The Tyrant’s Beloved Doll - Chapter 33

Lize was already seated at the table when Setz and Raytan arrived.

“Good morning, Princess Setz. And Raytan,” Lize greeted them warmly.

“Lady Lize, thank you for inviting us,” Setz replied, bowing politely. Lize rose from her seat and returned the bow just as courteously.

Even though several years had passed, Lize remained as composed and graceful as ever. Her manners were impeccable, and she was still as beautiful as Setz remembered. However, her physical condition was no longer the same.

To be honest, Lize had never been particularly healthy, even four years ago. But compared to her current state, she seemed much stronger back then.

She had lost a significant amount of weight, and her complexion looked far from well. While some of the other concubines, like Yerna, mocked her, saying she was merely pretending to be ill to win the emperor’s favor, Setz knew the truth. Lize’s health was genuinely deteriorating.

Although Raytan and Setz visited the palace regularly for Setz’s lessons, it had been almost a month since they had seen Lize in person. Lize had mostly stayed in her chambers, not out of choice, but because she lacked the strength to leave.

Over the past few years, almost every doctor in the Denhelder Empire had examined Lize, but no one had been able to find a cure. Her condition continued to worsen, and she resembled a withering flower, on the verge of fading away completely.

“Well, let’s all take a seat and—” Lize began to say, but then she swayed slightly, her face paling. Raytan quickly stepped forward to steady his mother.

“Mother, you should really go back to your room and rest,” he said, concern evident in his voice.

“No, I’m fine. It’s just a little dizziness,” Lize replied, trying to brush it off with a faint smile.

“Lady Lize…” Setz said, her voice filled with worry.

“I seem to have caused you concern, Princess. Please, don’t worry about me,” Lize said with her usual gentle smile, though even smiling seemed to drain her energy. Seeing this, Setz felt a pang of sadness and bit her lip, holding back her frustration.

“You must be hungry. Please, start eating. I made sure to instruct Marie to prepare everything with extra care today,” Lize said, gesturing to the table filled with a variety of delicious dishes.

Setz nodded and began to cut into her steak. No matter how delicious the food looked, it couldn’t quite lift the heaviness in her heart. Still, she couldn’t refuse the effort Lize had made to prepare the meal, so she pushed her feelings aside and took a bite.

“It’s really delicious, Lady Lize,” Setz said, trying to sound cheerful.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Lize replied with a soft smile as she sipped her tea. She didn’t touch her own portion of soup, which was thin and served in a small amount.

“Raytan, you should eat too, before the food gets cold,” Lize encouraged him.

“…Yes,” Raytan answered curtly.

Sensing the heavy atmosphere at the table, Setz made an effort to lift the mood by speaking to Raytan. “Brother, try this! It’s really good. And you should taste that dish too…”

Lize observed Setz’s attempt to engage Raytan, a hint of appreciation in her eyes, before she spoke again.

“The dress you’re wearing suits you well,” Lize said suddenly.

“Excuse me?” Setz replied, startled.

“The light purple dress. It matches your skin tone beautifully,” Lize added with a kind smile.

Setz blinked in surprise. It was unusual for Lize to comment on her appearance. In fact, she had never mentioned Setz’s attire before.

“I actually asked them to prepare a different color for you… I suppose I’ll have to talk to them again,” Lize said, her tone thoughtful.

“Lady Lize?” Setz asked, confusion evident on her face. She didn’t understand what Lize was hinting at.

“You have your debutante ball coming up soon,” Lize said with a gentle smile.

“If you’re willing, Princess, how about making your appearance at this year’s debutante ball?”

“Me…? At the debutante ball?” Setz stammered, completely taken aback by the suggestion.

“Of course, I’ll take care of all the preparations, so you don’t have to worry about a thing,” Lize assured her.

“But…” Setz’s voice trailed off.

The debutante ball was held once a year in late autumn, around this time. Like most young girls, Setz had always wanted to attend. However, she was also realistic enough to know that it was nothing but a foolish dream. By the time she was fourteen, she had already come to terms with the fact that she didn’t belong there.

