Chapter 43: Witness

‘When do people experience the greatest shock?’

Is it when something you’ve prepared for so long fails?

When something you took for granted suddenly starts falling apart?

Or is it when you realize someone—or something—you firmly believed in was wrong?

There are plenty of cases that bring shock.

But deciding which is the most shocking isn’t easy.

Because people have different values and backgrounds.

There are no two identical people in this world, and if we’re not identical, our thoughts will always diverge.

At least, that’s what Christina believed.

But human thoughts are always subject to change.

And when faced with a major shock, they tend to change much faster.

As always, it started with something trivial.

She’d only gone out to visit a café she occasionally stopped by.

After hearing the words buried in Lee Seo-yeon’s heart, she’d felt too suffocated to stay still.

And that’s when she saw them.

Lee Seo-yeon sitting at a table—with Han-sia.

At first, she was slightly surprised.

Because the last time she saw Lee Seo-yeon, she hadn’t looked anywhere near okay.

Seo-yeon had fainted multiple times in the infirmary.

So Christina had assumed she’d be resting in the dorm by now.

She wanted to worry about her.

But she couldn’t.

Because she knew she had no right.

She knew all too well that she had no right to be someone who worried about Lee Seo-yeon.

And then she realized it.

That the person sitting across from Seo-yeon was Han-sia.

The so-called “Saint,” known in the academy for her kind heart and divine power.

…Unlike herself, who had been nothing but a burden to Seo-yeon, Han-sia was clearly a good friend to her.

When Christina’s thoughts reached that point, she turned away.

It made sense.

She had no place at that table.

Christina was not a friend like Han-sia. She was just another cowardly bully.

That’s what she thought.

That’s why she’d tried to walk away.

– ‘It’s your fault, Seo-yeon.’

– ‘If you hadn’t gotten so close to Soo-ho, would I have done this?’

Then she heard it.

Cold, brutal words.

And then Han-sia’s hand reached toward Seo-yeon’s cheek.

At first, she doubted it.

She saw it with her own eyes, yet she doubted them.

Then she denied it.

She remembered the image of Han-sia she was familiar with and told herself she must be wrong.

Then she looked again.

Even though she’d already seen it, she had to confirm it one more time.

And finally, Christina accepted it.

What she saw was real.

Those people really were Lee Seo-yeon and Han-sia.

Who would believe it if they heard those vicious words came from the mouth of the “Saint” Han-sia?

Who would believe that someone called the saint of the academy was using whips and ropes to abuse a girl who’d been diagnosed with a terminal condition?

No one would.

Even Christina herself wouldn’t have believed it if she hadn’t witnessed it.

How could she believe something so absurd?

She would’ve dismissed anyone who told her and distanced herself from them.

That’s how unbelievable it was.

Because the image Han-sia had built was so strong.

A slightly naive but kind-hearted saint.

That was who Christina thought Han-sia was.

– ‘Our Seo-yeon’s quiet again, huh?’

– ‘It’s fine. I don’t mind if you don’t react.’

Not a psychopath who smiles sweetly while inflicting violence.

That was a demon.

A cruel demon hiding behind the mask of a saint.

Christina had to stop that demon.

She had to save Lee Seo-yeon, who couldn’t say a word and was left to suffer in silence.

She was the only one here.

She was the only one who now knew what kind of person Han-sia really was.

So she walked forward, step by step.

Forcing her frozen legs to move, she approached the scene of violence.

She was almost at the café door.

And then a thought slammed into her head like a hammer.

‘Christina, do you really deserve to do this?’

It wasn’t an unfamiliar question.

In fact, it was too familiar.

She’d just thought it earlier.

She thought it every time something happened involving Lee Seo-yeon.

It was her.

She was the one who ruined Seo-yeon’s time at the academy.

It was her.

She was the one who planted thoughts of wanting to die into Seo-yeon.

Someone might try to argue otherwise.

‘How can this be all your fault?’

‘Sure, you’re partially to blame, but you weren’t the only one.’

