Chapter 20: CH 20

I glared at the seat where the Crown Prince had been sitting just moments ago. He must have somehow managed to finish his tea during that time, as his teacup was empty, and all that was left were the mountains of cookies placed carelessly on the table.

“Sister.”

Cassadin called out to me. I lifted my head to meet his lowered gaze.

“Was what that man said true?”

Cassadin didn’t call the Crown Prince His Highness, and I didn’t bother pointing it out.

“It probably isn’t a lie.”

Cassadin’s lips tightened at those words. A single wrinkle on his smooth forehead indicated his displeasure.

“By the way, why did you bring Sasha’s cookies?”

Cassadin responded to my question shamelessly.

“They looked heavy, so I volunteered to bring them instead.”

It was an absurd lie.

Due to Cassadin’s exceptional looks, there were many in this mansion who couldn’t help but fall for him. But he had not even once helped those maids, no matter how heavy their load had been.

Was it to prevent any misinterpretation? I couldn’t fully understand Cassadin’s intentions. After all, I’m a healer, not a mind-reader. But what was certain was that his behavior today was unusually out of character.

“Well, if you say so.”

“Do you plan to go to the Imperial Palace tomorrow?”

“I have to.”

I answered without hesitation. According to the Crown Prince, I would have to go to the palace myself to reject his offer. But my question was why he asked me to come ‘alone.’

I was also planning to visit Damian in the prison while I was at the palace.

Cassadin stared at me with a contemplative expression, then opened his mouth.

“I think it will be better for you not to go to the Imperial Palace.”

“Why?”

“It could be a trap. The fact that he told you to come alone, and some other factors are suspicious as well. And above all else…”

Cassadin trailed off. When I nodded to encourage him to continue, he added on with a serious expression.

“His face screams bad news.”

“…!”

I couldn’t help but laugh at how seriously he delivered that comment. I then asked Cassadin, who was still maintaining his serious face.

“You believe in first impressions?”

“I can roughly distinguish someone’s character just through their eyes. He clearly seems like an unpleasant person.”

Goodness. The person who poisoned the Crown Prince is now calling someone else unpleasant. But I was honestly strongly agreeing with Cassadin’s remark.

“I agree. I didn’t like the Crown Prince from the first time I saw him.”

“So you think so as well.”

Cassadin smiled as if he were in a good mood. To think he was so excited to gossip about the Crown Prince. No matter how I thought about it, we definitely weren’t normal siblings.

Just as we were about to change topics after an enthusiastic session of gossiping about the Crown Prince, Cassadin suddenly asked me a question.

“…how was my first impression?”

In response to that question, I rested my chin on my hand and looked straight into his eyes. His purple eyes glittered brilliantly in the morning sunlight.

“I felt like you were someone similar to me.”

“How?”

“Hm. All I can say is that it just felt that way.”

I told Cassadin my honest first impression of him.

What caught my attention more than his beautiful appearance and toned muscles were his eyes. Those amethyst eyes held a story within them.

Inside those eyes was sorrow like the soft dawn sky soon to scatter into the air, and an emptiness of a complete void.

Suddenly, I wondered about Cassadin’s first impression of me.

“Cassadin, what was your first impression of me?”

“…it’s a secret.”

It was my fault for expecting an answer from a liar. I smiled bitterly.

“Then do you think I’m a good person or a bad person?”

Cassadin seemed to ponder for a moment, then replied in a calm tone.

“I’m not sure.”

“I thought you could tell what kind of person they are by looking at their eyes. Then what kind of person am I?”

When I grasped the hem of Cassadin’s clothes and shook it, he instinctively snapped his arm away.

“Ah…”

I was the one who was rejected, but the one who was surprised was Cassadin, who brushed me away.

He opened his mouth, unsure of what to do about his own behavior.

“I’m sorry, Sister. I didn’t mean to.”

“It’s okay.”

When I nonchalantly answered, just like I always did, Cassadin’s already darkened expression became even darker. But why?

“Why don’t you hate me, Sister?”

“Why should I hate you?”

Hearing that, Cassadin let out an exasperated sigh.

“If I’m being honest, Sister, rather than being a good or bad person… You’re a strange person.”

When has Cassadin ever used the word ‘honest’ with me? In any case, I’m a strange person? Although his answer wasn’t exactly to my liking, I was so overjoyed that Cassadin was honest with me that I looked at him with touched eyes.

That must have been burdensome to him, as Cassadin avoided my gaze and turned his head to the side. The slight expression I could see from the side of his face showed that it was reddened like a ripe tomato.

