Chapter 60

‘What happened?’

If she looks closely, she can see that the folds of the purple outer dress are slightly different from before. The connection part of the skirt was also awkward.

It was a subtle difference that could only be seen through persistent observation.

‘Did you sew back ripped clothes in such a short time? how?’

Renia was confused. In the meantime, the interlude ended and a new dance song continued. Amelie and Serwin started dancing again as if nothing had happened.

In the meantime, Renia was the only one who couldn’t come to her senses. She was the only one standing blankly alone in a party full of laughter and music. Then the Count Manvers approached her.

“Renia. What’s going on! Why is she fine! Didn’t you say you would humiliate her?”

He spoke with a low voice, looking around him.

Renia hesitated for a moment. Can she say exactly what she saw?

“—I guess Charlotte betrayed me.”

Renia lied skillfully. Looking at the torn skirt, Charlotte did her part. However, something different happened and ruined the plan. But she thought she shouldn’t tell the Count about this.

“What a fool! You can’t even use one maid properly!”

Count Manvers rebuked her harshly. No matter how much he lowered his voice, they’re inside the party hall. People began to glance at them. Tsk, the sound of someone kicking their tongue stuck in Renia’s ear. She wanted to hide in a rat hole.

“I’ll see you at home!”

The Count, who paid a lot of attention to other people’s eyes, left in a hurry.

Next up was Gilbert. He laughed at Renia as usual and threatened to marry her off to an old man. Renia was powerless to resist, and all she could do was listen to his insults.

Meanwhile, the second dance song was also over, and Amelie quietly left the hall.

‘Is she going to fix her clothes?’

Renia tried to follow Amelie, but Serwin approached her.

“Your Majesty?”

“Let’s dance together.”

When Serwin asked Renia to dance, the hall was very noisy.

“Seeing His Majesty ask Manvers Young Lady to dance, it seems that His Majesty has not made up his mind.”

“His Majesty must be thinking about many things.”

The nobles looked at the new development with excitement and their mouths.

‘It’s not like that.’

Renia wanted to shout at them. Serwin’s eyes were overflowing with anger as if he was going to kill her right away. The cold gold eyes were as sharp as a blade.

“Renia, Your Majesty is waiting for you.”

Count Manvers came to her side and encouraged her. Renia was forced to hold Serwin’s hand. Her hands trembled with fear.

The two moved toward the center of the hall. Renia’s body moved according to habit. She was able to dance quite well while being stiff to the fingertips due to fear.

‘Why did he ask me to dance?’

Why did he have to do that at this time like this? Renia nervously waited for him to open his mouth. It was even scarier because he, who was hot-tempered, was dancing without pulling out a sword.

“Young Lady Manvers.”

Serwin called her.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“What kind of trick did you do try to pull on her?”

“….”

Renia bit her lips.

‘He got me.’

He, who was next to Amelie, must have seen what Renia also saw.

Amelie’s clothes were intentionally ruined, and at that moment, Renia stepped forward and tried to stop it. It was only natural for her that she would be accused of being the culprit.

“Did you think I couldn’t respond since I didn’t hurt or kill you, when you pretended it was an accident?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Renia was caught. Even if she was caught by him, she had to pretend not to know until the end.

“Do you think I brought it up because I was curious about your opinion?”

Serwin’s lips rose sharply. Renia hardened her body. He used to smile just like that when he cut off the servant’s arm.

“Then—”

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m not doing anything now because I don’t know. I’m putting up with it for Amelie’s sake. But be prepared. When the party’s over, the Count and you will have to pay the price for touching my person.”

It was only because of Amelie that Serwin didn’t kill Renia on the spot. He didn’t want to ruin this party that he held for her. He knew Amelie had worked hard to prepare for her party, so he didn’t want her efforts to go to waste.

“There should be no more tricks. If you want to leave your family’s name intact for much longer.”

“The Count Manvers is a prestigious family in the Empire. No matter how much you say to destroy it, you can’t harm such a family without a cause.”

Serwin laughed.

“Do you think I’m called a tyrant for no reason?”

He meant it. If he could, he wanted to sweep the Count right away. But—.

“Even if it’s impossible to reach the Count, it’s still enough to kill at least one of you.”

“If I’m in danger, my family—.”

Renia was speechless. He held Renia’s hand as strong as he could without outright breaking it.

“Do you think the Count will defend you?”

As soon as she heard his words, Renia’s heart seemed to thump and sink. He was right. Count Manvers will not save her. Rather, he will be delighted at the thought of receiving the price of killing her. Her chest hurt more than her crushed hand.

‘—It’s all over.’

