Two days before the hearing of Rutledge's case. In the luxurious mansions, hall whispering of people's voices. Every room is filled with people in merchant guilds. The luxurious chandelier's light is all over the whole mansion. Guards and shabby attires wore people stay in halls whispering about Emipre's current chaos.
And a straight corridor lay the Director's office. Where Elara Larousse sat on the guest chair and her front sat Sofia Rutledge. Sofia's hands were trembling with fear. Fear of what Elara's doing.
*How is she going to save us? She is confident. I don't want to rely on her, but I don't have a choice now. She is the one who first says she will help me. I don't know her intentions, but she always shows me affection for her, so I must trust her. Yes, I have to trust her.*
"Confess everything in Imperial Court, Sofi," Elara took a breath and said. Elara sat confidently, like a queen without a crown. Her voice held such power that it sent chills, and when she spoke, it felt like even the air had stopped moving.
"Wh..What are you saying? Confess? If I do that.. you know what will happen, don't you? Sofia stammered in a trembling voice, her body shaking as Elara's words struck her like a storm.
"Yes, I know Sofia,? Elara said calmly, lifting her cup of tea. "That's why I'm telling you. do what I say." Her voice was steady, almost casual as if the weight of her words held no fear for her.
*If I surrendered myself in court and confessed what would happen to me and my family? Does she want me to confess? Ah.. why am I sitting here?*
"If you truly want a live your life with your family, you'll have to do this," Elara said, her tone commanding as she sipped her tea. Her gaze never left Sofia, unwavering, as if the decision had already been made. "The rest of how I'll save you, that's for me to figure out."
Elara never showed her expression. What she is thinking? As if she had mastered her expression, but in another way Sofia Rutledge listened to Elara's words carefully. Her whole body is shown up in her mind, what she is thinking?
"But Elara…" Sofia said with a voice where the person broke her all hopes.
"And you don't want to, then I've no choice." Elara continued, her voice cold and commanding as she took another sip of her tea. "This is up to His Majesty the Magistrate. And I know what rules had for treasons for 'Execute an Empire's traitors. And you know Very well, right Sofia?"
"Execution….Cough…cough… No. I don't want. I'll do what you said to me." Sofia gasped, her voice as strained as she started coughing, the weight of her words heavy with fear.
Elara gave her water. Elara smirked and said. "Then, see you later."
Sofia Leave the room. All over the room was silent, Elara stepped on the chair of directors and sat on the chair. And voice coming through the door.
"Why are you helping them, Master? You're the one destroying them, and now you're…." A familiar calm voice interrupted, slowly growing clearer as it approached. From the door, Liam, the director of the the merchant guild, stood.
"Tell me, Liam," Elara said her voice dripping with darkness, "What's the sweetest form of Vengeance? Killing them quickly, or making them wish for death… but ensuring it's always just out of reach?"
"I understand now, my lady, why you are helping them," Liam said, his voice steady, a hint of darkness in his eyes.
"Good," Elara's voice was cold, her lips curling into a thin smile. "I will help her, yes… But not out of mercy. I'll make her suffer, let her taste the edges of despair, and in the end, she will beg for the life I choose to let her keep."
*I've walked through hell. Now, they will too, they'll beg for death, but it will never answer. Their souls will break before they ever find peace.*
***
In the Grand Hall of the Eldrador Empire's Imperial court, everyone looks shocked. The whispering of people clearly listens. Every corner of the hall was shocked, The Magistrate spoke loud to silence them.
The hall is silent like there are no people, and in the centre of the court, a young lady standing in trembling her body. She is Sofia Rutledge, the only daughter of Couple of Rutldege and a traitor of Empire's.
"AH… Finally, she crawled out of her hole." Crowded whispering.
"Yes, we killed the butler's daughter," Sofia said, her voice trembling with tears. "I can't hide anymore, Mom, Dad… how long will keep running?" she looked toward her parents, who stood in the hall, in the centre of the east wing, near the criminal corner. Her condition was poor, exhaustion and fear evident in every step.
This moment was unexpected for Rutledge's couples. Their daughter confessed to their crimes. They looked at Sofia, and in their eyes, they had no hope of life. Sofia was the one they hoped for, but now that hope has vanished.
*I never truly thought you'd come here to confess in court," Elara said with a dark smile. "I thought you'd change the most selfish one of all. But you came. Now, my little fish is caught in my net."
In court, time passed slowly, and Sofia Rutledge unfolded Rutledge's scheming one by one. Their blood flashed. Ryan Crown Prince Aide stepped over the officer and handed one more document.
When the magistrate read that document his facial expression changed. "How ruthless can be? Learn from them," the magistrate said, his voice cold with disbelief. "How can someone have their own friend killed, all for love and jealousy?"
"Yes, Your Highness, Lady Sofia Rutledge tried to kill Lady Elara Larousse Five years ago in a carriage accident. Ryan said, with a mix of disbelief and solemnity, "We all believed it was true. But then, a miracle happened. She returned, defying death itself, five years later." His words hung in the air, as the weight of revelation settled in.
Ryan's words left the entire hall in stunned silence. One revelation after another unfolded, exposing their cruelty. But the most shocking truth was this—Sofia had attempted to murder the second child of Duke Larousse.
Whispers erupted among the crowd, their murmurs filled with disbelief. "Weren't they the closest of friends? How could she?"
Meanwhile, the Larousse family sat frozen, as if the ground beneath their feet had vanished.
Elara's mother, couldn't hold back anymore and screamed in pain, completely ignoring the noble etiquette she had always followed. "Why? Why would you do this to my children?!" the Duchess cried out, her voice shaking with anger and sorrow. "What did they ever do to deserve this?"
Tears ran down her face as she broke down, remembering how Sofia's actions had torn her family apart, separating her from her daughter and son.
That carriage accident hadn't just been meant for Elara. her brother had been in it too that day.
The whispers grew louder, filling the room with questions and disbelief. The Duchess, trembling and barely able to sit upright, was comforted by her daughter, Eirlys, who held her tightly, trying to steady her as the room descended into chaos. Duke's face also said something like he was angry but he composed his expression.
"Why did you do it, Lady Rutledge?" the Duke Larousse asked, his voice heavy with pain and anger. "Was it just because you couldn't stand her? But that doesn't mean you take someone's life."
He turned his gaze to Elara, who sat quietly, her face unreadable. "She thought of you as her closest friend, didn't she? And yet, when you did this to her, did it never occur to you what you were doing? Did you feel nothing at all?"
Elara sat still, her hands resting on her lap, but there was a stiffness in her posture. Her face showed no emotion, but her eyes, for a fleeting moment, glimmered with something unspoken. She lowered her gaze slightly, her fingers curling just a little. The calm she displayed was heavy, like a storm waiting to break—but she held it all inside, refusing to let anyone see her pain.
Soon, the coldness she had been holding onto slipped away. Tears filled her eyes and began to fall, slowly at first, then faster. She didn't try to stop them. Her silence remained, but the tears said everything.
The magistrate looked around at the restless crowd and spoke firmly, "Guards, take lady into custody. She will remain detained for now." He paused for a moment before adding. "We will take a short break. The court will resume shortly."
He nodded to the guards to proceed with the arrest. As the court settled into a brief silence, the tension was thick, and everyone waited for what come next.