The Tyrant’s Beloved Doll - Chapter 16

After all, Eaton might be a genuinely suspicious character, and if that were the case, his presence could directly threaten Lije’s safety. She didn’t owe Eaton any loyalty, especially since they had only just met.

The magic he had demonstrated was undeniably impressive, and he had even offered to teach her. Still, Setz couldn’t bring herself to believe she had any real aptitude for such things.

Just tell him, she decided, her face resolute.

“Brother, earlier this morning…”

“Yeah?” Raytan prompted, his eyes narrowing.

“I saw this strange person,” Setz began.

“A strange person?” Raytan’s tone turned sharper.

“….”

“Speak clearly!” Raytan demanded, but Setz found she couldn’t respond. She couldn’t even open her mouth.

“Uh… uh—!” Setz struggled, her eyes wide with panic.

“What?” Raytan’s brow furrowed deeply, and he looked at Setz with irritation. She opened her mouth to speak, but her lips wouldn’t move.

It was as if her lips were sealed shut by some invisible force, like glue had been smeared over them. Setz’s hands trembled as she pointed desperately to her own mouth.

“What are you doing?” Raytan said, staring at her as if she’d lost her mind.

“Mm! Mmmph!” Setz tried to make some kind of sound, her voice muffled. It was only then that Raytan seemed to realize something was seriously wrong. He jumped up from his seat, leaning in close to look directly at Setz’s face.

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked, concern creeping into his voice.

“Mmmph! Mmm!” Setz tried to tell him that she couldn’t speak, that her mouth wouldn’t open, but the words refused to come out.

“If you’re going to throw up, do it outside,” Raytan said dismissively.

That’s not it, you idiot! Can’t you see something’s wrong?!

Raytan studied Setz carefully, his eyes narrowing as he searched her face. She didn’t look like she was about to vomit, but something was clearly off.

“Mm! Mm—!”

“Hey,” Raytan said more firmly.

“Mmmph! Mm…”

“….”

“Mm…” Setz’s attempts to speak turned into pathetic whimpers as her eyes welled up with tears. Her blue eyes filled quickly, and the tears spilled down her cheeks, one drop after another.

Raytan’s red eyes widened, and for a moment, they flickered with alarm.

“Mmm! Mmm!” Setz let out a muffled cry as Raytan abruptly scooped her up in his arms. She continued to make incomprehensible sounds, but Raytan didn’t hesitate. He held her tightly and sprinted out of the room without looking back.

Ignoring the confusion that filled his mind, Raytan’s only focus now was on getting Setz to someone who could help. His grip on her small frame was firm, and he moved with a speed and determination that made it clear he was ready to do whatever it took to solve this mysterious problem.

***

“It seems there are no significant issues…” the doctor trailed off, looking uncertain as he completed his examination. He had checked multiple times and found nothing physically wrong with Setz. However, he couldn’t shake the chill running down his spine—ever since he had felt the intense gaze burning into him.

When he turned his head, he saw Raytan’s red eyes glaring at him, twisted with frustration. The doctor hiccuped in fear, unable to meet that terrifying gaze.

“You’re telling me nothing is wrong, and yet this is happening?” Raytan’s voice was as cold as ice, his words laced with a barely contained anger that made the doctor shiver uncontrollably.

“I-I examined her thoroughly, and as far as I can tell… there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong…,” the doctor stammered, his voice shaking.

“Then why is the princess in this state?” Raytan demanded.

On one side, Raytan was glaring at him as if ready to tear him apart, while on the other, Luna was crying so desperately that it tugged at his conscience. The doctor’s gaze shifted to Luna, who was sobbing uncontrollably.

“She was perfectly fine when she left this morning…” Luna said through her tears.

The doctor sighed internally. He had no answers, and the situation was becoming more awkward by the second. Unsure of what to do, he decided to continue examining Setz again.

“Mm… Mmph… Mm…” Setz tried her best to convey that the issue wasn’t pain but the fact that her mouth wouldn’t open. However, her efforts seemed to be in vain.

