7.

Dade mercilessly whipped Nian’s heart. The painful lashing forcibly moved her hesitant feet that couldn’t easily let go, bringing her closer to the truth.

Though she desperately wished to stay longer, she could no longer do so. His face was filled with sadness at losing her. It was a sadness she couldn’t even console. She couldn’t hurt him anymore with her greed.

Arriving at her family home, Nian hid her trembling heart and secretly called Cain to her room rather than the reception room.

At her call, Cain came with a stern expression, but when Nian’s silence lengthened, he opened his mouth in a somewhat softer tone.

“This place remains the same, Your Majesty.”

“Come to think of it, it must have been a long time for you too, Brother.”

“Yes. I used to get scolded a lot for a man freely entering a grown maiden’s room.”

Nian smiled slightly. Seeing her emotionless smile, Cain finally sighed.

“I was surprised you called me so soon.”

“No, I should have called earlier. Considering your efforts, I should have, and I’m sorry.”

“……”

Even after the pleasantries ended, Cain still hesitated. Finally, Nian quietly urged him.

“It’s alright, please tell me, Brother.”

“I hesitate because this matter might hurt Your Majesty.”

“How wonderful it would be if I could avoid it, but we both know too well that’s impossible.”

“Hah.”

Cain exhaled deeply. Though she spoke calmly, seeing her bloodshot eyes.

‘She must have cried.’

Only after crying alone until her tears had dried up completely did she call for him.

Knowing this made her calm voice even more heartbreaking.

After hesitating for a long time, Cain finally spoke.

“Do you remember what I told you before?”

“Which?”

“I said that anyone willing to resort to assassination behind the Crown Prince’s back must be a figure of considerable power.”

“Yes.”

“And a family close to the Crown Prince, a family that would find the Crown Prince’s lover’s existence extremely uncomfortable……”

Nian was silently listening to Cain’s words.

“What’s the highest noble rank, Your Majesty?”

“Duke.”

“That’s right. Among the titles awarded to founding contributors or those recognized for generations of service, Duke is the highest. Currently, there are three ducal families in our Belton Empire.”

“……”

“Roben, Andar, Macklen. These three ducal families are the closest to both the Emperor and the Crown Prince, so they would have recognized the changes in the Crown Prince’s faster than anyone.”

The color gradually drained from Nian’s face.

‘No way.’

“Among these dukes, which family would have found the Crown Prince’s lover’s existence extremely uncomfortable at that time?”

Nian finally collapsed into her seat.

Goosebumps covered her entire body. No. Please. Stop. I don’t want to hear it.

Contrary to Nian’s desperate wish, Cain finally continued as if pronouncing a sentence.

“Yes, Your Majesty. That’s right. The family of the Empress, who was then the prospective empress but would eventually ascend to the position. House Roben.”

“……!”

It couldn’t be. Even if it was her father. He couldn’t have done such a thing without saying a word to her. No, he shouldn’t have.

Nian answered breathlessly. Her voice wouldn’t come out as if something was stuck in her throat, so she had to force each syllable.

“You’re lying.”

At Nian’s words, Cain took an envelope from his br*ast pocket and handed it to her. Nian’s hands trembled too much for her to open it.

“This is a copy of a check. It’s a check issued by Duke Roben seven years ago, paid as compensation for the assassination.”

Cain handed her another envelope.

“This is the directive requesting the assassination. Duke Roben’s signature is at the bottom.”

“How.”

“These should have all been destroyed, but the hired killers kept them to blackmail Your Majesty and the Duke in the future, so I was able to obtain them.”

Nian did not open the envelopes. She felt she wouldn’t be able to bear it if she saw with her own eyes that it was truly her father’s signature. No, perhaps she had already broken beyond endurance.

“At the time of the assassination request, they didn’t know Rachel’s identity, but when they later discovered it, they changed their plan right before the arson. Killing the Crown Prince’s lover was too burdensome even for them. However, not doing anything wasn’t an option either, as Duke Roben was not to be taken lightly, so after much deliberation, they decided to keep Rachel alive but set the fire, and reported to Duke Roben that everything had been taken care of.”

Cain sat down beside Nian who had collapsed in a daze.

“Your Majesty.”

“It can’t…… be.”

Nian stared into empty space as if she couldn’t hear. Pale and white with shock, she looked as precarious as a wax figure that might shatter into pieces at any moment.

“Ilena.”

Cain called her by her old name. At this moment, Cain spoke not as a count receiving orders from the Empress, but as an older brother with a long-standing relationship. He cursed himself for being abroad until things had come to this state.

