FWTR Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Michael slowly closed the distance between them.

‘Can he… see me?’

Until now, no one had ever noticed her presence.
Not even her own blood relatives could see her—so why him?

‘Ah.’

Michael, who had been walking directly toward Estelle, suddenly changed direction and ascended the stairs.

He wasn’t approaching her but heading toward the staircase.

‘…He can’t see me after all.’

A contradictory mix of relief and disappointment washed over her.
Two emotions that should never coexist blended seamlessly within her.

Perhaps she felt this way because, regrettably, she craved human connection, even with a stranger like him.

Curious about where Michael was heading, Estelle cautiously followed him.
He moved swiftly, his long strides making it difficult for her to keep up.

As she trailed behind, her gaze was drawn to his jet-black hair, reminiscent of a starless night sky.

‘Where is he going?’

He wasn’t leisurely exploring the Winchester estate—his steps were purposeful, as if he had a clear destination in mind.

‘…That’s…’

Michael finally stopped in front of none other than Estelle’s room.

He gazed at the dust-covered doorknob and gently brushed the dust away before opening the door and stepping inside. His movements seemed natural, almost as if he had been here before.

‘Why my room, of all places…?’

Michael walked in as though he were familiar with the space, then opened a desk drawer and pulled out a journal.

Estelle was taken aback by his actions.
‘How does he know my journal is in there?’

It wasn’t just that he opened it without permission—how could he have known where it was hidden?

The only time she’d ever met Michael was during a brief greeting at a palace banquet.
It had been a formal exchange, with no meaningful conversation between them.

As confusion swirled in her mind, his golden eyes came into view.
Usually devoid of emotion, those cold eyes now shimmered faintly.

Tears began to well up, rolling down his cheeks and falling onto the journal.

She couldn’t understand why he was crying.
This was the same man who had shown no reaction to the deaths of countless servants.

Even her own death—pitiful and unremarkable—had failed to move her family or fiancé.
And yet, Michael, who had no connection to her, was shedding tears for her.

A man who had earlier watched death unfold with a detached expression now cried like a grieving child, his face twisted in anguish as though mourning the loss of someone precious.

“…The Emperor is dead, and the Empress has been imprisoned. She will be executed after the trial. I’ll make sure her head is displayed where you can see it.”

Michael spoke slowly, as if addressing Estelle directly.

So Leonov was already dead, and Melody awaited her execution.

Though it was vengeance carried out by someone else, Estelle felt a grim satisfaction knowing their fates didn’t end in happiness.
For the first time in a long while, her emotions surged, filling the emptiness within her.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner. You must have been so lonely.”

Though she didn’t understand why he had come to her forgotten room to cry, or why he had avenged her, his words lifted the weight from her shoulders and soothed the resentment in her heart.

‘…Thank you.’

Michael’s consolation helped ease her sorrow, and for the first time, she felt a sense of relief.

“There’s no need to hide anymore when we meet. But you’re not here.”

As another tear fell onto the journal, Estelle’s vision was engulfed in darkness.
The ticking of a clock and the sound of a pounding heartbeat echoed in her ears.

—

Blink, blink, blink.

When she opened her eyes, a familiar chandelier came into view.

Air filled her lungs, and her breathing gradually steadied.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, feeling the soft, plush texture of the blanket beneath her fingers.
It was a sensation she hadn’t experienced since her death.

Rising from the bed to make sense of what had happened, Estelle noticed that the cloth covering the room was gone.

Blinking in confusion, she pinched her cheek and finally realized the truth:
She was alive again.

In the mirror to her right, her reflection appeared much younger.
The grotesque burn scars on her wrist were gone—it seemed she had returned to the past.

“When exactly did I come back…?”

Holding her warm cheeks in her hands, she murmured absentmindedly.

“Miss! Today is the day of your appointment with the Crown Prince! Why are you still standing there idly?”

With a loud bang, the door burst open, and Anna entered the room.

Melody’s mocking words about Anna’s betrayal echoed in Estelle’s ears.

‘If you’d managed things properly, none of this would have happened.’

It was true. Until now, Estelle had turned a blind eye to Anna’s insolence.
She had often tolerated her oversteps, letting things slide without a word.

‘Anna. Why didn’t you tell me that Melody gave you a pouch of gold coins?’

If that had been the case, Anna could have been given enough gold to live off for the rest of her life, even if she quit her job.

“Miss Estelle, can you hear me?”

At her call, tinged with annoyance, Estelle turned around and gave her a bright smile.

“You’re being noisy. Stop barking.”

“…M-Miss?”
Anna blinked in shock.

It seemed that hearing Estelle, who had never once spoken harshly, tell her to be quiet was a huge shock.

