I am the Crown Prince of France

Joseph walked through the well-kept courtyard, noticing the villa's front door being pushed open from the inside. A girl, clutching her white dress, came running out. In her haste, her golden, slightly curly hair rippled like waves behind her. She was so nervous that she almost bumped into Cossade.

"Please forgive me, I didn't mean to," she quickly apologized to the captain of the guard, curtseying. After receiving his forgiveness, she cautiously scanned the crowd. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she straightened her back and, with a perfectly measured pace, approached the handsome young man in the sapphire blue coat. With impeccable court etiquette, she curtsied deeply.

"I-I'm honored by your presence, Your Highness, the Prince," she said in French, though not very fluently and with a bit of a German accent. After a brief pause, she seemed to realize something and quickly added, "Ah, I am Camellia Herminie Delvaux. It's an honor to have you here..."

It was then that Joseph saw her face. She was around sixteen or seventeen years old, with soft, graceful facial features and skin as delicate and fair as a baby's. Her large violet eyes were filled with nervousness and unease, and her slightly parted lips seemed to want to say more, giving her an air of vulnerability that made one want to protect her.

Joseph was accustomed to seeing many beautiful women of all types at Versailles, but even he was momentarily taken aback by Camellia's beauty.

"Ahem," he quickly cleared his throat to cover his momentary distraction and nodded in greeting. He then asked, "I came to visit Madame Delvaux. How is her health?"

Upon hearing this, Camellia's expression immediately dimmed, and she replied softly, "Grandmother... she's not doing very well. Please, come inside."

In a sunlit bedroom on the second floor of the villa, an elderly woman with silver hair lay in bed, her eyes closed, her breathing so faint it was barely noticeable. As Joseph entered the room, a maid from the Delvaux household hurried to the bedside and whispered something in the old lady's ear.

The wrinkled eyelids slowly opened, and the old woman struggled to turn her head, her voice barely audible.

"Is... is it... the Prince?"

"Yes, it is, madame," Joseph replied.

The old lady immediately forced her eyes open, her frail arm grasping the maid's as she struggled to sit up. A tear welled up in her eye.

"The Queen... she... still remembers... me..."

Joseph quickly stepped forward to help her. "Please, stay in bed. My mother wanted very much to visit you herself, but she simply couldn't leave Paris. She sent me to convey her deepest regards."

The old woman suddenly began to weep. "I... I miss... the Queen... so much..."

After a while, she looked at Joseph, trying once more to sit up and show respect. "I... I am so... sorry... Your Highness..."

"There's no need for formalities; you must take care of your health," Joseph urged her gently back onto the pillows, noticing that she seemed exhausted after the effort of just sitting up.

He turned to Camellia. "What do the doctors say?"

In a quiet voice, Camellia replied, "Dr. Richter bled her this morning, but he said that if there is no improvement, he may have to resort to emetic treatment this afternoon."

Joseph's face darkened at this. The old lady was already in such a weakened state, and yet the quack doctor still wanted to bleed her...

Well, even George Washington couldn't escape the fate of being bled by his doctors, so it wasn't surprising that a regular noblewoman in Vienna would be subjected to such treatments.

Madame Delvaux rested for a while longer before smiling and reminiscing about Queen Marie's childhood. Joseph didn't have the heart to interrupt the elderly woman's pleasant memories, so he sat quietly by the bed, listening.

By noon, Dr. Richter had arrived. After examining the old lady, he looked nervously at the distinguished young man nearby before quietly telling Camellia, "Madame Delvaux's condition... it seems she no longer needs emetic treatment. What she needs now is a priest. May God have mercy on her."

After the doctor left, Camellia couldn't hold back her tears any longer, but Madame Delvaux, smiling, comforted her.

"Grandmother... is fine. And no more of that... dreadful emetic treatment... thank goodness. Go and fetch Father Koch."

She seemed to remember something suddenly and looked over at the French Prince, attempting once more to sit up.

Joseph had to help her lie back down again. "Is there something you wish to tell me?"

The old lady nodded weakly. "Your Highness... there is a devil... named Walter... He..."

Through Madame Delvaux's halting explanation, Joseph finally understood the situation. This Baron Walter had, while in Spain, imprisoned and assaulted several women, resulting in the deaths of two of them. This had angered an influential minister, Campos, and Walter had fled to Tuscany seven years ago to seek refuge with his cousin, Ludovica. Later, he followed her to Austria.

In Vienna, Walter continued his debauched behavior until one day at a ball, he saw Camellia and became infatuated with her beauty, declaring his intent to marry her.

When Madame Delvaux learned of his despicable nature, she flatly refused the marriage proposal, after which Walter began to harass them incessantly.

For the past year, Camellia had been so frightened that she hardly dared to leave the house. Fortunately, Madame Delvaux still had some influence, and Walter hadn't dared to force his way in yet.

"When I... go to meet... the Lord," Madame Delvaux struggled to continue, "that scoundrel... will have nothing... holding him back."

Joseph couldn't help but frown. He had already inquired about the Delvaux family's situation—they had no other relatives in Vienna. Once Madame Delvaux passed away, young Camellia would likely be at Walter's mercy.

Madame Delvaux motioned for her granddaughter to come closer, took her hand, and then, very carefully, placed it into Joseph's hand, pleading.

"Your Highness... for the sake... of the Queen... please take... Camellia away from Vienna... save her from... that devil!"

Joseph looked at the old lady's pale face and immediately clasped Camellia's thin, cold hand, nodding.

"Rest assured, I won't let anyone harm your granddaughter. She'll be well taken care of in Paris."

"Thank you... thank you so much, Your Highness... May God... bless you," Madame Delvaux said, tears of relief streaming down her face.

Soon after, the old woman drifted off to sleep, exhausted.

After comforting Camellia, Joseph promised to return the next day to visit the old lady before leaving the estate.

(End of Chapter)

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