Chapter 252 : Chapter 252

Chapter 252: How... Foolish

Vera ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍belonged to the Gale Duke. The Gale Duke was one of the Emperor’s most trusted ministers... Could it be...

She ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not dare think any further.

She ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍only stared fixedly at Cecilia, while the Royal Princess had already shifted her gaze away, as though that meaningful exchange of looks had never happened at all.

“Do ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍you still have everything you brought out of that library with you?”

Forcing ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍herself to calm down, Ilyss nodded. Her voice was a little dry.

“Most ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍of it is documents and manuscripts. There are also a few ancient elven objects with symbolic value, though their practical magical worth is low.”

“Good.” Cecilia lightly tapped the low table with one fingertip. “Pick out one or two pieces that look the most ornate, the most ‘elven,’ but are in fact of little real use, or whose functions would be difficult to reproduce. In a few days, the Empire will send people to formally take possession of the spoils from the ruins and record your merits. Hand those over.”

“As for the documents, and everything else of genuine value, keep all of it. Not a single page is to be surrendered.”

Ilyss froze and looked at the Royal Princess in disbelief.

She had assumed Cecilia would be eager to seize anything connected to elven knowledge or to dangerous hidden truths, whether for her own control or as a bargaining chip with the Emperor and other powers.

And yet... she wanted everything kept back in secret?

“Keep all of it?” she repeated instinctively.

“That is right.” Cecilia confirmed it, but her gaze drifted once more toward the unconscious Ryan, settling on his striking silver hair. “About him... you said just now that it was not merely simple Mana exhaustion?”

Ilyss was pulled back from her thoughts. She too looked at Ryan, her expression complicated.

“It was not. Mere Mana exhaustion would not cause this sort of origin-level hair discoloration, nor would it have allowed him to erupt with that sort of... law-level suppression. I was very close to him. I could feel it. In that instant, the Mana that surged out of him was abnormal in both quality and quantity, as though some outside power of a higher order had forcibly poured itself into him, spurred him on, and then been torn away in the next breath. I suspect...”

She paused.

“He may have come into contact in the depths of the ruins with some inheritance connected to the elves. Under the crisis, he was forced—or perhaps acted without knowing—to use it, and it caused a severe backlash. That would explain both the sudden increase in his power and his current condition.”

Cecilia listened quietly, one finger absently stroking the edge of the low table. Her ice-blue eyes were profound, and it was impossible to tell what she was weighing.

Only after a long while did she softly murmur in acknowledgment.

“Then it can be restored. So long as it can be restored, that is enough.”

Ilyss felt her heart sink a little further. The feeling was an unfamiliar one.

She had thought... at least after everything they had gone through together in the ruins, after the life-and-death struggle and the sharing of part of their secrets, there might be some slight bond between herself and Cecilia that went beyond pure calculation of interests.

But Cecilia’s response had drawn the boundary with brutal clarity.

Before all else, she was still the Empire’s Royal Princess, still a master strategist at her chessboard.

Whether she wished it or not, though they were nominally allies, perhaps both she and Ryan were nothing more than pieces whose value needed to be assessed.

Some moves on the board Cecilia would never allow her to see.

Some connections she would never explain.

Vera, for instance. If... if Vera had always been Cecilia’s person, then that single word from earlier—outsider—took on a second meaning.

It was not a matter of protection.

It was that no protection was needed.

Because Vera had never been someone who needed guarding against in the first place.

Cecilia had not sent only Ilyss and Ryan into the secret realm after all... Vera herself may well have been one of the contingencies Cecilia had prepared from the start.

That realization left Ilyss with a heavy, stifling feeling in her chest, as though she had thought she had found a wall she could at least lean against, only to discover upon touching it that it was nothing but a cold, polished mirror, reflecting back only the image of herself standing alone.

And Ryan...

Her gaze involuntarily drifted back to that pale, silent face. Before her eyes flashed the image of his back when he stepped in front of the raging Illusion Spider with absolute resolve, and then the last look he had given her as he fell.

There had been no calculation in it. No weighing of value.

