A prison for Siegfried. It’s absurd. There’s no way such a thing exists. But as soon as Leonel arrived here, he began to struggle intensely. It was as if all the strength was draining from his body. Even now, the sound of his breathing behind her was so faint it seemed it might stop at any moment.

“Do you understand now?”

In an instant, Amelia’s complexion turned pale. This place was indeed a hell designed specifically for Siegfried. She couldn’t even see Patrick’s triumphant face looking down at her.

“Le-Leonel!”

“…….”

Seeing Leonel barely able to breathe, Amelia felt like she was about to lose consciousness. This was no joke.

“Please, get us out of here!”

“Ah, you finally understand the situation.”

“I’m begging you. Please…”

Leonel was holding on for now, but there was no guarantee he would remain that way.

“You should have listened when I told you to escape alone.”

“…….”

“This is what happens when you get attached to those monstrous bastards.”

Monstrous bastards. Is that how he saw them? She couldn’t understand why he hated Siegfried so much.

“You were born with noble blood, yet mingling with filth leads to this.”

“…It’s my fault… So please…”

Despite the barrage of insults, Amelia desperately clung to Patrick. If she rebelled and upset him, Leonel would be in danger. She could endure any humiliation if it meant Leonel would be safe.

“Please… I’m begging you.”

This was all her fault. She should have come alone when Enoch suggested it. Seeing Leonel suffering because of her made her feel like dying.

“Father was right, wasn’t he?”

“I’ll beg. I’ll stay here, so at least let Leonel go…”

This wasn’t the time for pride. Amelia knelt on both knees and begged Patrick. She would do anything to improve his mood. As she prostrated herself, Patrick’s face filled with a smile.

“Do you have no pride?”

“No… none…”

“Bowing your head to someone much younger than you. You’re unworthy of the title of Grand Duchess.”

Could this be Patrick’s doing alone? She hoped so. If she could satisfy Patrick by groveling, they might be released. But if it wasn’t solely Patrick’s doing… No matter how much she begged, it would be useless.

“You were so confident, thinking you knew everything.”

“That’s because I didn’t know anything… Please, show mercy…”

Inside the prison, she couldn’t even extend her arms, but from outside, it was easy to reach in. Even as Patrick’s hand pressed her head further to the ground, Amelia bit her lip and didn’t make a sound, fearing she might upset Patrick.

“Aren’t you ashamed? Begging like this to me.”

If she was truly ashamed, she wouldn’t have started. Patrick was a person of authority. This was the most effective approach.

“Still, it’s a bit pitiable since we’re family. It’s embarrassing to admit we’re related.”

“Yes, we’re fa-family. For the sake of your foolish sister…”

It was best to cling to whatever she could. She had to beg, even if it meant fabricating a sense of family. Of course, it wouldn’t work on him, but she had no other choice. But as soon as she finished speaking, Patrick burst into laughter. Holding his stomach, he laughed uncontrollably, leaving Amelia staring at him in a daze.

“Ha ha ha! This is hilarious.”

Did she do something wrong?

“Sister… Well, I suppose you could think that way.”

“I…”

“You really have forgotten everything.”

Could it be because Patrick wasn’t the current Emperor’s biological son? Patrick was the hidden son of the Crown Prince, the first son of the late Emperor. Even so, whether she was the daughter of either, she would still be Patrick’s sister. She might be a cousin sister, not a full sister.

She didn’t want to mention this and upset Patrick. Patrick held their lives in his hands.

“You can’t be my sister.”

“…….”

“You’re neither the Emperor’s daughter nor the daughter of my biological father, the Crown Prince.”

If not, then where did she come from? It didn’t make sense. Who was her father? If not those two, could she still be part of the imperial family?

“Amelia Siegfried, you are my aunt.”

Aunt? If she was an aunt…

“You are the hidden youngest daughter of the deceased Emperor.”

***

Amelia was too shocked to speak. It all made sense now. If it became known that the late Emperor had a child, the current Emperor’s position would be threatened.

“Father didn’t know either. Who would have thought the old Empress was pregnant?”

Moreover, if that child was of legitimate birth, it changed everything. The current Emperor had only ascended because all the direct imperial family members had died.

“…….”

“It seems you’re quite shocked. It would be troublesome if you’re struggling already.”

Her fingers trembled as they touched the ground. She couldn’t breathe properly from the shock. Her vision grew increasingly blurry. It was a familiar reaction.

“Still, I always liked my aunt, whom I never got to meet.”

“…….”

“You were the savior of my life.”

Savior of his life…? Amelia weakly looked up. She saw Patrick sneering.

“How would I, the son of the former Crown Prince, still be alive? Even though I’ve been living as my father’s son, it wouldn’t be possible.”

Given the Emperor’s personality, it was a miracle that both she and Patrick were still alive.

“He’s a ruthless man who killed his own father and brother. Killing a newborn nephew would be nothing to him.”

Patrick, like her, was a significant threat to the imperial power.

“It’s thanks to you that I’m alive.”

“What…”

“Aren’t you curious? It’s a pity you lost your memory. I’ve always been grateful to you throughout my life.”

She couldn’t understand why Patrick was thanking her. Her mind was too blank from the shock to process anything.

“When you died, my mother feared I would be killed too. So she devised a plan. She used your existence as a pretext to disguise me as my father’s son.”

She had already died once? That’s absurd. How could she be so alive now? And there was no such story in the books.

“Lies. They’re lies.”

“I thought it was a lie too. Why would an aunt who was said to be dead appear before me? My mother feared I would meet the same fate as you. She made a pact with my father.”

“…….”

“To pretend to be his son and not covet the imperial power. Moreover, never to seek the position of Crown Prince.”

She couldn’t believe what Patrick was saying. No, she didn’t want to accept it. But his manner, speaking through gritted teeth, made her realize it was all true.

“In return, he promised to keep your existence hidden forever. Since the former Empress was also dead, only my mother and father knew about you.”

The more she heard, the more she feared the Emperor. She couldn’t fathom how much blood he had shed just to ascend the throne. It was terrifying that he had dealt with it all so quietly.

That’s why, when she saw him on the Founding Festival, he had that expression on the balcony.

“Of course, I heard about it from my mother.”

Amelia couldn’t even lift her head, staring helplessly at the floor. She didn’t have the strength to raise her face. This was definitely not Patrick’s doing alone. There were far more complicated and intertwined matters than she had imagined.

“The aunt who supposedly died the year I was born came back to life. Isn’t it amazing?”

“…….”

“How did you come back? It’s frustrating that you can’t remember. It’s getting a bit boring.”

She needed to pull herself together to protect Leonel, but she couldn’t muster any strength.

“So, in the end… you don’t have the power to get us out of here either?”

“What?”

“Isn’t that right? This is too big a matter for you to handle alone, isn’t it?”

Patrick was moving at the behest of the Emperor and Empress. He acted as if he wasn’t, but Patrick, like her, had a weakness in his birth.

“You weren’t the one who brought me here.”

And from earlier, Patrick had been speaking with caution, as if mindful of someone. He was meticulously using titles for someone who wasn’t even present.

“You can come out now, Your Majesty.”

“You…! Are you insane?”

“Enough. You’re quite perceptive.”

The person who subdued the rampaging Patrick in an instant was the Emperor, who had been hidden in the pitch-black darkness.

“I’ve wanted to see you, my sister.”

With hair like white threads and dull eyes that you wouldn’t know were purple unless seen up close, the Emperor approached her with a friendly smile.