The Tyrant’s Beloved Doll - Chapter 24

Setz looked at Eaton with a confused expression as he continued, his tone oddly light given the subject matter.

“You misunderstood, Setz. I didn’t mean that I’d kill her myself.”

Setz blinked, her mind racing to keep up with what he was saying. “What do you mean, then?”

Eaton leaned back in his chair, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, though it was more subdued than usual. “I meant that people like Lilien often create their own demise. All you need to do is wait for the right moment. Sometimes, you don’t have to lift a finger—just watch as they destroy themselves through their own actions.”

The words were unsettling, delivered with a calm detachment that made Setz shiver. For a moment, she was reminded of the cold way Eaton had spoken before when he talked about letting her starve to death if it wasn’t his problem. It was as if he found amusement in watching others squirm, teetering on the edge of destruction.

“But still…” Setz hesitated, feeling like she was trapped in a conversation far too dark and dangerous. “I don’t want anyone to die, not like that. Even if they’ve been awful to me, it feels wrong.”

Eaton raised an eyebrow, a flicker of genuine curiosity in his eyes. “You’re a peculiar child, Setz. Even after everything they’ve done to you, you’re still so reluctant to see them suffer.”

Setz bit her lip, unsure how to respond. She knew that he wasn’t entirely wrong—there was a small, vengeful part of her that felt satisfaction at seeing Lilien get her comeuppance. But it was drowned out by the fear of what might come next if things spiraled further out of control.

Eaton sighed, the usual teasing note in his voice gone, replaced by something almost like resignation. “Well, if that’s how you feel, I won’t interfere any further. But remember, Setz, people like Lilien won’t stop unless they’re forced to. If you’re not ready to play the game their way, you’ll need to be prepared for what that means.”

Setz nodded slowly, the weight of his words settling heavily on her. She felt like she was standing at a crossroads, unsure which path to take.

“Thank you… for understanding,” she said finally, her voice small but sincere.

Eaton’s expression softened slightly, though there was still a hint of that enigmatic smile lurking at the edges. “You’re welcome. Just know that if things ever go too far, you can count on me to… handle it, one way or another.”

Setz felt a chill run down her spine at his words, but she forced a smile and nodded in agreement, hoping that the day would never come when she would have to take him up on that offer.

Setz felt an intense chill at Eaton’s words. The way he spoke so casually about killing not just one person but everyone who stood in their way—leaving only her and her brother Raytan alive—made her blood run cold. The thought that Eaton might actually be capable of such a thing hit her like a slap.

“N-no… please don’t,” Setz stammered, her voice trembling.

Eaton’s smile remained, kind yet unnervingly detached. “Such a kind-hearted girl you are, Setz,” he said softly. “But if you ever change your mind, feel free to tell me. As I mentioned, it wouldn’t be too difficult for me.”

Setz didn’t know how to respond, her lips pressed tightly together as she watched Eaton with wary eyes.

“Your brother,” Eaton said suddenly.

“Y-yes?” Setz replied, startled.

“Who is your brother’s mother?” he asked, the question catching her off guard.

Setz hesitated, surprised that Eaton, who was staying in Lize’s palace, didn’t already know the answer. He must have seen Setz’s confusion, as he continued in a reassuring voice, “Don’t worry, I’m not planning to harm her. Just tell me.”

“Um… it’s Lize,” Setz finally answered, still uneasy. “She’s the lady of this palace. She helped us out yesterday when we were in trouble, and she’s always so kind to me and Raytan.”

“Lize?” Eaton repeated, narrowing his eyes slightly.

“Yes. She’s really kind and caring… and also very beautiful,” Setz added earnestly. “She used to be a dancer from the Ionte Empire, and she’s fluent in Kazakh. She even taught Raytan how to speak it.”

“The Ionte Empire?” Eaton’s gaze sharpened at this new piece of information.

“Yes,” Setz nodded. “I think she caught the Emperor’s eye at some point—maybe at a banquet or an event. I mean, it’s not like the Ionte Empire is entirely cut off from us.”

Eaton rubbed his chin thoughtfully, a mysterious expression on his face. Then he nodded slowly. “I see. That makes sense.”

For a moment, the room fell silent. Setz occupied herself by sipping her lukewarm milk and fiddling with the book Raytan had given her. She was curious about Eaton’s identity and his true intentions. The book might hold some answers that Eaton himself would never willingly provide.

