Chapter 5: The Truth Revealed (14)

What lay within was a horrifying record of the past.

—The day the master returned from an outing, a maid witnessed him striking the young lady. She was prevented from receiving any treatment, and some maids secretly cared for the young lady at night. Later, one maid who was caught sneaking medicine into the young lady’s room mysteriously disappeared.

The maid’s testimony, which they had barely managed to find, seemed to have been recorded by a knight. The black inked letters looked to Terian like scars.

—The governess who raised the young lady was heard saying that the master treated the child as if she were his own, shuddering at the thought. The governess soon disappeared without a trace.

There was an extreme difference in treatment between Gafel and the young lady. It wasn’t just a matter of support. The young lady was often deprived of food and was subjected to punishment.

Gafel had been cruel since he was a child. The one who suffered the most was the young lady. When they moved to the estate in the capital, everyone except the trustworthy ones was dealt with, presumably as an attempt to silence them.

The Baron, whose Coal business had become successful, moved his residence to the capital. Normally, low-ranking nobles couldn’t afford to live in the capital and would stay in their estates.

Coincidentally, the rumor about the Baron doting on his youngest daughter had started around that time, along with the infamous reputation of the Tromperie family.

Everyone resented the girl, who was destined to bloom like a flower, feeding off the Empire’s lifeblood.

A sickening feeling churned in Terian’s stomach. Without realizing it, he covered his mouth, his head bowing. The water from the lake, which had slowly risen up to his neck, now pressed against his chest with immense weight.

No matter how much he stared at the documents, the scars on the paper never changed.

“Bring them here.”

At that moment, the Captain of the Guard spoke to the chamberlain. The chamberlain, without a word, led someone into the office.

“Your Majesty. I am glad to meet the master of the glorious lake.”

“…Butler.”

Unexpectedly, it was the butler of the Avnir Grand Duchy.

“I bring the documents.”

The butler, his face as pale as death, trembled as he handed over a bundle of documents he had been holding close to his chest.

“This is…”

The documents were receipts from shops dealing in precious metals and high-end clothing.

Terian felt as though the noble mantle of the Emperor draped around him was strangely tightening around his neck.

“Your Majesty, this is the investigation you ordered, which had been delayed due to the late Emperor’s passing.”

The image of the Grand Duchess’s room, which had seemed strangely bare of dresses, flashed in Terian’s mind.

At the time, he had felt something was off and had immediately ordered an investigation. But the unexpected death of the late Emperor had caused the matter to be pushed aside.

“The ledgers of the shop that received the bills issued by the Grand Duchess were examined…”

At that time, he had thought that Larie had likely run off with the reserve funds, taking jewels from the empty room.

Even so, the numerous payment receipts and the empty room didn’t make sense. In the village she had supposedly lived in for the last two years, there hadn’t been any sign of wealth either.

“The items chosen weren’t for the Grand Duchess, but for the wife of Baron Tromperie.”

“…”

It turned out that even the reserve funds had been stolen from the family.

“Moreover, the jewels that had been purchased back then were recently sold again. The person who brought them to the jeweler was confirmed to be from the Tromperie family.”

The Captain of the Guard interjected, confirming the facts with a somber expression.

As the truth slowly unraveled, Terian recalled the sharp memories from that day.

‘Bring her to me immediately!’

He now understood why that statement had bothered him so much. The very act of the Baroness entering the Grand Duchy and continuously demanding that Larie be taken away had always irritated him.

However, what bothered him even more on that day was the way the Baroness had spoken. The phrase “bring her out” had felt wrong, as if Larie were nothing more than an object to be handed over.

“…Ugh.”

“Your Majesty?”

“Your Majesty, are you alright?”

A sharp pain gripped his chest, as though his ribs were about to snap under the weight of the lake’s overwhelming current.

As Terian stumbled, clutching his chest, the Captain of the Guard rushed toward him, but Terian shook off his hand, gripping the documents in both of his hands once more.

The traces of her, from her childhood, when she had cried alone. The moments when she had no longer been able to cry, those signs of her suffering.