Not only was she unable to become an Empress, but also her life was at stake.

‘What should I do now? My father wouldn’t help me.’

When the dance was over, Serwin turned his back and left, and when he was nowhere to be seen, people began to slowly gather around Renia. Count Manvers also smiled as if he was never angry. Everyone seemed to wonder what kind of conversation she and Serwin had. Renia couldn’t say anything.

‘What should I say to my father? No, I can’t. I can’t say it. I have to figure it out on my own.’

The Count would be threatened more than enough to tell Serwin what she had done here. Because he was a person who would not hesitate to give up his children in order to survive.

‘There are so many people, but there is no one to help me.’

A sense of despair prevailed. Renia staggered out of the party hall, avoiding the Count. A long shadow fell behind her as she left.

‘What should I do now?’

She couldn’t think of anything.

Obviously, she did her best, but there was nothing left. Far from gaining the freedom she longed for, her life was in jeopardy. What has she lived for without anyone worrying about her? There was a lot of skepticism in life.

‘Where should I go?’

[Come closer. Come to me…]

Someone whispered in her ear. The voice penetrated into her ear as if pouring sweet sticky syrup into the mouth of a starved man.

Renia walked blankly. She walked toward the lake as if she were attracted to something.

As she reached the lake, the sticky black fog that had been stagnant under the water leaked under her clothes and swept her bare skin.

Renia’s eyes couldn’t see anything, but the sensation was so vivid that her body trembled.

[You are full of despair. Give it to me. Then, don’t tell me where to go]

[You said you can do anything to become an Empress, right?]

‘Yeah. I can do anything.’

After becoming the Empress, she would be able to set herself free. She doesn’t have to follow the reckless Count, and she doesn’t have to deal with Gilbert’s humiliation anymore.

‘I want a position that will not be shaken by anyone.’

[It’s simple. You can get rid of anything that bothers you]

‘Get rid of it?’

The disaster whispered. Renia raised her head. The sunset lake was as red as blood due to the sunset. The fishy smell poked her nose. A dark shadow cast over her.

‘Ah, right. That’s simple.’

Renia laughed as if possessed.

‘I just have to kill her.’

As Reina blankly stared out over the lake she suddenly felt the handle of a deadly knife in her hands.

*****

Amelie went to another room and changed her dress. Just in case, she had made another dress with the same design, and Milena didn’t forget to bring an extra dress so she could quickly change her clothes.

The dress Amelie was wearing was torn apart at the sewing on her waist. She didn’t know why the dress, which was fine when she wore it, suddenly became like this. When she looked closely at the torn part, there were no thread left in the part, so she suspected that some special drug had been used.

Milena took away her dress separately because she had to report this situation to Mrs Enard right away. Milena left, Amelie checked her makeup, and then left the room to return to the party.

Amelie was lost in thought as she walked alone through the hallway.

‘What was it before?’

Amelie recalled what happened a while ago. After successfully finishing the first dance, she was talking to Serwin while waiting for the second dance. But Renia suddenly called out to her.

Amelie was excited and couldn’t look around, so only after hearing her call could she notice that Serina was trying to pull her skirt.

‘What would have happened if you didn’t notice it in advance—?’

It was like revealing her naked body in front of so many people. Just thinking about it made her dizzy.

‘The only person who could have ruined the clothes is Charlotte.’

With magic hanging on her clothes, Charlotte was likely to be a rat by now.

‘I can understand the sudden disappearance. So was it Renia who ordered Charlotte to ruin my clothes?’

Both Charlotte and Serina were friends with Renia. Crucially, Renia did not hide her confusion when her  clothes were fine. It meant she knew what was going to happen to her.

However, one question has not been solved.

‘Why did you call out to me in that situation?’

If she had stayed still, she would have been greatly disgraced as planned. She wouldn’t have found out that Young Lady Serina pulled her skirt, and that it was Renia who ordered it.

‘Did you change your mind at the end? Or was it part of the plan?’

Amelie tilted her head. A thin wind passed by her neck.

“Huh—”

Amelie stopped walking and looked around. The windows were all locked, so there was no place for the wind to enter.

‘What is it—’

Looking out the window, a woman stood in a red lake.

‘Renia? Why is Renia standing there alone?’

Looking closely, there was a long shadow hanging behind Renia. Her red hair was as intense as the flames burning under the sunset. Somehow it was an ominous scene.

‘What should I do?’

She had to go back to the party, but Amelie didn’t take a step to move away from the window. It was because she had an ominous feeling.

‘I can’t ignore this feeling, right?’

Amelie turned toward the lake.