“How dare you barge in without knocking and act so shamelessly. Have you forgotten who I am?”

A wave of cold fury swept through Estelle’s eyes, which glowed a menacing red.

“Th-That…”

“Go to the butler and confess your crimes. Face your punishment.”

Though she wanted to accuse Anna of betrayal, it was impossible to address such a matter in this uncertain present moment.

“What are you waiting for? Get out, now!”

Shaking with fear, Anna quickly fell to her knees and pressed her forehead to the floor.

“I-I’m sorry, Miss! I-I must have been out of my mind for a moment. It won’t happen again!”

Anna’s voice trembled, as though she had realized that Estelle’s words weren’t just empty threats.

“Tell the butler to send a new maid to attend to me.”

With Estelle’s firm tone, Anna slapped her own cheek and repeatedly begged for forgiveness.

“I-I have family waiting for the money I send back home! If I get kicked out of here, I won’t be able to find another job in the system!”

“…Why should I care about your problems?”

“Miss, please…”

Estelle felt increasingly uncomfortable in her confrontation with Anna, who was still bowing low before her.

As Estelle considered whether to simply expel Anna, she reconsidered.

‘Even if I kick Anna out, Melody will just bribe another maid. Instead, I might as well keep Anna around and use her to my advantage.’

Forgiving her actions didn’t mean forgetting the betrayal she had committed.
Because of her lies, Estelle had died without clearing her unjust name. How could she ever forget the pain of that moment?

“Then prove your worth to me.”

“…What?”

“Are you wondering why I should keep a dog that might bite its owner? I’ll withhold your punishment for now.”

“I-I’ll prepare the wash water right away.”
Anna quickly got to her feet and hurried out of the room.

Once alone, Estelle slowly stood up and checked the calendar.

‘In the year 567 of the Empire, that means three years ago…’

She was 20 years old, before her coming-of-age ceremony.
It was just around the time when talks of her engagement to the crown prince were underway.

‘I haven’t even been engaged to Leonov yet.’

The sound of a careful knock on the door broke Estelle’s thoughts.

“Come in.”

Anna entered with a basin of water and gently began to wash Estelle’s face.

Had Anna’s touch always been this gentle while attending to her? Estelle found it absurd and let out a small laugh.

“Is there… something that displeases you, Miss?”

Anna’s hands trembled slightly, likely from nervousness, which amused Estelle.

Without responding, Estelle sat in front of the vanity. Anna, nervously glancing at her, began to style her hair.

‘…She said there’s an appointment with Leonov.’

Estelle noticed Anna pulling out a ruby brooch from the jewelry box and smirked bitterly.

“Hand that to me.”

The ruby brooch—Estelle used to pin it to her chest habitually whenever she went to meet Leonov.
She had done so to catch his eye, even for a moment, knowing how much he liked red gemstones.

Yet the ruby’s fiery red hue reminded her of the marks he had left on Melody’s neck.

Suppressing her simmering anger, Estelle dropped the ruby brooch.
Then, with the pointed tip of her shoe, she stomped on it with all her strength until a crack ran through its center.

As the ruby shattered into sharp fragments, she felt Anna’s startled gaze on her.

“Breaking so easily… it must have been cheap. Clean it up later and make sure I never see it again.”

“…Yes, Miss.”

Shifting her attention back to the jewelry box, Estelle noticed a topaz necklace.
Its golden brilliance stood out, and the sight brought Michael’s sorrowful face to mind.

She still couldn’t understand why he had been so devastated.

‘Not having to meet in secret anymore means… we must have met in secret before…’

Suddenly, a sharp headache struck her. Estelle pressed her throbbing temple.

‘…This isn’t the time to dwell on memories.’

Forcing herself to erase the image of Michael from her thoughts, she looked into the mirror.

Her silver hair cascaded down to her waist.

Leonov preferred long hair, so Estelle had always made an effort to care for it and wore it loose.

“Anna. Put my hair up.”

“P-Put it up?”

Anna hesitated, seemingly shocked, as she knew Estelle had always worn her hair down for Leonov.

“Hurry.”

Everything she had done to match Leonov’s preferences had been utterly meaningless. From now on, she would live according to her own desires.

Strand by strand, Anna pulled up Estelle’s silver hair, revealing her long, slender neck. The breeze brushing against the nape of her neck didn’t feel bad.

As Estelle stepped out of her room, a cheerful voice called out to her.

“Estelle, sister!”

Looking down the staircase, she saw a young girl waving brightly with a radiant smile.

*‘You must be 17 now.’*

The same endearing smile Melody had always shown now filled Estelle with disgust.