Chapter 8

“Lady Sennet has arrived, Your Highness.”

“Tell her to come in.”

Chris answered at the announcement of Kina’s visit.

“I, Kina of the Sennet family, greets you, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”

As soon as she entered, Kina offered a careful greeting. Since the words telling her to raise her head did not come for a long while, she remained standing just as she was.

“Raise your head.”

Only after quite some time did those words come.

Chris did not look as ruined as the rumors said. He had been drunk until the day before, but to Kina, who knew nothing of that, he did not appear that way at least.

“I heard you requested that the people be released?”

“They are innocent, Your Highness. If there is guilt, please punish me instead.”

At Chris’s question, which went straight to the point, Kina dropped to the floor and prostrated herself flat.

“I will accept any punishment gladly. So please…….”

“Any punishment? Do you mean anything?”

He asked as though he had been waiting for those very words. But Kina, who had no way of knowing even that, took the bait at once.

“Yes. If you would only release them, you may even take my life in their place.”

They were people who had cared for the children as if they were their own. People who had been with her for years in some cases, and for decades in others. If it meant giving up her own insignificant life in exchange for them, then she could do it.

“Your life is of no use.”

It was a cold thing to say. She had no backing that could bring political gain, nor did she possess remarkable beauty or an exceptional figure.

“Then…….”

“Instead, your life ahead is useful.”

“……What do you mean…….”

“Marry Duke Graize.”

For a moment, Kina was so shocked that she raised her head and met Chris’s eyes. Then, startled, she quickly lowered it again, but she still could not understand.

“I don’t mean for it to be real. I only mean you should marry him as a deception. In any case, isn’t Duchess a title you could never have even once in your life?”

“……Wh-why……. Are you giving such an order to me……?”

Kina’s voice trembled as she asked carefully.

“I heard you are Bersha’s closest friend.”

Chris came down from where he had been sitting and lowered himself near Kina. She could feel his feet near her head.

“I’m someone who wants Bersha and Raon to be happy.”

He lifted Kina’s face. In the eyes that met his, there was clear confusion over what connection their happiness and her marriage could possibly have.

“When I become Emperor, I intend to change the law and unite those two. Until then, I need someone to help create a deception.”

Only then could she understand what he meant.

“I’ll release the people. In exchange, marry Raon.”

“That is…….”

“It’s easier than dying, isn’t it?”

His voice was light, as if he were merely telling her to chew gum instead of candy.

“But what about the opinions of Duke Graize and Lady Kapris…….”

Seeing Kina worrying over such a thing, Chris smiled brightly.

“They already know, so there is no need for you to worry about that.”

“Ah…….”

Chris released Kina’s chin, which he had been holding, and stood up.

“Well? It’s quite simple, isn’t it?”

His voice was a shade higher than before.

“Please…… please give me time to think.”

Displeased by her answer, he looked down at her with cold eyes. But Kina, who still had her head lowered, could not know that.

“Fine. But it would be best for you to decide quickly. There isn’t much time. My patience is not long.”

“……If I accept, can the poorhouse continue to be maintained?”

Kina asked before leaving after rising to her feet.

“Unfortunately, no. I plan to shut down all the poorhouses within the capital. Lady Sennet, you’re household cannot be an exception.”

Her face darkened again.

“On your way, go and see your companions.”

His voice sounded generous.

“……Thank you for your grace as vast as the sea, Your Highness.”

Kina bowed and left the place.

*

“This way.”

The head attendant guided her as soon as she came out. After leaving the Crown Prince’s Palace, they headed somewhere like a maze. After passing along a path that went down several floors into the deepening darkness underground, they came to a dark corridor where faint lights flickered here and there.

“Aaaahhhh!”

The moment she entered, a desperate scream rang out. Kina flinched and stopped walking. The atmosphere was anything but ordinary, and her body grew tense. But the head attendant did not wait for her and kept walking.

Her body beginning to tremble violently, Kina reached the spot where the head attendant stopped. And at the horrible sight before her, she had no choice but to cover her mouth with her hand to keep from crying out.

“No way…….”

Even at her words, full of disbelief, the head attendant remained expressionless. She understood that it was a sign of affirmation. The people lying sprawled there, covered in blood, were the very same people who had been smiling with her only a few days ago. Blood that had not been wiped away had dried as it was, remaining all over their bodies. There were unmistakable traces of t*rture.

“Uh…… uh…….”

At her sound, someone she could not identify reacted. Left with nothing but dread and terror, Kina instinctively backed away, trying to get farther from that place. But in the narrow corridor, it was not long before the bars on the opposite side touched her back.

“P-please…… save me…….”

It was a desperate voice speaking while clutching the hem of her skirt.

“Ugh……!”

Kina had no time even to care about the sound of her skirt tearing and ran straight out of there. Then she threw up on the spot. There was nothing in her stomach, so only bile came up, but she kept retching again and again.

Chris had not allowed her to meet them for her sake. He was threatening her under the guise of kindness. Your people’s lives now rest in your hands, that was what he had meant to tell her.

* * *

“Do we have to go?”

“I don’t want to go.”

“I won’t fight anymore.”

And when one child started crying, the others began crying as well. A troubled look spread over Kina’s face.

The very first thing Kina did after returning from the Crown Prince’s Palace was begin arranging matters at the poorhouse. She hurriedly sent word to nearby poorhouses, looking for places that would take them in. She had also written that she would provide support to whichever place agreed.

Perhaps because of that, thankfully several places wrote back saying they would accept the children.

The problem was the children themselves. Afraid of a new place, they began insisting they would not go.

“I’ll come visit often. All right? Etinya, last time you said you wanted to see the sea. They say you can see the sea there too.”

“R-really?”

“Really.”

Kina smiled as she stroked Etinya’s face while the child asked with reddened eyes. Starting with that, thankfully many of the children followed her wishes. Of course, Kina had to make a promise seal with each and every one of them.

“Kina.”

“Devil.”

Devil threw himself into Kina’s arms. Mistaking her hand, which was trying to pull him back a little so she could see his face, Devil clung to her even tighter so as not to be separated.

“I want to see your face. Hmm?”

As she stroked his hair and spoke softly, Devil slowly poked his head out and met her eyes.

“You can be brave and do well, right?”

“Come see me for sure.”

“Of course.”

“I’ll make you a glowing flower.”

It was the flower they had spoken of back then. Even to the very end, Kina smiled at those words, which were so like Devil, and answered that she understood.

“You said a promise has to be kept, so for sure.”

It was what Kina always said whenever they hooked pinkies and made a promise. Once Devil had gotten into the carriage too, it set off. Even to the very end, his eyes did not seem willing to leave Kina.