Chapter 06
The blue veins on the emperor’s forehead bulged dangerously, as if they might burst at any moment.
“Which sense of ‘safety’ gives you the nerve to insult me like this! Do you even know whose grace allows you to remain a princess? You lowly creature, how dare you.”
“Lowly? That’s rich—coming from you.”
Everyone seated at the dining table bowed their heads, holding their breath as if walking on thin ice.
Among them, only Setrin was watching Rafaella with sharp eyes. Her words and behavior were completely unlike her usual self. It felt either as if she had gone mad—or as if she had become an entirely different person. The tone and conduct Rafaella was showing now were ones Setrin had never seen before, and they were deeply suspicious.
Rafaella, however, paid no mind to Setrin’s blatant stare or the emperor’s fury. People this transparent were easy to deal with.
Recalling something she had read in a book Perry had given her, Rafaella let an even more playful sneer curve her lips.
“Shall I take this to the Duke of Klimt? If it’s the duke they call the Empire’s last pillar of principle, I’m sure he’d handle something like this quite neatly.”
“Rafaella, you bitch!”
The enraged emperor leapt to his feet, raising his arm to strike her—
but at that moment, Setrin sprang up so fast her chair toppled over, rushing toward Rafaella.
Setrin wrapped her arms tightly around Rafaella and began to sob loudly.
“To think… you were this terribly ill…!”
“…?”
Rafaella stared at Setrin with wide eyes, utterly baffled. What was this supposed to be now?
Setrin’s voice trembled with emotion, thick with appeal, as if she were genuinely heartbroken. To anyone watching, she looked like someone whose chest was aching with real concern.
“My goodness… How severely must you have suffered for your mind to become so unwell? Your sister will punish whoever did this to you, no matter what! So you don’t have to be afraid anymore.”
Watching Setrin pat her back, Rafaella let out a hollow chuckle.
Well, would you look at that.
Setrin immediately dropped to her knees before the emperor. Large tears fell one by one as she pleaded.
She looked pure and fragile, like someone sincerely worried for a pitiful younger sister—enough to stir sympathy in anyone who saw her.
The only person who didn’t view Setrin with pity was Rafaella.
“Father, I failed to realize how unwell my youngest sister was. As Crown Princess, I should have watched over her more carefully. I can only apologize. If punishment must be given, please give it to me instead.”
“Hmm.”
The emperor’s anger subsided as he sat back down, stroking his beard. The sight of Setrin prostrating herself so humbly was quite satisfying.
Yes, yes. That was how it should be. The emperor was chosen by the gods; he was the ruler of this empire. Who would dare oppose him? Anyone— even his own children—should crawl before him.
With his temper cooled, he replied in a magnanimous tone.
“Hmph. How could this be your fault? It is that useless thing’s fault.”
“It seems Rafaella hasn’t fully recovered from the poisoning yet. I’ll take better care of her, so please, calm your—”
Rafaella quickly cut in before Setrin could finish.
“Don’t try to gloss this over. If you don’t find the culprit, I really will take this to the council of elders—or to the ducal house.”
The emperor’s face twisted again.
Still kneeling, Setrin tugged lightly at Rafaella’s skirt, silently mouthing for her to stop.
The emperor’s vicious glare bore down on her, but Rafaella wasn’t the type to be intimidated by mere looks. She shrugged indifferently and continued.
“I’m not joking. I’m giving you a chance, so do it properly.”
“Such—such impudence!”
Despite the emperor’s fury, mischief still gleamed in Rafaella’s eyes.
Rafaella had a pretty good idea why the imperial family kept such an eyesore— a youngest princess they didn’t even treat like family—around in the palace.
If they truly couldn’t stand the sight of her, they could have found any excuse to get rid of her. Marriage, exile—there were countless options. And yet, they had deliberately kept her within the palace. Rafaella had provoked the emperor precisely to test that suspicion.
And as expected, her guess proved correct.
The emperor had a reason to keep Princess Rafaella alive.
Seeing her prediction confirmed, Rafaella smiled meaningfully. She had learned what she needed; it was time to pull back.
Just then, Setrin urgently appealed to the emperor again.
