“……I promise. I entrust all dispositions regarding Daniel and House Theon to you.”

Elia nodded with relief at Rockfort’s firm answer.

“However, it would be difficult to accept lenient dispositions for Daniel and his children.”

“I have no such intention either. That man Daniel drove my family to a miserable death, and Kayla tried to k*ll me and take my place.”

Elia had a kind heart, but she was no fool.

They had committed crimes of their own making and deserved to pay the appropriate price. That was also the law of this world.

“After demoting Daniel and Kayla to commoners and stripping them of everything…… it would be good to send them to the disputed region between the Grand Duchy of Ern and the empire.”

“You won’t k*ll them?”

Rockfort asked as if surprised.

“Death would be too generous a disposition for that father and daughter.”

Elia’s blue eyes gleamed coldly. She was too angry about the humiliation Cecilia must have suffered to give Daniel and his daughter a clean death, and the guilt that would remain in her parents’ remaining years weighed heavily.

“I’ll make Daniel work as a laborer in the borderlands for the rest of his life, and marry Kayla to the most deficient of those laborers.”

“Indeed…… it might be more harsh than death for them. But doesn’t Daniel have a son too?”

“Yes. That child was being educated at the academy, so he’s unrelated to this matter.”

Kelvin’s situation was pitiful to consider, but since many people had already paid sacrifices, exceptions couldn’t be made.

“I’ll have him become a monk. So he can neither continue the family line nor hold noble status…… but he can seek God’s salvation.”

Seeing Elia speak so calmly, it seemed she had thought deeply during this time. Moreover, her conclusion was impeccably clean, so Rockfort nodded without further words.

“If you permit, I would like to meet my parents today.”

“You don’t need my permission for such things.”

Elia smiled at his affectionate words.

Today, Elia wanted to tie up loose ends in her own way. She had requested to meet Rockfort beforehand partly because she wanted to see him and strengthen her resolve once more with his firm intentions.

“My parents will return to the Theon duchy tomorrow.”

Elia announced the decision that had already been made.

“If that is truly your wish…… I won’t say more.”

In the end, Elia gave up Theon’s future.

“Yes.”

She had no regrets. The two of them already had a more precious future than that.

* * *

After much deliberation, Elia decided not to meet Daniel and his daughter. Seeing them would only dirty her eyes and ears, so she chose to remember only their confirmed misfortune.

However, she couldn’t neglect meeting her parents, as it would be the last in this life.

“Her Majesty the Empress arrives.”

Hannah’s voice calmly rang out in front of the reception room where the former Duke and Duchess Theon were confined.

The grand chamberlain respectfully opened the door, and Elia entered to find her parents, looking much more shabby than she remembered, bowing side by side.

“We greet Your Majesty the Empress.”

Seeing her gaunt parents, Elia couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Suppressing the emotion that suddenly welled up, she nodded to them.

“Please rise.”

The perceptive Hannah read Elia’s intention and closed the door, leaving the three of them alone.

“You’ve already heard about…… the disposition?”

Beriat looked at his daughter for a long time with wrinkled eyes, then nodded.

“We are only grateful for the merciful and generous disposition of His Majesty the Emperor and Your Majesty the Empress.”

Beriat eased Elia’s burden with his calm attitude and response that was not at all different from what she had expected.

Lorelaine bit her lip hard, then unable to suppress her emotions, grasped both of Elia’s hands. Elia didn’t push away her gaunt mother’s hands but instead warmly held them back, surprising Lorelaine.

“Mother, and Father.”

Elia withdrew one hand to take Beriat’s.

It was a moment when the three family members finally held hands again.

“Having you both to spend the rest of your lives in the territory…… was my request. Also, House Theon…… will end with you two.”

Beriat unconsciously let out a sigh.

Though the rise and fall of families was said to be predetermined fate, even someone as strong as he couldn’t help but be shaken that it would end in his generation.

“It’s all my fault. If I…… if I hadn’t been deceived by that man……”

“Mother.”

Elia looked sadly at Lorelaine’s tear-soaked face and continued.

“Don’t blame what’s passed.”

Understanding his daughter’s heart, Beriat soothed Lorelaine’s shoulders as she was about to burst into tears.

The two of them could live a relatively peaceful remainder of their lives in the Theon territory, receiving respect and service from their people.

“Don’t resent, don’t grieve, don’t lament.”

Elia already knew that all those emotions were useless.

And that bitter regret could only be cut off by one’s own will and heart, nothing else.

“As empress, and as one man’s wife…… I intend to live my life faithfully. No matter what happens, my current heart will not waver.”

There could be no words more comforting to parents than these.

