It took a long time and patience for the two to become one, but a single word was enough for separation. After notifying the crown prince of their breakup, Retina had no time to dwell in sorrow and was forced to move about from place to place.
Accompanying Norden to various events and functions, Retina fulfilled her duties as a debutante, leading to days that felt as if she needed two bodies to handle them all. The pain that had once felt like a gaping wound in her chest gradually softened with time. The frequency of her blank stares and sudden tears diminished day by day.
“Are you all set?”
Sat extended a hand to Retina as she descended the stairs. Holding onto her to prevent her from tripping in her pointed heels, he draped a jacket over her shoulders.
“You don’t have to go if you’re tired.”
Sat, who always felt uneasy seeing Retina squeeze work into even her sleep time, was concerned. Watching her, who would engage in external activities even if there were no tasks at hand, he felt like the walls were about to collapse at any moment.
Yet, Sat couldn’t stop her because he was worried that if she didn’t focus on external matters, she might dwell on other thoughts that might be even more troubling.
“No, that’s why I should go. Even though I haven’t done anything to unearth their sins, I want to see firsthand what kind of punishment they receive.”
“You’ve done plenty. You’re a crucial witness to proving their crimes.”
Today was the day of the trial for the criminals whose actions had nearly cost Retina her life during the horse-riding event. With all evidence secured from the confession of the coachman and related interrogations, the outcome would remain unchanged even if Retina did not testify.
“It’s hard to believe how quickly the child I always felt the need to protect has grown up.”
“How can you say that? How old do you think I am? Aren’t you treating me like a kid?”
“To me, you still seem young.”
Sat smiled as he looked at Retina, who had grown so much that she could almost reach under his chin. It was both admirable and worrisome to see his once-small sister now an adult and a grand duke of a nation, standing on equal footing with him.
Seeing her stay indoors and only come out for work after the breakup with her lover made her seem like the same child she once was. Similarly, observing his friend, who had fallen into depression due to the pain of separation, made him question whether age really mattered in such matters.
Satt followed behind Retina, who was acting nonchalant. At the trial, Prince Herald was also present. Since the day they were presumed to have broken up, the two had met a few times in official settings but exchanged only brief greetings before pretending not to know each other.
The rumors about the prince’s lover gradually faded as the two who had once seemed like an inseparable couple now interacted awkwardly. The speculation that the prince would not have had feelings for Retina, who was soon returning to the North, played a significant role in these diminishing rumors.
Only Satt, who knew all the details of their relationship, could do nothing but pound his chest in frustration.
“There’s only one solution.”
If Herald, having ascended to the throne, firmly established himself as emperor and Retina entrusted her family affairs to someone else, they could be together.
“If it were that easy, they wouldn’t have broken up in the first place.”
Even from Satt’s perspective, it seemed almost impossible at present. Even if both situations were resolved, it would take a long time and significant effort. By then, Herald would likely need to take another woman as empress for the sake of succession, and Retina would be in a similar situation.
“Everything will be okay in time.”
“Hmm? What did you say?”
“Nothing. Just don’t be nervous about the trial.”
Satt muttered to Retina, who had become haggard after only a few days. He smiled at her as she turned her head toward him.
No matter what, his only wish was for his sister’s happiness. He could never forget the empty gaze of Retina, who had lost her will to live and even her voice. He hoped that the Retina who had decided to keep living would hold on to that resolve for a long time.
* * *
“Those who committed crimes by accepting illicit money and nearly took the lives of innocent people will be sentenced to beheading. Furthermore, the title of Marquis of Hastings, who exploited his domain’s subjects to create illegal funds and employed criminals using his power and wealth, will be revoked, and his assets will be confiscated.”
Although not initially a member of the Deneuve family, the incident where Retina nearly lost her life as an aristocrat had become a more significant matter once it was revealed that she was from the Ragus noble house.
The first trial, which was swiftly conducted following the imperial decree, shocked all those in attendance.
“This cannot be! Please listen to my injustice! I have lived as an aristocrat all my life; how can you expect me to become a commoner? The punishment is too harsh. I was only following the orders of Her Majesty the Empress!”