Just as Setz finished her drink, Eaton spoke again, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “You must have been really hungry, drinking all of that.”

“Oh, well… I didn’t have much time for breakfast,” Setz admitted sheepishly.

“That’s alright,” Eaton said, his tone light. “There’s a delicious strawberry cake waiting for you.”

“What? Where?” Setz’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked around the room, clearly puzzled. There wasn’t a hint of cake in sight.

“Go on,” Eaton urged with a smile. “Both the strawberry cake and your brother are waiting for you.”

She still didn’t quite understand what he meant by the cake, but if Raytan was already there, she didn’t want to keep him waiting. Setz stood up from her seat, grateful for the excuse to leave. After everything that had happened, the last thing she wanted was to make things more complicated for Raytan.

“Be careful, Setz,” Eaton called after her as she was about to leave. “Don’t trip and fall.”

Setz gave a small nod, still feeling uneasy but more determined than ever to find answers.

Setz politely said her goodbyes to Eaton, who gave her a warm, almost too-kind smile in return. As she left Eaton’s room, she felt a mix of relief and lingering unease.

Moments later, as she made her way toward the library, a thought struck her—something she had completely forgotten. Eaton had never actually taught her any magic. He’d mentioned that she might have the ability to use magic, and while she hadn’t entirely believed him, a small part of her had been intrigued, hopeful even. I’ll have to ask him again tomorrow, she thought, wondering if it was really true that she could use magic.

When Setz finally reached the library, she was greeted by an astonishing sight that took her completely by surprise. Eaton’s words were, in fact, true. There, in the library, was a beautiful strawberry cake, just as he’d said, and sitting beside it was Raytan.

Raytan, who had arrived before her, seemed to have set everything up in advance. The cake was adorned with plump strawberries, their bright red color contrasting with the soft, white frosting. Setz stared at it with a look of pure amazement on her face, and even though Raytan’s expression turned slightly annoyed at her wide-eyed reaction, Setz didn’t care.

All she could think about was one thing: I needed to finish studying with Brother quickly so I can dig into that book and find out more about Eaton and his secrets.

***

Setz found herself surprised by how quickly the lesson ended. It turned out that her progress in learning Kazakh far exceeded Raytan’s expectations. Even Setz herself was amazed by her own ability to grasp the language so well. Though she had some knowledge before, she never expected to be able to speak it as fluently as she was now.

“I might be smarter than I thought,” Setz said, her cheeks flushed with a hint of pride. She seemed almost embarrassed by her own boast.

“That’s what Luna kept telling me, but I never really believed her,” she continued. “I thought she was just trying to make me feel better because I always hear people calling me a dunce or saying I’m stupid.”

“I told you,” Raytan said, looking directly at her. “You’re more capable than you think.”

Setz’s mouth dropped open slightly, stunned by the unexpected compliment. It might not sound like high praise to anyone else, but Setz now understood. For Raytan, who was so reserved with his words, calling her “capable” was the highest form of praise she could hope to receive.

“Well, today’s lesson is done. It’s best if we leave it at that for now,” Raytan said, standing up from his seat.

Setz’s face fell a little at that. She still had plenty of time left, and she knew she’d be bored once she returned to her palace. After hesitating for a moment, she mustered the courage to speak.

“Um, Brother… Would it be okay if I stayed in the library a little longer?”

“Why?” Raytan asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“I just wanted to read a little more… the book you lent me,” Setz said, holding up the copy of The Magicians of Denhelder Empire. “I could read it back at my place, but I’d like to stay here for a bit longer if that’s alright.”

There was something special about reading in the library, a feeling that was different from sitting alone in her room. Even though she could very well read back in her palace, being in the library felt more enriching.

Setz worried that Raytan might find her request bothersome. He wasn’t one to enjoy unnecessary distractions, after all.

“I mean, you can go back without me if you’d like!” she added hastily. “I’ll stay and read for a while, and when it’s time to leave, I’ll tidy everything up properly before heading back.”

Raytan’s expression remained unreadable as he watched her.

“Is that… okay?” Setz asked, sneaking a hopeful glance at her brother.

Raytan studied her for a moment, then shrugged nonchalantly. “Do as you like,” he said, settling back into his chair.

“Aren’t you leaving?” Setz asked, eyes widening in surprise.

