Chapter 50
“By previous lord… do you mean… my great-grandmother?”
“Yes. Lady Julia left a letter 55 years ago.”
“Fifty-five years?!”
It hadn’t rotted away, had it?
Contrary to her worries, the letter still existed.
Edward retrieved a sheet of paper from a deep drawer in his desk. Perhaps because it was a letter from 55 years ago, the paper had yellowed with age.
He handed the letter to Serena, worried that its content might have faded over time.
“Yes. She asked that it be delivered to the next lord.”
Serena’s heart skipped a beat at the thought that it was a letter from her great-grandmother, even though she had no idea who would inherit the title.
The paper was so fragile that it might tear if handled carelessly, so Serena carefully unfolded it.
Although the writing was slightly faded, it hadn’t disappeared.
Serena began to read slowly.
[If it’s you, you can do it.]
It was just a single short line.
She didn’t know exactly what it meant, but it was advice that fit any situation.
Especially now, when there was a mountain of things she needed to change, it was the perfect piece of advice.
“I’ll keep that in mind. But… you’re not watching from the heavens, are you?”
Serena smiled at her own ridiculous thought while looking at the ceiling, then carefully folded the letter and tucked it into her chest.
“Did your great-grandmother say anything else? About the book I was given yesterday, perhaps? Actually, I opened it a bit, but it was a little… strange.”
She eased into the topic without outright saying that words had appeared in the book.
Edward shook his head, looking puzzled.
“No, she didn’t. The only thing she told me was to take good care of the next lord.”
“Really? Then you have no idea about that book?”
“No, I don’t. My role was only to deliver it. I heard vaguely that it was something only the lord himself could see.”
Edward had no idea because it was a book meant only for the lord.
If that was the case, Serena knew there was no point in asking further.
“Then what seemed strange to you? If there’s something I can help with, I’d like to.”
Serena hesitated for a moment.
If it were something that could be told to anyone, perhaps Julia Roselantis would have said it long ago.
And since it wasn’t someone random but Edward, who handled the lord’s affairs, she felt it wasn’t right to speak recklessly.
“Well, I guess I’ll find out when the time comes.”
Perhaps it was a secret meant only for the lord.
Serena shrugged.
“No, I think it’s nothing really. You must be busy, so I’ll take my leave. And please take care of what I mentioned earlier.”
“Yes, understood. And I, too, will take care of things, my lady.”
Edward bowed deeply.
From his courteous greeting, she could feel the genuine gratitude in his heart. Even though he was only now receiving a fraction of the treatment he deserved.
“And I’ve only just spoken a word to him…”
She wondered what kind of life he had endured.
Serena thought she could never truly imagine the feelings Edward had silently endured over all those years.
After leaving Edward’s office, Serena returned to her own room.
Seeing that Sophia hadn’t come to find her yet, she realized it must be quite early.
Thanks to Edward, most of her questions had been answered, but a few doubts remained.
“Is there a library here? Since it’s a castle, there should be one, right?”
As she walked along the second-floor corridor, she discovered the library as if fate had guided her.
The large doors were wide open, as if inviting her in.
Inside, an enormous collection of books awaited.
It wasn’t as big as the Roselantis Count’s library, but there were enough books to take a lifetime to read.
It would take ages just to become familiar with where everything was located.
“Hmm, how should I even start looking?”
The book she wanted to find was about how the Lefkian Empire conquered other kingdoms, absorbed them, and managed them afterward.
She had heard a rough outline from Edward, but she was curious about the specifics.
“I’ll start searching here.”
She began examining the shelves near the entrance slowly, hoping she might eventually find what she needed. Soon, a title caught her eye.
[The Achievements of the Lefkian Empire Who United the Kingdom of God]
Since it was written from the empire’s perspective, it probably wouldn’t cover all the negative aspects, but she knew that no single book could provide all the information she needed.
She would start with this book and fill in the gaps with others later.
“What time is it now?”
She glanced around and noticed a longcase clock. It was still before 7 a.m.
Serena settled on a sofa in the corner of the library.
She decided to read for a while and return in time for breakfast.
Curiosity mixed with inquiry, Serena began reading lightly. Soon, she closed the half-read book with a serious expression.
“…How could this happen?!”
Even though the book was written from the Lefkian perspective, she could only think of the empire’s actions as utterly cruel.
“They spared only the youngest royal child and executed the rest of the royals… then displayed them!”
The surviving child was adopted into a noble family of the empire—not out of mercy.
It was to assimilate the child, who carried the divine bloodline, into the empire.
“If that was the plan, why kill everyone else?”
She couldn’t understand why they spared only one.
The plan to adopt that one child and absorb their bloodline into the empire seemed equally cruel.
Why commit such atrocities just for a bloodline?
“No, they must have been insane to do this.”
If they had been sane, they wouldn’t have invaded other countries.
Even if there had been minor issues, there was no reason to suddenly attack six peaceful kingdoms.
[Under the heavens, multiple kingdoms of God cannot exist.]
Their reasoning was that there could only be one divine kingdom, created by the descendants of God.
That six kingdoms had existed at all was merely a founding myth—but using such absurd logic to bring suffering to hundreds or thousands of people was horrifying.
Surprisingly, the book recorded what happened to the people of the absorbed kingdoms.
They were branded with large marks on both palms to remind them they were the last descendants and forbidden to move to other cities without permission.
The surviving citizens of Ather had to restore their war-ravaged homeland or cultivate the fields.
Since the landowners were now imperial royals and nobles, the people had to pay more than half their harvest in taxes for leasing the land.
Even if crops failed, the tax remained the same because the land cost was included.
The empire took everything, regardless of whether the harvest was good or bad.
If someone tried to escape, as Edward had said, their origin was checked, and they would be forced to work like slaves or face other punishments.
“I guess this place really is better…”
Nowhere was truly a paradise, so simply not being in hell was a relief.
“But living in a place close to hell isn’t an option either.”
Knowing the circumstances, it was her responsibility as the lord to make this place livable.
“What should I do?”
She returned the book to its place and prepared to leave the library, lost in thought.
At the entrance, someone was waiting for her.
