Chapter 108: I was Happy too

All the letter sent by Lady Viviana stated that an important matter needed to be discussed regarding her daughter.

For a moment, I wondered what daughter she was referring to. Did she mean her own biological child, or—

‘Of course, she must mean Tina. Who else could be my daughter?’

I shook my head firmly.

There was no need to question it.

I have only one daughter.

And that child is not here now.

“…That child is not my daughter.”

Born of twisted love, bound by hatred.

There was no need to concern myself with her.

Resolving her mind coldly, Artasha hastened to prepare for her outing.

However, life rarely unfolds as planned. The location mentioned in Lady Viviana’s letter, a street in the Empire, was already filled with chaos.

Rumors were flying—apparently, the culprit who had poisoned the saintess was roaming freely through the Empire’s streets.

Some, burning with rage, ground their teeth, vowing to make an example of the criminal.

Others, their faces filled with disgust, avoided the scene as if looking at filth.

Following the chorus of curses and accusations, her gaze finally landed on one person.

White hair, as pure as her own.

Blue eyes that seemed to hold the depths of the ocean.

A face so lovely, it was impossible to hate.

But she was not Tina.

She was someone unknown, just a stranger.

And yet, why was she here?

Hadn’t the saintess claimed she would personally take charge of her?

Why was she so helplessly surrounded, suffering under the eyes of the crowd?

“Is she really the murderer?”

“How can she walk the streets so shamelessly?”

“Could it be… she escaped? Shouldn’t we report her to the guards?”

The child was in pain.

Why didn’t she run?

If she didn’t want to endure the insults, she should flee.

Why was she sitting there, enduring the agony?

A wave of frustration surged to her throat.

But Artasha tightly shut her eyes and shook her head vigorously to suppress the emotion.

‘What a foolish act…’

She thought she now understood why Lady Viviana had called her here.

It was to show her this child’s pitiful state.

To try and entangle her once more with that child.

But that child was not her daughter.

Whatever happened, it wasn’t her concern.

In fact, if this somehow brought her daughter back, she wouldn’t mind.

If her daughter could return, nothing else mattered.

Yes, if that could happen…

If only she could be with her daughter again…

“…”

Then, would that child… disappear forever?

Crack—!

A chilling sound, like flesh being torn.

Startled, she opened her eyes and turned toward the source of the sound.

“Ah…!”

The girl collapsed, curling up in pain.

At that moment, her heart thudded wildly, as if it had gone mad.

That child is not my daughter.

She is a complete stranger.

There is no need to get involved, no reason to intervene.

I tried to think that way.

However, I saw the child’s tears welling up in their eyes.

Blood slowly trickling down beneath their pale face came into view.

After seeing that scene, all reason crumbled.

“What on earth are you doing right now!”

Before I knew it, my feet were moving on their own.

Without hesitation, I rushed into the crowd.

It might have been from that moment that I realized.

No matter what happens,

I could never hate that child.

***

A space steeped in utter silence.

The faint clinking of tableware echoed around.

Before me was a plate of delicious-looking pasta, accompanied by a glass of fine wine.

The luxurious interior, no matter where my eyes landed, made it clear this was one of the empire’s finest restaurants.

Among all the seating, the place I sat was a special area reserved for VVIPs—a treatment far beyond my current status.

The reason I was seated here was that Viviana had personally reserved this spot.

Originally, it was meant to be a private meal between the two of us, but upon seeing my mother, Viviana discreetly excused herself to let us have some time alone.

Clink—

Awkwardly fiddling with my fork, I idly poked at the food.

Cautiously, I lifted my gaze to steal a glance at her.

Arthasha was staring at the pasta with an unreadable expression.

It felt awkward.

Yet strangely, it wasn’t uncomfortable.

Rather, I cherished this moment.

It was a sense of comfort I had longed for, deeply desired from the bottom of my heart.

Perhaps that’s why—why I found myself wishing this moment could last forever.

“What are you doing without eating? Go ahead and eat.”

It was Arthasha who broke the serene silence.

At her calm and gentle voice, I instinctively lifted my head.

With graceful hands, she twirled a strand of pasta and brought it to her lips.

“Aren’t you hungry? Eating alone feels a bit awkward.”

“Oh, yes… I’ll eat!”

Hastily, I grabbed my fork and followed her lead, putting food into my mouth.

It was an awkward start to a meal I didn’t want to let slip away.

‘…Delicious.’

Was it thanks to the chef’s skill in this fine establishment?

Or was it because Arthasha was here with me?

The flavors filling my mouth felt deeper and more vivid than ever before.

“Is your head okay?”

Midway through the meal, Arthasha quietly asked.

I answered with the brightest smile I could muster.

“Yes, of course…! Thanks to the collar given by the Saintess, most wounds heal quickly.”

“…I see.”

Arthasha’s gaze lingered on the collar around my neck. Her expression soured slightly as she lifted her wine glass and took a slow sip.

I watched her hesitantly, then cautiously sipped my own wine.

The sweet yet slightly bitter aroma of grapes tickled my nose.

The wine felt cold as it seeped through me, yet warm as it burned down my throat. In that slightly bitter intoxication, a strange happiness spread within me.

“Will my daughter ever return?”

I found myself hoping this moment would never end, until Arthasha’s voice shattered the stillness.

“…What?”

“My daughter, Tina. I want to know if she will never come back.”

My breath caught.

The food I had just swallowed felt like it was stuck in my throat, leaving me with an overwhelming sense of suffocation.

Right, I mustn’t forget.

I am the murderer who took her daughter away.

And yet, here I was, trying to feel happiness at her side.

Truly, I am a despicable human being.

When Arthasha defended me in the streets before, calling me her daughter, it wasn’t for my sake. Most likely, it was because she couldn’t bear to see Tina’s body endure further harm.

