Brisa quietly nodded as she stole glances at the Grand Duchess, who lay sprawled across the bed as though dead, completely overcome by the sleeping draught.
The man immediately took the coat hanging on the wall and walked out.
Only then did Brisa feel as though the pressure crushing her chest had eased. She drew a long, deep breath, when suddenly she heard the faint rustling of fabric nearby.
Startled, she lifted her eyes—and nearly screamed at the sight of the Grand Duchess slowly pushing herself upright.
No one knew how long she had been awake. The woman regarded Brisa with perfectly clear eyes for a long moment before swinging her legs over the side of the bed.
Frozen stiff, Brisa hurried to her side.
"Your Highness, you mustn't get up. You need to remain in bed until the medicine has completely worn off..."
"Move."
The cold, commanding voice made Brisa flinch as she instinctively stepped back.
The Grand Duchess stood barefoot upon the floor without even putting on her slippers.
Unsure what to do, Brisa stamped her feet in panic before hastily bending beneath the bed to retrieve at least her shoes. It was then that she caught sight of the Grand Duchess limping toward the fireplace.
'...She wasn't trying to go outside?'
Wearing a bewildered expression, Brisa hurried after her. The Grand Duchess's legs were still weak—what if she stumbled into the flames?
"Your Highness, if you're cold, I'll prepare a hot bath immediately. Please sit here for now..."
"You're annoying."
The woman brusquely brushed away the hand trying to support her and bent before the hearth.
She reached for the poker leaning beside the fireplace grate and used it to drag out a half-burned bundle of parchment from °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° the flames.
Horrified, Brisa tore off her apron and frantically smothered the burning document, striking it over and over until the crackling flames finally died.
Only then did the Grand Duchess bend down and pick up the parchment.
Brisa watched awkwardly as she unfolded the scorched document with both hands, carefully examining the pages that had been blackened in places.
What on earth was she supposed to do in a situation like this?
She vaguely felt that she ought to stop her, yet no words came to mind.
While she stood there helplessly, not knowing whether to intervene or remain silent, the Grand Duchess slowly swept her cool gaze across the blotched parchment before tossing it back into the fire.
The flames instantly roared to life again, painting her gaunt face crimson.
Brisa swallowed dryly.
For a fleeting instant, the woman's face looked as though it, too, were being consumed by the fire.
What could possibly have been written on those pages to make her wear such an expression?
Her eyes wandered curiously between the Grand Duchess's pale face and the burning parchment.
Then, without warning, the woman turned around and quietly lay back upon the bed.
After hesitating for a moment, Brisa cautiously approached and gently pulled the blanket over her thin shoulders.
Then she suddenly froze.
Tears were silently streaming down the woman's face.
Seeing her weeping without a sound, wearing an expression that seemed to have abandoned every last hope, made Brisa's heart sink.
Without thinking, she hurriedly spoke.
"...P-Please don't lose heart, Your Highness. After some time..."
She stopped herself before saying it will get better.
Even to her own ears, those words sounded unbearably hollow.
The Grand Duchess showed no reaction whatsoever to her presumptuous attempt at comfort.
Brisa gazed at her helplessly for a long while before finally lowering her head, unable to think of anything else to say.
* * *
"If things continue like this, war will be unavoidable."
Kailias, one of the elite knights of the Roem Knights, leaned over the table as he spoke heavily.
Varkas, reclining against the back of his chair while reading through the report the man had brought, let out a cold, mocking laugh.
"So they claim this wasn't done with the intention of starting a war?"
Recognizing the ridicule in his voice, the knight flushed red as he defended the Emperor.
"His Majesty has done everything possible to mediate the conflict."
Varkas offered no reply.
Taking his silence as disagreement, the man continued in a more agitated tone.
"Surely Lord Siorcan knows better than anyone how relentless the members of the Imperial Assembly are. The conservative faction refuses to see the existing order disturbed. Meanwhile, the hardliners insist that the dignity of the Imperial Family and the authority of the Empire must be restored at any cost. His Majesty merely sought to accommodate both sides."
"And the result is that he has achieved neither."