“It seems you’re doing better than I expected.”

That was the very first thing she said upon arrival. I was so dumbfounded I wanted to break through the bars, but I barely managed to hold back.

“What were you thinking? Why did you push me so hard earlier?”

“…Hmm. Anyone could see that the Duchess deserved it.”

Could this really be Grace, who I had thought of as an angel not long ago? I felt an urge to hit my past self, who had nicknamed her an angel in my heart.

“If I can have visitors now, can I see my husband?”

Honestly, I wanted to see Roan more than Grace. Grace smiled kindly, her navy-blue eyes crinkling.

“Unfortunately, that’s not possible. Only authorized individuals are allowed to visit. Given that you’re accused of treason, you won’t be permitted to contact the Bannister family.”

D*mn it. Why did they have to accuse me of treason?

“How is His Highness doing now?”

“He’s in critical condition because they couldn’t find an antidote.”

What? The grim situation made my head spin. I asked Grace directly.

“Did you try to kill His Highness?”

“…Of course not. You tried to kill him.”

“Don’t lie. If that’s true, why are you so calm about it? Didn’t you love Cameron?”

The novel I had read was definitely a romance fantasy, but now it seemed to have turned into a thriller. The female lead being involved in the male lead’s death—it was like a plot twist from a detective novel.

If only this were just a story. But this was real life.

“…Ha.”

Grace laughed with the same pure voice she had when we first met.

“Love, you say,”

“The Duchess is strangely innocent in certain ways,” Grace said.

At that moment, I heard footsteps descending the stairs. This time, I instinctively knew it wasn’t the guard bringing dinner.

-Creak. The iron door opened again with a metallic sound.

It was a familiar but unwelcome face.

“You seem to be in better shape than I thought.”

It was Duke Komnenos. Hearing the same words from him as from Grace made me furious.

“Did you tell her?”

Duke Komnenos addressed Grace. He spoke to her so casually that I doubted my eyes, finding their interaction too natural.

“No, I was about to.”

What is this strange combination? The head of the noble faction and the Crown Prince’s lover. According to the original novel, they should be almost enemies. I couldn’t understand why they were standing together, talking in front of me.

“I see.”

Komnenos stroked his mustache, revealing teeth that were undoubtedly yellow.

‘No way…’

Grace and the noble faction? Did they… harm Cameron?

Grace turned her gaze back to me.

“As things stand, you’ll be dragged to the guillotine for treason. And in your current condition, no less.”

“…”

I didn’t understand. I had no memory of trying to kill Cameron, nor did I ever say to eat cake if there’s no bread. I couldn’t comprehend why I had to die. It made no sense to me.

“But there is one way. A way for you not to die.”

“…”

Even without asking, I didn’t think this way would be favorable to me.

As I remained silent, Duke Komnenos spoke to me.

“If the current situation continues, not only will you die, but everyone connected to you will fall as well.”

Me, the Caesar family, and the Bannister family—all of us? It was truly absurd.

“Because you are accused of treason. However, if it all falls on one person?”

“…What do you mean?”

Duke Komnenos touched his neck, his eyes glinting like a snake’s. He bent down to meet my gaze.

“Testify. Say that everything was…”

He spoke in a low voice, clear enough for me to hear.

“Because your husband, Duke Bannister, forced you to do it.”

‘……!!!’

In that moment, the purpose behind their actions became crystal clear.

“If you testify like that, at least you and your family will be spared. You’ll be seen as a pitiful woman who couldn’t withstand your husband’s threats. If you wish, we’ll spare the Bannister family members as well, though they won’t escape being demoted to commoners. Except for him.”

Duke Komnenos licked his dry upper lip. He looked like a snake about to strike its prey, sending chills down my spine.

“Anyway, the Duke is as good as dead. If you make it easier for us, many lives can be saved.”

“…….”

“My Lady, what are you hesitating for?”

Grace looked at me as if she genuinely didn’t understand. She had a face that was certain I would give up on Roan. It was as if she had no love left in her heart. What had all her previous behavior meant?

“Get lost.”

“Excuse me?”

“I said, get lost. What kind of nonsense are you spouting?”

There was no guarantee they would keep their promise. Even if they did…

I couldn’t abandon him. Even if it meant everyone else would die. Some might call it selfish, but that was my honest feeling. If it meant choosing his death,

“I have no intention of accepting your so-called offer.”

“…You’re making a foolish choice.”

Duke Komnenos sneered. I felt an urge to pluck out his twitching mustache. I just wanted them to leave quickly.

“That remains to be seen.”

“You’ll regret it, Duchess.”

Grace warned me with a tone of finality. I replied firmly.

“I won’t.”

“Indeed.”

With those words from Duke Komnenos, they left the cell.

As they exited, my tense muscles began to relax, and I felt a small ache. I must have been more stressed than I realized. My mind, previously blank, now buzzed with thoughts.

This was undoubtedly a plot by the nobles to bring down the Emperor’s faction. Grace’s involvement was unexpected.

Just thinking about being used as a scapegoat for Roan’s death made my entire body reject the idea. The noble faction must have thought that since Delis followed the Crown Prince even during her marriage, she wouldn’t have much affection for Roan, hence their proposal.

But the crucial fact was that I was never truly Delis.

The mere thought of a world without Roan made it hard to breathe. I felt suffocated. It seemed natural, albeit strange, to think this way. They say you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone, and now that Roan wasn’t by my side, I recognized my feelings more clearly.

Moonlight filtered through the narrow window. I pushed aside my turbulent thoughts and quietly closed my eyes.

Would I really not be able to see Roan while I was here?

If I couldn’t get out of here, if my name wasn’t cleared, what would happen? Would I end my second life here?

…If I died, would I be able to see him again?

I missed him. I knew I couldn’t see him now, but I still longed to see his unchanged face and hear his stern yet gentle voice just once.

Tears threatened to spill from my closed eyes, stirred by misplaced sentimentality.

“Duchess.”

I heard a hallucination. How much did I miss him to start hearing things?

“Duchess, are you alright?”

Roan’s voice, laced with urgency, pierced my ears.

‘Really?’

I opened my eyes immediately. The tears that had welled up earlier rolled down my cheeks.

“Ro, Roan?”

His face was really in front of me. The relief made more tears flow.

“Are you alright? Why are you crying? What happened?”

Roan stiffened upon seeing my tear-streaked face and bombarded me with questions.

“No, it’s nothing. But how did you get in here?”

“I just evaded the guards and came in.”

I was intensely curious about how he managed to get through the heavily secured prison, but that wasn’t the most pressing issue. I told Roan everything Grace and Duke Komnenos had said, adding that it seemed like a conspiracy by the noble faction to overthrow the Emperor’s faction.

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up on the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories