“The emperor used to frequent this library when he was the crown prince, so Raytan dislikes using it.”

“…” Sezh paused, unsure of what to say next. “I feel bad for asking.”

Swallowed by guilt, Sezh bit her lips hesitantly. She had already known well beforehand how much Raytan despised the emperor and all things associated with him, but she hadn’t anticipated that Lise would admit such a fact out loud especially considering that Sezh was the emperor’s daughter. Lise herself had also even said that she had spent the previous night enjoying the emperor’s company. Now Sezh wasn’t sure how to react to her conflicting words.

She worried over how to proceed with the conversation but decided to be safe and change the topic instead.

“Err… Lady Lise, you said you were from the Eyont Empire, right?”

I heard her mention it on Raytan’s birthday.

“Yes, I am. Are you perhaps interested in the Eyont Empire?”

“Ah, I heard that… the Eyont Empire is a good country for trading.”

Sezh did her best to recall what she had learned about Lise’s former home.

“There are a lot of people who keep going back and forth, right…? Also, they say the weather there is always warm, so I heard it’s a good place to live…”

“It was indeed nice to live there…” Lise nodded briefly before slowly continuing her words. “… But I hadn’t arrived there by choice.”

“Pardon…?”

“That place was where I stayed after being forced to run away for so long.”

Sezh was puzzled by Lise’s story. As far as she knew, Lise had been a dancer who became a concubine after she caught the emperor’s eye. He had been visiting the Eyont Empire by chance and brought her back with him after noticing her beauty.

“In the end, I ended up in Denhelder.”

Well, I’m not certain what Lise’s life had been like before she became a concubine, but there’s one thing that I know for sure: her life has not been an easy one. She must have missed her days in the Eyont Empire.

“It was hard at first, but it’s alright now. Now…”

“…”

“I think everything has its purpose, and these events led to me coming here for a reason. It’s not that bad.”

Lise spoke with reservation, her countenance reticent and composed as if she were harboring many secrets.

Sezh didn’t know how to reply to her. As she struggled to find the suitable words to respond to Lise’s cryptic statements, the door opened and a woman’s voice interrupted them.

“Lady Lise.”

The lady in waiting who had brought the tray of cookies and refreshments earlier stood at the entryway and carefully called Lise’s name. Lise looked at her and wondered what was the matter, but she soon nodded in understanding.

“You can give it to me now. It’s alright.”

The lady in waiting still seemed a bit hesitant. Nonetheless, she complied and brought out a small bottle containing a light purple liquid. She dutifully handed the bottle to her mistress and bowed.

“Do excuse me for a moment.”

Lise asked for Sezh’s understanding before uncapping the bottle and gulping down its contents.

Sezh furrowed her brow at her in concern, “Are you perhaps ill? You just took a medicine, or at least that’s what it seemed like to me, from the looks of it…”

Lise offered the younger girl no answer and just smiled lightly at her, except the one she wore this time felt rather strange and cold—not at all like the kind and genial expression she normally showed her.

“Princess,” she finally said after a while, “aren’t you afraid of Raytan?”

“Pardon?”

“I thought you wanted to get closer to him.”

“Ah, umm…”

Sezh wavered momentarily. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t scared of him. Besides, Raytan had been the one who had killed her in her previous life, and of course that would remain true in five years if things continued the same as before.

However, despite her fear, she no longer felt he was the kind of monster everyone else made him out to be. Especially after getting to know him more in this life, she understood there were other dimensions to him. He had even looked a bit pitiful yesterday with his untreated wounds. Honestly, she couldn’t believe that not a single attendant had tended to his wounds to the point where his abdomen became so badly bruised.

Sezh continued to hesitate for some time, but after a while, she carefully parted her lips and spoke slowly but deliberately.

“Yes, I am a bit scared… but I still want to become closer with my big brother, regardless.”

“Oh my, is that so?”

Lise grinned happily as she sipped her tea.

“You’re an odd one. Others don’t even want to make eye contact with him.”

“Ah, I…” Sezh paused for a moment to consider her next words, “Perhaps the others fear him because of the legend and the fact that he matches the description.”

Raytan. Sezh was well aware of the meaning behind his name. It meant “cursed”. The emperor himself had given him that name.

“Your name is the first gift you are given when you are born into this world,” Lise murmured as she contemplated her son’s fate. “And things have gone wrong since then. He should have been given a loving name instead.”

Sezh was flustered by the gravity of Lise’s tone. She was being so strange today. Not only did she speak openly about the strained relationship between Raytan and the emperor, but now she was also voicing her discontent at her son’s connection to the legend that has haunted them so. Never before had Sezh seen Lise’s beautiful visage look so grim, as if her mind was delving deeper into topics that no longer concerned Sezh.

“But I never thought that it would suit him so much.”

“Lady Lise…?”

“‘Raytan’ ended up being a fitting name for that child.”

Lise laughed weakly, though not with mirth. Her laugh was cold and eerie.

“…”

Suddenly, amidst her ominous laughter, Lise frowned and staggered backward as she clutched at her chest.

Surprised at the turn of events, Sezh leapt from her seat and ran to her side.

“Lady Lise!”

“Ugh…”

The concubine’s face turned pale as she groaned in pain. The heat quickly drained from her body, leaving her skin as cold as a sheet left empty and neglected during the night.

I have to call someone!

Flustered, Sezh fretted over what she could do for her. At that moment, a dark shadow approached from behind and loomed over her.

It was Raytan.

“Mother.”

He pushed Sezh aside and helped Lise.

“No need,” Lise steadied herself as she reassured her son. “I’m alright.”

“But…”

“I just need to rest.”

“Then I’ll take you to your room.”

“I’m fine. Marie!”

When she shouted, the same lady in waiting from before hurried back into the room as soon as she was summoned. She went to Lise and held her naturally as if she was already very familiar with this sight.

“I’ll have to excuse myself.”

Lise rose from her seat and glanced cordially at Sezh as she prepared to take her leave.

“Please do so and rest well, Lady Lise.”

Sezh hurriedly picked up the shawl from Lise’s chair and handed it to Marie who draped it over Lise’s shoulders. She also made sure to take the empty bottle of medicine with her as she escorted Lise out.

“I’ll see you another time, princess. Raytan, go ahead.”

“I understand.”

Raytan answered his mother curtly. Thus, Lise took her leave with the help of Marie. Sezh focused her gaze on the bottle that Marie held.

Is she suffering from a chronic disease? Then, shouldn’t she become better after taking that? When she drank the medicine, she was suddenly in pain instead. I don’t know if her sudden attack was just a coincidence with the timing of her medication, but that bottle keeps bothering me.

“…”

Sezh turned to Raytan. Raytan’s expression seemed to soften just a bit as he watched his mother go.

His face is not as hard or cold as usual, but he doesn’t seem worried about her. Somehow… he looks desperate. Lise’s behavior, Raytan’s expression…

“Big brother…”

Sezh called out to him. His fists were clenched so hard his nails drew blood. She alternated looking between his large, blood-stained hands whose veins bulged beneath the skin and his face which bore an indescribable expression. Sezh felt a chill run down her spine. She couldn’t point out exactly why, but for some reason, she felt cold.