Estelle’s eyes reddened as tears like dew welled up.
“I, I didn’t know you thought of me that way.”
Estelle looked sadly, like a delicate flower. Not only Diana but also Queen Isabella and Hesen sighed at Estelle’s fragile appearance.
Her thinly trembling shoulders and her face, which looked like she was about to cry, were so pitiable.
Miryu inwardly clenched his fists.
“It was a trap!”
It was definitely intentional, setting up the situation so that I would misunderstand.
Damn that disgusting girl!
Anger surged within Miryu. I wanted to reveal Estelle’s true nature immediately, but whatever action I took now would only make me look worse.
And that was exactly what Estelle was aiming for.
“Why on earth would I foolishly make it obvious that I was undermining you?”
There are many better ways than this.
~·~·*· . ·*· . ·*· . ·*·~·~
It was by chance that I became acquainted with Princess Diana.
Since Diana had wronged me many times, she quickly grew fond of me. Though I also had unpleasant things happen, I didn’t dislike Diana’s honest affection towards me.
But I couldn’t completely separate Diana and Miryu.
‘If Miryu finds out, it’ll be a disaster.’
Miryu would go crazy at the mere fact that I became close with Princess Diana of Royem. And he would misunderstand my intentions maliciously.
Since it was already happening, I decided to use that opportunity more cleverly.
Anyway, Diana, who liked me, also wanted to know the truth behind what had happened between Miryu and me.
“By the way, Estelle, can I ask you about what happened with Sister Miryu?”
Every time I evaded the question.
“Really? Did Miryu say that to Diana?”
“Why? Is there something different from what Estelle knew?”
“No, that’s not it. Miryu is someone who will soon become Diana’s family.”
To make Diana even more suspicious. And then I praised Miryu, making her more wary.
“Even though we’re distant now, Miryu is a good girl. I heard she treated Diana so well.”
“But now, I wonder if that was really true.”
“Just because something bad happened once doesn’t mean everything is bad. Don’t be too upset.”
As suspicion continued to grow in Diana, she invited me to the Royem estate.
“It’s the day the new sister went to Baron Jutti’s house, so you’ll be more comfortable coming.”
The awaited moment had come.
Contrary to my plan, Miryu suddenly returned, but that actually made things go more smoothly. Miryu, who was anxious, only did foolish things.
“Oh, Lady. Hesen, this is a trap.”
So I decided to make Miryu even more clearly a fool.
“That girl deliberately led me to make a mistake in my words!”
…Sniff.
In the end, I shed tears as if I couldn’t hold back, looking pitiable. Diana wrapped her arms around me and shouted.
“Is this the time for such nonsensical talk, sister-in-law?”
“Diana, you’re mistaken. Miryu is misunderstanding because she’s been deceived by Estelle. Listen to my side first.”
Miryu tried to soothe Diana with a distressed voice.
“A misunderstanding?”
But those words only made Diana angrier.
“How can there be a misunderstanding here? Everyone present is a witness!”
Diana mocked him without hesitation.
“You said it was an accident before, sister-in-law. But now you’re calling it a farce? I don’t even know if there’s any truth in what you say anymore.”
“Diana.”
Miryu called her name desperately.
“We’ve been doing better than anyone else. But suddenly, everything turned out this way—doesn’t it seem like just a coincidence?”
“A coincidence?”
Diana’s grip on my shoulder tightened. She bit her lip with force.
“All this is because of Estelle? As I said earlier, you’ve always been jealous of sister-in-law from way back?”
“That’s not what I mean. It’s more like…”
It’s a bit much to see her look so foolish.
Disdain clouded Diana’s orange eyes.
The atmosphere around us was also unfriendly to Miryu. As Miryu, seemingly unable to bear it, started to cry and looked at Hesen.
At that moment, I stepped forward.
“Sorry, Miryu!”
With a very sad expression, I desperately grasped her hand.
