I’ll Become the Tyrant’s Tutor - Chapter 29

[CONTENT WARNING: This chapter contain darker topics such as violence, depression, and suicide.  Reader discretion advised.]

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— Meanwhile back in the palace.

‘You’re not even coming after me.’

Reyn screwed up his lips looking behind him dissatisfied.

‘I vented my anger towards you like I normally do, but I wasn’t as relieved as I thought I’d be… Rather, I felt suffocated.’

Reynsis’s angry footsteps trampled on the red carpet.

Neither the face of the bewildered Prim nor the nameless gray flowers in his hand made him feel any better.

Reynsis raised his head. His surroundings greeted him with dull grays, whites, and black tones.

It was the same colour as the flower that he gave to Prim.

“Damn it!”

Reyn was about to throw the flowers on the floor, but he suddenly paused.

Reyn was trembling as he slowly closed and opened his eyes.

Still a colourless world.

Prim reminded him that the moment he saw his fated person, that he could see the world in color.

“…….”

Reyn closed his eyes once again while thinking of her. Wishful that when he opened his eyes, something… anything would change,

…

…

Yet his reality remained as the dull monochromatic world it was.

It meant that Prim wasn’t his destiny.

“Haa….”

Reynsis laughed sarcastically and bitterly clenched his fist.

‘Fate wasn’t meant for me in the first place…’

His eyes throbbed in pain again, however, this time was much more intense followed by a noticeable ringing sound getting louder in his ears.

On the edges of his vision, — a dark swirl of emotions were gathering and mixing around him like rising smoke.

His chest was heavy as he struggled to catch his breath. It was as if a heavy stone had been placed on top of it.

“Ugh!”

His face was distorted and his brow was covered in a thin layer of sweat as he grasped his chest. This was the first time the pain Reyn felt was so severe as he tried to catch his breath breathing heavily. He felt like someone had a tight grip on his heart.

‘Damn it! Should I see the doctor?’

No, there was another person he wanted to see more desperately than a doctor. Recalling her face, this pain seemed to lessen as well.

The thought of her made his heart ache. The colourless world shook as the flowers in his hands fell to the ground.

“Oh my, Your Highness! You’re here.”

An aristocrat couple, who were mingling at the banquet hall, pretended to know Reyn and approached him casually.

“Everyone wants to see the 8th Prince.”

“Come in with us and tell us a story.~”

It was then that their laughter stopped abruptly.

“…Your Highness?”

Their voices trembled as they saw the Prince swaying unstabley; eyes seeming to lose focus.

However, their worry wasn’t out of concern, it was fear. Because under the dimly lit pathway of flicking lamp lights Reynsis’s gray eyes started to turn dark black.

“Ey-Eyes..”

The lady gasped in a frightened voice.

“N-no way!”

(Note: **This chapter was brought to you by Ryuusm on Wattpad.  If you are reading this elsewhere it was stolen.**)

They suddenly stepped back.

‘…He who is trapped in a world of black will appear, and stain your world with blood.’

The couple simultaneously recalled the prophecy of ‘The Man.’

‘I-Is the curse happening now?!’

Passerbys stopped to look at the frightened couple and the 8th Prince. They looked at Reyn with disdainful eyes as if they were looking at a hostile animal in a cage.

The ringing of harsh whispers grew louder. The voices of the people were pounding through his eardrums. “The fall of the empire, ominous prophecy, taboo red roses, blood, quickly get away from him!” The words bombarded him from all around, striking him down to his heart.

As Reynsis’s vision turned completely black, he collapsed on the ground.

[ Thud! ]

[ Kyaaa! ]

Someone screamed when Reynsis fell.

In an instant, the Imperial corridor was in chaos. The nobles, who thought of the curse, faltered in their steps as their faces looked on in panic and retreated.

“Your Highness!” (Prim)

Before anyone could comprehend what was happening, Prim, who had run after hearing the scream, approached Prince Reyn.

Prim was the only one who dared to touch him to see if he was fine.

“Prince! You’re ill?! What happened?!”

