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Chapter : 53
“Lady Vinok, why are you watching Lady Balche so closely?”
“W-what? I—I wasn’t!”
“No, you clearly are. Did you perhaps do something to her?”
“……!”
Astellas’s expression shifted in an instant.
Helena knew she’d hit the mark.
“So Lady Balche suddenly collapsing—was that your doing?”
“N-no! I didn’t do anything!”
“Then why are you so nervous?”
Like someone afraid of getting caught.
Helena’s sharp gaze bore straight through her. Astellas’s distracted eyes and hypersensitive reactions were far from normal.
Helena, sensitive to emotions and gazes, could see it clearly—
Astellas was rattled.
“I—it never happened. Your Highness must have seen wrong.”
“Well, considering your suspicious reaction, I doubt it.”
“I don’t understand why Your Highness is accusing me based only on a hunch!”
Under Helena’s persistence, Astellas’s expression darkened.
“Your condition now is nothing like it was moments ago. And why were you so close to Lady Balche? Weren’t you behind Lord Vinok earlier?”
“That’s because…”
“And what, you’ll say I saw wrong again? Unfortunately there are plenty of witnesses here to prove otherwise.”
“…….”
Astellas clenched her skirt. Helena was right—and she knew it.
Her brainwashing magic had failed, erasing memories of her confrontation with Freya. The dissonance was showing.
Everyone else was the same. If she said the wrong thing, someone might remember—and expose her power.
Freya, watching Astellas struggle, finally understood the situation.
“…So everyone lost their memories.”
Raiden and Helena acting normal suddenly made sense—they simply couldn’t remember the moment they were consumed by the black energy.
Ironically, the blame was naturally falling on Astellas—as if she had harmed Freya. Not wrong, but not the whole truth.
“Keeping quiet won’t fix anything, my lady.”
“…I really didn’t. Freya just suddenly fell on her own!”
“Lady Balche fell—by herself? And we’re supposed to believe that?”
No crowd pushing her, no slippery floor. Freya was known for her composure—it made no sense.
It was something that simply wouldn’t happen on its own.
“As it stands, your excuse sounds exactly like that—an excuse.”
“…Why only me…”
Astellas hung her head under Helena’s blunt accusation.
“Wait a moment! Your Highness, that’s too—”
Verde stepped forward, sensing Astellas’s condition—but Jairus cut him off.
“Lady Balche… your hand. It’s bleeding.”
“What?”
“What did you say?”
Raiden grabbed Freya’s hand. Just as Jairus said—blood dripped from the back of her left hand.
“Freya, you’re hurt. What happened?”
“Ah, well…”
Freya’s eyes darted toward Astellas. She had caused the injury herself—but the cause was Astellas.
“That’s a lot of blood. You need treatment.”
Helena checked the wound—and followed Freya’s glance to Astellas.
That was all she needed.
“Oh my. These look like… fingernail marks. Don’t tell me—?”
Her voice echoed across the ballroom. Raiden, Jairus—and everyone else—turned to Astellas.
“Lady Vinok. Did you injure Freya?”
Raiden asked stiffly, voice colder than before.
Under that contemptuous gaze, Astellas burst out:
“I didn’t! Why would I hurt her?!”
“Truly? Then why was Lady Balche watching your every move?”
“Huh? I—I don’t know! She wouldn’t do that! You’re mistaken, Your Highness!”
“Me again, is it?”
Helena snorted. Out of excuses, were we?
Astellas seemed oblivious to the glares tightening around her.
Fine. Helena decided to give her what she asked for.
“So you claim ignorance? Very well. Since you want certainty—we’ll show everyone.”
“…What do you mean?”
“The truth you’re so desperate for. Once we check, it’ll be clear who did wrong.”
Clap clap!
Helena summoned a waiting attendant.
“Bring the recording device.”
“At once, Your Highness.”
The attendant hurried away and returned dengan a round glass-like orb.
Helena smiled lightly.
“This artifact, developed by the Mage Tower, records everything that happens here—for security.”
“……!”
“That means today’s events are all recorded. Aren’t you excited to see the results, my lady?”
“N-no… no!”
Astellas turned pale.
If the orb had captured what happened—her secret would be exposed.
Vinok’s blessing power and her brainwashing were fundamentally different.
Normally, her energy was hidden from sight—but a recording artifact would show everything.
She did not have permission to use her power yet.
If discovered—there’d be no excuses left.
I can’t be exposed! Not now!
She’d come too far to crumble now.
“Ah—Astellas?!”
“Lady!”
With a desperate shove, she forced Verde aside, lunged forward—and snatched the orb from Helena’s hands.
She raised it high—and slammed it into the floor.
CRASH!
“Kyaa!”
“What—what was that?!”
“She broke the recorder!”
Glass shards sprayed everywhere. Ladies shrieked.
“What in the world—?!”
“Lady Vinok! Have you lost your mind?!”
Helena shouted in disbelief.
Astellas, breathing hard, stared at the shattered pieces—then raised her eyes.
Her gaze briefly pierced Freya—sharp, hateful.
Then she pushed past the crowd and fled the ballroom.
“Astellas!”
“Wait—!”
Verde and Carin scrambled after her, bewildered.
The crowd buzzed. Helena stood stunned.
“What was that? Unbelievable!”
“You’re not hurt, are you, sister?”
“I’m fine. Just startled.”
“Thank goodness. Still… smashing a recorder in front of everyone? That’s insane.”
Jairus stared at the shattered remains.
“Impressive strength… Even without protection, those things are sturdy.”
He gestured for servants. They hurried in to sweep up the glass.
Jairus sighed toward Helena.
“We’ll need to invoice House Vinok.”
“Oh, I’ll do more than that! She dares—right in front of me?! I don’t care if she’s a duke’s daughter—I WON’T forgive this!”
“Nuna, calm down! It’s dangerous!”
Helena’s face burned bright red with rage.
