# Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Cayena turned to the servants, who were standing silently.
Coldly, she asked, “Why are you just standing there and staring?”
Although she didn't raise her voice, they heard the power behind her words and knelt down.
“We apologize, Your Highness!
— They had seen her angry and throwing fits before, but this was the first time she criticized them so coldly.
They knelt on the ground and asked for forgiveness.
They felt like they had to do it.
Even Rezef stood there, looking stunned.
“Clear the area.
Only then did the servants begin to clean the rooms.
Cayena clicked her tongue at the lax discipline.
“Vera.
Cayena looked significantly at Vera, as if telling her to get the other ladies-in-waiting out of there.
Vera understood immediately and quickly entered the room to lead the ladies.
“If I had known you would do this, I would have fired Lydia immediately,” Cayena said.
She rolled up her sleeve and loosened the gauze on her left arm, revealing the red wound.
—No one would want to enter the palace if we punish him severely for something that doesn't even leave a scar.
Rezef carefully held Cayena's pale arm and looked at the bright red burn.
It wasn't as bad as he thought, but he was still angry.
How dare this woman challenge the authority of the imperial family?
“Hurting the body of the imperial family is lèse-majesté, sister.
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He thought that if Cayena wished, he would hunt down Lydia and slit her throat.
But Cayena just gave him a stern look.
— It was just an accident.
“Yet.
It must be very painful.
At his words, Cayena laughed disdainfully.
— If it didn't hurt, it wouldn't have left a mark.
But I only need to apply the ointment for a few days.
In return, Rezef persuaded: — Why don't you send her to the cleaners?
Sending a protected noblewoman to the cleaners would be a very severe punishment.
It's hell, even for commoners.
Cayena furrowed her eyebrows.
— I appreciate your concern, but you're being very scary.
Rezef blinked slowly at her comment, then smiled as if he had given up.
“Did I scare you?
“Not at all.
Rezef laughed at his response.
Cayena shook her head.
“Have you calmed down yet?
“… Yes.
“Let's have some hot tea together.
Cayena held his hand and pulled him lightly.
It was like a vague childhood memory of when they explored the palace together.
Rezef responded to the touch softly, like a feather.
It only took a moment for him to be taken by her.
He may have had nannies, court ladies and assistants who looked after him, but it was different when he was Cayena.
For starters, she was the first person to scold him like that.
The feeling of being scolded was quite strange.
“Please give this to me.
Rezef took the gauze from Cayena's hand and carefully wrapped it around her arm.
It was not uncommon to get injured during training.
As such, Rezef became skilled at healing injuries.
Cayena watched him as he carefully wrapped the gauze over her burn.
She could see that he had calmed down.
When he became enraged, the people around him would always become agitated and punish his target for disturbing him.
No one tried to guide Rezef to the right path.
That was why Rezef was impatient and easily angered.
It was because he always did what he wanted without receiving punishment or opposition.
After receiving recognition from the emperor, his behavior only worsened.
It wasn't difficult for Cayena to think about how lonely he must feel.
She raised her free arm and began to stroke Rezef's head.
“…
Rezef's hands faltered for a moment, then continued to wrap the gauze.
Strangely, he felt as if he had been praised.
He negotiated trade deals with other kingdoms for the Hill family and brought the wealth of powerful nobles into the state coffers.
All this was expected of him, and there was no one to praise him.
So he couldn't believe he was being praised for simply wrapping a bandage.
Rezef thought it was ridiculous that Cayena was trying to act like a sister.
But… he liked it.
“Are you very busy?
I think it would be nice to go to the garden and drink tea.
He smiled gently, his heart suddenly feeling charitable.
“I'll do as you say, Cayena.
Rezef took off his cloak and draped it over Cayena's shoulders.
She was only wearing a thin dress.
Cayena wrapped herself in the cover and dI a little sigh.
If she had come later, Lydia's arm really would have been cut off.
There was no mercy in Rezef's cruelty.
She spoke to Annie, the maid who was waiting for her.
“Prepare tea and refreshments at the table in the back garden.
“Yes, Your Majesty.
Rezef felt carefree, as if he had completely forgotten that Lydia had upset him.
Tenderly, he accompanied Cayena, placing his hand on her back.
The guards and orderlies retreated and separated, leaving an open path.
They looked confused, as if they thought everything that had happened was just a dream.
It was natural.
It was the first time they witnessed the effect Cayena's words and actions had on Rezef.
