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nChapter 112

nProofreader: somnium

n“Tia.”

nMiraila flinched at the sight of Artizea.

nHowever, she clenched her fists with a determined sharp expression and approached Artizea.

nLysia and Hayley immediately recognized who Miraila was.

nShe was such a beautiful woman that no one could help but look back.

nIn her current look, she no longer felt youthful. She was like a flower in full bloom about to wither, overly splendid, loose, and fragrant.

nBut no one can deny her beauty.

nOnce upon a time, men of the highest ranks in the Empire had thrown themselves down at the feet of this woman.

nNow that her master had been decided, it was understandable that she would let sumptuous gifts pile up at her doorstep, even though she could not dare to lay her fingertips on it.

nThere couldn’t have been two such beauties in this imperial palace. It was even more so, considering that the Emperor’s private residence was right behind this.

nMiraila immediately approached Artizea.

nHayley hesitated. She heard that Artizea had cut ties with her mother.

nYou are my ladies-in-waiting, but you don’t need to pay attention to Marquisate Rosan. More so about my mother and brother. Pretend you don’t know anything.

nBut the other person was the Dowager Marchioness Rosan. While she thought of the title, she walked forward, but she couldn’t pretend she didn’t know.

nEven though Artizea had told both of her ladies-in-waiting and vassals of Evron to stand down, as a biological daughter, Artizea herself did not know what to do.

nAlphonse also seemed hesitant.

nHowever, Artizea moved in equal measure without any sign of agitation.

nArtizea held her head upright and moved her steps. And she casually brushed by without giving Miraila a gaze.

n“Tia!”

nMiraila called out to her with a loud voice.

nArtizea heard it, but she did not look away from her.

nInstead, Lysia and Alphonse blocked it at the same time.

nMiraila, in anger, raised her hand to hit Lysia’s cheek.

nLysia lightly flicked Miraila on the back of her hand, making it bounce off hers.

nIt never occurred in history that a way to end any situation with ease was by giving a slap.

nThe hand was swung towards the lady-in-waiting of Grand Duchess Evron. It wouldn’t be acceptable.

nEven if the other person was Artizea’s mother.

nThe back of Miraila’s hand, which was lightly hit by Lysia, did not hurt. But she was astonished by the fact that she had never had such a behavior done to her.

nAnd she exploded and screamed.

n“You, you hillbilly bitch bastard!”

n“Dowager Marchioness!”

nHayley screamed in surprise and ran to Lysia’s side.

nMiraila swung her hand again. Lysia frowned and grabbed the wrist, then let it go slowly.

nAlphonse intervened slowly between the two.

nAs a knight, it would be difficult if he grabbed Miraila recklessly and got her bruises anywhere. He couldn’t use his hands.

nInstead, he turned into a large human shield.

nHayley said sharply.

n“That was impolite, Dowager Marchioness.”

n“What?”

nMiraila asked back in absurdity.

n“What are you guys doing right now? Are you locking up my daughter now?!”

n“That is inappropriate for a subordinate to speak to a superior first, Dowager Marchioness. Have you dared to regard Evron’s mistress as a Marchioness at best just now?”

nHayley said.

n“You lived in the Imperial Palace for several decades, but it seems that you don’t know the court manners that even us, who are hillbillies, would know.

nIn reality, it was a word that could not be used between mother and daughter. Even more so for Miraila.

nOver the years, the only one who dared to tell Miraila about court manners was the Empress’ lady-in-waiting.

nEven the Grand Duchess Roygar softened her attitude in front of Miraila.

nMiraila’s face turned red with anger, and her complexion faded away again. She staggered as if she was about to fall.

nArtizea moved her steps without a word.

nIt was then that Lysia and Hayley turned their body after her.

n“I was wrong!”

nMiraila exclaimed.

nArtizea’s feet stopped.

n“Mo… mother was wrong. I’m sorry for getting angry every day.”

nMiraila said in a trembling voice.

nAt first, it was a forceful voice.

nBut by the time she finished saying sorry, Miraila was half weeping.

n“I will never do that again. I won’t interfere with what you want to do, and I won’t get angry in front of others.”

nLarge, pooled tears crept down her cheeks.

nMiraila, forgetting that her makeup was ruined, rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. And she cried out loud.

n“I’m sorry for saying harsh words every day. I will never hit you or anything like that. Mom was wrong. Can’t you forgive me just once?”

nA cry echoed in the hallway. Miraila lost strength in her legs and sank down.

nShe didn’t care about her dress or the eyes of others, and she cried her eyes out

nA noble should always treat things gracefully without showing any emotion. However, no matter how noble she was, she was so pitiful that people could not help but pity her rather than despise her.