“…I don’t think she can return,” I murmured, my voice cold and brittle.

At my words, Artasha’s gaze gradually dimmed.

“Was it intentional?”

“What?”

“I want to know if taking over my daughter’s body was a deliberate act.”

My heart began pounding furiously.

I wanted to shout ‘no’ right then and there.

In my past life, I had ended my own life. Then, when I opened my eyes, I found myself in this body.

I never intended to steal your daughter. Not in the slightest.

But those are just excuses.

The fact that I took her daughter away from her doesn’t change.

Perhaps it’s better to let Artasha blame me as much as she wants.

Nothing drives a person more mad than emotions that have nowhere to go.

“Yes, it was intentional. I wanted to see what it was like to be Artasha’s daughter, just once.”

Artasha stared at me in silence for a while.

Even just meeting her gaze felt unbearably heavy.

Surely, she was looking at me with eyes full of disdain.

Unable to bear her gaze, I lowered my head, fixing my eyes on the pasta in front of me.

I fidgeted with the fork between my fingers.

“So, did you enjoy the time we spent together?”

The unexpected question caught me off guard.

I looked up at her, bewildered.

Artasha’s eyes, unwavering and steady, were fixed on me. They were so calm, and unlike mine, they shone beautifully.

“…What about you, Artasha?”

I asked a question I already knew the answer to.

The answer was obvious. Surely, it had been nothing but regret and pain for her.

Time spent opening her heart to a stranger pretending to be her daughter.

Days filled with nothing more than meaningless, false bonds.

“I enjoyed it,” she said.

But Artasha’s reply was different from what I expected.

“I was happy,” she added.

“Th-That can’t be…”

“I know. I know very well. Saying such things makes me unfit to be a mother. But, child…”

Her voice faltered briefly.

Hesitation flickered around her, but it didn’t last long.

Soon, she looked me straight in the eye and spoke with conviction.

“The time I spent with you was far more vibrant and brighter than all the days I spent with Tina before you came.”

She placed a hand over her heart.

My heart was racing uncontrollably.

The pounding wouldn’t stop, and my breaths came quicker.

Her words shook me to my core.

“What about you?” Artasha asked softly.

Her unwavering eyes were fixed on me, waiting for my answer.

Don’t believe it.

I’m a murderer who stole her daughter.

There’s no way she could truly accept someone like me.

Surely, she has some hidden agenda.

Everyone harbors desires deep within them.

All kindness is ultimately just a mask.

That’s why I absolutely, absolutely mustn’t believe her.

I mustn’t believe her, but…

“I-I was happy too,” I blurted out without thinking.

The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them.

The feelings I had tried so hard to hide, the confession I had desperately suppressed.

But the emotions welling up inside me could no longer be contained, and the truth spilled out in the end.

“I already knew,” she said.

“…What?”

“I knew that you cherished the time we spent together.”

Her voice was calm.

“You’re not very good at lying, child.”

I froze, staring at her.

The truth I had struggled so hard to conceal slipped so easily from her lips.

“The claim that you intentionally took over my daughter’s body is a lie too, isn’t it?”

“….”

My heart sank.

How could she have known?

It was always like this.

Usually, she wouldn’t even flinch at my words. But when it truly mattered, Artasha would always see through my lies.

The hidden truth of my heart, which even Bibiana and Lillian had never noticed. The one thing I desperately wanted to conceal—Artasha would always effortlessly pierce through it.

As if she could see right into my mind, always.

“You enjoyed the meal.”

Artasha set down her utensil and lightly wiped the corner of her lips with a finely embroidered handkerchief.

I stared blankly at her plate.

The pasta on her plate looked the same as when it had first been served.

It seemed she had barely touched it after taking an initial bite.

Could it be that she wasn’t feeling well?

“Let’s get up.”

She spoke quietly.

“Huh… Where are you going?”

“I need to sort out my thoughts. Let’s head back to the lady together. There’s something I need to discuss with her.”

Leave? Already?

My heart ached with a sharp pang.

So soon?

How much time had we even spent together—already?

And she barely touched her pasta.

“W-wait… just a moment!”

My body moved instinctively.

I urgently grabbed Artasha’s hand as she began to rise from her seat.

Artasha widened her eyes in surprise at my sudden action.

“Th-this place is known for its amazing desserts. Can’t we at least stay for dessert…?”

“Dessert?”

Artasha tilted her head slightly as she looked at me.

“Yes, I, uh, I’ve always wanted to try them…”

I couldn’t meet her gaze directly and trailed off, mumbling softly.

It sounded like a pitiful excuse, even to me, but I wanted to hold onto something, anything.

Artasha remained silent for a moment.

She simply looked down at me, quietly but sharply.

Before long, she slowly sat back down in her seat.

Then, she lightly rang the bell on the table.

Before long, a neatly dressed staff member approached with a courteous bow.

“Please bring us all the most popular desserts in the house.”

“Pardon…?”

The staff member looked momentarily perplexed.

Artasha shot him a sharp glance.

“Desserts. All of them. Every single one, without exception.”

The staff member hesitated briefly before responding with a flustered expression.

“Our establishment doesn’t sell desserts, ma’am…”

At those words, Artasha’s eyes blinked slowly, dazed for a moment.

Her blue eyes fluttered, and then she turned her gaze to me.

‘Damn it.’

Unable to meet her inquisitive gaze, I dropped my head low.

Shame surged up to my throat.

My face burned, and it felt like my whole body was flushed with heat.

The most popular place in the empire, they said.

But they don’t serve desserts?

This makes no sense…!

“Well, you see… it’s… uh…”

My lips trembled, but no words came out.

I couldn’t even come up with an excuse.

And Artasha simply continued to stare at me, silently and steadily.

‘What… what do I say?’