IWBQ 04

~Chapter 04~

4. Truth and Sincerity

2023.08.04

“That’s right, what you’re thinking. The first person who took that poison was my ex-husband.”

Ah… At Alice’s words, a gasp burst out.

Prince David—everyone thought he had committed suicide. But was it Iris who killed him?

“Why did you kill Prince David?”

Alice had felt guilty about him. That was why, after Chase became king, she had planned to ask for his pardon.

“Because he wasn’t someone who suited me.”

“You—you’re insane. Completely insane!”

It was greed that had driven Iris mad.

“Want to know something fun?”

The more Alice raged, the better Iris’s mood became.

The humiliation she had suffered for years because of Alice seemed to wash away.

“I killed the late king, too.”

“What?”

Alice’s body broke out in goosebumps.

“That’s the price of being able to stay by Chase’s side. Do you understand?”

Alice was so shocked she couldn’t form words.

“Alice, take the poison and die quietly. If you don’t drink it, the one who will take my poison today will be Regina.”

A chill ran down Alice’s spine. Regina, her maid, was the only one who stayed by her side on nights plagued with nightmares.

“If you still refuse, then the next one will be Patricia.”

“Why Patricia? She’s someone who does nothing but badmouth me!”

“Because she spoke with you.”

Iris was truly vicious. Once Alice realized what she was trying to do, her hair stood on end.

“You’re going to kill everyone I’ve ever known?”

“If you don’t die.”

Her declaration was like a spear, a sword, and a hammer striking Alice. It pierced, slashed, and crushed until Alice’s hope shattered to pieces.

Alice lowered her head.

“Call Chase for me.”

“Planning to beg him? Keep your honor as Viscountess Wharton.”

Alice only wanted to at least beg for Regina’s safety, but Iris left no room for it.

Alice knew what she wanted was contradictory, even shameless.

For Chase’s sake, how many people had she trampled?

Most had begged Alice to spare their remaining family.

Each time, Alice had tried her best to grant their request, but there were far too many times she failed.

To have lived like that and now, at this point… Perhaps this was retribution.

Alice muttered emptily:

“Don’t touch Regina.”

“If I see your corpse tomorrow morning, Regina will live in peace.”

Iris grinned. The deal was struck. She rose to her feet.

The lingering fragrance she left behind felt only nauseating to Alice.

Alice knew.

This was the end.

That night, the sound of fingernails scraping against stone rang endlessly.

Alice was drawing a magic circle on the floor with her nails.

She had no proper tool, so she scraped the ground raw with her fingers.

It was a time-reversing magic circle, dismissed even at the Ivory Tower as absurd.

She had once read about it in The Hidden and Terrifying Compendium of Magic Circles—a book for children.

Alice drew it in desperation, clinging to the smallest chance. Without her sharp memory and sheer stubbornness, it would have been impossible.

By the time she finally completed the circle, dawn was breaking.

All ten of her fingernails were gone.

Sitting in the center of the bloodstained circle, Alice whispered hollowly:

“What’s the point… There’s no one to channel mana into it.”

She gave a bitter laugh.

No matter how precise the circle, without a mage to power it, it was useless.

She had never been able to do anything alone. She was born that way.

In despair, Alice picked up the vial rolling on the floor.

Fine. She would die. She would accept it as her punishment. But if there were a next life…

“I won’t die alone ever again. Wait and see.”

Chase. Iris.

Alice swallowed the poison in one gulp. Her body collapsed sideways.

At that moment, a blurry figure entered her fading vision.

Was that Prince Karan of Tetris? Why was he here?

“…Lis! Alice!”

Why was he calling her with such desperation?

Alice moved her lips, but only a faint breath escaped.

Her hearing dimmed, then a brilliant white light enveloped her.

Don’t people usually see only darkness when they die? she thought, and closed her eyes completely.

“We’ve found where Viscountess Alice Wharton is being held.”

At those words, Karan shot to his feet and rushed out.

Ignoring Hartbin’s warnings of danger, he donned plain clothes and headed for Bedroca’s underground prison.

The knights who barred his way, he cut down without hesitation.

They had no time to fight back before their lives were ended.