“I never said I was,” he replied, a hint of amusement in his tone.

“Oh… right.”

“Why? Do you want me to leave?” Raytan asked, raising an eyebrow.

“No! I didn’t say that!” Setz blurted out, waving her hands nervously.

“Then sit quietly and read your book,” he instructed, as if he had never planned on leaving in the first place.

Setz couldn’t understand the sudden change in his behavior. He was the one who suggested calling it a day, and now he seemed perfectly content to stay. Not that she minded his company, but she found his actions puzzling.

“Are you going to read or not?” Raytan said, fixing her with a steady gaze.

“Yes, I am!” Setz said quickly, fumbling to open the book. She decided it was best not to overthink it. Maybe her brother felt just as lonely as she did and didn’t mind staying a bit longer.

Flipping open The Magicians of Denhelder Empire, Setz began to skim through the table of contents. She noticed that the book contained a detailed timeline of the empire’s history, including all the significant events since its founding. She turned the pages eagerly, looking for the most recent records, her eyes focused on the lists of names.

The book was remarkably thorough, detailing the lineages of the Archmages and the various magicians who had served in the royal court over the last hundred years, including their descendants.

Setz was so engrossed in scanning the names that she completely failed to notice that Raytan was still watching her intently, his gaze fixed on her every move.

“Hmm…” she murmured to herself, her concentration entirely absorbed by the book.

“Sharhwina.”

Raytan’s voice was calm and steady as he read the word aloud, and Setz blinked in surprise. She hadn’t expected him to be able to understand it, let alone pronounce it so confidently.

“You… you can read that?” she asked, her eyes wide in amazement.

Raytan gave a slight nod, his expression still unreadable. “Yes, it’s an old language, but not entirely unknown,” he replied. “It means ‘Sharhwina.'”

“Sharhwina,” Setz repeated slowly, tasting the unfamiliar name on her tongue. The way Raytan said it made the word seem almost… significant, as if it carried a weight far beyond just a name in a dusty old book. “Is that supposed to be the name of the first High Priest or something?”

“That’s what the text suggests,” Raytan said, his gaze lingering on the ancient script. “He was possibly one of the earliest practitioners of magic in Denhelder, and according to the legends, he laid the foundation for all the magic that followed.”

Setz felt a shiver run down her spine as she absorbed Raytan’s words. The idea that the name in this book could belong to a figure from thousands of years ago—a figure tied so closely to the origins of magic and the founding of the empire—was almost too much to take in.

“So, this Sharhwina… he must have been really powerful, right?” Setz asked, her voice dropping to a whisper as if she were afraid the ancient name might somehow hear her.

“More than powerful,” Raytan answered, his tone serious. “If the legends are true, he wasn’t just any magician. He was said to be the one who understood the fundamental essence of magic itself. And those who came after him could only mimic a fraction of what he could do.”

Setz swallowed, feeling the weight of the revelation settle in her chest. She thought back to Eaton’s cryptic comments and the strange powers that seemed to surround him. Could there be a connection between this ancient figure, Sharhwina, and Eaton’s mysterious abilities?

“Raytan,” Setz said hesitantly, “do you think it’s possible that… someone like Sharhwina could still exist today? I mean, maybe not as himself, but as… I don’t know, a reincarnation or something?”

Raytan’s eyes darkened slightly as he met Setz’s gaze. “Why do you ask that?” he said, his voice guarded, as if her question had struck a nerve.

“I just—it’s nothing,” Setz quickly backtracked, not wanting to reveal too much. “I was just curious, you know. Reading all these stories makes you wonder if any of it could still be real, that’s all.”

Raytan studied her for a moment longer, then nodded slowly. “Legends have a way of lingering,” he said cryptically. “Sometimes, they never truly fade away.”

Setz wasn’t sure if his answer was meant to reassure her or to warn her, but she knew one thing for certain—this was far from the end of her questions. She had the unsettling feeling that she had just brushed against something much deeper and far more dangerous than she had ever imagined

Setz’s mind was spinning with confusion. How could Raytan possibly know the name “Sharhwina,” written in an ancient language that had long been forgotten? Even the scholars who compiled the book hadn’t been able to decipher it. Yet, Raytan had read it effortlessly, like it was common knowledge.

“Brother, do you really know how to read the ancient language?” Setz asked, her eyes wide with surprise.