Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Leti's Dismissal
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Unfortunately, Leti's dismissal wasn't carried out right away. She didn't return to the mansion until a few days later.
In the meantime, I checked inside the house to confirm how Leti had entered our estate.
The head maid, the head butler, and even the maids who had recommended her all claimed they knew nothing about it.
The head maid even had Leti's resume, which looked impeccable even to my eyes.
Is this guy a prince or a criminal?
I recorded the head maid's statement and set aside the resume separately.
It would serve as a useful card to play later down the line.
When Leti finally showed up at the estate, she said she wanted to give her final farewell upon hearing that she was being dismissed.
Even as I listened to her message, I wondered if there was any reason I should grant it.
But I decided to use this as an opportunity to pass a message to Ryan. A simple threat, even.
I didn't bother inviting Leti into the drawing room. The thought of letting one of Ryan's people into my space made my teeth chatter.
I stepped outside and stared blankly at Leti standing in front of the main gate.
It had only been a few days, but both she and I had changed quite a bit in atmosphere.
The face that used to giggle all the time was gone, replaced by a somewhat cold-looking woman.
In the heavy air, she bowed her head first in greeting.
"I'm sorry for everything during my time here."
There was only one thing I had to say.
"You shouldn't have done anything worth apologizing for in the first place. Especially if it wasn't something a person should do."
It was a completely different attitude from how I'd treated her before, but that was only natural. I had no desire to show courtesy to someone who'd tried to stab me in the back.
I bit my lip hard and stared at Leti, then spat out my words like I was chewing them.
"Go back and tell His Highness the Prince that they crossed the line first, so the deal is off."
"The deal...?"
"It means I'll come and go wherever I please now, be it high society or anywhere else."
It wasn't really because of Ryan that I'd holed up in the first place—it was because everything was just so exhausting...
But if it was truly necessary. If it was for revenge, then I could endure that level of fatigue.
This move was to get ahead of Ryan, who might spout nonsense later when he saw me out and about.
As I thought of his face, I furrowed my brow.
"And..."
“...”
"It's definitely not because I want to see His Highness, so don't get the wrong idea."
“...”
"His Highness means nothing to me."
I turned away after declaring it firmly to Leti, but suddenly Darsi came to mind.
Darsi, who had existed in that desolate palace unknown to anyone.
Why shouldn't he have existed? What had kept him alive all this time, and what made him deserving of death? It seemed like more than just his hidden bloodline.
What had kept him alive until now?
And why had the direction of his life suddenly shifted toward my happiness?
Was I truly the first person he could befriend? Was that all there was to it?
They were questions only Darsi himself could answer.
And why was I agonizing over these questions like this?
As I pondered, I started to miss him.
At the same time, I had to turn the questions on myself.
Why was I so urgently curious about things he would explain patiently?
From what moment had he become someone I was this curious about?
Why was I curious at all?
Was this the kind of curiosity you have for someone you know, or was it something more?
I still didn't know.
He and I needed more time to get to know each other.
After being beaten by Darsi and passing out, Ryan awoke in his bedroom, grinding his teeth.
His arm was broken, and an ugly bruise marred his face.
But the man who had unleashed such merciless violence on him was unscathed. Far from being thrown in prison, no one had even held him accountable.
The atmosphere in the imperial palace had turned strange.
He began to doubt the fact that he would become emperor and reign before the people.
As long as that guy existed, things wouldn't go the way he wanted.
Ryan muttered through gritted teeth to the valet who had been guarding his bedside.
"Where is His Imperial Majesty the Emperor?"
Darsi needed Emperor Kies's existence to publicly declare himself as the prince. So he must still be alive. He had to find the emperor somehow and speak with him.
It wasn't as if there were no mages capable of brainwashing. He'd simply forgotten about their rare existence until now, but there were definitely treasures that could undo brainwashing as well. They too were made using magic crystals.
"He is currently in his chambers."
The answer came more readily than expected, to his surprise. He'd thought they'd keep it hidden until the day he was declared prince, but apparently that wasn't difficult either.
"I must see him at once."
Ryan rose from his seat, gnashing his teeth at the pain he felt. His condition was worse than he'd thought.
Sparring with knights was familiar, but this kind of brawl was too crude.
'How could someone like that aim for the throne?'
