CPG | Chapter 8

The Castle of Resurrection, a secret known only to a select few among the royals, was revealed. Rayyan pondered over the story he had heard, wondering if he was even allowed to know such a thing.

‘So, could the prince also…’

Prince Ternnis smirked, interpreting Rayyan’s silence in his own way.

“Why do you think only a few know about it, huh? It’s because there are so few who have come out like that.”

“Oh…”

Embarrassed at having his thoughts exposed, Rayyan’s face flushed. He lowered his head to hide his face, but Ternnis showed no reaction. Instead, he asked in a calm voice, more serene than ever.

“Wouldn’t it be better for you if I died? That way, you could leave this castle.”

Rayyan couldn’t respond, as if the prince knew everything, even the instructions given by the Chief Attendant.

As Rayyan kept his mouth shut, an unexpected silence enveloped them, but Ternnis didn’t press for an answer. As if it didn’t matter at all, Ternnis glanced at the towering bookshelves. He hated everything about this castle except for this one thing. Ternnis pulled out a book nearby.

“It’s fine.”

While Ternnis was examining the book, Rayyan’s voice came out faintly. Curious about what he said, Ternnis turned around to meet Rayyan’s gaze.

“I’m okay living in this castle forever.”

Finally understanding what Rayyan meant, Ternnis’s lips curled into a smirk. Living in this castle forever? That’s ridiculous.

“You’re not some old man saying it’s okay. How many years do you think you can live here?”

“I…”

“Stop saying nonsense.”

Even though he knew the black-haired attendant didn’t usually flatter unnecessarily, Ternnis almost fell for it this time. He reached for another book but lowered his gaze to the one he was already holding. What should he do with this book…

“I…”

As Ternnis forced himself to focus on the book’s title, Rayyan hesitantly spoke up.

“I have nowhere to go. So, it’s okay if I die here.”

This was the truth. With his mother and grandmother gone, he had no hope left. He had fled here, and it wasn’t a bad place to end up.

Perhaps Rayyan’s sincerity got through, as Ternnis turned his head from the book to look at him. What is this attendant saying? Though he scoffed in disbelief, his eyes didn’t leave Rayyan. The attendant’s expression seemed genuinely sincere.

For a moment, the thought crossed Ternnis’s mind that he didn’t have to die alone. At least, he wouldn’t be lonely at the end, he thought, with a self-mocking smile.

‘What does that even mean…’

Would dying together really mean not being lonely?

Ternnis’s expression calmed.

“Ridiculous. If you die here, do you think someone will clean up your body?”

Though his words were dismissive, his response had changed somehow. He didn’t deny Rayyan’s words. Moreover, Ternnis’s expression didn’t seem as harsh as it could have been.

But Rayyan, taking Ternnis’s ridicule at face value, was once again lost in thought. Should he say he’d go die somewhere out of sight? But when it came time to die, could he really do that?

“I’m sorry.”

Thinking he’d reconsider when the time came, Rayyan didn’t know that Ternnis had turned his head. It seemed like their tedious conversation had finally ended, and Ternnis’s eyebrows twitched lightly.

Despite the tedious conversation, Ternnis looked back at the book with a lighter gaze. He was torn between two books, unsure which to read first.

Rayyan, too, now had the leisure to look around the library more closely than before. Instead of skimming the book titles like the prince, he looked at the empty shelves and spaces, leading to a curious thought.

“But this library…”

“Isn’t covered in dust?”

“Yes.”

He wondered if someone was maintaining it regularly, but Ternnis silently pulled out a book. Holding one in each hand, he couldn’t open them to read. Weighing them like a scale, Ternnis spoke.

“It’s an esper’s special ability.”

A power to keep dust from accumulating? Rayyan couldn’t ask more and kept his questions to himself. If it was a power to maintain this state, why was it used only in this library and not the entire castle?

As if reading Rayyan’s mind, Ternnis smiled faintly and said,

“Because he only had one life, he could barely manage this one library. Maybe we should have brought in a few espers with that ability.”

So, it would be nice to keep the castle clean by risking their lives, Ternnis joked, and Rayyan couldn’t agree or disagree, turning his head. Royals had the duty to care for those beneath them, but many saw their lives as insignificant. So Rayyan couldn’t tell what Ternnis truly meant.

Regardless of Rayyan’s thoughts, Ternnis carefully examined the two books.

The untold story to Rayyan. The first emperor often visited this castle to spend time with the empress. And on the day the empress died, after all the funerals, the emperor returned to this castle. He poured all his special abilities into this library, filled with memories of the empress, and died.

Who would come and offer their life for a library exchanged for the first emperor’s life? Ternnis had no intention of explaining that far to Rayyan, so he changed the question.

“Can you read?”

“…I learned.”

Ternnis nodded appropriately and handed him a book.

Caught off guard, Rayyan took the book and looked at the prince.

“You must be bored too. So when I come here, you can read a book.”

“But I’m not qualified to read this book.”

It was said to be a book in the emperor’s library. Rayyan couldn’t dare to read it.

“Qualified? It’s just you and me in this castle. As long as I allow it, you’re qualified.”

Ternnis easily dismissed Rayyan’s protest. At least in this world of the castle, Ternnis was like a god.

“But…”

“If you’re going to say you’re not qualified, just keep quiet.”

Ternnis cut off Rayyan’s hesitation as if it were a bother. He had given permission, and whether Rayyan read it or not was up to him. Ternnis glanced at Rayyan. Rayyan hesitated but didn’t let go of the book, unconsciously revealing his desire. It seemed he wouldn’t easily give up on the book. Ternnis pretended not to notice and turned away.

He said he was okay living in this castle forever, so let him read to his heart’s content.

***

After spending the afternoon in the library, the two were about to part ways for their respective tasks. Ternnis to his room and Rayyan to the kitchen. While Ternnis spent time in his room, Rayyan had to hurry to prepare dinner.

“From today, attend to my bath.”

But suddenly, the prince stopped Rayyan and said that.

Rayyan stared at him blankly, and Ternnis clicked his tongue as if he expected that reaction.

“You don’t get it, do you? I’m telling you to touch every part of my precious body.”

Ternnis couldn’t shake the feeling that since meeting this black-haired attendant, he had to give orders twice. He didn’t seem stupid, so why couldn’t he understand the first time?

“But until now, you didn’t like anyone touching you…”

“Sigh. Don’t make me say it twice. If I tell you to do it, just do it. Up until now, you should have been punished for me bathing alone. Understand?”

The prince was right. It was unheard of for a royal to bathe without assistance. Rayyan knew this, but he was only following orders. If a royal said not to touch, a servant couldn’t touch without permission. Though Rayyan felt wronged, he bowed his head.

“Prepare after dinner.”

Ternnis gave Rayyan a one-sided order and turned away. After reading for a long time, his body had stiffened. And with that stiffness came pain. To alleviate this pain, he needed the attendant’s touch.

“How can someone who doesn’t understand words have such a skill?”

Muttering to himself, Ternnis returned to his room, and Rayyan’s paused time began to move again. He had to busy himself with preparing dinner and attending to the bath. It was a simple matter of following orders, but…

“Why do I feel so reluctant?”

Rayyan’s fingertips twitched. It was because of the sensation that arose every time he touched the prince. Even brief contact was hard to ignore, so if he kept touching while washing the prince’s body, what would happen to his hands?

A sigh escaped him.

“Why am I worrying about this?”

He was frustrated about why he was worrying and hesitating over such a thing. Should he enjoy it since it wasn’t even unpleasant?

“You crazy fool, what are you thinking about a royal?”

Rayyan smacked his own head as if to snap himself out of it.