The Tyrant’s Beloved Doll - Chapter 60

It wasn’t just because the circumstances had held him back. Even in the past few days, he’d had plenty of opportunities to eliminate him.

But he didn’t want to return to Setz covered in the stench of blood.

“Tomorrow… I won’t be able to come,” Raytan said softly.

Setz froze for a moment. She looked up at Raytan, still clutching his shirt.

“Just because there’s no one to look after you doesn’t mean you should skip meals. I’ll check with your maid to make sure,” he said, attempting a stern tone.

“What… are you going to do?” Setz asked, a faint tremor in her voice.

She had a feeling that whatever he planned to do, it would lead to another noble or royal’s demise.

“…It’s nothing you need to worry about,” Raytan replied, turning his gaze away.

He often looked away like this, a habit of his. It happened whenever he faced questions he didn’t want to—or couldn’t—answer.

“Brother, I…” Setz began, biting her lip as she hesitated.

What should she say? Should she be honest? Tell him that she knew—knew that he was the one behind the deaths of those nobles?

Or should she ask him outright? Who’s next? Who are you planning to take down this time?

Why are you doing this?

“I just… I just want you to stay safe,” she finally said, her voice small but earnest.

“And I hope you won’t be sad or lonely.”

Setz still remembered it vividly—the scent of blood, the tremor in his voice, the hollow look in his red eyes.

She didn’t understand what was happening or what Raytan’s intentions were. But this much was true: she didn’t want to see that expression on his face ever again.

“…….”

Raytan’s gaze wavered as he looked down at Setz curled up before him. He carefully cupped her cheek in his hand, his touch gentle. Then, in a voice that was barely holding together, he said,

“I just don’t want to see you cry.”

His deep voice cracked, betraying his own vulnerability.

“When you cry… I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to make it better.”

Setz placed her hand over Raytan’s, holding it against her cheek.

“I already told you, didn’t I? I’m… I’m fine with just this,” she whispered.

…Yes.

Raytan answered quietly. It was all he could say.

He pulled the blanket up, covering Setz’s body to shield her from the chill. He made sure that not even the coldest breeze could reach her.

***

“When she woke up, Raytan was nowhere to be seen.

Setz thought she had fallen asleep with her head on his leg at the edge of the bed, but when she opened her eyes, she was lying in the center. He must have left after making sure she was deeply asleep.

Setz absently played with the blanket that still covered her carefully, then turned her gaze toward the bedside table.

On the table lay Luna’s painting, framed and in place.

Setz reached out and picked up the frame, holding it close to her chest.

The smiling faces of Luna and Raytan flashed through her mind. Setz blinked slowly, her expression weary.

“…I don’t know, Luna,” she muttered to herself.

“What I can do, or what I can stop… I just don’t know.”

The loss of Luna left Setz feeling powerless.

“Everything… it’s all just too much,” she said softly.

She couldn’t save Luna from dying. And it wasn’t over. Worse things were coming, or maybe they were already happening—beyond her reach, beyond her sight.

“I don’t even know what’s going to happen next,” she whispered.

If her mother killed Lady Lize, what then? Would Brother Raytan rise up and start another rebellion?

And then… what else?

Setz’s hand reached up to touch her neck.

[You’re not the only one, Setz. I’ll kill all those blond-haired, blue-eyed scoundrels.]

She remembered the cold, emotionless red eyes that had glared at her.

[I just don’t want to see you cry. When you cry… I don’t know what to do.]

She remembered the gentle red eyes, the comforting hand that had patted her back, and the voice that had cracked with emotion.

Setz squeezed her eyes shut. Then, restlessly, she tossed and turned. Her chest felt tight. Instinctively, her gaze drifted to the window. Through the half-open window, a cold winter breeze was blowing.

‘Maybe some fresh air might help…’

Just as she thought this, Setz suddenly stopped. She had noticed a shadow reflected on the white curtain, billowing in the wind.

Setz rose from the bed.

Slowly, she moved toward the window.

“Long time no see.”

There were eyes, red like Raytan’s, staring back at her. His hair seemed even lighter than before.

“…Eaton.”

“Hello, Setz,” Eaton said with a faint smile.

…He looked just like he always had.

Even though four years had passed, he hadn’t aged at all. Nothing about him had changed.

Except, perhaps, for his hair, which seemed slightly lighter in color.

“But you, you look like you’ve been through a lot,” Eaton said kindly.

“What happened while I was away?” he asked, his voice gentle.

Setz nodded weakly. Eaton, who was sitting on the windowsill, reached out his hand to her.

“Come here,” he said.

He gently pulled Setz closer to him, his arms warm as he wrapped them around her. He didn’t press her for answers; he just held her quietly, his hand soothingly patting her back.

