Chapter 94
Despite her worries, Lexion quickly recovered.
One could say his recovery was almost miraculous, akin to the strength of giants, as described by Johan and Gran.
Meanwhile, the executions of the nobles involved in Duke Clan’s rebellion were proceeding smoothly.
According to Lexion, the executions of the key figures, Duke Clan, Belles, and Royden, would take place last. The Emperor was interrogating them rigorously to uncover any remnants of their rebellion.
Rumors had it that their screams from brutal torture echoed through the bars every night, but Sereniel didn’t know that for sure.
Calian was also apprehended. According to Gran, it happened on the very day he came to Rosenvester. He was taken away as soon as he returned to the Helcar mansion.
Johan proved that there was no tampering with the footage brought by Sereniel.
Thanks to that, Calian was not only charged with aiding and abetting rebellion but also attempted murder.
Well, regardless, his end would be execution.
In preparation for any unforeseen events, Sereniel had testified at the palace several times. She meticulously gathered evidence of Calian embezzling funds during the mining operation.
Today was no different. Sereniel went to the palace early in the morning.
However, today, it wasn’t just because of Calian and Belles.
Today, Sereniel did something she had done before.
She submitted the poison Leraie had sent and its ingredients.
[You know, attempted murder of a noble is a serious offense. You were right to tell me.]
…Well, even if the lady didn’t submit it herself, Leraie couldn’t avoid the punishment with Calian Helcar. According to the investigator, Sereniel didn’t respond.
Without concrete evidence of active involvement in aiding rebellion like Calian, the investigation into Leraie was delayed. Of course, if the investigation proceeded, there would be nothing more to see. Anyway, she had been on house arrest at the Helcar mansion, but that would end today.
“Phew.”
As Sereniel got off the carriage, her face showed numerous emotions.
She let out a short breath with such a strange expression before tidying her clothes neatly.
“Madam, are you really okay to go alone like this?”
The coachman, glancing at Sereniel, asked with concern.
“I’m just a coachman, but I know well about the current situation. Besides, the Duke must be very worried…”
If she had spoken to Lexion, he would have surely come with her.
And he would have waited, just like when Calian came.
But Sereniel came to the Helcar mansion alone.
Because there was simply no reason to wait.
Because of the conversations they had had, revealing their bottom lines.
“Thank you for your concern, but there shouldn’t be any problem.”
Sereniel smiled affectionately at the coachman.
“Of course, the Duke may be a little upset when I return, but there’s nothing to be done.”
“Although the Duke doesn’t seem like the type to be upset, but if he does… Well, I’ll be upset too. Now, Madam and I are accomplices, aren’t we?”
“That’s very reassuring.”
Sereniel and the coachman smiled together.
“Please be quick. I’ll be waiting here.”
At the coachman’s words, Sereniel nodded and began to walk slowly.
So familiar, but now so unfamiliar towards Helcar’s mansion.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
In her absence, the atmosphere of the mansion had become notably gloomy.
The mansion seemed to have changed, but amusingly, the furniture and interior remained the same, so Sereniel couldn’t help but laugh. She remembered Leraie’s words that if she ever entered the mansion, she would change everything.
In the end, she couldn’t do anything.
“So, did you come to mock me?”
Standing by the window, Leraie’s eyes were fiercely locked onto Sereniel.
“You damn woman. You’ve always been like this.”
“….”
“Always ignoring me, always looking for opportunities, crushing me like this.”
Sereniel said nothing. She just quietly stared at Leraie.
“Pretending to be innocent, pretending to care… You disgusting woman.”
It was exactly the same as the words she heard when she was slowly dying from poison in the original future.
Sereniel smiled weakly and then pursed her lips slowly.
“I’ve always thought that way since I was a child. I never told you.”
“Yeah, always looking down on me-”
“No, I’m grateful to have a friend like you.”
Leraie’s face contorted in anger.
“You know, you were the only friend I had.”
Anyway, her feelings at the time were sincere. Leraie was precious to Sereniel, her only friend.
“Stop talking nonsense, Sereniel!”
Leraie shouted angrily with a furious face.
“I know how you’ve looked at me. Pitying me like a beggar, always feeling sorry for me. Your parents were the same!”
“….”
“And now you’re trying to deceive me like that?!”
“Isn’t that it? Leraie, sometimes I envied you.”
