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Chapter 82……………..
“It’s time for your medicine, Your Highness the Second Princess.”
“…”
Yevgeni looked with faded eyes at Lanya, who had come into her room. It had already been nearly two months since her treatment began.
She had tried resisting, even throwing tantrums saying she wouldn’t take it…
‘If I don’t take it, the pain is unbearable…’
Clenching her fists tightly, Yevgeni glared fiercely at the cup of medicine.
As Orca Sorcier had said, if she didn’t take it, the pain in her body was excruciating.
Her body felt lethargic, she kept dozing off, and the pain she could barely suppress with the medicine came back doubled. Eventually, Yevgeni could no longer refuse the drugs Lirien made.
As she shot a venomous glare at the cup, Lanya swallowed nervously and tried to soothe her.
“You must drink it, Your Highness. Only then will you recover quickly and be able to walk around the palace lively again, just like always….”
“…”
“Once you’re all better, how about hosting a tea party? Surely all the noble young ladies will come to your palace and make you happy.”
“…”
Yevgeni half-listened, half-dismissed Lanya’s words and lifted the cup, swallowing the bitter medicine in one go.
A strong, acrid bitterness spread inside her mouth. She groaned faintly from forcing it down in one breath.
Lanya quickly pulled out a candy she always kept in her pocket for such times, unwrapped it, and popped it into Yevgeni’s mouth.
The sweet flavor spread across her tongue, tingling as it melted.
Exhausted, Yevgeni lay back down on the bed, chewing the candy weakly.
“You’re not needed anymore, Lanya. Leave.”
“Ah, y-yes. Is there anything else you wish of me?”
“I want to know what’s happening outside.”
“Ah, that is…”
Lanya’s eyes darted nervously.
‘If I tell her, she’ll throw another tantrum…’
So she forced a smile and gave a vague reply.
“It’s always the same. His Majesty is busy with state affairs, and His Highness Dmitri also has mountains of work… Ah, come to think of it, today again Prince Iabel and Her Majesty the Empress sent gifts to Your Highness’s palace. Shall I bring them in?”
“Yes, bring them. I’ve nothing else to do.”
Yevgeni answered curtly, pulling the blanket up.
Brightening, Lanya nodded quickly and left the room in a hurry.
Because of that, the door didn’t shut properly.
From outside came the sound of Lanya running and the footsteps of other maids in the corridor.
And then—
A distasteful voice reached Yevgeni’s ears.
“Did you hear? During the Hunt, Her Highness the First Princess was badly injured and had to go to the temple.”
“Yes, I heard. But why?”
“No, listen. I’ve got an acquaintance who works at the Count of Anvida’s household.”
The Anvida family was famous for its massive donations to the temple. Yevgeni sat up abruptly and crept closer to the door, pressing her ear against it to hear more clearly.
Through the slightly open crack, she spied the maids leaning against the wall, chatting.
“So, apparently two days ago the Count visited the temple and happened to meet a priest from the First Division, who was close to him.”
“And?”
“You can’t spread this anywhere, got it?”
“What is it?”
The maid urged impatiently. The other one smirked slyly and whispered:
“They say His Highness Dmitri and His Holiness the High Priest… are rather close.”
“What…? What nonsense is that? Do you want to be arrested for insulting the royals?”
“I’m telling you, listen. At the banquet on the second night, apparently the High Priest and His Highness Dmitri kept exchanging looks over clinking glasses. The atmosphere was… unusual.”
The maid gasped and covered her mouth.
“Th-That can’t be… The priest must have misseen.”
“Misseen? He was at the banquet himself. And do you know what’s even more shocking?”
…They’ve lost their minds.
Yevgeni was about to storm out and lash at them for making her brother into gossip when—
“Before His Highness Dmitri and the High Priest were ever close, the priests were already whispering that the First Prince dotes on the First Princess.”
“…!”
Yevgeni’s heart plummeted into the abyss.
Her anger at her brother being turned into gossip froze at those words.
Her legs trembled.
Barely able to stay standing, she pressed closer to the door, straining to hear.
“My acquaintance said while waiting outside the prayer room, she saw His Highness the First Prince carrying the First Princess in his arms. And just earlier, when she returned to the palace, she was nestled comfortably in his arms again.”
“So the rumors were true…? I also heard that His Highness accompanied her to the temple out of concern.”
“When the First Princess went missing, he was the first to form a search party and personally led it. That says it all.”
Why?
‘What is this I’m hearing?’
Yevgeni’s teeth chattered.
Her brother, who once only cared for her, being tender to someone else?
“Looks like His Highness finds Princess Lirien lovely too.”
“Well, we’ve received her help several times as well.”
The maids ended their chatter and left with the wash water.
Yevgeni couldn’t even stop them—she just trembled in place, lips quivering. That was how Lanya found her, gift bundles in hand.
Lanya rushed over, eyes wide, and dropped to her knees.
“Your Highness, why are you on the floor instead of resting…!”
At that moment—
Smack!
A searing pain exploded across Lanya’s cheek. Stunned, she blinked dumbly, not even realizing what had happened.
Holding her stinging face, she looked up at Yevgeni, pale with fury.
Yevgeni panted harshly, screaming:
“You lied to me, Lanya! How dare you lie to me…!”
“Wh-What do you mean…? What happened while I was gone…?”
Lanya trembled as she met Yevgeni’s murderous glare.
“I heard it! Mimy carried Lirien into the palace in his arms!”
“Th-That is…!”
“Why didn’t you tell me? Do you think I’m a fool? That because Father doesn’t visit me, I’m a joke to you too?!”
“No, never! I would never think lightly of Your Highness. I only kept it from you because I feared it would upset you… that your health would worsen. Please believe me, Your Highness…!”
Lanya dropped fully to her knees and banged her forehead against the marble floor.
