Chapter 5
Suddenly, I recalled the words spoken by Prince Belial Hwanta in the past.
“After a visit from Duke Violeontus to the palace, everyone seems uneasy, They say that his gaze can make people feel as if they could be killed without a second thought.”
Laeches walked forward without hesitation. Then, he casually tossed white lilies into a large prepared coffin.
Inside the coffin, there were numerous flowers piled up to mourn the departed.
After completing a series of actions, he respectfully greeted his father, who was consumed by sorrow.
Then, without any lingering emotions, he turned away. People hoped for him to exchange greetings with the man who suddenly appeared, but he did not send a glance in anyone’s direction.
“Did he really come only to mourn me?”
It was just a moment, but it felt like Laeches and the man’s eyes met.
“You have to turn your head.’’
Although I knew it in my head, my body didn’t move as if I were under hypnosis.
Laches didn’t avoid my gaze.
Looking at me, he walked slowly in the direction I was standing.
‘Why is he walking towards me?’
Sweat seeped into the palm of his hand holding the flower basket. I felt suffocated as if I were going to choke. My heart raced like an animal that had fled from a hunter in a desperate sprint.
As Laches approached me, I wanted to run away from this place with all my might.
It was then, as I tried to calm my trembling insides with deep breaths.
“Archdeacon Solnis has arrived.”
“A small murmur from someone pulled me back to reality.’’
“Princess Repleo has also arrived, Rumor has it that she came to the temple as a prayer maiden because she didn’t want to get married.”
The whispers behind me grew louder, Laches, too, seemed to sense something, turning his gaze over my shoulder to look behind me.
I slowly turned my body as well.
“…the temple.”
The first hand of the god, known as the Solnis Archdeacon, priests, and Princess Repleo in a neat black nun’s habit were entering.
“We have come to pray for the departing heiress of the guardian family protecting the empire, so that her journey may not be lonely.”
It was common for priests from the temple to visit funerals and offer prayers for the deceased.
However, it was unusual for the Solnis Archdeacon, known as the first hand of the god, to personally step forward.
‘Of all times…!’
I hurriedly lowered my head and discreetly stepped back into the shadows of the temple. Fortunately, the priests paid me no attention.
Delia and Dettor moved aside nervously, and Prince Bellial, perhaps too absorbed in grief, didn’t seem to notice me shifting my position.
People gathered, expressing their admiration for the grand memorial ceremony.
“It’s only after death that I receive such attention.”
Muttering to myself so that no one could hear, I glanced in the direction where Laches had been.
However, by the time I turned around, Laches was gone, vanished without a trace.
Was the strange sensation I felt from that man just my imagination?
“…I should check.”
I shook off my fear and lifted my head.
It was probably for the best. Since he had visited the temple, it wouldn’t look suspicious if I subtly blended in.
I presented baskets of lilies to the nobles listening to the Solnis Archdeacon’s prayer.
“These are flowers in honor of Miss Nirielle.”
Flowers for mourning.
The invited nobles naturally accepted the flowers.
And…
“…!”
In the process of giving and receiving flowers, I stole their memories.
If it was a murderer who had planned to kill me.
No, even if it was an accidental murder without the intention to kill me at that time, but someone who had been watching me continuously.
I was certain that they would attend my memorial service.
However, most of the memories I saw from the nobles had nothing to do with me.
Keeping all these memories in my head would make it confusing whether they were my memories, someone else’s memories, or if it was reality I experienced, or just a dream. So, I let them all slip away.
“……Huh?”
And finally, I found a usable memory.
‘What kind of person is Nirielle Youngae?’
‘Nirielle Youngae? Are you talking about Rephrentia Nirielle Youngae?’
‘Rephrentia… Quite unlike Viscount Viorrentus.’ Haha
The image of Laches asking Lady about me lingered in my mind.
‘What’s going on? Why is that person asking about me?’’
And it wasn’t just one person.
“What about Nirielle Yeong-ae?’’
‘Hmm… Nirielle Yeong-ae? I’ve never seen her before, so I don’t know much about her.’
What is this all about?
‘Do you know anything about Nirielle Yeong-ae?’
‘Nirielle Yeong-ae… um, I’m sorry, I don’t know her, If you’re curious, should I invite her to the tea party and find out?’
Why in the world?
