However, it was a man with olive-colored eyes that looked just like Deborah’s.
It was Deborah’s biological father, Baron Travino Jun.
Deborah paused for a moment, staggered, and took a step back. Just like seeing a ghost.
Then she screamed.
“Why are you here? I told you not to come to me!”
“Deborah…”
Trevino walked over to Deborah and grabbed his daughter’s hand.
“You cut off the money that you had been sending, and the family is starving to death! That’s why I came to see you.”
“……”
When Deborah married the Duke of Douglas.
She officially announced that she was severing her ties with the Barony of Jun.
—Don’t come to see me, don’t talk to me again.
But the price was high.
Deborah had to send them a share of the allowance given to maintain her dignity.
Her parents rejoiced and promised not to visit her if she sent them money.
By the way, this time, it was past the usual time she would send money, but this time she couldn’t.
Because she scrapped all her fortune to the ‘Nobility Society’.
“What did you do with all the money I’ve given you, and why are you here?”
“Did you spend all the money you were given as your living expenses? While you’re being favored as the Duke’s wife, we were abandoned by our daughter and had to live on our own.”
Baron Travino smiled servilely, but strangely used a tone of criticism against her.
His clothes were made of the finest fabrics that did not fit his circumstances and status, but…
He bought it a long time ago, so it was quite dirty and outdated.
Anyone could see that he couldn’t even afford to indulge in luxury.
“You don’t know I’ve spent all my money on horse racing and gambling?”
“You have a bad way of talking to your father, Deborah.”
“……I!”
After cutting off Deborah’s voice as she was about to say something, Baron Travino uttered, revealing a wide, yellowish smile.
“So, if you hadn’t ruined yourself by rolling around like a dirty bitch, would I have ever come here?”
“….…”
“I can’t keep my face up because I’m ashamed, Deborah!”
It was a moment when the thread-like compassion that Deborah had for the skinny old man she had not seen in a long time flew away. She was really fed up. This was her father.
But at the same time she could not say anything as if she had been caught in a trap.
The deep pit dug by her parents since she was a child never got filled with age.
With a few words at any time, Deborah was pushed effortlessly into the pit.
Her father yelled.
“Give me a few pennies for living expenses! You made me come to see you!”
“……”
“You have to pay the price for raising you! How did I raise you!”
“……”
Deborah took the jewels and money she had received from Johann and threw it into the arms of Baron Travino.
“Please take this and get away from my sight, right now…”
Baron Travino’s eyes gleamed. He quickly checked the money.
He quickly smiled with satisfaction, exposing his yellow teeth.
“Thank you. But it’s a little less than usual? I’ll come back soon.”
Laughing in front of his terrified daughter, Baron Travino happily disappeared with his pockets full of money.
Stunned, Deborah realized this later.
Even when she divorced and was left alone, even in the courtroom where she was sentenced to death.
Her parents had never come to console her.
* * *
“His Highness the Crown Prince is waiting, Your Majesty.”
“Tell him I’ll be there soon.”
Before I went and met Rixus, I simply organized my clothes and hair.
In the last few days, the confusion was settled and cleared.
Instead, a calming rage and heat continued to build up in my chest.
It was probably Johann who instructed Deborah to speak nonsense.
There was no need to look far to find out why his one and only amnesty was written for her.
And yet he made such mean excuses to me…
The gentle heat rose like flames, warming my throat.
‘Today… Even if it’s a very small thing, I hope that at least one thing comes to mind.’
One more reason to eagerly search for memories.
—I was very curious about Johann’s ‘weakness’ that I had heard and forgot.
If Johann’s weakness was very, very precious.
And if it had been hidden very deeply.
Then when I found this weakness and destroyed him… It would be so much more painful and tragic for him.
I stood up with a cold expression like one with frostbite.
“Let’s go.”
Accompanied by my maids, I went to the carriage that was parked in the Imperial Garden.
In the distance, I saw Rixus waiting for me.
For a while, I felt happy.
“Your Majesty the Queen.”
An uninvited voice suddenly pierced my ears.
It was the voice of the man who I had been thinking about all night.
* * *
Berylia paused for a moment, then she slowly turned to him.
A bright smile appeared on her face. But she seemed somewhere cold.
“… Archduke Marquis.”
“I was just on my way to see you. By the way, you seem to have a prior engagement?”
Johann’s gaze turned to Rixus, who was standing in the distance.
Rixus probably hadn’t noticed him yet.
‘Again, the situation repeats itself.’
Johann felt his heart twist.
Because the next move was obvious.
She would go to Rixus. She would turn away neatly.
Cause there was never a time she chose him over Rixus.
But, it was then.
“Would you mind giving me some time?”
After Berylia had sent away all the maids by her side, she faced Johann alone.
Johann looked at her with a sense of unfamiliarity and some wonder.
But the very next second…
Passionate excitement and thrill filled Johann’s heart.
When Rixus looked their way, Berylia barely avoided his gaze and dragged Johann around the corner and pushed him to the wall.
“!”
The two bodies were close enough to touch.
Berylia’s hand rested softly on his chest.
Her body temperature felt so soft that she could never escape it if he embraced her with his body.
“….…”
Johann’s black eyes darkened with desire. She licked her pretty lips and said,
“I need to speak to you in private, Archduke.”
Johann, having been chosen for the first time, faced her, feeling a strange mix of euphoria and excitement.
Berylia also did not avoid that gaze.
‘…Johann.’
How much fun was it for you to lie to me, confuse me, and deceive me?