***
Seven days had passed.
There had been some changes for Sez over the past week.
First of all, her nosebleed had completely stopped!
It was all thanks to the special cotton balls that Rayton gave her.
Blowing her nose didn’t seem to pop the cork anymore.
The miserable image of her plugging her nose with cotton was now in the past.
Second of all, she had gained weight…
a lot of weight.
That was also because of Rayton and the cakes that they ate whenever he tutored her!
The strawberry cake was very delicious.
Sez would have been grateful if that was all they gave her.
However, a different sweet treat awaited Sez every single day.
One day there was a sweet, refreshing lemon cake and a very thick chocolate cake.
Next, there was a large muffin topped with cloud-like whipped cream and a fresh fruit cake decorated with countless sweet fruits.
The menu changed every day.
Sometimes she couldn’t even eat them all as there were too many.
Whenever that happened, Marie would put the leftovers in a box for her.
She told Sez that she was glad that she enjoyed the cakes.
‘Prince Rayton told me to take more care with the cakes, so I put a lot of effort into them.’
Sez couldn’t believe the words that came out of Marie’s mouth, so she had to ask her once again.
Marie gave a faint smile along with the same answer.
Rayton had said to take care of her!
Sez returned to her room and danced in joy the day she heard that.
It made poor Runa worried that Sez was sick, but at least Sez was happy.
And finally, Sez and Rayton started to hang out for a little bit longer – the most important and surprising of the several changes throughout the week.
They used to part ways straight after their tutoring ended, but they even had dinner together a few days ago.
Of course, it was only because Lisette wanted them to, but… nevertheless, it was major progress in Sez’s eyes.
Rayton didn’t seem to hate it like his birthday dinner, nor did he dish out any insults that upset Sez.
It was Lisette who held the dinner, but the three of them didn’t eat together.
Sez hadn’t seen Lisette since the first day she’d come to her quarters for tutoring.
She was a little worried because Lisette didn’t look too well the last time she saw her.
She had asked Rayton if his mother was okay, but he didn’t respond.
He just bit his lip with a slightly stiff expression on his face.
Sez decided not to ask him about the mistress from that day onward.
She went to Marie instead.
It seemed as if Marie wasn’t sure what to say before she answered simply.
“She’s not feeling well so she’s taking a rest.”
Sez thought it was strange that Lisette hadn’t seen a physician yet.
She knew the emperor didn’t like Rayton, but Lisette was still his favorite mistress.
Why wouldn’t he send a physician when his most beloved mistress was sick?
Sez waved off her suspicions, thinking that maybe she just didn’t see it.
Runa was still wary of Yerna whenever she heard about the secret tutoring.
Sez thought that she might end up making poor Runa worry herself to death, so she sought out a way to get to Lisette’s quarters without being seen.
There was only one way.
She had to go to the library even earlier when fewer people in the palace were awake.
Sez asked Marie if it was okay to arrive a little earlier than scheduled, and Marie returned with Lisette’s permission.
Sez told Rayton too, and he replied indifferently, although he didn’t seem to like it.
Sez was happy these days.
Everything was going as Sez planned and studying Kazarkish had also become quite interesting.
If she managed to survive and leave the palace, it would definitely come in handy.
Sez studied hard, and Rayton was also a pretty good teacher, so her skill was improving day by day.
“I’ll be back, Runa!”
Sez packed some books and her notepad.
Runa seemed worried, holding some bread for Sez in her hand.
“You’d better have breakfast, Your Highness.
You’ll be starving…”
Sez has been eating a tiny breakfast these days.
Possibly around half of what she had been eating before.
The biggest reason was that the more she ate, the more time it took up.
She had to get to Lisette’s quarters without being seen, so she had to leave early.
“No, I’ll grab some snacks over there.
An empty stomach will definitely help.”
Sez told Runa not to worry, but her face became gloomy.
She must have been bothered by Sez’s rather poor diet.
She had made the same expression when Sez brought the cakes back too.
Sez realized she was running late and plastered on a bright expression.
“I gained a lot of weight recently…
so I think I need to control my diet.
That’s the reason.”
“Let me escort you at least.
I’ll get prepared right away.”
“No, no.
I can go by myself.
You must be tired.”
“But what if you run into someone?”
“I won’t.
You’ve seen it too, no one goes near Lisette’s quarters around this time of day.”
“But…”
“Rayton told me about a shortcut too.
He said nobody knows about it.
So don’t worry, okay?
If I encounter someone, I’ll start going with you from tomorrow.”
Runa was usually still sleeping around this time.
Sez was the sole reason that Runa woke up so early in the morning and prepared breakfast.
Sez didn’t want to bother Runa anymore.
Runa kept saying that it’d be better to accompany her, but Sez was persistent too.
After several scuffles, Sez was able to head out on her own.
Sez’s footsteps were light.
She was in a good mood too.
Although it was still early, the weather was warm and sunny, and the spring breeze that blew occasionally was refreshing.
Sez hummed as she went on her way.
Then, she arrived at the shortcut that Rayton told her about.
It was at the back of Lisette’s quarters, and according to Rayton, it was the quickest and most secretive way to the library.
He had called it a loophole or something like that.
“Hmph…”
The name Rayton had given the shortcut seemed appropriate.
The door was so narrow that Sez had to squeeze herself in to barely be able to pass through it.
Sez spent a lot of time, effort, and moaning trying to get through the door.
The next part was even trickier as it was her first time coming this way.
She didn’t know where to go.
‘This…
um…
is this the right way?’
Sez hesitated before deciding to head in.
And exactly half an hour later, she realized that she made a terrible choice.
‘I’m screwed.’
That was her new opinion.
Screwed.
She felt like she was in the middle of a labyrinth.
The corridor seemed never-ending, and she couldn’t see a single soul.
It was twisted, which made it seem like she was walking around in circles.
‘I’m not going to get lost and starve to death… am I?’
Such nonsensical outcomes became serious worries in her mind.
‘I’d have just come with Runa if I knew this would happen.’
She was crying over spilled milk.
Sez kept walking until she lost count of how many steps she had taken.
She passed through so many rooms and endless corridors.
‘No, but… how can I still not have run into anyone until now?
I’m in the palace.’
Come to think of it, something was wrong.
‘Why aren’t there any sentries?
There are always a ton of soldiers around, even at the front gate…’
She heard something toward the end of the hallway, the sound seemed to come from behind the farthest door.
Something was moving.
“……”
Sez’s face tensed up.
She seriously debated her options.
‘Should I open the door and ask where I am?
Or maybe it’d be better to try and find out by myself…’
Honestly, it was a no-brainer.
She didn’t even have the strength to walk anymore.
Sez sighed and gently knocked on the closed door.
The knocking sound rang through the empty hallway, but no one answered.
Sez was sure that she heard something, so she knocked a few more times, but the result was the same.
Sez gulped and turned the doorknob carefully.
The door wasn’t locked.
“……”
Her nervous face peeped through the doorway and looked inside the room.
It was full of books, just like the library.
‘But why there would be two libraries in the same building?’
As Sez tilted her head in curiosity, she heard a voice behind her.
“…How did you get in here?” The voice sounded confused.
‘Is the place occupied?
It‘s Lisette’s quarters though…’ Sez flinched and glanced behind her.
“…Huh?”
Her eyes widened.