The Tyrant’s Beloved Doll - Chapter 67

A cold sneer appeared on Yerna’s face as she delicately sipped her tea.

“You’re a useless girl.”

She spoke in the most nonchalant tone, as if she were discussing something trivial.

“Do you know how hard it was to rise from a lowly concubine of a worthless family to a position of power like this?”

Setz didn’t answer.

“It was all my doing. I got here through my own skill. If you were a son—or at the very least an exceptional princess, someone no one could ignore—you would have been useful to me. Then, I might have loved you. But look at you.”

Yerna lightly dabbed her lips with a silk handkerchief. She said these cruel words without a single hint of emotion, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“You’re nothing. So why should I love you? You’re worthless to me.”

“…”

“If you don’t like it, just do as I say. That’s the only value you have, and the only way you could ever earn my love.”

Setz’s fingers felt icy cold. She stared at Yerna in shock.

What was I expecting?

From this person?

“Do you understand, Setz?”

Yerna pressed her.

“Now that you’ve come of age, I’ll find a match for you as soon as possible. So—”

“…Yes.”

Setz’s voice cracked, hollow and broken.

“I understand… very clearly.”

Her blue eyes, wet with tears, flickered. Setz looked as if she were on the verge of crying, but Yerna didn’t care. Just as she never had before.

***

The bedroom was a mess.

Setz sat crouched on the floor, going through her dresses. She had laid out everything she owned.

But everything was old and worn, and none of the dresses had ever been valuable to begin with, so there wasn’t much worth keeping.

“Your Highness, are you looking for something? Shall I help you?”

Kaen, watching Setz with growing concern, asked hesitantly.

“No, it’s fine.”

Setz shook her head.

“But perhaps I could assist you in some—”

“Kaen, could you please bring me a bag? A sturdy one.”

“A bag?”

“Yes, something a bit bigger would be better.”

“Understood. I’ll get it right away.”

Kaen was puzzled but agreed and left the room.

“Phew…”

Once alone, Setz let out a deep sigh. The reason she had been struggling with all of this was simple—she was trying to find anything that could be worth some money.

She had already sent all of Yerna’s jewels and cash to Luna’s family. She didn’t regret it, but now she had no funds to leave the palace.

“At least this should help… a little.”

What Setz pulled from under the bed were a few silver utensils. She had discreetly hidden them after meals.

If she sold these after leaving the palace, she’d have just enough money to survive. She comforted herself with that thought.

After hiding the utensils again, Setz sat on the bed and picked up Luna’s portrait, speaking to it softly.

“Luna, I’m leaving the palace.”

Luna, of course, didn’t respond, but Setz kept talking.

“I’m going to see the Emperor. I’m going to ask him to let me leave.”

Even though she wasn’t treated as a proper princess, she hoped her request to leave wouldn’t be denied. She wanted to believe that.

Of course, if Yerna found out, there would be chaos. But by the time Yerna heard of her request, everything would already be over.

Once she got the Emperor’s permission, Setz planned to leave the palace within a day.

“He doesn’t care about me anyway, so he’ll probably just grant it without much fuss. Right?”

It was ironic how being ignored had turned out to be a small advantage.

“And even if he doesn’t allow it… I’ll still leave. I’ll jump over the wall if I have to.”

Setz’s expression hardened with determination. Asking the Emperor was just a way to minimize trouble.

One way or another, she was going to escape. No matter what.

“If only I had done this sooner… maybe you could have been saved.”

Right, Luna? Setz muttered as she traced the lines of the portrait. Then, she shook her head.

“…I won’t blame myself anymore. You’d only feel worse if I did.”

Kaen, Eaton, and even Raytan had all said the same thing—if Setz was sad, Luna would be too.

She didn’t want to burden Luna, even in death.

“Anyway… wish me luck. Pray for me, so I can find the courage.”

Setz murmured.

Just as she did, the door behind her creaked open.

“Ka…”

Setz turned her head and froze. It wasn’t Kaen who had entered the room. It was Raytan.

He furrowed his brow slightly as he looked at her.

“What were you doing?”

“Oh, brother—”

“Your Highness, I’ve brought the bag… Prince Raytan.”

Kaen, who had just returned, quickly bowed in respect. She looked a bit nervous. Unlike Luna, Kaen was still afraid of Raytan.

“…What’s this?”

Raytan asked as he snatched the bag from Kaen’s hands.

“Kaen, could you step outside for a moment?”

“Oh, yes…”

“Thanks for bringing the bag.”

“You’re welcome. Please call me if you need anything.”

Kaen, glancing nervously around, closed the door as she left, leaving only Raytan and Setz in the room.

Raytan, still holding the bag, approached Setz.

“I asked you what you were doing, Setz.”

His expression was cold today. Setz hesitated before finally speaking.

“Do you remember what I told you before, Brother?”

“About what?”

“That I’d leave the palace when I came of age.”

Raytan flinched slightly.

“I’m planning to speak to His Majesty. To ask for permission to leave.”

“And your mother?”

“I didn’t tell her on purpose. Because… she’d obviously oppose it…”

Setz mumbled softly. Raytan was silent for a moment before speaking again, his voice cold.

“Why?”

“What?”

“You didn’t tell me the reason before either. Why do you want to leave the palace?”

“…”

“What’s the reason?”

Setz bit her lip. The reason? It was simple.

Soon, the palace would be drenched in blood.

And perhaps, her own neck would be severed as well.

In the past few days, Setz had thought about it many times—whether Raytan might cut off her head like before.

She didn’t know the answer, but her thoughts always ended in the same place.

She wanted to run.

It wasn’t just to survive. She was scared. Scared to witness Raytan turning into a legend who would slaughter people. And scared to face him looking at her as coldly as he had back then.

Whether he killed her or not… she was terrified.

But she couldn’t say that out loud.

“I… I’m not needed in this palace.”

Setz lied.

“That’s why I want to leave. I also know how everyone views me. I don’t want to live like that anymore. That’s all.”

“And if the Emperor doesn’t allow it?”

“…I’ll leave anyway. Even if I have to sneak out.”

Raytan’s blood-red eyes flickered briefly.

“Needed. You say ‘needed.'”

Raytan muttered in a low voice.

“Is that so important?”

“…What?”

“If you were someone this palace needed, would you stay?”

“Brother…?”

Setz wore a puzzled expression.

“Answer me, Setz.”

She couldn’t understand. Why was he asking this? And what answer was she supposed to give?

Setz hesitated before replying softly.

“But there’s no one like that. Not now, and there won’t be in the future either.”

“…”

“I’ve thought that way ever since I was young… for a long time now…”

Raytan said nothing. He just quietly looked down at Setz, then dropped the bag he was holding without much care.

“I understand.”

With a soft thud, the bag rolled on the floor.

“I’ll be leaving now.”

“Brother, wait a moment…”

She reached out, but Raytan didn’t turn back. He walked out of the room without looking at her.

“…”

Setz sat motionless on the bed, staring at the closed door. She couldn’t guess what he was thinking.

Was he upset? The thought crossed her mind, but she shook her head.

“…It can’t be helped.”

It had been decided from the start.

“This is… the best choice.”

Leaving the palace would be the right decision, for both him and her…

Setz, her face clouded with confusion, bit her lip hard, as if to regain control of her emotions. She then picked up the bag that had fallen on the floor.

Two days later, Setz went to see the Emperor.

***