Chapter 145: Discovery – 4

A faint beam of light seeped through the cracks in the ceiling of the underground prison.

The damp, cold air brushed against her skin, and the stench of mold stung her nose.

Vivian remained motionless, leaning against the wall in silence.

The beautiful garments of the duke, which once adorned her, were now soiled with damp mud.

Heavy chains bound her wrists and ankles tightly.

She let out a faint, bitter smile.

She could never decide whether the world was fair or unfair.

Looking at her misfortunes, it seemed utterly unfair, yet when it came to retribution, the world appeared just.

Like a cruel twist of fate, she was now suffering the very same punishment she had once inflicted on another.

It was karma built upon the choices of her past.

Just as she had imprisoned Kailo, she was now robbed of her freedom in this cold, desolate prison.

The shackles around her made her feel suffocated, restricting even the smallest of movements.

Was this how Kailo had felt?

Perhaps he had felt even more stifled than she did.

Yet Vivian knew—if she were given the same circumstances again, she would make the same choices.

Not because she wanted to, but because she had no other choice.

She realized once more that she could not live without Kailo.

It was a wretched feeling.

To be unwanted by him, yet to have no one else but him.

Even now, she had not let go of her ugly desire, still yearning for him.

She was not remorseful.

Even if time rewound, she would still do the same.

She missed him too much.

—Clink.

As she wiped her tears with the back of her hand, the chains rattled.

Even the faintest sound echoed heavily in the silent prison.

She wondered.

If Kailo knew of her current state, would he smirk and think she deserved it?

Or… would he grit his teeth at the memories of their past?

Most likely, he would try to suppress his emotions, pretending everything was just a curse upon him.

It was over.

Though she feared death, for the first time, she felt no hope of survival.

Kailo, who had always saved her in times of crisis, was no longer there.

And Vivian, captured as a witch, was doomed.

A witch, by mere existence, was sentenced to death.

Yet, she wished for one thing.

That he would suffer.

That upon hearing of her death, even for a brief moment, he would feel sorrow.

That he would know their shared emotions had not simply been born from a curse.

That he would remember—she had truly loved him.

If there was a single person in the world who would mourn her death, it was only Kailo.

She desperately wished that he would not dismiss their past as a mere curse.

Vivian slowly closed her eyes in the prison.

If that one wish could be granted, then this cruel and unfair world…

Perhaps she could accept it and let go.

‘…Aren’t you expecting too much?’

At that moment, Elena’s voice echoed.

Vivian flinched, startled by the voice she had not heard in a long time.

Though shaken, she masked her emotions and spoke.

“…You’re too late. I’ve already been captured as a witch.”

Elena chuckled as if mocking her.

‘If it’s me, I can still get you out. I just need to halt the execution’s momentum. Watching that bishop’s face stiffen during the trial would be quite amusing.’

‘Now, hand over those memories. I want to see you forgetting Kailo.’

“I said no… How many times do I have to refuse?”

‘Then how many times must I shatter your hopes before you come to your senses?’

‘Fine then, wait. Let me show you what Kailo has been up to.’

Before Vivian could react, a scene unfolded before her eyes.

A pleasant dining setting.

At the head of the table sat Kailo—the one she longed for.

‘Do you think he will grieve your death?’

As soon as she saw the people seated with him, her heart froze.

A middle-aged man wearing garments embroidered with the insignia of the Lute family.

And beside Kailo, smiling radiantly, was Gisela Lute.

“So, Lord Alan, as I’ve said, as long as you agree, I am more than willing to give my daughter’s hand. You make a lovely pair, don’t you think?”

“Yes.”

“If both are in agreement, there’s no reason to delay. At your age, I already had two children.”

Kailo looked at Gisela.

‘…Ah.’

There was a softness in his gaze that had never been there before.

A gentle smile even graced his lips.

Elena whispered.

‘He looks so happy without you. Do you still think he’ll mourn your death?’

It had been so long since she had seen Kailo smile like that.

Vivian felt a deep shock.

She couldn’t even bring herself to interrupt.

He looked at peace.

The smile she had never been able to bring to his face, Gisela had created so effortlessly.

Kailo looked happy.

Unlike her, drowning in filth and darkness, he was finally moving towards happiness.

Perhaps she had entertained foolish hopes.

She had always thought they were too similar.

Their upbringing, the hostile adults surrounding them, the food they ate, the emotions they shared—

Everything about them had been entwined.

