IBYSRHML | Chapter 30

#.30

Why had I never seriously thought about it?

‘I don’t know the ending of the original story.’

No matter how much the original novel had already deviated from its course, I should have at least been curious about my own story within it. But I never even gave it any thought.

‘After being imprisoned in the tower, what happened to me?’

At some point, the imperial palace started becoming noisy.

Then, out of nowhere, Marius imprisoned Rebecca Marchionne.

But after that, I can’t recall the rest of the story.

It’s strange that I’ve overlooked this until now.

But does it even matter at this point?

What I really want to know is whether, in the original story, I ended up wasting away and dying.

“Liliana. Ah, open up. Let’s take the medicine. Ah.”

My eldest unnie carefully helped me sit up.

I was burning with fever, and my entire body ached as if it were falling apart, making me irritable.

“Unnie, I don’t want to take it. I don’t want to.”

“Just one sip, okay?”

The syrupy medicine forced into my mouth tasted bitter.

I couldn’t hold back my tears, so I ended up whining.

Ssshh.

A warm hand gently patted my back.

That only made me clingier, and soon enough, I started sobbing.

“Unnie, am I going to die?”

“You’re not going to die.”

“Ugh… I don’t want to die. Hnnng.”

“Regina, I think she’s having a fever seizure. We need to bring it down first before the doctor arrives.”

My eldest unnie gave instructions to my second unnie as she started undressing me.

Even though the air didn’t feel cold, I shivered the moment my bare skin was exposed.

“Give me a blanket. I’m cold…”

But my sisters ignored my plea and instead began wiping my body with a damp towel.

I could hear my second unnie sniffling in distress.

Each time the towel touched my skin, pain shot through me, and I whimpered.

“So cold! Huuuuh!”

I desperately struggled to resist, but my eldest unnie held me down with firm strength, making it impossible to move.

My head spun with dizziness, and between the swirling sensations, I vaguely heard familiar voices.

“I tried using healing magic, but it only enhances natural recovery, so there’s a limit to what it can do…”

At some point, François and my youngest unnie had entered my room and were discussing something urgently in a corner.

It was so noisy. I wished they would all just leave.

But my voice wouldn’t come out, so instead, I cried my throat hoarse.

At some point, I must have passed out and fallen asleep.

After coming to the empire, I had never fallen sick, so I thought the environment here suited me.

But eventually, it caught up with me.

I had suffered from consecutive fever seizures for days.

Overnight, my sisters’ faces had become gaunt with exhaustion.

François had come at dawn to infuse me with magic.

Maybe that’s why, when I woke up in the morning, my body felt completely fine.

“For now, you’re not allowed to go outside and play.”

My eldest unnie spoon-fed me thin soup as she made this declaration.

I pouted but didn’t argue.

After all, I had collapsed while looking at the western tower with Edgar and had to be carried back to the palace with a raging fever.

‘I didn’t expect to suddenly collapse like that, either.’

Maybe it was the shock of seeing the tower where I had been imprisoned.

Or perhaps it was accumulated fatigue I hadn’t realized I had.

Either way, I had been seriously ill.

My younger unnie told me I had been babbling nonsense at times.

And apparently, my youngest unnie had grabbed François by the collar, demanding that he do something.

As for me…

‘I want to know what’s wrong with me.’

I looked down at my hands.

Other people’s hands had a rosy hue, but mine were pale, completely devoid of color.

I also frequently had fevers and felt weak, often unable to eat properly.

Yet, I didn’t even know the name of my illness.

My sisters seemed to know, but they never explained it to me, saying I was still too young.

‘Still, I won’t die. My sisters wouldn’t let that happen!’

I trust my sisters.

I may still be a child, but they are the strongest and most amazing people in the world.

“Lily, even if you don’t feel like eating, you have to so you can recover quickly.”

“I never said I didn’t want to eat. I was just thinking.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“I decided to eat spinach properly from now on! That way, I’ll grow tall like you, too!”

I need to grow up strong and healthy—

Then I can become a powerhouse with fists like hammers.

If I do, I’ll be able to press Edgar down and make Marius tremble in fear at my might.

“Well, that’s surprising. Our youngest has matured after getting sick.”

“Yep. So I’ll only leave three pieces of broccoli behind.”

“I made that soup myself at dawn, so you’re not allowed to leave anything behind.”

My second unnie emphasized her point with an unusually sharp glare.

Left with no choice, I finished the remaining soup.

Knock, knock.

Right as I finished eating, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in!”

Whenever I finished my meal, powdered medicine always followed.

Wanting to delay it as much as possible, I mustered all my strength and shouted.

The door creaked open slightly, and Edgar peeked his head in.

“Edgar!”

Excited, I tried to get up from the bed, but at the same time, my eldest unnie pressed down on my shoulder, and Edgar frantically shouted,

“No! Stay seated!”

Then, he rushed inside and examined me closely.

I had heard that my sudden collapse had frightened him greatly.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m not sick at all anymore.”