Prim felt his forehead and held his hand. Reynsis’s body was profusely hot as though he was on fire.  His breaths were also faint as if he was struggling to take in air. His eyes were half-lidded and unresponsive as she looked at him; Reynsis’s black eyes were empty like the black and white world he sees.

Primabel’s heart began to pound rapidly.

“Your Highness…R-reynsis!”

Her voice trembled.

“Get out of the way everyone! Make way for the Emperor!”

It was then that a swarm of knights surrounded Prim and the fallen Prince trying to restore order. Finally, the Emperor appeared and the crowd bowed their heads and made way for the monarch approaching the center of the comotion.

The Emperor looked at Reynsis and Prim with an icy cold stare. It was the exact opposite of when he smiled proudly at Reynsis.

“Drag him out of here, right now!” (Emperor Vierno II)

“Your Majesty!”

Prim shouted as she was startled with his command. The knights hesitated thinking they would be infected by the cursed prince.

“Hurry!”

The knights only faltered once before following the Emperor’s order faltered and dragged Prince Reyn like a sack unworthy of courtesy or respect in front of all the nobles gathered at the banquet.

“Tch…what an ugly, little thing.” (Emperor Vierno II)4

The Emperor’s last word penetrated through her heart.

It’s so sad and unfair for him, but how long will he endure this pain alone?

“Your Majesty, it seems the prophecy might be true.” (Noble 1)

“Did you just see those eyes? Dirty colors.” (Noble 2)

Those words made Prim come to her senses.

She quickly followed behind Reyn. No matter what happens, she has to take responsibility and stop it.

—

The Emperor looked silently at the Reynsis and Prim that followed him from behind.

‘I tried to wait for the perfect time without fail, but it seemed to be… difficult.’

“Haddad.”

The Emperor called for Haddad, who was standing next to him. He spoke in a quiet voice to Haddad, who bowed his head.

“Take those two in the Belles Palace. If his condition becomes strange….”

The Emperor stepped closer to Haddad.

“Cut off his head and bring it to me.” (Emperor)5

“……” (Haddad)

“If there’s a single scratch on his face, I won’t let you go.” (Emperor)

“……” (Haddad)

Haddad bowed his head in silence.

***

Reyn returned to the Belles palace much like the day he was first kicked out of the Imperial palace.

After the banquet, Reyn didn’t wake up, nor did he make a sound. He laid still as death.

There were numerous knights standing on guard outside of Reynsis’s room.

The knights were ordered to kill Reynsis if anything strange occurred.

‘Anything strange’ meant the beginning of the prophecy and the death of Prim.

Therefore, the only one granted permission to enter Prince Reyn’s room was the painter who volunteered to die.

Basically, Prim could not leave the room before Reynsis wakes up.

Of course, Prim had no intentions to go out either. Even if Reynsis woke up and killed her, Prim would still stand by his side.

Because it was her, who made this world.

Prim, who fell asleep on the sofa the previous night, was awakened by the sun that had risen up from the horizon.

A rose by the window caught her eyes after she slowly blinked the sleep out of her eyes.

It was the rose from the temple,… the rose that Reynsis gave her.

“…….”

Prim stretched her arms upwards and let out a yawn.  Pushing the blankets off, she stood up and walked towards the rose as if she were hypnotized. She carefully reached out her hand and took out the rose out from the vase.

The Beast in, <Beauty and the Beast> story has one condition. It was that love had to be proven before the rose petals had all fallen off.

The fateful love that was created by a curse.

Maybe she was too absorbed with the original plot.

Looking back, she was too confident, and pushed to break Reynsis’ curse, because there was nothing else she thought she could do. It was her goal to bring him out of the darkness.1

On the contrary, her involvement in the plot caused unprovoked pain and drove Reynsis to his current condition.

The hands that held the rose trembled.

‘I-it’s because of me…’

The rose became blurry as tears welled up in her eyes.

Her tears shining by the light of the sun dripped down on the rose petals.

[ Drip, drip ]

More of her tears fell as she was crying and sobbing between breaths when she suddenly heard a sound behind her,

“Nguhh..” (Reynsis)

A sudden groan made her turn around with eyes open wide.

