CHAPTER 25
After sending Elizabeth off, Rath Arahan stood still, staring blankly at the carriage as it disappeared into the distance. His lips trembled as he bit down on them.
“…Why did I say something like that…?”
Arahan had always been cautious. He prided himself on understanding people—especially women—better than anyone. Yet only now, after the words had already left his mouth, did he realize how much shock they must have caused her.
That realization made his mind go blank.
Worse still, he hadn’t noticed how deeply his confession affected her until it was too late. The delay only deepened his embarrassment.
Love.
He had never believed that word applied to him.
Arahan knew better than anyone the vanity and fickleness that often accompanied affection. That was precisely why Elizabeth Arlesia had never once crossed his mind as someone to desire.
And yet—
At some point, when he noticed the subtle sway of her movements, when his gaze lingered without intention, he realized his feelings were no longer a shallow infatuation.
He understood, then, why irritation crept in whenever another man stood near her.
Still, he had buried those emotions.
Not because of reputation.
But because of Elizabeth herself.
“Ha…”
He exhaled shakily.
“I never meant to get this close…”
Now, if he approached her again, she would surely think he was trying to use her.
Even so, the sincerity of his confession left him unsettled.
He had always believed he could view everything objectively. But when it came to Elizabeth, his perspective had long since stopped being neutral.
At first, he had observed her coldly, from a distance.
Somewhere along the way, that distance disappeared.
And buried at the center of his thoughts was the truth written in the letter his father had left behind.
When he finally tried to step forward, it was already too late.
“…I must have seemed fickle.”
Only kind when he needed something.
And before that—
Before, I wouldn’t even greet her if we passed each other by chance…
Arahan closed his eyes.
Reflecting on his past actions, he understood why Elizabeth must have been frightened by his sudden change. Why she had retreated.
But now that his feelings were exposed, he made a vow.
He would love her openly.
He would protect her so that no one could ever look down on her again.
He would make her Elizabeth Arlesia, loved by all—not the villainess Elizabeth Arlesia.
After all—
Wasn’t he the one who had danced the first waltz with her?
Relief washed over him at the thought.
If another man had taken her hand…
If she had smiled at someone else—
Ha. Rath Arahan.
Even if it had begun under the pretense of using her, choosing to dance with her that night had been the right decision.
Arahan thought of the countless stares and cruel rumors Elizabeth had endured.
“I will never let you go through that again,” he murmured.
“This is the will of everyone—including Anais. Now it’s our turn to protect you.”
His eyes, once cold and sharp, slowly closed.
When he opened them again, an image surfaced—
Elizabeth, bloodied.
His gaze softened instantly.
Resolve filled his eyes, along with warmth.
As he straightened and moved toward the waiting carriage, moonlight spilled across the darkened sky.
With every step, the promises he had made echoed loudly within him.
They could one day turn against him.
Even so—
As Arahan moved forward for her sake, he smiled faintly, finally understanding why his father had fought so desperately to protect Elizabeth.
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“Damn it…”
Because of Arahan’s words, I couldn’t sleep at all.
Even after returning home, bathing, and drinking warm cocoa, my mind refused to settle.
I had thought a little affection wouldn’t change the course of the story. With so many deviations already, I assumed this much wouldn’t matter.
That was arrogance.
“But still…”
If a confession came from a face that handsome, it was unfair.
He wasn’t even my favorite character.
And yet—
He might become one.
Honestly, I had been thrilled.
I hadn’t dared look properly at his face, but for a brief moment during his confession, I had seen his expression.
I almost fell for him.
I stood and walked toward the mirror, forcing the heat from my cheeks away.
In two days, I had a tea party scheduled with Osborne.
Which meant—
“…I forgot to prepare the poison…!!”
What poison had Elizabeth used again?
What was it?
Why couldn’t I remember the original story at a time like this?!
I ruffled my hair in frustration, but all I recalled was that someone had been poisoned.
“…Damn it…”
Knock knock.
“…Come in.”
“Miss, a letter has arrived.”
“A letter?”
“Yes. It bears no royal seal, nor the Arahan crest. Since it was addressed directly to you, we brought it unopened.”
“…Let me see.”
The envelope was blank.
No seal.
Only Elizabeth Arlesia’s name written clearly.
Once the maid set down the tea tray and left, I opened it.
The contents were brief.
Everything is as the will of God.
Alongside the letter lay a strange stone, glowing faintly.
A pale pinkish silver—eerily reminiscent of skin.
“…It’s not jewelry.”
Was it from the temple?
From Arten?
Uncertain, I stared at it for a long time.
Then—
“Wait.”
This handwriting…
I pulled out a box from my vanity and compared the paper inside.
It matched perfectly.
The same handwriting as the letter I’d seen when I first arrived in this world.
“…Then this stone is—”
Using a knife left for spreading jam, I shaved a small amount into powder and dropped it into my tea.
I stirred.
Minutes passed.
When I lifted the spoon, it had turned dark, as though rusted.
“…Poison.”
So there really was a God.
And it had arrived at the perfect time.
Whoever sent this clearly believed I needed to disappear.
“As the will of God” was just a pretty excuse.
In the end, I was meant to die.
Now the problem was Osborne.
How was I supposed to make her drink it?
Too many eyes.
No idea of the dosage.
Too little, and nothing would happen.
Too much, and—
“…Should I test it?”
The thought vanished instantly when I remembered Arten’s words.
Even a tiny amount is lethal.
“…Then isn’t what I added already enough…?”
I leaned closer to the cup.
A sweet scent lingered.
Then—
“Achoo!”
I sneezed violently.
The teacup slipped from my hand.
Clink.
Shattered porcelain echoed through the room.
The maids rushed in.
“Miss—!”
Their eyes landed on the blackened spoon.
“…Poison?!”
“Quickly! Call the doctor!”
“Yes, it’s poison, but—I sneezed before I drank it!!”
They moved quickly, laying me down as the doctor arrived and examined me.
After several tense moments, he sighed in relief.
“If you had consumed even a little more, it would have been fatal.”
“…I didn’t actually—”
“Even half a teaspoon could have knocked you unconscious.”
I had planned to explain.
Then—
“Elizabeth!!!”
A familiar voice cut through the room.
I froze.
“…This is bad.”
