“This family is cruel and cold-hearted. They forget the dead quickly, and push the living into their limbs.”
Bushke stood up straight. Her eyes shone even in the dim prison.
“40 years ago, I gave everything to Arpad.”
“I am well aware of Hershko’s loyalty.”
“No, Madam doesn’t know. When my husband was killed in the line of defense, they dressed my son in armor the next day and sent him to the line of defense.”
“But why?”
The deeper the conversation, the more questionable it was. Why did she betray them when she devoted herself so much?
Bushke smiled at Agnes.
“When my husband died, it was nothing but grief and sorrow. When my eldest son returned as a corpse, I thought it would all be over if I endured a little longer.”
“…….”
“But then all five of my children died under Arpad, so I had this thought.”
Agnes was speechless. It was the first time she heard of her past.
“This family is built up with someone’s blood, deserves to disappear.”
“But that’s…….”
“Arpad forgets the dead too easily. Madam, I still remember my children and my husband so vividly but they already forgot them so easily.”
She muttered as she looked into her emptiness with her face full of remorse. Agnes was about to say something but she stopped. Bushke blinked slowly and made eye contact with Agnes.
“Is the Duchess going to be king.”
“…what kind of blasphemy is that? The king is alive and well.”
“When you came to Sutmar, you asked me how to erase the crest. You said you didn’t want to be killed by the king.”
“That’s exactly what I want. I just want to live.”
“Then you should have lowered yourself. If you earn gold coins, have wealth, and summon the wizards to build a wall, who will believe it?”
Agnes lost her temper at Bushke’s derisive remark. It was exactly what she had done in the past. She kept her head down and lived like a rat. But in the end, only a tragic death awaited her.
“The King already knows the wrath of the Madam.
“…you deeply misunderstood.”
“I’m really grateful to you, Madam. Because of you this weary family will be crushed, leaving nothing behind.”
Bushke laughed loudly. Her laughter filled the air. At that moment an idea flashed through Agnes’ head.
“Ranunculus….”
The star that appears once every fifteen years. And the star, which, according to Bushke, could only be seen again after seven years, suddenly came to mind.
“Wait. Bushke, were you after it from the beginning……?”
“If the stars were to rise a year later, wouldn’t you have tried to erase the crest?”
“…….”
“I am deeply indebted to Madam. Thank you very much.”
Bushke even fired her last shot. Agnes would gladly erase the crest. But if that happens, the king would not use Agnes to destroy Arpad since he won’t be suspicious of her.
Agnes’ head went blank. In the end, she was played into Bushke’s hands both in the past and in the present.
“You have seen me struggling to live, how dare you!”
When she realized it, she felt a surge of anger deep in her heart. However, Bushke did not show any agitation.
“I will pay you back when I die.”
“No,”
Agnes grated his teeth.
“You will never die.”
She glared at Bushke with cold eyes.
“Everyone will unite to praise Arpad and watch it to the end, where it will be glorified from generation to generation.”
She chewed each word out and got out of jail. The atmosphere was so tight that even Reika could not open her mouth easily.
“Archmage”
“Yes, Duchess,”
“Can you tell me if what she said earlier is true? When does the star Ranunculus come up?”
Agnes tried to assume calmness, but she could not completely hide her boiling anger. Reika, hesitating for a moment, she spoke;
“As far as I know, it came a year ago, because I remember that Ranunculus is an important star for the wizards.”
“…yes,”
“Well, well, there’s no spy in the castle anymore. So don’t worry too much.”
“Yes, thank you.”
She doesn’t know how she got home. She found herself standing in the middle of the office. She was so confused that she didn’t even notice someone was coming.
“Madam, do you have time?”
“…….”
“Madam?”
“Ah. Andrassy, What’s the matter?”
“I’m sorry you must have been tired. I’m here because of the merchants you mentioned before.”
He took out some papers and put them on the desk.
“We have compiled a breakdown of the funding lines for Barania, Gent and Devorsen. Merchants with lines in Barania have arrived at the castle, so please meet them…….”
“Have you ever regretted your choice?”
“What?”