‘I’m curious about Nirielle Yeong-ae.’
‘Since she’s an Yeong-ae from a noble family like the Duke, wouldn’t the Duke know more than me? Nirielle Yeong-ae is a person shrouded in mystery. But why do you ask?’
‘I’m debating whether to kidnap her, or maybe keep her alive. Or perhaps, should I kill her?’
‘What? Haha, You’re joking too much.’
What are these memories exactly?
There were similar memories with several noble ladies and Yeong-aes.
Laches asking about me and people consistently claiming not to know me, Laches turning away without lingering. Laches’ fierce eyes that passed by me a while ago suddenly came to mind.
Just recalling it sent shivers down my spine.
“…Why are you so curious about me?”
“Everyone’s memory pointed to a single person.’’
A man, whom I didn’t even know my name properly, seemed curious about me.
It was clear that he wasn’t asking because he liked me, at least.
Could it be the insane murderer who killed me? ‘The worst…’
Masu, the Empire’s greatest guardian protecting the northern regions.
In other words, the most dangerous man when considered as an enemy.
Thinking that such a man was trying to kill me left me feeling trapped in a deep quagmire.
‘The North…’
A place where the early spring weather hadn’t even melted the snow yet.
The closed-off North had very few people who knew the reality compared to the rampant rumors.
The information about Masu’s activities was scarce, and the visits were minimal due to the lord, Laches, disliking noisy rumors.
So, obtaining information about Laches Violentus here was extremely limited.
‘’…I might need to go to the Violentus Duchy.’’
“I had to go there.’’
I had to confirm whether Laches Violentus was truly the murderer intent on killing me.
I couldn’t just run away based on speculation; I had died too many times before.
Anyway, he didn’t recognize me.
No, he didn’t even know my name, so it was clear he didn’t know my face.
After finishing my arrangements, I put the basket in the corner and turned to leave the banquet hall.
That’s when it happened.
“Sigh.”
A small sob overwhelmed the noisy banquet hall, My steps to leave involuntarily stopped.
“…Is my daughter, can my daughter be at peace there?”
It was my father.
Father grabbed the bishop and asked with a voice trying to hold back tears.
Bishop Solnis promised to pray for the deceased to find peace and asked Father to calm down.
At the mention of the word ‘deceased,’ Father clung to the bishop, dropped to his knees with a powerless voice, bit his lip, and wept.
People comforted the grieving father, expressing sympathy and consoling him.
“Sigh.”
“That man’s words are truly fitting.’’
A mockery of grandeur.
How amusing this all is.
Who is consoling whom? Why are you the one receiving comfort?
On countless days when I suffered in agony, you always trampled upon my pain with your tranquil steps, consistently comforting and rationalizing it.
‘I should have done well while I was alive.’
Back then, you just left me alone.
What use is regret after death?
There is nothing left.
Honoring the deceased’s final moments is merely a hope that allows the survivors to evade responsibility.
Like a feeble candle about to extinguish in the cold wind, it is a hope without strength.
I turned my head away from my father, who collapsed weakly while crying, with indifferent eyes. As I did, I met the gaze of Princess Repleo standing beside Archbishop Solnis.
In contrast to my surprise, Princess Repleo, with a solemn expression, clasped her hands and greeted me.
“May you receive the blessings of the divine.”
Smiling at me, she blessed me with a gesture.
Since my face was covered, she probably didn’t know who I was.
Priests always seem to offer such blessings for others’ happiness with just a glance.
‘’Blessings of the divine?”
“If God had truly blessed me, He wouldn’t have made me relive life over and over until death.’’
There’s no way I can ignore my desire to stop.
God does not bestow blessings upon me.
I turned my head after muttering these words.
“Have you come to mourn properly, Duke?”
“Yeah, Ronan, There were so many people and it was so noisy that I thought someone had died. Is a memorial service supposed to be this lively?”
“It seems that the prestigious families who consider themselves the guardians of the empire have gathered. … More than that, I didn’t expect the Duke to come to the memorial service.”
In response to his subordinate’s question, Laches remained silent.
While fending off the intrusion of demons and handling the aftermath, news of the suicide of Leparentia Nirel suddenly spread to the north.
Upon hearing the news, Laches prepared a carriage without changing out of the blood-stained clothes that had turned inside out, deciding to go up to the capital.
