Chapter 66

During my academy years, sticking by Helena’s side for over five years, I realized that she wasn’t the two-dimensional villainess from <White Plum Blossom at the End of Winter> as she was portrayed.

Helena had lost her mother at a young age, and as a result, she almost blindly loved her only father, Duke Oswald, and tried hard to please him. Duke Oswald, in turn, cherished her greatly and raised her like a gem, so it was perhaps inevitable that Helena developed an arrogant streak, exceeding her pride in her status as a Duchess and her family.

Thus, Helena was raised to be esteemed by all… but from being close to her, I knew that she was always mindful of the Duke’s feelings. Helena was obsessed with the image of the perfect noble daughter. That was why she never did anything to dirty her own hands.

But…

‘Did the Duke love Helena as much as she loved him?’

The Dragon Empire allowed the succession of the title to any direct descendant, regardless of gender. Just like me being the heir of the Blueberry Count family.

However, Duke Oswald had intentionally adopted a child from a collateral branch of the family and set him up as the successor. This was despite Helena having already entered the National Dragonia Academy, where only the most renowned talents in the Empire gathered, as the second-highest scorer and graduating as the second-highest scorer.

Not only that. The Duke was constantly busy consolidating the position of the adopted son, who had barely graduated from the private academy established by the Oswald Duchy. Helena also maintained a distant relationship with the young Duke and never took any action that might threaten him.

‘Why? She always wants only the best—from dresses and accessories to people—so why doesn’t she covet the position of the young Duke?’

I looked up at Helena’s beautiful face, which was suddenly crumpled by my question.

But she soon returned to her usual relaxed expression.

“Stop with your nonsense.”

“Nonsense, you say.”

I gestured with my chin toward the man standing behind Helena.

“If I try anything, I don’t think that man will stand still, will he?”

My arms and legs were still bound. It was obvious that I couldn’t even resist if that man tried to hurt me.

“What sort of trickery could I possibly pull off in this situation? I’m genuinely asking out of curiosity. I can ask that much, can’t I? Since we were friends at one point.”

“Who said we were friends?” Helena sneered.

“Alright, Chacha. You’re right, I didn’t want Nine that badly. But you’re wondering why I would go this far with you?”

“…”

“Because you betrayed me and tarnished my reputation. And thanks to that, I was scolded by Father for the first time—it was truly the worst situation in my life. So, I want to return the favor.”

Helena folded her fan and stood up, slowly approaching me.

She stopped right in front of me, looked down with an arrogant gaze, and said, “Ah, was that not what you asked? Yes, you asked what I truly want.”

“…”

“There is nothing. I don’t know what you mean, but I don’t need to understand that, do I?”

Her voice adopted a light, sing-song tone.

“Ah, I remember what I want. Right now, I want to see your situation become a complete mess. Should I torture you? Or should I have men defile you?”

“…”

“Or do you wish for a quick, easy death?”

I wasn’t particularly frightened by the gentle threat. From the moment I saw Helena’s face, I knew I would be killed here.

My eyes met those of the emotionless man standing behind her.

‘Even if Helena doesn’t intend to kill me, that man will surely eliminate me. Because I’ve seen Helena’s face.’

I pondered a way to survive. Since there wasn’t much I could do, there was only one possibility: stall for time and wait for Nine’s rescue.

‘I don’t want to die.’

Unlike my past life, I had many people I loved here.

I had a family who would grieve my death.

I finally voiced the question I had been putting off.

“Helena, why don’t you covet the position of the young Duke?”

At the words I threw out to stall for time and shake Helena, the man standing behind her suddenly flinched. And Helena also wore a look of surprise.

“…Are you suggesting I rebel against a matter decided by Father? The head of the house’s command is absolute.”

Helena, visibly agitated, denied my suggestion. But to me, it was nothing more than self-justification.

I didn’t give her a chance to evade.

“So you’re saying you gave up? Then you do want it?”

“That…”

Helena’s eyes wavered at my words.

Just at that moment.

Thud!

Helena’s body slowly collapsed. The man, who had somehow crept up behind her, caught her as she fell.

I was startled and backed away, wary of him.

‘He wasn’t Helena’s attendant? Why did he knock her out?’

As I stared at him with my guard fully up, the man took off his hood.

The face revealed beneath was one I had seen before.

“…Alvin Shamide.”

He was the Commander of the Oswald Duchy’s Green Reindeer Knights. I had met him when he served as Helena’s escort.

He held the unconscious Helena and spoke to me.

“It’s been a while, my Lady.”

“…”

“The situation is not good, but first, thank you.”

“…What are you thanking me for?”

I was even more confused to hear words I never expected in this situation.

However, unlike me, he spoke in a calm voice.

“Thanks to you, Lady Chacha, Lady Helena will know now.”

“…”

“That Lady Helena can also aim for the position of successor. I was aware it was presumptuous, and it was a story I couldn’t speak of myself.”

Alvin, whom I looked up at now, was truly grateful to me. The emotionless gaze I had just seen beneath the hood was gone, replaced by gratitude.

However, in an instant, that gaze turned to one of apology.

“But.”

My heart sank, anticipating what would follow.

“I have long wished for Lady Helena to become the young Duke. Therefore, in order to serve Lady Helena as the young Duke…”

“Wait.”

“This incident must be thoroughly covered up. I deeply apologize to Lady Chacha.”

I tried to struggle against the sudden fear, but my tightly bound hands and feet still wouldn’t move.

A surge of despair washed over me, accompanied by the stinging of my rubbed skin. It was easy to realize that even if I hadn’t been bound, there would have been no hope.

Instantly helpless, I could only watch as Alvin carried Helena and left the hut.

“…”

Before long, whoosh, a fire flared up, illuminating the dark interior of the hut.

Even in my helplessness, a laugh escaped me at Alvin’s thoroughness.

Black smoke billowed up and quickly filled the hut. The acrid smoke, too much for the single small window, instantly enveloped my surroundings.

“Cough, cough!”

The smoke and heat gradually made me dizzy. Tears streamed down endlessly, and I could no longer tell if they were from the smoke or something else.

‘I’m just an extra, and I’m meeting this kind of death because I twisted the original story.’

Self-mockery flowed out amidst a hollow laugh.

I closed my eyes, and the faces of my beloved Blueberry family members appeared one by one.

Father and Mother, who had embraced the wounded me and first taught me what parental love was.

Annie, who always cared for me like a true sister.

Wilhelm, who, though awkward in expressing himself, truly cherished me.

The other servants of the Blueberry estate, who always treated me with a smiling face.

“…Huuuh.”

But, the last face to emerge was Nine’s.

His recently cold face, his gentle face when he cared for me early in the social season, his eyes gleaming as if he had found a coveted talent in the North, his face full of anger at me over the love potion incident.

‘And…’

That night, when the whole world seemed to stir, and I first fell for him, Nine’s face shining in the moonlight.

Sensing my end, I thought, ‘Still, since I twisted the original story, I hope Nine is happier than in the original… I hope everyone in the Eclipse family is happier.’

“Chacha!”

Was it because I was thinking of Nine? In my fading consciousness, I thought I faintly heard Nine’s voice.

I didn’t care if it was a hallucination. I was sad yet happy to hear his voice one last time.

With tears streaming down and a smile on my face, I barely managed to squeeze out my voice in response to his call.

“Nine, be happy.”

It was the final word I had always wished for but never dared to say.