Chapter 88

"Un, unnie… let’s talk for a moment…"

Reina stumbled towards me. Terdeo, having identified the person, quickly hid behind me as if to protect me, frowning. Reina, who would have run away in fear under normal circumstances, did not back down today.

"Just a moment… J-just a moment, really."

"I’m in a really bad mood right now. If you don’t get lost, I’ll beat you up."

Teredeo placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and threatened Reina. Reina, who had been walking towards us, flinched but did not stop.

‘This is rare.’

I frowned and stepped out from behind Terdeo.

"When did you become my little sister? Do you even have the right to call me unnie?"

"Un, unnie… please…"

Reina was almost sobbing as she pleaded. Her frightened eyes turned towards Dodelea’s palace.

‘She’s not afraid of Theo.’

I turned my head to follow Reina’s gaze. Dodelea’s palace. Reina is afraid of Dodelea.

"Please… please, unnie…"

Reina’s breathing grew increasingly rough.

"Tell me."

"…!"

Reina brightened as if she had grabbed a lifeline. I’ve seen a similar reaction somewhere before… when was it? Reina, who was trying to hold back her tears, turned her body awkwardly.

"U-um, then, unnie… can we go to my bedroom…?"

"No, we’ll talk here."

Reina, who had been about to go to her bedroom, stopped in her tracks at my words.

"You said it would be just a moment, right? I’ll listen to what you have to say, so talk here."

Reina looked flustered for a moment but then seemed to decide it didn’t matter and turned to approach me.

"Un, unnie… I, I have no one else to ask for help."

"Help?"

"Please, please… save me and Mom."

Tears finally streamed down Reina’s eyes. Ah, I remember.

‘It’s like seeing the Countess of Berdict.’

I looked down at Reina’s tears expressionlessly and said coldly.

"Stop crying. Wipe your tears. I didn’t make time to see you just because you’re crying and begging."

"S-Sorry…"

Reina hurriedly wiped her tears with her sleeve. I noticed that the dress she was wearing was completely neglected.

"Of course, I do hate you enough to want to kill you. But I haven’t acted on it yet. So what do you mean by ‘save us’?"

"Unnie, you knew, didn’t you?"

Reina’s body trembled. I pretended to be calm and asked.

"Knew what?"

"Don’t pretend you don’t know! You were at the temple that time! ……T-the current princess is not the real princess."

Reina seemed afraid even to say the word ‘witch’ directly.

"It wasn’t supposed to be coming to the palace. It wasn’t supposed to get help from the princess…"

Reina muttered to herself like a mad person. Her eyes, however, were still fixed on Dodelea’s palace, as if she was afraid of Dodelea coming out.

"…Unnie!"

Reina, who had turned pale, cried out and knelt in front of me, ignoring the looks from others.

"Reina."

"Mom… Mom has gone mad… She won’t listen to me! She believes that woman… She believes that woman will save her! She’s definitely the one who’s driving Mom crazy!"

Reina cried, tearing at her hair.

"Unnie! I’m so scared. When I sleep at night, I’m afraid the princess will kill me! What if I turn into ashes! That woman… That woman wants to use us as sacrifices!"

"…You should have been more careful about who you trust. Don’t you know who I learned that from?"

I leaned down and whispered in Reina’s ear.

"From you, Mom, and Sieph. I learned that people shouldn’t be trusted easily. You three made me die a miserable death."

Reina’s face turned white as a sheet, and she shook her head.

"H-How… No, no! Unnie! When… Why would I want to kill you…! Unnie… Please, save me and Mom. Please, I’m begging you."

Reina bowed so low that her hands disappeared. Her expression, crying and smiling at the same time, was both bizarre and ironic.

"S-Sieph! Yes, Sieph! I’ll give you Sieph! I’ll give her to you…"

"Why would I need something that was yours? You don’t need to give her to me. I already told you during the procession. You can have her."

"Unnie… please… I won’t covet what’s yours again. Just save us once. Unnie, please help us."

Reina’s tears soaked the floor. The passing servants glanced at us, but Reina didn’t care.

"Reina, get up."

I watched her for a while and then extended my hand. Reina, who had stopped crying, opened her mouth wide and looked up at me, stunned.

"Aren’t you going to get up?"

As I was about to retract my hand, Reina quickly grabbed it, holding it tightly enough to hurt. When I helped her up, Reina wiped her tears on my sleeve and smiled.

"Thank you, thank you, unnie!"

There’s no need to thank me. Reina, who had let go of my hand, started reciting her prepared plan.

"Unnie, please separate me and Mom from the princess. Since you don’t get along with the princess… just make up a reason! And there’s a mansion I’ve found that no one can find! Unnie, buy it and let us live there… We can’t afford it because we don’t have money… Just send us food, living expenses, and necessities occasionally, and we’ll manage the rest…"

"Reina."

Reina stopped talking and muttered.

"Unnie has a lot of money from the inheritance… If you don’t want to deal with us, hire someone for us… Then we’ll manage…"

"You know I don’t get along with the princess."

I chuckled.

"If people kneel and beg in front of me like that, how will the princess think of you in the future?"

"…Unnie?"

"Reina."

I gently pushed Reina’s back towards Dodelea’s palace.

"I already told you."

"Unnie…"

"Don’t trust people so easily. Surely you didn’t trust me after all that?"

"…!"

Confusion spread across Reina’s face. I smiled at her and then turned around. After taking a few steps, I heard Reina’s curses from behind.

"Worse than a beast…! How can you do this, wearing a human face? Mom and I will die! Even if we’re not blood-related, we’re family! You should save us! It’s only natural to help! I bowed and apologized to you, even lowering my pride…!"

Teredeo, who was walking beside me, clenched his fists. I patted his arm and tilted my head back.

"Go beg the princess like you did to me. Maybe she’ll save you out of pity."

"…!"

Reina screamed, uttering curses that couldn’t be repeated. I climbed into the prepared carriage with a calm smile. As the carriage started moving, Reina, looking panicked, ran up to it.

"Unnie! You’re really leaving? Right? Unnie…"

"Reina."

I smiled brightly and waved.

"Take care."

With that, the carriage started moving.

"Unnie! Come back…! Unnie! Take me with you! Unnie…!! Hey…! I’ll kill you!!"

Reina’s shouts, which had been heard from a distance, gradually faded away.

‘I wondered why Reina was kept around…’

It was to be used as a sacrifice when the supply of sacrifices became difficult. They had been preparing to take life force even before the cult was formed.

‘What could be the reason for wanting to regain power so badly?’

"Are you okay?"

But when Terdeo, worried, held my hand and asked, I erased my thoughts and smiled.

"Yes, I’m fine."

*** Three days passed. Fortunately, there was no other unusual behavior from Dodelea during those three days. According to social rumors, Reina had spent two days in front of Dodelea’s bedroom, neither sleeping, eating, nor moving, begging for forgiveness and mercy. It was said that Dodelea, not yet intending to kill her, had accepted Reina’s apology.

"Her Highness, the Duchess."

After finishing all my preparations and going out, the waiting butler approached me. Today was the day when all the members of the Laphireon family were gathered. Tereus had personally summoned everyone to inform them about the witch’s identity and the method to break the curse.

"His Highness, the Duke, is already here, conversing with the family."

"Got it."

"And this…"

The butler handed me a gift, as if it was a routine.

"Here again."

"Yes, he comes every day."

Adeus had been sending me gifts every day since that day. He even visited the mansion early in the morning to deliver them himself.

"What is it this time?"

"A light sword."

The first day was herbs, the next day was comfortable shoes, and yesterday was gloves. Today, it was a light sword. I held the light and small sword. It was light enough to hold in one hand and seemed quite suitable.