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Chapter 47
The Real Target of Revenge
2022.05.13.
My heart dropped with a thud.
No way, just like that time—
Johann remembered the day he had witnessed Estelle’s trauma.
Her long white eyelashes lowered, and she bit her lips ever so slightly, as if in pain.
“Estelle!”
Unable to hold back any longer, Johann rushed into the gazebo and held her.
At that, Estelle blinked wide open, as if suddenly coming back to her senses.
“Huh?”
“Do you know who’s standing in front of you right now?”
“Well… Johann?”
Estelle once again tried to brush it off with a nonchalant expression. Johann’s heart ached to see her constantly trying so hard to hide her pain.
“Yes, I’m right here beside you. Don’t forget that.”
At that moment, sparks flickered in the crystal orb, and something unusual began to happen.
Around them, red spider lilies suddenly bloomed in profusion.
This phenomenon shouldn’t be possible.
But there was one situation in which it could happen.
This magical tool was designed under the assumption that it’s used by the living.
And the fact that the sudden blooms were spider lilies made the assumption even clearer.
Spider lilies—the flowers of death.
The flowers symbolizing chaos, the exact opposite of the divine.
Does this mean Estelle… is closer to the dead than the living?
Johann looked at her with sorrowful eyes.
“…Estelle.”
The crystal orb had turned pitch black, showing just how much pain she was in. Though her body was on the verge of death, she never let it show.
“You don’t have to pretend you’re okay anymore.”
It was a miracle she could even move around.
“At least it’s not because I broke it. That’s a relief.”
Looking at Johann, Estelle seemed to have roughly figured out what was going on.
…She must have realized it. She already knows she’s incurable.
Her physician, Henry Hansen, had once told Johann:
“Most Sleeping Beauties don’t feel pain, but in rare cases, they experience excruciating agony. At first, I thought Madame was the painless kind, but…”
So, she’s really suffering unbearable pain right now?
“Yes. Sometimes I’ve noticed her unable to hide it.”
But how?
The Sleeping Beauty illness rotted the body from within—an agony no one could endure.
“I believe Madame has simply become accustomed to enduring her pain. She even tried to hide it from you, my lord.”
The crystal orb had confirmed it. Henry Hansen’s diagnosis was true.
Estelle is in constant pain.
And yet Johann had no way to heal her.
It seemed Estelle already knew her own desperate state.
“I really like this flower. It’s just like your eyes, Johann.”
Even now…
“Sometimes it feels a little sad, a little scary, but it also feels like your sincerity. It makes me feel closer to you, and I like that.”
—She tried to comfort him.
How unbearably, outrageously lovable.
“How can you be so… infuriatingly lovable?”
“I’m… lovable?”
Johann trapped her against the wall.
Estelle stared at him with wide, startled eyes, like a rabbit. That expression always provoked him.
“You’re maddeningly lovable.”
“….”
“And it drives me insane.”
His rough words startled her. Her breath trembled with tension, her long pale lashes fluttering like butterflies.
Johann’s eyes, tinged with madness, traced every inch of her.
And you’re telling me you’re just going to die like this?
Back when they faced the Crawlin monster horde, Johann had pushed himself to the limit to save Estelle.
As a result, until he offered a new sacrifice, he could no longer wield magic as before.
Then will you really save me?
But Estelle only drifted farther away from him.
Why do you want to save me so badly?
Johann slowly kissed her forehead, then the bridge of her nose.
Each time his lips brushed her skin, she flinched sensitively.
“As if I’d ever let you go.”
It was unacceptable.
“J-Johann?”
“When we get back to the ducal estate, I’ll fill the gardens with whatever flowers you want. And we’ll spend time there together, surrounded by blooms.”
“Are we going back to the estate right away?”
“I think it’s hard to treat you here.”
Seeing her surprised look, Johann smiled gently.
I’ll save you.
One way or another. Whatever it takes.
Johann announced that they would leave for the ducal estate in three days.
He canceled all the plans he had made in the Blanchet duchy.
It looks like he has so much work to do.
Even as an outsider, I could tell Johann had endless tasks. Especially since I couldn’t use teleportation magic, that only made things worse for him.
During that short time, I wandered around Blanchet Castle with Betty.
He really had prepared so much for my comfort.
“My lady, these are all prepared by the Duke, so you may choose anything you like.”
“This much?”
The room was filled wall-to-wall with imported dresses.
The duchy’s head maid bowed politely.
“Of course, this is not all. There are about ten more rooms like this. All top-quality dresses, ready to be tailored to your size at any time.”
“…Ten rooms?”
“I’m sorry. We did our best, but in the rush, searching from here to the capital, this was the best we could manage.”