When he gently shook Nian, who seemed as if her soul had left her body, she swayed limply in his hand.

“Come to your senses. Please, I’ll help you.”

Despite Cain’s desperate plea, Nian stared into space with unfocused eyes for a long time before finally losing consciousness.

She had fainted.

* * *

Nian only opened her eyes with difficulty several hours later. Waking from peaceful unconsciousness, the painful reality greeted her. She had hoped it was a dream, but seeing Cain’s worried face looking down at her, it was undoubtedly reality.

Nian lay in bed, weakly staring at the two sealed envelopes she still couldn’t open, placed on her desk. Cain, who had been watching her silently, spoke.

“Your Majesty. I have brought the only two pieces of evidence remaining in the world.”

“……”

“If you wish, we can burn them right now. I will stake my life to ensure this matter never leaks out.”

Cain carefully knelt beside Nian.

“So please, steel your heart.”

As Cain spoke almost tearfully, Nian finally answered.

“Rachel. What about her?”

“She’s living in disguise, working at a restaurant in a nearby small town.”

“Ha. Is that town perhaps the village with Lake Cielo?”

“You knew?”

Nian laughed hysterically, then spoke again.

“Brother. I’ll contact you again, so would you leave me alone?”

“I cannot leave Your Majesty alone. I’ll stay by your side as if I’m not here, so please allow me to remain.”

“Do you think I might take my own life?”

“……”

Nian smiled wryly.

“Don’t worry. As if I have the right to die. I just need time to think, so please.”

At her words, Cain finally left the room reluctantly.

Nian was finally alone.

No tears came.

After lying down for a long time even after Cain left, Nian only opened the envelopes with trembling hands as dawn broke. And there, a harsh reality that couldn’t be denied was fully contained.

The familiar signature was undoubtedly her father’s.

She had felt wronged all this time. That she hadn’t killed her. So she had sometimes resented him for being certain she was the culprit.

But, it really was me. Just as he said, I took away his lover because I coveted the position of empress. Everything he said was true.

Nian began to laugh like a madwoman. As if she had seen an amusing farce, she bent over holding her stomach and kept bursting into laughter.

Tears flowed abundantly from her swollen eyes, soaking her cheeks messily, but thinking of herself all this time, she simply couldn’t hold back her laughter.

‘To think I dared to resent and hate him, when I, blinded by greed, had killed someone.’

Looking back, his hatred was entirely justified. Rather, she had been too shameless. It was too late to avoid responsibility with the excuse that she didn’t know.

Facing the truth made her future clearer.

‘So, Your Majesty. Please don’t grant even a single ounce of pity to someone as foolish as me.’

Nian hugged the envelope and laughed and cried for a long time.

The next morning. Nian faced her father with a coldly hardened expression.

“You did quite an interesting thing, Father.”

At the Empress’s sudden words, Duke Roben looked at her with confusion. She had always been a daughter who was quite intimidated by him. That was partly his fault for not showing affection, but also because her innate personality was rather blunt.

Even after becoming Empress, she had always treated him with formality, so he couldn’t understand why she was being so cold in this uncharacteristic way.

“I don’t understand what you mean, Your Majesty.”

After pondering for a while, Duke Roben asked in an emotionless formal tone.

“Rachel.”

“……!”

His old, wrinkled eyes widened as he looked at her, but Nian continued without showing any emotion.

“I won’t ask why you did it. You must have wanted to become the Emperor’s father-in-law.”

“How could that benefit only me becoming the Emperor’s father-in-law?”

“Ah, are you saying you did it for me? I doubt you suddenly developed paternal affection that never existed before.”

He had persecuted her mother all her life for not bearing a son after giving birth to her. Despite numerous concubines, he still couldn’t get a son, but she never thought his greed would ruin things to this extent.

“So, what do you intend to do? If this fact comes to light, even the Empress won’t remain unscathed.”

At his words, Nian dropped the wine glass she was holding onto the floor. The thin crystal glass shattered completely.

Nian rolled her dark pupils to look at the broken glass pieces, then lowered her head and picked one up. As she gripped it tightly, the sharp glass fragment dug into her delicate palm and soon spilled dark blood.

Shedding the bright red blood she inherited from him, Nian continued coldly.

“Please don’t worry about me, and worry about yourself, Father.”

“……”

“Accept with humility whatever consequences come. This is an order from the Empress. I hope you won’t do anything foolish that would further tarnish my dignity.”

“……”

“I cannot imprison my own father with my own hands.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Only then did Nian release her grip on the glass shard, dropping it. The blood-stained glass piece fell onto the scattered fragments.

* * *