Seeing that she didn’t show any sign of opening her mouth even after pushing her this far, it could be that she wasn’t really the owner of the holy relic. But it’s a waste as it has come this far, so let’s investigate to the end. When I took off her dress, there was nothing hidden in it. All that’s left is…
Aloken leaned against the carriage window, covered his mouth, and agonized. Let’s look inside her body after her execution.
On the 21st, originally, he shouldn’t hurt Fanora until midnight the next day. I wonder how her godmother would react when she discovered that her goddaughter was a murderer.
There was no way a liar would keep the promised deadline of two weeks.
“…”
Soon the carriage carrying them began to move. Fanora, unaware of Aloken’s intentions, looked out of the carriage and found herself in agony.
Come to think of it, Carl asked me to wait. Could it be that going to Godmother’s banquet hinders Aloken’s plan?
She listened still to the rattling noise of the carriage.
It won’t be.
It was either to kill Aloken or fail to kill him and be executed by guillotine.
Is it because she’s in a situation where the day of her death has been set in one way or another? There was no more light in her eyes.
* * *
<21st. Countess Iva Maquil’s banquet.>
It was a few days later.
“Madam Maquil…”
“Have you been so busy preparing for your wedding? Your complexion doesn’t look good, Goddaughter.”
How many days had it been since she spent time helplessly trapped in the Jalier Mansion? Fanora attended Iva Maquil’s birthday banquet as she was allowed. Iva Maquil, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, greeted her with a warm tone. She then expressed her regret that she hadn’t been able to meet her often.
“… I’m sorry.” Fanora humbly apologized and sat down at the prepared seat.
It was just like a birthday party. Unlike the banquets of young ladies, this was a huge social gathering place. At the prepared round table, the nobles of similar ages sat in pairs and chatted.
“Lady Fanora! Finally, we meet again!”
“Amore.”
“I just heard that you fell seriously ill last month. Don’t overdo it because you promise to come to our territory.”
Fanora dealt half-heartedly with the flock of nobles. She had a complicated mind right now. I never thought that Aloken would set me free like this…
Raising her teacup, Fanora recalled yesterday with a sunken expression.
“Yes? You’re going hunting? What about me?”
“I’m the one who gives you the permission, so I can’t help it. If I decline the invitation now, it will only harm the duke’s reputation. You should attend the banquet alone.”
“Would it be okay?”
It was just a day ago. Fanora received an unexpected notice during dinner with Aloken.
He had been invited to hunt with the first prince in the past few days. It was understandable that he couldn’t refuse an invitation from the royal family, especially from the heir to the throne, but the hunting day was today. He couldn’t keep both promises in different venues unless he had two bodies.
In the end, Aloken decided to prioritize the prince’s invitation and sent Fanora alone to Madam Maquil’s birthday banquet. It was also because the hunting grounds strictly prohibited entry except for the invited party and escorts.
I thought I’d be dragged to the hunting grounds…
Of course, he put four servants in charge of surveillance, so there’s nothing to worry about from his point of view.
Fanora, who expected to be accompanied by Aloken, was very embarrassed when she was left alone in the banquet hall.
“Carl.”
“Yes?”
“You… can you stay here like this?”
“No?”
Besides, there was one more thing he didn’t expect. Carl Andras, he attended this banquet.
Fanora looked at Andras’s third son, who sat beside her. As soon as he sat down, he reached out and grabbed the teacup. Today, he wore something like riding gloves, so the black gloves and the white teacup looked in contrast. As soon as the other nobles saw Andras, they avoided him, so only two people were left at this table.
What are you thinking?
She herself was about to be socially shunned by Aloken. However, Carl, who told her to trust him, was drinking tea peacefully beside her.
Since Aloken suddenly had an appointment, I thought Carl must have done something.
Fanora blinked her darkened eyelashes a few times and soon lowered her eyes. She wanted to listen closely to Carl’s plan for a moment, but she was speechless now that she didn’t know who to trust.
“I’ll be away for a moment!”
“Where are you going?”
“To the place I won’t get scolded unless I turn back and tell.”
