CH 29

6 – Dark Rainbow

The knights who found us that day secretly led us to no other place than the Imperial Palace. The chapel with the bell tower and the main mansion were far away, and since it was April Fool’s Day, the guests at the banquet would not even be able to guess what exactly had happened while they were playing around.

It was much later than I heard things from Lettis and Venya, but the circumstances that led to this outcome were roughly like this: As I remember from the original story, it was known that the Serpente siblings were studying abroad, at the Royal Academy of Pzeya. The Serpente’s children were unknown in the imperial capital. In addition, the mystery as to why some noble children went to study in the same place as if they were escaping during the great plague was also solved quickly. Assad di Romena de Avalonia, the emperor’s eldest son and Crown Prince of the Empire, was the first to question the circumstances of the Serpente Duchy. Although he was still young, the crown prince was known for his political sense and insight, and his good eye for people. The male lead of the original novel.

I wouldn’t know why he had such a hunch in the first place, but it was said that the crown prince suddenly ordered a tax investigation on most Serpente-related businesses, including Python Bank, which caused a stir. The imperial finances, which had been nearly ruined by the shoveling of the two generations of the late and current Emperors, owed a considerable debt to the Python Bank; and to make matters worse, the imperial power had fallen to the bottom during the period of the great plague. Regardless, it was a direct order from the crown prince, they couldn’t obey it. 

In the end, it was not possible to conduct a large-scale tax investigation, but it was able to capture the most recent suspicious circumstances surrounding the Python Bank. For example, the young duke studying abroad in Pzeya suddenly redistributed his shares to his relatives; or the Viscount Ipolit, who had the least presence among the late duke’s siblings, moved his residence to the imperial capital and started to engage in all kinds of business…

Whatever happened, the crown prince secretly cooperated with the Python knights and sent an auditor to Pzeya. As a result, they found the Serpente siblings requested a homeschooled system in the academy due to the princess’ worsening health within a few days after crossing to Pzeya. In fact, the siblings were living in a villa owned by the Serpente family in the capital of Pzeya. To be exact, siblings that looked similar to the Serpente siblings. This means, while we were locked up in the tower, there were doubles in Pzeya. I really couldn’t have imagined that they would have done something like that. 

If we had died in the middle, they would have stayed there for about a decade and then come back as if they were the real ones and lived according to the taste of their supporters. After all, your childhood appearance can change as you grow up… 

There were still unanswered questions, though. If things happened in this way in the original story, and we were freed, what was the reason for moving several months earlier this time? And how did the knights’ commander and the crown prince come up with the idea that we were imprisoned in the bell tower?

“How long has it been since she started coughing like this?”

“About a month and a half.”

“Did she have other symptoms? Fever, frequent vomiting, or stomachache?”

Upon arriving at the Imperial Palace, Lettis and Venya were quasi-dragged to the main palace, and I was left under the guidance of the Imperial Courtiers along with Estelle, whose consciousness went back and forth. Facing a real physician, one that worked exclusively for the royal family, I didn’t have a sense of reality. The imperial courtier, who had a serious but subtle appearance, asked me a few more similar questions, then called an assistant and sent me out. For some reason, it felt like something was going on, so I kept feeling nervous.

“Miss, I have prepared a meal. Are you hungry?”

“Ah… Um… I’m just the princess’ nanny. So…”

“It’s alright. Don’t be nervous and come.” 

I couldn’t figure out how things were going, so I felt anxious and confused, but everyone in the palace was surprisingly kind and polite. If it was the past me, I would have just been embarrassed by their behavior, but now I started to feel suspicious about what their intentions were.

Separated from the siblings, I was led to a small and luxurious room by myself and ate alone. It was truly a fascinatingly appetizing meal, which I had not experienced in a long time, but I couldn’t feel taste it at all because I was utterly puzzled. Everything just felt like an April Fool’s joke. As the sun went down and night fell, we were finally able to reunite again.

When Lettis and Venya entered, I sat next to Estelle, who was sleeping soundly, and waited impatiently. I didn’t know exactly who or what I was waiting for.

“Sasha.”

As I raised my head blankly, I saw two boys with exhausted and grim expressions. For some reason, no words came out. They both came and sat down next to me. A moment of silence passed. While we all looked at each other and seemed not to be able to speak our minds easily, Lettis, who silently glanced at Estelle’s sleeping face, spoke first.

“What did the physician say?”

“…I haven’t heard anything yet. I did ask, but he didn’t give me a detailed answer.”

“Did you eat?”

“Mn. What about you and Venya?”

“We ate too.”

And only then did they tell me about everything. As the two of them took turns talking, I was just listening absent-mindedly. When they reached the part where our doubles were living in Pzeya, I felt goosebumps running down my spine.

“Stand-in?! Did they really use substitutes?!”

“We were just as surprised as you are. They had a similar appearance and dyed their hair, they didn’t get along with homeschooling and the students from Cherkesha, so it wasn’t revealed.”

I wanted to ask how much the person impersonating me resembled me, but I stopped because it seemed like a stupid question. They could have never met our doubles. Oh gosh, a double. I couldn’t even imagine how meticulously prepared they were to even make them look similar in all angles, not just the appearance. It must have been planned long before we were actually imprisoned.

“By the way, how… did they find out? That we were trapped there.”

“That…”

“His Highness the crown prince?”

