TSMT 50

Chapter 50

Back to My Place

“Weren’t those priests originally brought here by the Duke? Lady Brienne just happened to already know what they valued most! Or maybe the priests even told her in advance!”

“What a blasphemous thing to say!”

“Apologize to the priests at once!”

Huh? That wasn’t the reaction she expected. Sarubia widened her eyes. Wasn’t it obvious? Those priests had been brought here specially by Duke Brienne. Of course, they would evaluate Diana Brienne favorably. Why wasn’t this concept registering in anyone else’s head? Why were they reacting like this?

She truly couldn’t understand it. Why were the nobles of Farnborough, who had always been favorable toward her, suddenly turning on her?

“To insult such eminent priests!”

“Didn’t I already tell you how esteemed those priests are?”

Even those who had once been close to Lady LeVian began to criticize her. Sarubia was flustered. Had she committed such a terrible mistake? Wasn’t this simply a reasonable suspicion she was raising?

She thought that if she raised the question, people would whisper, and eventually realize who the real winner was. That was what she firmly believed. But when even Ferdinand furrowed his brows at her, she felt something was wrong.

“Please, don’t be too harsh.”

Diana spoke calmly.

“As the priests themselves said, isn’t it only natural that a foreigner would not know our myths?”

At that moment, Diana remembered how, in her past life, Lady LeVian had once pulled the same trick on her.

“Please, don’t be too harsh.”

Diana’s ignorance as a foreigner in Farnborough had always been the perfect opening for Lady LeVian. She would stir people up with it, then step in to pacify them. In her warm, soothing tone, LeVian had once said:

“It’s only natural that a foreigner wouldn’t understand our culture.”

Even as Diana had stood there being ridiculed, Lady LeVian had smiled kindly at her. It had infuriated Diana and left her feeling powerless.

“Isn’t that right, Lady?”

That was exactly why Diana now repeated those words back, smiling radiantly. Lady LeVian was digging her own grave.

Was I like that too?

In her previous life, Diana had stubbornly refused to abandon the customs of Farnborough, but flaunting her ignorance as a foreigner hadn’t been wise either. Seeing things this way, she realized she hadn’t lived very wisely in her past life after all.

Thanks to this, Diana could finally meet Lady LeVian’s eyes directly. This was the woman who had killed her child. But in this life, she had yet to commit any crimes.

In her past life, Diana had always been powerless, constantly blocked and defeated by this woman—until she even lost her child. But now things were different. Diana could look straight at that face and smile without hesitation.

She was no longer a fallen princess of a destroyed nation, and Lady LeVian was not yet the duchess who would raise Guiscard to the throne.

It was such an obvious truth, yet only now did it strike her. This was her country, her home, and the people here were her own people.

Why had she been so timid before? Diana could very well create the opposite situation if she wished.

She knew the future. She had lived as an adult far longer than those around her. A sense of power welled up inside her—she could crush Lady LeVian right here and now.

But Diana decided not to. She didn’t want to stoop to something so vile. Instead, imitating Lady LeVian’s usual tone, she spoke brightly:

“It was such a beautiful dance, Lady!”

“……”

“I’m so glad you’ve taken an interest in our culture. Watching someone from another country perform such a dance—it was a precious experience.”

Smiling like the goddess of spring, Diana’s radiance rivaled even Lady LeVian’s beauty. Those who had only ever seen Diana’s somber, reserved demeanor were moved. Watching this, Sarubia trembled.

All because Diana had become Talli. Just that one thing, and she had stolen away everyone who once came to her. She clenched her jaw when she saw Ferdinand standing at Diana’s side.

Even after everything was over, no one approached Lady LeVian. Anxiously biting her nails, she realized she had been pushed to the wall, overcome by shame.

“Finally, things are back in their proper place.”

Hearing a voice, she turned and saw a black-haired boy standing there. Tall and neatly dressed, he looked every bit the young nobleman. His refined features were strikingly beautiful, almost familiar.

“Proper place? What do you mean by that?”

Lady LeVian snapped sharply. Startled, the boy immediately knelt.

“Lady! I was only muttering to myself!”

His exaggerated tone drew glances from those nearby.

“You! You definitely said this is where I belong!”

“No, no, I was speaking to my master! Why would you think I was referring to you, my lady?”

Sarubia’s face turned crimson. Even this slave was talking about the other lady instead of her.

Though kneeling, the boy looked her up and down with open disgust. His expression was so full of loathing that she wondered if he actually knew her. Sarubia’s lips curved into a smirk.

“How insolent toward your new master.”

Guiscard chuckled.

“My master already promised to keep my ownership under you, my lady.”

“What?!”

“You think I don’t know? My master promised that if you became Talli, he would hand me over to you.”

His violet eyes gleamed mockingly. She had tried to trick the slave into submission, but it had failed. It was humiliating—yet strangely, his smile carried an allure. Was it because, even as a slave, he dared meet her gaze so boldly?

Or was it simply his looks?