Helen, unable to accept the verdict, dashed into the center of the courtroom and fell to her knees. Her unusual behavior during the investigation had clearly revealed her unstable mental state.
Her once glossy red hair now appeared brittle and unruly, and the face that had always been adorned with a white layer of powder was now marred by dark under-eye shadows, giving her a haggard look.
“Why do I have to suffer such a punishment? I haven’t done anything wrong!”
Helen’s desperate pleas were accompanied by her disheveled hands clawing at the ground, her nails having changed shape from constant biting. She resisted the knights dragging her away, flailing her limbs in defiance, unable to accept the judgment from the aristocratic judges.
Instead of directly addressing the issue herself, Retina chose to bring Helen and all other nobles involved to trial. This was Retina’s form of revenge against Helen, who refused to acknowledge her guilt. By stripping Helen of everything that constituted her identity, and ensuring that no one remained by her side—particularly those whose opinions mattered most to her—Retina sought to dismantle Helen’s world entirely.
Helen’s future life would be more tormenting than any punishment she had been given.
“It’s quite something to see someone who attempted murder show no remorse whatsoever. Tsk, tsk. She almost caused innocent lives to be lost through her reckless actions, yet she claims to have done nothing wrong. It seems the punishment is rather lenient.”
“Like father, like daughter. It’s astounding that such cruel thoughts could come from the mind of a noble young lady.”
“I heard that last year, she also slashed the debutante dresses of other young ladies with a knife, targeting only those considered crystal moons. Even though rivalry between them is customary, she committed various crimes, and it’s no wonder that a string of charges has emerged.”
Sympathy for Helen faded as she denied her guilt without feeling any remorse for her actions. The list of heinous acts committed by the Histing family was recounted one by one, and many shook their heads in disbelief.
Some speculated that the trial was merely a form of revenge by the Deneuves against Histing for the suffering they had inflicted on Retina, but all the charges brought up were indeed actions perpetrated by the Histing Marquess family.
For those who knew their true nature, it was widely accepted that these wrongdoings would eventually be exposed. No one believed Helen’s pleas of innocence, even as she was dragged away with her arms bound, still proclaiming her unjust treatment.
“Next, the disposition of the Histing Marquess and other families guilty of various corruptions…”
The trial, centered around the Histing family, moved relentlessly from one case to the next. Alongside the Histing Marquess, nobles who had amassed their wealth through corruption were also brought to the stand.
Bound with ropes and presented before the court, they were met with scornful gazes. Among the spectators, commoners hurled garbage, eggs, and tomatoes at them.
An egg thrown at the Marquess shattered on his head, emitting a foul odor as the sticky liquid clung to his hair.
While the Marquess’s face turned red with shame and anger, he was unable to raise his voice like Helen had. Any misstep could increase his charges, so he could only keep his head bowed and suppress his rage.
Despite this, the verdict was unlikely to change.
Retina left the courtroom after a full day of trials. This trial marked the beginning of an extensive investigation into corruption involving the Marquess’s family and other guilty houses.
“The winds of change will blow differently for Rudenheim now.”
“Nature cannot be controlled by human power. We can only adjust our sails to the changing winds.”
“Are you saying whether this will benefit or harm the Deneuve family depends on how I handle it?”
“Well, it’s not limited to Deneuve alone. Of course, the role of the next head of the family, Sat Deneuve, will be significant.”
Retina turned her body slightly towards Sat, who was following her.
Nobles who had committed corruption, regardless of whether they were supporters of the Emperor or the aristocracy, were all subject to trial. The number of families facing imprisonment or forfeiture of titles due to the charges revealed so far exceeded ten.
Their vacant positions would need to be filled immediately, so families relegated to the peripheries would first move into central roles, and new recipients of titles would emerge.
How to utilize the new powers arising from this massive upheaval would be the responsibility of those remaining.
“If His Highness the Crown Prince forms a strong alliance with them, it would be a great help.”
The casual tone in Retina’s words belied her true feelings. Sat, who had read between the lines of Retina’s sudden announcement of their breakup, found his emotions tangled.
“If I go to Rudenheim…”
Retina, who had been walking ahead, abruptly stopped. Seeing someone approaching from the opposite direction, she froze as if she had seen someone she shouldn’t have.
