Chapter 85: Facing the fate

From the depths of the darkness, an eerie laugh seeped out from between grotesquely twisted lips.

The sound was both akin to a cruel scream and imbued with the terror of silence itself.

“Ah… finally!”

The smile carried cruel delight and unbridled greed.

Eyes burning in the shadows glowed with the stench of blood and the desire for corruption.

A soul, once pure and unchanging, had begun to darken at last.

Crossing the threshold of corruption was a struggle, but once the first step was taken, the path was an endless descent.

The day when the pure soul would be entirely painted in darkness was not far off.

With the death of the saint as its finale, this soul would be bound to the demon, dragged into hell together.

Forever chained to it, trapped in the eternal hell of immortal damnation.

“Together, for eternity.”

Promising only that blissful moment to come,

The demon murmured in a low, heavy voice.

***

I blinked blankly and called out her name.

“…Lady Viviana?”

The mansion of Baron Blanc, which had regained some dignity compared to a few years ago,

In the middle of the guest reception room, an entirely unexpected figure stood before me.

She was so tall that I had to crane my neck to look up at her, dressed in a dark black coat that seemed more fitting for a funeral.

“…It’s been a while, Tina.”

A wave of confusion swept over me.

Why was she here?

When I came out to greet a visitor who had come looking for me, the familiar violet eyes of a woman were nervously standing inside the room.

But for now, she was an honored guest who had come to visit our family.

Leaving her unattended like this would be impolite.

“Has it been four years?”

“…Yes.”

I offered her a faint smile.

Despite the unexpected encounter, my heart remained still, without any significant turmoil.

After all, the feelings I had for Viviana had been completely burned away on that day four years ago.

There was nothing left to stir me.

However, Viviana seemed to feel differently.

Her violet eyes, filled with tension, couldn’t meet mine directly.

The commanding presence of the general I had last seen was gone, replaced by someone timid and hesitant.

As I glanced down, I noticed she was holding a bouquet of flowers, which seemed entirely out of place in her hands.

“What’s that flower?”

“Oh, Tina… It’s for you.”

“…Oh my.”

“I picked them myself. They reminded me of your colors… They looked beautiful.”

Viviana handed over the bouquet, and I absentmindedly held it close to my chest.

The flowers, with a striking harmony of blue and white hues, radiated delicate beauty.

These flowers, resembling the colors of my identity, were undeniably arranged with great care.

Viviana wasn’t the kind of person who seemed to love flowers—did she really pick these herself?

‘…What is this?’

A gentle, sweet fragrance wafted from the petals, causing a quiet flutter in my chest.

It was a ticklish, oddly uncomfortable feeling that made me fidget.

But before I could get swept up in this unfamiliar emotion, I hurriedly calmed myself.

“Thank you. I’ll take good care of them.”

After all, Viviana already knew about the artificial side of me.

There was no need to keep up pretenses.

I glanced at her indifferently and gave her a faint smile.

“I heard the news. They say the war ended thanks to you.”

“No, without the Saintess’s help, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

Hearing Lillian’s name subtly soured my mood, but I didn’t let it show.

“So, what brings you here?”

“Do you remember? Before… you sent me a letter.”

“Oh.”

“You said if I came back after the war, you’d forgive me. So… here I am.”

Ah, that’s right.

Though it happened three years ago, I vaguely remember writing that.

The Kingdom of Kaladwen was the empire’s enemy. If left unchecked, the empire would be engulfed in flames, much like a bad ending in a game.

So, I had manipulated Viviana’s guilt to send her to the battlefield.

Honestly, I didn’t expect the war to end so quickly, nor did I think she’d return alive and unscathed.

“I came close to dying many times, but I endured desperately, just to earn your forgiveness… thinking only of you, Tina.”

Viviana rose from the sofa and approached me.

With earnest eyes, she knelt before me.

“Tina, I was wrong. Could you… find it in your heart to forgive me?”

Had there ever been a time when the arrogant Viviana bowed her head so low?

Had I ever seen her, once so full of pride, lower herself this much, so desperately?

Before I could even process my surprise, Viviana cautiously took my hand in hers.

“I miss those times so much. When you listened to my piano playing, when we talked together in bed… those moments haunt me every night.”

Honestly speaking, this situation works in my favor.

She might seem pathetic now, but Viviana is one of the key figures in this worldline.

For such a person to willingly fall into my hands—there’s no reason to refuse.

Just in time, I’d received an invitation from Mardian to attend a banquet a week from now.

