I Wish I Could Predict Love, Not Fall Into It - Chapter 15

As Hilton finished speaking with difficulty, Julia took a step forward and grabbed the front of his coat.

“Move. Don’t mess with me.”

At the moment Julia spoke coldly, a large hand reached between them.

“Lady Julia.”

That big hand gently grabbed Julia’s delicate wrist and pulled it away from Hilton.

“Clark?”

Julia saw Clark in his black knight’s uniform. She quickly pulled her hand away from him.

Clark opened his mouth with a blank expression, as if nothing had happened.

“There was a troubling event in the imperial palace today. Please go back now.”

“What kind of event?”

Julia crossed her arms in front of Clark.

“I cannot tell you.”

Clark’s voice was firm. He didn’t look at all intimidated by Julia, even though she was a noblewoman of royal blood.

“Clark. Look, I’m not here alone, am I?”

Julia finally lowered her voice and gestured for him to look behind her.

“I came here with the princess of the Soroso Kingdom.”

“That still doesn’t change anything. I only follow the emperor’s orders.”

Julia bit her lower lip in frustration at Clark’s unwavering attitude. Even as she glared at him like lasers would shoot from her eyes, he didn’t flinch.

At that moment, footsteps echoed from the end of the hall. Hilton, Clark, Julia, and Elizabeth all turned to look.

The emperor, dressed in a pitch-black uniform, was walking toward them.

Julia waved her arms excitedly.

“I’m back, Your Majesty!”

Louisville glanced briefly at Julia and then gave Hilton and Clark a cold stare.

“I told you I’m not receiving visitors today.”

“What do you mean? I’m not a visitor. I’m royalty.”

Julia said cheerfully as she walked closer to Louisville. Then she pointed behind her.

“And that lady over there. You know her too, don’t you?”

Louisville looked at Elizabeth. She wore a wide, flowing blue dress that narrowed at her waist. She gracefully bent her knees and greeted him.

“It’s been a long time, Your Majesty. I’m Elizabeth Rogers.”

“Long time?”

Louisville interrupted her and frowned.

“This is our first time meeting.”

Elizabeth froze in shock. Julia had the same reaction.

Then Louisville gave a cold command.

“Get them out. Both of them.”

The moment he gave the order, Clark called the knights, and they escorted Julia and Elizabeth out of the palace. During the struggle, two knights got kicked in the shins by Julia.

❖ ❖ ❖

“…D-Dad!”

It was the first time I had called my beloved dad in such a trembling voice.

“What is it?”

That morning, my dad was getting ready for work as usual. I ran into the bedroom and threw myself into his arms.

“I had a scary dream.”

“My daughter had a nightmare?”

Dad hugged his grown-up daughter tightly like a child and stroked my hair.

Dad was always kind to me. Maybe because my mom, who had left after the divorce, was distant, he tried even harder to make up for it. That’s why I didn’t want to believe the nightmare I had.

“Dad, you know my dreams usually come true, right?”

“Of course. I know.”

I always told my dad about my dreams, but this time I hesitated. Still, I had to tell him.

“In today’s dream, I saw you die.”

In the dream, I saw a village bus overturn in an accident. It was the same bus my dad took every day. I woke up after seeing my dad crushed under people in the overturned bus.

“What? You’ve never had a dream like that before.”

Dad looked at me with wide eyes. I answered in a trembling voice.

“I know. It’s the first time I’ve dreamed of someone dying.”

“Then it’s just a meaningless dream.”

Until now, my dreams had only predicted small things, so Dad didn’t believe this one either. I also wanted to believe it was meaningless. But I knew my dreams too well.

“But all my dreams have come true so far.”

“Yes, but they were minor things.”

“True. Like when I predicted you’d finally go to the bathroom, or when I said our landlord would raise the rent.”

That’s exactly why I was so scared. What if this awful accident really happened?

I clung to Dad’s arm as he walked toward the front door.

“I have a bad feeling, Dad. Please don’t go outside.”

“I can’t. I have to go to work.”

“Just for today, don’t go. Please.”

I was almost crying as I begged. I would’ve even knelt if that’s what it took to stop him.

“…Okay. I won’t go.”

Dad finally agreed; his heart softened.

But that was only to comfort me. While I was distracted checking my phone, he left the house.

In the end, he got on that bus. The bus overturned while trying to avoid a car that had crossed the centerline. I saw it happen as I ran to find Dad.

Through the broken window, I saw him crushed under people.

It was just like in the dream.

I ran like crazy then fell.

Lying on the ground, I saw it: other people’s blood running down my dad’s face, his body.

I don’t remember anything after that.

I fainted.

❖ ❖ ❖

Louisville visited the bedroom where Anier lay every single day.

But she slept like the dead. It felt like his place in the world had been taken by her.

When Anier showed no sign of waking up, Louisville started pressuring the doctors. The longer she stayed unconscious, the more nervous he became.

“Why isn’t she waking up?”

It had been six days, and still Anier hadn’t opened her eyes. All the doctors gave the same opinion.

“Her strength must return before her consciousness. If we give her medicine and enough rest, she will open her eyes.”

Her body was so thin and weak, it wasn’t easy to recover from a stab wound.

While the doctors went to prepare medicine, Louisville sat in the chair beside her bed. He quietly stared at Anier’s sleeping face.

Her entire face filled his vision.

She looked a little better than yesterday less pale.

Then, Anier’s eyebrow twitched.

Louisville quickly leaned forward.

“Anier?”

But she didn’t open her eyes. She only frowned and let out a faint moan.

“…I’m sorry…”

Louisville watched her in silence and gently placed his hand on her arm.

“Anier.”

As he softly shook her, tears began to fall from her closed eyes.

“Don’t die…”

She begged while crying. Her voice was so sorrowful. It made him feel like he couldn’t do anything like all he could do was listen.

“Please…”

Because of that voice, Louisville couldn’t take his eyes off her. Anier kept crying big, heavy tears.

“I’m scared… I’m so scared…”

Anier, who had always looked strong, was sobbing quietly, her body trembling.

Louisville instinctively reached out his hand but hesitated and pulled it back.

He wanted to wipe away her tears. But even that small thought felt unfamiliar.

He was not used to comforting others.

Louisville lowered his hand again.

His own life had been so hard that he had never taken time to care about someone else’s pain.

His own wounds felt too big, his life too tragic. So he never thought much about the pain of others.

“Hic…”

But seeing Anier crying in her sleep made his heart ache.

He couldn’t just leave her like that.

In the end, Louisville awkwardly moved his hand and gently patted her on the shoulder.

Even then, Anier’s trembling didn’t stop.

What kind of terrible dream was she having?

Louisville often had nightmares himself, so he knew just how painful they could be.

For the first time, he felt sorry for Anier.

That’s why he couldn’t leave her side.

Louisville stayed in Anier’s bedroom the entire night.

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