The bright sunlight passing through the window was fragmented into hexagons.
The intensive care room, where numerous students were hospitalized, was quiet yet bustling. Though the number of people moving about was not large, their anxiety was evident in their hurried steps.
The sound of fast-paced footsteps on the marble floor echoed repeatedly. Even so, Shi-en and Lady Lupeisia remained silent, exchanging no words.
The imperial princess wore an awkward smile, while Lady Lupeisia regarded her with a terse expression. The situation was vastly different from their previous encounter.
Back then, Lupeisia had trembled with fear, while the princess, dignified and mysterious, persuaded her.
However, within just a few days, this dynamic had crumbled.
Now, the princess was a fugitive, escaping from the crowds like a criminal, and Lady Lupeisia treated her with cold indifference.
To be fair, it was not overt disdain.
Lady Lupeisia still maintained her manners, and her expression was slightly composed, but the mask of pretense was still in place.
Even though Shi-en had fallen out of favor at the Academy, she was still of royal blood.
No mere imperial noble could afford to confront her openly.
However, there was one unfortunate truth—such feigned courtesy meant nothing to Shi-en.
In her luminous gray eyes, Lupeisia’s true feelings were clearly reflected.
A cold animosity pierced her heart, and mixed with it was a sense of disappointment, leaving Shi-en somewhat bewildered.
She wanted to ask why.
But before the princess could voice this internal turmoil, Lady Lupeisia’s voice cut in quicker.
“…Why have you come?”
Hearing that, Shi-en snapped back to reality.
Yes, now was not the time for idle thoughts.
Shi-en had come to Lady Lupeisia for a specific purpose: to rectify the wrongs she had committed against her.
Shi-en had wronged Ian greatly.
She had ostracized and teased him, and now his beloved younger sister’s company was on the brink of collapse. Moreover, there were many other things that needed fixing.
One of those things was directly related to Lady Lupeisia.
The disciplinary committee.
In the past, it was an opportunity Lady Lupeisia had been coerced into providing. Shi-en had believed that through it, Ian Fercurus could be secretly expelled.
She never imagined that the joy of that plan would turn into such a bitter despair.
This had to be stopped no matter what.
Shi-en had already committed unforgivable sins against Ian. She couldn’t even picture what she would say to him if he ever woke up.
What if he learned that his sister’s company had failed?
For Shi-en, Ian was unique. He was the only one who truly treated her sincerely. What would she do if this man, who meant everything to her, looked at her with a hateful gaze?
It was too painful to contemplate. Just imagining it made her body tremble.
She had to stop it.
The first step was meeting with Lady Lupeisia.
Shi-en still hadn’t found a way to revive Ian’s sister’s company, but she at least had to clean up the mess she’d made before.
Lupeisia and Ian already harbored deep resentment toward each other.
Previously, Lady Lupeisia hadn’t been able to act properly due to her fear of Ian. However, with her recent newfound confidence, no one knew what she might be contemplating.
That’s why Shi-en was willing to plead, even humiliate herself, or use threats if necessary, to bend Lady Lupeisia’s will.
It was a shameful act.
She knew that such actions could tarnish her reputation in social circles, but she didn’t have a choice.
Shi-en felt more desperate than ever.
For her, Ian was the only true ‘real thing’ in her life.
She didn’t want to hurt him. She wanted his approval, and yearned to feel the sincere connection she could only experience with him.
To Shi-en, who had been forced to witness the worst of humanity through the “Eye of the Dragon,” Ian was like a pure spring in a murky stream, a rope from the collapsing sky, and a much-needed drink after a long drought.
With a gulp, she swallowed her dry saliva.
Truthfully, she was easily frightened and prone to tears. She wanted to quickly wipe away the moisture gathering at her eyes but forced herself to hold it in.
With renewed determination, her voice carried a resolute tone.
“That… Lady Lupeisia, regarding the disciplinary committee…”
“It’s been canceled.”
Just one sentence, and Lady Lupeisia’s curt response silenced Shi-en’s prepared plea.
For a moment, the princess’ face showed confusion, unable to process the statement.
But Lady Lupeisia, without even meeting her gaze, continued softly.
“…I suppose I was being foolish. Honestly, my behavior wasn’t very aristocratic. I realized this while talking with Emma.”
Lies. There was no way she would cancel something like this for such a trivial reason.
A life lived in falsehood doesn’t lie. Lupeisia had lived most of her twenty years as a high-ranking noble, looking down on commoners.
And now, in just a few days, she decided to change her pride and cancel the disciplinary committee because she became friends with a commoner? Preposterous.
Even worse, this was a crucial opportunity to forge a connection with the Imperial Court.
Thus, there must be something she was hiding.
Shi-en’s pupils constricted vertically.
She felt a mixture of shame, excitement, guilt, and confusion.
However, reasoning out everything based merely on emotions wasn’t enough. The fact that she felt such emotions while talking about Ian made Shi-en feel somewhat disgruntled.
Who exactly did you think you were?
Had you struggled, like me, to endure ridicule and insults in order to repair this situation? So why are you so nonchalantly wavering and forgiving Ian as if you’re some saint?
You should be kneeling and pleading.
You should be bowing your head like me, shedding tears, even as you risk not being forgiven.
The words surged up to her throat, almost spilling out. But just as Shi-en was about to inadvertently release her anger…
“…Your Highness.”
Lady Lupeisia’s weary voice silenced the princess once again.
Shi-en’s eyes showed confusion.
She ought to have been the one reprimanding Lupeisia, yet the other woman’s gaze reflected as if she were looking at an immature younger sister.
Lady Lupeisia continued after a pause.
“Of course, Sir Ian might still seem bothersome. The methodology could be questionable. But he’s the academy’s hero… and it wasn’t without reason, right? And… he saved many people.”
“Sir Ian,” when had she begun to address him so respectfully?
Shi-en had been the first to use that title. Since the moment in the cave when she realized the truth, she had decided to forever respect and venerate the man.
So how could you so easily use that title, and give me advice so casually?
But the anger soon subsided.
“…So, please stop tormenting Sir Ian. Those who look down must also possess great tolerance, must they not?”
It was a sincere suggestion that deeply impacted Shi-en’s heart.
This was not the way it was supposed to go.
Shi-en had come here to request the cancellation of the disciplinary opinion against Ian, but Lady Lupeisia had misunderstood her intentions entirely.
She seemed to think that Shi-en had come to insist on convening the disciplinary committee.
Clearly, everyone thought this way.
To be precise, everyone wanted to think this way.
Shi-en had to remain the garbage, the bad girl.
Out of pride, she had to stay that ignorant girl who ignored the truth, someone who still despised Ian.
She had plenty of counterarguments at her disposal.
Endless sentences swirled in her mind. If she voiced just one, even just one, Lady Lupeisia might have bowed her head.
But what would change even if she did so?
Moreover, all of this was her fault.
This was but a fraction of the pain that Ian had endured.
So, this was her burden to bear as well.
This pathetic conclusion weighed heavily on the princess’s heart.
Shi-en’s trembling lips soon curved into a faint smile. With a pitiful and tender voice, she smiled softly in reply.
“I will keep that in mind, Lady Lupeisia.”
It didn’t matter if no one understood her.
After all, to Shi-en, there was only one person who mattered. The only one who truly understood her.
Thinking of that man, Shi-en swallowed her humiliation and pain again and again.
Today, she longed for the sight of the man who lay with closed eyes.
It was the day she longed to hear the last words he spoke to her in the cave.
And so, the maiden slowly moved her steps towards the temple.
As if in a trance.
As if the only solace lay there.
