***
Sez couldn’t take her medicine after all.
But of course, Runa didn’t give up easily.
She tried to pry Sez’s mouth open and slip the potion through her lips.
It was in vain, however, as Sez’s mouth was glued shut like it was under some kind of spell.
Runa pondered for a while before she came up with a terrifying idea.
“How about pouring medicine through your nose little by little?”
‘Runa, that’s torture.
You are not helping me, you’re murdering me.’ Sez thought.
Fortunately, Runa had such a soft spot for Sez that she couldn’t bring herself to carry out the cruel torture by herself.
Her lady-in-waiting was reluctant to sit there and do nothing, but Sez thought she’d choke to death before she’d get better.
Runa stayed next to her until late, it seemed like she was planning to spend the night by her bedside.
Sez tried her best.
She wrote down every single word with sincerity.
[Runa, I appreciate that you’re worried about me, but I don’t want you to suffer like this… if you get sick, I’ll be so upset that I might faint again…]
In a nutshell, she was telling Runa to leave and go to sleep.
Runa was persistent as she began to sob again.
“How can I sleep soundly when you’re so sick?
Just let me stay with you, I’m so worried…”
Sez had to write down several pages of pleas before Runa would finally leave.
Sez drove Runa away for one reason only.
She was planning to sneak out after midnight when no one was around.
Where to?
To wherever Eton was.
It was Eton who’d caused this mess, so it should be him who fixed it.
In other words, she’d probably have to live the rest of her life with her mouth shut like this if she couldn’t meet Eton.
‘I’d rather just let Rayton cut off my head.’
Sez didn’t want to die of starvation.
As night fell, the dawn soon followed.
Sez snuck out of her room around three in the morning.
Luckily, Runa was no longer there to stop her.
Sez took the shortcut that Rayton had told her about and shoved herself through the tiny door to see the familiar corridor.
This was the hallway where Eton’s room was.
Sez ran to his room and pounded on the door.
“Come on in.”
‘Oh, there he is.’ Sez grabbed the doorknob and opened the door hysterically the moment she heard his voice.
Eton was sitting in a chair.
“Good evening, Sez.”
“…”
“Didn’t you say your tutoring is in the morning?”
‘Morning, my foot.
Why do you think I’m here at this time?!’ Sez stomped her feet.
“Hmph!
Hmmmph!”
“Huh?”
“Hrgh, hmmmph!”
Eton’s eyes widened shortly before he burst into laughter.
He was almost choking to death from laughing so hard.
Just what kind of person was he?
Sez, who was dumbfounded, ran over to Eton and pointed at her mouth.
‘Hurry up and undo this!’
“Woo!
Woop!
Woop!
Woop!
Woop!”
“Hahaha…”
“Whoa!”
‘Don’t laugh!’
“Oh, really… you’re…
you’re such a funny kid.” Eton had tears in his eyes.
‘Yeah, what’s so funny about it?’ Sez angrily slapped Eton’s shoulder with her noodle-like arms.
“Calm down, don’t be mad.”
‘Do I look like I can calm down right now?!’
“I’ll fix it!
I’ll fix it…
pfft.”
Eton lowered his head, clearly trying to hold back his laughter.
Sez stared at Eton with the most irritated expression in the world.
“…….”
Eaton, who was giggling silently, faced Sez after trying to pull himself together.
“It’s like you’re swearing with your eyes.”
“Whoa!”
“I’ll fix it now.”
Eton reached out to her slowly.
As the big hand approached her face, Sez flinched and stepped back.
‘Didn’t you show me that this morning?
You can make fire with your hands.
What are you trying to do to me?’
“I’m not going to use fire.”
“……”
“Come here, we need to undo the spell.
Are you going to live like this for the rest of your life?
It’s your call, of course.”
Of course, Sez had no intentions of doing so.
She gulped as she walked closer to Eton.
“Stay still.”
Eton’s big hands covered her face, more precisely, her mouth.
A sudden warmth spread over her skin and Eton retracted his hand.
“See for yourself.
You’re all good now.”
Sez fumbled and gasped.
Her mouth opened.
“…What have you done?!”
“Done what exactly?
I broke the spell.”
“Excuse me, mister!”
“Eton.”
“Eat my foot!”
“Wow, you’re really mad.”
Eton chuckled.
Sez was speechless.
‘You glued my lips together and you’re surprised that I’m mad?!’
Eton spoke quickly before Sez could blurt something out.
“You broke our promise.
Sez.”
“B-but…”
“I told you that you’d be better to keep it secret.
Don’t say that you don’t remember.”
“……”
“So, you should be thankful, not angry.
I wouldn’t break the spell it if it was anyone other than you.”
“How are you supposed to live with your mouth glued shut?”
