~Chapter 111~
“…”
Dorothea finished her story.
Leah couldn’t say anything for a moment.
So even the Emperor had allowed the Empress’s terrible deeds?
She remembered her mother saying that revealing the Emperor’s false charges was pointless—that he was no different from the Empress.
Her mother must have known, even if not the details, that the Emperor was involved too.
‘…Why would the Emperor and Empress kill Her Majesty the Empress and blame it on our family?’
Why?!
Leah clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles went white.
“Leah, I’m truly sorry I couldn’t reveal the truth back then.”
Dorothea’s voice shook faintly.
Those who should’ve carried guilt were probably sleeping peacefully at night, while Dorothea suffered all these years for not standing up against them.
“Dorothea, you did nothing wrong.”
Leah walked over and held Dorothea’s trembling,
cold hand.
“No, Leah… If only I had been brave enough to speak up back then…”
Dorothea bit her lip before finishing.
“If it were me under that kind of threat, I would’ve been terrified too. Anyone would.”
“But still, still… I—”
“And if you had revealed the truth, Dorothea, you wouldn’t even be here. You would’ve been killed, just like the Goldscheiders.”
Leah hugged Dorothea, who was on the verge of tears.
“Dorothea, thank you for being brave enough to finally tell me the truth.”
“…Hhhk…”
Dorothea burst into sobs in Leah’s arms—tears she had been holding back for so long, truth she had carried alone for years.
Leah gently patted her back until she calmed down.
“…How pathetic of me, crying so much.”
Dorothea gave a small laugh as she wiped her tears with a handkerchief.
“You had every reason to.”
Leah touched her shoulder softly.
“Thank you for listening to me till the end.”
“No, Dorothea. Actually, there’s something I want to ask of you.”
It was Johann who spoke up.
He and Leah desperately needed Dorothea if they were going to bring down the Empress.
“I’ll do anything if it can help the two of you.”
“If I manage to put the Empress on trial, will you testify about what you saw?”
“On trial? The Empress?” Dorothea’s eyes widened in shock.
“I plan to find undeniable proof—of her using black magic and poisonous monsters.”
Johann’s eyes burned with determination.
“…I see. Then call me. I’ll testify no matter what.”
“Dorothea, do you happen to know where that former Tower Master is now?”
From what Johann had found, the current Imperial Tower Master was someone else.
“…No. When I returned later, I learned he had retired early and disappeared.”
Dorothea shook her head.
“His testimony would be even more powerful than mine. He might even have other evidence.”
“Then we’ll have to track him down somehow.” Johann nodded.
Before leaving the tower, Leah told Dorothea about what had happened with the Goldscheiders.
Since Dorothea had told her everything, Leah also revealed her secret—she had gone back in time.
“My goodness… Leah, you returned?” Dorothea’s eyes went wide as saucers.
“Yes.”
“…Then someone must’ve used the Goddess’s relic for you.”
Dorothea glanced briefly at Johann.
“Dorothea, does the Goddess really have relics?”
‘So what Mathias said was true?’
“Yes. I know of about three or four scattered across the continent.” Dorothea replied firmly.
“You even know where they are?” Johann asked curiously.
“Yes. I’ve traveled a lot, heard and seen things.” She scratched the back of her head.
“They’re usually hidden in remote villages. Some people went looking for them and never came back.”
“They… died?”
“Most likely. They’re hidden in places no human should enter. Even if you find one, actually taking it is nearly impossible.”
“Then… is there any chance the Goddess herself sent me back?” Leah asked.
“Absolutely not. The Goddess did favor the six Heroes, but only to a point.” Dorothea shook her head.
“Once the Heroes settled and the monster threat ended, she lost interest in the human world again.”
She had no interest in peace.
“If you came back, it’s because the relic was used. That’s the Goddess’s magic at work.”
At that, Leah looked at Johann.
‘Could it be you? Did you risk death to find a relic for me?’
Through her daughter’s memories, she knew Johann had eventually regained his own memories, but she didn’t know exactly how he had lived afterward.
Raphaella had always avoided him, so he barely appeared in her memories.
Johann sat in silence, his face dark and serious.
What on earth was he thinking?
“Leah, I’ll study black magic. Call on me anytime you need.”
“Thank you, Dorothea.”
When they had finished talking, Dorothea saw them off as they boarded their carriage.
“…Leah, I’m sorry.”
Johann suddenly broke the silence after the carriage started moving.
“For what?”
Why was he apologizing out of nowhere?
“If I was really the one who found the relic, then I forced you into pain and made you live through it all over again.”
His eyes were full of regret and guilt.
“That’s nothing to apologize for.”
“If I had just looked into why I was even in the Lorem Mountains when I’d forgotten you and Rafi, none of this might’ve happened.”
‘So that’s why he looked so grim earlier.’
“Duke, Duke.”
“I really have no excuse for you.” He covered his face with his hands.
‘Ugh, just like Hardt. Digging holes in all the wrong places.’
She couldn’t let this continue.
“…Johann.”
Leah cupped his cheeks with both hands.
“Stop thinking that way. None of this is your fault. And thanks to you, we know the Empress uses black magic, and we know we have hope of defeating her.”
Her emerald eyes looked straight into his red ones.
“Let’s leave the past in the past and focus on now.”
“…”
“There’s nothing good in going over ‘what ifs.’”
Even if he had found Leah and Raphaella earlier, without knowing of the Empress’s schemes, they still would’ve been caught.
‘Maybe all of this was bound to happen anyway.’
“You’re right. What-ifs are meaningless.”
“Exactly. Let’s focus on the tasks in front of us.”
“…Thank you, Leah, for snapping me out of it.”
He placed his hand over hers.
“And don’t ever blame yourself again. You always did your best with what you were given.”
Leah lowered her hands from his face and instead took his hand.
“Mm.”
Johann smiled faintly at her words—and in that smile, she caught a glimpse of Hardt.
Back at the mansion, Leah went with Johann to see Raphaella.
“As for who you really are, let’s tell my mother only after we’ve gathered all the evidence against the Empress.”
Isabella had been best friends with Leah’s mother, Frida, since childhood.
If she found out Leah was Frida’s daughter, Alicia, she would be overjoyed—but it could also be dangerous.
For now, with things so unstable, the fewer who knew, the better.
“Yes.”
Raphaella was training hard at the practice grounds when they arrived.
“Looks like Rafi takes after you more than me.” Leah said as they watched from a distance, not wanting to interrupt.
“…”
At her words, Johann stared at her.
“Duke?”
‘Why’s he looking at me like that?’
“You’re not calling my name?”
“My… your name?”
“You called me Johann in the carriage earlier.”
“Oh… That was just because I was frustrated.” Leah rubbed her nose, embarrassed.
“Leah, can’t you just keep calling me by my name? Please?” He looked at her with puppy-like eyes.
“…Johann.”
The man before her was no longer a mix of the Hardt she had longed for and hated, or Johann von Blumhardt.
He was simply the man she had loved—and had come to love again.
“Mm, Leah.”
Hearing his name, Johann smiled so brightly his eyes curved into crescents.
***
Later, Johann returned to his study and summoned Samuel.
“You called, sir?”
“Samuel. Find out where the former Tower Master is. As quickly and quietly as possible.”
“The former Tower Master?”
“Yes. He could be the key witness we need against the Empress.”
“Understood, my lord.”
“And also, place spies in the Elsner family—the Empress’s house. See if they have any evidence of her black magic. And dig into her maid, Carmen Brandis.”
“Yes, my lord.”
It was finally time to strike back.