“Liar. Your face is as pale as a boiled egg.”

“I’ve always been pale.”

Ignoring my response, Edgar suddenly held out something wrapped in a handkerchief.

“A get-well gift.”

Inside the handkerchief was an olive branch with a few leaves still attached.

I widened my eyes in surprise, and Edgar explained,

“They’ve been tending to the garden, so we couldn’t go there before. But a few days ago, they finally reopened it, so I picked this for you. I haven’t found the lemon tree yet, but I’ll let you know when I do.”

“Wow! Thank you!”

Olive trees were common in Trovancha, but they were rarely seen in the Empire.

Even though I was sick, just seeing these leaves made me feel better.

While I picked up the olive branch and giggled, my younger unnie tilted her head in confusion.

“Young Duke, you said the garden was off-limits because of maintenance?”

“Yes. They restricted access because they were planting flowers.”

“At first, we planned to play in the garden, but when I heard we couldn’t go there, I decided to visit the tower instead.”

At my response, my second unnie’s expression instantly darkened.

She always laughed frivolously, but now there were wrinkles between her brows.

It was scarier than when my youngest unnie lost her temper and roared in fury.

Edgar and I exchanged bewildered glances. Then, as if nothing had happened, my unnie suddenly smiled brightly.

“Is it wrong to bring an olive branch as a get-well gift?”

“No, it’s just… I’m curious about the garden too. I’ve been staying in the Imperial Palace, but I’ve never seen it.”

That didn’t seem to be the real reason…

Even my eldest unnie seemed to understand why my second unnie was upset.

It was obvious from the way she roughly tore open the medicine packet, her expression slightly stiffened.

Did I mess up?

Something felt off, like I had accidentally pressed the wrong button.

Sensing the tension, I quietly swallowed the medicine without protest.

The white powdered medicine was unbearably bitter.

After Liliana took her medicine and fell asleep again, Alice entrusted her youngest sibling to Regina and headed to Marius’ office.

Since arriving in the Empire, she had done her best to remain composed and discreet.

But at this moment, as she approached Marius, an overwhelming presence radiated from her, so intense it could crush anyone in its path.

“His Majesty is in a private meeting with the Tower Master. Please wait a moment.”

Max, the chief aide, blocked Alice at the door.

“Open it.”

Her voice was quiet, yet it carried an undeniable force.

Max had felt this eerie sensation once before—

When Marius had drawn his sword to defend the throne.

It was the same fear that came from standing before a predator.

Without realizing it, Max lowered his head and stepped aside.

Alice, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, opened the door and walked in.

“If Trovancha has no records, then there’s nothing here either. As soon as we arrived in the Empire, I searched the Magic Tower, the palace, and the library, but there’s nothing.”

As she entered the office, she saw Marius and François deep in a serious discussion.

“We need to develop a cure ourselves.”

“I’ll fund whatever it takes—just find a treatment… Max, I told you not to enter without permission. Do you have a death wish?”

Alice had entered silently, yet Marius had sensed her presence.

His cold voice stopped her in her tracks.

At this moment, he was the very embodiment of a ruthless ruler.

François pressed his fingers to his forehead, seemingly stressed from research.

Noticing that she had no intention of leaving, François snapped irritably:

“Get the secretary out of here!”

“I didn’t expect you two to discuss things without the child’s guardian.”

“…Alice?”

At Alice’s icy voice, Marius turned to her, slightly surprised.

“I was planning to visit you today anyway.”

François quickly stood and greeted her.

Since Liliana had fallen ill, their interactions had been brief and unintentional.

Even for him, the situation was undeniably awkward.

“How is Liliana?”

“The fever has gone down, so the worst is over. She’s started eating and is taking her medicine well.”

“That’s a relief. That tiny thing has been burning up with fever… You must have been struggling too, Alice.”

“I wasn’t the one suffering. My sister was.”

“Huh?”

Alice ignored Marius’ words of sympathy and stepped forward.

She placed her hand lightly on the table—

BANG!

Though she hadn’t used much force, a loud crash echoed through the room.

Then—

Crack. Crack.

The table split in half and toppled to the side.

“Wow…”

François, completely overwhelmed by Alice’s sheer presence, awkwardly clapped his hands like a wind-up doll.

Marius, in contrast, simply let out a chuckle and looked up at her.

“I was planning to replace that desk anyway. You broke it nicely.”

Alice met his gaze with cold, unwavering eyes.

The atmosphere was so frigid it felt like she could stab someone at any moment.

‘Emilia Berchio was fierce, but she wasn’t this wild.’

François found himself marveling at how different the sisters’ personalities were.

Just then, as if reading his thoughts, Alice shot him a sharp glare.

“François, could you step out for a moment? Also, meet me in my room in an hour. I need to discuss Liliana’s treatment with you.”

“Understood. I’ll see you then.”

François got up immediately, as if he’d been waiting for an excuse to leave, and exited the office.

Despite the broken desk, Marius remained completely unbothered.