Raytan wordlessly continued to stay rooted in his spot, clenching his fists and biting his lips.

“Can’t you hear him?” Lilian huffed as she stood behind Bern, riling him up.“He said he wants you to show him how you hit her, you lil’ bastard.”

Lilian was one of Sezh’s half-siblings who frequently took pleasure in smacking the younger girl for trivial reasons such as accidentally meeting her eyes. In many ways, Lili resembled her brother, Bern, who enjoyed harassing Raytan and Sezh. Both Lilian and Bern found it exciting to toy with either Raytan or Sezh, but tormenting both at the same time was even more exhilarating to them. And now Sezh had to deal with these two. God really had no mercy for her.

Well, they will be ruined soon, anyway.

She mustered up her courage and grasped Bern by the hand.

“Ple-, please stop harassing big brother Raytan,” she pleaded. “You can just focus on me!”

Sezh had scarcely finished speaking before her head was abruptly snapped to one side, the sound of striking flesh ringing out through the library. Bern had slapped her cheek faster than she could even blink her eye. She glared at him.

… You son of a bitch. If I was favored by big brother Raytan, I’d ask him to cut your throat first!

“You must already be taking sides without us knowing, huh?” Bern scoffed. “It suits you well.”

He smirked.

“They’re just like each other.”

BAM!

Bern suddenly sank to the floor. Raytan stood over him with a clenched fist, having just punched Bern in the face. All the room’s occupants froze and stared with wide, gaping mouths. Even Sezh was astonished.

What happened? I can’t believe what I’m seeing right now. Raytan, who had stayed so still till now—and who would even stay still when those bullies would throw stones at the back of his head—was now throwing punches at Bern.

It was all so sudden. But why, though? This was just like any other day they bullied him, so what made him react so violently out of nowhere this time?

“You said we are the same?”

Raytan seized Bern by the collar as the latter was collapsing to the floor and raised him high up in the air. Bern hollered and squirmed, trying to wrestle himself free from Raytan’s grip.

“You freakin’ monster! Bastard, release me no-!”

“Tell me, who do I look like?”

“I will kill-!”

He was unable to finish his sentence as the dull sounds of splintering wood echoed loudly through the West Library. Bern crashed through a table on the other side of the room after Raytan had thrown him by the collar. Sezh briefly wondered whether Bern’s nose had bent the wrong way, because the middle of his face was bleeding profusely.

And blood was pouring from both nostrils, much worse than Sezh’s condition.

“That dumb girl?” Raytan snarled. “You said I look like that dumb girl?”

Aha. Now she understood why he was so angry. Bern’s accusation that Raytan resembled anyone in the Imperial Family was fundamentally against his worldview…

They had essentially said, ‘You look like Sezh’. She was dumbfounded.

“If you have eyes, look,” he pressed forward unrelentingly. “Which part of me makes you think I’m anything like her?”

Raytan proceeded to strike Bern’s face multiple times, whipping his head from one side to the other without stopping. Raytan’s ceaseless slaps rendered Bern pitifully incapacitated, giving him no opportunity to even come up with any answers to his questions.

“Are all people with blue eyes blind?”

“This… bastard…”

“You’re blue and I’m red. Which part of that makes us resemble each other?”

It was an untimely colour play. Sezh could not tell whether she wanted to laugh or cry.

“Why are you guys standing still?!” Lili screamed, her face turning as white as a sheet. “Hurry and stop Raytan!! Help my brother!”

The group of five other siblings, who were anxiously watching the scenario play out with panic, snapped to their senses and rushed at Raytan.

The West Library, which used to be a peaceful and quiet haven, was now rowdier than any market. They were fighting recklessly, like cats and dogs.

Sezh, who had been shoved back by the crowd of half-siblings, stared at Raytan and the others in bewilderment.

Now that he had been freed from Raytan’s furor, Bern was enraged. His indignation was understandable since Raytan had never before shown any reaction or made any sort of sound while he was being bullied.

In this case, he didn’t just talk back—he even threw his fists at Bern.

Bern would surely want to beat Raytan to death, now. Everything was turning out far worse than Sezh had initially predicted. She just as easily had a hunch that it would soon spiral further out of control.

What should I do? I think I should intervene…

But even if I try to cut in, I don’t think that will be enough to stop them. Moreover, I’m totally at a disadvantage just by looking at the numbers. Once again… Raytan didn’t even bother to help me earlier, so should I just stay still this time?

… Sezh unexpectedly found she could not reach a conclusion.

“What the fuck was this bastard planning to do?”

As she had expected, the situation was devolving even further. The group swiftly surrounded Raytan and restrained him. Bern staggered as he tried to right himself. He cursed and kicked Raytan in the abdomen with his foot.

“Urgh!”

Raytan shouted and slumped to the floor as Bern quickly moved to climb on top of him.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

The frenzied sounds of Bern’s fists colliding with Raytan’s jaw filled the air. He was throwing punches like a madman while his minions grabbed hold of Raytan’s arms and legs. Sezh felt like she was watching a torture scene.

No matter what… this is too cruel…

Sezh’s blue irises met Raytan’s red eyes.

Though they had locked gazes for only a brief moment, his look was enough to make Sezh think about her decision once again.

Yeah. I need to win him over. I have to show him that I am on his side, even though my eyes are blue!

Sezh charged at Bern and immediately sank her teeth into his arm, like a hound clamping down on its prey.