And they’d be right.

Absolutely right.

She wasn’t alone.

It had always been one versus many.

She was always with others when they bullied Seo-yeon.

That made it even more horrifying.

Even if some tried to defend her, claiming she didn’t want things to go this far—

The truth was, she had become the very person she hated most.

She had become one of those monsters who gang up on the weak.

And that truth was unbearable.

Realizing it only now made her feel sick to her stomach.

So she stopped walking.

The thought that she didn’t deserve to step forward made it impossible to take another step.

All she could do was watch.

Just like always.

Just like she’d always used others to torment Seo-yeon behind the scenes.

A cowardly bystander.

A manipulator working from the shadows.

Those titles fit Christina Valentine perfectly.

As time passed, the light in Seo-yeon’s eyes slowly faded.

Her already dull gaze was now practically lifeless, like her pupils had disappeared altogether.

It made sense.

If Christina had been in her place, she wouldn’t have fared much better.

And Seo-yeon’s body didn’t even show wounds.

– ‘Oops, did I hit too hard?’

– ‘Sorry, Seo-yeon. I’ll heal you right away.’

Han-sia had been careful not to leave marks.

And if she ever did, she immediately healed them using her divine power.

A brutal scene of torture.

One where no evidence would remain.

That was the only way to describe what Christina was witnessing.

And still, Christina continued to watch.

Using the cowardly excuse that she had no right.

That Seo-yeon wouldn’t want her to interfere.

She just watched, trembling, praying this eternal hell would end quickly.

– ‘Let’s stop here for today! Seo-yeon isn’t feeling well, after all.’

Finally, Han-sia said she was done for the day.

Christina quickly hid nearby.

She couldn’t risk being seen by Han-sia as she left the café.

“…Huh? Why do I feel so uneasy all of a sudden?”

Luckily, Han-sia didn’t notice her.

Muttering something about a bad feeling, she slowly walked toward the academy dorms.

And once Han-sia disappeared from sight—

Ding–

“Welcome!”

“Hello… Huh?”

Christina responded like a complete idiot.

“Seo-yeon? What are you doing here all of a sudden…?”

“…Your Highness?”

As if she’d just happened to stop by.

As if she’d just arrived from the academy.

As if she had no idea what had just taken place here.

Yes, a mask.

You could call it a mask.

A mask she had no right to wear.

A coward’s mask—thick and unremovable.

And with that mask still on, she spoke to Lee Seo-yeon.

“…By the way, what brings Your Highness here?”

“Huh?”

“This café. It feels like the kind of place children would enjoy.”

She played the fool.

Trying to be as unthreatening and harmless as possible for Seo-yeon.

“…More importantly, what brings you here, Seo-yeon?”

“Me?”

“Yeah. Like you said, this place feels like a kids’ café.”

Still acting clueless, she hit Seo-yeon with a direct question.

Even though she already knew everything.

Even though she’d seen it all with her own eyes.

She kept pretending.

Just to see how Seo-yeon would respond.

“…I just followed someone I know.”

As expected, Seo-yeon made no mention of what happened earlier.

She spoke in a flat tone, eyes completely dead.

Like she was saying nothing had happened here at all.

If Christina hadn’t seen it for herself, she might’ve believed her.

That’s how much guilt she carried when it came to Seo-yeon.

She never wanted to burden her again.

She would’ve believed anything Seo-yeon said without question.

But Christina had seen it.

And to hide that fact, she kept playing the fool.

No matter what it took.

No matter what method she had to use—she had to help Seo-yeon.

Even if she didn’t deserve it.

Even if Seo-yeon might not want it.

If she just stood by and let Seo-yeon suffer again, she’d never be able to forgive herself.

‘…I need to make a plan.’

And so, she began to move.

As the Third Princess of the Empire, Christina Valentine.

As someone who now genuinely wished for Lee Seo-yeon’s happiness.

Even if she was never acknowledged by others.

Even if Seo-yeon herself never acknowledged her.