The Tyrant’s Beloved Doll - Chapter 44

Setz, who had insisted she came for a lesson, had fallen asleep herself.

See, I told you, you came here to sneak around and relax, Raytan thought, half-amused.

He sat quietly, arms crossed, resting his chin on them as he watched the sleeping Setz. He reached out to touch her hair, which spilled like strands of gold, and gently poked her cheek the way she had done to him.

When did she grow up so much? he wondered.

Setz used to always say, Brother, you’ve grown so much, or complain, It’s been four years, and I’m still so short. And to be fair, she wasn’t entirely wrong.

But still, she had grown. Although there was still a youthful air about her, she had begun to show signs of becoming a young lady.

Her eyes had grown larger, her nose had become more defined, and much of her baby fat had disappeared. In a few months, Setz would turn 17 and officially become an adult.

[When I turn 17, I want to leave the palace,] Setz had once said to him.

[…Leave the palace?] he had asked in surprise.

[Yes. I’m going to ask for permission. I looked into it before, and apparently, it’s not unheard of for a prince or princess to leave the palace once they come of age.]

Raytan remembered that conversation vividly. He wondered if her feelings remained the same. Would she really leave the palace once she became an adult?

Perhaps it would be better for her to leave, he thought. Even though Setz had gotten used to palace life, it was still a harsh and unforgiving place.

And then there was Yerna. Raytan knew she would undoubtedly try to manipulate Setz the moment she turned 17, using her for her own gain.

She’ll probably try to arrange a marriage with a wealthy noble family, Raytan thought, easily guessing Yerna’s dark intentions.

And someday, when the time came for him to make his own move…

“Yeah,” Raytan muttered, his voice heavy and somber.

“…Maybe leaving would be better. For both of us,” he said quietly.

She needed to go far away, far enough that no one could ever reach her—not her mother, not him.

“……”

In the depths of his blood-red eyes, the image of Setz’s face wavered, delicate and clear.

Raytan reached out and adjusted the blanket that Setz had draped over him, gently placing it back over her shoulders. The early morning air was getting chilly, and the last thing he wanted was for her to catch a cold.

He sat there quietly, his eyes never leaving her, watching over Setz as she slept. He remained still, keeping his vigil until the break of dawn approached—until it was time for her to leave and return to her own quarters.

***

Setz returned to her quarters half-asleep, feeling more drowsy than ever.

Staying up so late turned out to be more challenging than she had thought. Even though she often had trouble sleeping, her routine of waking up early and going to bed at dusk was so ingrained in her that staying up threw her off completely.

As soon as she got back to her room, she immediately lay down on her bed. Drifting off to sleep, Setz had a fleeting thought.

Did Raytan stroke my hair earlier? Was that just my imagination…?

With that in mind, she quickly fell into a deep sleep.

When she woke up, it was already past noon.

She didn’t wake up because she was well-rested, but rather because of Luna’s unusual fussing that roused her from her sleep.

Luna was holding a letter in her hands.

“Princess! Mathias has sent you a letter!” she exclaimed excitedly.

He hadn’t been kidding when he said he’d send a letter right away.

And it wasn’t just a letter. The ever-thoughtful Mathias had also included an unexpected gift.

“And look at this! It’s the finest tea!” Luna said, as if she were the one who had received the gift, her face lighting up with joy. Setz couldn’t help but feel a little happy too. It wasn’t because she’d received the fine tea, but because Mathias had kept his word.

“Oh, he really is so considerate… It seems like Mathias must have taken a special interest in you during the debutante!” Luna added with a twinkle in her eye.

“Um… I don’t think so…” Setz said hesitantly.

Maybe? Or maybe he just felt sorry for me… Setz let her words trail off.

“I’m sure of it! How could he not notice how stunning you looked that day? I bet everyone there thought the same thing, not just Mathias!” Luna said with an almost proud expression.

Setz couldn’t help but smile at Luna’s enthusiasm. What a hopeless flatterer, she thought to herself, but Luna’s earnestness made her smile.

“Go ahead and read the letter, Princess. I’ll bring you some tea,” Luna said, bustling off with the fine tea from Mathias.

As Setz sat on the edge of her bed, she carefully opened the letter. The first thing that caught her eye was the neat handwriting that seemed to suit Mathias perfectly.

The letter began by thanking her for agreeing to be his conversation companion.

Setz couldn’t help but think that Mathias was almost too kind-hearted.

He’s probably just trying to make sure I don’t feel like I’m being pitied, she thought. But I really wouldn’t mind if he did pity me. It’s far better than facing criticism or contempt.

Given that they barely knew anything about each other beyond their names, Setz wondered what Mathias could possibly fill the letter with.

She expected it to be short, but to her surprise, the letter was quite long.

Mathias had included all sorts of small, personal details in the letter.

For example, he wrote about how the weather was getting colder and asked if she liked winter. I tend to get cold easily, so I prefer summer, he had written. But when I was studying abroad in Lithuania, where it’s cold all year round, I really struggled…

Despite being the heir to the Karim family and a noble through and through, Mathias’s tone didn’t come off as pretentious at all.

In fact, he seemed to have a talent for storytelling. The long letter didn’t feel boring or tedious in the least, and Setz found herself smiling as she read through it.

