42: The Appearance of the Celestial Being

The emperor and his royal guard stormed into the mansion. Derek ordered the knights to round up everyone in the estate.  

“Y-Your Majesty!”  

“What is it?”  

“A woman… she hanged herself. Please take a look at this.”  

Derek took the letter handed to him by the knight—a s*icide note left by Laura before her death.  

The letter detailed all the evil deeds she had been forced to commit under the orders of Count Blueanz. She had done them for Aella’s sake, but the letter conveyed her firm resolve to atone for her sins with death and to face punishment even in hell.  

Among her pleas, one stood out clearly: a desperate request to the emperor to ensure Hans Blueanz, the root of Aella’s misfortune, would die in the most excruciating way possible.  

“Take this woman, Laura, back to her family.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  

“Your Majesty! This is the mansion’s butler.”  

“P-please spare me!”  

“You know where Hans Blueanz’s filthy hideout is, don’t you?”  

“T-this way, please!”  

Trembling, the butler led them to what appeared to be an ordinary villa.  

“We will—”  

“No, I’ll go in myself.”  

“Y-Your Majesty!”  

Striding toward the villa, Derek stopped in front of the door, gagging as a foul stench overwhelmed him.  

‘What in the world is this smell…?!’  

Horrific screams and wails echoed from within. Derek kicked the door open and stepped inside. The stench grew even stronger, making it impossible for him to relax his expression.  

“Your Majesty, it might be best to step outside first.”  

“No need.”  

Covering his mouth and nose with his sleeve, Derek followed the sounds until he reached their source.  

Inside, the Count’s deranged laughter mixed with the agonized screams of women. The crude, disgusting voice of the man and his labored breathing were unbearable to hear.  

Bang!  

“What the…?!”  

When Derek and the knights behind him opened the door, they were met with a sight too horrific to witness with open eyes.  

“Y-Your Majesty…”  

“Capture that man alive.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  

“Let go of me! D*mn it!”  

Hans Blueanz, n*ked and dragged out, was a pitiful sight. Derek turned his gaze from the wretched man to the women pleading for their lives, begging to be sent back home, or crying out for their parents.  

Among the tangled group of women, some had already lost their lives.  

“Your Majesty.”  

“Send the survivors to the hospital immediately. For the deceased, find their families and arrange a communal funeral.”  

“Yes.”  

Exiting the Count’s estate, Derek stood before the wretched man lying on the ground.  

“Hans Blueanz, when the Countess of Blueanz passed away from illness, you conspired with a dark sorceress to kill her father, the former Count, using dark sorcery. You also plotted the death of the Duke of Hormons, whom you considered a friend, by hiring a young man from the slums. As if that weren’t enough, you even sought the life of his only son, the current Duke.”  

As the emperor finished speaking, murmurs erupted among the crowd.  

“T-this is a false accusation! Y-Your Majesty!”  

“False accusation?”  

“Y-yes! I have never colluded with a dark sorceress!”  

Derek held up Laura’s letter in front of Hans Blueanz, who was desperately trying to defend himself.  

“Laura, the woman you used as your pawn, told me everything in detail before taking her own life. Additionally, the Duchess of Hormons sacrificed herself to save her husband… only to fall victim to the dark sorceress’s curse and lose her life.”  

The murmurs grew louder.  

“W-what are you saying, Your Majesty?! Aella…!”  

“The Duchess sent me a letter detailing all your crimes. In it, she made one final request: that you die in a manner even more painful than her grandfather’s death.”  

“P-please spare me! Your Majesty! I… I was deceived by that cursed dark sorceress! Where is that wretched woman?!”  

Derek unsheathed his sword.  

“I will find her and ensure she pays for her crimes as well.”  

“Y-Your Majesty!!! P-please! Spare me…!”  

Without hesitation, Derek slashed Hans Blueanz, leaving deep red wounds on his body.  

“Ugh… ugh…! P-please… spare… me…”  

“I won’t take your life. Instead, you will be left to the crows, who will feast on your flesh while you’re still alive.”  

“J-just kill me! Your Majesty!”  

Derek turned away.  

“Hang him from the cliff.”  

“Yes, Your Majesty.”  

As Derek climbed into the carriage, the coachman asked if they should return to the royal palace. Derek sighed and spoke.  

“To the Duke of Hormons’s estate.”  

—

Elena set aside the book she had been reading and asked Azet, who had just entered the room.  

“Why is it so noisy outside?”  

“Well… Your Highness…”  

As Azet approached and explained, Elena’s face turned pale.  

“T-then! Aella…!”  

“There’s no news yet, but…”  

“Ah… Aella!”  

“Your Highness!”  

Just then, a servant entered, holding a bouquet and a letter.  

“This is from the Duchess of Hormons.”  

With trembling hands, Elena accepted the bouquet and letter. She handed the flowers to Azet and clutched the letter tightly.  

Rustle.  

