Vol. 1 - Ch. 62
The Fake Madam DisappearedThis chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
T/N: Why do I keep hurting myself over and over again? My heart felt like it was being stabbed knowing how much Daphne is hurting đ
This chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
T/N: Why do I keep hurting myself over and over again? My heart felt like it was being stabbed knowing how much Daphne is hurting đ
Daphne turned around.
âSo you were awake, Madam.â
ââŠYour Highness.â
Daphne tensed at the sudden appearance of Elizabeth. The Princessâs unnervingly calm expression only heightened the tension. Daphne hesitated, then stood up.
âIâve been thinking, Madam.â
Elizabeth stepped closer, her demeanor weary, as if she hadnât slept all night.
âI was so furious⊠I kept thinking about it.â
She tilted her head slightly.
âNo matter how much I try, I just canât understand. Iâm the noblest and most beautiful woman in the Empire, so whyâŠ.â
Elizabeth trailed off, suddenly realizing she was speaking in front of Daphne. She swallowed the rest of her words, which had risen to the tip of her tongue.
To say them aloud would be no different from admitting defeat. Instead, she gave a radiant smile, veiled in falsehoods.
âThe Duke has accepted my proposal, Madam.â
ââŠYou mean he agreed to the divorce?â
Daphne asked, and Elizabeth nodded.
âHe agreed right away, without even taking time to consider.â
Daphne blinked, then slowly lowered her head.
âI see⊠Thatâs good to hear.â
âYes, very good.â
A short silence followed before Daphne raised her head again. Her blank expression, showing neither despair nor sorrow, reminded Elizabeth of Edmund. This wasnât the reaction she had wanted.
Elizabeth bit her lip.
âBut thereâs something I find a little strange, Madam.â
Her eyes gleamed with a sharp intensity. Daphne caught the glint in Elizabethâs gaze and felt a rising sense of dread.
âI started wondering⊠Are you really pregnant?â
ââŠ.â
âCome in.â
At Elizabethâs command, someone entered the room. It was a royal physician.
Daphne took a step back.
ââŠYour Highness, please donât do this.â
âWe can confirm whether you're pregnant just by checking your pulse. It wonât take long. No one will know.â
Elizabeth murmured.
âGrace, hold her.â
At Elizabethâs cold command, Grace seized Daphneâs arm. Daphne struggled desperately.
âYour Highness, this isâŠâ
Smack!
A sharp pain burst across her cheek as sparks seemed to fly.
âYour Highness!â
Grace cried out in shock, but Elizabeth simply shrugged.
âThis much is nothing. A slap wonât make her lose the baby if there even is one.â
Then, she glared sharply at the physician.
âWhat are you waiting for? Hurry and check whether sheâs pregnant.â
âM-Madam, Iâm terribly sorry. But my familyâs lives are at stakeâŠâ
The physician stepped closer.
Daphne looked around frantically for a way to escape, but there was none. Screaming for help would be pointless. Even if she broke free from Grace, the physician was a grown man. She wouldnât be able to overpower him.
At last, the physician grabbed Daphneâs wrist. She squeezed her eyes shut.
âWhat is going on here?â
A new hand grasped the physicianâs, breaking his grip.
âMarquis Bled?â
Elizabethâs face twisted at the unexpected disruption.
âWhat are you doing here?â
âI could ask the same, Your Highness.â
Sergei stepped in front of Daphne, shielding her from Elizabethâs sight.
âHis Majesty is asking for you.â
ââŠMy father?â
âYes. He said he would visit your quarters. He should be arriving any moment now.â
Elizabeth went pale and swallowed hard.
âGrace! Letâs go!â
She hurried out of the room.
âYou there.â
Sergei addressed the trembling physician in the corner. The man flinched and looked up.
âNothing happened just now. Understood?â
Sergei flashed a faint smile. The physician nodded hastily.
âY-yes, of course.â
Then, in a panic, he fled the room.
Everything had happened so fast that Daphne remained frozen, gasping for breath.
âSister.â
ââŠWhy would my brother come to such a miserable place?â
Snapping back to reality at Sergeiâs voice, Daphne realized how close he was and took a step back.