“…Your Highness!”

Prim ran to his side. The feverish face was twisted with pain.

“Do you still feel feverish? Can you sit up?”

He muttered inaudible as Prim grabbed his hand.

“…. Prim?”

Reyn murmured in a hoarse voice. Prim nodded vigorously.

“Yes, Prince. I’m right here. It’s me.”

Reyn slowly opened his eyes. Empty grey eyes were fixed to the ceiling.

The color of his eyes returned to normal, but Reynsis acted as if he didn’t see Prim.

“Where are you? Where are you?”

Reynsis muttered blankly.

“I can’t see you.”

Prim’s heart dropped immediately.

“….Your Highness.”

“I can’t see you, but I can hear your voice. I can’t see you..”

The hand held together was strained, and that’s when Prim saw tears forming at the corners of his eyes.  Reynsis was crying. Prim couldn’t bring up words to reply or comfort him; her throat tightened as waves of despair overcame them.1

All of this is her fault.

‘I’ve made you suffer pain like this.’

‘I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault.’

The guilt that lingered in her heart lay heavily.

The words she felt in her heart made her eyes tear up once more. As she whimpered, Reynsis suddenly voiced out,

“… I’m sorry.”

“…!!!” (Prim)

It was unexpected. His words were so unbelievable that she forgot her sadness momentarily.

Prim stared at his tired face, as Reynsis tried to continue speaking.

“I’m sorry… I had said bad things to you. Please…Don’t go away—”2

Reynsis couldn’t finish talking. His face was distorted again by the increasing pain.

‘I wish I could be sick instead of you.’

With her lips tightly clenched, Prim wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

“….Don’t cry.” (Reynsis)

Did he hear the whimpering sound? Reynsis was soothing her pain. Prim shook her head vigorously.

“I didn’t cry.” (Prim)

“Lies.” (Reynsis)

“It’s true that I didn’t cry.” (Prim)

“….Yes, as long as you don’t cry.” (Reynsis)

Reyn tilted his head towards Prim’s voice.

“Stay by my side.” (Reynsis)

As if to find her, his hands hovered in the air. Prim clasped their hand together firmly.

“I won’t go anywhere and stay by your side.” (Prim)

“Promise me.” (Reynsis)

“Yes, I promise.” (Prim)

Reynsis’s face became more comfortable.

—

For the next few days Reyn had been very ill and would wake briefly every now and then only to fall back into a deep slumber.

He was still blind and when he woke up, he would call only for Prim.

Prim promised him over and over again. She will never leave him alone again. She’s going to stay by his side.

Time went on like this, and then the night came.

The moonlight through the windows gently fell on his face.

Prim looked at his pale face and bit her lips.

Even though he speaks with the mean words from time to time, he was still a good person. She was able to support him by her side many times.

“So please….”

Prim closed her eyes again.

It was a night of despair again. A dark night resembling Reynsis.

***

Reyn slowly opened his eyes. He stood alone in the dark.

‘Where am I?’

He looked around, but he couldn’t see anything.

‘Is this a dream?’

Reyn blink his dry eyes and put his hand on his chest.

He furrowed his eyebrows unexpectedly.  His heart wasn’t beating and it felt like he was dead because he couldn’t feel pain.

Reynsis looked down at his hand. Achromatic hands filled his vision.

Achromatic colors meant solitude to him. It was the color that made his existence meaningless, and stale with nothing in it.

“You pathetic little thing!”

A familiar voice rang out. Reynsis shuddered unknowingly.

“I heard he was cursed, isn’t he? They say that he is going to destroy the Empire.”

“I was told that he’s getting close to fulfilling the prophecy and was blinded.”

“Oh, my God!  Then shouldn’t we execute him right away? Why did they keep him alive?”

“Yes, but he’s too beautiful.”

“Surely, then there’s nothing I can do.”

Nothing is as valuable as beauty.

The wandering voices encircled Reynsis.

“Stop…”

Reynsis tried covering his ears while murmured blankly. But the more he felt the fear, anger, and hatred, the closer the shadows came, swallowing him.