Agnes’s past was a series of regrets. She regretted leaving Laslo behind at dawn, and she regretted not knowing that the king was after him, and not knowing Laslo’s true feelings during their marriage. So, she tried not to leave any regrets this time.
“Is there any other way? I buried it and moved forward.”
“Can you move on with something that you can’t turn back?”
If I hadn’t believed in Bushke at the time, if I had deleted the crest, I would have lived a different future by now.
A smeared sense of regret and guilt weighed down Agnes’ heart. Andrassy carefully chose the answer to Agnes’ unusual question.
“The only irreversible thing in life is death.”
“…….”
“I don’t know what’s going on, but go ahead. Please walk forward. If you’re tied up, you can’t achieve anything.”
You can’t achieve anything if you’re tied up.
Agnes brooded over the sentence. The time has already passed where the crest can be erased. The king also knows that she is gathering strength.
If I lie flat, I’ll die.
Agnes clenched her fist tightly.
“How much can I trust you?”
“Haha. All my property and family have been moved to Sutmar, so please believe me.”
Andrassy grinned. Agnes looked alternately at the paper he had handed her and at his face.
“The reason why I asked you to investigate the East is to find a way to tie the king’s hands and feet together.”
“Oh, that…”
No matter how quick he was, it was difficult to understand what Agnes had just said at once.
“A war that has been waged by force eats up the country, but the king is incompetent and does not take care of the people who are in trouble.”
“…….”
“When I went out and looked at the lives of the people, it was truly painful. The king ordered that anyone suspected of contracting the plague be killed, and even those who touched the corpse be killed. The corpses they had piled up became a mountain, to the point I couldn’t bear to open my eyes and see them.”
“……”
“It made me think that I shouldn’t leave it like this.”
“Madam,”
“How far can I trust you?”
“I… “
He looked at Agnes with a confused look on his face. For a while, he was speechless, not knowing what to say.
“But for what reason, how will you beat the king?”
“I’ll just have to make a justification.”
“Of course, it should be,”
“You’re the first person I’ve talked to about this, in this castle.”
Agnes made a clean wedge.
“What? Then does the lord not know?”
“I’ll have to tell him when he gets back.”
“No, that’s, I….”
“Andrassy,”
She called Andrassy’s name firmly, who seemed bewildered and unable to speak properly.
“I believe in you.”
Agnes’ eyes were very clear. After looking at her for a long time, Andrassy let out a long sigh.
“…… Instead, if you ascend the throne, grant my wife the title of Countess.”
“Of course,”
Agnes grinned. Andrassy took two steps back and bowed his head deeply.
“I’ll find a way to stop their funding.”
“Yes,”
He then left the room. Agnes analyzed the situation as calmly as possible.
The plague spread earlier than expected. As far as she knows, it is not until next spring that the South will be ruined. There is not much time left for the epidemic to spread across the country. The end of the war may be earlier than she expected.
Then it’s only been half a year.
No, it’s less than half a year away.
It’s time to get up.
Agnes sent letters to Songrad, Sandor and Erica Kiske.
***
He saw Agnes sitting in the office, writing something. Laslo examined her face and body carefully. She looked over and over again for any injuries, but fortunately she appeared to be in good health.
Then Agnes left the office.
It was not until the light was completely extinguished and the room became dark that Laslo put the bird statue down.
“Agnes…”
The name popped out of his mouth with a sigh. He was surprised to hear that Emmerich’s carriage was attacked and she disappeared. He wanted to give up the war right away and go out to find her. Laslo left the barracks and went to the place where Count Cellon was staying.
“How are you feeling, Count?”
“Very well.” replied Emmerich in a hoarse voice.
Laslo sat silently in the chair beside the bed. At first, he wanted to kill Emmerich immediately, who brought the news. But when he went to the barracks with his sword, Emmerich was already half dead. The Doctor who examined him could not guarantee his life.
“Agnes got to the castle safely.”
“What? The Duchess has arrived, sigh.”
“Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“Oh, thank you. Thank God.”
Emmerich shed tears and thanked God. Laslo felt strange watching the scene.