It had been a month since she declared she would take care of Lillian. By now, everything should be ready.

By then, having a bodyguard like her by my side wouldn’t be a bad idea.

“Lady Viviana.”

“Y-Yes?”

I quietly approached her, taking her hand.

I led her back to the sofa and had her sit down. Then, gently, I sat on her lap.

“I… truly believed in you, Lady Viviana. But to you, I was nothing more than a lowly whore.”

“I-I didn’t mean to—”

“Even if it was all an act, it was an unbearable time for me. So unbearable that I ended up choosing to take my own life.”

“Ah…”

At the mention of the word ‘suicide,’ Viviana’s body began to tremble.

It seemed that my actions back then had etched themselves deeply into her mind as a profound trauma.

Well, I didn’t mind.

Sensing the lingering guilt she still held toward me, I allowed a faint smile to creep across my lips.

“Lady Viviana… do you wish to make amends with me?”

“…Yes. I want to be with you and Tina again.”

“I… still feel a twinge in my wrist when I see you, Viviana. But since I’ve brought it up first, I’ll try to make it happen.”

“Truly?”

Viviana’s eyes widened in surprise.

Her amethyst-like eyes, once filled with unease, now glimmered with hope and expectation as they focused on me.

“On one condition—can you promise me something?”

“Tell me. I’ll promise you anything.”

Viviana, unwilling to let this chance slip away, hastily grabbed my hand.

The person who had once been willing to risk her life on the battlefield to protect me… If not for Mardian’s cooperation, I might have left Lillian’s fate in her hands.

“Promise me, on the name of your house, that from now on, you will act solely for my sake.”

The name of her house.

There wasn’t a soul here who didn’t know the weight carried by the name of the Duke of Merdelia.

“I promise. On the name of House Merdellia.”

And yet, Viviana so easily pledged that heavy name once again.

Having once betrayed the weight of that name, she would never repeat that mistake a second time.

“Very well, I’ll trust you again, Lady Viviana.”

I leaned into her lap, gently pulling her head against my chest.

Viviana buried her face into my chest and let out a sigh of relief.

“Th…thank you, Tina.”

Her trembling shoulders betrayed her efforts to hide her emotions as she held me tightly. Her hands wrapped around my waist with a desperate yet earnest strength, as if suppressing tears.

For a while, I softly and carefully stroked her hair.

As I had done before, comforting her with a warm touch.

How much time passed, I couldn’t tell. Viviana’s eyes, which had been lifeless when we first met, now seemed to regain some of their vitality.

She softly caressed my cheek, her eyes rimmed with red, then hesitated with a startled expression as she brought her hand to her right temple.

“Tina… your eye…”

“Pardon? My eye?”

Wondering if something had gotten stuck, I quickly rubbed my eyes with my hand.

But I didn’t feel anything out of place.

“Is there something on it?”

I opened my eyes again and looked at Viviana, but my reflection in her amethyst-like gaze showed nothing unusual.

“I thought… I saw a cross…”

Viviana muttered under her breath, as if talking to herself, then shook her head and pulled me into another embrace.

“No, never mind. I’ve just missed you so much, Tina.”

“…I see.”

After seeing Viviana following my encounter with Lillian, I couldn’t help but wonder—does a person’s personality change after surviving a battlefield?

She’s become quite the little clingy one.

***

A week later, as spring arrived, the empire held a grand social gathering attended by nobles and members of the upper class.

“Tina!”

“Lady Sharione, I’ve missed you so much.”

In celebration of the blooming season, distinguished guests from all walks of life gathered to wish for a year of prosperity and well-being, exchanging pleasantries and enjoying the luxurious hospitality offered at the event.

“Fufu, seeing Tina’s face today puts my mind at ease.”

“I’m also so happy to see you, Lady Sharione!”

“Oh my, Tina, you’re truly…”

The grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling scattered soft light, creating a dazzling spectacle, and the intricately crafted ornaments adorned the space beneath it.

Tables draped with embroidered cloths and elaborate floral arrangements filled the hall with a delicate fragrance, enhancing the elegance of the banquet hall.

From one side of the hall, a graceful melody flowed gently, enveloping the space in its tender harmony. Nobles, dressed in colorful and extravagant attire, enjoyed light conversations and laughter, savoring the leisure of the moment.

A peaceful and lively atmosphere—truly a flawless banquet without a single element out of place.

No one could possibly imagine it.

That tonight, in this very place, the saint revered as the savior of the empire would face her fate by poison.