Cecilia’s always gentle eyes were filled with manic anger, and her face was pale as if facing despair.

Why would sister wear such a despairing expression?

I understand her resentment toward mother. But she should be safe now. I saved her.

“You wicked girl, you’re really going to kill me after all!”

Was she having a strange nightmare? Yes, it seemed so.

“Sister, that’s not it, I just replaced the medicine that would harm you……”

“Ha…… Right. I shouldn’t have trusted you mother and daughter. I was foolish. Did you want to become Empress that badly? Were you disgusted seeing me, an illegitimate child, become Empress?”

Cecilia must have misunderstood something. Well, it was such shocking news, it was understandable.

“No. I…… so that sister wouldn’t die……”

“How long will you wear that innocent mask? You were a more frightening woman than the Duchess. All this time, have you enjoyed watching me wither away? Pretending to be kind, pretending to care for me, even though your hypocritical face disgusted me, I endured it! And now you!”

Cecilia breathed roughly and then threw Elia down with great force. Even as she fell to the floor, Elia’s mind was blank.

Barely coughing and inhaling, she still couldn’t understand the situation.

“Sister…… why…… are you doing this?”

Instead of answering, Cecilia threw a nearby glass bottle. The action caused her hand to bleed, but she seemed not to feel the pain as she glared at Elia with murderous intent.

The bottle shattered with a loud noise, and fragments scratched Elia’s cheek, but she couldn’t feel the pain. Her head was numb, and there was ringing in her ears.

“Why are you doing this…… to me?”

Faced with the manic Cecilia’s actions, Elia sat down and cautiously backed away.

Instinct was controlling Elia’s body. When Cecilia took a step forward, Elia kept retreating, fleeing toward a corner.

Then at some point, her back hit the wall. It was a complete corner.

“Congratulations. In the end, you’ll kill me and become Empress.”

Having cornered Elia completely, Cecilia walked slowly and stood before her.

“Sister……? I never intended to become Empress……”

“Shut up! You bewitching wench!”

She couldn’t say anything through her half-open mouth.

The Cecilia that Elia knew was not someone who would say such things. To see the always calm and kind Cecilia behaving this way, it was as if she was possessed by something.

“Everything, everything is because of you…… Yes, you killed me. Are you happy? Are you satisfied now?”

But Cecilia couldn’t stop. No. She herself seemed to have given up on everything. Cecilia, who appeared almost insane, just sat down.

“In the end, I lost to you.”

“What are you saying! I deceived mother and switched the medicine to save your life. You’re safe now!”

Haha…… Cecilia’s hollow laughter rang out like that of a madwoman.

“No. You killed me.”

Cecilia’s words, like a curse, buzzed in her ears.

“Somehow, no matter how much medicine I took…… the child in my womb kept growing, which was strange.”

Elia’s mind froze. She must have misheard because of the ringing in her ears. But why was Cecilia’s voice so clear?

No. What did she just hear? The Emperor had certainly left for the battlefield without consummating the marriage, so what did she mean by a child in her womb?

“It was a one-night mistake. If this fact comes to light, not only will I die, but the family won’t be safe either, so the Duchess wouldn’t have deceived me…… It must be only you.”

Her kind and gentle sister, Cecilia. The heartless mother who tried to kill such a sister…

I only wanted to help my pitiful, innocent sister.

“It’s too late now. It’s because I entrusted it to a mere eighteen-year-old. If I die…… if this fact comes to light, do you think you’ll be safe?”

Elia unknowingly stood up and stood before Cecilia.

“You asked mother…… for abortion medicine? Why……”

Cecilia had tried to deceive the Emperor, and the Duchess had deceived Cecilia in turn.

Yes, nothing had changed.

“Why on earth.”

There truly was no innocent person.

“Why…… because of you all, I……”

Yet the punishment was solely Elia’s. Only Elia, the only one without sin, paid the price again and again.

“Yes, there’s no need to go alone. Elia. Let’s go together, Sister.”

With a rush, Cecilia embraced Elia.

“Sister?”

Elia’s instinct was warning her of something. But no matter how hard she tried to break free, she couldn’t escape Cecilia’s arms.

“It’s because of you. So, you’re coming with me.”

Cecilia embraced Elia with frightening strength and threw herself out the window.

It happened before Elia could even realize what was going on. Everything happened in an instant.

“If I can’t be, you can’t become Empress either.”

Only Cecilia’s final words echoed in her ears. The terrible pain didn’t last long.

Soon, darkness found Elia.

