🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 111
What Were We?
The cultural gap between the Kingdom of Lodbrok and Panborough was by no means small. Diana knew this painfully well. That was why the Lodbrok people, while scorning the weakness of the conquered Panborough, also yearned for its flourishing culture.
Under Lady Levian’s lead, Panborough’s fashions gradually came into style, and just before Diana’s death, people began dressing in the clothes she had worn while living in Panborough.
Paradoxically, the role Diana now had to play here was similar to that of Lady Levian in her past life.
At the time, the House of Levian, having gained the most land for their participation in the Panborough war, was the quickest to absorb and handle Panborough culture. But this time was different.
There was no Lady Levian now.
Diana meticulously inspected the palace facilities. Most of the visiting nobles would be staying at the palace.
Still, that’s fortunate.
The nobles were favorable toward inviting Panborough nobles. Hearing that the palace was being refurbished, many quietly gifted Diana artworks and statues.
Why are they going this far for Panborough…
What’s more, whenever Panborough people were brought in to host banquets, so many wrote to Diana as if desperate to stand by her side. She had known of their admiration for Panborough culture, but not to this extent.
It meant that Lady Levian had gained all that attention precisely because she had brought a Panborough-born queen and absorbed its culture directly. Thus, she became the flower of society.
The ducal houses of the Round Table were all equals. Yet it was indeed the influence of Panborough culture that allowed a mere duke’s daughter—not a duchess—to develop society as the queen’s proxy.
Diana could feel it too. In her past life, when she was queen, the influence had grown so strong that soon grand banquets rivaling those of Panborough were being held every year.
“Are you alright?”
At Lady Kragel’s question, Diana turned her head.
“What do you mean?”
“There are many things but… I mean, are you alright inviting the people of Panborough?”
Diana, who had been inspecting the color of the newly-laid marble flooring, turned back. Checking whether there was dust on the clean wall, she replied.
“What do you mean by that?”
“It’s Your Majesty’s homeland. It’s become a vassal state now, but… are you truly fine with this?”
“That’s a rather delicate question for a duke’s daughter.”
“I-I just wanted to ask! I was told to, that’s all!”
She suddenly burst out.
“Told to? By whom?”
“Because you never say if you’re really okay or not, they’ve been pressuring me like this!”
“Who’s been pressur—”
“Anyway! Are you alright or not? Please answer! Spare me if you will!”
It seemed Lady Kragel had no intention of telling her who was behind it. But seeing those strangely worried eyes, Diana let out a small laugh.
“I don’t think anything of it.”
“Huh? Do you mean you don’t want to answer?”
“I mean I have no particular feelings. Didn’t I tell you already? I’ve abandoned that country.”
She had no affection left for Panborough. Whatever contradictory stance others took toward it—whether laughable or disgusting—none of it stirred her. It didn’t even make her heart ache.
“…That’s a rather cold statement for a queen.”
“Prioritizing one’s homeland is for knights, royalty, and nobles with a sense of chivalry—not for a mere noble’s daughter.”
“…”
“If they were so weak as to lose the war, then they shouldn’t even have given it a pretense of justification. They should have lived quietly—or rallied the nobles and fought to the bitter end. They did neither. They were incompetent.”
Moreover, Diana knew well what Ionia’s mother had done. In her past life, she had still harbored some affection for her homeland. But what kind of country fails even to defend its own capital?
The king had failed in his duty as king, and the nobles likewise.
And her thoughts ended there.
“Your Majesty, are you sure you’re not really from the Kingdom of Lodbrok?”
“No.”
“You seem far more accustomed to this law-of-the-jungle world than expected. Truly.”
Lady Kragel spoke with surprise. Diana shook her head with a faint laugh.
“Besides, I’ll be meeting many people I miss. Who wouldn’t be glad about that?”
“People you miss?”
“My friends.”
Lady Kragel’s face froze.
Why? Diana, noticing her shocked expression, asked:
“Are you alright?”
“I’m not. You won’t abandon me, will you?”
So that was her worry. Diana burst into laughter at her stiff expression.
Panborough’s nobles arrived one after another, each staying in their lodgings. Diana’s heart pounded.
