Chapter 71: The One Moving Forward, the One Moving Backward (2)

“Will he be safe… Roselle?”

Standing by the window, Emilia murmured as she watched a flock of birds flying toward the empire.

Today marked the third day.

By now, he would have arrived at the royal capital.

Closing her eyes and clasping her hands together, she offered a prayer to Goddess Gaion—the very deity she had once cursed and resented.

“You have placed trials upon me, but I am overcoming them. I will not resent you any longer… So please, protect our Duke Roselle from any harm.”

As she finished her prayer, Emilia opened her eyes.

“Ah.”

Right outside the window, a lone bird hovered in midair, flapping its wings gently as it stared directly at her.

It was as if it had been listening to her prayer.

The bird chirped twice, then suddenly flew away.

Emilia watched in fascination, but before she could dwell on the moment, a sound from the garden below drew her attention.

And then—

“Kyaa—!”

A shriek escaped her lips before she could stop it.

Clamping a hand over her mouth, Emilia dropped to the floor beneath the window.

She had seen him.

Riding alongside Vielle, approaching the mansion on horseback—

Dalton.

“W-Why is he here…!?”

A nightmare she had never expected.

An unthinkable visitor.

Fear gripped her body so tightly that her breathing hitched, and her vision swam.

As soon as she saw him, memories of the royal trial resurfaced.

Among the voices that had condemned her, his had been the loudest.

Dalton had been the one who led the charge in ostracizing her from the moment of their return.

At every opportunity, he had disregarded her, silenced her opinions, and distanced himself.

And at the time, she had believed in him.

She had thought it was merely a form of self-defense—his way of lessening the pain of separation.

But on the day of the trial, she realized the truth.

It had never been about protecting himself from pain.

It had been outright rejection.

He had laughed.

With a sneer on his face, he had stood before the court and declared her a traitor.

That moment, his contemptuous smirk, and his voice ringing out the words “she is guilty”—they had seared themselves into her soul.

Now, just the sight of him was enough to send her spiraling into terror.

She trembled violently, her emerald eyes losing their light to suffocating dread.

Even the sound of her own breathing seemed dangerous, so she pressed her hands tightly against her mouth, suppressing any noise that might escape.

Dalton.

The worst of the betrayers.

The one who had driven the knife deepest into her back.

His arrival sent her mind into chaos.

“Why now…?”

It was the worst possible timing.

If only Roselle were here.

If only he were by her side, she wouldn’t have felt so afraid.

Roselle, who had stood beside her like an impenetrable fortress.

Roselle, who had shielded her from every storm.

But now, he was gone.

And she felt unbearably small without him.

“Roselle… please, come back soon.”

Dalton hadn’t come for a casual visit.

There was no doubt in her mind that he was here for some insidious reason.

His true intentions were unknown, and that uncertainty made her terror all the worse.

Curled on the floor, trembling, she repeated his name over and over in her mind.

“Roselle… hurry and come back…”

She wanted to run.

She wanted to disappear.

But she could do neither.

All she could do was endure, waiting for the moment when this nightmare would pass.

—

“Lady Emilia, Lady Vielle wishes to speak with you. She says it is urgent.”

“V-Vielle…? Alone?”

“Yes. She wishes to see you privately.”

“Ah…”

“There is no need to meet her if you do not wish to. I can turn her away myself.”

Gelion’s offer gave Emilia pause.

Vielle had come with Dalton, yet she was asking for a private meeting.

She knew Roselle wasn’t here.

And if she had come with Dalton, that meant she was aware of whatever scheme he was plotting.

It could be a trap.

It could be a trick.

She could be walking into danger.

But then—why had Vielle looked at her with such remorse on that day?

Why had she hesitated?

Why had she looked as if she was suffering under the weight of her own guilt?

In the end, she had tried to deny her wrongdoing.

She had tried to run from her own guilt.

But when faced with Roselle—the immovable wall of truth—she had finally broken down and confessed her sins.

That moment.

Her eyes had been filled with regret.

She had cried in repentance.

And now, she had come back.

Bringing Dalton along.

Yet seeking a meeting away from his eyes.

Whatever her reasons, they were clearly different from his.

And if Dalton had come with sinister intent, perhaps Vielle had come with the opposite.

Terrified, but holding onto a sliver of faith, Emilia made her decision.

She stood up.

“I can’t just cower like a fool because Roselle isn’t here.”

“Do we have a magic suppression artifact in the mansion?”

Gelion’s expression shifted slightly.

Magic suppression artifacts were a necessity for noble families.

They were used to restrain criminals and prisoners, ensuring they could not use magic.

