“Oh my god! She’s coughing up blood!”

Her body burned with fever and pain.

It wasn’t an incurable disease, but for a poor girl surviving in the slums, it might as well have been.

“It’s not contagious, is it?”

“No… no, it’s not.”

“Then get back to work.”

She couldn’t escape, not until her body was completely broken.

And when it finally did, when she could no longer function, they discarded her in a place where no one would ever look for her.

Like a corpse waiting for its burial, she simply passed the days, waiting for the inevitable end.

She had no idea how much time had passed.

“…Rest. Sleep a little longer.”

A brilliant golden light shimmered before her eyes, and someone gently swept a hand across her forehead, whispering to her.

It was so kind it made her want to weep, but before she could react, the overwhelming pull of exhaustion took her under once again.

And now, she was here.

With her brother standing right in front of her.

She had so many things to say, but she swallowed all those words down.

Everything was fine now. She had found her brother.

She didn’t want to waste time dwelling on past despair and sorrow when she could finally be with him again.

“Brother.”

Even at her call, Kertan couldn’t lift his head.

As if expecting this, his sister called him again.

“Brother, let me see your face. Please? I want to see you.”

How could he refuse?

Tear-streaked, Kertan finally raised his gaze to meet hers.

But it was okay—his sister was just as drenched in tears as he was.

And so, the siblings simply looked at each other, laughing through their tears for a long time.

***

Leaving his sister asleep, exhausted from crying, Kertan quietly exited the room.

He stopped a passing maid and requested a meeting with Lady Greuga.

Upon entering the parlor where he was guided, Raylin, who had been leisurely enjoying tea on the sofa, lifted her gaze.

“I greet you, my lady.”

He bowed as politely and respectfully as he could, with sincere reverence in his heart.

Objectively speaking, his etiquette was rough and unrefined, but his sincerity was unmistakable.

Raylin silently observed the top of his bowed head before speaking.

“Rise.”

As Kertan straightened his back, she gestured toward the sofa across from her.

“His Highness sent word that he will also be arriving, so wait just a little while.”

No sooner had he taken his seat than a maid appeared from somewhere and served him a mildly cooled tea with a delicate aroma.

Since he had rarely had the opportunity to drink such tea—let alone enjoy it—he didn’t even reach for his cup. Seeing this, Raylin spoke.

“Drink. From now on, you should eat well, see more, and listen more.”

Despite not fully understanding her words, Kertan obediently grasped the teacup and drank it all in one go. She then added,

“You need to give your younger sister only the things she liked the most.”

Perhaps it was the tea going down his throat, but he suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

He had never once thought about that before.

He had merely assumed that now that they had reunited, everything was complete, and he vaguely wished to live happily from now on.

But hearing Raylin’s words, he felt as if he had been punched in the chest—his stomach tightened, and his eyes stung with emotion.

As his sister had said, he was still a crybaby, but he couldn’t possibly let Lady Greuga see his tears. Holding them back, he silently stared down at his empty teacup.

Raylin saw the mixed emotions swirling around him—grief, joy, confusion—too complex to read all at once. Without a word, she signaled to the maid to refill his cup.

After finishing another cup of tea, Kertan finally spoke.

“I prefer it a bit sweeter.”

At his words, Raylin gestured lightly to the maid to prepare a sweeter tea, then asked,

“Does your younger sister like sweet things?”

“I don’t know.”

“Hm?”

Surprised by his unexpected answer, Raylin tilted her head, prompting Kertan to respond flatly.

“I like it.”

Raylin, caught off guard by this unexpected revelation of his preference, unconsciously examined him.

His broad shoulders, thick, rigid muscles visible even at a glance, rugged face marked by scars, and large, rough hands grasp the intricately patterned teacup.

No matter how she looked at him, he seemed like the kind of man who would enjoy alcohol or spicy food rather than sweets. Yet, without hesitation, he grabbed a handful of chocolates from the tea tray and popped them into his mouth.

“I… see.”

Raylin had been about to comment on the thought Tastes good… that floated next to him but decided against it.

She had absentmindedly intended to ask what his younger sister liked, but considering their tragic past, she belatedly realized that he likely wouldn’t know.

Though she couldn’t be sure what he was thinking, he clearly believed, like a child, that giving someone what he liked himself would make them happy too.

As Kertan sipped his now-sweeter tea and reached for chocolate that was twice as sweet as what he had eaten before—

“Haah.”

Aiger appeared soundlessly, like a ghost in broad daylight.

There had been no knock, nor had Raylin heard the door open, but she was used to this by now. Kertan, who had sensed his presence before she did, silently rose from his seat.

“Your Highness, welcome.”

Raylin, too, swept her skirts as she prepared to rise, but Aiger waved his hand.

“It’s fine. Let’s stop with unnecessary formalities already—at least between us.”

“Yes.”

Raylin quickly answered, relieved at being spared tedious etiquette. But then she frowned slightly, sensing that something felt off.

‘…Between us?’

What exactly did he mean by that?

Aiger and herself. The Crown Prince and the Duke’s daughter. The villain of Re.Vil.Bre and an extra.

And fiancé and fiancée.

Even if he meant that they should set aside formalities because they were engaged, they had only started meeting more than once a month this very month despite their long engagement.

Then, what exactly were they to each other…?

“…Lady. My Lady, are you listening? Are you feeling unwell?”

Raylin’s train of thought was abruptly interrupted.

Aiger, now standing beside her, reached out as he asked.

Startled by the cold touch grazing near her eyes, she flinched and shook her head.

“No. I’m fine. You know I’m quite sturdy, don’t you?”

“Yeah. More than I expected.”

Of course, even if his lips split, he wouldn’t call her ‘healthy’ or ‘sturdy.’ But it was true that she was better than she looked.

“Hah… haah… haah… Whew, this is exhausting.”

He recalled the first thing that had come to mind—her pale face, as if she had run a marathon, despite having walked for only a few minutes.

The second was when he had carried her—so light that, without exaggeration, his balance had wavered for a moment.

Hmm, considering the rumors that she spent half the year bedridden because she couldn’t walk and the pale face he saw once a month, at least now she had some color in her cheeks and was walking…

With a faint sigh, he furrowed his brow and retracted his words.

“A body that would crumble if pressed too hard can hardly be called sturdy.”

“Huh? No, but no matter what, I wouldn’t just get squashed like an omelet if someone pressed on me a little…”

Before she could even finish her protest, Aiger turned his gaze toward Kertan and asked,

“What are you eating so much of?”

“Chocolate.”

“I can see that. I’m asking why you keep eating it nonstop.”

“I want to bring something delicious for my sister.”

Though he didn’t specify, Aiger immediately caught the word—‘sister’—and, gripping the teacup that perfectly suited his taste, asked,

“You’re bringing something your sister likes…”

“Your Highness! It seems like you’ve wrapped up what you were doing!”

Before Aiger could carelessly throw out a remark, Raylin deliberately raised her voice and cut in.

“Have you eaten?”

“No, I haven’t had the time.”

“I’ll prepare something to tide you over.”

Successfully changing the subject, she signaled a maid, and within minutes, a neat assortment of sandwiches was placed beside a plate of sweet pastries.

“Try this. Just one bite, and your sugar— your energy will surge!”