~Chapter 96~
Johann gently carried the drunken Leah out of the banquet hall.
Considering this was her first ball—and it happened to be the Crown Prince’s birthday celebration—she’d held out pretty long.
He looked down at her sleeping face.
She frowned slightly in her sleep, as if having a bad dream.
With a faint smile, Johann gently smoothed out her brow with his finger.
‘…I hope, at least in your dreams, you don’t have any worries or pain.’
In the carriage, Johann shifted into a comfortable position so that Leah could rest her head on his shoulder.
Her soft breathing tickled where her face touched him.
He glanced down and saw her sleeping peacefully.
She looked so lovely and innocent.
‘…Leah. I’m sorry I forgot. I’m sorry I fell in love again. I’m just… so sorry for everything.’
‘I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for the pain I caused you.’
Johann gently touched the engagement ring on Leah’s left ring finger.
‘Even if you never accept my feelings… that’s okay.’
He kissed the ring softly, then closed his eyes while listening to her quiet, steady breathing.
—
That night, Leah had a dream.
She dreamed of a deeply buried memory from her childhood.
In a big room decorated in pink and mint, a little girl was crying.
“Sniff… Daddy…”
The night before, imperial knights had suddenly stormed in and taken her father away.
Then they surrounded the house and wouldn’t let anyone in or out.
“Leah, the emperor must have misunderstood something. Daddy will be back soon, so don’t worry too much.”
Her mom forced a smile for her sake, but couldn’t fully hide the fear in her eyes.
Alicia was only 8 and didn’t understand what was going on.
But she could tell something was very wrong—because her always-calm mother looked so scared.
That day, Alicia hadn’t done anything.
She just stayed in her room, crying, worried about her dad.
“Leah! Alicia!”
Suddenly, the door burst open.
A woman with the same light brown hair as Alicia rushed in.
“Quickly, we need to change your clothes!”
“Huh? Why, Mom?”
Alicia was confused but let her mom lead her away from the bed.
“There’s going to be a fire in the house soon.”
“What? Then we need to put it out!”
“No, Leah. For your sake, the fire has to burn as big as possible.”
Her mother, Frida, took off Alicia’s fancy silk dress and dressed her in plain clothes like a servant’s.
“Alicia von Goldscheider.”
Frida held her daughter’s shoulders firmly.
“Listen to everything I say from now on, okay?”
Her blue eyes swirled with complex emotions as she looked at Alicia.
“I’m taking you to the back of the mansion. I dug a small hole there, just big enough for you to crawl through.”
“A hole?”
“Yes. On the other side, your grandmother will be waiting for you.”
“But Grandma went on a trip.”
Alicia tilted her head, confused.
“She came back when your dad was taken. Things were getting bad, so she stayed nearby.”
Alicia slowly nodded.
“Leah, as soon as you crawl through, follow your grandma right away.”
“But Mom, what about Dad? I want to go with him too.”
She looked heartbroken.
She wanted to be with both her parents—no matter where they were going.
“Oh, Leah… your dad… I don’t think he’ll be coming back.”
Frida’s voice trembled as she gently stroked Alicia’s face, barely holding back tears.
“Is it because of the perfume we made?”
“No, Leah.”
“But the imperial knights said the Empress died because of it!”
“Leah, that’s…”
Frida couldn’t find the right words to explain.
“The perfume just had the scent the Empress liked and a calming magic. Why can’t Dad come back then?”
Alicia truly didn’t understand.
“Leah, it’s hard to explain… but someone used the perfume to frame your dad.”
“That’s crazy! Why would the Empress do that?”
“…Leah, sadly, not everyone in the world is a good person.”
Frida held back tears as she answered her daughter’s innocent question.
“Then let’s go tell the Emperor the truth, okay? We’ll explain that Dad did nothing wrong!”
Alicia tugged at her mother’s sleeve.
“No, Leah. That won’t help. The Emperor isn’t any better.”
Frida grabbed her daughter’s shoulders firmly.
“Your father wouldn’t want that either. All he wants is for you to survive.”
Alicia couldn’t say anything—her mother’s desperate eyes stopped her.
“The fire will start soon. We need to go now.”
Frida tightly held her daughter’s hand and led her to the back of the house.
There, a few knights were already waiting.
“Lady Frida, Lady Alicia.”
“Sorry we’re late.”
“Not at all. The Duchess is already here.”
These were knights who used to play with Alicia—but now their faces were dark and serious.
“Alicia, come this way.”
A hole had been dug into the thick outer wall—just big enough for a child to crawl through.
It looked rough and freshly made.
“Quickly, crawl inside.”
Frida gently pushed her forward.
“But Mom, what about you?”
Frida knelt down and looked into her daughter’s eyes.
“I have to stay. I need to be with your father.”
“Then I’ll stay too!”
Alicia burst into tears and clung to her mom.
“No, Leah. You have to survive—for us.”
Frida hugged her tightly and whispered.
“Please? It’s my last wish.”
“…Your wish?”
“Yes. My wish is for you to live a long, happy life.”
She pressed her forehead against Alicia’s.
“Promise me?”
“Mom… We’ll see each other again, right?”
“Of course. No matter where you are, your dad and I will always be watching over you.”
“Always?”
“Always, forever.”
Frida hugged her daughter one last time.
“I love you so, so much.”
“I love you so, so much too, Mom. Waaaah…”
Alicia cried even harder.
“You’ll be okay. You’re strong. You can get through this.”
Frida wiped her tears.
“Now you really have to go.”
She helped Alicia put on a small bag.
“Inside is my jewelry box. Look at it whenever you miss us, okay?”
“Okay…”
Frida kissed her daughter’s forehead with a face full of tears.
“I’m sorry, Alicia.”
Her hands were trembling.
“Mom…”
BOOM!
A loud explosion erupted from the mansion—flames shot up into the sky.
“Fire! There’s a fire!”
“Get water, quick!”
Chaos broke out.
“Leah, there’s no more time. Crawl through the hole now!”
Frida pushed her daughter through the hole.
Alicia, sobbing and covered in tears and snot, crawled out.
“Mommy!”
“…Leah!”
Right outside, her grandmother was waiting.
“Lady Frida, I’ll take care of Alicia.”
Frida’s voice came through the wall.
“Don’t worry, Frida.”
“Alicia, let’s go.”
Her grandma, Eleonore, took her hand.
“Mom! Mommy!”
Alicia reached back, trying to grab her mother’s hand—but it was too late.
“Leah, my dear daughter, please live strong.”
That was the last thing she heard before the hole was sealed.
“Come now, Alicia. We have to leave quickly.”
Eleonore’s heart was breaking after witnessing such a painful goodbye.
“…Sniff.”
“Sweetheart, you have to hold back your tears for now. If the imperial knights notice us, we’re in trouble.”
“Mmhmm.”
Alicia bit her lip and nodded.
Eleonore held her hand tightly and led her deep into the dark forest.
Alicia kept turning back, again and again, to look at the burning mansion—until it became a tiny dot in the distance.
That night was one of the most heartbreaking and horrible nights in Goldscheider history.
