Lady Lize was already sitting next to the table as she waited for them.

“Good morning Princess. Good morning Raytan.”

“Lady Lize, thank you for inviting me,” Sezh greeted politely.

Lize got up from her seat and mirrored Sezh.

So many years have passed, but Lady Lize was never changing. As ever, she was overly polite, and of course, beautiful. However, only the condition of her body was not the same as before. She wasn’t that healthy 4 years ago; however, compared to her current state, she was at a way stronger level back then.

She lost a lot of weight, and her complexion was also bad. Yerena and other concubines often patronized her for pretending to be sick to earn the Emperor’s favor. But Sezh knew her health was truly terrible.

Sezh came to her palace every day to receive tutoring, but encountering her face-to-face like this could total a month’s worth of their interactions. Lady Lize refrained from going out. To be precise, she did not have enough strength to leave her room.

It was not an exaggeration to say all the physicians that worked in the Denhelder Empire have visited her in recent years. But none of them could find an effective medical cure. The color of the medicine bottle given to her was getting darker day by day¹, and Lize was like a flower that was just about completely withered.

“Then please take a seat firs-”

Lize stumbled before she could even finish her words. Raytan, who was standing next to Sezh, quickly supported her unbalanced body.

“Mother, I think you should rest…”

“No, it’s okay. I just got a little dizzy.”

“Lady Lize…”

“I made the Princess worried. I’m really okay, so please don’t concern yourself,” Lize said while making a peculiar smile.

Oh dear, she could hardly move her lips to even carve a smile. Sezh suddenly became upset and bit her lips tightly.

“Aren’t you two hungry? Let’s eat together. I told Marie to pay special attention to the dish.”

Even at a glance, the food that filled the table looked delicious. Sezh nodded and began to slice into a steak. Of course, no matter how delicious the food right now, she didn’t think it would soothe her heavy heart. However, it’s very uncultured to avoid eating what was prepared with care. Sezh left her heavy feelings behind and put the food into her mouth.

“The taste is so appetizing, Lady Lize.”

“I’m glad that Princess thinks so,” Lize smiled and sipped the tea in her cup. After that, she moved her hand to the soup.

“Raytan, you should also eat the food. It’s going to get cold soon.”

“…Yes,” Raytan replied briefly.

Not being able to stand the heavy atmosphere, Sezh started talking and suggesting different foods to Raytan: ‘Brother, this is delicious’ or ‘Try this first, and that too…’

Seeing this scene, Lize soon opened her mouth again, “Princess looks good in that dress.”

“Yes?”

“It’s light purple, so it suits your skin tone very well.”

What is Lize talking about? Sezh widened her eyes at her words. Although she was wearing a light purple dress today, it was the first time that Lize brought up fashion like this.

“Honestly, I already prepared a different color… I think I have to change it.”

“… Pardon?”

Sezh looked puzzled since she couldn’t understand Lize’s words.

“You will have a debut soon,” Lize said, smiling kindly.

“If the Princess is okay, how about attending this year’s debutante ball?”

“M-me?”

“Of course. I’ll do all the preparations, so please don’t worry.”

“But…” Sezh’s voice faded.

Debuts were held once a year at the end of autumn. So, around this time.

Like any other girl, Sezh wanted to go to the debutante ball. However, since she was a child, Sezh has been the worst at grasping conversation topics. In the end, she realized that it was a futile dream to go there even before she turned 14. What is she going to do at such a place? Bern, Lilian, and everyone will also think the same. Even though Sezh was used to being bullied, she still wanted to avoid being embarrassed in front of countless people.

“Is there anything that bothers you? Not only a dress but there will also be a teacher who will show you how to dance. So the Princess doesn’t have anything to worr-”

“If I go to such a place, I will be a laughingstock,” Sezh said, fiddling with the fork. Her voice was as loud as a mosquito.

“I assume that Lady Lize already heard how I barely understand the conversation topics at parties… I’ll be humiliated by Brother Bern or Sister Lilian…”

“…”

“Besides, there’s no one who can escort me.”

If she’s going to debut in the first place, who will escort her? She didn’t have a fiancé yet. Usually, in such a case, people who have blood relations like a brother or a cousin or even an opposite sex close friend will fill the position. But let alone one of the opposite sex, she didn’t even have a friend of the same sex. A blood relation? There was no hope about that unless Bern’s head got hit by something. The other princes will be on the same side as him as well. That’s why she had to refuse in advance. It’s just better not to go.

“I’m thankful that Lady is concerned about me. But I won’t go-“

“But, Princess, you’re sitting next to him.”

“What?”

“The person who will escort you.”

Sezh looked to her side reflexively. If it’s like that… then Raytan? It’s impossible. He said he would rather hang himself than mix with such idiots back during the Founding Celebration.

Is this the first time he heard about this too? Raytan’s eyebrows have slightly furrowed.

“Isn’t a debut just once in a lifetime? It’s going to be a great experience.”

