SWMD 94

~Chapter 94~

“Your Highness!”

The Duchess of Aiberg burst through the door. Her face was dark with worry for her son.

“What in the world happened here!”

Serena’s eyes went straight to Sawyer, who lay pale and unconscious on the bed. Her legs trembled from the shock.

Diana quickly supported the Duchess and helped her sit down on a chair by the bed. She took a deep breath before explaining what had happened.

“There was… an accident during the tea party.”

“An accident?!” Serena’s voice rose sharply.

Diana completely understood her agitation. Bowing her head apologetically, she added,

“Someone… tried to frame Aisel… by using poison.”

“P-Poison?”

Hearing that word, Serena pressed her temples to stop herself from collapsing.

Since marrying the Duke of Aiberg, Sawyer had never truly lived comfortably. The Duke, who had no other son, placed immense expectations on him, and Antea, his legal sister, bullied him constantly, afraid he might take the title from her.

Sawyer had never wanted anything but a peaceful life with his new family. That’s why he had been so excited this morning, carefully choosing his outfit and a gift for Aisel.

And now this had happened! Serena’s hands shook as tears spilled.

“Who would do such a thing… to my Sawyer…”

“Thankfully, the antidote worked well. He’ll be fine after a day or two of rest…” Diana’s voice trailed off, heavy with guilt.

Serena exhaled slowly. At least Sawyer would be okay.

“What about the culprit? Did you find them?”

“We’re in the middle of tracking them down. I’m so sorry this happened… Serena…”

“Whoever it is, even if they live in this mansion, I will never forgive them!”

“…Serena.”

Diana reached for her hand.

“Actually, I have a good idea who it is.”

“You do? Then we should—!”

“Please wait, Serena.”

Diana pressed Serena gently back into her seat. After a short hesitation, she began speaking with a dark expression.

“Before I tell you who it is… I have to tell you something else first.”

“What do you mean…?”

Serena stared at Diana’s unusually firm expression.

Diana took a deep breath. If Catherine was revealed as the culprit too soon, she might escape true punishment. Diana could not let that happen. Catherine deserved something far worse than mere prison.

And so, Diana began telling Serena everything that had happened before she returned to the past: how she had been blinded, how Alicia had thrown Aisel’s dead body at her, and how Alicia and Catherine had poisoned her.

Serena’s jaw dropped. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

The Grand Duke Calypso had committed adultery with the daughter of a mere baroness… and Catherine was their child?

The images of Calypso, Alicia, and Catherine flashed through Serena’s mind, sending chills down her spine.

“All of that… really happened to you?”

“…Yes. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s all true,” Diana said, tears falling from her eyes.

Serena looked at her with pity. Diana was not someone who would ever lie, and even if she had, there was no gain in telling such a story.

This meant everything was true. Diana had been betrayed by her dearest friend, by her husband, and even by the child she had believed was her own.

Serena’s hands clenched the hem of her dress as anger burned in her chest.

“Then why… why have you done nothing until now? If you told the Imperial Family and society, surely—!”

“…All that would do is bring more shame…”

Diana’s eyes were filled with deep sorrow.

“The pain and humiliation I endured… is far worse than anything they could imagine,” she whispered.

Serena’s heart twisted painfully. As a mother, the thought of someone throwing her child’s lifeless body at her was unimaginable.

“…I understand now…” Serena said, voice shaking.

“It was Catherine who poisoned Sawyer. I’m certain of it,” Diana said.

“Catherine… that illegitimate child?” Serena asked bitterly. Alicia was one thing, but Catherine supposedly loved Sawyer. Why would she hurt him?

Diana wiped her tears and explained,

“She wanted to ruin Aisel… to stop the two of them from getting close. All so she could become the Duchess herself.”

“That’s…! How could anyone think that way…?”

Serena shivered at the cruelty.

“I don’t believe rank decides who is noble or lowborn,” Diana said quietly.

“But Catherine is just like Alicia. She’ll do any vile thing to get what she wants.”

“…Blood doesn’t lie,” Serena murmured.

Diana gave a bitter smile.

“That’s why I have a favor to ask.”

“Tell me.”

“Please… cover up Catherine’s crime for now.”

Diana’s emerald eyes locked with Serena’s golden ones.

“…You mean, for now, don’t you?”

“Yes. Exactly.”

Diana was asking for a delay, not forgiveness.

“Very well,” Serena said with a small smile. She wanted to punish Catherine immediately for hurting Sawyer, but she also wanted to see the vile girl’s complete downfall.

“If you need help, just tell me. I’ll be there,” Serena added.

Diana’s tears spilled again, but this time for a different reason.

Even with her son lying unconscious, Serena still believed in me and offered her help. She was the friend I should have always kept by my side, not Alicia—the monster in human skin.

“Don’t cry, Your Highness,” Serena said softly.

“Thank you… truly,” Diana whispered, holding Serena’s hand with a heartfelt smile.

Then something else came to her mind.

“Oh, and…”

“Yes?”

“Calypso will soon announce a new herb.”

“A herb?”

“Yes. It’s said to be a very good medicine and smells wonderful. The Duke may even want to turn it into perfume.”

She was referring to the herb called Laurel Bender, which Calypso was about to present to the academic community.

“But…”

Diana’s voice hardened.

“You must never buy that plant.”

“Why not…?” Serena frowned. If it was both medicinal and fragrant, there was no reason not to buy it.

Diana spoke slowly.

“Because it’s poisonous.”

“P-Poisonous?!”

“Yes. It’s a poisonous plant that causes symptoms of addiction,” Diana confirmed.

If that was true, it was a forbidden item in the empire. The potential damage to society would be catastrophic.

Serena was left speechless, lips opening and closing soundlessly.

If this plant were to spread, the consequences for society and the common people would be unimaginable.

But she trusted Diana completely. Diana would never harm others for her own gain.

“Don’t worry,” Diana said, smiling knowingly as if reading her thoughts.

“Before it ever reaches the market… everyone will know the truth about this herb.”

Diana’s emerald eyes had turned cold, glittering with the weight of her grief and determination.

“And Calypso’s business will be ruined,” she added.

Serena’s mouth fell open in shock at the scale of her plan.

“He won’t be able to repay his enormous debts. After bankruptcy… he’ll have nothing left,” Diana continued.

“But… he’s still a Grand Duke. He’ll have his title and lands, so he might recover someday…”

“No. Even those will be gone,” Diana said sharply.

“What?”

“He used them as collateral.”

Serena stared at her in shock.

“After that, I’ll step forward and compensate everyone who was harmed by Calypso…”

Diana paused, then smiled softly.

“And then I’ll expose his affair to the world.”

If Diana repaid all the damages Calypso caused, her reputation—which was already stellar—would soar even higher.

When everyone praised her as a saint, she would reveal his infidelity and utterly destroy him.

“I’ll make sure he loses everything and falls into the abyss,” Diana said with a pure, angelic smile.

She was still the beautiful and selfless woman known as the Saint of Peresche.

But to Calypso… she was absolute evil. Perhaps worse than the devil himself.

And it was Calypso and the others who had made her this way.

Even though Diana seemed to have changed, Serena could only understand her completely.