As soon as Raytan noticed something was wrong with Setz, he had carried her and rushed to her quarters, avoiding any unnecessary attention on the way. Luna had turned pale as a ghost when she saw Raytan arrive with Setz in his arms, and when she realized Setz was in trouble, her face went from white to a shade of purple. Setz was genuinely worried that Luna might not survive the shock.

Raytan had laid Setz down on the bed and explained the situation to Luna. To be honest, Setz expected Luna to be too terrified of Raytan to do anything but tremble, unable to even respond properly. But surprisingly, Luna took control of the situation with a surprising level of composure.

Luna asked detailed questions, making sure nothing was overlooked. “Did the princess eat anything unusual? Could there have been something harmful in the food? I’ll fetch a physician immediately!” And that’s how the doctor was summoned, though his visit seemed to yield no useful results.

“Hmm… Princess,” the doctor said cautiously, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

“Have you been under a lot of stress lately?” he asked, his tone tentative.

What is he talking about? Setz’s face reflected her confusion, wondering where this line of questioning was coming from. The doctor hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“Miss Luna, you’re aware of the fact that the princess has suffered from mutism before, correct?”

“…Yes,” Luna responded softly, while Raytan continued to look at Setz with an intense gaze, not saying a word.

Ah, this isn’t how I wanted anyone to find out about this… Setz thought, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over her. She looked away from Raytan’s eyes, trying to avoid his scrutiny.

Even though she was fine now, it still hurt a bit to have her past vulnerabilities exposed like this. It felt as if a part of herself that she wanted to keep hidden had been laid bare.

“This might be another case of psychological distress,” the doctor continued. “Just like before, when she couldn’t speak a single word. Sometimes, when a person experiences a severe emotional shock, they can lose their ability to speak, even temporarily.”

No, that’s not it! I’m not in shock at all! In fact, I’ve been in the best mood lately! Setz’s expression clearly showed her frustration, but her attempts to protest were ignored entirely.

“For now, it would be best if the princess gets plenty of rest,” the doctor said, concluding his examination. “I’ll prescribe a sedative to help her sleep, and I’ll return to check on her tomorrow.”

“Is there anything else I should be doing for her?” Luna asked, concern evident in her voice.

“For now, just keep an eye on her,” the doctor replied. “And, just in case, I’d suggest doing your best to minimize any sources of stress. Princess Setz’s well-being might depend on it.”

“Yes, I understand,” Luna said, nodding earnestly. “I’ll take care of the medicine then…”

The doctor pulled a packet of herbs from his bag and handed it to Luna. Setz couldn’t help but grimace slightly. She knew that medicine all too well; it was the same bitter concoction she’d had to take since she was a child. Just looking at it made her remember the unpleasant taste.

“Then I’ll take my leave. If there are any changes or if you need me for anything, don’t hesitate to call,” the doctor said, bowing respectfully. Raytan, however, didn’t bother to acknowledge him, simply fixing the doctor with his intense, unblinking stare. The doctor, clearly intimidated by Raytan’s fiery red eyes, quickly turned and fled the room without looking back.

“I’ll go prepare the medicine right away, Your Highness,” Luna said, wiping her tears with the sleeve of her dress. Setz’s heart ached to see Luna so distressed, feeling utterly helpless in the situation.

I’m really fine… Setz thought to herself, wishing she could reassure Luna. But all she could manage were muffled grunts that only seemed to make the situation worse.

“Thank you so much, Lord Raytan,” Luna said, bowing deeply in gratitude.

“If you hadn’t brought her here so quickly, who knows how much worse things could have gotten,” Luna added, her voice full of sincerity.

“…Worse?” Raytan asked, narrowing his eyes.

“A few years ago, Her Highness would often faint from exhaustion,” Luna explained.

Oh no! You didn’t have to mention that… Setz thought, her face turning red with embarrassment.

“She fainted? Then this is more serious than I thought,” Raytan said, his expression shifting slightly.

“It wasn’t because of any physical ailment,” Luna clarified. “It was just that she was under a lot of emotional stress at the time…”

“…”

“Anyway, I’m truly grateful for your help. I don’t know how else to express my thanks,” Luna said, bowing again.