[To my dear Elena,  

By the time you read this letter, I may no longer be in this world. Elena, I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise. I wanted to be a good friend to you, who considered me a friend…  

Elena, even in death, I will wish for your happiness. So please, don’t be too sad.  

Meeting you was a blessing from the celestial beings. Elena, I dare to think of you as my precious friend and sister.  

Finally, I hope you will make choices for yourself and yourself alone.  

If we meet again someday, I will be your steadfast refuge.  

Lastly, I’ve sent a handkerchief I made for you and a gift to comfort your heart whenever you miss your homeland. I hope you like them.  

Farewell.]  

“Ah… Aella… Aella! No… sob… I can’t accept this kind of goodbye… Ahhhh! Aella!”  

“Your Highness!”  

Elena collapsed to the floor, pulling out the handkerchief enclosed with the letter. It was embroidered with her name and the national flower of her homeland.  

“Aella!!! Ahhh!”  

Clutching the handkerchief to her chest, Elena cried until her voice was hoarse. Suddenly, she thought of her mother-in-law.  

“Her Majesty the Empress! She might be able to save Aella!”  

“Your Highness!”  

Elena ran frantically to the Empress’s quarters.  

Bang! 

“Your Majesty!”  

“Elena? What’s the matter?”  

Kneeling before the startled Empress, Elena tearfully explained Aella’s situation and begged her to save her.  

“Elena…”  

“Your Majesty… sob… please… save Aella. If anyone can save her, it’s you… sob… I’ll beg and beg again. If it means saving her, I’ll even give my life!”  

The Empress looked at Elena, who clutched her chest as she spoke, and helped her to her feet.  

“The Duchess wouldn’t want that.”  

“Your Majesty…”  

“If she has already passed, even I cannot bring her back…”  

“Aella…”  

“Elena!”  

“Your Highness!!!”  

Elena fainted, and Julius, who had been watching from outside, quickly approached.  

“Your Highness! The Crown Princess has…!”  

Julius left the palace and mounted a white horse instead of a carriage.  

“Aella… Aella!”  

Consumed with thoughts of Aella, Julius spurred his horse forward.  

Neigh! 

“Hyah!”  

As the wind whipped around him, tears streamed from Julius’s eyes, scattering in the air as he raced toward the Duke of Hormons’ estate.  

—

Kael sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at Aella’s lifeless form as he clutched his chest with both hands.  

Knock, knock.  

“…”  

Knock, knock.  

“…”  

“Your Grace, His Majesty the Emperor is here.”  

Kael remained silent. When the voice outside announced they were entering, he turned his head to see Derek stepping into the room.  

“Duke.”  

“…Your Majesty.”  

Derek approached Kael, who spoke in a hoarse voice, and looked at Aella lying on the bed. She appeared as though she might wake at any moment.  

“The Duchess sent me a letter.”  

“…”  

Kael listened silently as the emperor spoke.  

“I’ve had Hans Blueanz hung from a cliff. He will suffer until his dying breath…”  

“What good will that do?”  

“…”  

“Even if he dies… Aella… Aella won’t come back.”  

“…”  

“Ugh… sob… Aella… Aella!”  

As Kael wept bitterly with his head bowed, Derek placed a hand on his trembling shoulder and spoke heavily.  

“I know it’s hard to accept, but… you must let her go peacefully…”  

“No, Aella… Aella isn’t dead.”  

“Duke.”  

“She’s not dead!”  

Kael stood abruptly and bowed his head before the emperor.  

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.”  

Derek said nothing, instead helping the trembling Kael back to the bed, where he looked as though he might collapse at any moment.  

“The Duchess knew everything and still entered this mansion for your sake.”  

“…”  

“She and you were simply unlucky. It’s tragic, but the living must go on.”  

“I… have no reason to live.”  

“…”  

Kael looked at the emperor with a sorrowful expression.  

“I took my anger out on Aella, who didn’t deserve it, and caused her death.”  

“Duke.”  

“So I should follow her…”  

“Kael Hormons! Get a hold of yourself!”  

The emperor’s shout echoed through the room, shaking the windows.  

Furious, Derek gripped Kael’s shoulders tightly.  

“If you die, what will happen to the Duchess, who sacrificed her life to save you? How will you repay her sacrifice?”  

“…”  

“I understand your pain. But for her sake… live!”  

Kael fell to his knees before the emperor, collapsing forward.  

“Kael!”  

As Derek helped him up, Kael burst into tears, meeting the emperor’s sympathetic gaze.  

“I… don’t know how to live in a world without Aella.”  

“…”  

“I can’t put her in a cold coffin and bury her in the ground! Ugh… sob… Aella!”  

Derek sighed, unsure of what to do.  

Flash!  

“What is this light?!”  

A blinding light filled the room, forcing everyone to shield their eyes.  

When the light began to fade, Kael saw a man standing by Aella’s bed, smiling gently at him.  

“Who… are you?”  

“I am a celestial being.”  

At the man’s words, silence fell over the room.