“….What?”
“Bright, cheerful. You were remarkable, never cowering wherever you went, whoever you stood before. Yes, it was indeed an unfavorable environment, as you said.”
“What are you talking about…?!”
“But I realized it all after knowing the truth. The Leraie I knew didn’t exist in this world.”
Leraie hesitated.
“Leraie, do you still think you ended up like this because of me?”
Sereniel asked with a pained expression.
“You became a woman who seduced a married man, stuck with the foolish Calian Helcar, and turned your pitiful child into a bastard. It was all you, not me.”
“….”
“You probably wanted to laugh at me for getting involved with Calian. Thinking you were finally above me.”
Leraie couldn’t respond. Sereniel’s words were true.
“I’ve thought many times about why things turned out this way. Perhaps all the faults and responsibilities were mine. Otherwise, you and Calian wouldn’t have betrayed me like that.”
Sereniel chuckled bitterly.
“But I realized immediately. I was not at fault at all.”
“….”
“You might want to blame me, but I feel no guilt or remorse. Yet if you still want to blame me, go ahead.”
“What…?”
“That’s the best thing you’ve always done and can do. It’s my last favor to you.”
Leraie’s clenched fist trembled.
“But know this, Leraie. You made yourself miserable, not me. And also, I don’t pity you.”
“….”
“That’s something only those worthy of such sentiments can receive.”
Sereniel’s face was undeniably calm.
There was no hint of disturbance, no trace of resentment or anger.
The woman before her… was entirely different from someone who had always envied, resented, and begrudged others.
Ironically, it made her feel even more defeated.
Perhaps… she instinctively realized that Sereniel no longer cared about the events that had transpired, and thus, she would never be able to tarnish Sereniel, no matter what.
Despite taking everything away and believing she was in control…
Ultimately, Leraie had never once defeated Sereniel.
After all, Sereniel had never participated in such futile and petty battles.
Unconsciously, Leraie bit her lip hard.
“You wretched…!”
If only she had screamed, mocked her for how she could have allowed such things to happen, she might not have been so angry.
“Trash of a woman!”
But even with Leraie’s tirade, Sereniel didn’t even blink.
She just quietly stared at Leraie with sorrowful eyes.
“I heard about it. Your child. You sent it off for adoption, right? To a very distant place, deceiving them about being Helcar’s blood.”
Leraie hesitated.
“I won’t do anything to the child. I’m even thinking of burying it like this. The child is innocent.”
“….”
“In a way, not growing up under parents like you and Calian could be a stroke of luck. Think of it as a blessing for the child too.”
“If it weren’t for you…”
Leraie’s voice cracked with anguish as she pursed her lips.
“My child could have been treated well! Making that pitiful child an orphan overnight, what a shameless thing to say!”
“Is that so?”
Sereniel replied calmly.
“What would you have taught the child, Leraie? How to betray people? How to shed blood? How to send poison and make someone die secretly?”
“….”
“If not that, then how to see the world with twisted hearts and eyes?”
Leraie’s eyes, filled with the usual composure of Sereniel, shook roughly.
Sereniel gazed at Leraie for a moment, then looked beyond the window.
“It’s time to say goodbye, Leraie.”
Leraie’s gaze reflexively followed Sereniel’s. Then she saw some men. Those who had come to escort Leraie.
“They’re here to testify, everything about you and me.”
As Sereniel rose from her seat while looking at Leraie’s face, she glanced back, bidding her final farewell.
“Goodbye, Leraie.”
That was the end of it. Sereniel left the mansion without any lingering regrets or hesitation, passing by the men who had come to escort Leraie.
“Aaaargh!”
…Suddenly, it felt like there was a furious scream from behind, but Sereniel didn’t pay much attention to it.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
As she had told Leraie, Sereniel didn’t leave any testimony about their child.
Thanks to that, exactly two days later, Calian and Leraie were executed, but the child disappeared unharmed to another empire, not the Carteia Empire.
Sereniel didn’t witness their execution.
She simply spent the day at Rosenvester mansion with Lexion, just as she had always done. The only difference was that she spent a little more time in Lexion’s embrace that day.
Now, Sereniel and Lexion were waiting for only one thing.
News of them.
And not long after… it was reported that the execution dates of Duke Clan, Belles, and Royden had been confirmed.