“Father, Rafaella still seems unwell. It would be best to let her rest. Please allow me to escort her.”
“Very well! Get that thing out of my sight at once. Rafaella, until I give the order, do not attend any banquets. Tsk.”
The emperor spat the words out irritably, then called toward the chief steward standing at the hall entrance.
“Ahem… You there. Investigate that food as well.”
“I will obey.”
As the steward quickly departed with the stew bowl, Setrin linked arms with Rafaella and drew her out of the banquet hall. Her face was still filled with nothing but concern for her sister.
“Come, Rafaella. I’ll help you.”
Rafaella glanced lightly over Setrin’s friendly smile and followed her without resistance. Her business here was done anyway, and she had no desire to eat anything else in that place.
Still, she was hungry.
Just before leaving the banquet hall, Rafaella spoke to the maids lined up at the entrance.
“You, there.”
“Y-yes?”
“Prepare food again and bring it to my room. The same dishes as those.”
“…Pardon?”
“Oh, and bring some alcohol too. The strong kind.”
“Ah? Ah….”
“Can’t answer?”
“Y-yes, ma’am.”
After shooting the maids a chilling glare, Rafaella disappeared beyond the hall doors.
Startled by the sudden command, the maids exchanged nervous glances. Once Rafaella was completely out of sight, they began whispering.
“What’s wrong with that princess today? Did she finally go crazy?”
“Well, I would’ve snapped long ago if it were me.”
“Right? Living trapped like a doll—I’d rather just die.”
“All for that so-called legitimacy of succession. It ruins a person.”
“Shh. Be quiet. We’ll get dragged into this too.”
Of course, Rafaella heard every word.
Walking down the corridor, Rafaella and Setrin looked so close they might have been mistaken for affectionate sisters. Setrin still wore a bright smile.
When they reached a fork in the hall and descended the stairs to a quiet, deserted area, Setrin gently released her arm.
As her gentle expression vanished, a cold face—so like the empress’s—was revealed.
“Hoo.”
With a light sigh, Setrin pushed Rafaella back against the dark corner of the corridor wall. Smiling brightly enough to split her lips, she asked,
“Who are you?”
Rafaella flinched.
For a moment, she thought someone had finally realized she wasn’t the original princess. She couldn’t help but be surprised—and a little intrigued.
But Setrin’s next words instantly killed her interest.
“I’m asking who the idiot is that agreed to back you. If you answer nicely, I might go easy on you.”
At Rafaella’s disappointed sigh, Setrin grew convinced there really was someone behind her.
“So there is someone. Otherwise, there’d be no reason for you to suddenly get so arrogant.”
Stepping closer, Setrin tucked Rafaella’s fallen ash-gray hair behind her ear and asked gently,
“Who could it be? Someone foolish enough to protect someone as worthless as you. Your sister is dying of curiosity, you know. So hurry and tell me.”
Rafaella bit down on her lips to suppress the laughter threatening to spill out. Even so, her cheeks kept lifting.
Right. There were plenty of foxes like this in the human world.
She felt a rare spark of excitement.
Her golden eyes shimmered with interest as she simply stared back at Setrin in silence, curious to see what she would do next.
Setrin clicked her tongue softly and sneered.
“Rafaella, honestly. Why are you so foolish? Whoever that idiot is, what do you think they want from you? And you still took their hand.”
Setrin maintained her relaxed, radiant smile. From afar, she would look like nothing more than a benevolent, cheerful Crown Princess.
After casually scanning Rafaella’s small body up and down, Setrin chuckled.
“Clinging to life so desperately, even in that state… It’s amusing. Go on, try. I don’t know what someone like you thinks you can do—but I’ll be watching.”
Leaning close, Setrin pressed her lips near Rafaella’s ear and whispered,
“Do you still not understand? The only reason you’re allowed to cling to the imperial family is because I permit it.”
She stepped back, knitting her brows as if truly saddened.
“Poor Rafaella. I told you I’d decide your use, didn’t I? You should have waited quietly until then. Stop begging to be killed—it’s terribly bothersome.”
“Pfft!”
At last, Rafaella burst out laughing.