“No, no! Even if we forget about the other things, I can’t bother Brother Raytan that much…”

Sezh exaggeratedly waved her hands in panic. Looking at her reaction, Lize swerved her vision to her son.

“You don’t think it’s a nuisance to escort the princess, do you Raytan.”

She didn’t look like she was asking. Lize instead spoke in an encouraging tone, but her voice was also cold for some reason. At that moment, Sezh was so embarrassed she could die. She really doesn’t have to go. Why on earth did this happen…

“Answer.”

“…I never thought it’s a nuisance.”

However, Raytan’s answer was surprising to her ears. Is her hearing working perfectly right now? Raytan just spoke the most unanticipated words of the year. Dumbfounded, Sezh made a stupid expression.

“Now nothing is bothering you, right Princess?”

“Yes… Yes?”

“Mrs. Pauline will be here soon. I told her to come so Princess can learn to dance with Raytan after tutoring ends.”

Was Lady Lize such an unrelenting person? Sezh stopped doing anything and only focused her sight on Raytan. He was silent for a moment, then replied in a low-pitched voice.

“Okay.”

With all the things that just happened in a short time, it seemed Sezh couldn’t taste the food on her tongue anymore.

“Then everything is okay.”

Lize suddenly stood up from her seat.

“Princess, it’s disgraceful, but please excuse me for leaving first. I think I should take a little rest.”

“Yes, yes! I don’t mind!”

“Marie has prepared a delicious dessert, so please make sure to have a taste. And Raytan, come to my room for a moment when you’ve finished eating.”

Raytan nodded, signaling he understood, and Lize left in a short while.

Silence descended on the table. Sezh felt guilty and uncomfortable for him saying it’s not a burden to escort her. She stared at him, but Raytan obstinately said nothing. His face was like a stone.

Sezh was thinking about what to say. However, she ended up keeping her mouth closed. She just looked at the cooled leftover soup that hadn’t been finished by Lize.

***

Lize was sitting on her bed. No one ever saw a face that was as pale as her’s now.

When she just stays still, her head gets dizzy. And even though she didn’t eat anything, the earthenware pot was well used². Lize regularly vomited nothing but gastric juice several times a day and sometimes even fainted.

Her condition was at its worst, and her mind was increasingly impoverished. She even saw hallucinations in broad daylight. The image of her mother that yelled at her to run away.The splattered blood from Moonid’s head that looked like a crushed tomato.

Lize knew that neither her mother’s screams nor Moonid’s blood that splattered on her face was real. However, those hallucinations were enough to gradually destroy her body and mind.

Still, she gathered up all of her strength just to get a little more time. Nonetheless, she also had to admit that this struggle would not last that long.

“Mother.”

Lize’s gaze, formerly fixed on the window, turned to Raytan, who had just opened the door and entered the room. She stared blankly at her face reflected in his red eyes. Not long after, she parted her lips to let out a faint voice.

“The Princess?”

“She’s waiting outside.”

“Her reaction?”

“She looked quite surprised but didn’t complain at all.”

Far from complaining, Sezh only kept looking at his eyes. It was clear she was sorry Raytan would have to attend a debutante event that even he didn’t get just for the reason of escorting her.

Nevertheless, Raytan, with no trouble, had already guessed the order to escort Sezh was just a mere excuse.

“Carolyn Regent …”

His guess was correct.

“She is the only daughter of the Duke of Regent. I heard she will attend this year’s debutante ball.”

Regent: the family with the greatest power in the Denhelder Empire. Carolyn was the daughter born to a couple who had struggled with 10 years of infertility in their marriage. She often attended tea parties hosted by Lilian. Sometimes, Raytan would pass by and see her.

“Orson said she seemed interested in you.”

It’s not like Raytan didn’t know. Luna told him the other day that Carolyn’s maid was asking about him.

“I’m not keen on her,” Raytan replied shortly.

“Buy her favor.”

Raytan was silent for a long time. The moment when he tried to say something more, Lize spoke again.

“I don’t have much time left now.”

Raytan clenched his fists without responding.

“You have to prepare. Those who get in the way should be eliminated, and those with value should be brought to your side. The Regent family is the most valuable of them all.”

There was nothing wrong with Lize’s words. If the Regent family, who had a large number of private soldiers, took his side, it would certainly be a great help. It’ll be even better if he can ask for military power.

“If you get them in your hand, you will no longer need to pay attention to Princess Sezh. In comparison to Carolyn, Princess Sezh is useless. It’s rather good if you just throw her away. Anyway, the Princess is someone who you have to get rid of someday. Think of escorting her as the last thing you can do for her.”

“…”

“The act of a good brother will soon end. You know what I mean?”

Biting his lips, Raytan swallowed his saliva.

He knew. He never forgot. The fact that Lize was running out of time and she’s going to die soon, that Carolyn will be useful, and that someday he will… to Sezh… and others…

He knew everything, but…

“Raytan, don’t disappoint me.”

“…”

“Don’t let everything become meaningless.”

“Yes.”

Soon, Raytan replied in a subdued voice. He always knew: it was a fact that he can never disobey his mother.