Lorelaine now shed tears of relief, and Beriat squeezed Elia’s hand that he was holding.

“Thank you……”

“I will find happiness. So you don’t need to worry.”

Elia had made the difficult decision to meet her parents precisely to convey these words.

If parents about to depart on a long journey knew their child was safe, they could spend the rest of their lives with somewhat peaceful minds.

“I would leave right away. If only you are happy, we…… have no regrets.”

“Yes. Fortunately, since you’re the empress, we can always hear news about you even from afar. You…… should forget about a foolish mother like me and be happy.”

Elia shook her head at those tear-filled words.

“I, at least, won’t forget you both. Though I won’t be able to see you again…… please remember that I’ll always be thinking of your well-being.”

“Yes, yes……”

When even Beriat’s eyes grew moist, Elia knew the time for a real farewell had come. If she dragged it out longer, her heart would weaken and the parting would become more painful.

“I hope you’re always at peace. And…… I’ll tell you one last thing.”

Elia took one step closer to her parents and whispered something quietly.

“Then, I’ll…… goodbye.”

With that, she paid her final respects as a daughter and slowly turned to leave the room.

It was the moment she completely left her parents’ embrace and headed toward a new life.

* * *

The next day, Elia’s parents voluntarily departed for their territory in a shabby carriage. At the same time, Daniel and Kayla received orders to leave for the empire’s borderlands on foot with criminals’ ropes tied around them.

“I see.”

Elia took a sip of tea after receiving the report from Grand Chamberlain Dain.

“The details would soil Her Majesty the Empress’s ears.”

“I have no desire to hear them.”

She could clearly imagine what an ugly sight that father and daughter must have made without needing a report.

“The execution date for House Belest has been set. All ducal lands will be confiscated, and any remaining family members who didn’t participate in the treason—young ones or women—will all be sent to convents.”

Normally, treason would result in the execution of even young children, but this time it seemed Rockfort had been influenced by observing Elia’s conduct.

“If it’s His Majesty’s will……”

Though it was nothing new, now Rockfort was the only person Elia would address as “His Majesty.” That fact felt somewhat empty.

“What about the empress dowager’s close associates?”

“From what I’ve heard, His Majesty the Emperor has already sent His Highness the Grand Duke of Amid to……”

The rest was obvious without hearing it.

Those who had helped Cassandra handle poisons—the only appropriate disposition was to k*ll them without anyone knowing.

“Sir Jayden must feel terrible.”

Since the empress dowager’s closest confidante had been Jayden’s birth mother, it was likely Rockfort’s consideration to pass the duty that should have been his to the Grand Duke of Amid.

“I’m tired. I arranged to have dinner with the princess, so I should rest until then.”

“Yes.”

Elia reclined against the cushions on the long sofa.

It sometimes felt as if countless events had flashed by like a dream, and also as if a very long time had passed.

However, there was another reason for her current fatigue, and without the luxury of falling deeper into contemplation, Elia’s eyes slowly closed.

* * *

Rockfort threw himself into official duties like a madman, as if to release all the resentment and bitterness he had been holding back at once.

The executions ended swiftly and efficiently, and no one dared to object. They even said that commoners threw stones at the corpses of House Belest who had exploited them, so public opinion was not even worth mentioning.

“Still, tell them to conduct the funeral with respect.”

“Yes. I’ve already conveyed that.”

Duke Belest was Rockfort’s maternal grandfather.

So no matter how great his crimes, his body could not be treated disrespectfully.

“……And your mother’s funeral too.”

Rockfort, who hadn’t said a word about Jayden’s mother until now, added in a low voice as if apologetic.

“I’m grateful for your generous disposition.”

Jayden spoke with his usual stoic expression.

He had been abandoned by his mother long ago, and his abandonment of her was not much different from Rockfort’s. He had always known such a day would come.

“I’m also grateful…… for Your Highness the Grand Duke of Amid’s merciful disposition.”

“It’s nothing.”

Rils dismissed it as if embarrassed.

While the bodies of Sophie, who had been Cassandra’s close lady-in-waiting, and others were discarded beyond recovery, the Grand Duke of Amid had read Rockfort’s intentions and allowed only Jayden’s mother a peaceful s*icide, so her body remained intact.

“If you’ll permit me, I’d like to withdraw now.”

Jayden rarely requested permission first.

Rockfort accepted his request without further words, waving his hand, and soon Jayden disappeared.

“Many people’s hearts have been wounded……”

The compassionate Rils said with a bitter expression.

“Indeed.”

“Though those who committed crimes have paid the price, I feel sorry for those left behind.”