<strong>Trantor: </strong>thursdays <strong>Editor: </strong>thursdays


    <span>That wasn’t all. Zenon returned to his chambers after being absent for a long while.


    <span>Rezef could smell a familiar scent from him.


    <span>It was the scent that burned on Cayena’s bedroom censer. That scent was on Zenon.


    <span>“…So you’ve met with my sister.”


    <span>‘…How did he know?’


    <span>Currently, Rezef had no servants who would report on the outside situation to him. Even the knights stationed outside his room did not dare toe into his chambers for no reason.


    <span>But Rezef was able to determine that Zenon had met with Cayena right away.


    <span>Zenon’s spine tingled.


    <span>He was currently being swayed over by Cayena. But right now, it was more like he was weighing his mind.


    <span>He had no intention of conceding to her. Of course, he also had no intention of helping her strengthen her rtionship with Prince Rezef.


    <span>However, he had a strong premonition that Rezef would not hesitate to draw his sword depending on how his answer.


    <span>“Her Highness hade to see you earlier.”


    <span>He just had make Cayena’s position slightly more advantageous for Rezef.


    <span>“She was looking for you anxiously regarding your health and current situation. <span>Because the knights blocked her way, she went back to her pce.”


    <span>It was funny. He had ignored the princess before because she was a woman, but now, he was protecting her when she wasn’t even here.


    <span>“…Is that so?”


    <span>Rezef was impatient and violent, but he wasn’t dumb.


    <span>He had realized that Zenon’s behavior was strange.


    <span>Did something happen with Cayena?


    <span>He suddenly realized that something he thought he had in his hand was slowly escaping, like grains of sand.


    <span>“I’ll call you if I need something, so leave.”


    <span>“Then, I shall take my leave.”


    <span>A long time after Zenon left the room, Rezef called another aide into his room.


    <span>“Keep an eye on Zenon Evans.”


    <span>“I will heed your order.”


    <span>Like a habit, Rezef asked, “What is my sister doing now?”


    <span>“Her Highness has gone on an outing.”


    <span>“Then don’t you think you should tell me where she has gone?”


    <span>“I apologize, Your Highness. I shall find that information right away.”


    <span>Expressionlessly, Rezef grabbed and threw the candlestick next to him.


    <span>The aide was hit in the head by the brass candlestick, but he remained in his bowed position without flinching.


    <span>Then, as if nothing happened, Rezef continued in a nonchnt voice,


    <span>“Figure out my sister’s actions.”


    <span>“I will heed your order.”


    <span>“And I assume that you’re still steadily mixing poison into my father’s tea?”


    <span>“Yes.”


    <span>The Emperor always washed away the bitter taste of medicine with a sweet tea.


    <span>Rezef had already set up a trick with a silver spoon.


    <span>That spoon wouldn’t tarnish when ced into the tea. That was the reason that the Emperor hadn’t healed at all.


    <span>“Increase the dosage.”


    <span>The aide bowed his still bleeding head.


    <span>He went out to carry out hismand, and Rezef gently closed his eyes.


    <span>It was still bearable. He could be patient. He still believed that Cayena was undoubtedly his.


    <span>The peace and happiness that she had shown him so far couldn’t be false.


    <span>She wanted his help to marry the person she wanted? He’d help fulfill her request.


    <span>Though he didn’t know how long her partner would be able to hold onto his breath and live.


    <span>Cayena was his<span>. She had always been under his influence, and she still was.


    <span>“She met Raphael at the Imperial Library… ”


    <span>The aide who was chasing after Cayena announced the sighting.


    <span>Raphael Kedrey.


    <span>That man was someone Rezef couldn’t touch even if he were the emperor.


    <span>If Cayena were to be his wife, she would escape Rezef’s sphere of influence.


    <span>Did she always intend to stab him in the back after making him lower his guard?


    <span>Rezef agreed it was good to bring Raphael over as an ally. It was <span>a truly excellent n.


    <span>However, Rezef could not allow that man to take away what was his<span>. Rezef was overtaken by a mad obsession.


    <span>Rezef opened the entrance of the secret passageway that led out of the prince’s pce. He had to confirm Cayena’s innermost emotions right away.


    <span>He arrived at the princess’s chambers through the secret passageway.


    <span>The only thing separating the two of them was a single tapestry.<span> At that time, Cayena, sensing him, called out to him in a slightly choked voice.


    <span>“Why don’t you stop now, Rezef?”


    <span>She looked directly at where Rezef was hiding.


    <span>Rezef obediently stepped out<span>. After he exited the passageway, it rained for a while, so his hair waspletely wet.


    <span>She stood up from her seat. She took the dry towel that was stocked in her room and brought it over to him.


    <span>Rezef only looked coldly at Cayena through his wet bangs.


    <span>Cayena had no choice but to try to dry his hair herself.


    <span>Smack!


    <span>Rezef pped away her hand, and the towel fell helplessly onto the floor.


    <span>Like a sigh, Cayena said, “You’ll catch a cold.”