“You said you had a fever last night. Has it not gotten better yet? Why is your face so red?”

“It’s all because of you, Sister…”

Cassadin instantly seemed to regret saying those words after spitting them out, and he bit his lower lip.

“I’m fine, Sister.”

Watching Cassadin drop his head and murmur quietly, a faint smile spread on my face. I wondered if this is how it feels to have an actual sibling.

After exchanging a few more words with Cassadin, I told him I had something to do and went to the library on the third floor of the mansion.

The library contained almost every book one could think of. My father, knowing my love for books, always bought me new books whenever he went on territorial patrols or had an occasion to leave the mansion.

‘Come to think of it, Father should be back from his territorial patrol in a few days.’

I didn’t tell him that I took Cassadin to the Imperial Palace. Well, it should be fine.

I decided to think positively. Then I walked towards the corner with the history books. From there, I picked out a book containing information about the Hyran Kingdom. But shockingly, most of the letters in the book were erased.

I picked out some other books just in case, but just like the first book, their print was erased, and some had their entire pages torn. Surprisingly, only the books containing information about the Hyran Kingdom were affected.

These books had been fine when I read them before, and there was only one person in the mansion that I knew who would do such a thing.

‘It’s Cassadin.’

He came into the library and erased all the records about his kingdom. He’s one clever guy, that’s for sure. This was better, though. It gave me certainty that Cassadin was careful enough not to leave any evidence after breaking into the palace.

I grinned as I put the books back in their place.

After I returned to my room, I thought about Damian, whom I was to meet tomorrow. What should I say to him when I meet him in prison?

‘I fell in love with you at first sight and risked my life to come see you in prison!’

It might be a good idea to act dumb. Damian isn’t a fool, so it may be the wisest choice to act naïve.

My goal was to approach Damian, pry out all of the wrongdoings he had done, and drag him down to rock bottom.

‘I think I understand how Cassadin feels.’

There is no need to be afraid of Damian because he killed me in my previous life. His cold gaze looking down at me, the pool of my own blood, and the blade stuck in my heart.

How could I forget? The pain of that day. My death.

If I chose not to hunt, it would be me who would be hunted. I slowly closed my eyes.

For some reason, I didn’t dream that night. Cassadin didn’t knock on my door either, so I must have fallen asleep completely.

And so, the next day dawned.

At the Imperial Palace, in front of the fountain with the goddess’s statue. The Crown Prince took out his pocket watch and checked the time. The needle pointed exactly to noon.

“You’re here.”

The Crown Prince smiled contentedly as Aren arrived at the exact appointed time.

“Your Imperial Highness.”

Aren lifted the hem of her dress and paid respects to the Crown Prince.

“Like I said, you don’t have to be so formal.”

“How could I possibly do that to Your Highness?”

The Crown Prince felt irritated by her cold, businesslike attitude. Whether she knew it or not, Aren just bowed her head and continued.

“As I have said in advance, I came here to reject the proposal.”

“Why do you have to be so impatient? Why don’t we sit down first before we talk?”

The Crown Prince pointed to the decorated chairs in front of the fountain.

“As you wish.”

Aren hesitated for a moment before sitting down on a chair. The Crown Prince stared intently at the space behind her. It seemed like Aren had come to the palace by herself, as he had told her to.

“You can rest assured, Your Highness. I didn’t bring anyone with me.”

Aren reassured the Crown Prince in a gentle voice, almost as if she read his thoughts.

“You seem to have a smart head, and that healing ability.”

Upon hearing the Crown Prince’s comment, Aren looked around and whispered to the Crown Prince.

“Your Highness. I wouldn’t recommend talking about the unwritten rule so loudly. What if someone else hears it?”

“If that’s what you’re so worried about, then how about becoming the Crown Princess already?”

Aren placed her hand on her forehead. Who knows if one of the imperial knights passing by heard their conversation? How much trouble did this person plan to put her in?

Would it be possible for her to refrain from hitting this impudent man before she met Damian? Aren took several deep breaths to regain her composure before opening her mouth again.

“Your Highness doesn’t even love me in the first place. I am a healer, not Your Highness’s toy.”

“Is love necessary for marriage? We just need to have aligned interests, do we not? You will gain unparalleled authority, and the imperial family will permanently obtain the healing ability. I would believe that is a good deal for the both of us.”

A deal.

Hearing those words, Aren’s eyes grew incredibly cold. She then responded with a newfound determination.

“How about a different deal?”