GDRA 02

The courtyard fell silent at Lena’s confession. But the silence lasted only a moment. Soon, the onlookers began whispering among themselves, eagerly making their own wild guesses.

They were like hyenas that had just stumbled upon fresh prey, eager to tear it apart and feast on the spectacle.

Without the slightest change in her expression, Annelia brought the teacup to Lena’s lips.

The reddish liquid swayed inside the cup, coming dangerously close to touching Lena’s trembling lips.

“Your Highness, please!”

Annelia spoke softly to Lena, who was trembling and sobbing.

“Who ordered you to do it?”

“Please spare me! Please, I beg you!”

“Tell me who ordered you to do it, and I’ll spare your life.”

Lena’s tear-filled eyes darted anxiously from side to side.

In truth, several names had already come to Annelia’s mind.

And even if one of those people really was responsible, the testimony of a mere maid wouldn’t be enough to have them punished.

Even so, there was a reason Annelia was asking.

I need a safety lock until I can leave this place.

Whoever Lena named might be able to wriggle out of the situation, but they would be forced to keep a low profile for the time being.

After all, they wouldn’t be able to avoid becoming the subject of gossip.

And should Annelia happen to die in the near future, the person Lena named here, in front of all these witnesses, would be the first to fall under suspicion.

If she planted a seed of doubt in the minds of this many people, her potential enemies would have no choice but to remain quiet for a while.

With an expression devoid of emotion, Annelia began tilting the teacup.

Lena recoiled in horror and shook her head frantically. In the end, she finally opened her mouth.

“I’ll tell you!”

Everyone watching held their breath.

But just as Lena was about to reveal the name—

“Annel!”

A flash of pure white came rushing through the crowd and threw itself into Annelia’s arms.

Recognizing the familiar scent and familiar touch, Annelia suppressed a sigh and quietly spoke.

“Belita.”

Belita lifted her head at Annelia’s murmur. Her face was filled with tears as she sobbed.

“What in the world happened? I heard something had happened to you, and I was so… so worried!”

Belita hugged Annelia tightly before gently wiping away her tears and straightening up.

Her face was almost identical to Annelia’s, but perhaps it was her pure white hair that made all the difference.

Belita looked utterly fragile and pitiful, as though she were the most unfortunate creature in the world. Biting her lip, she turned toward Lena.

“How could you do something so cruel…! Don’t you know that attempting to murder a member of the imperial family is a crime punishable by death? Even execution would be too lenient for you!”

Belita cried out, her eyes reddened and her shoulders trembling.

To anyone watching, she was the very picture of a delicate, frail older sister who had rushed over out of concern for her younger sibling.

Lena stared at her blankly, opening and closing her mouth before repeatedly bowing her head to the ground and begging for mercy.

“P-Please spare me! I beg you! Please, at least spare my life, Lady Belita!”

Not Annelia, but Belita.

Yet no one present found anything strange about it.

Everyone knew that Lena’s life was in Belita’s hands, not Annelia’s.

“Annelia treated you well. How could you repay her kindness with such treachery?”

Belita clutched the hem of her dress and cried out, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Her reddened eyes and long, delicate white eyelashes trembling ever so slightly stirred the protective instincts of anyone who looked at her. She seemed so fragile that one couldn’t help wanting to embrace her and gently comfort her, regardless of who they were.

The maids and servants gathered nearby were completely captivated by Belita. One after another, they began murmuring their admiration.

“Lady Belita must be an angel. She’s going out of her way to help someone, even though this has nothing to do with her.”

“Honestly, if Lady Belita hadn’t come, Lady Annelia wouldn’t have been able to punish her properly.”

Hearing the servants’ whispers, Belita turned back to Annelia and gently clasped her hand.

“My poor little sister. I’ll make sure that ungrateful girl pays for what she’s done.”

To anyone watching, she was the perfect older sister, going out of her way to defend a younger sibling who was looked down upon by everyone.

The people around them showered Belita with praise, while she maintained an expression of sorrow, beneath which lay an unwavering determination.

But there was one emotion, faintly concealed beneath it all.

Was that… relief?

It was such a tiny flicker of emotion that no one could have noticed it unless they knew Belita as well as Annelia did.

Suddenly, a memory of her debutante ball flashed through Annelia’s mind.