“What about Emile Brienne?”
“Not yet,” Mabel replied.
Nodding, Diana felt her heart thud.
“Alexa… is she waiting for me?”
When Mabel nodded again, Diana went to her. The moment she saw Alexa lazing in the prepared room, Diana let out a hollow sigh of relief.
“Sis!”
Waving from the bed, Alexa reminded her of old times—back when she’d been too ill to rise properly. Was she really well now? They had fed her every remedy good for the lungs, even made preparations for a relapse of the disease…
“Ah, it’s nice here. Grandpa will be glad, seeing you here like this.”
“…”
“So, when will we meet Brother Emile?”
Hearing that, Diana felt a sharp pang in her heart. Perhaps this girl longed for Emile—he was still her brother, after all.
But the moment Alexa saw her expression, her face darkened.
“About lending my name… it wasn’t like I did it without knowing.”
“…”
“Grandpa told me.”
“…”
“That it was Father who killed our mother.”
Diana was struck speechless. Why would their grandfather say such a thing to her? Alexa, staring blankly at the ceiling instead of at Diana, spoke.
“I think Father deserved to die.”
“…”
“And I think Brother deserves to as well.”
She muttered it coldly.
“Don’t say things like that, Alexa.”
“But you will kill him. That’s why you said you’d use my name, that’s why you brought me here. You knew I knew something, didn’t you? Let’s just be honest.”
“…”
“Sis, do you know why you ended up suffering like that?”
Her direct words sent a chill of sweat down Diana’s back. Alexa still didn’t look at her. Diana studied her face, searching for something, anything. Then Alexa smirked and spoke coldly.
“Brother showed me.”
“What?!”
“He showed me Father beating you.”
“That bastard!”
Diana shouted. How could he! When she grew furious, Alexa just let out a faint laugh.
“I only had to watch. Don’t be mad on my account.”
“…”
“Brother said, if I didn’t want to end up like that, I shouldn’t throw tantrums. I should behave and listen quietly.”
Her tone was chilling, emotionless. But Diana knew. Only she knew how many tears Alexa must have shed before she could speak of it so flatly. Alexa continued quietly.
“And guess how I saw our brother then.”
“…”
“I thought, I have to save my sister. That monster must be killed.”
Diana covered her mouth, horrified.
From that moment on, Emile had no longer been a brother but a handler. Diana bowed her head in silence.
Come to think of it, when she’d secretly taken Alexa away and left her with their grandfather, they said Alexa had followed without resistance.
“A brother like that doesn’t matter if he dies. A family with a father like that—it doesn’t matter if it perishes. For me, you’re the only family I have.”
“…”
“I’ll respect your choice. No, do it in my place.”
Diana wanted to ask how much she knew. She wanted to confess—how she had borrowed Alexa’s name to invite Emile here and kill him—and beg forgiveness. But Alexa already knew everything.
Emile had abused her alongside their father, even making Alexa watch. Deep-seated fury and hatred ran in her veins.
Looking at this, Diana felt as though her return to the past was a curse. Not only had it brought her suffering, but it had created a new hell for Alexa too. In her past life, Alexa had died wretchedly of illness—but at least then, her memories of home were warm and peaceful.
“Sis, I’m the one who called Brother Philip.”
“…”
“That’s the only thing I could do.”
At her words, Diana’s eyes widened in shock.
“Sis… what were we to those people? No, what were you in that house?”
Diana couldn’t answer. She had already drawn the bitter conclusion long ago, when she was imprisoned underground and “disciplined” by them.
She had been a clever pet.
Pretty, intelligent, well-bred enough to be married off wherever it profited them. A puppy that wagged its tail and did cute tricks, and so was patted on the head.
But they were not merciful enough to forgive a pet who betrayed its master.
A pet had to remain a pet. By daring to stand against them as a “person,” she had earned her disposal.
Diana had realized it too late.
The sisters wept together for a long time.
But neither could truly comfort the other.
They only released the feelings they had long suppressed, then quietly gathered themselves again, smiling at each other as if nothing had happened, and carried on with their day.
