“Mother, I’m a proper young lady now. Do I look like such a child that I can’t handle a simple errand?”

Lorelaine’s lips quickly softened at Elia’s slightly petulant words. Though she didn’t show it in public, she couldn’t help but adore Elia, her only child.

“My daughter is clever like me, so of course not.”

“Yes. You know well.”

Lorelaine took out a small package from her bosom. It was the deadly poison she had asked Elia to deliver to Cecilia many times already.

“When you see the empress today, deliver this before anything else. Understood?”

“Yes.”

But there was no problem. Elia had anticipated that her mother wouldn’t give up easily and had prepared plenty of substitute medicine.

Soon, Elia’s goal of safely protecting Cecilia would be achieved. The thought naturally brought a smile to her face.

“I’ll be going now, Mother.”

“Yes, my daughter.”

Lorelaine loved Elia in her own way. It was certainly a twisted form of love, but she couldn’t deny the love itself.

And now her mother didn’t need to commit crimes for her sake. It was a fortunate ending for everyone.

* * *

The empress’s quarters remained abundant and warm. The emperor, who had gone to the battlefield right after the wedding, and the former emperor who remained in the imperial palace were undoubtedly showing great consideration and affection to the new empress.

“Elia, welcome.”

Recently, shadows had appeared on Cecilia’s face. Elia could fully understand, having experienced the strict rules of the imperial palace exhausting both mind and body in her past life.

“I’ve prepared refreshments. And…… did Mother ask you to bring anything?”

“Yes. Here, I’ll give it to you.”

Cecilia hastily snatched the medicine bottle and tucked it into her bosom. The young Elia hadn’t noticed before, but Cecilia seemed to have been feeling insecure about her position.

“Sister, you don’t look well. Are you feeling unwell?”

“No…… I just have something on my mind.”

It was no secret in social circles that the first daughter of Duke Theon was born out of wedlock. However, there were some mitigating circumstances, as her mother, though from a humble family, was still a noblewoman and had originally been the fiancée of the Duke of Theon.

“The imperial palace looks splendid and beautiful, but it’s a tiring place to live. You’re still young, so you wouldn’t understand.”

“Sister, don’t worry about other people’s gazes or words. There are so many people in the imperial palace that you’ll fall ill if you mind them all.”

“……You’ve really grown up, Elia.”

Looking back, Cecilia must have always lived bearing the fact that she was born out of wedlock. If it was talked about in social circles, Cecilia herself must have known. She just pretended not to know.

“Sister, what matters is happiness in the present and future.”

“Who taught you such words?”

“I saw…… I saw it in a book.”

“I see. That’s a good saying.”

If Cecilia’s birth mother hadn’t fallen ill, delaying the wedding, and if she hadn’t eventually died…… Cecilia could have been a legitimate daughter of the ducal family, just born a little early.

But Cecilia’s birth mother died right after giving birth, still only a fiancée. It was a sad story, but since the marriage wasn’t completed, though she could be registered in the Theon ducal family, the label of illegitimate child remained.

“Elia, you’ve always looked at me without any prejudice. Even though we’re only two years apart, you always respectfully call me sister.”

“You’re my only sister, Sister.”

Elia gazed at Cecilia with her blue eyes.

“Yes. Father cherished me a lot, but with Mother who registered me despite not being her biological daughter, and you who followed me…… I was truly happy.”

After Cecilia’s birth mother died, Beriat Theon welcomed a new fiancée.

The Theon ducal family offered a massive dowry and wanted the pitiful Cecilia’s status to be recognized, and the marquis’s family, needing money, sent their youngest daughter, Lorelaine, as the bride.

“We’re family.”

At those words, Cecilia wore a faint smile. Though her stepmother Lorelaine was a difficult person, she didn’t particularly discriminate against Cecilia. The relationship between the mother and daughter was neither especially good nor bad.

“Mother is a fair person. I know it best.”

Elia wanted to shake her head and reveal the truth, but seeing Cecilia’s innocent face, she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

“She’s wise. She actually leads the House and helps me who has become empress. If it benefits the family, she doesn’t discriminate against me even though I’m not her biological daughter.”

“Sister, Mother is doing this because you’re not her biological daughter……”

Sometimes even white lies were difficult. Fortunately, Cecilia quietly took Elia’s hand.

“Believe me. I’ve actually become empress, and now I can help the family too…… Mother will fairly help me.”

Though her throat tightened, Elia could only nod.

“By the way, Elia, did Mother say anything else?”