And so, she had assumed he must be suffering as much as she was.

But now, Vivian understood.

Just because they had spent time together didn’t mean they were the same.

They had merely coexisted, but from the very beginning, they were different.

If Kailo was a towering tree, she was nothing more than the weed beside it.

And now that the weed had been uprooted, the tree only flourished even more, standing taller and greener than ever before.

Tears silently streamed down Vivian’s cheeks.

“…I’ll think about it.”

Kailo said to the head of the Lute family.

Gisela Lute’s face also turned red.

She reached out and held Kailo’s hand.

Kailo, who had momentarily stiffened, did not bother to push away Gisela’s hand.

‘…He’s already forgotten about you like that.’

‘Your pathetic efforts—Kailo doesn’t even acknowledge them.’

She couldn’t respond or refute it, just sat there blankly.

It felt as if her heart had broken.

She felt nothing, and then, suddenly, an overwhelming pain made her want to scream.

And then, just as suddenly, the pain would fade away, leaving nothing behind.

‘…Decide, Vivian. Let go of that Kailo Alan and… become a witch again—’

At that moment, Elena’s voice was abruptly cut off.

And at the same time, the sound of the underground prison door opening echoed.

Even though Elena had left, and even though someone had come looking for her, Vivian remained in the same position.

Kailo’s vivid smile still lingered in her mind.

So you can smile—as long as I’m not there.

I was only making things difficult for you all this time.

You were my salvation, but to you, I was only suffering.

…What was I even hoping for, enduring this torment?

Maybe, deep down, I foolishly believed that if I endured enough pain, Kailo would come back to me.

Like believing that good deeds will eventually be rewarded, perhaps I had been hoping for something in return.

But reality is this cruel.

“Vivian Londor.”

A voice called her name from outside the bars.

Slowly, she turned her gaze to the figure.

It was Bishop Baristan.

“…Your trial will be held the day after tomorrow. Frankly, there’s no need for a trial at all… But since you’re a high-ranking noble, they can’t just kill you outright.”

“Thinking about it now, isn’t it strange? How you drove the Las Order out of Loctana, how everyone who got involved with you crumbled, how you eliminated all your enemies and survived alone.”

She could only let out a hollow laugh at his words.

“So… Are you saying I should have just died?”

“Are you saying that my survival itself is a sin?”

Baristan seemed momentarily lost for words, then changed the subject.

“Regardless, you have no hope left. But you might be able to negotiate how you die. If you just hand over some information about your allies.”

…My allies?

Vivian didn’t understand what Baristan was muttering about.

She had never had allies.

She had always been alone.

…No, there had been one person who was undoubtedly on her side.

But he had been gone for a long time now.

Perhaps misinterpreting the look on her face, Baristan smirked arrogantly.

“What’s wrong? Did you think we’d stop after capturing just you? Of course not. This is the perfect opportunity to round up all the witches.”

She let out a breathy chuckle at his words.

“…You think… you really think I have someone who’s truly on my side?”

Baristan returned her laugh with a smirk of his own.

“The whole world knows, Vivian Rondor. Everyone knows that you had at least one person who was completely and unwaveringly yours.”

“…What?”

“Kailo Alan.”

Baristan coldly spat out his name.

“He protected you so dearly that there isn’t a soul who didn’t notice. And if he was that close to you, there’s no way he didn’t know your true identity. That makes him an accomplice to your witchcraft, doesn’t it?”

Vivian needed time to process those words.

So the Las Order… was now preparing to execute Kailo as well?

Because she was a witch?

Vivian fumbled for a lie.

“I… I’m not a witch. So of course, Kailo has… nothing to do with me.”

“I don’t believe you, you damned witch.”

For the first time, Vivian felt fear at the bishop’s words.

Gripping the bars tightly, he spoke again.

“The most skilled witch hunter of them all didn’t know you were a witch? Does that make any sense?”

“Ka… Kailo—”

“He must have known you’d be exposed soon, so he left, didn’t he? Of course, we’ll have to interrogate him thoroughly as well… But I’d rather skip that tiresome process.”

“Vivian Rondor, just nod. Just a small nod. Kailo knew your secret, didn’t he?”

Kailo had discovered her identity.

And he had left, disgusted by it.

But Vivian knew that wasn’t what Baristan was asking.

Even so, the image of Kailo smiling at Gisela kept surfacing in her mind, and she couldn’t come up with a proper excuse.