Leaving the north unguarded was an action he would never take under normal circumstances.
Ronan found it difficult to understand his master’s inexplicable behavior.
“I’ve only been absent until now; this is the first time I’m attending.”
“Huh? The first time?”
What does it mean for it to be the first time attending after being absent until now?
In response to Laeches’ tone, which treated the situation as if Reperentia Nirielli had died multiple times, Ronan, the knight, cautiously observed the reactions of those around him.
“I heard it was suicide?”
“The evidence is clear. There were also rumors circulating about a tragedy caused by the betrayal of a close friend and fiancée. It was said that, as he was already terminally ill, he couldn’t overcome the loss.”
As if about to turn back, Ronan opened the carriage door. However, Laeches, instead of getting on the carriage, glanced around the venue and let out a sarcastic laugh.
“If she was so pessimistic and likely to commit suicide, she would have done it sooner. That woman isn’t the type to take her own life. She’s more likely to stab to death the two who betrayed her. The scandal was huge, though.”
“Did you have a close relationship with Nirielle?”
“No, I don’t even remember her name well, But I’m probably the only one who remembers every detail of that woman’s downfall.”
“Did you perhaps have unrequited love for her?”
At Ronan’s question, Laeches chuckled, twisting his lips.
“Absolutely not.”
The dark eyes, as murky as the hidden side of the moon, narrowed.
“I’ve pondered how to kill before.”
Ronan jerked his head in surprise. However, Laches ignored Ronan’s gaze and climbed into the carriage.
“Let’s go.”
Laches, who gave a brief command, opened the small window of the carriage.
Just as a woman hurriedly exited the banquet hall alone, dropping the flower basket she had been holding and sprinting without glancing around.
No one saw the woman, and no one paid any attention to her.
“What’s going on…”
Laches, trailing off his words, followed the woman with his gaze as she grew distant. His sharp gaze flickered like a predator chasing its prey.
“How is Nirielle supposed to be dead and yet wandering around alive?”
Muttering to himself, Laches watched the woman disappearing into the distance.
“If I personally kill her, maybe I can break free from this tiresome restraint.”
With an arrogant tilt of his head, Laches muttered, ridiculing a life without anyone to watch over him.
“A woman I won’t have to see again anyway.”
No one heard Laches’ confident murmur.
“Ronan, be careful on your way back to avoid the carriage wheels getting stuck, as heavy rain is about to pour.”
“What? Is it going to rain suddenly?”
Ronan looked up at the sky, It was a clear day with not a cloud in sight.
But Laches remained silent.
Rain would pour down once again, It was always a torrential downpour.
He closed his eyes, recalling the delicate shoulders that used to bear everything alone while crying.
But Laches thought that soon those memories would be washed away by the flowing rainwater.
The carriage set off.
Shortly after, just as Laches had predicted, a sudden downpour started from the clear sky.
“Hello, Your Grace.”
“….”
“I’ve come for an interview for the brewery position, I was informed that you are in need of brewery staff. This is a letter of recommendation written by the head physician of the Nirielle family, Persor. I believe it will be helpful, as it is a letter from an admired head physician.”
“….”
“My name is Lea, I heard it’s a common name meaning ‘live a normal life.'”
“……”
“If you just tell me what to do, I’ll work hard at anything. I really want to work here somehow.”
Strange.
They said it’s an easy position to get into with just an introduction, as brewing work is tough to come by…
“….To never see it again.”
Why is that man staring at me like that?
I discreetly shifted my gaze towards the glass door next to me.
The first thing I noticed was the unfamiliar iris color – a shade of violet.
‘Even the iris has changed properly?’
Laches doesn’t recognize my face.
Even if he vaguely saw me before, he would just think we look alike or dismiss it as a resemblance.
Besides, who would think that someone who has already had a funeral is actually alive and attending an interview?
“Why….”
“A hoarse voice flowed through parched lips.’’
Was the voice I heard when I was on the verge of death this voice?
I tried to recall the memory, but it was confusing, as it seemed similar yet different.
“Why are you doing this to me… seriously….”
“What?”
He said he would help with the difficult work at the distillery, but why is he doing this to me?
‘’I looked at Raches, who was rubbing his forehead with a puzzled expression, unable to understand.”