“I don’t know.
I guess you’d starve to death, or whatever?”
“…….”
“Not my problem, isn’t it?”
Eton laughed, but his smile… it was scary for some reason.
How could he say such things with a smiling face?
“You done being angry?”
No matter how annoying the situation was, Sez couldn’t act mad after hearing such a thing.
Sez answered in a small voice.
“…Yes.”
“Okay, well, be careful in the future.
Secrets are meant to be kept, not spilled.”
“…….”
“Who were you trying to talk to, anyway?”
“My brother…”
“Oh, that Rayton you were talking about.”
“Yes.”
“Hmm…” Eton stroked his chin.
“You seem to like your brother very much, don’t you?
You said so when we were talking about your tutoring.
That you’d prefer your brother to be your teacher.”
“Yes, well…”
Not very much, but…
he wasn’t wrong.
Sez didn’t hate Rayton and she meant it when she said she liked learning Kazarkish from him.
“But I don’t think your brother’s life is easy.
Isn’t there that legend?
The story told through generations in the palace.”
“There’s something like that, but…”
“What is it, exactly?”
‘So, he knows there’s a legend, but not the exact story of it.
How is that even possible?’
Sez narrowed her eyes slightly.
Anyone who lived in the palace knew the story.
Sez was suspicious, but she didn’t say it aloud in case he’d glue her mouth shut again.
“Beware the monster whose hair is black as night and eyes as red as blood.
For he’ll be the end of everything!”
“…Hmm.”
“I guess you’re talking about that one.”
“Yes, I think so.” Eton chuckled, then his expression changed suddenly as he asked another strange question.
“So, do you think your brother will be like that?”
“What do you mean?”
“The legend clearly describes your brother, even though he’s a royal.
Don’t all the royals in Den Helder have blonde hair and blue eyes?
Just like you, Sez.”
“…….”
“What do you think?
Do you think the guy will be the end of everything just like the legend said?”
Sez didn’t know what to say.
To be honest, it was highly likely, given what she went through in the future.
However, there was no guarantee that the future would stay the same.
Sez hesitated for a while and clenched her jaw.
“I’m not sure about that.
However, my brother’s life at the palace is indeed difficult.”
“I suppose so.” Eton shook his head.
“He was named like that because of the legend… and people don’t like him so they avoid him… things aren’t easy for my brother.”
“Named like that?
What’s wrong with the name Rayton?”
“It means cursed one, doesn’t it?”
“Cursed one, you say…”
Eton murmured to himself softly.
His face looked somewhat sad and bitter, so Sez silently awaited his next words.
“That’s not what it originally meant.”
“What?
Then what…?”
“Well, I can’t help it.
It’s been so long, too long.”
“… What was the original meaning?”
Eaton didn’t answer.
He just smiled quietly before changing the subject.
“I think you’d better get going.”
“Oh, yes, but…”
Sez was about to head back to her room.
She would definitely get caught if she dragged this out any longer.
‘Well, I can just ask him later.’ Sez stood up, thinking so.
“Go now.
It’s spring but the night is still chilly.
You might catch a cold.”
“…
Says the one who glued my lips together.”
Sez talked back, pouting, and Eton chuckled.
“Yeah, well, see you tomorrow.”
“I don’t think I can come tomorrow.”
“Oh, why?”
” Runa is worried about me.
I think I’ll have to rest for a couple of…
wait, why are you saying that like I have to come here every day?”
“Won’t you?” Eton questioned her.
“No, I…”
Sez’s words trailed off slowly.
Of course, he had almost lured her out with all that magic stuff, but Sez’s gut told her it was dangerous to get involved with him.
No, it certainly would be dangerous judging by what happened today, he had glued her lips together tightly.
“Take a rest and come back.
I’ll be here for a while.” Eton answered like it wasn’t a big deal.
“Aren’t you going home?
Do you really live here?”
“Because I’m interested.”
“Huh?”
“That’s all I’m saying.
You gotta go.”
She had no idea what he was saying, so she decided to just go back to her room.
Sez nodded and headed towards the door.
“……”
Sez paused before opening the door.
“Mister.”
“Eton.”
“Who are you, really?
What’s your real name and where did you come from?”
“Eton.”
“You said it’s not your real name.”
“It’s also not completely made up.”
“Fair enough, but where did you come from?”
Eton remained silent for a moment.
He pondered on something before answering quietly.
“Nowhere.”
“Yes?”
“I didn’t come from anywhere.
I was here, and I’ve been here, for a long time.”
‘…Is he serving a life?’ Sez looked on uneasily.
“Hurry up and go back.
The night isn’t long as you think.
Morning will soon come, in the blink of an eye.”
Eton grinned.
Sez stared at him as she left the room.