“Luna died,” Setz whispered.

“I see. Was she your friend?” Eaton asked softly.

“Yes. She was my only… She was also like family,” Setz said, her voice barely audible.

“…….”

“But she died because of me,” Setz continued.

“What do you mean?” Eaton asked, his brow furrowed.

“She died… because of me. It was all because of me,” Setz said, her words laced with pain.

It was impossible to explain all the complicated circumstances, how she knew about Luna’s death beforehand and yet had been unable to prevent it.

So, she just blamed herself.

“Setz, there’s no such thing as blame when it comes to death,” Eaton said gently, like he was explaining to a child.

“Death is something beyond human control. No matter what happened, it’s not your fault. Luna would think the same, I’m sure.”

Beyond human control?

Setz looked up at Eaton, a sudden thought crossing her mind.

“Eaton, do you remember what you told me last time?”

“I remember most of the things I’ve said to you,” Eaton replied with a soft smile.

“You said if I learned how to control the wind, you’d grant me a wish,” she reminded him.

“Yes, I did.”

Setz felt a spark of hope ignite within her. A frail, desperate hope.

If a human’s power couldn’t bring someone back to life, then maybe magic could…

“I can control it now. Not perfectly, not like when you helped me, but I’ve gotten much better,” Setz said, her voice trembling slightly.

“…Setz,” Eaton said, his face growing sorrowful as he realized what she was asking.

“I’m serious. I can show you right now. Please, if it’s my wish… can’t you bring Luna back to life?” Setz pleaded, her voice cracking with the weight of her desperation.

“…”

“You know magic, Eaton…” Setz said softly, her voice trembling with desperation.

If her abilities were not up to his standards, she would practice until she was flawless, even if it meant sacrificing everything. If only it could bring Luna back to life.

But Eaton’s answer was not what she hoped for.

“Setz, that’s something I cannot do,” Eaton said gently, stroking Setz’s back.

“A person who has died cannot be brought back to life. It’s impossible. Not even the gods can do that.”

“I’m… sorry,” Setz whispered, bowing her head, her red eyes brimming with unspoken sorrow. Eaton repeated his words softly, his voice heavy.

“If it were possible… I would have done it myself long ago.”

He would have done it, even if it meant losing all the power he possessed.

He would have brought Shahrvina back to life.

“Eaton… did you lose someone precious too?” Setz asked.

Eaton didn’t answer right away. Someone precious. The words fell painfully short of capturing who Shahrvina had been to him.

“How do you get better, Eaton? How do you move on? Does it get easier with time? Please, tell me,” Setz pleaded.

“…I don’t know,” Eaton said with a bitter smile.

“It still feels like it happened just yesterday.”

Shahrvina had died. And it had been a long time ago.

But for Eaton, it was as if no time had passed at all. His memories and his sense of time had stopped when he was sealed away.

No matter how many centuries or millennia passed, for Eaton, it was as if it had just happened.

“Humans often say that when someone leaves, you bury them in your heart,” he continued.

“…How do you do that?” Setz asked, her voice small.

“I don’t know. I don’t understand what it means or how to do it. I’ve only heard people say it,” Eaton admitted.

“Just the other day, Kaen told me that if I keep being so sad, if I keep holding on like this, Luna won’t be able to move on,” Setz said.

“She won’t… move on?”

“She said that instead of holding onto the sad memories, I should think of the happy ones. But I don’t understand. When I remember the happy times, it just makes me cry even more…,” Setz said, her voice breaking as she sniffled.

Eaton gently wiped away her tears, lost in thought.

If that were true, if holding on to the sadness meant they couldn’t move on, then Shahrvina might never find peace. Even if centuries repeated themselves, even if time flowed endlessly.

“Then cry, Setz. Cry as much as you need to. Cry until you have no more tears left. Grieve for as long as you must,” Eaton said softly. “Maybe one day, the pain will begin to fade, just as humans say it does.”

Even if he could never truly let go, he hoped that the grief, the confusion, the longing, or even the anger might soften over time.

Eaton genuinely wished for that, for her sake as much as for his own.

“And if, someday, you figure out what it means to bury someone in your heart,” he continued, “will you teach me how to do it? I’ll be waiting.”

“Eaton?” Setz whispered, looking up at him in surprise.

“I still don’t understand it myself. No matter how much I think about it, I just can’t figure it out,” Eaton said with a wistful smile.

“But you… I believe you’ll find the way. Because you have a kind heart, and you’re a warm, compassionate person.”

His large hand gently stroked her tousled golden hair. Setz wiped away her tears and nodded.

“I’m sorry, Eaton. We finally met again after so long, and all I did was talk about my own problems,” she said apologetically.

