Chapter 58
Lynette slowly paced around the room, then looked out the window and leaned lightly against the frame.
It had been well over an hour since she was confined. She had shouted for them to let her out and even banged on the door with all her strength, but the heavy door did not budge.
‘What are they planning to do with me?’
Everything just felt hopeless. This kind of situation had never been part of her plan.
Had Euphen gone to confront Shirin in anger?
A bitter smile tugged at her lips. There was no such thing as a way to undo the magic.
Of course they hadn’t thought to prepare a release spell. They had created a fake Guide for someone of Euphen’s lofty position, after all.
There was no way they would undo something they had obtained at the cost of countless lives. Besides, as Sillian had said, the lifespan of a fake Guide was five or six years at best, so there had been no need to care about what would happen later.
‘Sillian.’
Lynette mouthed the name.
A day had passed, but resentment still lingered. If not for him, Euphen would not have had to suffer, nor would she have been rejected like this.
She clutched the curtain of the window tightly.
‘Would that man be feeling relieved right about now?’
A dry laugh slipped out.
‘Or… is he in pain?’
It was a cruel thought, but if Euphen was suffering, she hoped Sillian might feel at least a fraction of that pain as well. That was how much she hated him.
Of course, she had never intended to completely turn her back on him. After all, how many people could look at someone writhing in front of them, their face deathly pale, and ignore it without batting an eye?
Lynette let out a long sigh. Her head throbbed.
She couldn’t even cast him off coldly, yet here she was wishing he would hurt. In the end, she would end up holding his hand again.
“Ha……”
She covered her eyes with one hand, another long sigh spilling out.
‘What happened to Eshar?’
Since yesterday’s party had ended that way, she must have been upset. What was happening between her and Euphen now?
From the start, had the purpose of that gathering really been nothing more than a simple “introduction”? Or had they truly intended to announce an engagement?
As thoughts chased each other endlessly, Lynette shook her head violently. Being trapped like this, with nothing to do but think, her mind was crammed with one thing after another.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside. Recognizing the familiar gait, she turned her head just as Euphen slammed against the door with a loud bang.
“Your Highness, the Imperial Prince.”
She hurried forward and tried to open the door, but only a rattling sound came from the lock.
“Lynette.”
His voice was hoarse and broken, sounding almost exhausted.
After letting out a long sigh, the man pounded the door hard again. A heavy thud reverberated.
“How much did you know?”
She wanted to see Euphen’s face.
Would he have that wounded look in his eyes again?
Lynette pressed herself against the door. That way, it almost felt like she could sense his warmth.
“Please open the door.”
“Did you know everything?”
“Please open the door, Your Highness.”
Instead of an answer, a pained groan came through. Another heavy bang resounded.
“I-I knew nothing.”
“……”
“Yes. Saying I didn’t know would just be an excuse. The truth is, I didn’t want to know. Because I knew it would be terrible.”
Her lips parted slightly.
“Did you know that if the magic failed, you would die?”
Hadn’t she already gone through that once before? Lynette knew the details far better than the man could imagine.
Since she did not answer, he pressed her with more questions.
“Did you know it would hurt whenever you touched me?”
Knowing he couldn’t see her, she slowly nodded her head.
“Did you know it would put a strain on your body? That to erase the aftereffects of the guiding, you would have to endure that magic again… did you know all of it?”
His low voice cracked roughly.
Lynette lowered her gaze. Just one door between them, and yet Euphen felt so far away.
“Did you know you wouldn’t live long?”
A loud thud shook the door. The rough impact made her flinch and draw her shoulders in.
“Lynette, say something. Anything.”
At his pleading tone, her lips moved soundlessly, but she had no idea what to say.
That she had known all of it? That even so, she had been willing to throw everything away for his sake?
She knew well enough that those weren’t the words he wanted to hear.
“I……”
Lynette’s voice trembled faintly.
“I’m fine.”
“Ha.”
The man let out a hollow laugh, followed by another heavy thud.
“They told me… it can never be reversed.”
It was exactly as she had expected.
Though she had never asked Shirin outright, that woman had experimented with all sorts of things on Lynette. The fact that she hadn’t even attempted to reverse the magic when Lynette was on the verge of death could only mean there had been no way at all.
“I’ve never regretted it.”
Her reply was firm. That much was the truth.
“Please open the door.”
“No.”
“I won’t touch you, so please open the door.”
At that, Euphen fell silent for a long time before slowly opening it.
In just a few hours, his face had grown terribly gaunt. He looked almost despairing.
Looking into his blue eyes, Lynette spoke again, with sincerity and care.
“Your Highness, I’ve never regretted it.”
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