DSFL | Chapter 29

~Chapter 29~

Suddenly, a cold chill ran down my spine, but I tried hard not to show it.

 Still, my heart was pounding so loudly I couldn’t control it.

 The strange feeling of discomfort I’d felt earlier returned all at once, overwhelming me.

“Her name has been erased from history. Ailins was never a magician who made herself known,” the priest said.

 “Then why is there a statue of her?” Cedric asked.

 “We’re not exactly sure. We only heard of Ailins through the Kingdom of Orphen. Maybe the statue was made there in her honor.”

I could hear Cedric and the priest talking in the distance.

 My mind screamed at me to follow them, but my legs felt like they were frozen in place.

Then it happened.

Woom, woom.

The key hidden in my clothes suddenly started to buzz, like it was responding to something.

“Why is this happening…?”

That key was the only thing I had that didn’t belong to this world.

It was proof that everything I’d experienced wasn’t just a dream.

It grew burning hot in my hand. I couldn’t breathe. My head started spinning like crazy.

And just then, I heard a voice in my head:

“Remember.”

A familiar feeling I had when I first entered the Demokan Forest came rushing back to me.

 But I still couldn’t remember whose voice it was.

“You must not forget what happened with that child. You promised me.”

Who… Who was speaking to me?

“Bianca?”

As I was being pulled deeper into that confusing memory, I suddenly heard Cedric’s voice, cutting through the fog in my mind.

“Are you okay?”

I looked at him, startled.

“Ah, it’s nothing,” I said quickly.

I barely moved my lips and tightly held the key in my hand.

 The statue of Ailins, which had just felt alive, now had its eyes closed—like it had never looked at me.

It wasn’t a dream…

That meant… the voice in my head just now… could it have been Ailins?

Her voice still echoed clearly in my mind.

 She had sounded angry, like she was upset that I’d forgotten something important.

 But beneath that anger, there was a deep desperation.

I stood there staring at the statue, lost in thought, when suddenly— I saw something green growing out of the rotting tree trunk beneath it.

“…!”

It was a sprout—a small new leaf.

 A tiny green sprout had started to grow on the World Tree, which had nearly died.

I gasped.

 Luckily, Cedric and the priest had already walked far away from the tree.

Goosebumps covered my arms.

Did I just cause something huge…?

***

A few hours earlier.

“Sister must’ve gone to the forest by now.”

Right after the coronation ceremony, Bailey quickly left the grand hall, humming to herself.

“That means the Roygin family will soon be mine!”

She had always thought life was unfair.

 There wasn’t much difference between her and Bianca—except for luck.

Bluear Roygin, Bianca’s grandfather, had been the third son of the family.

 If he had died during the magical war, the family title would’ve gone to Bailey’s grandfather.

But instead of dying like they hoped, he came back alive—and as a war hero.

If he had died there, Bianca would have nothing, and Bailey would have everything.

Even the necklace she tried to take yesterday—it was rightfully hers. She had claimed it first!

“But it’s fine.”

Bluear had killed many people during the war.

 As punishment, all his family members were now dead.

 Surely, his children—Cedric and Bianca—would meet the same fate.

He was a hero who saved the empire, but couldn’t save his own family.

 What a tragic destiny.

The reason she had come to the mansion today was to check on Bluear’s condition.

 And sure enough, he was dying—without her needing to lift a finger.

She thought of what Elizabeth had told her:

“Just wait. Once he dies, the tragedies surrounding the Roygin family will finally end. And we’ll no longer have to live in hiding.”

The Roygin estate was Bailey’s dream.

 Even though she’d only visited it a few times as a child, she always longed to own it.

She remembered how Bianca used to welcome her, dressed in sparkling dresses like a princess.

 How she had handed her a teddy bear like she was doing her a favor.

She hated that fake kindness—and hated even more how everyone praised Bianca for it.

She must’ve looked down on me just because I was poor.

People don’t know what Bianca is really like.

Bailey wanted her to suffer.

 To lose her whole family, be sold off to an ugly old man, and live in sadness forever.

She wanted Bianca to be miserable.

 And the one thing that brought her comfort… was knowing that Ricardo hated Bianca too.

But then—surprise!

 It was as if fate had finally taken her side.

 Bianca’s engagement was broken off.

That Bianca—so proud and selfish—dumped!

 Bailey was so overjoyed she almost fainted from happiness.

She was still smiling smugly when she spotted Ricardo, speaking with Harner.

‘How kind of him. Visiting even the family of his ex-fiancée.’

Ricardo had a sharp, cold appearance, but something about him was magnetic.

 Bailey, drawn in by that aura, walked toward him as if in a trance.

He seemed to notice her presence and turned immediately.

 His icy blue eyes pierced through her, and Bailey found herself unable to look away.

“Do you know her?” Harner asked.

Ricardo shook his head.

“D-Duke! Don’t you remember me?” Bailey blurted out, surprised at her own voice.

She was a bit flustered but quickly recovered.

She knew well that gossiping about someone was the fastest way to connect with others.

And luckily for her, she and Ricardo had the perfect target in common: Bianca.

Just as irritation began to show on Ricardo’s face, Bailey jumped in with a bright smile.

“I’m Bailey Roygin. Bianca’s cousin!”

At her words, Ricardo paused.

 Bailey’s smile grew even wider. This is working.

Ricardo hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer to her.

“…Did Bianca send you with a message?”

Harner, sensing something, began walking away toward the carriage.

Feeling pleased, Bailey giggled and answered:

“Sort of!”

Ricardo’s eye twitched slightly.

“I heard you two broke off the engagement.”

“Congratulations! She’s such a difficult person. How did you put up with her all this time?”

Ricardo’s jaw clenched tightly.

“Bianca told you we broke off the engagement?”

 “Yes! And—well, she’s already found someone new. You know Lord Leonhardt, right? She was happily chatting with him even on coronation day.”

Bailey watched Ricardo carefully.

Ricardo tilted his head, his voice cold.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because her behavior isn’t right! When a break-up happens, the one who’s at fault—”

“So you’re saying she was flirting with someone else during the coronation?”

“Exactly!”

Bailey nodded quickly.

But Ricardo’s expression slowly twisted with anger.

 He turned his eyes away, as if trying to stay calm.

After a short pause, he asked, almost in disbelief:

“Are you really standing in front of me… talking trash about me?”

“W-What?”

Bailey blinked, completely confused.

 Then, realizing the situation, she frantically shook her head.

“No, of course not! It’s different for you, Duke! You were forced into the engagement. Bianca made you do it, but she’s the one who acted wrongly!”

“And that matters?”

Bailey was stunned into silence.

“I don’t care if she has found someone new.”

Oh… maybe because they’re already over, he doesn’t mind?

Bailey was just about to agree when he added coldly:

“Because I’m still her fiancé.”

It was like being smacked in the head.

 His words sounded calm… but his face said otherwise.

It was as if he was trying to convince himself that everything was fine.

Even though it clearly wasn’t.

His barely suppressed anger spread out like quiet waves.

 The air grew icy, as though a blade had brushed against her skin.

Ricardo took a step toward Bailey.

“More importantly—what exactly do you want, coming here and telling me all this about her?”

Bailey was suddenly overcome with fear.

 Her jaw trembled uncontrollably.