Chapter 132
Congratulations on Your Pregnancy
The conversation with the Emperor ended in a tense atmosphere.
Eleanor noticed that William IV was looking at her with suspicion, but she didn’t mind. It only seemed funny to her. He had been so happy when she gave him the chance to bring down the Astoria family, but now that everything was over, he looked at her like she was some kind of witch.
Even though she had been cautious, it was clear that no matter how hard you try to hide your true nature, it always comes out eventually.
As she left the drawing room, Eleanor saw the man who had been waiting for her with a stern face.
“Eleanor.”
Karsian quickly walked up to her, almost like a dog greeting its master. His face, which looked cold at first, softened instantly, and his eyes became warm as they looked at her.
He was someone who knew about her true nature, yet still looked at her as if she was something precious. Eleanor couldn’t help but think that he was unreal, and whenever she saw him, it felt like her body was floating in the air.
“Thank you for waiting, Karsian. Shall we return to your mansion?”
Eleanor wondered if Karsian had overheard her conversation with the Emperor. She hid her slight unease with a smile and reached out her hand to him.
Although Karsian knew more about her than most, there were still things she didn’t want to share with him. Just like the Emperor, she was afraid that Karsian might one day distance himself from her.
“Yes, let’s go.”
Karsian quietly gazed at her face for a moment, then gently took her hand. He seemed to have something to say, but didn’t add anything.
They headed towards the front gate of the courthouse to take a carriage.
As they neared the entrance, the atmosphere grew chaotic.
They saw some of the courthouse guards blocking someone.
“I told you, the trial is over! Stop talking nonsense and get out!”
It seemed like a visitor had confused the time of the trial and was causing a scene. Eleanor didn’t think it was worth her attention, so she decided to ignore the commotion and pass by.
That was, until the next voice was heard.
“How dare you! Do you know who I am? I am the only princess of the Astoria family! You disrespectful fool, get out of my way!”
Eleanor instantly recognized the voice and the tone. She turned her gaze to the entrance.
As expected, standing in front of the guards was a woman Eleanor knew well.
The woman, now the only princess of Astoria, was Nora.
‘What a day this has been.’
It started with her father’s trial, followed by her conversation with William IV, and now this meeting with Nora. She hadn’t been able to relax for even a moment.
It wasn’t that she was tired or frustrated—it was actually quite enjoyable. Just like the trial, this moment was one she had been waiting for a long time.
“Who do you think you are, talking to me like that…!”
“Nora.”
Eleanor cut off her sharp voice.
When her name was called, Nora quickly raised her head and found Eleanor.
The two women, standing inside and outside the courthouse, locked eyes.
“What are you doing here? I’m guessing you didn’t come to see my father. Are you here to see me?”
Eleanor stared at Nora from the bottom of the stairs with a calm gaze.
Nora’s face, which came into her view, seemed very unfamiliar. After dealing with Damien, they hadn’t faced each other much, and during the time when Nora was unconscious, her face had darkened even more.
“And in that outfit?”
Eleanor pointed out Nora’s attire with a somewhat pitying look.
Nora’s appearance was shockingly shabby. It was understandable that the guards had mistaken her for someone who wasn’t noble.
Her dresses with jewels and lace had all been taken by the debt collectors, and now Nora wore simple, shabby clothes she would never have considered before. Her skirt was covered in mud, probably from the difficult journey, and the jewelry that used to sparkle around her ears and neck was nowhere to be seen.
“Who is responsible for this…!”
Nora clenched her teeth, unable to contain the humiliation, and stormed past the guards toward Eleanor.
But she didn’t get far. Karsian, standing beside Eleanor, was glaring at her with eyes glowing red, his gaze cold and fierce.
Karsian Royster was one of the most handsome men Nora had ever seen, and he was also enormous in size. Even the famous fighters from the back alleys were not as intimidating as him.
As he looked down at her as if he was about to strangle her, a primal fear gripped Nora’s body.
Nora froze, her limbs trembling, and Eleanor glanced at Karsian, assessing the situation. Even with eyes full of affection, Karsian’s presence was still terrifying.
Should she step aside for a moment? Eleanor briefly considered it, but then shook her head.
Unlike the Emperor, Nora was an unpredictable person. In her current desperate state, who knew what she might do.
Whether it was for revenge or something else, Eleanor knew she had to stay alert until the very end to finish things properly. So, she spoke in a cold voice.
“If you have something to say, say it here.”
At Eleanor’s command, Nora clenched her fists and ground her teeth in frustration.