A sharp pain shot through her brow, but she didn’t care—she clasped her hands, begging desperately.
“F-Forgive me. Please, Your Highness, I beg you…!”
Tears streamed down her face.
Yevgeni watched in silence, deep in thought.
“So, you’re saying you feel sorry toward me, Lanya?”
“Yes, yes… If I had told you earlier, Your Highness would not be this angry now.”
“Is that so?”
Yevgeni smiled mischievously, like a child plotting mischief. The sight made chills run down Lanya’s spine.
With trembling effort, Yevgeni rose from bed and stretched out a hand toward her. As Lanya stared blankly at it, Yevgeni spoke:
“Then let me go outside. Because of your fussing, I haven’t been allowed out at all.”
“B-But His Majesty ordered—”
Crash!
Yevgeni hurled a vase from the nightstand, face twisted in rage, panting like a bull.
“You said you were sorry! If you’re sorry, then you should just say, ‘Yes, Your Highness,’ instead of making excuses! Do you want to end up like Blemie?!”
“N-No! I’ll prepare everything right away, Princess Yevgeni…!”
Terrified of provoking her further, Lanya scrambled up and rushed to the dressing room.
Panting heavily from the outburst, Yevgeni gazed out the window.
Her eyes fixed on the palace where her sister, Lirien, resided.
That afternoon, a special “letter” arrived in the Emperor’s study.
It was special because the contents made the Emperor’s brow wrinkle into a crumpled mess.
Renald, the one who delivered it, scratched his head awkwardly and fiddled with random documents to distract himself.
Rius spoke first.
“Yevgeni says she wants to visit—”
“Could something have happened?”
Renald recalled the Second Princess, who hadn’t shown her face in months—though technically, she was forbidden to by imperial order. His expression soured.
The Emperor glanced indifferently at Yevgeni’s handwriting on the letter.
“Doesn’t seem so. She wrote that she has a request for me.”
“I see… What kind of request, I wonder.”
Renald let out a deflated laugh, groaning softly. Dusk was already settling outside.
As he absentmindedly stared out the window—
“It’s Yeni!”
Startled, both men flinched.
If it had been back when Lirien first changed, Renald might have gladly opened the door, delighted to see the sweet princess. But now…
‘Did she throw another tantrum refusing her medicine? Jena, that bruise on your face—was that from something the Second Princess threw at you again…?’
‘N-No, it wasn’t…’
‘Have you heard? That rumor about the Second Princess hitting the First Princess? It wasn’t just a rumor. My friend saw it herself.’
Such whispers spread quickly through the palace servants.
Even Renald, who should have known better, was shaken when he first heard them.
But… the faces of Yevgeni’s maids told the truth: not sorrow for their mistress’s illness, but exhaustion from her cruelty.
“…Shall we let her in?”
Renald glanced at Rius, hand on the doorknob. The Emperor pressed his fingers to his brow, then gave a small nod.
The door opened, and the “beloved” Second Princess trotted in.
It seemed not only her maids had suffered; Yevgeni herself looked much thinner since last seen.
Unlike Lirien, who had plumped up with the better food after the head chef was replaced, Yevgeni’s cheeks were hollow. The contrast was stark.
Seeing it, Renald’s heart ached. He bowed slightly, offering her a gentle smile.
“What brings you here, Your Highness? Are you feeling better?”
“Ah… Renald! No, I’m still sick… I can’t even sleep at night….”
“Oh dear… Have you spoken with your physician?”
“Lord Sorcier just said it’s stress-induced insomnia. A few weeks ago, he even prescribed me mild sleeping pills.”
“I see…”
Renald forced a thin smile and nodded.
Yevgeni watched his reaction closely, then turned and tottered toward the Emperor’s desk.
She placed her hand on the armrest of his chair, drooping her brows as pitifully as she could.
The Emperor sighed lightly and turned toward her.
“What brings you here? Why wander about when you’re still unwell?”
“B-But I was so stifled. It felt like I was trapped in a jeweled cage… And I heard there was some disgraceful incident in the imperial family. I’m scared, Father….”
Rius and Renald exchanged startled looks.
Of course, the “incident” she referred to was the Hunt.
And she implied the culprit was the Empress.
The evidence was gone, but everyone suspected it: that the Empress had tried to kill the First Princess.
Renald quickly tried to divert the conversation.
“M-More importantly, I heard you had a request, Your Highness? Was there something you wanted? Perhaps an item you desire?”
“No, not an item. Mother and Brother Abel already give me plenty of gifts.”
“Then why the special visit?”
At his words, Yevgeni nodded eagerly and turned to Rius, her eyes sparkling.
“F-Father… I want to host a tea party! Just like Sister Lirien did, in Your Majesty’s palace!”
“…”
“I want to invite many people. Since I collapsed, Father, you haven’t once come to see me….”
She deliberately pricked at his guilt. Rius’s brows twitched faintly.
Renald winced, carefully cautioning her:
“Your Highness, that was only because the First Princess’s palace was under reconstruction, and it was unavoidable to hold it here. Perhaps your request is too much….”
“Why? I’m Father’s daughter too! His most beloved!”
“Ah…”
Renald felt his stomach knotting.
It was better now to let the Emperor refuse her firmly, rather than trying to soften it.
The Emperor averted his eyes from Yevgeni.
His gaze no longer carried the warmth it once had, only the ordinary look of a father toward a troublesome child.
Yevgeni flinched.
‘W-What? By now, I thought he’d agree… Has Lirien really stolen even Father from me?’
She bit her lip anxiously.
And then—
“I permit it.”
Yevgeni’s face lit up with joy. But the next words—
“However, for fairness’s sake, you shall co-host it with the First Princess.”
At that, her soaring heart plummeted straight down.