âYouâve become quite haggard.â
Sergei reached out a hand. Seeing it approach, Daphne turned her head and shut her eyes tightly.
âHave you forgotten I just helped you? No need to be so tense.â
He gently patted her shoulder. Then, he glanced around the small room.
ââŠWhy are you here?â
Daphneâs voice trembled with unease.
âMother and Father are gone now. Itâs just the two of us left. Why are you treating your only brother like a threat?â
Daphneâs face twisted. It was Sergei who had killed their mother. Even on an empty stomach, nausea rose up inside her.
âInterrogations begin today.â
Sergei spun lightly on his heel.
âStill⊠you look better than I expected.â
ââŠExcuse me?â
âOh? Havenât you heard anything? One of your husbandâs men visited at dawn.â
âI havenât heard⊠what news?â
âThe Young Lord hasnât woken up.â
Daphne retraced Sergeiâs words, one by one.
Damian hasnât regained consciousness.
She looked up at Sergei, eyes trembling.
âWhat would I gain by lying to you?â
He continued.
âBut this is your choice, Sister.â
Sergei explained slowly, clearly for her confused mind.
âYou chose the Duke. Thatâs why the Young Lord ended up like this. Maybe the Duke could have endured it, but sadly, the young one couldnât. And after clinging to that strange necklace for years, his energy must have been completely drained⊠He might never wake up.â
âMy choiceâŠâ
Daphne had chosen Edmund. When faced with two paths, she hadnât even hesitated. And she hadnât even realized it.
âItâs your fault the Young Lord is in this state.â
Sergei leaned in.
âOr maybe not. If the Dukeâs men had taken you a few hours earlier, perhaps he wouldâve survived.â
Then he whispered.
âBut it canât be helped. The one the Duke chose⊠wasnât you.â
With that, Sergei left the room.
Daphne didnât move.
Only after a long while did she collapse to the floor.
She crawled to the door on her knees, pounding against it. She screamed until her voice gave out, struck the door until her hands were scratched and bruised.
She didnât stop until she had fully accepted that no one was coming. That no one was there. Only then did Daphneâs hands fall silent.
Her mouth moved soundlessly, no voice escaping.
She was drowning in despair so deep that not even sound could reach.
Was it guilt for not choosing Damian? Or the anguish that Edmund hadnât chosen her?
No one could say.
Daphne wept quietly, her cries swallowed by silence.
* * *
âAhem. Your Highness, if I may. I wasnât able to say this yesterday, but regarding Duchess WinterâŠâ
âMy, look at the time. Iâve got a rather urgent meeting scheduled.â
Today again, Carlito abruptly rose from his seat.
âLetâs discuss it tomorrow.â
ââŠYes, Your Highness.â
Once again, the Imperial faction had to swallow their words.
Edmund watched Carlito intently. Just like yesterday, the moment they tried to bring up Daphne, Carlito would change the subject. It was no coincidence.
âOh, Duke Winter.â
Carlito suddenly stopped in his tracks.
âHow is the Young Lord faring?â
A chilling bloodlust swept through the previously noisy chamber, plunging it into silence.
âHm? Whatâs the matter? I only asked because I heard he was hurt. I was thinking of offering a magic stone imbued with holy power.â
Only Carlito seemed unaffected, tilting his head in curiosity.
âHeâs fine. Itâs not a serious injury.â
âI see. Well then, never mind.â
Edmund watched Carlitoâs retreating figure in silence.
The reason his killing intent had flared up at that question was because of what happened at dawn. Damianâs condition had suddenly worsened.
His body had trembled violently, teeth chattering, soaked in cold sweat. The energy inside him had twisted wildly, ready to explode at any moment.
Edmund had rushed to his carriage to return home immediately. But someone stood waiting for him outside.
âYour Excellency.â
It was Johann, who shouldâve been at the mansion. Edmund feared the worst.
Johann spoke quickly, in a low voice.
âThe Young Lordâs condition hasnât improved, but it hasnât deteriorated either. However⊠thatâs not why I came.â
To have come in person despite knowing Edmund would return soon meant the matter couldnât be brushed aside.
âThere was a prison break attempt last night at the facility where Madam is being held. Security has been tightened. Theyâre even planning to install barrier magic. In other words⊠itâs now impossible to approach her.â