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CHAPTER 59….
A chill flashed in Yevgeni’s eyes.
Even while panting from the pain of being off her medicine, I couldn’t help but let out a short laugh at the defiance she showed me.
“I heard from Count Sorcier and your palace maids that you haven’t been taking your medicine at all.”
“So what? Yenny said she doesn’t want to take it! Why does everyone keep doing only the things I hate? Bring me Father! Father will ease my pain…!”
“His Majesty won’t come. Because of you, Yevgeni.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Yevgeni’s eyes went wide with confusion. Such an innocent face. I fixed her with a cold glare and spoke sharply.
“Did you forget whose fault it was that His Majesty’s right hand became like that?”
“That was the maid’s fault, not Yenny’s! I don’t even know what you’re talking about, Lili. That was just an accident when the maid twisted her ankle, wasn’t it?”
“An accident? Did you just call it an accident?”
“If it wasn’t an accident, then what was it?”
You tripped the maid on purpose so she would spill boiling water and ruin my face, and you call that nothing more than “an accident”?
Do you have any idea how much His Majesty and I suffered because of that ‘accident’…!
If I could, I would’ve doused her in scalding water right then and there.
But I swallowed down my anger, gripping the vial of medicine the maids had given me before leaving, and stepped toward Yevgeni.
“Fine. Let’s say it was just an accident, like you said.”
“When I get better, I’ll tell everyone the truth! That Lili tried to frame me as the culprit! I’ll tell Father and Mother everything!”
“Tell them if you want. It’s none of my business.”
“You…!”
Whoosh—A pillow she had thrown came flying at me, but I twisted out of the way just in time. Then, just like she had done to the maid, she began hurling whatever she could get her hands on.
Among the flying projectiles were glass ornaments gifted by nobles, handcrafted decorations, and fairy-tale books that must have been read to her countless times.
“You wicked sister! Did you think I wouldn’t notice? What did you do to Blemy? Huh? What did you do to him? If you were cruel to someone precious to me, why should I take your medicine?!”
She threw another object—this time a palm-sized lamp that came straight at me in a threatening arc.
I didn’t have time to dodge. I was too focused on not dropping the medicine while avoiding her earlier attacks.
The lamp struck my head, and a sharp pain made me wince as I clutched the spot.
“You… what in the world—”
“Go away! I don’t want to see you! Just disappear from my sight forever, until I can forget that someone named Lilienne ever existed!”
Then she broke down crying, frantically yanking the summoning cord by her bed. At her call, the palace maids rushed in.
They froze at the sight of the wrecked room, as though a storm had passed through, and then one of them caught sight of me—only to scream.
“Your Highness the First Princess…! Your… your head! You’re bleeding…!”
The sharp cry echoed through the spacious chamber. Cecile, Illia, and Mulin, who must have heard the commotion from outside, ran in and quickly assessed my condition.
The lamp’s edge had split the skin near my hairline wide open.
Blood dripped heavily, and Illia’s face went pale.
“H-how did this…?! Quickly, stop the bleeding! Someone call the palace physician—now!”
At her shout, Mulin gave me a quick once-over and dashed out.
Until then, I had been holding onto Illia, trying to calm her down.
“Calm yourself, Illia.”
“How can I be calm when Your Highness is hurt like this…!”
“It’s just a small wound.”
“A small wound? If it’s not treated properly, it could scar your beautiful face…!”
Illia lowered her head, her voice trembling with sorrow, and I looked at her with a faintly awkward expression.
Is this really something to be so upset about?
I could understand her reaction—her mistress was a princess who had to be an example to all, after all.
But her worry felt more personal than dutiful, more like genuine concern for my well-being.
The only ones who had worried for me like this before were my mother, Emin, and my maternal grandfather.
I stepped back from her slightly and turned my gaze on Yevgeni.
She was surrounded by her maids, and judging by her expression, she’d only just realized she had hurt me.
Yevgeni cupped her face in both hands and murmured softly.
“I didn’t mean to… It’s just, even though I said no, Lili kept trying to force me to take the medicine… I was scared because she was being so pushy…”
“…”
“Why is everyone always like this to me? Why do they keep forcing me to do what I hate and making things turn out like this?”
Blaming others again.
And now even blaming her own maids. I clicked my tongue inwardly.
Pathetic.
Before my regression, she had been a laughingstock in society for exactly this kind of talk.
The thought was sickening. I quickly snatched the vial from one of the maids and grabbed Yevgeni’s cheeks, pulling them roughly.
It happened so fast no one could stop me.
The maids froze in shock, and I ignored the shiver of revulsion at touching her, forcing the medicine into her mouth.
She reflexively swallowed like a startled fish, then pushed me away in alarm.
Cecile caught me just in time to keep me from falling to the floor.
“What do you think you’re doing?! Who are you to put your hands on my body?!”
“You weren’t taking your medicine, and it was troubling them. You can’t see their haggard faces? I was helping you, so what’s your problem?”
“My problem is that I do have a problem! They work here to humor me! To indulge my whims and cheer me up when I’m happy!”
“Oh my.”
“So who are you to—!”
She reached for something to throw at me again, but her maids risked themselves to stop her.
Some of them were clearly hurt or offended by her words.