Whether he knew the turmoil inside her or not, as Madam Maquil’s banquet began in earnest, Carl excused himself to the bathroom.
Left alone, Fanora made a gloomy expression as she touched the teacup. After some time had passed, Iva Maquil, her sons, and her husband came to the podium.
She looks happy.
Iva Maquil’s family seemed fairly stable. They smiled at each other and often hugged each other warmly. Watching that scene, Fanora gradually felt humbled herself.
“…”
The sons of Iva Maquil make his mother happy just by being there.
I’ve been repeating this life twice, and what the hell did I do? Fanora looked back on her life after regressing. Far from making others laugh like the sons of the countess, she only remembered harming someone in the name of revenge.
Is a villain like me really necessary for this novel?
She began to think negatively. Of course, her risen hope had been trampled by Aloken, and now she was sick and tired of just considering the future.
In the novel and in reality… There’s no place for me.
Where in the world could there be a perpetual fuel? Living with revenge as the driving force was bound to have some limitations. All her expectations had been shattered, and she could no longer stand on the thin pillar of revenge. Now, she just felt like everything in the world was meaningless. My life is so depressing and full of boring stories.
In the distance, grown sons were seen hugging their mother. They told their mother in unison, ‘You’re a great blessing to us.’ Iva Maquil pretended to be indifferent but gently raised the corners of her mouth.
“Congratulations!”
“I wish you endless glory in the future!”
“How could you have raised your sons so well?”
Clap, clap, clap. As the banquet progressed to some extent, thunderous applause resounded from the audience seats where the nobles were seated. Then Fanora, who was depressed, also raised her hands and clapped. She even smiled at her godmother.
“I wish you a happy birthday.”
For once, it was an act with sincerity.
“Oh my! Are they done popping champagne?”
“Yes. Just now.”
“Ah… That’s my favorite part.”
The young man, who had been away through the sound of applause, also returned. When he heard that his favorite part of the banquet had already ended, he looked like a dog in the rain.
Fanora stared at Carl and opened her mouth. “But there will be plenty of champagne left. If you want to see it popping, I’ll ask my godmother for one.”
“Really?”
“Do you want to pop two?”
Carl was delighted by her consideration and smiled widely, showing his joy. The man, who usually gave a gloomy impression, now beamed brightly, so anyone who saw him couldn’t help but feel better.
“…”
But this was the end of her peaceful life. She had to go back soon, as she was allowed to stay only during the day by Aloken.
“Carl.”
“Lady Fanora, this snack melts gently in your mouth. Would you like to try it?”
Even at this moment, Carl was eating snacks without thinking with his fair hands. As she observed the scars on his bare hands, Fanora spoke to him softly. “I didn’t want to rush you, but now I have to listen.”
“!”
Behind them stood the servant whom Aloken had attached, forcing them to keep their voices low.
“You didn’t have any plans, did you?”
“…”
“You were afraid that I might get caught if you took action right away. Is that why you hesitated to say anything?”
He stopped eating and froze in his seat.
“…No.”
“Then, why are you sitting here now? At first, I thought you did something because Aloken suddenly had a schedule, but now that I see it, I think it was just a coincidence.”
“It’s not like that…”
“Even if you had a plan, I wonder what I should expect when the opponent is a duke, and he even held a hostage that you can’t even utter a word about it.”
“…”
“So, how much help would you give me?”
“Uh, so first, asked the Countess… to persuade Aloken…?”
Carl could not give a clear explanation, only mumbling his mouth.
“You know it doesn’t mean anything after all.”
Just by looking at his expression, Carl was like a boy being scolded. But Fanora didn’t bring up this topic to scold him.
“I’m not blaming you.”
“Lady Fanora.”
“Anyway, you’re saying that you don’t like me being executed.”
“…”
“Thank you.”
Fanora beckoned her hand, telling him to come closer. “Would you lend me your ear for a moment? Before I leave the banquet hall, I have one last favor to ask of you.”
“!”
“It’s an important thing you have to do, so listen carefully.”
Carl listened to the words with a serious face.
“East of the capital, at the end of the road called Salt Hills, there is a cabin.”
“Yes.”