She seemed to think I wasn’t impressed enough.
“The Duke has already reserved all the top ateliers, so from now on, your wardrobe will perfectly match your standard and tastes.”
Besides dresses, Johann had prepared jewels, famous paintings, and sculptures.
His preparations were flawless.
They said the first thing Johann did was build wealth… I guess he really has money overflowing.
But Johann’s extravagance didn’t stop there.
“When we get back to the estate, there’ll be newly tailored dresses waiting for you.”
“…That much, and rumors will be all over the capital.”
With such lavish spending, the social world was bound to talk.
I can already imagine the gossip.
At best, they’d say The fake Libertane has lucked out.
“Don’t waste time worrying about that. It’s not worth it.”
“You’re right. That’s not what matters.”
“When we return, a high-ranking priest will be there to heal you.”
I gasped.
“A high-ranking priest?”
“Most likely a cardinal.”
But Johann’s ties with the temple were hostile. The temple had played a part in the downfall of House Blanchet.
And yet he’s bringing one here?
For me.
And there were only three cardinals in the entire Empire and Holy Kingdom combined.
“How on earth did you manage that?”
“I gave them what they wanted. It just so happened that I had a territory they needed. That smoothed things along.”
He said it like it was nothing.
There’s no way a high priest would move just for that.
He must have also spent a fortune.
What a waste of money.
It wasn’t even my money, but it felt like such a waste to spend that much for me.
Johann carefully asked, noticing my reaction:
“Is it a problem, a high priest coming?”
“No. Not at all.”
Priests had often visited Libertane, but I had never been involved with them.
They’d never once tried to heal me with divine power.
I had only ever watched from afar.
It does bother me a little that Libertane was close with them.
But since Johann would be the one most annoyed by that, I decided to let it go.
“I just don’t want you to overdo it for me.”
“This is nothing. And if divine power doesn’t work, we’ll find another way.”
Johann squeezed my hand, smiling tenderly.
“Oh, by the way, all the confiscated assets from Count Hettel’s house are now yours. I’ve put the inventory in your room. Look through it when you have time.”
“All of Count Hettel’s assets went to me?”
“Of course they did.”
“But wasn’t the trial still ongoing?”
I had heard the imperial court was still judging the gravity of their crimes.
“The ruling on property confiscation came earlier. So I had it transferred to your name.”
The Hettel family was completely stripped from the noble registry.
The count and countess were sentenced to life imprisonment. Their daughters were exiled as commoners with no money and no names.
Just as Johann said it would be.
“Well then, I should get back to work.”
He kissed my cheek and left for his duties.
I went upstairs to check the documents he mentioned. It was true—the entire Hettel fortune was mine now.
“…Is it really okay for me to take all this?”
Though they were a poor count’s house, a count was still high nobility.
With the dowry wealth brought by the countess, the estate was larger than I had expected.
“What could possibly be wrong with it? The master has already decided.”
Betty showed me the letter.
“Madam, please use it however you wish. From the tone of their letter, it doesn’t seem like they feel any remorse at all.”
It was an apology letter from the Hetel Count’s family.
Apparently, they thought that as long as they received my forgiveness, a way forward would somehow open for them.
But with their ties to Baron Fenula in Libertane, it won’t be easy for them to get out of this mess in the first place.
I looked at the list of properties among the Hetel family’s assets, focusing on the Hetel territory itself.
They really bled it dry.
It seemed the Hetel family truly was desperate. Looking over the report on the Hetel estate, I said,
“Betty, could I ask you for a favor?”
“A favor? Of course, madam. Anything at all, just say the word.”
Capable Betty often handled tasks ordinary maids couldn’t.
“Then sell these jewels and money here, and donate the proceeds to the orphanages and poor in the county.”
“…Donate it?”
“It’d be better to set it up as sponsorships. Not just in Hetel territory—pick out other places that are really struggling too.”
Betty blinked in surprise.
“You’re not going to use it for yourself, madam?”
“This is for me.”
It wasn’t out of kindness that I wanted to donate and sponsor.
Either way, the Hetel family’s wealth was officially recorded, which meant I couldn’t use it when I eventually fled from Johann.
All I need is the money Baron Fenula has stored away in the bank.
Betty’s eyes grew moist as she asked,
“Then should I set up a foundation in your name?”
“Now that you mention it, having a foundation would be better for ongoing sponsorships. Can we set one up quickly?”
“Of course. We can just buy out a failing foundation and repurpose it.”
“Betty, you really know your stuff.”
With a confident tone, Betty replied,
“If you’re doing espionage, you have to know at least this much.”
