Disgusting b*stard. I feel sick. And in that moment, I truly understood what Dana meant by ‘debauchery.’
Then, thud. Noah bumped into a man. A gentleman wearing a deep black hat. I saw that gentleman enter my room.
Did Justin Lancaster call him?
A snicker escaped me. After a woman, now a man. And even summoning him to my dorm room? Crazy.
Needing fresh air, I immediately went out to the balcony to smoke. Soon, I saw two men walking in the garden below.
Justin Lancaster? Did he leave his room so soon? He was all dressed up, heading somewhere. The man he had bumped into earlier was with him.
Is he following that man? It was past curfew. Was he planning to be even more reckless outside?
What should I care?
I stubbed out my cigarette on the railing and snorted. That woman would definitely nag if she saw this. But that wasn’t my business either.
* * *
Allice’s POV
I finally escaped!
I ran excitedly through the imperial palace corridors. Though I was breathless, I didn’t care. Finally, I was out of that dreadful monastery!
It was really, really hard!
I had endured nearly a week in that torture-like place. The food was tasteless. And not just that. I had to wake up at dawn and pray for hours! That made me resent Brother Viego for confining me there.
But Raios had come to my rescue. He sent a messenger to fetch me himself!
“Your Highness!”
I burst into his bedroom with a bright face. But…
Huh?
I blinked.
Why was no one there? Where did he go after calling her?
“Allice.”
“Kyaa!”
Suddenly, warmth enveloped me from behind. It was Raios.
“Your Highneeess! You scared me!”
“Haha, sorry.” Raios patted my head and walked inside.
I tilted my head curiously. “By the way, where were you?”
“Ah.” Raios took off his black hat and casually replied. “Just taking a walk.”
* * *
Dana’s POV
[Arriving soon.]
The message came from my secretary.
[I have successfully secured the ‘item’ you mentioned.]
It’s done!
I smiled in relief. Lethe had safely secured the item for a deal with the emperor. With that, I can annul my engagement with Raios.
Walking through the night garden, I was lost in thought. Raios, coveting my wealth, refused to annul our engagement, but if the emperor pushed strongly, he would comply. He always avoided conflict with his uncle. So, if the emperor orders, he’ll comply.
And I would further corner Carl. Of course, I had to remove Sandra, Carl’s strong supporter, from the Windsor family. Knowing her fatal secret, using it to break them up wouldn’t be too hard.
After isolating Carl, pushing him from the position of deputy head, and earning a few more merits… Then, the ring of the deputy’s head will be mine.
In three months, or half a year at most. I must settle this within that time…
“You look happy.”
“…”
Suddenly, the woman I was thinking of appeared.
Sandra approached, draped in a shawl. The sound of her steps on the grass reached me. “Your complexion looks good, Dana.”
Sandra stared intently at my face. “Well, receiving so much love from so many people, it’s no wonder your complexion is good.”
“…”
Should I just turn around and leave? I decided against it, as it was time to lay some groundwork.
“My daughter is suffering so much at the monastery. Don’t you feel sorry as her older sister?”
“I do feel sorry. Allice needs to suffer more to come to her senses, and I couldn’t help her with that.”
“What?”
“But don’t feel too sad, Aunt.” I smiled innocently and approached Sandra. “Allice will learn restraint and modesty there.”
“She doesn’t need to. She’s already more than modest enough.”
“That’s true.” I chuckled. “With a wonderful father giving her such a wonderful education, isn’t that right?”
Sandra’s eyes sharpened, sensing the sarcasm. “Carl is a wonderful man. He’s just temporarily stumbling over an obstacle.”
“Of course, I think so too.” I stared into Sandra’s crimson eyes. “Allice has a very wonderful biological father…”
Surprisingly, I clearly saw Sandra’s eyebrows stiffen at that moment.
“Don’t worry too much.”
“…”
“I believe she’ll overcome all adversities and hardships because she takes after her biological father.”
Sandra froze like ice. She looked like she might shatter into pieces with a single touch.
Did the word ‘biological father’ sound that significant to her? Getting so pricked over just a few words. I stifled a laugh.
For now, I decided to stop. I turned around. “Then, good night…”
It was at that moment.
“You!” Sandra lunged and pushed my shoulder.
Thud, I fell backward.
“Watch your words. I don’t know where you heard such nonsense, but Allice is Carl Windsor’s biological daughter! Allice’s biological father is Carl!” Sandra, who had shouted hastily, soon realized she was too agitated and tightly closed her mouth.
I shrugged while lying on the ground. “Who said anything?”
“Y-You’re saying strange things! Anyway, stop talking nonsense!” With those words, Sandra quickly turned around and walked away as if to escape.
I quietly watched her back. That woman is really easy to read. Thinking that, I placed my hand on the ground.
Huh? Suddenly, darkness crashed down in front of my eyes. Everything turned pitch black.
What is this?
No, it wasn’t darkness.
I slowly realized that the scene in front of me had changed. This place was a dark forest.
What?
And a man running frantically through the bushes.
What is this?
Drip, drip. Blood drops fell behind the man.
This is?
And the sound of footsteps chasing him.
In the deep forest, a man was running madly, bleeding. I helplessly watched the one-sided scene unfold.
“Gasp, gasp, gasp.” The runaway’s breath was tangled violently.
Was he injured? The blood falling to the ground was getting darker.
“Keugh!”
Then he tripped and fell. He tried to get up immediately, but. Bang! A bullet lodged in the man’s shoulder.
“Aaaargh!”
The man’s scream echoed through the forest. He wriggled and tried to flee, but at that moment, again. Bang― A direct hit.
“P-Please, hng, aaah…”
The man crawled like a bug, but the merciless firing continued. Bang! This time it hit his thigh.
“Please…”
Step, step. The footsteps of the pursuer drew closer.
“Please, please.”
The man trembled as he lifted his head. By then, the pursuer had reached right in front of him. The long shadow engulfed the man.
“Please, I don’t want to die…”
The man sobbed and begged. He clasped his hands and wept.
“I-I won’t approach Danae, that person, I was wrong, I won’t do it again, so please!”
But the pursuer unemotionally raised the gun again. Click, and the trigger is pulled. And,
“Please, please, please! Spare―”
Bang!
“―Ah!”
At that moment, I gasped and lifted my head abruptly. Gasp, gasp, my suppressed breaths burst out all at once.
What was that, just now?
I looked around frantically. This was the garden. The garden where I had been pushed by Sandra just a moment ago. Not the forest where the murder occurred, but the garden.
Just now…
I placed a hand on my throbbing chest. My heart pounded so fiercely it felt like my ribs would break.
Did I see it again?
The memory of the land. That ability had suddenly poured out again.
I clenched my teeth. Why, suddenly, for what reason― no, more importantly! Someone was killed!
I gathered my strength and stood up.
I had seen it. The scene of the murder. I didn’t see the killer’s face, but I clearly saw the victim’s face. A face I knew.
Justin…
Justin Lancaster. Noah’s classmate at the academy and the boy who had sent me love letters. That boy was murdered in the forest. With bullets in his body, cruelly.
My head spun dizzily. In my memory, Justin had clearly shouted. That he wouldn’t approach Danae, that woman, anymore, begging to be spared. Please, to be spared. That means… Did he get killed because he approached me?
A chill ran down my spine. Was he killed just because he sent love letters to me? Who the hell?!
If there was someone crazy enough to kill someone for sending love letters to me… For a moment, a face instinctively flashed across my mind.
Raios Geranze. The crown prince of this empire.
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