# Chapter 67
Chapter 67
Cayena gently patted his back.
It was a warm show of support.
Raphael leaned on that hand, holding Cayena tighter in his arms.
Did he really need to give Cayena Madame Elivan's letter in his coat pocket?
Raphael continued to worry until now.
He couldn't predict how Cayena would act when he told her the truth.
Would she cry?
Or will she remain indifferent?
Would she quietly resign herself and accept this?
If not, would she become frustrated and angry?
His insides felt messy and complicated.
Cayena looked very worried as she patted Raphael on the back.
She couldn't let him go.
He acted as if he had escaped from a dark tunnel the moment he saw her.
What the hell happened?
Wouldn't it be very serious if this man couldn't hide his vulnerability?
“Who made you act like this?”
Cayena was completely shaken when Raphael hugged her as if he intended to never let her go.
“Let's calm down.
Calm."
After some time, Raphael loosened his grip on Cayena.
However, he continued to hug her.
Raphael opened his mouth.
“I want to ask you something.
Cayena awkwardly pulled away and said, “Go ahead.”
“If you had to choose between a sweet lie and a sad truth, which would you choose?
“The truth,” Cayena replied without hesitation.
“After all, unhappiness is my duty.
As she said this, she had a hunch.
“Looks like you have some bad news to share.
“…
Cayena smiled warmly.
She was grateful for his concern and consideration.
New misfortunes would create new cuts, but that's okay.
She had accepted that this was part of life.
“I'm fine, so tell me.
“I wish he would just let me go and talk.”
A small sigh escaped.
Raphael stepped back as if he had read Cayena's mind.
He took an envelope from his chest pocket.
“This is the response that Baroness Clarence Elivan wrote to Your Highness.
Cayena passively accepted the letter.
She was confused.
“Why is Raphael handing over my nanny’s answer?”
“Duke, how is this…?
Raphael discouraged opened his mouth.
“Baroness Elivan has passed away.
The hand receiving the envelope stopped.
Raphael had told the truth.
“I sent someone to fetch Baroness Elivan when I heard that Your Highness wanted to bring her back to the capital.
Cayena looked at the outside of the envelope.
There was a photo of her nanny pushing her on a swing, reminding her of distant memories.
“It was disguised as a suicide, but the circumstances, including this letter, show it was homicide.
I apologize for reading the contents of the letter without permission.
Cayena opened the envelope and read the letter.
[My late princess Cayena.
I remember as if it were yesterday, how I pushed you on the swing with my hands, but you grew up.
Thank you for not forgetting an old woman like me.
It must have been difficult for Your Highness to bring me back to the capital.
In my long time there, I heard and saw things.
The imperial palace I saw acted completely against Your Highness.
So I don't feel resentment.
If His Highness needs me, I am ready to return to him.
I hope this letter is well received.
Sincerely, Clarence Elivan.]
It wasn't a sentimental letter.
Cayena remembered that her nanny had very straight manners.
Still, his strong will and affection were fully recognizable in the letter.
“The prince's faction was also making a move to appoint Relevance Dotty as the main maid.
Upon hearing the further explanation, Cayena returned the letter to the envelope.
“I understand.
That was the end of his response.
“If it weren't for you, Duke, I would never have received this letter.
I feel guilty that you always help me like this.
Cayena seemed very normal.
She smiled appropriately and made an appropriately sad expression.
There was no excess or lack of any component of his response.
“I thought I wouldn't receive this kind of sad news about my nanny.
I hope the killer is caught.
“The duchy will continue to pursue the criminal.
Cayena nodded.
— I suppose the previous hug was to comfort me.
The intention was to console her, but not just for Madame Elivan's sake.
Raphael was quiet.
With a slightly tired face, Cayena gave a small smile and said: — … I think we should finish here today.
“Are you okay?
“Honestly, I'm a little shocked, but my circumstancesias are not ideal for me to fall into despair.
Even so, it wasn't a problem anyone could be so calm about.
Raphael was even more concerned about the fact that there seemed to be no crack in the princess' behavior.
He turned and grabbed Cayena as she tried to leave the room.
“Again and again, I will reach out to you.
“…I will speak to you again next time, Duke Kedrey.
Cayena coldly said goodbye.
The hem of her dress fluttered slightly as she walked at a faster pace than usual.
His posture while walking with his back straight did not show any problems.
Olivia looked at Cayena, who returned expressionlessly to her room after finishing her meeting with Raphael.
Something about his aura was strange.
Upon arriving at the room, Cayena ordered all the maids inside to leave.
Confused, everyone left the room.
Then, Cayena screamed silently.
“Rezef-!”
It was very obvious who was to blame.
Madame Dotty had a bad relationship with the Evans family.
They were competing for the same privileges.
In other words, there was no way the Evans family would move in to make her the head maid.
Cayena's blood ran cold.
Pretending to be calm in front of Raphael, pretending to be okay – it made her insides burn.
It was your fault that your nanny died.
This wouldn't have happened if Cayena hadn't reached out to her.
Cayena ignored her situation and paid the price for her desires.
That was a mistake.
She wasn't careful enough.
She knew what kind of child Rezef was, but because he was still young, because he wasn't born as a bad person, because he was her younger brother, because they were abused together...
The reasons were many.
She justified her actions.
She had to act like an adult.
She had to take care of that child.
That poor child who never received affection…
However, Rezef destroyed all of Cayena's efforts at once.
He must have thought it was okay to do so.
He must have acted as he wished, all to teach Cayena a lesson.
For Cayena to know her place.
That was it: a message to know her place.
That she was still his paper princess and puppet.
The thread she thought she had cut tightened around her body.
She was helpless.
She did not possess enough strength to endure this world.
At this rate, she might die sooner than in her first life.
“How long did I originally live?”
She died before the age of thirty.
Was she twenty-five or twenty-six?
A feeling of desperate helplessness covered his entire body.
She thought she would be able to rise to the surface as long as she struggled hard, but the water was too deep.
Cayena was sinking.
1
“Why did you do that?”
Silent resentment flowed past her lips, but no one was there to hear her.
“I’m your only sister…”
That was why she tried so hard to stop thinking about the past, to forget, to forgive everything.
She just wished for the freedom to leave this place quietly and live in peace.
She was stupid.
Cayena was now well aware of her mistake.
Ah… she could never protect herself by acting timidly.
Cayena looked at the envelope in her hand with shadowed eyes.
“I need strength.”
She needed a stick to discipline her younger brother who was so used to taking things from her.
“If you keep trying to take what’s mine, I’ll take what you want most.”
If she did, Rezef would realize that he shouldn't act so wickedly in the future, wouldn't he?
[1] The specific Korean word used here has several meanings: sink, retreat, and think deeply
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