Elena thought of the objects of hatred.
Grand Duke Friedrich. Leabrick. Princess Veronica.
These three people cooperated and conspired to thoroughly deceive Elena. As if that wasn't enough, they killed Baron Frederick and Chesana, who were innocent, and even tried to kill her son, Prince Ian. She had no intention to follow the same life as then.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. She was going to return as much as she had suffered thoroughly. Elena was going to take everything from them. The more they have, the more they lose. The degree of decline would not occupy just the Great House. She was going to completely destroy their wills to live.
Elena lit a match in an empty glass. She dropped the memo paper she had just removed over the small fire. In an instant, a fire broke out and swallowed it up. Elena looked back at the wall.
[Entrance to Frontier Academy.]
[Emperor Richard's death.]
[The assassination attempt of Grand Duke Friedrich.]
[Election ceremony for Crown Princess.]
. . .
Each piece of paper with the future written on it was removed and burned. The value of the memo paper was exhausted as it was deeply engraved in her head and heart. There was no reason to leave a trace.
The last memo paper was burned with the flame.
With it turning to ashes, the future ahead had become entirely Elena's exclusive property.
"I'll throw you... All of you away."
* * *
"Elena."
Chesana looked pitifully at her daughter who had come out of the room early in the evening. She had no choice but to pretend to be indifferent, knowing that no words would be comforting or encouraging.
"Do you want something to eat? How about your favorite steak? Mother will make it for you."
"Mom, you don't have to strain yourself. I'm really fine."
Elena smiled and walked towards the front door. Proposal gifts were laid out just as the porters piled them up in the morning.
"Let's open this together. I wonder what he sent me."
"But that, if you open it..."
Chesana was worried that if she opened the gifts, there would be no way to return them.
"Don't regret. It's too late to run."
Elena, who gave up calmly, opened each gift wrapped in silk. The first box that was opened was a dress with lace. It was a bell line design, but the material was poor and the finish was poor. At least the accessories were worth using.
Because it was produced in traditional ways, it was classified as a specialty in other countries and was highly appreciated.
"Mom, come here for a moment."
"What's wrong?"
Elena reached out and hung the pearl necklace she had just found on Chesana's neck. The brilliance of the silver pearl matched her slender long neck.
"It looks good on you. Use this, mom."
"What? It's fine. I don't need it, you can keep it."
Chesana looked serious. She was sorry that she couldn't stop her from becoming a concubine, so she didn't know what she was talking about.
"You haven't had a decent necklace the whole time you raised me. I really want to give this to you."
"How could I possibly..."
"Come on. If you keep refusing, I'll be sad."
Elena insisted even though she knew Chesana didn't want it. There was a good reason for that.
'When I leave, you will need money. Remember that time and keep it with you.'
Elena only thought about the future, not the present. This was like the wealth they sold their child for, but when the time came, the necklace would be a useful cost of living.
"Father is late."
"Yes... Well you know about his sight at night."
Elena's eyes deepened as she looked out the window where darkness sank.
'I hope everything's okay.'
Creak. Just in time, she heard the door knob turning. The mother and daughter's head turned reflexively.
"I'm home."
"Honey!"
Only after confirming that it was Baron Frederick who had opened the door half-way, did Elena feel relieved.
"Why are you so late? You're hungry, aren't you? Sit down. I'll reheat the soup."
"Wait a moment, honey. I've brought a guest."
"Guest?"
Chesana, just heading for the kitchen, stopped and turned. He had never invited anyone to the house since he settled here. She couldn't believe he invited a guest all of a sudden. She was quite embarrassed by the sudden behavior of Baron Frederick.
"Come in, it's a bit shabby though."
Baron Frederick politely offered them a seat, as if he were treating his superior. The guest was covering their body with a generous hood that came down to their ankle. Nevertheless, with their slender shoulder line and pure white skin that shone beneath their hood, it was possible to infer that it was an adult woman.
"...!"
Elena's eyes grew bigger.
'Don't tell me.'
She tried to pretend to be okay, but the familiarity with the sense of incompatibility stirred her emotions. And the uncertainty gradually turned into certainty.