nThe escort knights and attendants who followed Artizea stirred up.

nThey did this even though they knew how Miraila had treated Artizea before her marriage.

nHayley looked at Artizea awkwardly. Artizea had an expressionless face that she couldn’t understand what was inside.

n“Your Grace.”

nLysia carefully called out Artizea.

nArtizea slowly turned her steps towards Miraila.

nAlphonse took a step back and opened a path for her.

n“Tia.”

nMiraila sobbed and looked up at Artizea.

nArtizea held out a hand to Lysia. Lysia was startled, and quickly she handed a handkerchief that was in her hand.

n“Mother.”

nArtizea said in a calm voice and bent her body. Then she put the handkerchief against Miraila’s eyes.

nMiraila’s face lit up with a glimmer of hope.

nBut Artizea spoke in a voice that was relentlessly calm.

n“I did not abandon mother because mother beat me or treated me harshly.”

n“Ti, Tia… … .”

n“Because my mother is of no use to what I am trying to do.”

nIt was really true.

nArtizea had never thought of resenting her or abandoning her, no matter what Miraila had done to her.

nEven when she was betrayed by Lawrence and died, she did not resent Miraila.

nWhen she heard the news that Miraila was dead, she didn’t think it was a bad thing, although she could feel that she didn’t have much feelings inside her anymore.

nMiraila read the sincerity in Artizea’s eyes.

n“Tia… … .”

nShe was stunned.

nArtizea placed the handkerchief in Miraila’s hand and raised herself.

n“Let’s go.”

nAs if nothing had happened, Artizea left the place with an elegant and dignified gait.

nThe attendants, who had cast their sympathetic glances at Miraila for a moment, followed Artizea as if they had forgotten.

nMiraila wailed on the spot, clutching the handkerchief.

nThe maids surrounded Miraila, unable to sympathize or touch her.

n***

nAs soon as she got into the carriage, Artizea let out a sigh. She rested her head against the glass window.

nLysia looked at her carefully. Being tired has been a constant thing lately. Rather, it seemed more so after arriving in the capital than on the journey.

n‘Because it was understandable.’

nArtizea moved so much that Lysia wondered if her life on the stronghold had really been idle.

nIt was the same when she didn’t even see any outsider guests. People who came in through the back door constantly came in and out.

nEven when she’s alone for a while, the brain inside her white forehead must be constantly engaged in complex activities.

nIt was beyond Lysia’s imagination, who emptied her thoughts by moving her body.

nIn addition to that, today is not going to be a good day.

nAlthough Artizea left with a cold expression on her face, Lysia saw her hand trembling faintly.

n“Are you okay?”

n“I’m fine.”

n“You shouldn’t have had to be so cold… … .”

nLysia didn’t say that out of sympathy for Miraila. On the contrary, Artizea looked distressed.

nShe thought it might have been easier for Artizea to say that she forgave Miraila.

nShe wasn’t asking for forgiveness. There is no need for her to be cruel at the cost of her own suffering.

nIt would be better for her to just ignore it and forget about it.

n“Coming to the Imperial Palace, you didn’t think of the chance of meeting your mother? That’s fine.”

nArtizea replied with her eyes closed.

n“I did it because it was necessary.”

nLysia’s idea was right.

nArtizea wasn’t treating her coldly because of emotional problems.

nShe is not out for revenge, but in order to win the war.

n‘Your mother probably knows about that.’

nBut Miraila would understand superficially that Artizea had chosen the Empress over her.

nIt would make Miraila more miserable if she did so for power rather than for revenge or resentment.

nThe Emperor is right. Miraila was a poor woman.

nShe suffered all the misfortunes that a powerless and beautiful woman could suffer because of money and power.

nMiraila is the flower of the Emperor, a lovely cat that sits on his lap. Scratches to the Emperor can be forgiven, but the power she holds is not hers.

nArtizea knew why Miraila gave birth to her and kept her alive.

nShe gave birth to Artizea because she only wanted something of her own.

nShe was spontaneous and capricious, and because of her impatient temper she was ruthless and abusive.

nBut it was true that she risked her life to give birth.

nArtizea knew that while Miraila was berating and cursing Artizea for not being pretty, she was determined not to make Artizea like herself.

nThat was all the more reason why abandoning her as a powerful person made Miraila feel like she was being pushed off a cliff.

nArtizea could do it to anyone if necessary.

n‘How can such a human being be a saintess, is it possible?’

nArtizea looked down at her right hand.

nA thin ring of light appeared around her index finger.

nIt is so blurry that it is impossible to recognize unless it was looked at with keen eyes.

nThere was no clearer evidence than this.

nArtizea extinguished the light before Hayley or Lysia realized it.

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