* * *

News of the unfortunate accident in the Empress’s chambers reached Rockfort on the battlefield via urgent dispatch.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty! Critical news has arrived from the Imperial Palace!”

The knight who came straight to the Emperor’s tent after receiving the dispatch was panting, but the Emperor’s guards blocked his way with spears.

“It’s urgent!”

Though the knight spoke again, the guards didn’t budge.

“His Majesty is currently writing the decree declaring this war over, so no one may enter.”

At this absolute reason, even the knight had to nod.

The war, initially expected to take two years, had ended suddenly with the Emperor’s expedition gaining momentum. It was thanks to Rockfort personally leading the army from the front.

“Everyone, attention! His Majesty is coming to proclaim the decree!”

The tent became noisy, and then the head chamberlain blew a trumpet.

Soon, Rockfort, the protagonist of this battlefield who led the victory, emerged triumphantly from the tent and stood on a high platform. Despite still being young, the Emperor’s experience and dignity were overwhelming.

“Today, I declare this war over.”

Boom, boom, as drums sounded, everyone regardless of status knelt before Rockfort.

“Those who dared to rebel against the Holy Petrion Empire have been annihilated by my hand according to God’s will.”

Rockfort’s eyes, tinged with purple, truly showed what it meant to be a powerful ruler.

“Sound the victory drums across the continent immediately. I will return to the Imperial Palace at once.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

As he turned away, slight joy could be detected on his face. Jayden followed Rockfort into the Emperor’s tent.

“It may be redundant, but congratulations again on your victory.”

“My victory was predetermined. However……”

Rockfort smiled with satisfaction.

“I’m certainly pleased that I can return earlier since it ended much sooner than expected.”

“You can finally enjoy married life.”

Seeing that there was no rebuke to Jayden’s mischievous words, Rockfort must have been in a truly good mood.

“I haven’t been able to be a husband to the Empress even once, having left for the expedition right after the wedding ceremony.”

Rockfort was a man with a strong sense of responsibility. The war ended so quickly partly due to his determination to return soon and fulfill his duties as a husband.

“With peace on the continent after this conflict, only days of togetherness await you both.”

At Jayden’s words, Rockfort smiled slightly.

“Pack my things roughly. Leave the cleanup here to the knights and let’s depart first.”

“Are you in such a hurry to return?”

Instead of answering, Rockfort put on the hood he had left in the tent. He seemed to be in such a hurry that he wanted to ride the horse himself.

Jayden went back outside the tent to prepare the Emperor’s horse.

“Sir Jayden! Urgent news from the Imperial Palace.”

The knight who had earlier pleaded with the guards was still standing firm.

With an ominous feeling, Jayden immediately extended his hand. The knight handed him the letter that had arrived by dispatch. The letter was still sealed.

“How did you know it was urgent news without opening the letter?”

“There was a note beside the letter. It said there had been a very serious and major accident, and to urgently inform His Majesty……”

“I understand.”

Jayden took the letter and went back into the tent.

“Is the horse ready?”

“Not yet. There was a knight outside the tent who brought a dispatch from the Imperial Palace. He says it’s extremely urgent.”

The palace wouldn’t even know the war was over yet, but something that absolutely had to be delivered immediately made him feel uneasy.

“Urgent matter?”

Rockfort frowned and snatched the letter from Jayden’s hand. His dark eyes, tinged with purple, quickly read through the words.

And then, for a long time, he neither moved nor made any sound. It was as if he had turned to stone right there.

“……Your Majesty?”

At Jayden’s worried voice, Rockfort finally came to his senses and crumpled the paper completely. The thoroughly crumpled letter fell at his feet.

“Read it yourself.”

A chillingly low voice sounded. The joy of victory and anticipation of return had now disappeared from his face.

“The Empress…… Cecilia is dead.”

With a long sigh, Rockfort closed his eyes.

“There was a fall from the tower in the Empress’s chambers.”

Jayden’s eyes were reading the same passage.

But this was strange to anyone. How could there possibly be such a commotion that the Empress would fall from a tower and die?

“This can’t be just an accident.”

Rockfort’s judgment was quick.

“Since the Empress was alone with Lady Elia at the time of the accident, there are no witnesses…… it’s difficult to know the circumstances yet.”

“That’s because it’s not an accident.”

The angrier Rockfort became, the colder his voice got.

“Someone disguised a murder as an accident to kill the Empress.”

Intense conviction and hatred were added to his eyes. Clenching his empty fist, grief emanated from Rockfort’s entire body.