Chapter 108

“Duke Katrin Elemore, the more I see you, the more you remind me of your father.”

“…Pardon?”

“Oh, not in appearance—in personality. Well, Luciano was handsome too, but you resemble your mother more, who was one of the empire’s most beautiful women. But how should I put it…”

In Camel Beatrice’s eyes, there was no longer any resentment toward Luciano Elemore.

He now knew the Duke of Elemore, whom he had once thought a traitor, had in truth volunteered to serve as the Black Knight to protect the imperial family’s security.

Only regret and longing for his friend were left on his face.

“Luciano handled matters very decisively. Cold as a winter wind. Yes, even back at the academy.”

“….”

“One day, some lackey of another prince—who was trying to keep the late emperor in check—framed him in a conspiracy. While I was raging and confronting them, Luciano searched their quarters and found undeniable evidence.”

Camel’s voice was tinged with nostalgia as he recalled the old days with his friend.

“Luciano attacked him with a calm voice, not moving an eyebrow, while the man’s face turned all red and purple. In the end, when he lunged at Luciano, I punched him. He was expelled, I was suspended… Ha ha… Luciano just clicked his tongue at me.”

Hearing his story, Katrin couldn’t help smiling as the image of Duke Luciano from her own memories overlapped with his words.

“Luciano, and his daughter the Duke, are both like cold fire—appearing cool and distant, yet burning with hot justice inside.”

At Camel’s words, seeing his friend in me, I lowered my eyes slightly to show gratitude.

After a moment, Camel’s gaze darkened a little.

“But, Duke, the more I think about it, the stranger your father’s death seems. The route his carriage took wasn’t the original path. He just happened to go down a cliffside shortcut and fell to his death?”

“I think so too.”

My voice, already suspicious of that fact, made Camel flinch.

“At first, I thought imperial faction nobles killed him out of jealousy to steal power. But if not…”

“The five western nations,” Camel finished.

“Yes. My father wouldn’t have been defeated by small imperial lackeys. It’s more likely they intervened.”

Camel nodded heavily.

Then, in a solemn voice, he said to me:

“If they truly killed my friend, I will avenge him without fail.”

I nodded, and Camel went on.

“I sent him away without ever clearing the long-standing misunderstanding. They will pay the price.”

His determination gave me quiet reassurance, and I smiled faintly.

Just then, a gust of wind sent a piece of cloth fluttering toward me.

“….”

It was none other than the white cloth covering Phileos’s face.

His eyes were open in death.

“Tsk.”

Camel clicked his tongue. Thinking it would be too hard for me, his former fiancée, to see the corpse, he moved to block it. But I picked up the cloth and walked to Phileos.

Slowly, I placed the cloth back over his face.

I had hated and despised him, but now that he was dead, I could at least wish him a little peace.

If there is a next life, live it properly.

“You’re going to the Scavengers?”

“Yes. I’ve instructed Elma Pharmaceutical to research a new medicine blend. I think I should look for other useful information.”

Escorting me to the front of the mansion, Heros didn’t enter.

His brown eyes seemed filled with many thoughts.

“A sudden war crisis has made things busy. I’ll count on you.”

“Yes, my lady. Oh, and…”

A warm breeze passed between us.

Pausing, he looked straight at me.

“Tell Anes to serve you a cup of chamomile blend.”

“Hm?”

“There’s no better tea for calming a troubled mind.”

His words made my eyes tremble slightly.

He stepped forward and looked at me.

“You’ve felt your heart pounding this whole time, haven’t you?”

I slowly raised my hand to my left chest.

“Because your heart is heavy.”

It was true.

Even if they were enemies, Aglia, Lucia, and Phileos had all died in a single day.

Having once argued and stood off against them, and now seeing their lifeless bodies, it was impossible not to feel shaken.

“…Haa.”

There was restrained but strong sincerity in his voice.

“Don’t push yourself, my lady. Sometimes it’s okay to be weak.”

He reached out and smoothed the strands of my hair near my lips.

I looked at him for a while, then nodded.

His gaze and words felt warmer than any comfort.

“Thank you.”

He turned away, and I slowly walked inside the mansion.

Following his advice, I asked Anes for a chamomile blend.

Drinking the warm tea by the sunny window, my racing heart began to calm.

In novels, the death of a villain always feels satisfying, but in reality, it’s not so simple.

“…Phew.”

Looking toward the balcony, I sighed.

But how did they do it?

The palace’s security was strict, and so was Duke Luciano’s carriage. How had they killed them?

Westerners were distinctive in appearance, so disguising would be difficult.

Camel also seemed unable to guess the infiltration route.

“My lady, have some cookies with your tea,” Anes said kindly, watching my expression.

They looked delicious, but the thought of Phileos’s death dulled my appetite.

“These are the highest-quality cookies from the Great Temple. Made by priests and priestesses with the blessing of the gods.”

“….”

I slowly picked up a peanut-scented cookie.

Blankly, I bit into it.

“…!”

Then, as something occurred to me, I twisted my lips.

“I know now.”

“Ugh…”

Training with his sword, Etias suddenly furrowed his brow and dismissed the surrounding knights.

He sat in the open space for a while to catch his breath.

The dark energy was manageable, but the problem was—it needed to feed.

“Haa…”

Etias could feel it gnawing at his internal organs, but focused on his breathing.

This pain was the price of immense power, and he had to bear it.

Occasionally, low groans slipped from his dry lips, but he endured.

The pain was enough to make a grown man scream and faint, but for someone whose life had been full of suffering, he was resistant.

After a long while, he stood as if nothing had happened.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he gripped his sword with resolute eyes.

Then, with movements as controlled and precise as writing, he resumed training.

Soon, the knights returned and stared at him in a daze.

It was like watching a dragon soar through the sky.

They felt pride that such a man was their lord.

When his sword practice ended,

“…Katrin.”

His aide, approaching, flinched at the name he murmured.

Sheathing his sword without breaking his composed form, Etias placed his hand over his heart.

She lingers in my mind at all hours, now.