CHAPTER 63…………………………………
“…What is that supposed to mean…?”
Looking at Berthold’s flustered expression, I clenched my fists tightly in secret.
Finally!
How long had I waited for everyone to realize what a terrible person Berthold really was!
Fer’s advice was right.
I glanced once at Berthold, then at the people gathered around me.
Working together with Mom and Dad made everything fall into place so quickly.
Of course, I was half-doubtful until the very end, though.
Let’s back up for a moment.
To explain how all this came about…
<“For now, we’ll each move separately.”>
A few hours earlier, after getting everyone’s agreement, Dad Kyle began explaining his plan one step at a time.
<“Yuria, you act as usual. That’ll make the enemy drop their guard.”>
<“Okay, got it.”>
<“Derrick, you use the invisibility cloak and wait near the Empress’s palace. When that ♩♬ shows up, capture him immediately.”>
<“Understood.”>
<“The enemy can use magic and might even commit suicide if cornered, so make absolutely sure he stays alive.”>
<“Got it.”>
<“And Cici, you…”>
Of course, Dad gave me a mission too.
<“Go to the Emperor, explain the situation, and ask for his cooperation. Can you do that?”>
<“Cooperation?”>
<“Right. We’ll need to move the Empress to a safe location to carry out the plan.”>
<“Move her?”>
At those words, Mom voiced her first question.
Then Dad Kyle said—
<“Of course. I told you you’d have to see it for yourself.”>
His gaze turned squarely toward Dad Harzen.
<“You’ll disguise yourself as the Empress and watch how your brother reacts. All you have to do is lie still and keep your eyes closed—easy, right?”>
<“…”>
<“There’s no harm for you either. If nothing happens, or if your brother really isn’t behind this, we’ll drop our suspicions.”>
Dad Harzen hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.
<“…All right.”>
<“Good. Then I’ll head to the lab and prepare what we need.”>
<“Mm.”>
<“Once you get the vial, contact us right away. Yuria will leave the Empress’s palace soon and return shortly after.”>
<“What if she doesn’t come back tonight?”>
<“That won’t happen. To frame Yuria as the culprit, he won’t risk doing anything that increases the number of suspects.”>
Dad Kyle said confidently—
<“No later than tonight.”>
<“…”>
<“It’ll be settled by then.”>
And that’s exactly what happened.
To think it would go exactly as Dad Kyle predicted.
I thought there’d be some unexpected twist.
Well, there was one—
None of us expected Berthold to confess right in front of Dad Harzen.
For the record, we’d been listening to everything Berthold said through the communication device outside.
Dad Derrick and Dad Kyle aren’t here yet, but that’s fine.
Since Berthold already confessed his crime, nothing could overturn it now.
“…I don’t know what kind of misunderstanding this is,”
Berthold began slowly, still clinging to his last shred of hope.
“I only came to bid Mother farewell.”
“After confessing everything to me—”
“And which part of what I said sounds like a confession, Harzen? I told you before that I wasn’t the one who poisoned her. If you mean what I said afterward, well…”
He frowned, then gave a crooked smile, spinning his twisted excuses.
“A son begging forgiveness from his dying mother—surely that’s nothing unusual, is it?”
“…?”
“When I said it was her ‘final gift,’ that we had no choice… I merely meant we shouldn’t prolong her suffering with life-support any longer. Yes, perhaps I was selfish.”
Wow.
I couldn’t help clicking my tongue inwardly.
At this point, he’s either lost his mind or completely detached from reality.
“But really, why would I ever want to kill Mother in the first place, hmm?”
“There is a reason.”
I couldn’t hold back anymore and shouted sharply.
“Because you tried to kill my mom!”
If it were me, I could never be that brazen.
How could anyone be so shameless?
That made me even angrier.
He’d tormented Dad since childhood and even tried to murder Mom—
yet here he was, boldly claiming innocence.
“How absurd. You think I tried to kill Lady Miller?”
Berthold sneered coldly.
“Do you have any proof of that, little girl?”
“Ugh…!”
Just as I was about to shout again—
“Oh, ♩♪. This family sure loves talking about evidence.”
A playful voice came from behind me first.
I froze mid-sentence and spun around.
“Dad Kyle!”
“Yep, the hero has arrived.”
Dad Kyle pressed my head down with his palm, then pulled something from his coat and activated it.
A voice suddenly filled the entire bedroom—
–‘All we need to do is eliminate the focal point.’
Loud enough to echo all the way outside.
I had asked him to turn up the volume, but this was… a bit much.
“Hmm, this voice sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Exactly like the guy who was spewing nonsense just now.”
Dad Kyle spoke with exaggerated mockery.
“So then, here’s a quiz.”
“…”
“When he says ‘the focal point,’ who do you think he means?”
Everyone’s eyes turned toward Mom at once.
Dad Kyle shrugged, grinning slyly.
“See? Even someone dense could figure that out.”
“…I don’t know why you’re all trying so hard to corner me.”
Berthold’s face stiffened, but he still denied everything stubbornly.
“Still trying to talk your way out of this?”
Dad Harzen spat out the words like poison.
“Don’t disgrace yourself further, Brother.”
“Harzen.”
Berthold narrowed his eyes at him.
“You think it’s less disgraceful to brand me a criminal over a few words I supposedly said?”
“Wow, ♬♪ What a lunatic…”
Dad Kyle shook his head slowly, clicking his tongue.
Then he turned toward the door and shouted—
“Hey, latecomer! Get in here already!”
Moments later, Dad Derrick entered, dragging someone with him.
But I barely noticed him or the captured man—
because the person standing beside Dad Derrick completely stole my attention.
Silver hair glinting under the chandelier light.
Violet eyes—colder than Mom’s, yet somehow similar.
A middle-aged woman with neatly tied hair swept her gaze across the room before speaking.
“What a mess.”
Grandfather looked at her in shock.
“Lady Owen…?”
The instant I heard that name, my eyes widened.
Lady Owen—that meant…
The Grand Duchess Owen!
One of the few who supported Mom and the Empress!
She only appeared once in the original story because she lived mostly in her duchy.
She was popular for her straightforward personality.
In the story, she’d sharply rebuked those who mocked Mom.
And, most importantly—
She’s Dad Sion’s mother!
That’s right.
This woman was none other than my other grandmother—Grand Duchess Owen.
While I stared at her with shining eyes, Mom slightly bowed her head, trying to greet her.
But the Grand Duchess raised a hand to stop her.
“No need for formalities in the middle of such chaos, don’t you think?”