“Find the lame woman who lives there this summer.”
“After that?”
Fanora finished with a softened gaze.
“She is the owner of Europa.”
What?
Carl hurriedly distanced himself from the sentence that followed. But he had already heard all the important parts. Fanora tricked Carl by taking advantage of his docility towards her.
“…”
He should have just listened when she told her to listen to it. Fanora let out a light chuckle.
“If it’s you I’ve seen so far, I think you’ll naturally receive the holy relic without telling who gave you the information.”
“Lady Fanora!”
“With this, our deal is really over.”
Fanora said so and rose quickly from her seat. Iva Maquil was walking from afar. She escaped from her seat and approached her godmother.
“It was enjoyable, Godmother. But I don’t think I’ll be able to stay until night because I have an afternoon schedule. What should I do?”
“Are you so busy that you can’t even be with us on a day like this?”
“I’m sorry.”
“No matter how grown-up a child is, it’s natural to let them leave the nest…”
It was that moment. From somewhere came the rough sound of horses’ hooves.
“Hmm?”
What crazy person dares to drag a horse into a birthday banquet hall? She wondered if other nobles had similar thoughts. One by one, the guests turned their heads toward the sound of the horses’ hooves.
“Uh?”
However, the saddle pattern of the horse that appeared somehow caught my eye. The saddle had the symbol of Duke Jalier.
“What’s going on?”
“I’m sorry, Countess. Something urgent happened…”
The messenger who got off the saddle moved quickly to gather the people related to the Jalier family who was in the venue. Coincidentally, there was also a person with the greatest family influence right after Aloken at this banquet. It was Aloken’s uncle.
“A big deal happened, Lord Douglas.”
It seemed that the messenger actually came to this man named Douglas.
Just don’t make a big deal. Fanora titled her head near the messenger. She was curious about what excuse he had to ruin her godmother’s birthday banquet. However, as soon as she heard the story from the messenger’s mouth, Fanora’s expression completely changed.
“What?!”
Aloken’s uncle also looked shocked, perhaps quite surprised.
“The duke is dead…?!”
Seeing that she didn’t show any sign of opening her mouth even after pushing her this far, it could be that she wasn’t really the owner of the holy relic. But it’s a waste as it has come this far, so let’s investigate to the end. When I took off her dress, there was nothing hidden in it. All that’s left is…
Aloken leaned against the carriage window, covered his mouth, and agonized. Let’s look inside her body after her execution.
On the 21st, originally, he shouldn’t hurt Fanora until midnight the next day. I wonder how her godmother would react when she discovered that her goddaughter was a murderer.
There was no way a liar would keep the promised deadline of two weeks.
“…”
Soon the carriage carrying them began to move. Fanora, unaware of Aloken’s intentions, looked out of the carriage and found herself in agony.
Come to think of it, Carl asked me to wait. Could it be that going to Godmother’s banquet hinders Aloken’s plan?
She listened still to the rattling noise of the carriage.
It won’t be.
It was either to kill Aloken or fail to kill him and be executed by guillotine.
Is it because she’s in a situation where the day of her death has been set in one way or another? There was no more light in her eyes.
* * *
<21st. Countess Iva Maquil’s banquet.>
It was a few days later.
“Madam Maquil…”
“Have you been so busy preparing for your wedding? Your complexion doesn’t look good, Goddaughter.”
How many days had it been since she spent time helplessly trapped in the Jalier Mansion? Fanora attended Iva Maquil’s birthday banquet as she was allowed. Iva Maquil, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, greeted her with a warm tone. She then expressed her regret that she hadn’t been able to meet her often.
“… I’m sorry.” Fanora humbly apologized and sat down at the prepared seat.
It was just like a birthday party. Unlike the banquets of young ladies, this was a huge social gathering place. At the prepared round table, the nobles of similar ages sat in pairs and chatted.
“Lady Fanora! Finally, we meet again!”
“Amore.”
“I just heard that you fell seriously ill last month. Don’t overdo it because you promise to come to our territory.”
Fanora dealt half-heartedly with the flock of nobles. She had a complicated mind right now. I never thought that Aloken would set me free like this…
Raising her teacup, Fanora recalled yesterday with a sunken expression.
