Chapter 88: Your daughter was dead

Humming a tune softly, I savored the pleasant sensation of the dawn air gently brushing against my skin.

The solitary, round moon hanging in the sky exuded a poetic ambiance, casting its silvery light over the darkness.

“Tina.”

A low, tranquil voice halted my steps.

Amethyst eyes, dark and subdued. Viviana approached, her jet-black hair blending seamlessly with the dawn’s atmosphere, fluttering lightly in the breeze.

“Did you handle Mardian?”

“…Yes.”

“Really? May I confirm it myself?”

“I swear, she will never appear before you again. If you don’t trust me, I can show you proof directly.”

“No, that’s unnecessary.”

Now that Mardian had fallen out of favor with Count Abreldine, she would no longer lead the glamorous life she once had.

Even if she sought revenge against me, it hardly mattered.

I raised myself slightly onto my toes and left a light kiss on Viviana’s right cheek.

Chup.

The soft sound lingered as my lips met her cold skin.

“You’ve done well, Viviana. Thanks to you, I’m safe.”

“Well then, I’ll be going now. See you next time.”

Turning lightly, I left her standing there, gazing after me. Yet, before I could take more than a few steps, Viviana seized my wrist.

“Tina, were you the one who poisoned Lillian?”

“What if I was?”

Cupping her cheeks gently with both hands, I looked straight into her conflicted eyes.

With a faint smile, I spoke to her.

“Will you throw me in prison? Or kill me here on the spot?”

“…”

“Viviana.”

I pulled her face closer until it was almost touching mine, so close that our breaths seemed to intertwine.

And then, I smiled softly.

“I’ll never forgive you.”

In a low, hushed voice, I whispered, tickling her ear with my words.

Reflected in her violet eyes, my pupils shone with a distinct cross etched upon them.

Viviana stared at me blankly for a long while before her now-clouded eyes lowered, and she nodded.

I flashed a grin at the obedient Viviana, who seemed to accept my words so readily.

I should offer her a final farewell, at the very least.

“May the rest of your life wither away under the weight of guilt.”

***

Gazing at the beautiful full moon that softly illuminated the darkness, I began to recite a song in a calm voice.

“The saint coughed up blood into red wine,”

[And faded away, losing her light.]

“The villainess was consumed by her own desires,”

[And paid the price for her folly.]

“The princess, unable to bear the weight of her guilt,”

[Would choose the life of a puppet herself.]

All of them were foolish people.

If they had lived solely for themselves, they could have walked a path of flowers. Yet, swayed by trivial emotions, they plunged themselves into the abyss.

Still, these were supposedly the protagonists of this world. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was right for them to crumble so easily.

[There’s hardly a creature more fitting for corruption than humans, wouldn’t you agree, Tina?]

“Yeah, you’re right.”

[Hehe, by the way, congratulations. Now you can finally meet your true family.]

“…Yeah.”

[Let’s quickly take care of the last obstacle and leave together.]

“Huh?”

[There’s still one more person left, isn’t there?]

My lips trembled faintly with an emotion I couldn’t identify.

I tried to smile, as I always did, but this time, my lips seemed unwilling to comply.

[Tina, you mustn’t have regrets, right?]

***

[You’re finally about to meet your mother. Are you hesitating now?]

“…Still, wouldn’t it be alright to take a little more time? There’s no one left to interfere anymore.”

My words were met with deep silence.

The thick stillness of my surroundings began to feel as though it was tightening around my neck.

After a long pause, she let out a small sigh and whispered into my ear.

[Could it be that you want to stay here?]

“No, that’s not it…”

[Or perhaps, are you planning to kill this life’s mother the same way you did in your past life?]

Her low, resonant words sent a shock through me, as if my heart had plummeted to the ground.

[Look ahead, Tina.]

Slowly, I lifted my head and looked forward.

There stood a woman.

A beautiful person who shared my hair and eye color.

