Though his hair had turned white, the man was too young to be described as facing death. After all, he had only been in his mid-thirties about 10 years ago.

Leticia realized she had been thinking too casually about Sir Borba growing old and dying.

She felt as if her inner self had been exposed—pretending to be rational while actually not being so.

How foolish not to have thought of something so obvious.

Unaware of her self-reproach, the man calmly countered Aina’s words.

“And you, Sister, are not a real nun either, are you?”

The man who was once Leticia’s father mentioned the man who was once Leticia’s brother.

“Are you from the imperial family? Or did Luka send you?”

“….”

Aina remained silent, but the man nodded slightly as if that alone told him what he needed to know.

“You’re from the imperial family.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about—”

Aina’s attempt to deny it was cut off by the man.

“A man who has never believed in God suddenly calls someone to pray—wouldn’t anyone be curious about what he might say? Especially if that man is a former spy who knows quite a few secrets.”

Hearing that, it became clear that this was a scenario the man had set up.

“Still, after doing something this suspicious, I thought Luka would send someone, but I guess not.”

“…Why do you think that’s not the case?”

“Because if it were someone sent by him, they would have immediately answered that they came from the imperial family.”

Despite it being an ambiguous question that neither confirmed nor denied, the man answered readily.

He seemed somewhat pleased by the fact that he was having a conversation with someone.

Despite his sickly appearance and gloom.

“Luka is thorough. Someone sent by him wouldn’t be as clumsy as you. I know him well, and he knows me well…”

The man’s words were imbued with deep affection, as if truly speaking about his child.

Leticia tugged at Aina’s sleeve.

A stream of water on the floor formed the word ‘Luka?’

As soon as Aina saw the word, she immediately understood Leticia’s intention and asked a question—a question designed to extract information about Luka Borba.

“He doesn’t seem young enough to be called a child anymore.”

“In a parent’s eyes, aren’t all children still children?”

“Even though he’s keeping you locked up here?”

“….”

Anyone could see that this man was essentially imprisoned here.

His uncomfortable legs and blind eyes. Even the furniture crowding the room, making it difficult for him to move around.

But instead of agreeing, the man remained silent, and after a moment, he asked instead.

“Do I look imprisoned to you?”

“Wouldn’t anyone think so, seeing you now?”

“…You’re not from the imperial family either. Who are you? Where did you come from?”

Aina looked back at Leticia as if asking how she should answer.

Leticia shook her head, signaling her to remain silent for now.

With no response forthcoming, the man continued his story.

“He mistreats me, but he also protects me. If you know about Luka, then of course, um… Perhaps you don’t know Luka well? If the imperial family sent a low-ranking person who doesn’t know that much yet, if Luka wasn’t involved in this—oh, could it be.”

The man’s words became less of a conversation and more of a monologue.

His soliloquy grew increasingly gloomy as it went on, and by the end, he looked downright despairing.

“Has Luka truly, completely abandoned me…”

That wasn’t a question. It was a realization the man had come to.

Leticia finally couldn’t hold back anymore and approached him.

Even though he sensed someone approaching, the man remained lost in his despair.

Leticia called to him softly.

“Father.”

The man raised his head. Despite being unable to see.

“…Leticia?”

Even though it must have been a voice he hadn’t heard in 10 years, the man responded immediately.

“You remember me?”

“Of course, I remember you. You were my daughter. No matter how much time has passed, how could I forget a child who was once mine.”

The man’s surprised face and trembling voice seemed sincere.

But Leticia didn’t take his outstretched hand and instead asked calmly.

Almost coldly.

“But you abandoned me first, Father.”

“…”

“Not just me. You abandoned everyone in the troupe who believed in you as a parent, as a benefactor. In the fire.”

The man withdrew his hand.

Leticia was no longer young enough to be swayed by being called “my daughter.”

“Ten years ago, the great fire at the Borba troupe. You caused it, didn’t you?”

“I won’t deny it.”

“Why did you do it?”

“Because I received orders from the imperial family. From the beginning, the Borba troupe itself was created on imperial orders, and I simply followed those orders to gather and care for orphans… sending those who could be useful as spies to the imperial family.”

“So the charity was just an excuse.”

“Yes. But through that excuse of charity work, I saved quite a few children. Back then, I believed the imperial family was doing the right thing. Out of ten children saved, only one or two would be raised as spies. And I thought living as an imperial spy wasn’t a bad life either. At least back then.”

“Father. I’m not curious about whether the imperial family is good or bad. Or what you thought about the imperial family. So you don’t need to make excuses.”

Would her future actions change if the imperial family had burned down the Borba troupe with good intentions?

No, they wouldn’t.

Leticia came to find the enemy who burned her home and killed her family 10 years ago, not to become an angel who punishes bad people.

“I came for revenge, not judgment.”

“….”

“All you can do for me is to answer my questions sincerely. I don’t want your excuses, your repentance, or your regrets.”

“But Leticia, I really…”

“We were actors, Father. Stop pretending. You don’t feel sorry for me. You don’t regret setting that fire that day. You don’t even feel sorry for me.”

If he truly regretted setting the fire on imperial orders, he would have apologized.

But he merely made excuses, without apologizing or showing compassion.

Thanks to that, Leticia could rid herself of the last lingering attachment in her heart.

The man before her, whom she once called Father, was no longer worth keeping in her heart.

“Are you going to kill me?”

“No. You were just a tool. If I’m to take revenge, it should be on the person who gave you those orders. Who was it? Why did they give you such orders?”

“….”

“Was it the Emperor?”

“So you plan to take revenge on the Emperor?”

“Of course. If he’s truly my enemy. Why are you going to call me blasphemous for that?”

The man slowly shook his head.

He lowered his head, which had been turned toward Leticia, to the floor. And in a more indifferent tone than before, he murmured.

“You’re like Luka.”

“Was Brother Luka also an imperial spy?”

It was a question asking if he was one of the perpetrators of the great fire.

“No. During the great fire at the Borba troupe 10 years ago, he was just an orphan who knew nothing. Like you, he was quick-witted and smart, and I thought he would make a good spy, so I sent him outside before setting the fire.”

“I heard from Grandpa Chester that he suffered severe burns on his face.”

“I said he was quick-witted, didn’t I? Sensing something was wrong, he tried to enter the burning theater and ended up like that, and afterward, as planned, I raised the surviving boy as an imperial spy…”

The sound of a door opening was heard.

“And I came to love Luka. Like a real son. Not even realizing that it was all part of his plan to take revenge on me.”

At the sound of approaching footsteps, the man raised his head and stared past Leticia’s shoulder.

Despite not being able to see, he even narrowed his eyes as if trying to see better.

“When I reached the point where I would do anything for him, he reduced me to this state and said exactly the same thing you did.”

At the end of the approaching footsteps, a large hand gripped Leticia’s shoulder.

“Father was just a tool. Not even worth k*lling.”