The witch wants to survive
W. Flower Seed
After Matapju left, Camilla headed straight to the bedroom V had prepared for her. Tiredness and exhaustion enveloped her. The reason was that she'd spent the entire day concocting a story to erase any connection between her and Carcia. As soon as she laid her heavy body down on the soft, wide bed, a polite, knocking sounded from beyond the large door.
Smart, —
“It’s me, Camilla.”
A cautious knock and a deep voice. Camilla barely managed to lift her heavy body and head for the door. Grabbing both handles, she swung it open, and there before her was Karen, the mansion's butler and another subordinate serving Carcia. A little annoyed that her break had been interrupted, but knowing full well that Karen wasn't someone who would make a surprise visit, she ushered him into the room and approached the shelf with the teapot. She asked,
“Would you like a cup of tea?”
“No. I don’t think now is the time to drink tea.”
At his words, Camilla lifted her hand from the teapot and turned to look at Karen, who was sitting on the sofa. "It's not time to drink tea..." It wasn't a joke. At first, she hesitated, wondering why he was saying that. But then, with a more serious and earnest expression than usual, she decided to listen to him first, and approached him, arm in arm.
Then, he sat down on the arm of the sofa and nodded at Karen as if to tell her to talk, and Karen slowly opened her lips.
“I heard from V. You’re aiming to become the head of the Edenberg Dukedom.”
"Yes, that's right. He used to be the one protecting the emperor of this empire, so this time he's trying to change that emperor..."
“… …”
"For that, we need the power of the Duke of Edenberg. You should have noticed this much."
If others heard this, they would be furious, calling it treason, but Karen, who had expected this, nodded. Hearing the news that she had been betrayed and killed by the Emperor, and that she had been revived in Princess Camilla's body, he immediately thought, "The witch will seek revenge on the Emperor." However, she had originally worked on the battlefield. Carcia, who was unfamiliar with the situation of the noble families, would not have known the internal affairs of the Duke of Edenberg. Therefore, Karen had been secretly investigating the internal affairs of the Duke of Edenberg since immediately after Camilla's awakening, and the results of that investigation were now in Karen's hands.
“…I've been investigating the internal affairs of the Edenberg family since the day Camilla woke up. But things aren't looking so good right now.”
"I kind of expected it. With the Duke and Duchess dying, I knew there would be chaos."
“If that were all, would I have come running like this?”
“…What else is there?”
“We have received reports that collateral bloodlines of the Edenberg family are coming to the capital to seize the throne.”
"what?."
Camilla's face, which had been relaxed throughout the story, cracked. By "collateral blood relatives," she meant relatives of the Edenburgh family, who had come to the capital to seize power after learning of the Duke and Duchess's death. Camilla's face twisted. With V's business at stake, she'd been taking it easy, thinking she could afford a little more leeway, but the collaterals were on the move. They were unexpectedly shrewd.
“As you know, Lady Camilla, the palace ball is coming up soon, right?”
“Yeah. I had planned to meet with Matapju that day.”
“On that day, the Duke’s family’s succession period will begin. From the Emperor.”
For a moment, my heart sank. The Emperor performing the family succession ceremony meant announcing that I was on his side. Camilla clenched her fists so tightly that they turned white. Heinz Ian Helio. I wanted revenge, but at the same time, I never wanted to face him again. But to get revenge, I had to devour Edenberg, and to do that, I had to see Heinz's face.
“…I understand how you feel. I have no worries about becoming the head of the Edenberg family. Lady Camilla is capable enough.”
“… …”
“But it’s different with the Emperor. You’ve always… been weak-hearted with Heins.”
“Ha!, are you trying to tell me that I still love Heinz?!?”
"No, of course not! But reason and emotion are separate things. No matter how much Camilla hates and trembles at the Emperor, didn't they once love each other?"
“…What on earth are you trying to say?”
“…Can you do that? Hide your anger and hatred, and pretend to be a young lady who knows nothing about the new head of the household in front of Emperor Heins.”
Camilla bit her lip. She hadn't thought that far ahead. Just revenge, and to do that, she had to become the head of the household. That was all she could think about. To act so nonchalantly, seeing Hines' face... She pressed her finger firmly against the spot between her eyebrows that made her tingle. She was confident in acting. She'd pretended to be a slave, a commoner, a man, even a prostitute for the sake of war, so what could she not do? She thought. But Hines... Hines was different. He was the only one. The only one who couldn't hide her emotions.
"I've served Lady Camilla since long ago, but now I'm also the butler of Duke Prometheus. You know what he did to save you."
“… …”
"Don't take life lightly. Now, even your 'divine powers' have vanished. Now, you too could die if struck by a human sword."
“…Ha, Taehyung really takes that guy’s side. When I first asked him to be my butler, he said no and all.”
“Now he is my master too.”
It was frustrating that none of her words were wrong, but now Karen, who only took V's side, let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.
"So, decide. Either grit your teeth and wait for an opening to strike, determined to kill Emperor Heins. Or, put aside your revenge and live in peace as a human being."
It was a truly cold-hearted statement. To rid her heart of the anger and hatred and live in peace. To begin with, there was no such thing as a normal life for her. Days of fighting for someone, sacrificing for someone else, a constant repetition of that life. How could she suddenly live in peace just by being told to do so? Camilla squeezed her eyes shut. Yes. There was only one way to live in peace.
We have to kill Heinz.
That way, I can be happy whether I'm alive or dead.
“Karen, listen carefully to what you say.”
"then…"
"Still, my decision will never change. I will dethrone him. And I will repay the pain I felt a thousandfold, ten thousandfold."
“… ..”
“So just watch, Karen. See how I take him down.”
Karen, who had been listening to Camilla with wide eyes, knelt before her as if determined. "I'll do whatever you want, witch." She had already anticipated the outcome. But deep down, she only hoped she could live in peace. Ultimately, that too failed.
This was a life-or-death game of chess.A survival game to see who has the most powerful horse and controls it well.She might fail. At worst, she'd be discovered to be a witch, and perhaps even herself, a grave matter. But it didn't matter. If Carcia hadn't saved her on the battlefield thirty years ago, she would have already died. So it was okay.
Giving up your life for this woman is more valuable than anything else.
“Where is Taehyung now?”
“I was out for a while due to my schedule…”
"I'm going to Edenberg now. And tell Taehyung to report the Emperor's every move to me. Even the smallest details are fine, and I'll even like his menu."
“… …”
“The time for delay is over.
Just wait a moment, Heinz, I'll be there to reclaim the throne soon.
- Editor's Pick, thanks for the banner!
I hope to see you for a long time. I will try my best to write :D
