Episode 8

“Ahhh!”

“Lady Helena!”

“Are you alright?!”

The surroundings quickly became chaotic.

The young ladies around Helena were bustling around, calling for servants. The sweet, subtle scent of champagne lingered in the air.

Ignoring the scent, I kept my eyes on Helena. She was still glaring at me, her body trembling with rage.

“Someone! Any servant, come here!”

Helena’s friends were frantically looking for any servant to clean up the mess. Now was the time to act, while no one else was paying attention.

I bowed my head to Helena and quietly whispered.

“Lady Helena, let me give you some advice.”

“What…”

I leaned in close to her, speaking before she could react with anger.

“St. Floren.”

“……”

“Never heard of it? How about this then? St. Irons Floren Hospital. It’s a hospital on the outskirts of the imperial capital.”

“I know that much. What are you trying to say?”

Helena asked, her eyes burning with fury.

St. Irons Floren.

Commonly referred to as St. Irons Hospital, it had another, less well-known name and purpose when called St. Floren.

“The hospital itself is in the capital, but did you know part of it is on the outskirts of the empire?”

“What?”

“And did you know that the Marquess of Ithaca has been there for ten years?”

“……”

Helena flinched.

The area was still in disarray. Since the commotion happened outside the banquet hall, it was taking the servants a while to arrive.

“And the Marquess of Ithaca isn’t the only one there.”

“……”

“Count George, Viscount Pyrene, and several other nobles are there too. You know their names, right?”

All of them were troublesome individuals their families didn’t know how to handle. Helena must have understood that.

“Why are you telling me this…”

“The section on the outskirts is called the ‘Repentance Ward.’ They’re all housed there.”

In this era, the Repentance Ward functioned similarly to a mental institution.

Except… it was more brutal.

“Listen carefully, Helena. I’m giving you sincere advice.”

I locked eyes with Helena.

“The families of those people know they’re there. To be precise, they put them there.”

“……!”

“It’s a ward that specializes in handling problematic nobles.”

Helena’s shoulders twitched. I continued with a smile.

“When you don’t want to kill them because they’re family, but you want to prevent them from ever engaging in social activities.”

Helena’s face went pale. The reality of her family’s financial troubles and the potential consequences of her father’s gambling addiction had just hit her full force. If her father’s behavior continued unchecked, he might end up in a place like the Repentance Ward, and her family would suffer even more.

“You should consider your options carefully, Lady Helena. There are ways to protect your family’s honor and future, but it might require difficult decisions.”

Before Helena could respond, the servants finally arrived to clean up the mess. The young ladies around her were still flustered, not entirely sure what had just transpired.

I stepped back, allowing the servants to tend to Helena while I turned my attention back to the main event.

‘The Steins family may not be salvageable, but Helena now knows the stakes. Let’s see how she handles this.’

With that, I made my way toward the banquet hall, leaving Helena to contemplate the weight of my words.

Helena’s body trembled as she looked at me with eyes that screamed, “How do you know about that?”

I merely smiled.

‘Because my ex-husband once tried to put me in there.’

It had been for the flimsiest of reasons—a casual glance exchanged with another man at a party. Later, it was because I smiled at someone, and then because someone picked up my handkerchief for me.

Luckily, that bastard wasn’t attending this banquet.

‘He was a hastily chosen provincial noble from a suitable family anyway.’

There was little chance he’d come to the capital. I continued, looking at Helena.

“It’s not difficult. Get him drunk, hire some mercenaries, and shove him in. All you need is the family’s consent.”

“……”

“Don’t worry about the treatment. They’re confined, but they get regular meals, good facilities, and can even enjoy some hobbies.”

“That’s…”

“Your sister can inherit the title once the rumors die down.”

“I, I…”

“What’s the Count’s favorite drink? Use that.”

Helena finally understood my intention and looked at me with a face that couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She seemed to be asking how I could suggest such a thing.

Yet, her eyes briefly sparkled with realization.

I didn’t miss that.

“I’m just letting you know there’s a way to preserve your family.”

“…Why.”

Helena’s face was filled with distrust as she looked at me.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I want something too.”

Helena remained silent. I added nonchalantly.

“Could you switch places with me at the banquet? You’ll need to change into a different dress anyway.”

The banquet was a military event, so the front row would be occupied by military families, followed by the families who provided the wine, champagne, and food for the event.

The Duke’s house also supplied wine, so they’d be near the front.

‘But the Duke won’t put me up front.’

I’d likely be placed somewhere in the middle rows with the retainers. The front row, directly facing the soldiers, was reserved for Aria.

But I needed to be in that front row.

“…That’s all you want?”

“Well, it’d be nice if we could have a better relationship in the future.”

“A better relationship?”

“A mutually beneficial relationship.”

