Chapter 32
Chapter 32. If, Perhaps, Then
Her heart felt like it was being torn apart. Why did these things only happen to her? Why?
He had been her one ray of light and love in a life confined to the mansion due to her mother’s scandal.
To think that even this one thing was not allowed in reality.
Eurene’s fingertips scratched the rough surface of the tree trunk. Red droplets of blood spread across her pale fingertips.
Staggering to her feet, Eurene took a step.
Now that her memories with him here were tainted by the Empress, she didn’t want to stay even for a moment.
“—Eurene!”
The Duchess, who had rushed over from afar, hurriedly checked on her child’s well-being.
“Goodness, what happened to your hand…!”
Eurene, who had been blankly staring downward, suddenly raised her head. Her bloodstained hand grasped the Duchess’s sleeve.
“Mother, please answer me. I’m the daughter of the ducal family, aren’t I? So I’m the most precious lady in this empire, right?”
“What are you… More importantly, let’s go treat your hand quickly. What if it leaves a scar…!”
“Everyone said so. How dare a woman from an enemy country become the Empress of Tessibania, how could she become a member of the imperial family.”
“Watch your words, Eurene! Have you forgotten where we are?”
Despite Eurene’s tear-stained face, the Duchess hurriedly looked around, worried that someone in the Empress’s palace might hear.
“The most noble lady should sit beside His Majesty, shouldn’t she? It should be me, no one else but me, who sits in that place.”
“Come to your senses! How can you still be trapped in such vain delusions!”
At the Duchess’s words, Eurene lowered her head and cried out in an angry voice.
“The late Empress promised! That I, I should be by Brother Tetar’s side! That my place is in this palace!”
“Eurene…!”
The Duchess was dumbfounded. She had countless times advised her not to set her heart on him, yet she still voiced such misguided thoughts.
The past of answering the Emperor’s call and venturing into back alleys had finally caught up with her child.
Ah, Eurene. My child. You and His Majesty…
The Duchess’s blue-tinged lips swallowed the secret and pressed tightly shut.
“I knew you were worried about me, so I stayed quietly in the mansion even though it was frustrating and I hated it. Because you were the one most troubled by the scandals that clung to me, so…”
“That, that’s really just a scandal, darling. You are certainly the child of your father and me!”
“I know. At least that much…”
How could one not doubt when everyone whispered so behind her back? So at first, she really wondered if the late Emperor might be her real father.
But after overhearing a conversation between her mother and father in the study when she was young, she never doubted that scandal again.
‘We have no choice. This is the best we can do.’
‘So my child has to live in hiding for her whole life? Because of such ridiculous rumors?’
‘You and I know that Eurene is our daughter. We just need to stay firm. We can protect her together.’
She didn’t care what kind of relationship her mother had with the late Emperor in the past. The late Empress must have acquiesced, which is why she invited her mother and her to the palace.
What mattered was that she and he were not blood-related. That alone was enough.
“Mother, the Empress, the Empress doesn’t suit Brother Tetar’s side. Right?”
“So what do you intend to do? Nothing will change no matter what you do. Their marriage is a symbol of the end of the war, like a contract.”
“If war breaks out again…”
“Eurene Castallo!”
The Duchess called her daughter’s name like a scream, filled with anger and shock.
“This is neither a good place nor state to have this conversation! Let’s return to the mansion, quickly!”
The Duchess turned and headed towards where the carriage was. In Eurene’s green eyes, following behind her, a small, pitch-black darkness bloomed.
Even if it wasn’t Sefitiana, there were other ways.
They said God grants miracles to the courageous. Realizing a miracle that only Sefitiana could achieve, that would probably be something only those with great courage could accomplish.
* * *
Upon returning to the mansion, the Duchess entered her room without even looking at Eurene, rubbing her throbbing forehead.
The servants hurriedly attended to Eurene, who was left alone. Her tear-stained face, the hem of her dress soiled with dirt, and her injured hands.
What hardship could have befallen their lovely young lady to end up like this? The servants’ busy hands tended to Eurene.
With the Duke away from the mansion on business, it was natural for this incident to reach the ears of Taleum Castallo, the heir and eldest son of the Castallo ducal family.
He entered Eurene’s room with a knock and sat in the chair beside her bed.
Having inherited the dark green hair and eyes of his father, Duke Castallo, his features were so different from Eurene’s that it would be difficult to recognize them as siblings if not for their matching eye color.
