SWMD 27

Chapter 27

“Alright, let’s step out for now, Allie.”

“Huh?”

“We should give the children a chance to bond. I’ll be in the next room—call if you need me.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Diana grabbed Alicia’s hand—frozen in shock—and gently pulled her out.

“I have something I need to do…”

“That’s fine. I’ll be in the next room. See you in a bit.”

Alicia returned to her room, clearly disturbed. Her mind raced.

Her first concern was: how on earth did Icel end up in the Marquis’ house?

Surely Diana couldn’t know that Icel was her real daughter… right?

Unable to sit still, Alicia nervously paced the room.

“How did that thing…!”

She anxiously chewed her nails—then suddenly, her eyes lit up.

“Yes… that’s it!”

She grabbed a piece of parchment and quickly scribbled on it. She’d once heard rumors about the underworld—a place where you could pay for information… or even for someone to be killed.

She planned to look into it more seriously.

After sending the letter in haste, the suffocating anxiety that wrapped her body seemed to ease.

Feeling lighter, Alicia headed back to Diana.

Now, only Catherine and Icel remained in the room. Icel slowly walked around, surveying the space. She paused in front of a bookshelf.

She gently ran her hand over it… and suddenly threw it open.

Behind it was the hidden room she had once escaped from. It was still exactly the same.

Icel smirked and closed the door. Then, she turned to Catherine, who was shaking with clenched fists.

“It’s been a while. How have you been, Catherine?”

She spoke as if greeting an old friend. Catherine glared at her and spat out, trembling:

“H-How can you be grandfather’s relative?! What kind of scam did you pull?!”

“Scam?”

Icel’s laughter filled the room—bright and clear, but to Catherine it sounded like a cruel witch cackling.

“And who do you think really pulled the scam?”

Like a predator toying with her prey, Icel slowly approached.

Despite Icel’s small, delicate frame, Catherine instinctively backed away.

Could she know something? Did Diana already realize the truth?

Catherine’s back hit the bookshelf. She had nowhere else to retreat.

Icel twirled a strand of her platinum hair, smiling leisurely, then leaned in and whispered in Catherine’s ear:

“You’re the fake one, Catherine.”

“W-What did you say?!”

She knows! She knows I’m the real one!

Catherine’s purple eyes quivered violently like wind-blown leaves. Icel just turned away with a satisfied grin.

“Let’s talk about magic, shall we?”

Catherine’s tense shoulders loosened a bit. Maybe Icel didn’t actually know she was Diana’s daughter.

That meant Catherine still had a chance. Diana trusted her wholeheartedly.

“You were told to release your mana, remember? To trick Mother.”

“I-I can learn magic too! In no time!”

Bolstered by hope, Catherine shouted.

“Oh? Then how about this?”

“What do you mean?”

“What if I told Mother… that you and Alicia abused me and locked me in here?”

“Heh…!”

Catherine scoffed. Who was she to threaten her?

She thought she had crushed Icel’s spirit long ago. Yet here she was—standing strong.

“You’re threatening me? I can destroy that secret room right now if I want to.”

“I’m sure you could.”

Icel casually touched and inspected Catherine’s belongings like they were her own. Then, she stared at a glass cup on the table.

“Alright, let’s do this.”

She suddenly flung the cup to the floor—exactly like how Catherine used to throw tantrums.

The glass shattered loudly. Icel picked up the largest shard.

She turned the sharp edge toward Catherine, whose eyes fixated on it in fear.

“A-Are you going to hurt me with that?”

Icel’s lips curled up like a devil’s. And then—

She sliced her own arm.

“Aaaah!”

Blood splattered across the floor. Catherine screamed. Diana and Alicia rushed in, alarmed.

“What happened?!”

“Nothing at all,” Icel replied, holding her bleeding arm with a sorrowful smile.

Her pale lashes trembled as blood dripped from her arm.

“You’re bleeding!”

“I’m fine.”

“W-What… what is going on?! Speak up!”

Diana raised her voice at Catherine for the first time ever. Catherine tried to explain, but—

“Mother, please don’t scold Catherine. This is all my fault.”

Catherine looked at her in disbelief, but Icel kept going.

“I wanted to share the room with her… to grow closer. But then she suddenly broke the glass…”

“How could she do such a thing?!”

Diana’s anger was real this time. Catherine came to her senses and shouted:

“No! She’s lying!”

“Please… just believe I’m the one lying, Mother. It’s all my fault.”

A single tear dropped from Icel’s eyes.

“You… you…!”

Catherine couldn’t take it anymore. She raised her hand to slap Icel.

She wasn’t the weak girl she once was—she could dodge it.

But she didn’t.

With a loud slap, Icel’s head turned.

Her pale cheek swelled red.

Diana, in shock, cupped Icel’s face.

“Catherine!”

Icel just covered her cheek with her hand, sobbing.

“This is unacceptable. What kind of refined lady strikes others? I did not raise you like this!”

“But, Mother!”

“As punishment, Icel will have this room now.”

“What?!”

Catherine’s face twisted. This was the best room in the palace—meant only for the real young lady, not a lowborn servant girl.

“You refused to share. This is the consequence.”

“But it’s not my fault! It’s all her!”

“Enough. I never imagined you’d yell at your own mother.”

Alicia silently closed her eyes. She had raised Catherine spoiled. This was her fault.

She looked into Catherine’s eyes and shook her head—don’t speak further.

“Prepare to leave the room. It will be redecorated for Icel.”

“Mother…”

“And from now on, you should call Icel ‘sister.’”

Diana’s words were cold.

“Let’s go, Icel. Let’s treat that wound.”

She gently placed a hand on Icel’s trembling shoulder.

Watching Diana protect someone else—not her—infuriated Catherine.

It wasn’t just anger. It was jealousy.

She was supposed to be the one loved… not that servant girl.

Everyone had turned their backs on Catherine. Even Alicia.

As Diana led Icel out, the girl paused.

“Wait, Mother.”

“Yes?”

“I’d like to comfort Catherine.”

“Oh, how sisterly of you. Alright, but come soon. You need your wound treated.”

As soon as they left, Icel shut the door with a loud slam.

“Comfort me? You?”

Catherine laughed bitterly, tears welling up in her eyes.

“You’re ridiculous…”

Icel calmly walked over to her.

SLAP!

Catherine’s mocking laugh was silenced. Her cheek ballooned red from the blow.

“You… you hit me?!”

Did that brat grow muscles or something?

Her face stung, and she stuttered in disbelief. Icel sneered.

“That’s for hitting me. Compared to everything you’ve done, it’s mild, isn’t it?”

“Icel!”

Catherine screamed. But she no longer frightened Icel.

She was just a target for cold revenge.

“Don’t you ever raise your hand against me again, Catherine. I won’t stay silent anymore.”

Icel gently patted Catherine’s trembling cheek and smiled sweetly.

Then, with her shimmering hair swaying, she walked out.

Catherine’s defeat was absolute.

Left alone, Catherine screamed and started destroying everything in the room.

After breaking every item, she stood, panting with rage.

She couldn’t stand it.

She had to crush Icel’s smug confidence—using her magic.

She stormed out and headed to the library.

Once there, she shouted:

“Bring me every book about forbidden magic!”

Books about taboo spells floated toward her through the air.

“You think I can’t do this…?”

Catherine’s eyes gleamed with dark resolve as the books stacked before her.