“Are you going to run away?” Bern sneered. “People said you can’t hide the shallow blood flowing through your veins. You’re just like your wanderer mother, aren’t you?”

Drip, drop…

The corner of the book had cut open Raytan’s forehead, and dark, red blood trickled down.

The crimson liquid was the same, striking shade as his irises. Sezh dared to bet all her meager possessions that her half-siblings would later come to severely regret their actions.

One day, Bern will feel so sorry for what he did today. To be honest, if I were Raytan, I think I’d kill him first.

Bern, however, was oblivious to Raytan’s true capabilities and knew nothing about the atrocities he would commit five years from now on. Because of his ignorance, Bern continued to jeer sarcastically at them.

“If you’re going to run away, why don’t you take your mother with you? She’ll probably do some cheap dance on the street, so how about you beg for money alongside her?”

Bern’s group laughed with him.

“Think about it, Raytan. You’re not going to get any benefits from living in the Imperial Palace.”

No… Raytan actually profits the most from living here.

He will gain a huge advantage from killing the emperor and all potential heirs to the throne, leaving himself the last man standing in the Imperial Palace… Of course, this time I’m not going to be among the dead…

Sezh racked her young brain as quickly as she could for ideas, trying desperately to figure out what she could do to defuse the situation.

In the meantime, Bern’s blabbering was increasingly aggravating Raytan, causing the crimson-eyed prince to bite his lips until they turned bloodstained.

Sezh shook her head and willed herself to focus on the situation at hand. Worrying about her own well-being, which was all she had done in her previous life, was not the point now. If she had been the same twelve-year-old girl as before, she would have run away or cried already.

Instead, inside this small body was a more mature, seventeen-year-old Sezh, who had survived all this before and more. She would no longer flee or weep, no matter how intimidating the situation. Currently, she had only one thought on her mind.

I need to win big brother Raytan’s favor now!

“Or maybe we should have you start rehearsing how you’ll grovel for mercy before we turn you and your street-dancing mother out of the palace?”

“…”

“C’mon, get on your knees and beg. I’ll make sure you won’t regret asking for my forgiveness, because I’m a generous guy.”

Bern smirked as he tapped Raytan’s chest.

A turbulent mix of inexplicable emotions roiled behind Raytan’s eyes, which burned as red as the blood trickling down on his face. His irises blazed full of life, though as far as Sezh could remember, he rarely fought back. Despite the vivacity and defiance in his gaze, he almost never retaliated no matter how bad the circumstances were.

If you hit him, he’ll accept it. If you push him into a lake, then he’ll just fall into the lake.

The same could have been said about past Sezh as well. Whenever people talked to or cursed at her, she would always seize up and stand completely still, just like a doll.

Sezh suddenly had a flash of realization. This event was likely among the first of many that would ignite the flames of Raytan’s rebellion.

Would that make the death of Lady Lise the spark that detonates all the pent-up rage he has endured thus far?

Her quick recognition of the potential dangers of the situation prompted her to make a decision.

It doesn’t seem like there’s going to be a big fight this time, either. Raytan looks like he’s gonna stand there and just take it again, which means that Bern and his posse will be wasting their time trying to get a rise out of him.

Then that’s where I’ll enter! I’ll come forward and put an end to it by taking big brother Raytan’s side! It shouldn’t be a big loss for me.

At least, that’s what Sezh had thought.

I don’t think we’re going to fight. It’s going to be the same as usual and not break out any worse than now. If I intervene, it should be enough to distract them and stop my brothers from bothering Raytan. Maybe then he will start looking favorably upon me.

“Bi-, big brother Bern,” Sezh stepped in front of Raytan and shielded him as best she could with her petite frame, “please stop it.”

“What the hell is she doing?” Bern laughed at her like she was a freak for having the audacity to stand before him.

He snatched Sezh’s long, blonde hair with one hand.

You jerk. I’ve always known that you’re a bad guy. That much is definitely true.

In the past, Bern not only harassed Raytan but also me from time to time. If today’s target was Raytan, then I would be tomorrow’s prey, and then the cycle would repeat beginning with Raytan again the day after.

I guess to put it more precisely, he’s always been the ringleader of the bullies and very proactive in ostracizing the cold rice1 and the spoiled rice2.

“Let me go!” Sezh shouted and struggled against his grip.

Of course, her screams meant nothing to Bern. Sezh’s eyes darted toward Raytan, who made no move to intervene on her behalf. He simply continued glaring at Bern without stopping to spare so much as a single glance in her direction. It wasn’t like Sezh hadn’t anticipated his unsympathetic response since she knew he cared little for her to begin with. Regardless, she couldn’t help but feel hurt.

Who should I blame for this?

“You fucking bitch. I’ve been wondering why I haven’t seen you around these days…”

Bern paused and narrowed his eyes at her before grinning as if he had realized something hilarious.

“… I think this moron was being beaten up by that moron over there.”

Bern snickered and mockingly pointed a finger at Sezh.

“Get a load of this girl!”

Everyone except Raytan turned to stare at Sezh’s bludgeoned face.

Only then did Sezh remember that her current appearance was the worst she had ever looked. She had left absolutely no time for her swollen and bruised face to recover after Yerena’s tantrum, so the wounds were still fresh. Additionally, her nosebleed still hadn’t stopped yet. Sezh lowered her head shamefully.

I shouldn’t have stepped in. Why did I try to confront them looking like this? Surely there would have been other, better opportunities for me to defend Raytan later.

‘Let’s take big brother’s side and win his favor!

How could I have been so foolish? I’m seriously regretting my actions right now.

“Look at this, how did you hit her? C’mon, do it again.”

Bern pulled Sezh by the hair with one hand while he used his other to jab at Raytan’s forehead. The latter remained unresponsive and stood perfectly still.