I hope you have a wonderful day, the letter concluded.

And this is just a small gift—a tea that I personally enjoy. I hope you like it. If it’s not to your taste, please don’t hesitate to let me know. While I don’t yet know your preferences, I’m sure I can find something you would enjoy.

“Princess, please try some of the tea!” Luna said as she re-entered the room at just the right moment.

Mathias’s worry turned out to be completely unnecessary. The tea, once steeped to a warm perfection, tasted exquisite, with a subtle fragrance that Setz found delightful. It was probably the best tea she had ever tasted, but then again, it was a high-grade tea.

I guess it’s time for me to give up on milk, she thought. Time to act more like a proper lady! Hosting elegant tea times… even if no one shows up.

After finishing her tea, Setz began writing a reply to Mathias. Like his letter, hers was filled with trivial details, but the process made her smile.

***

Lize’s quarters were silent.

Raytan found himself thinking about how long it had been since he last walked these halls alone. The cold corridor seemed almost foreign without Setz by his side.

For the past four years, he had always come here with Setz, so it felt strangely out of place now. Before he had started tutoring her, he had hardly ever come to these quarters at all.

“Your Highness,” came a voice as he approached the sleeping chamber. Mari stood there, waiting, and she greeted him with a respectful bow.

“Is Mother awake?” he asked.

“She… has not woken up yet,” Mari replied hesitantly.

“……”

“These days, she sleeps for longer and longer periods…” Mari’s voice trailed off as she watched Raytan’s face grow tight with tension.

Raytan bit his lip, fighting back his frustration.

Lize’s waking hours had become shorter and less frequent lately. To put it bluntly, her strength was fading, and she was losing the ability to stay awake at all.

The words Lize had once said to him, that she didn’t have much time left, were proving to be true.

“I told Lady Lize that you stopped tutoring Princess Setz,” Mari said softly.

“…I see,” Raytan replied, his voice cracking slightly.

“And this…” Mari said, pulling out a small scroll and handing it to Raytan.

“What is this?” he asked, staring at the rolled-up letter.

“Lady Lize asked me to deliver it to you,” Mari explained. “She also instructed that after you read it, you should burn it.”

Raytan narrowed his eyes as he looked down at the letter. He nodded slowly, indicating he understood, and left the room. Mari said she would let him know the moment Lize woke up, but that was likely to be several days away.

Back in his own quarters, Raytan took off his jacket and carelessly draped it over a chair before sitting down on the edge of his bed.

The room was deathly quiet, and the cold night wind blew in through the open window, chilling his skin.

Raytan suddenly realized that winter was fast approaching

And Lize… she would not live to see another winter. She was dying—slowly but certainly.

The dim candlelight flickered across Raytan’s troubled face.

He sat there in silence for a long while before he finally began to unfold the letter Lize had sent him. As he opened it, his eyes narrowed.

It wasn’t an ordinary letter. There were no greetings or usual pleasantries. It simply contained a list of names.

Names of nobles.

These were individuals closely tied to Rowain III, the current Emperor—those who would undoubtedly support the bid to make Bern the next Emperor. They were also allies of Yuria.

Raytan realized what this letter really was.

A hit list.

I trust you.

His eyes fell on the brief note written at the bottom of the letter.

You must end everything with your own hands.

“……”

Do not disappoint me.

The letter crumpled in Raytan’s hand, making a harsh, tearing sound.

Do not disappoint me. Do not disappoint me. Lize’s voice echoed in his mind like a curse, ringing in his ears as if it were woven into the very air around him. Raytan clenched his eyes shut.

***

It seemed like any other day. Baron Aintz awoke late in the afternoon, had his late breakfast, and met up with fellow nobles as usual.

He admired the new slave girl that a close duke had recently acquired and chuckled over crude, meaningless jokes shared among the group.

After that, he returned to his estate, drank his fill of wine, and fell into a pleasant, drunken sleep.

Up to that point, everything was perfectly ordinary.

“You, you…!”

Baron Aintz sat on the floor, trembling violently, his face twisted in terror. He wasn’t usually one to scare easily, but this situation was enough to break even the bravest of men. Anyone would feel the same if they were confronted by an uninvited visitor in the dead of night.

Especially when that visitor held a sword.

“Who, who sent you?” Baron Aintz stammered.

“Who knows,” the masked man replied coldly. He stood in front of the window, his face hidden in the shadows.

As he stepped closer, Baron Aintz, driven by fear, pleaded in a quivering voice.

“How much—how much are they paying you? I’ll give you double, no, triple whatever you’re being offered!”

Baron Aintz felt wronged. He had never done anything that would earn someone’s deep hatred.

Sure, he had mistreated his subordinates and done unsavory things in his pursuit of power, but nothing he considered to be a grievous offense.

Trembling with fear, Baron Aintz let out a desperate cry.

“Who the hell sent you! Why me?!” Baron Aintz shouted in desperation.

“Why does it matter?” the man replied coldly.

In an instant, the man raised his sword. The mask that had been carefully concealing his face slipped away, falling to the ground with a soft rustling sound.

The first thing Baron Aintz noticed was the pair of crimson eyes.

Eyes as red as blood.