“Yes? You’re going hunting? What about me?”
“I’m the one who gives you the permission, so I can’t help it. If I decline the invitation now, it will only harm the duke’s reputation. You should attend the banquet alone.”
“Would it be okay?”
It was just a day ago. Fanora received an unexpected notice during dinner with Aloken.
He had been invited to hunt with the first prince in the past few days. It was understandable that he couldn’t refuse an invitation from the royal family, especially from the heir to the throne, but the hunting day was today. He couldn’t keep both promises in different venues unless he had two bodies.
In the end, Aloken decided to prioritize the prince’s invitation and sent Fanora alone to Madam Maquil’s birthday banquet. It was also because the hunting grounds strictly prohibited entry except for the invited party and escorts.
I thought I’d be dragged to the hunting grounds…
Of course, he put four servants in charge of surveillance, so there’s nothing to worry about from his point of view.
Fanora, who expected to be accompanied by Aloken, was very embarrassed when she was left alone in the banquet hall.
“Carl.”
“Yes?”
“You… can you stay here like this?”
“No?”
Besides, there was one more thing he didn’t expect. Carl Andras, he attended this banquet.
Fanora looked at Andras’s third son, who sat beside her. As soon as he sat down, he reached out and grabbed the teacup. Today, he wore something like riding gloves, so the black gloves and the white teacup looked in contrast. As soon as the other nobles saw Andras, they avoided him, so only two people were left at this table.
What are you thinking?
She herself was about to be socially shunned by Aloken. However, Carl, who told her to trust him, was drinking tea peacefully beside her.
Since Aloken suddenly had an appointment, I thought Carl must have done something.
Fanora blinked her darkened eyelashes a few times and soon lowered her eyes. She wanted to listen closely to Carl’s plan for a moment, but she was speechless now that she didn’t know who to trust.
“I’ll be away for a moment!”
“Where are you going?”
“To the place I won’t get scolded unless I turn back and tell.”
Whether he knew the turmoil inside her or not, as Madam Maquil’s banquet began in earnest, Carl excused himself to the bathroom.
Left alone, Fanora made a gloomy expression as she touched the teacup. After some time had passed, Iva Maquil, her sons, and her husband came to the podium.
She looks happy.
Iva Maquil’s family seemed fairly stable. They smiled at each other and often hugged each other warmly. Watching that scene, Fanora gradually felt humbled herself.
“…”
The sons of Iva Maquil make his mother happy just by being there.
I’ve been repeating this life twice, and what the hell did I do? Fanora looked back on her life after regressing. Far from making others laugh like the sons of the countess, she only remembered harming someone in the name of revenge.
Is a villain like me really necessary for this novel?
She began to think negatively. Of course, her risen hope had been trampled by Aloken, and now she was sick and tired of just considering the future.
In the novel and in reality… There’s no place for me.
Where in the world could there be a perpetual fuel? Living with revenge as the driving force was bound to have some limitations. All her expectations had been shattered, and she could no longer stand on the thin pillar of revenge. Now, she just felt like everything in the world was meaningless. My life is so depressing and full of boring stories.
In the distance, grown sons were seen hugging their mother. They told their mother in unison, ‘You’re a great blessing to us.’ Iva Maquil pretended to be indifferent but gently raised the corners of her mouth.
“Congratulations!”
“I wish you endless glory in the future!”
“How could you have raised your sons so well?”
Clap, clap, clap. As the banquet progressed to some extent, thunderous applause resounded from the audience seats where the nobles were seated. Then Fanora, who was depressed, also raised her hands and clapped. She even smiled at her godmother.
“I wish you a happy birthday.”
For once, it was an act with sincerity.
“Oh my! Are they done popping champagne?”
“Yes. Just now.”
“Ah… That’s my favorite part.”
The young man, who had been away through the sound of applause, also returned. When he heard that his favorite part of the banquet had already ended, he looked like a dog in the rain.
Fanora stared at Carl and opened her mouth. “But there will be plenty of champagne left. If you want to see it popping, I’ll ask my godmother for one.”
