You are at the End of the Downfall

Kaela was truly furious. Anger surged to the top of her head. Had this man gone mad? Why was he acting this way?

Throughout her married life, because of those infernal Lusenford people always pining for Beatrice, Beatrice, Kaela had felt she married Beatrice rather than Peon.

If she was so precious and cherished, they should have loved each other to the grave! Since their blasted love was an obstacle, it should have disappeared so they could be happy forever!

“Do you think that makes any sense? Is that what you want? The whole empire knows who Your Highness loves! Why pursue a love you cannot keep?”

Having vented, she felt refreshed.

“You two should have just eloped!”

That’s what they should have done. Instead of treating Kaela de Chasser, who became Kaela Ferraro after marriage, as a non-existent entity, worthless as air, the two lovers should have run away together.

Of course, based on stories heard before her death, Beatrice Ravalley likely never even considered such a thing. So Peon alone was the fool. The imbecile.

“Did you at least speak to Lady Ravalley?”

“Yes, I proposed.”

This was news to Kaela. Her eyes widened as she looked at Peon.

“On the first day the Keruzhan envoy arrived, I informed His Majesty that I was of marriageable age, and this is how it turned out.”

He had told the emperor he would marry Beatrice, but was told to marry Kaela instead.

“And so?”

Peon watched as Kaela’s eyes reddened and she raged defiantly. She lacked the strength to receive a guest. He anxiously examined the pallid woman, worried she may collapse again.

She was so thin and pale, and coincidentally wearing a white muslin dress with her pale platinum hair, looking like she would break if touched.

Yet anger burned fiercely in her eyes that held the chill of the sky.

To her, he could not say he had frantically tried to stop this marriage while she was unconscious. If he had failed to stop it, it would only be a cowardly excuse.

“So will you discard Lady Ravalley and marry me as His Majesty commands? Your Highness will never be able to forget Lady Ravalley for the rest of your life.”

Kaela spoke as if she could see the future. When the emperor had similarly ordered the marriage before her regression, she had obeyed without a word, not raging at Peon like this.

Back then, the emperor had overlooked Ostein and forced the rightful Ostein heir Kaela onto Peon. To the emperor, Lusenford was a garbage dump.

“I know full well this marriage makes no sense for you, Your Highness.”

Even if Adeo and Peon were both bastards, their status differed. Adeo de Chasser was the ’emperor’s’ bastard, acknowledged by the previous emperor who even granted him a separate surname and title.

Peon was the empress’s bastard, naturally scorned. Plus, with his lover everyone assumed would become the next Grand Duchess of Lusenford, he was unworthy of Kaela.

Yet he had to marry. Shockingly, his efforts to stop the marriage for three straight days had led to this result.

“His Majesty believes the Ostein Duchy cannot be inherited by Prince Elkanan’s firstborn son.”

Noble marriages are all calculated. This time, with the Duke of Ostein alive and well, and the empress fallen, the emperor who wished to solidify the royal household shuffled the pieces anew.

“The Keruzhan princess marrying the crown prince strengthens the alliance.”

“And Ostein remaining within the empire instead of going to Keruzhan also benefits the empire.”

Kaela immediately understood and countered, and Peon nodded.

“Then what are my gain and Your Highness’s gain?”

She wanted to shove this man and Beatrice off a cliff. It was the first intense violent urge the nobly-raised Kaela had ever felt.

She clenched her fists, straining her frail body to push him towards Beatrice–the woman who would ultimately ensnare him. She pushed him this time, but why?

“Your Highness will be unhappy for life.”

The same was true for her. Yet Peon was better off than her in many ways. At least when she was dying, he had still been alive and well.

“You will think of her every time you see me. You love her so deeply, don’t you? So go now. The empress has even collapsed–what use is any of this? Go. Fulfill that love.”

Kaela’s anger was so scorching it was cold and frigid instead. This woman barely clinging to life telling him to just go to his lover, her wide eyes and face held a crazed look, as if urging the ruinous end she knew awaited.

The problem was not Beatrice. If Peon did elope with Beatrice one day, the emperor would not leave him be. He despised defiance of royal edicts and insults to his honor above all.

Even for Kaela, the noble princess who had done her utmost as Grand Duchess of Lusenford, remnants of her shattered, crumbled pride remained.

She had fulfilled her duties and devoted herself to Lusenford, yet was always disregarded by her husband and mocked by nobles of lower status. The unspeakable humiliation of being confined and starved to death could not be overstated.

“No matter how you persist, His Majesty will not acknowledge your contributions. Look, you said you would marry Lady Ravalley, but he outright ordered you to marry me instead.”

Just a few words and she was already breathless. Kaela knew this anger was fleeting.

It would flare up briefly, only for her to eventually give up and let it dissipate. But until the last ember burned out, Kaela raged willfully. She wanted to vent her fury, if nothing else.

“If you continue like this, you will lose everything. Hold on to at least one definite thing.”

Even though he foolishly loved Beatrice, Kaela, who knew Beatrice well, was practically cursing him to go through it to the bitter end.

“I will help you. If it doesn’t work out, you should at least try to escape from love. What are you doing right now?”

After pouring out a torrent, she eventually ran out of breath and gasped, leaning against the pillow. Still, her piercing pale eyes were aimed straight at Peon.

If Beatrice was so precious that he ignored Kaela and paid her no attention, then he should risk his life now!

Peon, who had been silently listening to the outpouring of criticism, heavily opened his mouth.

“I clearly understand that Your Highness absolutely wants to avoid marrying me. I understand. I also know that you are fully deserving of finding a better groom than me.”

“So?”

A sharp retort cut through the air toward Peon. In the absence of words, Peon suddenly wondered:

‘Did Kaela, who was pushed into marrying him after losing her father, dislike marriage this much? Or is her current self…Kaela…Could it be?’

“Do you have no intention of being with Lady Ravalley?”

Kaela, who had always come to him in a soft voice, never losing courtesy and dignity, trying to persuade and converse with him over and over, shot back before he could answer.

“Then I will show you.”

Kaela, who was used to her husband never answering no matter how much she spoke, ran away that night.