“It’s all because of you, just as you said. If only I had stayed quiet, you could have married peacefully.”
Miryu’s face, which was about to burst into tears, stiffened.
“That—”
“Diana, Crown Prince Hesen, and Queen Mother Royem.”
I slowly looked around at the Royem royal family who were glaring at Miryu with hostile eyes, then lowered my long eyelashes delicately and pleaded with a sorrowful voice.
“Please don’t see Miryu too harshly. This isn’t her fault.”
Hesen looked puzzled.
“What do you mean?”
“…It’s because I became close with Diana without Miryu’s permission. If I hadn’t befriended Diana, Miryu wouldn’t be suffering like this.”
Of course, Diana didn’t stay silent.
“Estelle, what are you talking about? That you became close to me because of that?”
“Everyone probably noticed, but Miryu didn’t want me to get close with the Royem royal family. She was worried that my bad reputation might be misunderstood.”
“That’s nonsense—!”
“But I ignored Miryu’s feelings and became close with Diana. I hope you understand that it was my mistake to anger Miryu.”
Our eyes met, and tears shimmered in Diana’s eyes.
“Estelle. That’s really impossible. Why… why would you…”
“I’m sorry, Diana. Regardless of my reputation, I liked how honest you were with me. That’s why I went against Miryu’s wishes.”
Diana covered her mouth with a flustered expression, unable to speak. Hesen, also looking confused, stepped back.
Queen Isabella, who had been quietly observing the situation, finally spoke.
“…Duchess Blanchet, this isn’t your fault.”
“But if I hadn’t acted impulsively, Miryu wouldn’t have made mistakes with the Royem royal family.”
I deliberately used the phrase “acted impulsively” to remind the Queen of Miryu’s “mistake.”
Miryu, trembling, clenched her fists.
“Mother, that’s not—”
But her words couldn’t continue.
‘That’s probably true. What can I say now?’
Miryu couldn’t deny that my words were lies. She had already been caught lying. Yet, if I pretended to be innocent, everything I said would become real.
‘It’s so frustrating, I could die from this.’
Tearing up, I hugged Miryu as if I couldn’t hold back tears.
“Sorry, Miryu. I was wrong. I should have been more considerate of my only friend…”
And I pressed my face into her shoulder, sobbing. Diana, who had stood up, called me in a husky voice.
“Estelle, that’s not your fault. Instead—”
Hesen cut off Diana, who was getting worked up.
“Diana. Stop.”
“You’re the older brother. You need to do something too! You’re the one who brought her here because you love her!”
“That’s…”
The sibling fight grew more intense. Miryu, gnashing her teeth in a small voice, asked.
“What’s your real intention?”
“Intention? That’s nonsense.”
I sneered with a very contemptuous look, lowering my eyebrows and whispering close to her ear. Then I let out a very faint laugh.
Only Miryu could hear it, as if mocking her current predicament.
‘Sometimes, a short snicker is more irritating than a long insult.’
When I slightly raised my head, Miryu’s facial muscles trembled uncontrollably. Seeing that face made me feel very satisfied.
‘Good, let’s see you get even more annoyed.’
I pretended to worry even more.
“Why, Miryu? If my apology isn’t enough—”
Suddenly, Miryu jerked away as if she couldn’t contain her anger. I was pushed back as if her grip was rough.
“Ah!”
Like a tragic heroine, pitifully.
Hesen and Diana, who had been fighting, looked at us in shock. Diana immediately ran toward me.
“Estelle! Are you okay?”
“Ah, I’m fine. I just got startled…”
“Your sister-in-law deliberately hit you!”
Diana shouted fiercely, glaring at Miryu.
“Sister-in-law! Now you’re taking your anger out on someone trying to defend you? Do you have any shame?”
“No. I—”
“Quiet.”
Queen Isabella slowly stood up from her seat.
“There’s nothing more to see. I’ve already made my decision.”