[Good heavens, Annel! Your dress! Who on earth made it? How could it end up like this?]

Annelia hadn’t even realized that the seams of her dress had come undone, leaving her entire back exposed.

She had been so nervous that her entire body had stiffened, making it difficult for her to feel anything properly.

Belita had been the first to notice. Making a tremendous fuss, she spread the news of Annelia’s torn dress throughout the entire ballroom.

[I’m always cold, so I brought this shawl with me. You should wear it.]

[No, I’ll just go inside. I can change into another dress.]

[What are you talking about, Annel? I know perfectly well that this is the only dress you have! You said you had barely managed to get it ready for today.]

[Th-That’s… Anyway, I’m fine.]

[Come on, please? I just want to spend some time with you. Are you really going to leave me all alone?]

In the end, Annelia had simply fastened the torn section with a few safety pins and draped Belita’s shawl over her shoulders.

The following day, Belita came down with a terrible cold.

And, as usual, rumors spread everywhere about the pure white princess who had fallen ill after saving the Child of Calamity once again.

So you were the one who tampered with my dress back then, too.

Belita had always used Annelia in that way, building up her own reputation at her expense.

I see. So it was you again.

Although Belita had exploited her in countless ways over the years, she had never actually threatened her life.

That was why Annelia had let her guard down, if only for a moment.

When Annelia remained silent, Belita looked at her with concern.

“Annel, you look terribly unwell. Oh, what should I do with you, my poor little sister?”

Belita had probably intended to make her grand entrance just as Annelia was on the verge of dying from the poison.

Then, after making it seem as though she had sacrificed something precious to save her, she would have administered the antidote.

To think you’d stoop to playing games with my life.

Annelia felt her blood turn ice-cold.

“…I’m fine. It’s reassuring to know you’ll help me.”

“Of course. It’s only natural that I should. We’re indispensable to each other, after all.”

Belita gently caressed Annelia’s cheek and smiled sweetly.

It was an utterly innocent smile, one that had deceived countless people.

Looking into Belita’s golden eyes, Annelia returned the smile.

“Then could you help me interrogate that maid?”

“What are you talking about, Annel? You’ve been through such a frightening ordeal. You need to rest.”

“Listen, Bel. That maid was just about to tell me who had put her up to this. There must be someone behind her. We should question her again.”

Annelia gently tried to persuade Belita before turning her attention back to Lena.

That was, until Belita suddenly grabbed her clothes and pulled her into an embrace, tears streaming down her face.

“I don’t want you to go through anything so terrible ever again! I’m so worried about you, Annel…!”

I knew you’d do this.

Annelia had no intention of letting this opportunity slip away.

Just as she was about to say something again, a chilling voice cut between them.

“Why are you wasting time instead of having the criminal thrown into prison immediately?”

A domineering gaze, as though it could crush everyone present, landed on Annelia.

“Annelia. Once again, you’ve managed to bring calamity wherever you go.”

The man, whose golden eyes resembled Annelia’s, raised one corner of his mouth in a crooked smile.

Naturally, everyone’s attention shifted toward him, and excited exclamations rang out.

“His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince!”

“What an honor! The Crown Prince himself has come!”

“Your Imperial Highness!”

The maids, servants, and even the guards hurriedly bowed in respect.

By the time the Crown Prince approached Annelia, his gaze was already fixed entirely on Belita.

“Brother Kylie!”

“Rita.”

The warmth in his eyes was worlds apart from the coldness he showed Annelia.

Kylie addressed Belita affectionately before speaking with a worried expression.

“How long has it been since you recovered? Why have you come here again?”

“Please don’t say that. You know that spending time with Annel is my greatest joy and happiness. But to think something like this would happen…”

Belita pressed a hand to her forehead and swayed as though she were overwhelmed by shock and sorrow.

Kylie naturally caught her as she began to fall, drawing her into his arms and gently patting her shoulder.

“Once again, you’ve stopped the calamity brought by that dark creature.”

“No, Brother. I haven’t done anything at all.”

“How could you not be the Light of Rodeiam with such a kind heart?”

“That’s not true. I simply cannot forgive someone who tried to kill Annel. How could someone like me possibly be called the Light…? It’s embarrassing.”

What a ridiculous performance.

Watching the farce unfolding before her eyes, Annelia found it increasingly difficult to keep her expression under control.