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CHAPTER 130…………………………………..
“Mother!”
The Duke of Wendyshel not only acknowledged Monica’s death but also admitted that he was the one who shot the Crown Prince.
Vanessa, flustered, called out to him, but the Duke of Wendyshel did not even blink and simply stared at the Empress.
“I am the one who shot His Highness the Crown Prince. Please punish me.”
For a moment, the Empress almost twisted her lips into a smile.
‘The Duke of Wendyshel didn’t hand over Monica’s remains immediately.’
She thought that, out of attachment, it would be difficult for him to hand them over right away. She had given him time, thinking that pressing him too hard might provoke resentment—but she hadn’t expected him to strike back like this.
“Duke Wendyshel, that’s a rather cruel joke.”
The Empress managed to keep her expression calm as she spoke.
“You weren’t there at the scene at the time, were you? Surely, due to all the commotion, only your sister intended to attend the hunting festival. Quite a dull joke, indeed.”
“I had a brief moment and quietly came to see the children. And then I accidentally shot His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“…….”
“It was entirely my fault.”
“Duke Wendyshel, think carefully. If you deceive so many people, the honor of Wendyshel will fall.”
“If the honor that falls with a single word from me is so fragile, then it is essentially nonexistent from the start.”
She had to admit it.
It was no longer possible to use Monica as a hostage to manipulate the Duke of Wendyshel.
She couldn’t know what change of heart that brief moment had caused in him, but it had put her in a truly difficult position.
The appearance of the Ivory Tower Lord, who never showed himself, and the Duke of Wendyshel’s sudden change of mind—
The Empress thought it was a strangely arranged situation as she observed everything.
‘It seems the Duke of Wendyshel has decided to take the punishment instead of my daughter, but I can’t order him to imprison her on behalf of the Wendyshel princess.’
Even if she couldn’t manipulate Wendyshel, there was no need to show it.
She had thought he had no affection for his living daughter—but apparently, that wasn’t entirely true.
“Release the Wendyshel princess from her bindings.”
If the Duke acknowledged Monica’s death, there would be the matter of how she had died and what had happened to her body.
It was obvious that the discussion would turn into a vicious argument.
“This matter cannot be solved through conversation. For now, the Crown Prince has not fully recovered due to the effects of the strong medicine, so let’s talk after the hunting festival.”
When things didn’t go as intended, the Empress made excuses and postponed drawing a conclusion, then stood up first.
“We should check on the Crown Prince’s condition. Ivory Tower Lord, please accompany me.”
“Why should I?”
Magnus asked, tilting his head.
“Why should I see his face?”
“…Well…”
The Empress hesitated, intending to point out that he had come all this way to help treat the Crown Prince.
‘If the Tower Lord had really treated the Wendyshel princess, there would have been ample opportunity to help Maximilian when he was injured.’
Yet doing nothing indicated he never had the intention to treat Maximilian in the first place.
Moreover, the Tower Lord’s current hostile attitude meant it was necessary to investigate the matter thoroughly.
As the Empress left, Vanessa, now free-handed, hurried to her mother.
The Duke of Wendyshel, appearing relieved that the tension had eased, staggered while holding his forehead with a fatigued expression.
“Mother!”
Fortunately, Dante caught the Duke, preventing any accident.
“Thank you, Lord Obel.”
“It was the natural thing to do.”
The Duke of Wendyshel exhaled lightly.
“To be supported by Lord Obel, who is known for his frailty… this will remain in my memory for some time.”
“You haven’t heard the recent news, then. He has regained his strength and is far stronger than you are now. I will support you.”
Seeing Magnus standing behind him, the Duke nodded, having intended to refuse.
They arrived at the Obel family’s gazebo.
After confirming there were no eavesdropping beasts, Dante said it was safe to speak freely.
Vanessa seized the moment.
“Mother, why did you say that? You could have been captured!”
“But I couldn’t just watch you get taken, could I?”
The Duke of Wendyshel murmured weakly from his chair.
But Vanessa’s next words froze him in place.
“You didn’t even watch over me all this time.”
“Vanessa.”
“Just like with my sister, you only regretted it after everything was over.”
Since Monica’s disappearance, Vanessa had been neglected, and now she expressed her sorrow.
Without her glasses, Vanessa’s face resembled Monica’s so closely that it almost made him mistake her for her sister.
Being reproached with that face made the Duke feel as if both Vanessa and Monica were blaming him.
He sighed deeply, washed his face, and then, unable to meet Vanessa’s gaze, turned to Magnus instead.
“You mentioned the Ivory Tower Lord. My daughter…”
“Didn’t I tell you? She’s dead.”
Magnus spoke coldly.
“Even though it was a shock, you know I’m not saying she died today.”
The real Monica had died long ago.
The truth, vaguely sensed when looking at the bones of a child, now hit him sharply.
“I didn’t want to admit that Monica’s death was my fault.”
The Duke of Wendyshel had been not only governing Wendyshel territory but also assisting the Emperor and handling matters of the empire.
He was so busy he didn’t know how a day passed.
There was naturally no time to care for his children.
He sent the young twin daughters to a villa because living together, he could never spare the time to see them.
Sending them to play together meant he wouldn’t feel guilty for not watching them.
That was the reasoning behind it.
“I know, mother blamed father.”
“Yes, and somehow that made me feel remarkably at ease.”
Even though he knew his husband had been busy helping him, he blamed him anyway.
Then his husband shifted the blame onto her.
Believing firmly that losing their child was each other’s fault, their relationship fell into ruin.
“And to make my belief that it wasn’t my fault even stronger, I longed for Monica more than for you.”
Time passed, and the Duke of Leviathan made a sweet proposal to return Monica.
Naturally, she accepted.
But even when Monica returned, she remained busy, leaving Vanessa in charge of her.
Then she heard the news of Monica’s death.
Ultimately, everything had returned to square one.
“Listen to my request, and I will let you hold Miss Monica in your arms again.”
She felt the situation was strangely off, but she wanted to ignore it.
She came out intending to accept the Empress’s proposal.
“Lady Obel?”
Had she not met Linaria along the way, she would have chosen Monica.
“This concerns your daughter, so I thought the Duke of Wendyshel should know.”
“What do you mean?”
“Miss Monica left without blaming anyone.”
“…….”
“I love you.”
“…….”
“This was Miss Monica’s last will.”
“I’m sorry, Vanessa. I shouldn’t have blamed anyone; I should have realized you remained with me…”
Hearing her young daughter’s last words felt like being doused with ice water.
A child who had never received proper love had died without losing it.
And yet, what was he doing now?
He realized how selfish and arrogant he had been.
“Even if late, will you allow me to act as your mother?”
Meanwhile, Maximilian lay in bed, unaware of what had happened outside.
The Empress had issued a silence order, knowing that if he learned Vanessa had been freed, he would not stay calm.
“What? The Ivory Tower Lord came?”
But the news of the Tower Lord’s appearance reached him.
“Then you should have told me immediately! Why hasn’t the Tower Lord come to me at once?”
The earlier message to destroy the tower was ultimately just bravado.
Maximilian immediately sent a servant to fetch the Tower Lord.
A servant returned alone and handed over a box.