“That’s enough,” Raytan replied curtly.

“And… about the other day…” Luna’s voice faltered.

“I sincerely apologize for my rudeness. I hope you can forgive me,” she said, bowing even lower.

Setz knew exactly what Luna was referring to. It was probably about that day in the library when Luna had shielded Setz behind her back during the altercation with Raytan. Setz couldn’t help but wonder if Raytan would actually accept that apology.

“I said that’s enough,” Raytan replied, his voice surprisingly calm.

“Just go fetch the medicine. I’ll stay here and keep watch,” he added, his tone as firm as ever.

“Yes, I’ll be right back,” Luna said, nodding respectfully before hurrying out to prepare the medicine.

Luna left in a rush after bowing, leaving Setz alone in the room with Raytan. A heavy silence fell over them.

Raytan walked closer to the bed, staring down at Setz with an expression that was hard to read. He rubbed his temple, then fidgeted with his waist, and looked generally restless. What is he doing? Setz thought, bewildered. Right now, if anyone was going to lose their mind, it should be her, not Raytan—at least he still had the ability to speak!

“You stu—” Raytan started to say something but stopped abruptly, biting his lip hard. Stu—? Stupid? Setz wondered, her eyes widening. Why didn’t he just finish the sentence?

“I…,” he muttered.

Hmm? You what? Setz’s curiosity grew as she watched him struggle with his words.

“I…” Raytan repeated, stumbling over the words, clutching his temple again as if trying to gather his thoughts. He let out a few deep sighs before finally speaking in a voice barely louder than a whisper.

“…I didn’t realize you were under this much stress.”

What?! No, that’s not it! I’m not stressed at all! Setz’s mouth formed an outraged expression, though no words came out.

“And for yelling at you and calling you stupid… uh… damn it. I’m sorry. Ugh, damn,” Raytan said awkwardly.

It was the most half-hearted apology imaginable.

This is unexpected, Setz thought. She was caught off guard, not sure whether she should laugh or cry at Raytan’s clumsy attempt at an apology.

“Actually, calling you stupid was… damn it, forget it,” Raytan muttered, clearly struggling to find the right words.

“…”

“You’ve actually been doing better than I expected,” he continued, his frustration evident as he stumbled through his sentences. “You’re not completely useless. I mean, you’re not as thick-headed as I thought. No, that’s not it… Ugh, what I’m trying to say is that you’re surprisingly capable… No, not surprisingly… Damn it.”

Raytan was clearly misunderstanding the entire situation. He seemed to think that the reason Setz had lost her ability to speak was because of the stress he had caused her, believing that he was the source of her relapse into mutism.

But he couldn’t have been more wrong. In fact, Setz had been feeling great lately, more excited and engaged with her life in the palace than ever before. This was probably the most fun she’d had in the palace since… well, since before she lost her head in her previous life. Raytan’s apology, mistaken as it was, made her feel an odd sense of guilt.

“Mmph, mm!” Setz tried to speak again, wanting to explain that she wasn’t actually upset, that she wasn’t blaming him for anything.

“What?” Raytan asked, leaning closer.

“Mmph,” Setz mumbled, her frustration building as her mouth still refused to obey her.

No, that’s not it, you idiot! I’m not stressed at all! she wanted to scream, but all she could do was make those muffled sounds of protest.

Setz tried to convey her thoughts through gestures, waving her hands to signal that it wasn’t Raytan’s fault. But it seemed like Raytan didn’t quite understand her meaning. Frustrated, Setz glanced at the nearby table, where some scattered papers and a pen lay from her morning studies.

“You want me to bring that to you?” Raytan asked, noticing her gaze.

Setz nodded eagerly, and surprisingly, Raytan complied, handing her the paper and pen without a fuss.

With a serious expression, Setz scribbled down a few words and then handed the paper to Raytan. The note read:

• It’s not your fault, Brother.
• And I still like you, Brother.
• So, please meet me again tomorrow.