“…”

Everything was falling apart. For years, everyone had been deceived. Yet, to Terian, even admitting he had been deceived felt like an excuse.

Why hadn’t he known?

If only he had noticed sooner, just a little earlier. He had kept her in the Grand Duchy for two years, and yet he hadn’t seen it. He had let her bear the weight of the Tromperie family just as if it were a given.

So that’s why she wanted to escape.

The sound of his own soul tearing apart as it sank deeper into the lake filled his ears. Swept up by the massive currents, he felt bitter self-loathing.

He had no right to feel this way.

What had he done to her all this time?

It was a regret too late to change.

❖ ❖ ❖

The day broke again.

Though it still felt like walking in the dark of night, Larie barely held on.

 “Ma,mmmma! am!”

Without anyone’s help, Rui was walking towards her, on his own two feet.

“Your Highness, just a little more!”

“Just a little…!”

Despite the unsteady steps, Rui finally collapsed into Larie’s arms. Then, he called out to her.

“Mam…”

Larie’s eyes widened at the sound of his voice. The maids around her also looked at Rui in surprise.

“Oh my…”

“Ma, Mommy!”

At the clearer call of “Mommy,” an odd lump rose in Larie’s throat. For the first time in a long while, she felt the tides of emotion surging within her. She held Rui tightly in her arms.

“Our Rui…”

Rui had grown enough to look like his true age now. What used to be a struggle to hold on to things to stand up, now he could walk steadily, taking tiny steps.

She was a little afraid he might reveal his true age, but in this moment, she wanted to feel nothing but joy.

She didn’t know how long this happiness would last.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty.”

The head maid, who had approached, spoke kindly. The maids, now familiar with Rui, greeted him with warm smiles as he returned to his usual cheerful demeanor.

His expression was pure, without any hint of hesitation.

“Things outside seem a bit… unsettled,” the head maid asked cautiously, as if sensing Larie’s unease.

Since yesterday, the sound of armor-clad knights had been heard far more frequently. The maids had even advised Rui against going out for a walk near the lake earlier.

Larie suddenly felt a wave of anxiety rising within her. Was something happening again?

“It’s nothing serious, Your Majesty. We’ve received a report that the security around the Blessed Lake is being checked for safety,” the head maid replied with calm assurance.

“…”

Although she responded calmly, Charelle, standing behind them, wiped a cold sweat from his brow.

The fact that the assassins had gotten so close was a secret. There had been an explicit command from the Emperor to ensure the Empress didn’t learn of it, as she was already on edge.

The sudden disappearance of Jane and Sarah was only recently discovered—they had been caught trying to harm the Empress. Charelle was appalled when he learned the truth too late.

Hearing the full details sent a chill through his bones. The chamberlain, who relayed the news, seemed to harbor suspicions about Charelle’s involvement as well.

Sarah, who had even attempted to kidnap the Crown Prince, was beyond redemption. But when he thought of Jane, who had merely been delivering a family letter without knowing the full extent of the situation, his heart grew heavy.

Still, Charelle remained silent towards Larie. No matter how much he thought about it, this was not something she should be responsible for.

“You’ll be able to leave the sacred grounds tomorrow. You may walk in the Empress’s garden now if you’d like.”

“Ah…”

Seeing Larie still looking uneasy, Charelle smiled brighter, hoping to reassure her. Only then did he see the faint relief in her expression, and his heart ached for her.

Poor thing.

For some reason, his heart ached for her. What had happened between her and the Emperor to cause her to wither like this?

Despite it all, Larie had quietly borne so much for the sake of the child. Seeing her in such a pitiful state, Charelle silently vowed to try his best to make sure she could feel comfortable here, even if it meant he had to do so alone.

In stark contrast to the quiet of the Empress’s palace, the Imperial Palace was filled with a sharp, almost palpable tension. The air itself seemed to sting, as if warning of an impending storm.

With no clear sense of what the future held, Charelle let out a quiet sigh inwardly.