This was also why he could freely engage in social activities, unlike Eurene.
Because of this, he had felt guilty towards Eurene, who had lived a confined life since childhood. After he started taking over family affairs, he first sought out the doctor and midwife who had attended to their mother.
Nobles usually conceived children according to meticulous plans, recording even the food eaten before and after intercourse. The Castallo ducal family was no exception.
If Eurene had been born due to an inappropriate relationship between their mother and the late Emperor, there would surely be evidence left. He intended to eliminate any evidence if it existed, or to tell Eurene the truth if there was none.
Fortunately, Eurene was indeed his full sister. He told Eurene this fact, but her response was that she already knew.
“I see. So you went to the imperial palace with Mother… Did you meet His Majesty? You were exchanging letters until recently, after all.”
“…No. I didn’t see him.”
Taleum’s expression darkened.
He knew that Eurene had special feelings for His Majesty. Having been by their side when the two were close, Taleum had also thought that perhaps Eurene could become the Empress.
If that happened, how joyous it would be for Eurene to be free from the family and live freely.
But such expectations only lasted until the two empires declared an end to the war. He thought she would naturally give up as time passed, but it seemed her unrequited feelings had only grown stronger.
Taleum carefully took Eurene’s bandaged hand.
“His Majesty hasn’t come to dislike you. He cared for you so much.”
Tears welled up again in Eurene’s eyes as she raised her head.
“I don’t understand, brother. It’s only been two months. How can a person’s heart turn so cold in just two months? Just a month before the wedding, we were exchanging letters more intimately than anyone. Comforting Brother Tetar’s heavy heart, being his support…”
Taleum swallowed a sigh, unable to say anything.
On the day of their wedding, attending in place of their parents, he had seen the Empress at the ceremony.
Platinum blonde hair shining brilliantly under the sun, beautiful blue eyes that held the sea. There was not a single misstep in her walk, and her dignified attitude showed no trace of being from an enemy country.
The cheers pouring towards the Emperor and Empress as they kissed at the wedding, the moment both empires’ people had longed for, and above all, the perfection of the couple.
Having witnessed all of this, Taleum couldn’t wholeheartedly support his sister’s long-standing unrequited love.
“You know too, Eurene. Their marriage isn’t simple. It’s a promise that must last forever for the sake of ending the war. What you wish for cannot come true.”
“Can peace that must be maintained by sacrificing one person’s life truly be called peace? No. The empire should have made a different choice. Instead of covering up such a painful past with someone’s sacrifice, they should have ended it.”
“What do you mean…”
“They shouldn’t have stopped the war, they should have won it. They should have brought down Veshnu.”
Taleum jumped to his feet with a shocked expression. Eurene clutched the blanket roughly, lowering her clouded eyes.
She thought, biting her roughened lips. If the war had continued and Veshnu had fallen, then the one by his side now would be me, not that devilish Empress.
“This won’t do, Eurene. I didn’t understand Mother until now, but if you’re thinking this way, I have no choice but to follow Mother’s wishes.”
Eurene raised her tear-filled eyes. Desire full of venom, not clear tears like glass beads, flowed down her cheeks.
“You’re the same, brother! You can’t understand because you haven’t lived like me! He was everything in my narrow world! How can I give up the only person who held my hand and talked about a future outside the mansion!”
“You must give up. We can’t have the two empires go to war again just for the sake of your feelings.”
Judging that there was no use in talking further, Taleum turned around.
“…Cool your head. You won’t be able to leave your room for a while, so if you need anything, send for a servant.”
The door closed, followed by the sound of a lock clicking. Eurene let out a bitter laugh and then lowered her head onto the bed.
“I know too, that war is bad. How foolish my thoughts are right now…”
But how can a human distance themselves from desire? She wanted him. More desperately than anything else.
Eurene rang the bell beside the bed. Soon after, a servant entered through the locked door.
“Is there anything you need?”
Eurene nodded with a weak smile.
“I’d like to write a letter. I want to ask a priest I know for prayers…”
The servant nodded and soon brought white stationery and a pen. After sending the servant out, Eurene picked up the pen in the room where she was left alone.
[To Aksha.]
Eurene decided to seek help from an old connection once again.
Poor Aksha, who had wandered in the slums. Her friend, now a proper member of the temple, knew many things she did not.
For instance, what was needed to harm someone.
[I need your help.]
Black ink spread across the white stationery.