And the most foolish person in the world.

It was the deep hours of dawn—what could she possibly be doing outside at this time?

“Tina…!”

She ran toward me in a hurry.

[Compared to the three before, breaking that pushover of a human will be no trouble at all, right?]

Frozen in place by the desperate look in her eyes, I couldn’t move a step.

I could only watch as she ran toward me.

[It only takes one word, doesn’t it? Let’s finish this quickly and go meet your real mother.]

At last, she reached me and pulled me into her arms.

“Where on earth have you been at this late hour…? Do you have any idea how worried I was?”

“Where have you been? Answer me properly, Tina Blanc.”

Her sharp tone seemed to cut through me, but every note of it carried deep affection.

How could someone be so utterly devoted?

What on earth made Tina Blanc worthy of receiving such love?

“I couldn’t sleep… so I went out for a short walk. I’m sorry for worrying you, Mother.”

Burying my face into her chest, I whispered softly.

“Really… don’t ever make me worry like this again…”

Every time I heard Artasha’s voice full of love, I found myself thinking over and over.

If it’s this person, couldn’t I start over? If it’s this person, couldn’t I lean on them? If it’s this person… couldn’t something change?

But every time such thoughts arose, she would whisper to me gently.

[That’s a delusion.]

And I knew it.

[That woman’s love will never reach you.]

I knew it better than anyone else.

[And Tina, if you truly care for that woman… shouldn’t you reveal the truth to her?]

Her words were always right.

In the past, and even now.

[You’re aware, aren’t you? That your actions are only killing her in an even more cruel way?]

The cruel truth pierced my heart like a dagger, and my eyes turned red.

[Are you planning to kill the existence of your mother twice, Tina?]

With her final words, the last lingering attachment in my heart fell powerlessly to the ground, like a withering leaf.

As the tears flowed weakly, I burned away the last remaining leaf without hesitation.

“Mother….”

“T-Tina? Why are you crying?”

“Mother, you are truly pathetic.”

I coldly pushed away her warm hand, which was caressing my cheek to wipe away my tears.

In response to my action—something I had never done before—Arthasha’s eyes quivered slightly, as though startled.

“Tina…?”

“Ha, even now… you still don’t understand anything.”

I smiled as I stared into her trembling eyes, a smile filled with mockery and contempt, brimming with malice.

“Do you know how laughable you looked, giving your love to others, not even realizing your daughter was dead?”

“W-what…?”

“Shall I repeat myself?”

I gently pressed my finger against Arthasha’s forehead and pushed her away. Stunned by the shock, she didn’t resist and collapsed onto the floor.

“Your daughter, Tina. She’s been dead for a long time.”

Arthasha, who sat there pathetically, blinking in disbelief, soon forced a strained smile and grasped my hand.

“T-Tina, sweetie. It’s not nice to play such a cruel joke on your mother.”

“Even now, this is all you can show me.”

“Tina….”

“You seemed so delighted whenever I approached you with a playful tone.”

“T-Tina….”

“Or… perhaps you already sensed it, didn’t you? That my attitude had drastically changed at some point.”

Arthasha’s eyes widened in shock as she stared at me.

Looking into those dazed, sky-blue eyes, I wore a smirk laced with scorn.

“Honestly, if I were in your shoes, I would have doubted it. But you accepted me without a second thought.”

“S-stop it, Tina….”

“Could it be… that you preferred me pretending to be Tina and humoring you in her place? If so, I must say, that’s a bit disappointing—”

Smack!

A sharp sound sliced through the air as my head turned helplessly to the side.

A stinging pain spread across my cheek, and the taste of blood slowly seeped into my mouth.

The woman in front of me—no, Arthasha—was crying.

Tears, silent and hollow, streamed down the face of the woman who had always been so steadfast.

At that moment, seeing those tears, I finally realized.

‘Ah.’

It’s all over now.

This tiresome play.

This false love.

Finally, it’s all over.