But then Guiscard’s expression suddenly shifted. The dangerous, defiant slave was gone. Instead, he looked like a lowly, frightened wretch.

“If you become my master, I’ll just end up dead again. Please, I beg you, don’t kill me! Last time, I was only guilty of obeying my master’s orders!”

“You—you!”

His exaggerated plea drew the attention of those nearby. In the past, everyone would have taken Lady LeVian’s side without question. But not now.

She risked looking like an arrogant tyrant—trying to seize a slave who had once been willing to stab himself in the heart just to stay beside his true master.

“If I stay near you, I’ll only end up on my knees again. So I’ll withdraw. I know my place.”

“You!”

But she couldn’t shout. Guiscard smiled faintly, as if he knew she wouldn’t. Leaving, he soon spotted Diana Brienne, surrounded by people.

Lady LeVian clearly saw his face then. On that once-hard expression, there lingered a warmth—a soft, subtle smile, like sunlight seeping through a white curtain.

She froze in shock, staring.

Wait—‘know my place’…? She finally understood his words and shouted after him. But Guiscard was already long gone.

Diana received Talli’s glass chamber and the people’s praise. Yet because she had not officially debuted in society, she soon withdrew from the ball. Passing through the corridor, she spotted a boy standing there. Emil.

“Anne.”

Her relationship with Emil could not have been worse. She still hadn’t decided what to do about him. As Diana tried to walk past, Emil grabbed her hand.

“F-Forgive me!”

“For what?”

Emil trembled, looking up at her. Diana, expressionless, replied:

“For deliberately leading the knights away at Taliah? For giving me clothes that would lure the Rephuses?”

“……”

“Oh, no, wait. Was it that you tried to kill me?”

Emil shook his head quickly.

“I wasn’t trying to kill you!”

“Oh, right. You just wanted to scar my face or cripple me. Yes, thank you so much for that.”

Her sarcasm made Emil bite his lip. Then his eyes flared with anger.

“So that slave bastard told you everything.”

“That’s not the point here, Emil.”

Her voice was calm, but laced with fury. Emil glared at her.

“You—you drove Mirva away! And humiliated me! I only wanted to teach you a lesson. That’s all! Why did you have to act like that? I wasn’t thinking straight. It was just a mistake. But you—you threw Mirva out and deliberately humiliated me!”

Ha. There it was again. Emil’s specialty—twisting logic. Diana curled her lips.

“Emil, don’t you get it? Why I did what I did? That woman insulted me first. She tried to take my place. Did you even know how many days she starved me? And you—you lifted my skirt in front of others, just to humiliate me. A mistake? You call that a mistake? And I’m supposed to just forgive you because it was a mistake?”

“……”

“There’s a limit to how much of a brat you can be!”

Diana shouted. She was already on edge from dealing with Lady LeVian. She knew Emil often lost his temper, but never crossed a certain line. The problem was that his idea of a “line” was the worst of the worst.

He wanted to harm his own sister, but lacked the courage to kill her.

What kind of twisted line was that?

Was she supposed to accept that as restraint? He would commit some horrible act, then later feel remorse. As a child, Diana had believed his apologies were sincere, so she forgave him. This apology too was likely sincere—Emil Brienne did feel guilt over nearly killing his sister.

“Yes, I was wrong too. And so were you.”

“……”

“Diana. Let’s make peace.”

“……”

“I’m apologizing, aren’t I? Should I kneel and beg?”

Diana sighed. At once, Emil began to lower himself. If anyone saw the heir of their house kneeling, what would happen? In her past life, Diana had always stopped him.

“Then go ahead and kneel.”

She said it flatly. Emil bit his lip, hesitating. Snow was falling, the ground was frozen and dirty, and someone might see them.

He started to kneel, then stopped.

“Do you really have to go this far?”

Diana lowered her gaze.

“Yes.”

“Cruel thing.”

Emil spat the words.

“I almost died because of you, brother. Cruelty comes naturally.”

“……”

“Listen well, Emil—no, brother. The only reason I haven’t acted yet is because you’re still my brother. Because of Alexa, because of Father’s honor. That’s it.”

“……”

“Don’t touch me again. If you do, I’ll show Father the clothes you gave me. Better yet, I could show them to Princess Ionia or even the Queen. If the royal knights treat this as an ‘assassination attempt,’ you’ll rot in prison.”

Emil’s face went pale as he saw her emotionless expression. Diana looked at her loathsome brother and said:

“So don’t you dare lay a finger on me—or on Guiscard—again. I know far more about you than you think.”

Fear flickered in Emil’s eyes. Seeing it, Diana felt bitterly foolish. These were the family she had once longed for—and yet, this was what it came to.

Without hesitation, she turned away. But soon her eyes widened. Not far off, Philip was standing there, his face pale.

“Uh…”

He must have been standing there for quite some time—snow had piled up on his head and shoulders. Diana bit her lip. He must have heard everything.

She avoided his gaze. Philip’s eyes reddened, his expression one of unbearable pain.

Before she could say a word, Philip pulled her into a tight embrace.