecting you and hunting down the assassins, forcing our entourage to remain in the southern regions for over half a month.
“I went out daily with the royal guards to track down the assassins, but no matter how tired I was, I would always come back to care for that little girl whenever I returned to rest.
“That stubborn little girl, though delirious with fever, simply wouldn’t take her medicine. The only way she’d drink it was that I fed it to her myself when!
returned.”
Jessica’s hands instinctively gripped her clothes. A sharp, inexplicable pain pierced her heart, as if something invisible had stabbed right through it.
Leon remained composed as he continued, “For those two weeks, I looked after her daily. Several times, when she was delirious with fever, she would lean in my arms and whisper, ‘When I grow up… I’ll marry you.’
“I know such words may have meant little for an eight–year–old girl. She was just a child and could not understand. But to me, it was a solemn prom vowed I would marry her when she grew up. I have kept that promise engraved in my heart all these years. Even in the Northern Borderlands, when, nearly perished in battle and was on the brink of despair, one thought sustained me: I can not die. I must return to the Capitalia. For there is a girl there, waiting for me to return and marry her.”
A young lady among them, unable to contain herself, quietly began to sob.
The Queen’s face twisted in pain, an inexplicable pang of sympathy tugging at her heart.
The King’s expression grew solemn.
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1217 Sat, 14 Jun
Chapter 280
During that assassination attempt, he was wounded and, to his dismay, completely failed to notice what his children had gone through
Suddenly, the Queen asked, “Then why was it that Jessica… and Prince Waldo became so close after that southern tour?”
That little girl was, of course, Jessica. Leon hadn’t said her name, but everyone knew who he meant.
“I don’t know!” Leon breathed slowly before continuing, “I was looking after little Jessica back then, and her condition was improving. The royal physician said she’d soon regain consciousness. But just then, I sustained severe injuries when I tracked down the assassins and surrounded them. In the following days, I was in a daze, recovering from my wounds.”
Leon finally turned back, gazing at Jessica’s stunned expression, and said tenderly, “There were three royal physicians with us on that journey, including Physician Alfredo Fuentes, who usually tended to you. If you don’t believe me, Jessica, ask Alfredo yourself. Who was it that held you in his arms to give you medicine and lulled you to sleep while you were unconscious?”