I was relieved that espionage required such basic skills—otherwise, I might have wasted money in the wrong place.
“That’s a relief. Then when you arrange the donations and sponsorships, do it anonymously.”
“…Not in your name, but anonymously? Why on earth?”
“Well, because they wouldn’t want it, would they?”
People hated me.
No matter what I did, they’d just say I was scheming.
If it were only me they hated, it’d be fine.
But it was certain that even those receiving my sponsorship would end up harmed because of it.
“Madam, that can’t be true. Even if some look down on you, there will be those who recognize your sincerity…”
“Please, just do as I ask.”
Since my stance didn’t change, Betty finally nodded.
“Understood, madam. But please, stay strong regardless.”
Nodding, Betty went off to handle the task I’d given her.
By the time I felt the Hetel family’s business was settled, it was already time to head up to the Blanchet Ducal estate.
Johann had prepared a potion for me.
“Drink this, and you’ll be able to use the teleportation circle without any problems.”
“There’s such a thing?”
“Only I can make it.”
I drank the potion he gave me immediately.
Ugh. So bitter.
I’d better avoid using teleportation magic unless absolutely necessary.
Shaking my head, I stepped into the teleportation circle.
It looked like multiple layers of crimson circles stretched out horizontally like beams of light in the air.
Where have I seen this before?
The crimson runes shimmered like smoke. The letters blurred, transforming into new ones.
“Be careful?”
“Be careful of what?”
Standing beside me, Johann asked. His question left me more unsettled.
“What did I just say?”
“You just told me to be careful. Is something wrong?”
When I blinked again, the letters had vanished as though they’d never been there.
“No, I must’ve imagined it for a moment.”
I smiled at Johann and took his hand. After watching me for a moment, Johann said,
“Alright. Once you close your eyes and open them again, we’ll be at the Blanchet estate.”
Following his lead, I stepped into the crimson circle. But what I found inside wasn’t quite what Johann had described.
He said it’d be instantaneous…
Instead, everything was pitch black.
Then, the darkness began to swallow me whole, starting from my limbs, erasing me bit by bit.
Just as I was about to scream in terror—
—Don’t worry, my dear.
With that warm voice, the darkness around me brightened.
—I’ll protect you until the end, so that you can be happy.
The parts of my body that had vanished came back into view.
Who are you?
But instead of an answer, all I heard was laughter—sorrowful laughter that made my chest ache.
My head spun.
What was that voice?
It didn’t feel the same as when I spoke to the trees.
Things keep happening that I don’t understand, and it’s frustrating.
There were limits to what I could learn about black magic from the ducal library.
I’ll need to start digging deeper.
When I stumbled, Johann quickly caught me by the side.
“As I thought, using magic is still too much…”
Frowning in concern, Johann looked at me, but I smiled brightly.
“But since you’re holding me, I feel better.”
“Let’s hurry inside the estate and let you rest.”
When we arrived at the estate via teleportation, Erich was already waiting.
“Master, I’ve been expecting you.”
“What’s going on?”
After briefly glancing at my injured foot, Erich reported to Johann.
“A messenger from the temple just arrived. I believe you should see them personally.”
“That would look better indeed.”
As soon as Johann looked my way, I spoke up.
“I want to go too.”
“You as well?”
“If it’s such an important meeting, I should be there.”
A vague sense of foreboding gnawed at me.
In the end, Johann agreed. I followed him out to the front gates.
There stood a pure-white carriage adorned lavishly with golden embellishments. Soon, the door opened.
Clerics stepped out one after another.
“Allow me to assist you.”
“Thank you.”
Last to descend was a beautiful woman, escorted gracefully out of the carriage.
From her attire alone, she stood apart from the others. Though she wore the same white habit, her shoulders and neckline were exposed, making it look more like an elegant dress.
She looked less like someone devoted to God, and more like a noble princess.
Her golden hair shimmered like sunlight, fluttering in the breeze.
With a delicate wrist, she tucked her gleaming hair back and smiled shyly.
Her clear blue eyes fixed directly on Johann.
“Ah.”
Her long lashes trembled as a blush bloomed across her innocent face.
Instead of greeting us immediately, she hid behind a male cleric, as though too bashful.
The men surrounded her protectively as they approached us.
When they finally stopped before us, the woman carefully stepped out from behind them.
“Greetings, Duke Blanchet. I am Stella, Saintess of the Holy Nation.”
Smiling sweetly, Stella lifted her habit as though it were a gown and curtsied.
“I hear you’ve been desperately seeking me.”
In that moment, I recognized her identity without doubt.
Estella Libertane.
She was Johann’s true target of revenge.