    <span>Rezef huffed out augh, then sneered.


    <span>“Or would you rather drink some warm tea?”


    <span>It was obvious that he would refuse, but she still asked.


    <span>Surely enough, Rezef censured her in a cold voice.


    <span>“How could you say something like that now?”


    <span>Cayena was tired.


    <span>She’d gone outside for the first time in a long while, just toe across her former husband.


    <span>The memories of how she wrote to Rezef, painfully begging him to save her, arose in full detail.


    <span>She recalled how she despaired as Rezef did not return a single one of the countless letters she had sent him every day.


    <span>But she tried to push it out of her mind. That past didn’t exist here. <span> She could just regard it as her punishment for acting like a viiness, and swallowed back the rising heat.


    <span>She told herself that they had been too hurt in their childhood and couldn’t have done anything else.


    <span>Her brother, the one in front of her eyes right now, was still young<span>. She had to believe that there was room for him to change.


    <span>They could both be saved.


    <span>They could just be siblings with a slightly bad temper rather than the viin and viiness.


    <span>That’s what she thought.


    <span>Cayena said in her most considerate voice, “Then what should I say?”


    <span>She tried to get a fresh towel.


    <span>But Rezef grabbed onto her arm firmly so that she couldn’t leave her spot.


    <span>Cayena frowned in pain.


    <span>“Is marriage what you really want? Is that why you went to meet with Raphael today?”


    <span>“It was just a coincidence.”


    <span>“Of course it was a coincidence. Elder sister.”


    <span>It was a face that did not believe her at all..


    <span>Cayena recognized that Rezef hadpletely turned away from her in anger and disbelief.


    <span>“Why aren’t you saying anything else? You only need to say that everything went ording to n. Just like how you got rid of all the people in your pce.”


    <span>‘Including me.’


    <span>But he didn’t add on thatst part.


    <span>Rezef tightened his hold on her arm.<span> Cayena let out a small groan.


    <span>“It hurts, Rezef.”


    <span>He burst disbelievingughter and let go of her arm. Instead, he grabbed Cayena by her n<span>eck.


    <span>Their eyes met.


    <span>“My beautiful older sister. I don’t like it when my authority is challenged.”


    <span>That was something Cayena already knew well.


    <span>“I can’t leave anything that might be a threat to me nearby.”


    <span>His fingers began to tighten around Cayena’s slender nape.


    <span>“If I want it, your life can just disappear, anyway. Because the next emperor is none other than me.”


    <span>Still being strangled, Cayena said,


    <span>“All right. Then, kill me.”


    <span>Rezef’s hand paused for a moment.


    <span>“…What?”


    <span>“It’s all right if you kill me. As you said, you can kill me anytime you want. I know this well, too.”


    <span>Cayena smiled faintly.


    <span>Then, she held the hands that were wrapped around her neck with both hands and squeezed. She squeezed so hard that the bones could be seen under her delicate white hands.


    <span>“…Are you crazy?!” Rezef shouted. He pped away her hands.


    <span>Already, a red mark was blooming on her neck.


    <span>Cayena coughed a few times, then talked to her younger brother as if she were teaching him a lesson.


    <span>“Why are you yelling? Don’t you know what will happen if it’s discovered that you ran away here?”


    <span>Her calmness was eerie.


    <span>Rezef thought that Cayena had be quite mature. He felt that she had be calm, sweet, and kind.


    <span>“Are you in your right mind?”


    <span>He asked the question in all sincerity.


    <span>There was no way she would do this unless she was crazy. The madness and anger that had risen to the tip of his head began to cool.


    <span>Cayena did not care. She took Rezef’s hand again, as if telling him to hurry up and strangle her.


    <span>He smacked her hand away roughly. Cayena, pushed by the force, fell to the floor.


    <span>“Stop it!”


    <span>She stood up and smoothed back her hair, which had gotten messy.


    <span>Her bare eyes were terrifyingly dry.


    <span>“What about you? Why aren’t you choking me?”


    <span>“……”


    <span>Rezef couldn’t reply.


    <span>The two stood face to face. There was some strange tension in the air.


    <span>Rezef found it embarrassing and absurd that he was so tense as he faced his older sister.


    <span>He was definitely being pressured by Cayena’s will. She, on the other hand, was calm. There was no sign of derision on her face.


    <span>‘Why don’t you strangle me?’


    <span>He was someone who didn’t hesitate to draw a sword when he was angry. But now, he couldn’t touch Cayena with a single fingertip.


    <span>That fact hurt his pride. It was also confusing.


    <span>‘They seem to have noticed that Rezef is inside.’


    <span>It was clear that her talented employees guessed at the situation inside.


    <span>Rezef had been loud several times, but no one came into the room to check.


    <span>Furthermore, Vera, who said she was going to prepare bath water, hadn’te back yet.


    <span>It seemed that she was taking care of the situation outside on her own.


    <span>Cayena didn’t want to continue with this fruitless confrontation.


    <span>Cayena asked in a cating voice, “Now, do you want to talk?”


    ~~~