Miryu tried to kneel before Queen Isabella, approaching her as if crawling, but her gaze remained steady, unwavering.
“From today, all agreements between Baron Jutti’s family and the Kingdom of Royem are null and void. You know well who is responsible.”
“Mother!”
“Don’t call me that. Who told you I’m your mother?”
Despair darkened Miryu’s eyes.
Even Hesen nearby, who was angry at Miryu and caring for me, froze in shock at the Queen’s swift decision.
Queen Isabella clapped lightly.
“Send Lady Jutti, who has no relation to the Kingdom of Royem, out to the outside. And all items that might belong to her should be sent to Baron Jutti today.”
I looked at Miryu, leaning on Diana’s shoulder, unable to cling any longer.
‘Since the acting queen, Isabella, made the decision, they probably won’t marry anymore.’
Currently, Miryu’s Baron Jutti was maintaining her life supported by the Royem royal family.
The funds and influence Miryu used in social circles also came from the Royem kingdom.
But they didn’t just break off the engagement nicely—they were even unilaterally broken by her mistake.
‘Goodbye, Miryu.’
She would fall as high as she had risen.
~·~·*· . ·*· . ·*· . ·*·~·~
John sat elegantly on a black sofa, his legs crossed. He was skimming through documents when he asked the man in a black mask.
“Any progress on the investigation into the Sleeping Princess?”
“After investigating the patients diagnosed with the Sleeping Princess, we collected some strange legends.”
“What are they?”
“The legend says that the Sleeping Princess is actually a punishment from the gods, angered at humans. I will organize the details and report separately.”
“Punishment from the gods?”
John tilted his chin expressionlessly.
‘Could that legend be true?’
Ignoring it as just a myth, even John himself was known to have made a deal with a demon who was believed to have disappeared into legend and become a dark mage.
Most myths were closer to reality than expected.
‘But if it’s true…’
He understood why the doctors couldn’t find any progress even after examining and researching the Sleeping Princess.
It wasn’t a disease to begin with.
At that moment, John remembered the last words the demon left him.
‘Give them the cookie.’
Could it be that Estelle’s illness was somehow related to the demon? The countless possibilities gradually expanded his thoughts.
‘There’s no time to check everything.’
Estelle’s lifespan was at most a year.
‘I need to find another way.’
John asked the masked man.
“How is the investigation into who spread the rumor about Estelle?”
“You can check the results at the guild’s headquarters now.”
“Understood.”
Just as John nodded and was about to stand up.
“Oh, Master. There’s something I need to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“It seems Duchess Blanchet visited another information guild.”
John’s expression immediately darkened.
“Why?”
“Um, that—well, I don’t know the details…”
It wasn’t that he didn’t suspect something. On the day he asked what Estelle wanted to do about the Royem kingdom, she told him:
‘Let me handle it.’
‘You want me to do nothing?’
‘John, I’d appreciate your help, but I want to try on my own. If I can’t do it, I’ll ask you.’
At that time, John felt an inexplicable sense of dread. But Estelle, who had only a year left to live, wanted to do everything she could.
‘Is it going to be difficult after all?’
Watching that sweetly bending look, his mind froze.
So, John smiled contentedly and granted her every wish. After all, no matter what he did to the Royem kingdom, it wouldn’t be able to harm Estelle.
‘It’s just because of what I did last time.’
But a strange unease kept creeping in.
“Go and find out immediately. Everything—what my woman asked for, what she intended to do.”
John threatened the guild members with a deadly glare.
“Even if it means wiping out that guild.”
~·~·*· . ·**##^^##**· . ·*·~·~
Hey there, It’s Green Rose 😉
Since I human I might have make some mistakes while translating so please if you find them let me know here in the comments or in the Discord group so I can correct them and be careful in the future so they do not repeat.
Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
~~~Next Chapter~~~
Next chapter will be released Tomorrow.
See you then!!
