~Chapter 101~
Calypso walked up to Diana as she stepped down from the carriage, offering his hand. Diana looked at his hand coldly, then forced a smile and took it.
“I went to the Frederic Duke’s estate.”
“The Frederic Duke’s estate? Why there…?”
Calypso tilted his head in confusion. Diana smiled brightly as if nothing had happened.
“They lent you land at a good price, right? As your wife, I couldn’t just ignore that.”
“Wife…”
Calypso held Diana’s hand tightly, moved. He regretted ever seeing her as just the Marchioness’s shadow.
“Thank you. For you, I must succeed in this business.”
Calypso lifted a pot containing the bulbs of “Laurel Bender.”
“I’m on my way to the Imperial Palace.”
Before presenting it to the academic world, he needed the palace botanists to confirm its safety.
“Of course, your father already had it checked by other botanists…”
Usually, they waited for the test results before the presentation, but since the Marquis had already verified it, Calypso planned to sell it right after the announcement.
“Still, I must get the royal inspection done.”
“Yes, because it’s the law.”
“The results will surely be fine, so I’ll sell it right after the presentation. If that happens…”
Calypso looked at Diana with tender eyes. Diana felt like gagging inside.
“It’s all thanks to you. I’m truly grateful.”
“Yes, it will go well. Hurry back soon.”
Diana let go of his hand and smiled like an angel. Calypso lightly kissed her lips and climbed into the carriage.
As the carriage moved away, Diana’s smile froze cold. She turned toward the mansion but then stopped, remembering something.
“Belinda.”
“Yes, Your Grace?”
“Bring me some food. Wrap it in paper.”
“You’re going to eat it?”
Belinda widened her eyes. Diana smiled softly and shook her head.
“Oh! Understood.”
Belinda quickly went to the kitchen and packed some stale bread, a piece of warm cheese, and a bottle of milk. She hesitated, thinking it might be too much, but brought it all anyway.
No matter how horrible someone was, she wouldn’t give spoiled food. She didn’t want to be like them.
Belinda carefully handed the food to Diana.
“Will this be enough?”
Diana nodded.
“Yes. Perfect for a walk.”
Diana and Belinda walked to a small hut hidden at the corner of the mansion grounds. Hardly anyone went near it. Passing through the grand rose garden, the hut came into view. The air around it felt completely different—dark and damp, like a witch’s house.
Diana unlocked the door. With a dull clank, the lock fell.
She opened the door carefully. Inside, Alicia was curled up on the floor, in complete darkness.
“Ah, ahhh…!”
She must have thought Catherine had come with food. Alicia’s lips were cracked and dry, showing she hadn’t had even water for days.
It was a pitiful sight. She had betrayed and killed Diana, but now she was blind, mute, and abandoned by her daughter.
Diana thought of her past life. Alicia and Catherine had laughed at her misery then. Any flicker of pity she felt disappeared.
“Ali.”
Diana called her name softly, like when she had once believed Alicia was a friend.
Alicia flinched at her voice and curled up tighter, as if she had met a monster.
“Don’t be afraid. I’m better than your cruel daughter.”
Belinda handed the food to Diana. As Diana unwrapped it, the warm smell of cheese filled the hut.
Alicia’s body trembled like a starving animal. But she remained frozen with fear.
Diana set the food on the floor and tapped it like calling a dog.
“There’s no poison. Don’t worry.”
“Come here.”
Alicia slowly crawled toward her, fumbling along the floor. Diana pushed the food closer, and Alicia finally grabbed the bread.
She devoured it greedily, biting bread in one hand and cheese in the other. She looked nothing like the woman who once dreamed of becoming Grand Duchess.
“You’ll choke. Drink some milk.”
Diana handed her the bottle. Alicia hesitated—she used to give spoiled milk to Aisel.
Diana noticed.
“I didn’t bring spoiled milk like someone else. Drink without fear.”
Alicia gulped. Hunger and thirst overpowered her suspicion. Fresh milk flowed into her mouth, reviving her dry throat. Tears streamed from her eyes.
Humiliation, survival instinct, and Catherine’s betrayal overwhelmed her.
“Poor thing.”
“Ahh, ahh…!”
When she was full, Alicia reached out blindly and found Diana’s hand, gripping it tightly.
“Do you have something to say?”
Alicia shook her head wildly.
“I could remove the magic on your tongue…”
At those words, Alicia knelt and begged desperately. She must want to plead for her and Catherine’s lives.
Diana stood coldly.
“Why did you betray me and attack me? You never had a chance of winning.”
It was true. Diana, born to the powerful Pereshte family, versus Alicia, a poor noble with only a title—it was no contest.
If Alicia had been sincere, Diana would have treated her like no other friend. But Alicia had chosen another path.
“I truly cherished you, Ali.”
Diana’s voice sounded lonely. Memories of the past brushed her heart, but she would not forgive.
Everything had been fake. Alicia deserved punishment.
“Go ahead, speak if you have something to say.”
Diana snapped her fingers, and Alicia’s tongue was freed. Alicia swallowed hard, then spoke.
“Your Grace, it’s all my fault!”
As expected, she begged.
“Fault?”
“Yes! I dreamed of something I shouldn’t have… It’s all—”
“Your mistake wasn’t dreaming of the impossible. It was trying to steal what wasn’t yours.”
Alicia fell silent. Diana was right.
“You don’t even understand your own sins.”
“But, Your Grace…!”
“I don’t need to hear more.”
Diana prepared to freeze her tongue again. Alicia panicked.
Then, a thought struck her—something that might earn Diana’s sympathy.
“I think I’m pregnant…!”
At those words, Diana froze as if she had been hit by magic herself.
