What Became of the Tyrant After the Pregnant Empress Left - Chapter 280

Kazhan Tennilath. He had been the one holding the brush that touched every one of these canvases.

“How?”

Ysaris voiced the obvious question. When and how much he had painted was secondary—what truly unsettled her was how he had captured her past self in such meticulous detail.

Perhaps she should have shuddered at the depths of his obsession, his madness. Or perhaps, faced with the death of a man who had clung to her so desperately, her emotions were simply in turmoil.

Either way, Ysaris stood speechless, her gaze sweeping dazedly across the storeroom. Surrounded by nothing but images of herself, an old memory surfaced—

What expression had he worn then?

Ysaris couldn’t recall. Only the vague impression of a warm smile remained.

His voice in her memory had been so tender, so affectionate—

“……”

She realized the cold sweat on her skin had dried. When she looked around the room again, the portraits struck her differently.

Nothing but her. Only her.

“Ah.”

In this space filled with her alone, she finally understood why so many of the backgrounds were left blank.

They were Kazhan’s place. The space he couldn’t bring himself to fill.

“Why……”

‘Why couldn’t you paint yourself beside me?’

‘Was it because you thought my smile wouldn’t exist alongside you anymore? That if you added yourself, I’d lose even the painted semblance of joy? That we no longer belonged together, even in art?’

‘Or—because there was no place left in you for yourself?’

“……”

She bit her lip hard. The emotion surging in her chest was unnameable.

After Kazhan’s death, all that remained was her. His letters, his will, the ring, these paintings—they all proved it.

As if his world had revolved around her alone.

……A tragedy, truly. But with Kazhan’s heart already gone, there was nothing Ysaris could do. The best she could offer was to cover each painting again, one by one, as if mourning him.

Layer by layer, Kazhan’s memories vanished beneath the veils. Like her portraits being buried beside his sleeping form.

And so, dawn broke.

* * *

“Lena?!”

Ysaris jolted upright from her seat as the woman suddenly leaned in through her chamber window, her exhaustion from a sleepless, melancholy night evaporating like lightning had struck.

“How did you even—! No, why the window?!”

“The front door seemed like it’d involve too much tedious protocol. Since I’m here for unofficial business anyway, I figured I’d just sneak in?”

“I didn’t feel like dealing with doors, so I infiltrated the imperial palace”

Left Ysaris genuinely at a loss for words. Years of knowing her, and Lena remained utterly inscrutable.

“……Just come inside.”

“Thanks. It’s gotten pretty cold lately.”

Despite clearly not being bothered by the chill, Lena prattled on as she hopped inside, her silver hair fluttering behind her. Last time, it had been red—she must have dyed it again.

“I’d offer tea, but since you arrived like this, I’m not sure if it’s appropriate.”

“Don’t bother. I didn’t come for tea. I dropped by your place to collect my payment, but you weren’t there. Tebi told me you were here, so I came straight over.”

“Ah.”

“I heard about Casillia, but what about my share of Tennilath blood? Did you get it?”

Only then did Ysaris realize she’d overlooked something critical. Kazhan’s death had been so overwhelming, she’d temporarily forgotten her promise to Lena.

“……Kazhan’s blood is likely useless now. But I’ll give you the blood of past Tennilaths instead.”

“Huh? Why?”

At the innocent question, Ysaris held her breath for a moment before exhaling, her voice laced with bitterness.

“Because he’s fallen into an endless sleep.”