Bab 20: Glimmer of Hope

Nesrin took a warm bath to calm her racing heart. She slumped against the large pool and sank her head beneath the surface.

Izekiel shouldn't act like that.

It made Nesrin doubt herself when he showed consideration to her, when he acted warmly, or when his dark inexplicable gaze would seize her in.

Is that how Johanna felt when she was with him?

The shadow of his lips on her was still afresh, the way he held her close and the things that his eyes promised, it was all filling her mind.

It was all too confusing.

Nesrin had known him well enough in those 1025 chapters of Damsel of Distress. She should trust her knowledge, she should remember that he was a devil himself. He was charming, and had a silver tongue.

And yet, for some reason, his words, his actions, his attention, they all didn't seem a facade.

Nesrin came out of the water.

It was dangerous to have hope.

She wrapped a bath robe around her, and left the chamber.

Inside her bedroom, an old physician was sitting near her bed. A variety of herbs, medicines and equipment were spread over the bedside table. She poured a cup of steaming hot tea and said while keeping her eyes on her work.

"His majesty wants to make sure that her highness recovers well," she gave the cup to Nesrin, and moved on to mix some herbs.

All the while, she didn't even glanced at her or even greeted her like others in the palace did. Nesrin didn't mind this, but the hostility in the air was clear.

Nesrin silently sat on the bed, the lady looked very pale. She applied the herbs on Nesrin's neck and then checked her pulse.

"What is your name, mam?"

The physician looked at Nesrin with a complicated look and replied after a while,

"It must be common for the royals to forget nobodies like us," she replied nonchalantly.

-system, show me her profile.

[The system is collecting data...Data downloaded completely.]

[The character is an extra character. Only relevant information will be shown.]

[Sybil Iyan is a famous physician. She served in the Iyanora Palace for forty years, before retiring to the healer's valley. Sybil lost her family after the massacre, and was brought as a slave to the imperial capital, Esmeria…]

Nesrin felt guilty, Sybil was already having a hard time and it is possible that she must have known Johanna well since she worked in the palace, so when Nesrin acted like that, Sybil's misery would only have been added.

"I-I am sorry," Nesrin mumbled, "My memory has been...rather bad lately."

"As if murdering innocents wasn't enough, his majesty had enslaved the survivors. It's futile to say sorry to us now," Sybil chuckled dryly.

"Don't worry, Lady Sybil. I can assure you that as soon as the grand emperor recovers, you all will be freed," Nesrin affirmed, "Nothing can compensate for the loss...but-everyone will be rewarded so they can lead a better life."

"Her highness is too naive," Sybil's voice turned grim as she stood up, "Even if what you say happens, what will be the meaning to live? For whom will I live with when all of them are dead?"

"Who can know the meaning of life better than a healer?"

There was no hope in her eyes, the helplessness on her face made Nesrin's heart sink. Despite her grief, Sybil didn't held back from her taunt,

"I hope her highness lives her well, it seems like you have already been accepted."

A look of puzzlement crossed Nesrin's face.

"There are very few people to whom his majesty shows consideration like this," Sybil smiled bitterly and left.

Nesrin slumped against the pillow, the medicines had made her a little dizzy. Her mind was conflicted, but she remembered that the healers were rewarded handsomely. Many of them accepted the imperial positions and even became loyal to Izekiel.

She closed her eyes.

-system, can you read the letter?

[The letter has been opened.]

[Reader-nim,]

The voice sounded exactly like Amber's. Nesrin waited for the system to continue with anticipation.

[I will start from the beginning.

Two years ago, my sister started to write Damsel of Death. Often we discussed the novel together and eventually we started to co-write it. Despite that, she was the main writer and had worked a lot on world building.

However, she died five months later. I took her work and continued it. My sister's wish was to complete the story.

But I only knew the tip of the iceberg she had created, I couldn't find her notes and so I continued the story in a way that seemed to fit the plot.

It would be futile to say anymore about that, what you need to know is that my sister had a peculiar taste of dark things. So, if you and I are not careful, things will turn really ugly.

However, there is one way to avoid all that and hopefully I will find it in time.

Don't do anything to pick Izekiel's interest and he will simply ignore you, that may sound rude but it's the best thing to do.

But, if you are willing to take a little risk and escape from the palace (remember that you can be severely punished if caught near that area), you can go to the secret chamber from chapter 145-]

Nesrin opened her eyes in surprise.

[I have prepared something for you there, it will help you in escaping.

After escaping, go to any place which was not an important place in the novel. Take resources with you to survive some months, anything could be done with money.

Oh, and…]

Nesrin's mind was clouded by the time the letter ended.

Izekiel had been treating her rather nicely, perhaps if they spend more time together and get to know each other better, then maybe he could let her live.

But…

She knew that staying with Izekiel was like courting death.

There were doubts in her mind, but Nesrin was not foolish enough to ponder much on them. So, she made a decision.

She will escape.

This very night!

***

"Revenge…?" Alice seemed a bit nervous, but the light upon her face didn't go unnoticed.

Izekiel smiled.

He relieved Alice's superior from her duties and ordered her to keep her mouth shut, in return she was promised a handsome monthly allowance. Once the head maid had left, Izekiel glanced at Alice and declared,

"You are twelve."

"I am not-"

"You look like that," Izekiel pointed out, "It's easy to not suspect children. It won't even be hard for you to pretend like a kid"

Alice opened her mouth to complain but she couldn't come up with a good enough response to that.

"You are to keep your age a secret. From tomorrow morning, you will serve Princess Johanna and report anything suspicious...to Jeremiah. I don't have much time."

"How will that help me with my revenge?"

"Go meet Lady Croff, and tell her that you were recommended by your previous head maid."

His voice was assertive and dismissed any questions that could have formed inside Alice. She took one of the pastries and rushed out of the room.

"She really is new to the palace…" Jeremiah remarked at her lack of formal etiquettes, "But, wasn't Lady Croff keeping an eye on her highness?"

"I am afraid they can not do their job well,"

They soon left the room as well, and silently crossed the hallway. Despite being sworn brothers since childhood, an invisible line was drawn somewhere in time, and formalities were placed between them.

"Why are you so interested in Princess Johanna?" Jeremiah asked after a while, "I am sure it's nothing like love."

"Love is rather stupid," Izekiel laughed, "I simply want to know what she is hiding behind her mask…"

"You have not been so attentive even for the cure," Jeremiah jokes, "Keep it up, your majesty and we would be blessed with an heir soon."

"It's nothing like that. As for the cure… it will be mine today," Izekiel gazed at the indigo sky, he was in a good mood.

After searching for many years, he was finally close to finding the cure for his curse.

"What will you do with the saint once he tells us about the cure?"

"Reward him, what else?"

"But… he knows about the curse."

"I do not fear him, the curse will be lifted soon anyways," Izekiel sighs, "Is he ready?"

"Yes, he is currently waiting for you in the imperial court."

Izekiel nodded and once again he found himself thinking about Nesrin. Perhaps Jeremiah was right when he said Izekiel was more interested in Nesrin than the cure.

But he wouldn't be doing all this if that night in the enchanted garden never happened.

What she said in her drunken vulnerable state...made Izekiel vary of her, he wanted to know more.

He wanted to know if she could be trusted.