Right then, an unexpected person appeared. At Lettis’ words, who suddenly got up, I followed his gaze to the door and got up as well. The next thing I felt was panic. 

‘Gods, no, why the hell are you out there?! …Ah, this is your house, right.’ 

Under the chandelier light, soft golden hair gleamed ashenly. I hurriedly bowed my head in front of the handsome young man who was staring at me with deep purple eyes, wishing I would pass away right on the spot.

‘Gosh! Why didn’t I think of that? I didn’t know we’d meet again like this! …No, we’re not meeting ‘again.’ That’s right. I’m sure that time he didn’t see me…’

“I- I greet Your Highness the Cr–”

As I hurriedly opened my mouth, trying to get my act together, he opened his mouth too. To be precise, he seemed to tilt his head slightly to the side, and said,

“You are just as before.”

I could see the blood draining from my face. 

What? What do you mean, good-looking Crown Prince? Wh- what do you mean by ‘before’? Does that mean you saw me then…?

“Have you ever met with Sasha?” 

The crown prince frowned slightly at Lettis’ inquiry. Then he answered.

“What? Did you forget? You were quite annoying, showing off your cute little like-sister back then. It’s already been five years.”

“Wh- when did I act like that?”

“The guy who coldly rejected me when I say to introduce her to me is acting so shamelessly now?”

…Aha. You’re saying something like that happened? As I stared, Lettis turned away from my interrogating gaze, looking like a ripe tomato As for Venya, he was just looking at us alternately with strange, subdued eyes.

‘Phew, anyway, I’m glad you didn’t see me them. Well, honestly, it’s not a big deal, but these guys will be upset asking why I forgot to tell them I saw the Crown Prince then…’

Anyway, the Crown Prince, whom I saw again after a long time(?) seemed to have become even more handsome. He felt more mature than the last time. 

If I’m not wrong, he’s two years older than Lettis, so he’s about nineteen now? This young prince is our savior…

“Right, I’ve talked with the royal physician for a while and…”

“What?”

“…the princess seems to have pneumonia.”

It was as if cold water had been splashed on top of my head. The purple gaze began to scan our blood-drained faces, one by one, until he stopped in Lettis’ wide-open eye.

“I told them to take all the best measures they can, so we will have to wait a little longer and see, but I advise you to prepare your hearts in case something happens.”

‘What the hell is this crap-like noise all of a sudden? Hey, male lead, what are you talking about?! Prepare our hearts?! Our Estelle has pneumonia??!’ Still, I knew it was a natural outcome. Estelle had always been weak. In addition, considering the confined life in a cramped space with no ventilation, the duration of an illness in a poor environment, and a diet lacking in nutrients, it was a situation that was likely to occur. I didn’t know that, maybe, I was guessing it subconsciously in my heart. That I was trying to deny it and comforting myself that it was just a symptom of a cold. Still, still… 

‘…It can’t be. Our Estelle will live. She didn’t die in there, she came out alive. She came out a few months earlier than before. This time again, variables are bound to happen. Everything will be different from the original…’

“And Lettis, you should get treatment right away. If metastasis has already started, it would be a big deal.”

‘And Lettis’s eyes. There are already so many different things from the original, there’s no saying that Estelle wouldn’t live. Right, Estelle will get through this. My milk sister will surely overcome it.’

After Lettis and the crown prince left, the two remaining just sat next to Estelle in silence. Neither Venya nor I were able to speak out, but in my head, I was drawing the worst situation possible. Venya’s hand held mine tight as I struggled to swallow my tears that didn’t seem to stop. 

At that time, Estelle, who had been sleeping as if dead, turned our side with an irritable cough. Her beautiful sky-blue eyes filled with a hazy light as if she was wandering in a dream looked back at her older brother and immature nanny.

“…Where are we?”

“The Imperial Palace.”

Venya replied instead of me, unable to open my mouth. His voice sounded dry as if trying hard to remain composed.

“Imperial Palace…?”

“Yes.”

“Did the prince come to rescue us?”

It was Rapunzel’s story. And they lived happily ever after together, it ended something like that, the story I repeated dozens of times in the tower. 

Estelle turned her gaze away from the silent Venya and looked at me. As if something magical had happened, a wide smile spread across her innocent face.

“Sing me a lullaby, Sasha. If I sleep soon, I’ll get well soon.”

There is a saying that sleep is medicine. It is. Sleep was our only prescription while we were trapped in the bell tower. Because while sleeping, there was no pain, no struggle, and one minute didn’t feel like a day.

I grabbed Estelle’s hand, trying to shake off the ominous thoughts that persistently clung to me, and sang the lullaby she loved so much. It was more like a prayer than a lullaby.

‘Mom… I miss you mom, and Duke, Madam… Please save Estelle. She has barely escaped from that terrible life, so please help her to live happily ever after, only seeing good things. Please help her live a long and happy life like the main character in a fairy tale.’

Is it that fate, once set, cannot be avoided? Unfortunately, we weren’t the main characters in a fairy tale, and the variables I tried to consider as one of the possibilities burned warmly and turned into a black afterimage like a stove that left only nasty soot. 

Estelle died suddenly, exactly two days after we escaped from the bell tower. Fifteen days before her 14th birthday, she left as if sleeping, so unbelievably calm that it was unimaginable that she was coughing so painfully before.

Lettis lost one eye forever. Even the best medical staff could not restore the already damaged eyeball. He would live his whole life with the most fatal handicap as a nobleman–a physical disability–