I whispered nonchalantly.

“An alliance, perhaps? That might seem too close. You can observe me and decide later.”

“……”

“Even if you act on what I told you, I’ll keep it a secret. Just between us.”

I finished speaking and looked intently at Helena.

I was confident she would accept my proposal.

Helena’s eyes shifted, calculating the implications of my words. After a long pause, she finally sighed and nodded.

“Fine. I’ll switch places with you at the banquet. But remember, this better be worth it.”

I smiled, satisfied.

“It will be. Trust me, Lady Helena. We can both gain much from this arrangement.”

With that, Helena turned away, already signaling her attendants to find her a new dress. As she walked away, I felt a sense of victory.

Now, I had secured my place in the front row, where I could achieve what I came here for.

Whatever grudge Helena held against me, it paled in comparison to the fate of her crumbling family. A man she once loved was now married to another woman, and her family’s fortune was in jeopardy.

‘You must be tired of it all, too.’

I couldn’t help but think this. Even though Helena couldn’t possibly remember past lives like I did, or the repeated ruin caused by her incompetent father.

‘Isn’t that right?’

Something clicked.

“……”

Helena quietly nodded, indicating her agreement.

I smiled warmly and stepped away from Helena, quickly heading to the entrance of the banquet hall.

The entrance was less crowded than I had expected. The corridor leading to the banquet hall was adorned with murals depicting various myths.

‘Helena’s seat should be around here…’

As I walked, a young priest caught my eye.

He looked about fifteen, with his eyes covered by a bandage and holding several empty glasses. Just as I was about to pass by the young priest, he grabbed my hand.

I looked down at the hand that held mine.

The young priest, seemingly unaware of his actions, gave a sudden serene smile. It was a smile I wouldn’t have expected from such a young face.

“Apologies. Your presence reminded me of someone I know.”

“It’s alright.”

Priests, regardless of their age, were considered children of the gods, so I used formal language. After a moment of silence, the young priest spoke again.

“May blessings be upon those who receive your touch.”

‘Touch?’

Before I could ask what he meant, the priest quickly walked away. I felt a strange sensation but focused on my immediate priority—Chris.

“Ahahaha.”

“Oh my. Welcome, Viscount.”

“You’re as beautiful as ever, Baroness.”

The grand hall of the cathedral, used for the banquet, was both solemn and magnificent, filled with lively conversations. Despite the splendid display of imperial religious art, I didn’t linger my gaze on it for long and scanned my surroundings.

Chris was on the far side of the hall with a group of knights.

“Your Grace.”

“Greetings, Your Grace.”

I watched Chris, who indifferently received the greetings of the nobles, and made my way to the table where the wine glasses were lined up.

I moved quickly to the spot Helena had exchanged with me.

From that spot, Chris was right in front of me. The only thing separating us was a thin gold-plated rope marking the boundaries of our sections. If I reached out, I could touch him.

Chris’s eyes were cold as they met mine, but I didn’t let that deter me. Standing face to face, I greeted him.

“Your Grace, hello. How are you feeling today?”

“…….”

I heard whispers from the surrounding crowd.

“Did the daughter of Reinhardt just speak to the Grand Duke…?”

“Unbelievable, aren’t their families sworn enemies?”

Chris’s expression seemed to shift slightly before returning to its emotionless state.

“…Hello.”

Hearing his voice made my heart ache.

I had listened to this voice every night.

In the resonant confines of a prison cell, even the smallest sound echoed loudly. Because of this, we could talk even when we were both utterly exhausted.

We would greet each other and confirm each other’s presence.

His voice now was less weary and worn than it had been in the underground prison. It was so quiet that one could easily miss it in a crowded place like this if not paying attention.

I brushed away the rising sadness and spoke to Chris as if nothing had happened.

“I saw you in the newsletter, Your Grace. I am the daughter of the Duke of Reinhardt…”

“Lady Mindia Reinhardt.”

“You know of me.”

Of course, he would know of me. Given his scrutiny of the Duke’s house, he would be aware of everyone in it, including me.

Despite the impossibility of him remembering past lives, it felt like I had found a long-lost friend.

I carefully placed my hand on Chris’s forearm. I felt his arm twitch slightly.

He must dislike this—the daughter of an enemy family suddenly approaching him like this.

‘I’m sorry.’

But Chris had to accept me, even if he despised me.

He had to keep me close, use the information I provided, and eventually use it to strike back when the time was right.

As the beginning of it all, I called out to him.

“Your Grace.”

His always beautiful eyes, now tinged with a bit of confusion, looked at me. I gazed into those eyes and spoke the plan I had formed since the moment I opened my eyes in this life.

“Please.”

“…….”

“Would you allow me to stay by your side?”

I could feel Chris’s arm stiffen under my touch.