What would she even do at such an event? She knew that people like Bern and Lilien would scoff at her. Even though Setz had grown used to being teased, the thought of being humiliated in front of so many people was unbearable.

“Is something troubling you, Princess? I have not only arranged for the dress but also hired a dance instructor for you. So, truly, there’s nothing for you to worry about—”

“If I attend that event… people will just laugh at me,” Setz said, nervously fiddling with her fork, her voice so small it was almost a whisper.

“They’ll say I don’t know my place… And I’ll be ridiculed by Brother Bern and Sister Lilien…”

“……”

“And besides… I don’t even have anyone to escort me…”

Even if by some miracle she did attend the debutante ball, who would be her escort? She didn’t have a fiancé chosen by her family. In such cases, it was common for a brother, cousin, or some close acquaintance to serve as an escort. But she didn’t have a close male friend, or even a female friend for that matter. As for family—Bern would never agree to be her escort unless he lost his mind. And even if he did, Setz would rather decline than endure that awkwardness. The other royal family members were no different.

“Thank you so much for your kindness, Lady Lize, but I think it’s best if I don’t go—”

“But, Princess, isn’t there already someone here who could be your escort?”

“Sorry?” Setz blinked in confusion.

“Your escort, Princess. He’s sitting right next to you,” Lize said with a meaningful smile.

Setz instinctively turned to look at Raytan. Her eyes widened slightly in disbelief. Raytan? Escorting me? It seemed impossible. This was the same person who had once said he would rather hang himself than mingle with those fools during the festival.

Raytan’s brow furrowed slightly at Lize’s words, clearly taken aback by the suggestion.

“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, Princess. I’m sure it will be worthwhile,” Lize continued gently.

“No, no! Even if I could overlook everything else, I could never impose on Brother like that…” Setz protested, frantically waving her hands in refusal.

Lize’s expression softened into a smile as she turned her gaze to her son. But there was a firmness in her tone that Setz couldn’t miss.

“You wouldn’t consider escorting the Princess to be a burden, would you, Raytan?”

Lize’s voice was calm but carried a subtle edge that sent a shiver down Setz’s spine. It wasn’t a question; it was more of a command, leaving no room for argument. Setz felt so embarrassed she wanted to disappear. I said I don’t have to go! Why go this far…

“Answer me, Raytan,” Lize insisted.

“…I don’t consider it a burden,” Raytan said after a pause, his voice steady.

Setz’s eyes widened in shock. Did she hear that right? If she had to name the most surprising thing she’d heard all year, it would be Raytan’s agreement to this request. Her face was frozen in a dumbfounded expression.

“So now, there’s nothing for you to worry about, is there?” Lize said with a satisfied smile.

“Um… well, I…” Setz stammered, still reeling from the unexpected turn of events.

“Madam Pauline will be arriving soon to help you with your dance lessons. I’ve arranged for her to come after your usual lessons, so you and Raytan can learn to dance together,” Lize continued, her tone as serene and composed as ever.

Since when did Lady Lize plan things so thoroughly? Setz thought, feeling utterly overwhelmed. She looked to Raytan for some hint of what he was thinking. He remained silent for a moment, then finally nodded, his voice still calm and low.

“Understood,” he said.

Setz felt like the food she had just swallowed was suddenly stuck in her throat. Everything was happening so quickly, and none of it as she had expected.

“Well then, I suppose that’s all settled,” Lize said as she suddenly rose from her seat.

“Princess, if you’ll excuse me, I think I need to rest now. I’m feeling a bit unwell,” she said with a gentle smile.

“Y-Yes, of course! Please, don’t worry about me,” Setz replied quickly.

“I asked Marie to prepare some delicious desserts, so please make sure to enjoy them. And Raytan, I’d like you to stop by my room once you’re done with your meal,” Lize added.

Raytan nodded in acknowledgment, and with that, Lize left the room.

An awkward silence fell over the table. Setz felt like she was sitting on pins and needles, overwhelmed by the unexpected turn of events. She glanced nervously at Raytan, but he remained silent, his expression somewhat tense.

Setz thought about saying something to break the silence but decided against it. Instead, she turned her gaze to the cold, untouched bowl of soup that Lize had left behind. It sat there, growing colder by the minute, a stark reminder of the heaviness that lingered in the air.