“It’s all right,” Eaton said, shaking his head.

“Did you find the sealing stone?” Setz asked cautiously.

“…Yes, I found it,” Eaton replied.

Setz’s eyes widened in surprise. The lack of joy on Eaton’s face made her uneasy.

“What happened?” she asked.

“It’s nothing. Let’s not talk about that now… Let’s talk about something else,” Eaton said, quickly masking his troubled expression.

“You’ve grown so much. Last time I saw you, you barely reached my chest,” he said with a gentle smile.

“…Really?” Setz asked.

“Yes, you’ve grown so much that I almost didn’t recognize you. If we had met on the street, I might not have realized it was you.”

“That’s a lie,” Setz said, shaking her head.

“It’s true,” Eaton insisted.

“But I would’ve recognized you, Eaton. I’d know it was you in an instant,” Setz said firmly, her voice filled with conviction.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

“…”

“You can be sure of that,” Setz said with determination.

Why hasn’t Eaton changed? Why does he remain exactly the same? Setz carefully framed her question, not asking it directly.

But Eaton didn’t answer. He simply gave a small smile.

“It’s good to see you again, Setz,” he said.

“I feel the same way,” she replied.

She meant it. Even though Eaton was still a mystery to her, seeing him again made her happy. It was like reuniting with a long-lost friend.

“Where will you go now, Eaton? Are you planning to leave again?” Setz asked hesitantly.

“No,” Eaton shook his head.

“There are things I need to see with my own eyes. Until I do, I’m not going anywhere.”

Eaton’s gaze shifted towards the window. He seemed to be looking in the direction of Raytan’s quarters.

“Your brother… what has he been up to?” Eaton asked suddenly.

Setz hesitated for a moment before she answered quietly.

“He’s just… living as usual. He looks after me a lot… He was here earlier today. If I’m doing a little better, it’s because of him.”

“I see,” Eaton replied, his expression unchanged.

But this stench of blood, Setz… Who is responsible for it?

…He thought to himself, keeping his true thoughts carefully hidden.

“Dawn will break soon. You should get some rest,” Eaton said.

“What about you, Eaton?” Setz asked.

“I’ll go back to where I came from. The place where we first met,” Eaton answered.

“Lady Lize’s chambers?” Setz clarified.

“Yes,” he nodded.

“But… the palace has been in such turmoil lately. What if you get caught?” Setz asked, worry evident in her voice.

“You don’t need to worry about that. You know now, don’t you? As long as I don’t allow it, no one can enter that space,” Eaton said cryptically.

Setz felt a surge of curiosity at his mysterious words. She hesitated for a moment before speaking up.

“Did you allow it back then? When we first met? For me to enter that room?”

“No,” Eaton said, a meaningful smile spreading across his face.

“You were able to enter because you’re a special person.”

Setz’s face suddenly went rigid, her expression unusually tense. Eaton found her worried look endearing.

Setz was indeed special. She was someone who had traveled back through time… Something that even he, a being with powers beyond human comprehension, had never seen before.

He was curious then, and he remained curious now. He wondered why she had to go through the trouble of turning back time.

But he didn’t want to push her. He didn’t want to force the truth out of someone who was afraid of revealing her own secrets.

Someday, I’ll be able to ask.

Or maybe, one day, she’ll tell me herself.

“Setz, go back to bed now. The night air is chilly, so make sure you cover yourself with the blanket,” Eaton said gently.

Setz gave a small nod in response.

It was time for him to leave. Eaton slowly moved to stand by the window. Then, as if he had forgotten something, he turned back to Setz.

“My promise to grant you a wish still stands. I couldn’t fulfill your request to bring Luna back to life, after all.”

“Eaton…” Setz whispered, her voice filled with mixed emotions.

“Think of another wish. And when the time comes, I hope it’s a wish that will make you truly happy. Whatever that may be,” Eaton said softly.

“Thank you,” Setz replied, her voice quiet but sincere.

“But don’t take too long to tell me,” he added.

…Because I’ve been told that I don’t have much time left.

Eaton swallowed those last words, keeping them to himself.

“Have sweet dreams, Setz,” he said with a gentle smile.

And with that, Eaton leaped gracefully from the window.

Left alone, Setz stood there in a daze by the window, staring out into the night. Eventually, she returned to her bed and lay down.

…What does it really mean to bury someone in your heart? Who was the precious person Eaton lost?

And why did Brother Raytan say he wouldn’t be able to come tomorrow?

Unanswered questions swirled endlessly in her mind. It wasn’t until dawn broke that Setz finally managed to fall asleep.

And the news that Johann Franz had died reached her the very next day.