Chapter: 3
Seria slowly walked toward Theodore, stepping over the papers strewn all over the floor.
She had always carried a faint hope that Serion might still be alive.
Officially, the Crown Prince and Princess of Azenta were declared dead… but Seria herself was clearly still alive.
But what if that hateful man was lying?
What if it was just bait to drag her out of hiding?
Seria grabbed Theodore by the collar.
“Do you really think I’d fall for such a stupid lie?”
“I’m telling you the truth, and yet you still can’t believe me? Your brother would be sad if he heard that.”
“Don’t mock me. How am I supposed to trust you?”
“Well, I suppose you wouldn’t. But I haven’t lied about anything. And I have proof, too.”
With little effort, Theodore pried Seria’s hands off his collar.
Seria stared silently at her hands, easily brushed aside.
She couldn’t speak recklessly anymore.
Seeing how confidently Theodore spoke, it was certain he had something.
But how could he possibly prove that Serion was alive?
“You should recognize this.”
Theodore reached into his coat and pulled out a golden brooch studded with vivid green jewels.
Seria couldn’t take her eyes off the brooch in his hand.
It was the one she had given Serion long ago as a birthday present.
“H-How do you have that?!”
Seria snatched the brooch from him.
As she examined it closely, her expression twisted.
Dark, dried blood stains were smeared across it.
Was it… Serion’s blood?
Forgetting Theodore was even there, Seria desperately tried to wipe the blood away.
‘It’s shining…’
The gem embedded in the brooch was one that lost its light when its owner died.
The fact that it was still glowing meant only one thing.
Serion was alive.
With trembling hands, Seria clasped the brooch tightly.
Watching her closely, Theodore dusted off his crumpled clothes and spoke.
“Just like you’re alive even though the world believes you dead, your brother is alive too. If I’d intended to kill you, I would’ve done it six years ago in Azenta.”
Seria stared at him warily.
It didn’t feel like a lie.
He wasn’t even carrying a simple dagger for protection, and when she attacked him earlier, he’d only defended himself minimally instead of fighting back.
Even now, Theodore stood with his arms crossed, as if he had nothing to hide.
That arrogance was infuriating.
“My Lord! Anna! Is everything alright in there?!”
Hearing the commotion, the abbot rushed over and knocked on the door.
Theodore clicked his tongue irritably.
“It’s nothing.”
“But I heard a loud noise…”
“That’s also nothing. Please come back later.”
There was a strange, almost threatening weight in his voice.
Once the hallway fell silent again, Theodore turned back to Seria.
“So, are you willing to talk now?”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“All you have to do is grant me one request. Do that, and I’ll help you find your brother. And the territory of fallen Azenta as well.”
“What?”
He was implying he’d help rebuild Azenta.
But how? The kingdom had already been destroyed by the Antithesia Empire.
Seria bit her lip.
“Are you saying you’ll start a rebellion?”
“If necessary.”
Seria clenched her fists.
The mastermind who led to Azenta’s downfall… talking about rebellion?
It was absurd. No sane person would believe it.
What was he plotting, wagging that snake-like tongue at her?
“You’re insane.”
“I don’t care what you think. I’m serious.”
“…What do you want?”
“It’s not a request that benefits only me. You might even want it as well.”
“Stop dragging it out and just say it.”
At her urging, Theodore’s pale-gray eyes gleamed chillingly.
For a moment, his face looked like that of a devil ready to swallow her whole.
The drawing room door opened, and Theodore stepped out.
The abbot, who had been anxiously pacing the hallway, quickly hurried to him.
The room behind Theodore looked as though a storm had swept through it.
“My Lord, what on earth… What happened in there?”
“I’ll compensate for everything that broke. Now then, if you’ll excuse me.”
With that, Theodore walked past the abbot without hesitation.
The abbot watched his retreating back before rushing inside.
Seria stood alone in the room, dazed.
He approached her carefully.
“Anna… what happened?”
“I-I’m sorry, Father. I’ll clean everything up right away.”
Only after he placed a hand on her shoulder did Seria snap back to reality and speak.
He shook his head gently.
“No, Anna. I’ll take care of this. Go upstairs and rest.”
“But—”
“You look pale. Rest.”
He patted her back and ushered her out.
Practically pushed into the hallway, Seria only made it as far as the stairs before sinking down.
Her limbs felt weak from shock.
She pulled out the small note Theodore had pressed into her hand before leaving.
[Come to the road behind the monastery at midnight tonight.]
Just a short, blunt instruction.
“If you’re willing to accept my deal, read this note. If not, feel free to throw it away.”
He had said that with a faint smirk.
As if he already knew she’d accept.
Feeling furious at being played, Seria crumpled the note and shoved it into her pocket.
“I should’ve just stabbed him…”
She remembered Theodore pressing a shard of teacup to his own neck earlier, and rage burned inside her.
He was the one who had helped conquer Azenta in just two months… The one whose strategies stole her parents’ lives.
‘And yet I…’
She still couldn’t stab him.
The pulse she felt beneath her hand had terrified her.
The weight of a living life pressed suffocatingly against her.
And so, she hesitated.
Because she was afraid of killing a person… she had let her enemy escape, even when he was right in front of her.
How could she face those who stayed behind and died protecting Azenta?
Tears began to fall from Seria’s eyes.
Slowly at first, then streaming down, soaking her sleeves.
She curled into herself, trying to keep the sobs from escaping.
“B-Big sister…?”
Daisy, who had been happily running around upstairs, saw Seria crying and rushed toward her.
“Why are you crying? Who made you cry?! I’ll go scold them!”
She repeated the words Seria had once said to comfort her.
Hearing that only made Seria cry harder.
Daisy quickly wrapped her small arms around her.
“Was that man bad? The one who came on the horse earlier?!”
“It’s nothing, Daisy… it’s just… just…”
“Don’t cry, big sister…”
Seria bowed her head and hugged Daisy tightly.
Daisy gently patted her back until her trembling stopped.
When Seria finally came back to herself, she realized the children had all gathered around her.
With swollen, tear-stained eyes, Seria pulled them all into a hug.
“Thank you… all of you…”
Crying like this, like a child her age, felt so shameful.
She hurriedly wiped her face.
Either way, what had happened couldn’t be undone.
What she needed to do now was meet Theodore again… and hear the full details of his deal.
And about Serion.