“Really?”
“Do you want to pop two?”
Carl was delighted by her consideration and smiled widely, showing his joy. The man, who usually gave a gloomy impression, now beamed brightly, so anyone who saw him couldn’t help but feel better.
“…”
But this was the end of her peaceful life. She had to go back soon, as she was allowed to stay only during the day by Aloken.
“Carl.”
“Lady Fanora, this snack melts gently in your mouth. Would you like to try it?”
Even at this moment, Carl was eating snacks without thinking with his fair hands. As she observed the scars on his bare hands, Fanora spoke to him softly. “I didn’t want to rush you, but now I have to listen.”
“!”
Behind them stood the servant whom Aloken had attached, forcing them to keep their voices low.
“You didn’t have any plans, did you?”
“…”
“You were afraid that I might get caught if you took action right away. Is that why you hesitated to say anything?”
He stopped eating and froze in his seat.
“…No.”
“Then, why are you sitting here now? At first, I thought you did something because Aloken suddenly had a schedule, but now that I see it, I think it was just a coincidence.”
“It’s not like that…”
“Even if you had a plan, I wonder what I should expect when the opponent is a duke, and he even held a hostage that you can’t even utter a word about it.”
“…”
“So, how much help would you give me?”
“Uh, so first, asked the Countess… to persuade Aloken…?”
Carl could not give a clear explanation, only mumbling his mouth.
“You know it doesn’t mean anything after all.”
Just by looking at his expression, Carl was like a boy being scolded. But Fanora didn’t bring up this topic to scold him.
“I’m not blaming you.”
“Lady Fanora.”
“Anyway, you’re saying that you don’t like me being executed.”
“…”
“Thank you.”
Fanora beckoned her hand, telling him to come closer. “Would you lend me your ear for a moment? Before I leave the banquet hall, I have one last favor to ask of you.”
“!”
“It’s an important thing you have to do, so listen carefully.”
Carl listened to the words with a serious face.
“East of the capital, at the end of the road called Salt Hills, there is a cabin.”
“Yes.”
“Find the lame woman who lives there this summer.”
“After that?”
Fanora finished with a softened gaze.
“She is the owner of Europa.”
What?
Carl hurriedly distanced himself from the sentence that followed. But he had already heard all the important parts. Fanora tricked Carl by taking advantage of his docility towards her.
“…”
He should have just listened when she told her to listen to it. Fanora let out a light chuckle.
“If it’s you I’ve seen so far, I think you’ll naturally receive the holy relic without telling who gave you the information.”
“Lady Fanora!”
“With this, our deal is really over.”
Fanora said so and rose quickly from her seat. Iva Maquil was walking from afar. She escaped from her seat and approached her godmother.
“It was enjoyable, Godmother. But I don’t think I’ll be able to stay until night because I have an afternoon schedule. What should I do?”
“Are you so busy that you can’t even be with us on a day like this?”
“I’m sorry.”
“No matter how grown-up a child is, it’s natural to let them leave the nest…”
It was that moment. From somewhere came the rough sound of horses’ hooves.
“Hmm?”
What crazy person dares to drag a horse into a birthday banquet hall? She wondered if other nobles had similar thoughts. One by one, the guests turned their heads toward the sound of the horses’ hooves.
“Uh?”
However, the saddle pattern of the horse that appeared somehow caught my eye. The saddle had the symbol of Duke Jalier.
“What’s going on?”
“I’m sorry, Countess. Something urgent happened…”
The messenger who got off the saddle moved quickly to gather the people related to the Jalier family who was in the venue. Coincidentally, there was also a person with the greatest family influence right after Aloken at this banquet. It was Aloken’s uncle.
“A big deal happened, Lord Douglas.”
It seemed that the messenger actually came to this man named Douglas.
Just don’t make a big deal. Fanora titled her head near the messenger. She was curious about what excuse he had to ruin her godmother’s birthday banquet. However, as soon as she heard the story from the messenger’s mouth, Fanora’s expression completely changed.
“What?!”
Aloken’s uncle also looked shocked, perhaps quite surprised.
“The duke is dead…?!”