***

Lize sat on the bed, her face ghostly pale.

Even while sitting still, she felt dizzy, and though she had barely eaten, waves of nausea constantly threatened to overtake her. Multiple times a day, she vomited yellow bile, and at times, she even lost consciousness.

Her health had deteriorated to its worst, and her mental state was steadily crumbling. Now, even in the bright daylight, she was plagued by vivid hallucinations. She saw her mother, engulfed in flames, screaming at her to run, and the crushed head of Munid splattering blood like a squashed tomato.

Lize knew well enough that these visions were not real—her mother’s screams and Munid’s bloodstains were only figments of her broken mind. Yet, that knowledge didn’t stop them from gnawing away at her body and spirit.

Still, Lize fought to hold on, desperately trying to buy more time. But even she had to admit now that her struggle was coming to an end.

“Mother,” came Raytan’s voice, snapping Lize out of her daze. She shifted her gaze from the window to where Raytan stood, watching her with his crimson eyes. For a moment, Lize stared blankly at her own reflection in those red eyes before gathering herself and speaking in a low, calm voice.

“…The Princess Setz, where is she?”

“She is waiting outside,” Raytan replied.

“And her reaction?”

“She was surprised but didn’t say much.”

In truth, Setz had mostly seemed anxious and unsure. Raytan could tell she felt guilty about attending the debutante ball solely because he would be her escort, a situation she assumed was an imposition on him.

But Raytan also knew that Lize’s request for him to escort Setz was merely a pretext.

“Caroline Regent,” Lize said, as if confirming his suspicions.

Raytan’s eyes narrowed slightly, his earlier assumptions now fully validated.

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

The Regent family was one of the most powerful in the Denhelder Empire. After a long struggle with infertility, the couple had finally been blessed with a daughter, Caroline, after ten years of marriage. Caroline often attended the tea parties hosted by Lilien, and Raytan had seen her on a few occasions.

“Osen mentioned that Caroline seems to have taken an interest in you,” Lize said, watching Raytan closely.

Raytan was already aware of this. Luna had once mentioned that Caroline’s maid had been asking questions about him.

“I’m not interested in her,” Raytan replied curtly.

But his mother’s expression didn’t change; her instructions continued.

“Win her favor,” Lize commanded, her tone leaving no room for objection.

Raytan opened his mouth as if to protest, but Lize cut him off, her voice growing weaker yet more resolute.

“I don’t have much time left.”

Raytan clenched his fists, saying nothing.

“You must prepare. We need to eliminate those who stand in your way and make allies of anyone with value. The Regent family will be your most valuable asset.”

Lize’s words were cold, but not wrong. The Regent family, with its considerable private army, would indeed be a powerful ally if they sided with Raytan, especially in any conflict that required military strength.

“If you can secure their loyalty… you won’t need to waste any more effort on Princess Setz,” Lize continued, her tone almost dismissive. “Compared to Caroline, Princess Setz is insignificant. You can discard her without a second thought. In fact, it would be better that way. Sooner or later, she’ll have to be dealt with. Escorting her to the ball is merely a final act of kindness, nothing more.”

Lize’s words cut through the air like a blade, leaving Raytan to stand there in silence, his jaw set and his eyes darkening at the cold, calculated way his mother discussed Setz’s fate.

“…….”

“So, your act of being the good brother will soon come to an end. You understand what I mean, don’t you, Raytan?” Liege’s words were sharp and unyielding.

Raytan bit down hard on his lip, swallowing the sighs that threatened to escape.

I understand. I know. He knew all too well that his mother’s time was running out, that she would soon die. He understood how valuable Caroline could be as an ally, and he also knew that, sooner or later, Setz might have to be dealt with along with the others.

He knew everything, but…

“Raytan, don’t disappoint me,” Liege said, her voice piercing through the silence.

“…….”

“If you do, then everything will have been for nothing.”

“Yes,” Raytan finally answered, his voice barely a whisper.

He knew. He truly, painfully knew that he could never go against Liege’s wishes. No matter how much he might have wanted to, he was bound by her words, and he understood that he could never defy her commands.

***