SILHN Chapter 121

Chapter 121

However, since the fabric had been gifted in a public setting, the Empress Cleo had no choice but to make a dress out of it.
Even after the cloth passed all safety inspections, she must have still felt uneasy.

So, in the end, Cleo tucked the fabric I had gifted her deep away somewhere and instead used one of her own — one that was made from real beast materials.
Normally, she would never wear something like that to a formal banquet.
But this time, she did — and I confirmed it through Sara.

The gem embedded in the sword I gifted to Prince Brian was a tracking mana stone.
I had thought Cleo might dispose of the sword or send it out of the palace entirely.
But since the gift had been presented publicly in front of the Emperor, she must have worried that one day His Majesty might say something like,
“Now that I think of it, didn’t you receive a sword from the princess? Let me see it.”

So Cleo had Brian hand it over to her for safekeeping.
And its location — as Sara reported — was in the secret vault of Daisy Palace.
Inside, untouched, lay the fabric I had gifted her as well.

Cleo must have completely misunderstood.
She must have thought that the goblets given to the Empress and Queen Elaine at the banquet contained something harmful.
She probably expected that if she had the wine or glasses tested, she’d uncover my scheme.

But I hadn’t touched the wine at all.

The only liquid I tampered with was the one Sara intentionally spilled on Cleo’s dress.
When the liquid splashed onto her hem, the fabric began to dissolve, emitting thick, black smoke.
That smoke drifted toward the Empress and Queen Elaine — exactly as intended.

Of course, I had used the power of wind to keep the smoke from reaching Cleo or the Emperor.
If either of them had inhaled it, the entire plan would’ve fallen apart.

The cufflinks Adrian wore and the decorative jewel buttons on my own dress were both purification mana stones.
The ones who actually healed the Empress and Queen Elaine were not the weakened leaves of the World Tree — but me and Adrian, who secretly activated those stones at their side.

As for the laxative they slipped into my drink?
Pathetic.
They had no idea that with my sword’s power, I could easily purify something that trivial.

Still, I’d anticipated Cleo’s next move — that she’d see I wasn’t sick and start raging, ordering the guards to investigate whether I had swapped out the drinks.

Let her rage.
Let her investigate all she wanted.
If only Prince Brian had been slightly less of a fool, I could’ve enjoyed watching Cleo dig her own grave a bit longer.

“After Cleo received your gift, I heard she summoned the same merchant guild to resupply her with that fabric,”
Raymond said gravely.
“That means our suspicions were correct.”

This time, the tavern Hecate’s Inn had managed to track the merchant group that supplied the palace.
We hadn’t yet uncovered their full operation, but it was only a matter of time.

Raymond sighed softly.

“Still… did you really have to do all that in front of the nobles, Your Highness?”

I just laughed.

“I wanted to test Sara one last time.”

The plan had been simple — cause a commotion near Cleo, have Sara spill the cup, and make sure the liquid hit Cleo’s gown.
Of course, if Cleo had been paying any real attention, she would’ve recognized Sara immediately.
If she’d so much as said, “Sara? What are you doing here?” everything would’ve been ruined.
But Cleo had been too fixated on watching whether I drank from my cup.

It was a gamble — and Sara pulled it off flawlessly.

“Besides,” I said with a shrug, “I wanted to make it harder for anyone to pull some underhanded stunt while the poor, grieving children who almost lost their mother were right there watching.”

None of the nobles were stupid.
They knew better than to take everything at face value.

Honestly, the timing had been too perfect.
Some probably realized it was staged in advance.

But that was fine.
Manipulating a situation she clearly understood was rigged — and still making her opponent helpless — that had always been Cleo’s specialty.

And that was why I made sure to bring Great-Aunt Valentina into the scene right at that moment.

“And,” I added, “I was curious to see Queen Elaine’s reaction.”

Would she get angry?
Would she be frightened, realizing how close she’d come to death?
Would she be shocked and demand to know who was behind it?

Instead, frail Queen Elaine, who so rarely left her chambers, didn’t even look surprised when she opened her eyes after fainting.
She didn’t scold anyone for what happened.
Her gaze was dry — like crushed flower petals scattered to dust.
She didn’t side openly with Cleo either.
At least outwardly, she quietly agreed to Valentina’s proposal.

The first time I saw her, I’d been too stunned to properly assess her.
But when I faced her again, prepared this time, I could finally see her clearly.

Yes — she truly was someone who seemed indifferent to her own life.

“Sister… are you really okay?”

Bibi’s trembling voice came through the communication orb.
She’d sent letters and dolls before, but rarely spoke in person.
This time, on the eve of my plan, she looked ready to cry.

“It’s not your fault, Bibi,” I said with a calm smile.

Her guilt-ridden eyes shimmered.

“It’s not yours or mine.”

People falter.
They grieve.
They doubt.
And that’s okay.

I reminded myself again of what I’d thought that day beneath the falling petals:

I’ll be fine.

I remembered those golden eyes — the man who had bowed his head and said “I’m sorry” over and over.
Hearing it didn’t fill the hole in my chest, nor did it erase the pain.
But I decided I wouldn’t resent him either.

If being born as Queen Elaine’s daughter — as a princess — wasn’t my sin,
then being born a Kastline heir, forced into an unwanted betrothal with me, couldn’t be his either.

Kindness could just be kindness.
I didn’t have to twist it into guilt or self-loathing.

I couldn’t let anger or obsession ruin me.

Thinking of Queen Elaine, I understood something.
Yes — someone could live an unwanted life, bear an unwanted child, and grow to resent it all.
They could let that bitterness rot them from within.
They could even conspire with others out of jealousy and regret.

Wasn’t that exactly how the original Titania had lived?
A mother and daughter, mirroring each other’s misery.

No.
I wouldn’t be like that.

I’d awakened memories of my past life, gained strength to fight back, and built a new life.
Now there were people who truly wished me well.
I’d rather live for them.

“And besides,” I said with a grin, “if things ever got dangerous, I knew you’d come help me.”

Having powerful backing really was comforting.
Even though they hadn’t appeared at the banquet itself, members of House Kastline had been watching over us the whole time.
That alone made both Adrian and me far more confident.

Even if Cleo had tried to kill me outright — it wouldn’t have mattered.

Ha! Imagine that — House Kastline on my side.
How reassuring.

Raymond’s eyes widened when he saw the broad smile on my face.
And then—

“Ahem.”

Lycianshus deliberately cleared his throat beside me.

“Well, obviously,” he said, smirking. “If you told me to, I’d follow you to the ends of hell.”

“That won’t be necessary.”

“Then to the ends of the palace — breaking through everything in the way.”

“You make it sound like I destroy every place I go.”

—…(◔ᴗ◔)…

‘What’s with that look?’

—Oh, nothing! I’m always the sincere and loyal sword of my master! (⌒⏑⌒)

‘Hey! Sure, maybe I’ve burned a few buildings and hit a few people, but it was always for a righteous cause!’

While I silently bickered with my sword, someone knocked on the door.
A familiar-looking maid stepped in and bowed.

“…Your Highness, Queen Elaine has requested to see Princess Titania.”

At last — the summons I’d been waiting for.

After Prince Brian was dragged away, the banquet ended in an ugly mess.
The Emperor departed arm-in-arm with Valentina and Elaine, feigning perfect harmony — like a picture of family affection.

Claiming ill health, the Empress and Prince Adrian followed suit.
Titania also vanished swiftly from the hall.

As Cleo left, trembling with fury, she overheard the whispering murmurs of the nobles: