After breakfast, Rosana saw Jade off and came to the palace where the Duchess was staying to meet her. Perhaps because she’d stated her resolve so firmly, her turbulent heart was calm like a tranquil sea. She hadn’t expected the Duchess to finish organizing her thoughts this quickly. 

Like Rosana, who’d been captive her whole life, the Duchess had distorted things her whole life.

“I couldn’t accept everything in such a short time. I agonized… and agonized again.”

It had taken a long time, and Mother couldn’t have accepted it either—her appearance, which had changed so suddenly. Rosana was certain she had caught a fleeting glimpse of impatience in her expression.  

When Rosana arrived, Emma personally guided her inside. She immediately recognized the Duchess’s shallow attempt to unsettle her by using Emma.  

“Madam has prepared a tea party for you, my lady. She’s quite troubled about how things ended yesterday. My lady, leaving so abruptly was improper. Madam was very saddened—you’re family.”

“So?”

At the calm answer containing the implicit meaning of “and?“, Emma felt her insides boiling. Emma shut her mouth tight.

“Come in, Rosana. I’ve been waiting.”

She wore an uncomfortably bright smile. Like a smiling woman in some famous painting, her smile was beautiful. But ultimately, just like a famous painting is only a still life, no matter how beautiful, it was an artificial smile drawn by a person.

“Yes, Mother.”

Rosana stepped into the room, but when Celine, Yuna, and Baron attempted to follow her, they were stopped.  

“Rosana, I want to have a cozy conversation with family. We don’t need any outsiders joining us, do we?”

“That’s unacceptable.”

Baron firmly opposed. He glared at the Arcadi servants and knights blocking the way.

“I received orders from His Majesty to protect Lady Rosana.”

“My, does the knight think we would harm Rosana? She’s my proud daughter.”

“…”

Rosana’s brow furrowed. The Duchess’s actions had never benefited Rosana. The Duchess wrapped her arm around Rosana’s shoulder and whispered softly in her ear.

“Are you being threatened by Diovaha? Is that why you’re hostile toward us?”

Rosana was dumbfounded and lifted her head to look around. She saw the Duchess looking at her with an expression full of concern, and Amy warily watching Celine, Yuna, and Baron standing behind Rosana.

“So that’s your angle.”

“Hm?”

Rosana had expected her not to believe easily, but she hadn’t anticipated her evading the truth with such absurd excuses.  

Jade had once told Rosana that it was admirable how she didn’t shy away from the truth but instead faced it head-on, even if it meant taking a roundabout path.  

Mother, on the other hand, was too afraid to confront the truth. She seemed to cling to the belief that it wasn’t real, that she still had the power to change things, even now.  

“Fine,” Rosana said calmly. “I have things to discuss with family, so wait outside. However, if anything happens, come in immediately. Is this enough for you, Mother?”

“…Yes. Let’s sit.”

Though she knew they were worried, the Duchess dismissed Rosana’s resolve with her own excuses. She couldn’t tolerate that.

The door closed silently, and those who were once family sat around the large table in the room.

“Rosana, I thought carefully about what you said yesterday. I was too foolish. I didn’t consider you.”

“No. It was also my fault for not expressing myself strongly. Don’t you have questions?”

“You know well.”

“Yes. Of course. Mother only came to me when I didn’t act like Rosana, or conversely, when I did well. This time it’s the former, right? So, what are you curious about?”

Rosana was confident she could refute the Duchess’s words point by point. She just needed to say exactly what she felt. That she was the Rosana right before her eyes. That the Rosana in the Duchess’s mind was merely a marionette.

“You said a new beginning.”

“I did.”

“Amy, you speak too.”

The Duchess urged Amy, who’d been sitting quietly. At her prompting, Amy opened her mouth eagerly.

“I don’t think it’s good. Sister, didn’t you see that person’s eyes? He’s dangerous!”

“Do you know what they’re saying in Astrot? Many criticize you for marrying such a murderer. You’re abandoning noble honor.”

Then did the nobles want me to die from the start? Following her logic.

“Then, may I ask? Was I upholding noble honor? According to your words, Mother, I abandoned noble honor long ago.”

“What are you saying…?”

“Do you think I have noble honor when I love my sister’s fiancé, am rumored to be the villainess of high society, and am the subject of people’s gossip?”

“Rosana!”

“Didn’t you say all of that yourself, Mother?”

The Duchess’s eyes widened. She gripped her dress with all her strength. Her pale white knuckles caught Rosana’s eye.

“Even in this situation, you’ll argue to the end?!”

“What situation? The situation where I didn’t meet my end?”

“Yes!”

“I don’t even want to know why you’re so insistent on my end… why you’re forcing death on me.”

“N-no! Sister! Mother is…!”

“Then what is my end that Mother speaks of?”

In the suffocating silence, only breathing could be heard. Amy, unable to control her bulging eyes, glanced at the Duchess.

The Duchess chewed the inside of her mouth. At the same time, she touched the cold metal beneath her dress hem.

“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll take my leave. I didn’t invite Mother and Amy because I couldn’t let go of family ties. I sent the wedding invitation solely so you could witness my beginning. And I believe my words have proven that.”

“No… you absolutely mustn’t…”

Rosana stood to leave but turned at the small voice heard from behind. And she regretted turning around. The Duchess recklessly thr*st something at Rosana’s chest. 

The blade of a dagger drawn from its sheath gleamed coldly. Her attitude was firm, determined to hand it over no matter what.

Rosana screamed, startled by what she held out.

“Are you insane?!”

“Rather, I want to ask you. You’re Rosana. But why isn’t it flowing according to the story? If you keep staying here, my story won’t end!”

Rosana looked at her screaming like a madwoman with a stunned expression. She barely managed to block her hand. Cold sweat poured down.

It felt like standing at the crossroads of life and death. She’d always spoken of death. She shouldn’t have stubbornly insisted on coming in alone…! 

Rosana bit her lip hard. It was a very familiar object. It was the object the Duchess had pushed on her under the guise of a gift.

Avoiding the dagger’s blade, Rosana stepped back. She struggled to restrain the Duchess, but was only pushed further back. Eventually she hit the door.

“Take it. And when the world becomes so unbearable you can’t stand it, when you hate yourself for marrying such a person and it makes you sick, use the dagger.”

Gone was the screaming from moments ago—she calmly held out the dagger. The incongruity made it even more chilling. But the strength in her grip didn’t weaken at all. 

The sharp dagger’s tip was close enough to stab Rosana’s stomach. Her nape felt cold. What flashed through her mind was Jade’s face.

At the crashing sounds from inside the room, Baron and Yuna were making a commotion outside.

“Move aside! Lady Rosana? What’s happening?!”

“The conversation isn’t finished yet! Until they come out…”

“If you don’t move immediately, I’ll bring His Majesty.”

“Sir Baron! Right now…!”

Her words trying to request his help couldn’t finish. Because it escalated to a physical struggle.

“Take it quickly.”

“I said I don’t want it!”

Despite her refusal, at the tyranny of continuously thrusting it at her, Rosana fiercely shook off the Duchess’s hand. The dagger escaped the Duchess’s grasp like a lie. 

And it flew toward Amy. Amy screamed and covered her head with her hands. The falling dagger scratched Amy’s hand.

“Ah…”

She hadn’t intended to hurt anyone. Rosana looked at the blood droplets flowing down Amy’s hand with a haggard expression. Rosana tried to ask Amy if she was okay. But the Duchess was faster.

“Amy? Are you alright? Rosana, what have you done!”

“That’s because Mother kept thrusting the dagger at me…”

“If you have complaints, tell me!”

It was hard to ignore the throbbing headache. And simultaneously, the door burst open. Baron had forced his way through, pushing aside the ducal family’s maids. Yuna quickly approached Rosana.

“Lady Rosana! What happened?!”

“No, more than me, Amy is…”

The ducal family’s maids who’d been pushed over by Baron stood up huffing, then were horrified seeing Amy bleeding. They moved frantically, crying out “My lady!” 

Sharp gazes turned toward Rosana, demanding who did this. At the familiar situation, Rosana hesitated and stepped back.

“Lady Rosana, are you alright? What happened?”

“Amy got hurt because of you, Rosana. Even if you don’t like it, still… that behavior isn’t good. It’s your fault, isn’t it? Apologize quickly.”

“M-Mother, I’m fine.”

She couldn’t even say it wasn’t true. It was a fact that Amy got hurt as a result of Rosana’s actions. Amy tried to hide her injured hand, but the blood droplets that had fallen made clear marks on the carpet. Angry Emma shouted.

“Ha, Lady Rosana was in danger and wanted to enter so badly, but the result is the complete opposite. Rather, our lady got hurt! She’s even bleeding!”

It felt like the frustrating rage inside her throat would burst. Rosana’s eyes gradually darkened. This wasn’t the ending she’d wanted.

‘I tried to show myself confidently…’

It repeated—someone getting hurt, others surrounding her and criticizing her. Vicious daggers stabbed into Rosana’s entire body.

‘No. I did nothing wrong.’

Her head knew this fact very well. Rosana desperately tried to maintain her reason. 

But the past she thought she’d escaped was crawling up from below her ankles like a shadow. Her eyes, smeared with various emotions, darkened endlessly.

“You treated madam and the young lady who came from afar so coldly, and today you even injured her…”

“Exactly. Saying Lady Rosana wasn’t dangerous. Such nonsense. Madam and the young lady couldn’t do such things.”

“As expected, nothing’s changed.”

Rosana stopped breathing. It was the words she least wanted to hear. How well they knew. 

They were expert level at rendering Rosana powerless. She closed her eyes, desperately hiding her complicated feelings. Finally, the terrible shadow wrapped around her ankle.

“Lady Rosana? What’s wrong?”

Yuna grew anxious seeing Rosana motionless. And she shouted at the noisy maids.

“What are you saying! Lady Rosana doesn’t have such a dagger!”

“Does that matter? Because of Lady Rosana, the young lady got hurt…!”

“Yes, it matters! Everyone’s pushing blame onto Lady Rosana, but the very fact that an object not permitted in the palace exists is the problem! It means Lady Rosana might have felt threatened!”