Only an instinctive impulse to protect a companion, even though he himself had already been on the verge of collapse.

“I understand.” Cecilia rose to her feet, her skirt brushing across the ground without a sound. “For the next few days, remain here and recover. I will have the finest potions sent to you. The rest... can wait until he wakes.”

When she had finished speaking, she did not look again at Ilyss, nor at Ryan. She walked straight to the tent entrance. The black box that had opened the soundproof barrier flew back into her sleeve on its own. The pale blue ripples faded without a sound, and the noises from outside seeped back into the tent once more.

The curtain lifted and fell.

Silence returned to the tent.

Only the unconscious Ryan remained, and Ilyss sitting on the bed, her thoughts in turmoil.

She sat there alone for a long time, her gaze never leaving Ryan.

His face was pale enough to seem translucent. His long silver hair spread over the pillow, devoid of any living luster. Even the rise and fall of his chest was barely visible. He was so still that it made her heart tighten.

At last, unable to bear it any longer, she threw back her blanket, placed her bare feet upon the cool carpet, and walked to Ryan’s bedside.

After hesitating for a moment, she still reached out and lightly placed her palm over his chest.

Through the thin layer of cloth, she could feel the faint but definite beat of his heart.

She focused her senses.

The body beneath her hand, whose Mana circuits had once been so precise and surging with power, now felt like the bed of a river that had dried completely and cracked apart. There was nothing there.

Only at his heart and at both shoulders did the faintest pulsing remain.

Just then, the little blue bird that had been curled up motionless in the basket by Ryan’s pillow suddenly stirred.

With visible effort, it lifted its head and looked at Ilyss, as though trying to recognize her.

Then it flapped its still-feeble wings, wobbling as it flew up and landed on Ryan’s chest, right beside Ilyss’s hand. Tilting its little head back to look at her, it parted its tiny beak and let out a nearly inaudible chirp, as though questioning her, or perhaps guarding him.

Ilyss froze for a moment.

Looking at the little thing in its weak but vigilant state, something in her heart unexpectedly softened.

She withdrew the hand that had rested on Ryan’s chest and instead slowly extended one finger toward Syl, careful and tentative, a thread of pure natural life-aura lingering at the tip.

The little blue bird tilted its head, its black bead-like eyes studying her finger. Then it leaned in and lightly sniffed it.

The wariness in its eyes visibly faded, replaced by curiosity and trust. Stretching out its little head, it gently, tentatively rubbed itself against Ilyss’s fingertip.

Cool.

Soft.

Syl seemed delighted. He gave two cheerful little chirps. Though the sound was still weak, it carried a little more life than before. He flapped his wings again, more steadily this time, and flew to Ilyss’s shoulder, using his little head to affectionately nuzzle her cheek and the side of her neck.

Ilyss went completely still, and a flood of indescribably complicated emotion rose in her heart.

Warmth. Bitterness. Guilt...

This little creature was Ryan’s contracted companion, the remnant of a sacred beast of the elves. Its closeness toward her came because of her elven blood. And yet its master might now be in this state because of an elven forbidden art...

Before she had even recovered from that tangle of feelings, Syl had already taken off again without hesitation, leaving her shoulder and returning to Ryan’s chest. There he found a comfortable spot, curled himself tightly against his master’s heart, and shut his eyes once more, though his posture was far more relaxed than before.

Ilyss looked at the man and bird together, her gaze moving back and forth between Ryan’s deathly pale face and the silver shine of his hair.

She thought again of Cecilia’s cold words from earlier. She thought of Ryan’s back at the final moment in the ruins, when he had stood in front of her. She thought of the blankness that had seized her mind as he fell, and of the desperate impulse that had driven her to act without regard for anything else...

Slowly, she let out a breath.

A bitter, self-mocking curve tugged at the corner of her mouth.

“How... foolish.”

She murmured it softly, though it was impossible to tell whom she meant.

Then she turned, walked back to her own bed, lay down again, pulled the blanket over herself, and closed her eyes.

But the slight trembling of her lashes and the tightly pressed line of her lips revealed that the turmoil inside her was far from calm.