“Kai… Kailo didn’t—”

“Hah, this won’t do. Let’s go back to what I was saying earlier about your execution.”

Baristan sighed and raised the lantern in his hand.

“…You will be burned at the stake, Vivian. It has already been decided.”

Vivian’s pupils trembled.

Baristan smirked.

“Now you’re finally afraid, aren’t you? Then again… Weren’t you the one who once survived the flames? You know better than anyone the pain fire brings.”

Baristan was right—Vivian’s hands were trembling with fear.

She knew the pain of fire all too well.

The inability to breathe, the unbearable heat…

“But if you give us information on Kailo, I’ll change it to beheading instead. We don’t negotiate with witches, but this—I can promise.”

Vivian, now too afraid to even meet his eyes, felt the bishop lean in closer.

He whispered.

“…Kailo Alan betrayed you and left, didn’t he?”

Vivian flinched.

The image of him looking so happy flashed before her eyes.

“…He must have known you were a witch and that you’d be discovered soon. And yet, he left you so mercilessly.”

-…You should have died, Vivian.

Kailo’s cold voice echoed in her mind, opposite to the warm smile he had given Gisela.

“…Is there any need to defend such a traitor? Are you saying you’d rather die a painful death in the flames for someone like that?”

-You… should never have been born.

“Just nod slightly, Vivian Rondor. Then I’ll take care of the rest for you…”

As if Baristan’s words were the trigger, all the pain she had felt since Kailo left condensed at once.

He left me, abandoned me, and went to another woman…

She remembers the despair she felt as she watched his back turn away, no matter how much she pleaded.

His smile, now given to another woman, was so vivid.

“Say it, Vivian.”

Even the demon in her mind whispered.

‘Abandon him. Forget Kailo Alan. Become a monster. Let’s take revenge on this cruel world.’

Yes, it was a cruel world.

Just as one knows darkness by knowing light, her family had once been there—only to vanish.

Kailo had once been by her side—only to leave.

Here I am, dying in this place, and yet you’re out there finding happiness without me.

Selfish and filthy as it may be, I hate it.

I want to monopolize your entire world.

If I disappear, I want you to crumble in pain.

This filthy feeling, even as I recognize it, disgusts me.

But no matter how repulsive it is, this feeling belongs solely to Vivian.

She could finally admit it—this selfishness was hers.

So…

If I’m going to die soon anyway…

If that smile is going to belong to another woman…

If I can’t have him…

Tears dripped down as Vivian looked at Baristan.

His lips curled into a smile, twisted with the pleasure of the witch hunt.

“Are you finally ready to speak? Kailo must have known your true identity, didn’t he?”

Vivian finally answered.

“…Kailo knew nothing.”

Barristan’s smile stiffened, as if he hadn’t expected that response.

“…And I am not a witch.”

Ah.

Vivian realized it alone.

Even if she burned to death, she could never betray Kailo.

TL Note:

Okay I am getting lil annoyed personally. Hear me.

Delrum Kingdom’s armies defeated the Eastern Kingdom and the Alan Family in the war even if they were losing battle against the Alans.

Rondor is a family of Grand Dukes, second only to the King of the Delrum Kingdom and somehow Bishop Baristan and the Las Order is able to imprison the Grand Duchess of Rondor, who is treated as a genius and we are to believe that this is realistically possible?

During the Middle ages at the height of witch hunts, the Church used to mostly bully and burn the commoners, they never had this much authority. Grand Duke title has been historically used for domains which were like lesser kingdoms in their own right.(of course not all).

I feel like the author is overestimating the witch hunts. You cant execute a High Noble on par with Royalty like that unless you are dumb.

You think you can just execute the Grand Duchess and expect the allied families and the Rondor armies to just stay and watch?

And on top of that this GENIUS wants to execute the Heir of the Grand Duchy of Alan. Are you like dumb? That will not only cause war with the Alan and their allies but the Entire Eastern Kingdom since the Alans have been loyalists of the Eastern Royalty for generations. No way will the Eastern Royalty allow Kailo Alan be executed even if he is guilty. And top it all of, adding the rebels of the Delrum Kingdom itself. How is the Las Order even with the support of the Delrum King(Highly doubt the king should be stupid enough to support this in the first place) expect to win.

This would instantly start a civil war + invasion dude and wars have started for lesser causes.

It doesnt even matter if they are guilty. Its realistically impossible to execute even one of them never mind both.

Someone give some sense to the author.