Zenon Evans, in particular, had a grim face due to this discovery.
Even though Rezef was a rude bastard, he was still easier to control than Heinrich.
Instead, Zenon was happy that Rezef was so undisciplined as it increased his position as an advisor.
But Cayena suddenly had a strange influence on Rezef.
“I’ll have to keep an eye on her.”
Zenon watched the princess with piercing eyes.
Despite all the eyes on her, Cayena walked away calmly, with Rezef still acting as her escort.
"In any case, rumors about today's incident will spread.
It will be advantageous in many ways."
Cayena was a princess with no real power.
In addition to having a bad personality, she was someone who could easily be excluded from the imperial family.
It was obvious that she would not have enjoyed the luxury she had without her exceptional beauty.
However, the same Cayena calmed Rezef's anger as if she had become a beast trainer.
It was clear what kind of ripples this incident would have.
“Even the emperor leaves Rezef who is like a wild horse alone.”
But was Rezef the only wild horse here?
Cayena was almost the same.
In this aspect, the two were indeed brother and sister.
“I'm glad I at least came to my senses,” thought Cayena.
The Imperial Palace was a hotbed of power and would later become a weapon for Rezef.
In his first life, Rezef killed countless innocent people, including Olivia, with this power.
He also caused his own death.
Now, Cayena could avoid this tragedy.
In fact, in her first life, Cayena never thought that the empire would end like this because she had been killed by Gillian before Rezef was killed by Raphael.
She had no special attachment to her family.
Although she felt sorry for Rezef, they were not very close as brothers.
After all, she had been used and abandoned by him.
“Still…”
She felt some responsibility because he was still her younger brother.
“I decided to act more like a proper princess until I get out of here.”
Wouldn't one of his duties be to take care of his rebellious younger brother?
Sitting at the garden table, Cayena was finally able to examine Rezef's face in detail.
“It looks like you've become a little thinner in the last few days.
Rezef's bone structure seemed a little more prominent.
It was clear to his eyes that he had skipped meals because he was busy with work recently.
So she made an apple pie with lots of cinnamon, the spice he liked.
If she hadn't read the novel, she wouldn't have known he had this preference.
“I don't have much of an appetite.
When Rezef said this, he remembered the apple pie in his office.
He called an advisor.
“Bring the apple pie my older sister made here.
“As you command.
Cayena took a sip of the tea that had just arrived and asked: —Was the pie to your taste?
“Extremely.
Rezef had a gentle smile, relaxed and pleasantly refreshing like the spring breeze.
With his handsome face, he looked as handsome as a picture when he smiled like that.
A plate with the apple pie that Cayena made was soon placed on the table.
“Don't skip meals too much, even if you don't have an appetite.
It's especially important since you also train with the sword.
“Yes, sister.
Rezef responded exactly like that, but inside he felt strange.
Strangely, she seemed to know him well.
She was someone who had little interest in others.
It was unusual for her to know that Rezef would soon have a lot of hunting events because of the upcoming season and that he constantly trained with his sword.
But now, she seemed to know him well.
She even made a piethe one that perfectly matched his taste.
For the first time in his life, it felt like there was a place on this planet for him to just breathe.
“I didn’t expect Cayena could ever make me feel this way.”
His talents had never stood out before.
“Is this what it feels like to find a piece of jewelry?”
Her lemon-colored hair shined like a jewel at this moment, and her long, shiny eyelashes were like a work of art.
Her flawless skin and perfect bone structure used to make her look like a doll.
But now, he felt a distinct liveliness in her.
It was so different from before, as if God had brought the doll named Cayena to life.
“Was she always this pretty?”
Rezef suddenly found himself expecting things from Cayena, who had always felt like an “other” to him.
He never felt this satisfaction when he filled his hands with treasure or when he hurt Heinrich, whom he hated.
“My sister is really a beautiful person.
He said this with renewed appreciation.
Cayena put down her cup of tea and opened her eyes wide.
She looked at him.
His eyes curved into a gentle smile.
“You don't have to say that.
I'll still make you another apple pie next time.
She dismissed his words as a joke.
Rezef burst into laughter.
“My doll.”
No.
It was no longer appropriate to call her a doll.
Rezef found a new word that suited her very well.
“My peace.”
My tender and beautiful peace.
Lèse-majesté is a term that refers to a crime or an offense against a ruler or a State.
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