By the time he reached the prison, his blade dripped with blood not his own.

“Alice will be shocked if she sees this.”

He casually wiped the blood from his sword onto a fallen knight’s tunic.

His expression betrayed no trace of emotion.

But once he stepped into the underground cells, he changed.

A low groan escaped him. His heart shook with countless emotions.

This place did not suit Alice.

The damp moss, the foul stench, the foreboding air of despair.

“How did it come to this…”

Karan knew all that Alice had done to place Chase on the throne.

Without her, someone as incompetent as Chase could never have come near it.

She was a woman who deserved glory. Yet why was she rotting in a cell?

“The scandal with His Majesty had the greatest impact.”

Recalling Hartbin’s words, Karan clenched his fists.

She had been the one woman he never dared to lay a hand on.

Even a word from her had left him so overjoyed he could barely answer.

And now they called it a scandal?

Chase’s vile intent was so transparent, it made Karan’s blood boil.

Taking a deep breath to control himself, Karan pushed open the prison door.

First, he had to focus on saving Alice. Everything else could wait until after.

Karan moved through the dark with ease.

Tetrisians were born with sight that pierced darkness like daylight.

He had always thought of it as the blessing of Tetris.

But tonight, it was a curse.

“Alice! Wake up!”

The sight of Alice collapsed on the ground stabbed his eyes like a blade.

Her half-closed eyes, the blood dripping from her lips—all told of her fading life.

“Why… why….”

He couldn’t believe it. Just four days ago, she had spoken to him about the subjugation campaign.

Smiling faintly, carrying her familiar fragrance, asking for Tetris’s aid.

Now she lay pale and lifeless.

“You should’ve held on longer… Like you always did, stubbornly.”

Karan had carried feelings for her for twenty years.

She was the only one who had ever respected him, the barbarian everyone despised.

At every continental exchange, she had been the only one who did not scorn the Tetrisians.

Even during this campaign, she alone had been willing to hear their counsel.

Karan pitied her for the unfair treatment she endured.

So he had once hinted:

“It would be wonderful if someone like you lived in Tetris.”

Alice had brushed it off as mere flattery.

She had never spared him a glance. Her eyes were fixed only on Chase.

That was why Karan pushed himself so hard—to not fall behind.

If he wanted even to speak with her, he needed equal standing.

His efforts were finally bearing fruit. Soon, he too would be crowned crown prince.

With military glory, he would become a hero of the continent. Surely, then, she would notice him.

He had lain awake in hope.

But just as his goal was within reach, it all ended.

Karan gazed blankly down at her.

Her body, once always upright, now limp. No sign of life remained.

“Alice, don’t do this. Come with me to Tetris… please?”

No matter his plea, she did not stir.

After a long silence, he realized:

This prison was too filthy and cold for her.

She needed warmth.

Slowly, Karan drew his sword. With a sweep of blue swordlight, the bars that had resisted Alice’s frantic pounding were sliced apart.

A few strikes, and the iron fell clattering.

The noise was deafening, but Karan did not care.

Anyone who blocked him would meet the same blade.

His eyes blazed with fury. No one needed to ask whom it was for.

He would not forgive those who had done this to Alice.

Bloodshot eyes full of killing intent, he thought first to move her. He gathered her small body into his arms.

“It’s too cold here. I’ll take you somewhere warm. Just wait a little, Alice. I’ll destroy them all first.”

He spoke as if she were alive, then lifted her gently.

It was then he noticed the magic circle drawn on the ground.

Bloodstains smeared it, and her ruined hands told the story.

Realization struck him. He set her down again.

“You must have had a reason to draw this… to ruin your hands, even while dying. There must be.”

Karan placed both palms on the circle.

He inhaled deeply.

He was someone who must never use magic. Yet without hesitation, he activated it.

Agonizing pain tore through him, but he did not stop.

“Alice… In the next life, no matter what, I’ll be by your side.”

Even if you don’t want me.

I will never leave you with the one who destroyed you.

Even if it costs me everything.

Karan repeated his vow and collapsed.

The circle Alice had drawn shone gold. White light enveloped them both.

It was the light of the regression circle—dismissed as childish fantasy—finally activating.