“Then shouldn’t I just cut his head off?”

“Only that beautiful face.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. You can have it for your collection.”

The shadowy figure came up and seized him in the face stained with tears. Reynsis’ head was lifted. Darkness was smiling at him.

“Stop! Stop it!” (Reynsis)

Reynsis shut his eyes while raising his hands and shoved the shade away.

[ Prang! ]

The sounds of glass broke with a loud rupture. Reynsis slowly opened his eyes to see mirrored shards of glass floating in the air.

In each of the broken mirror shards, he could see dozens of pieces of himself.

Reyn fell to his knees, and looked up helplessly in the broken reflections of himself.

A face trapped in a life of gray. A bleak vision of a life that should never have existed at all.

Achromatic tears streamed down to his white cheeks.

He’d rather die than live like this.

Reyn slowly stretched out his achromatic hand. A sharp fragment of mirror touched his fingertips.

‘If I stab myself with this, will I die?’

Whether this place was real or in a dream, it didn’t matter now. Reynsis was already living as if he were dead. There was no difference in a dream.

Reyn tightened his hand and gripped the mirror fragment.

‘Where should I stab myself with this? Neck? Chest? How do I end this quickly?’

Drowning in his dark thoughts, he brought the shard closer to himself hoping to find the comfort  he longed for.  It was then that Reynsis’s movement stopped abruptly. Because someone’s face came to mind.

“…..!”

His eyes shook vigorously.

“….Prim.”

Reynsis whispered her name.

‘If I die in a dream,… if God can’t wake me up, what kind of face would you have?’

‘She was so kind that she reached out her hand to me who was so broken and unlovable. In this monochrome world, maybe she’s the only one who would care to cry for me.’

“…..”

Reynsis’s face slowly twisted. It was because when he thought of her, his desire to die disappeared.

“… Right. Maybe I wanted you to be my fated one all along.”4

His fated person to save him from this sickening black and white reality.

“Ugh..”

The tears that hovered on the rims of his eyes began to flow down again. Covering his face with his hands, he cried, shaking his shoulders like a lost child.

— It was then, a single petal fluttered lightly through the air unnoticed and grazed the tips of his hair. A warmth enveloped Reynsis as though he was being shielded from the cold, dark night with a blanket. Noticing a change, he slowly raised his head, blinking his tears away.

The first things he saw over a cloudy field of vision made him dizzy.

‘Is this colour?’

He immediately noticed more petals falling in a slow flurry.

‘…This color seems lighter than red,… Mm…how should I explain about this? I had not seen it so clearly before, so I could not easily put it to words.’

Then it dawned on him. ‘The petals that I saw in spring!’ Reyn slowly stretched out his hands that were soaked with his tears.

But as a petal descended towards his hands, it slipped through his fingers.

‘I couldn’t catch it.’

When he was about to give up, a breeze pushed all the petals towards him, playful as though telling him to follow after them.4

In the infinite darkness, a dazzling light was pouring where all the petals were blown to. It was a gut feeling, but he knew, Prim was waiting for him beyond that.

Reynsis walked slowly towards the light. The more he moved his feet, the more profuse the scent of roses were.

“Your Highness.”

A familiar and pleasing voice called his name. Primabel. It was Prim.

Reynsis took a step closer to approached her. A wind of rose petals danced around him.

The white light completely surrounded him.

“…….”

He woke up from his dream.

“…….”

He blinked once. Twice.

The ceiling was colored with something that he had never seen before.15

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(t/n: frick ohmygod he saw the colours gjsvskaka i speecesv no!! dhjs gdnjw YeSss!!!)

(e/n: Omg!  Omg… I’m not crying… I swear… *starts bawling loudly* ｡･ﾟﾟ*(>д<)*ﾟﾟ･｡  oOOoo… my emotions are so overwhelmed… I love you all… *hugs* )5

(t/n: ignore this im just gonna murder haddad n vierno if they touch my bb reynsis !!!!%@,,#;@)

(e/n: Wait, it’s dangerous out there… *sifts through the refrigerator*… take this with you…     ( ´-ω･)︻┻┳══━一 )