How dare she act so arrogantly with such a big man by her side? She should be ashamed!
Nora forgot the time when she had been coquettish with Arlo and Damien and inwardly cursed Eleanor.
“If not, I’ll be leaving. The trial was long, and I’m tired.”
But when Eleanor turned without hesitation, Nora’s urgency grew.
“Wait!”
Nora raised her voice urgently and took another step toward Eleanor.
“Wait. I have something to say.”
Her tone was still arrogant, but Eleanor stopped and turned back to face her.
With a look that seemed to say, “Go ahead, say it,” Eleanor stared at Nora, who bit her lip as she carefully chose her words.
On the carriage ride here, Nora had thought long and hard about what to say to Eleanor, what exactly she wanted to say to make her come to the courthouse like this.
‘Should I apologize, say I regret what I’ve done?’
If she did, Eleanor would surely accept it. She had always been the kind of person who forgave no matter what.
Nora knew Eleanor better than anyone, and she knew that if she apologized now, she could avoid the worst situation.
So, after much thought, she finally spoke.
“You think you’ve become something because you’ve succeeded in revenge a few times?”
But instead of an apology, these words came out.
“Do you think your life will bloom beautifully now? Don’t make me laugh, Ellie. Even if you think you’ve won, your life will still be a dump.”
Those words were a sharp curse.
“Why, do you think that man will marry you, even though you’re not even a noble? Just because he’s looking at you with those eyes, do you think it will last forever? I’ll bet anything, it will be over in three years.”
Nora regretted her actions. She wanted to undo the past, where she had betrayed those who were kind to her out of excessive greed.
Yes, that’s how it was at first.
But as she walked here, her thoughts had changed. After walking through the mud, being ignored by the coachman, and being humiliated by the guards, she realized something.
‘What’s wrong with being greedy?’
She had done what she did because there was no other choice.
“As time passes, your skin will sag, your face will wrinkle, and that man will leave you. You’ll be left alone on the street, begging, trembling in fear that someone will rape or kill you. And only then will you realize how precious what you had was. How valuable it was to not worry about your next meal.”
Everyone wants a comfortable and glamorous life, not a messy, uncomfortable one. Therefore, she didn’t regret what she had done. She regretted not doing more to make it a sure thing.
Nora firmly believed this, and filled with boiling anger and contempt, she threw her words at Eleanor.
“So, is it my turn now? Go ahead, take your revenge! There’s nowhere lower I can fall!”
She finished speaking, her breath coming in ragged gasps.
Eleanor smiled faintly as she watched her.
Nora really understood Eleanor well. If Nora had apologized at this moment, Eleanor might not have accepted it immediately, but she wouldn’t have pushed her any further.
Even though Eleanor knew she was acting foolishly, she would have done so because Nora had always been an exception to her.
How scary it is to open your heart for the first time. Eleanor didn’t want to admit it, but sometimes she felt a faint sense of guilt toward Nora, even though she knew it was all her own doing.
Nora understood Eleanor well, but Eleanor understood Nora just as well.
“…Have you said everything you wanted to?”
She knew Nora wouldn’t apologize. She didn’t think she would ever truly regret what she had done. If she had, she wouldn’t have gone this far.
So, Eleanor knew she would never forgive Nora.
“Nora, I think you misunderstood something. Why would I want to take revenge on you? I’ll be forever grateful.”
Eleanor smiled at Nora and casually tilted her shoulder against Karsian’s body. She could sense his anger without even looking at him. She understood, but she wouldn’t let him hurt Nora.
“You’re my savior. The one who took my place in the flames.”
“…!”
“I don’t have to do anything. You’re already in hell, so what more can I do?”
Eleanor tilted her head as if pitying her and raised her eyebrows.
As Nora was about to shout at her, Eleanor suddenly walked up to her quickly.
“And by the way…”
Her soft hand grabbed Nora’s shoulder firmly. Nora tried to pull away, but because she had lost so much weight, she couldn’t muster enough strength to break free.
Eleanor looked at her with pity, then bent down and whispered softly in her ear.
“You may have sinned, but… your baby is innocent.”
Nora, even unaware of it, had a secret.
“…What? What nonsense—”
“Oh, didn’t the doctor tell you? The physician from Astoria told me. He said you’re pregnant.”
This morning, Eleanor had received a letter from the physician with the news about Nora’s pregnancy. She had found out before Nora’s own parents.
It was both disgusting and pitiful.
Eleanor smiled, her mixed emotions turning into hatred.
“Congratulations on your pregnancy, Nora.”