At some point, Cecilia had become suspicious about the medicine her mother was sending. And that suspicion was true.

“She said…… stay healthy. That it’s most important for you to remain well until His Majesty returns.”

Elia made up words that weren’t said.

“Did she say anything else?”

“No. She said not to be too anxious.”

Cecilia’s feelings were understandable. Since childhood, there had been widespread sad stories about her birth mother, and going through early puberty, she must have had many unspoken wounds.

Especially since House Theon had been betrothed to the former emperor, there were many more who gossiped about her.

“Sister, you’re now the Empire’s Empress.”

Elia said calmly. Now no one would dare question Cecilia’s origins.

However, perhaps that’s why Cecilia wanted an heir even more. If she bore an heir as soon as the Emperor returned, her status would never be shaken again, and that thought was also concerning.

“When His Majesty returns, he will cherish you, Sister.”

“This child…… Alright, I understand. But, Elia. When you go home, please ask mother if this medicine’s effects are certain.”

“I will, Sister. I’ll also ask if there’s any better medicine.”

This time, for certain, she would protect her kind sister.

“Really? It’s very…… important to me, Sister.”

Cecilia lowered her voice and gently bit her lip.

Bearing an heir was the first duty of an empress, so Elia understood that feeling. However, her sister had simply chosen the wrong person to help her.

“Yes. Don’t worry. I’ll ask again today.”

Just a little longer to endure. If her memory was correct, the Emperor would return with an unexpectedly quick victory, suddenly coming back when yellow spring flowers bloomed in the fields.

There was enough medicine left, and tying up the loose ends of past misfortunes was just around the corner.

‘It’s okay, Sister won’t die now. His Majesty will come soon. It’s almost over.’

Every night, Elia fell asleep hoping for the Emperor’s return. And she felt a truly strange feeling.

Once, just thinking about Rockfort made her hands tremble and want to flee. Now she was waiting for his return.

Her situation seemed quite ridiculous, but she didn’t mind. As long as all this ended properly.

“This time, no one will get hurt.”

The words to herself pierced her heart.

“I’m reclaiming my name. And…… I’ll live freely.”

Neither her noble status nor her beautiful looks had brought her happiness. So she wouldn’t waste this new opportunity. At the very least, she would achieve her own happiness.

“I’ll live as myself, not as anyone’s substitute.”

Elia would not become a second choice but would live a completely new life. Just thinking about it made tears flow.

You did well, it was so heartbreaking. Elia repeated the same words to her heart.

“Really…… everything will be okay now……”

At that time, she didn’t know…

“His Majesty will return soon. Then even mother won’t be able to do anything.”

That was Elia’s only hope. She had already lived a terrible life, met a cruel death, and returned to being eighteen.

Perhaps that was the problem.

That her belief that she already knew everything was arrogance.

And where this cruel thread of fate had first become tangled.

What the truly terrible truth was…

She couldn’t know that nothing had ended yet.

* * *

A few days later, while Elia happened to be in the Empress’s chambers, news arrived of the Emperor’s sudden return that she had been anxiously waiting for. The frightening errand from her mother was also over.

“Elia, is this really…… really the medicine mother told you to give me?”

Perhaps trembling at the thought of greeting the Emperor, Cecilia’s complexion was pale. In just a few days, her gaunt face had become pitiable.

“Are you hiding something from me?”

Elia’s deliberation was brief. Her mother might not completely give up. And if she left to find her freedom, she could no longer protect Cecilia.

If she failed this time, next time. And if that didn’t work, she might try again.

So, for the future, Cecilia needed to know the truth.

“Sister. I…… actually have a secret.”

Cecilia’s eyes trembled slightly.

“The medicine mother gave you until now was meant to harm you. So I’ve been secretly replacing it with nutritional supplements.”

“……What?”

Cecilia staggered and collapsed onto the sofa. Her blank eyes wandered aimlessly.

“Be careful of mother. Now that His Majesty has arrived, you’ll be happy.”

“What…… did you say……?”

“I mean, I threw away the medicine that would have harmed you and……”

Abruptly rising, Cecilia struck Elia’s cheek. It happened too suddenly.

“I understand your disappointment……”

Even if she’s not her birth mother, to think she would try to poison her…

But that wasn’t the end. Cecilia, with unfocused eyes, began strangling Elia.

“Sister, I can’t breathe……!”

Where did such terrible strength come from in those slender arms?

Even as Elia struggled with all her might to break free, Cecilia fearfully continued to strangle her.

Only then did Elia feel an instinctive sense of dissonance.

Strange. Everything was too strange.