Watching, I smiled thinly and turned my gaze to the door.
He should be here any moment now.
Right then, distant murmurs reached my ears.
Mulin’s voice sounded faintly from outside, followed by a growing commotion, and then someone stepped into the room.
With a pure white cloak draped over his shoulders, his silvery hair swayed gently. Before I could process anything, my eyes met his cool golden gaze.
“Heavens, what has happened to the First Princess?!”
“Reynold.”
The moment he saw the blood streaming down my head, Reynold rushed to me in alarm. My blood stained his white gloves a deep red.
“Sir Reynold, your gloves…”
“Is this the time to worry about gloves? The maid said it was urgent, but what on earth happened here?”
He turned a cold glare on the maids.
It was their duty, second only to the guards, to safeguard the royals’ well-being.
To have neglected that duty clearly angered him.
Usually all smiles, Reynold’s rare show of temper made the maids shrink back.
Even Cecile wasn’t spared his gaze.
“His Majesty did not assign Sir Blonmind to the First Princess so that this could happen.”
“…I have no excuse.”
“What exactly happened to Her Highness?”
Cecile glanced at me, then at Yevgeni, uncertain.
I was unfazed, but Yevgeni’s shoulders hunched, fear in her eyes.
No one else spoke, so Cecile reluctantly answered.
“There was a quarrel between the First and Second Princesses.”
“A quarrel?”
The Emperor’s brow arched.
Under the suffocating pressure of his presence, Cecile swallowed before continuing.
“Yes. As you can see, the Second Princess refused her medicine, troubling the palace maids. The First Princess, as the only royal permitted to touch her, tried to give it to her herself.”
“So the wound on the First Princess’s forehead is the Second Princess’s doing?”
He asked, and Cecile nodded stiffly.
“N-no…!”
Suddenly Yevgeni cut in, shaking her head rapidly.
“I-I didn’t do it! It’s just… Lili kept trying to force me to take the medicine, and I was scared so I…!”
“…”
“It’s true, Father! Punish Lili! She tried to force me to do something I hate. Mother always told me—no matter if they share your blood, you must never trust them carelessly…”
The more she rambled, the more everyone’s expressions, even the Emperor’s, darkened.
Only Lanya looked at her with pity.
“I really didn’t mean to hurt her… Everyone here was ganging up on me, so… that’s why it happened… Waaaah!”
“…You will refrain from going outside until you recover.”
“F-Father, don’t do that—just make me comfortable. It hurts so much here.”
“Then take the medicine your sister developed for you.”
“I said I don’t want Lili’s medicine!”
She shook her head fiercely, reaching her arms toward him for a hug.
Will he hug her?
My plan had been to cool the Emperor’s affection for Yevgeni, but judging by his gaze, it seemed I had failed.
That frown must be from seeing his beloved youngest daughter in pain.
I stayed silent, and suddenly his gaze shifted to me.
Then, unexpectedly, he stepped forward and lifted someone into his arms.
…Me.
“…Your Majesty…?”
“Father…?”
Yevgeni and I spoke at once, but for very different reasons.
He turned his back on her.
“A cure has been developed for your illness, so stop relying on me.”
“But I told you I don’t like it…!”
“I cannot be your outlet forever. Now that you have a way to control it yourself, I will no longer suppress your magic for you.”
Her face twisted, her gaze at me turning from contempt to resentment.
Still holding me, the Emperor gave the order.
“If the Second Princess refuses her medicine, restrain her and make her take it. That is my command.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“We obey.”
The maids bowed deeply as the Emperor carried me out.
Illia and Mulin hurried to him.
“We will assist Her Highness.”
“She’s lost so much blood—your clothes will be stained, Your Majesty.”
“I am wearing dark colors today, I’ll help instead.”
One after another, they reached out, and I also squirmed, preferring their arms over his.
“Stay still.”
“…Pardon?”
“You all step back as well.”
“But your clothes—”
“I said it doesn’t matter. Leave and step back.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
They withdrew quietly, puzzled.
Illia whispered to Mulin.
“Why is His Majesty acting like this?”
“I… I don’t know. It’s a little scary.”
“Could he be angry at the First Princess for forcing the Second to take the medicine…?”
“That’s unlikely.”
Reynold suddenly joined their conversation with a smile.
“He’s worried.”
“W-worried…?”
“Yes. Can’t you see it?”
They looked at the Emperor’s back.
…Could it be?
“He doesn’t look worried—he looks displeased…”
“You two haven’t served him long enough to know.”
Reynold chuckled quietly, almost as if telling a secret.
“He is worried. He’s just bad at showing it.”
“…I see.”
Illia nodded, her gaze shifting—
—to Cecile, approaching with a gloomy face.
Illia asked softly,
“Sir Reynold.”
“Yes?”
“What will happen to Sir Cecile?”
“Ah.”
“Will he be punished for failing to protect the First Princess?”
“Well… who knows.”
Reynold avoided answering with an awkward smile, making Illia and Mulin bite their lips and exchange glances.
Illia folded her hands.
“Couldn’t you speak on his behalf?”
Reynold scratched his cheek and glanced at his lord.
The Emperor’s aura was steeped in displeasure, as if even he didn’t quite understand why he was so angry.
Reynold gave another awkward smile.