"You don't have to die, my dear."
When Elena looked at him in silence, Baron Frederick smiled meaningfully.
"You will soon find out what I mean. Let me introduce you. This is..."
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but could you give me a chance to introduce myself? It's to be polite."
The woman's voice was clear as she suddenly cut him off. The feeling that was clearer than dew had a magical power that broke alertness. Baron Frederick responded happily.
"Oh, if that's convenient for you, it's okay."
"Thank you for your understanding."
The woman's gaze reached Elena. It was covered by her hood, so she couldn't see her eyes well, but it was a glance that digs into the opponent.
The hood, with her delicate wrists was pulled behind her head. Then, the beautiful yet intelligent beauty appeared intact. She fixed her alluring gaze on Elena.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Leabrick De Flanders. A noble of the Vecilia Empire."
It was the worst reunion.
* * *
Elena's heart, which recognized her at a glance, cooled down. What a surprise. Contrary to the expectation that her blood would heat up in hatred and revenge, her mind was clear.
There was no room for feelings to intervene. The ice-cold attitude dominated her perfectly, and whispered incessantly. Hold your breath and wait for the right time. When the time comes, bite the nape of the neck at once.
"I'm Elena."
Elena hid her creeping claws behind an awkward smile. She was at the height of the imperial society, so she was good at hiding her true feelings under a mask.
"I know. I know about Miss Elena. I know her very well."
"You know me well?"
Leabrick smiled softly. It was a warm smile that made the viewer feel comfortable, just like that of an angel.
'The abominable woman.'
Elena felt nauseous and twisted for a moment. That smile had fooled her. She believed that the favor was true. The result was a sword in her abdomen and a tragic death. But now it was different. She knew the truth, so she wouldn't be deceived any more. She could only pretend to be deceived.
"It's true, Elena."
"Father?"
"She came all the way to see you."
Baron Frederick adhered to her favorable attitude. He had come in contact with Leabrick in advance, and she guessed that some progress had been made in conversation.
"Honey, what does that mean?"
"She promised to save our Elena. She doesn't have to become a concubine."
"What, really?"
Chesana was taken aback by her husband's curt reply. She had a strong sense of diminishing what, where, from, how to accept it. Elena pretended not to know anything.
"... Save? Me?"
"You don't have to become a concubine, dear."
The eyes of Baron Frederick were full of life.
"She wants to take you to the empire."
"...!"
Elena looked moderately surprised. She also didn't forget to look at Leabrick on the path of anticipation and anxiety. Leabrick, who was waiting for a response, responded with a feverish smile.
"Before explaining the situation, would you believe it if Miss Elena looked the same as someone else?"
"... It's hard to believe."
Leabrick took out a pendant with a smile. It was the family sentence on the lid that caught the eye at once. The X-shaped swords and spears carved over a pair of golden eagles were surprisingly colorful.
Grand Duke Friedrich. It was an unforgettable name for Elena. The lid opened when Leabrick pressed the button on the side of the pendant.
"Oh, oh my God, my dear."
Chesana looked back and forth at the portrait and Elena, with her eyes widening big again and again.
"Isn't this you?"
"..."
The woman in the picture resembled her exactly, as if she had modeled Elena. They looked so much alike that it would be easy to guess that they were twins. The only difference was that the woman in the portrait had gorgeous, beautiful blond hair, unlike Elena who had red, golden hair.
"This is the lady I used to serve. She was elegant and had class unlike any other nobleman in this empire."
"Is she alive or dead..."
"Three months ago, she fell asleep in the arms of the goddess Gaia."
The Gaia denomination was the state religion of the Vecilia Empire. A religion that worships the goddess of earth, Gaia, and believes that they fall asleep in the heaven created by the goddess Gaia after death.
"May God bless her."
Elena placed a hand on her chest and carefully mourned her death. Her worried expression and gaze seemed to indicate that she was truly saddened by her death. It was an astonishing and hair-raising performance, but since she had been passing through imperial society, even this was just a natural part of her daily life.