Understanding Emilia’s intent, Gelion nodded solemnly.

“I will have it prepared and sent up immediately. I will also have guards stationed outside. If anything happens, call for them at once.”

“Thank you… Gelion.”

As he left the room, Emilia took deep breaths, steadying herself.

She was about to face a traitor—alone.

And she had to be ready.

“Yes. She wishes to meet you alone.”

“Ah…”

“You do not have to meet her. I can handle this myself.”

At Gelion’s suggestion, Emilia remained crouched on the floor, lost in thought.

Vielle had come with Dalton, yet she specifically requested to meet in private.

She must have known Roselle wasn’t here.

It was entirely possible she intended to harm Emilia while she was vulnerable.

And yet—

That day, Vielle had shown her pity.

Her eyes had carried the weight of guilt, burdened by the betrayal she had taken part in.

Until the very end, she had tried to deny it, running from the consequences of her actions.

But when confronted with Roselle—the immovable wall of truth—she had been forced to confess.

At that moment, she had looked like she was drowning in regret.

And now, she had returned.

Bringing Dalton with her.

Yet avoiding his gaze to request a secret meeting.

It was clear that she had a different motive than him.

And whatever Dalton’s reason for coming here, there was no doubt it was malicious.

If Vielle was working against that, then perhaps… she had come for something else.

Emilia was terrified, but she had seen Vielle weep in repentance before.

She had to believe, just once, that she could be given the chance to explain herself.

Rising shakily to her feet, she made her decision.

“I won’t tremble like a coward just because Roselle isn’t here.”

“Do we have a magic suppression artifact in the mansion?”

Every noble household kept them.

They were necessary restraints for criminals and prisoners.

Understanding her intent, Gelion bowed as he would to his master, then turned to leave.

“I will have it prepared and brought to you immediately. Guards will be stationed outside. If anything happens, call for them at once.”

“Yes… Thank you, Gelion.”

After he left, Emilia steadied herself.

She was about to face a traitor alone.

She had to be ready.

—

A collar infused with magic suppression wrapped around Vielle’s neck—a device meant for criminals and slaves.

She sat across from Emilia, unable to meet her gaze, her eyes lowered in shame.

“Emilia… I need to talk to you.”

She had risked everything to come here.

She had to finish this quickly.

“About what…?”

“I brought Dalton with me.”

“Brought him?”

The way she said it—like she had led him here—made Emilia’s mind instantly reach the correct conclusion.

“You don’t have to believe me. Just listen to what I have to say.”

“…It’s hard to believe anything you say, but I’ll hear you out.”

“Dalton and I… we’re planning to break into Duke Roselle’s office at dawn.”

“…What?”

Emilia’s eyes widened in shock.

She was openly declaring an intent to rob Roselle?

Unlike Emilia, who was visibly startled, Vielle remained calm.

“Dalton is after the Record Object.”

“…What? What even is that?”

“You… don’t know?”

For the first time, Vielle raised her head, her own surprise evident.

That record—

It had dragged her guilt from the depths of her conscience, forcing her onto the path of atonement.

It was Roselle’s plan, prepared far in advance.

A record of Emilia’s true self—

The ultimate proof of their betrayal.

It was their greatest weakness, a truth that could shatter them.

And yet, Emilia had never even heard of it.

“The Record Object…? What was recorded?”

“…You really don’t know. The pendant of Laphelon—it contains a record of your journey. Your true self.”

“What…? What are you talking about?”

Emilia’s pupils trembled violently.

A deep, uneasy throb pulsed through her chest.

“It holds a different truth. A truth that is not in line with the prophecy. Duke Roselle used Laphelon to document everything about you.”

“Wait—hold on.”

Emilia abruptly cut her off.

Her mind was in chaos.

Memories scattered in fragments, now piecing themselves together.

She could feel it.

A puzzle she hadn’t even realized she had been solving was coming together.

Yes—

Something had changed in Vielle after meeting Roselle.

She had suddenly become docile, almost submissive.

And the pendant, Laphelon, had been stolen just a day before their return.

At the time, Emilia had been too overwhelmed to think deeply about these things.

She had brushed them off as fleeting concerns.

But now, as she heard about the Record Object, she realized—

Those suspicions hadn’t been mere passing thoughts.

They had been crucial pieces of the truth.

“So… you’re telling me that Roselle… prepared for that day in advance? That he recorded me through Laphelon…?”

“Ah… Yeah. I thought you knew. I thought it was obvious.”

“And Dalton… he’s here to steal that record?”

“Yeah…”

The puzzle was finally complete.

But as it fit together, Emilia felt nothing but dread.