An emperor needed dignity and bloodline befitting the position. He'd been honing those qualities since long ago.
He couldn't let some ignorant fool tear it all down.
It was then, as Ryan opened the door to step into the corridor.
"...Letitia."
"Your Highness."
"How is your condition?"
"I'm fine. But..."
"But?"
Leti—no, Letitia—hesitated for a moment, swallowing hard. She knew the moment Ryan heard this, he'd fly into a rage again.
But Marso Etwar would resume her activities. Ryan needed to know that.
"Lady Marso Etwar asked me to relay that she will be resuming her activities."
"Ha, what? How long has it been since she said she was holing up inside...?"
What do you mean people change! As expected, it had all been his delusion.
As Ryan scowled and raised his voice, Letitia hurriedly continued.
"She also said to add that it's absolutely not because of Your Highness."
"What nonsense is that? No way."
Ryan immediately denied Letitia's words. To him, the fact that Marso liked him was an unchanging law of his life.
But even eternal laws could eventually break.
This was no different.
"Your Highness, she..."
Letitia vividly remembered Marso's face when she'd said Ryan's name. It was absolutely not the look of someone thinking of a loved one.
"She has truly changed."
Ryan needed to accept that fact now.
"It's true."
Ryan let out a heavy sigh at her words. He'd caught himself nodding along to Letitia's report.
It had been the same the last time he'd seen her.
She might really have changed. His mind went blank at the possibility he'd never even considered before.
'...Then how should I treat Marso Etwar from now on?'
Marso had tormented Resuan so irrationally that he'd been able to respond in kind. It was the way to protect Resuan.
But what now?
Amid the confusion, a corner of his heart felt off.
The person who'd always seemed to love him had changed.
...He should be glad about that, but he couldn't understand the strange emptiness gnawing at him.
'No, that can't be.'
Unable to bear the crumbling of his world, Ryan refused to accept the truth this time too.
This was Ryan's reality—and his true feelings.
Pitol's ambitious work was finally taking the stage at the theater. It was just a day before I was to meet Darsi.
So much had happened in the past week.
Had my life ever been this eventful? As I thought that, I fluttered the two invitation tickets in my hand.
It was a gift from Pitol after coordinating with the troupe members and handing them to me.
'I know you haven't been going out lately... but you helped us so much with this play, so I wanted to invite you.'
Seeing Pitol's teary eyes as he credited me for completing the play, I knew I'd made the right choice.
I'd watched recordings of all the troupe's plays from home, but this one would be different—I knew it.
It was great enjoying them alone cooped up inside, but with an audience, there was a whole other charm. The heat and energy you could feel directly.
There was also the positive ripple effect from the troupe members fine-tuning their performances by monitoring each other.
Even though it was the premiere, word of mouth had spread among the nobles, and every seat was sold out. All the important figures would be there.
'Perfect seating.'
It was the ideal timing for me to reappear after going into hiding.
It was also a chance to subtly hint that I'd helped this troupe—and provided them with "something"—to pique people's curiosity.
I had to go see the play.
I'd even told Ryan, so there was nothing holding me back. For today, I'd dressed perfectly.
After so long in simple dresses at home, I adorned myself with jewels and bracelets, then slipped into a luxurious fabric gown. With a lace-trimmed hat to top it off, I was in full battle gear today.
It was attire suited to the occasion, but also my battle uniform.
To draw close again to places I'd grown tired of and distanced myself from, that much preparation was necessary.
Especially if I was going alone.
I wanted to ask Darsi to come with me, but I didn't.
This play contained the secret of his birth, which was like a trauma to him. Ugh, I still vividly remembered how he'd reacted when we watched a recorded play before.
That unusually long silence.
I'd thought he was just immersed in it, but now I realized. It was because it resembled parts of his own life.
Pitol had shown me the premiere and reworked it multiple times, using the birth secret as a vital element to energize the play, but the subject itself must be uncomfortable for Darsi.
I didn't want him recalling bad memories during the time he spent with me.
Knowing how massively my decision not to leave had impacted his life, I wanted to accommodate him as much as possible.
'Time to head out.'
I stepped outside to board the carriage I'd prepared for the evening hour.
...And blinked in confusion at the one already waiting in front.
This wasn't our family's carriage.