Chapter 243: Chaos (9)
Ah, so this wasn’t reality.
Someone had once called her the treasure of the Imperial Household and the flower of high society.
At the same time, she was the Second Imperial Princess of the Solberique Empire.
And to someone, she had once been called by the nickname Rita. That woman—Velita Levymne Bestrang—came to that conclusion almost absentmindedly.
‘Then is this a dream?’
Was it her delusion? Or had she fallen under an enemy’s illusion or spell?
If not… was this that thing people spoke of—the panoramic vision before death?
Velita continued thinking in a daze, as if she were using only the outer shell of her brain.
Then suddenly, she felt her clouded mind grow somewhat clearer, and memories began floating up one by one, as if drifting on water.
The first memory to surface was from just moments ago—how she had taken a powerful blow from the Man without a Head and had been flung far away.
‘……It seems I haven’t been unconscious for very long.’
She thought that with a muddled mind.
If a long time had passed since she had lost consciousness, the battle would have already ended.
Whoever had won, they wouldn’t have left her alone.
She would have either become a prisoner or a trophy of war—or perhaps a rescued princess.
‘A princess, of all things.’
A faint, hollow laugh escaped her lips without her realizing it.
Because belatedly, it occurred to her that being killed before she could even come to her senses was far more plausible.
The Man without a Head was an enemy—there was no need to say more.
And Lian Gwendil… he had hated her as well.
“…….”
Ah, Lian Gwendil.
The moment she recalled that name, another hollow laugh slipped out.
Originally, he had merely been a fleeting amusement—someone she would use lightly and discard when she grew bored.
Yet contrary to her expectations, she had clung to him with extreme caution and persistence.
Why had she done that?
……What was it again?
‘Ah, right.’
After a brief moment of thought, she nodded as if she had finally realized.
‘Yes, the Brand.’
That curse and blessing.
That was the reason.
But why had I…?
‘……This won’t do.’
Her head refused to function properly.
Was it because of the shock from that incomprehensible technique that had struck her? Or because she had lost too much blood?
Or were these truly the panoramic visions people saw before death?
‘Ah.’
The panoramic vision.
What one sees before dying.
Dying.
Death.
‘……Ah, right. That’s it.’
That had been it.
The reason I became obsessed with him.
“……Older Sister.”
Velita quietly murmured the words.
And then she realized that the reason she had clung to him so obsessively was because of her Older Sister.
Once she found the tangled end of the thread at last, recalling the mess of intertwined memories became easy.
Velita began bringing back memories of her Older Sister one by one.
“…….”
The first image that surfaced was of her Older Sister, who had been considerably older than herself.
The only person who had approached her first when she had always been neglected and ignored by their parents.
The hand that stroked her hair had always been warm—like brilliant sunlight.
The titles “treasure of the Imperial Household” and “flower of high society”… perhaps those had suited her Older Sister far better than they had ever suited herself.
She had always been kind to everyone, never losing her smile, wiser and more beautiful than anyone else.
‘Older Sister.’
And yet, she had been especially devoted to Velita alone.
Offering her gentle gazes and warm affection she had never once received even from her own mother, that person had always remained by her side.
Velita had followed her like a parent.
But she had been the most powerless and vulnerable person within the Imperial Household.
She had no political backing, no faction to protect her.
She had been kind, beautiful, and wise to all—but those qualities alone were woefully insufficient to survive within the cold and merciless Imperial Household.
Even when their mother had openly struck her across the face in front of everyone, her Older Sister had simply stood there silently.
Not only her Older Sister, but everyone present—even their father—had done the same.
Even to her young eyes, it had been painfully obvious how powerless she was.
She had nothing.
And yet, she had embraced everything and always smiled gently at Velita.
Then one day, their mother handed her a small, pretty box and told her to deliver it to her Older Sister.
Inside were sweet cookies.
At the same time, she had strictly ordered the maid attending Velita to ensure that she did not eat them—no matter what.
‘……Fool.’
Velita muttered a curse, though it was unclear toward whom it was directed.
The young Velita had carried the box to her Older Sister without a single doubt.
And when her Older Sister received the cookies, she had smiled sadly for some reason and stroked Velita’s head.
She took a bite of the cookie Velita had given her, and then she pulled Velita into a tight embrace.
It was a warmth she had never once felt from her mother—a warmth she would never exchange for anything in the world.
— ……Please stay healthy, Velita.
Those had been the last words she left her.
The next day, she was found as a cold corpse in her bedroom.
The cause of death was poisoning.
……From that day onward, Velita changed.
Despite her young age, she had been clever.
She had easily realized that everything had been orchestrated by her own mother—and that she herself had been used as the tool.
The only family member who had ever loved her had died for the sake of the Imperial Household’s interests and political gain.
And she herself had been directly involved in that death.
That fact had been enough to shatter a child’s heart into pieces.
And the fragments of that broken heart took root deep within her chest as sharp hatred and a desire for revenge.
‘……Without fail.’
I made the vow again and again.
To those who had made me like this. To this Imperial Household that had caused my Older Sister’s death.
And to those who, under the name of blood-bound family, had trampled and used me—I swore that I would exact revenge without fail.
That I would personally ascend to the throne of Emperor they so desperately desired, and return to them what they had done… in the exact same way.
No—far more cruelly, far more miserably.
And then……
‘Right.’
More memories began to surface.
The next one was from years later, when I happened to come across a certain story.
‘The Brand.’
An unknown power that not even the Archmages of the present age, nor even the legendary Wolpen Knights or the Eight Demon Lords, were said to properly understand.
That very thing which even the Holy Sun Church designated as forbidden text, strictly controlling any record that mentioned it even in the slightest.
Perhaps, through it, I might be able to revive my Older Sister.
……If nothing else, even meeting her once more, just for a fleeting moment.
Thus, I staked everything I had and searched for it relentlessly.
Another memory surfaced.
Someone I had met in the Room of Memories at the Academy had clearly answered my question that way as well.
That person had definitely……
‘Who was it?’
……I couldn’t remember.
In any case, though I could not recall who it had been, that person had clearly said this in response to my question.
That I could meet her.
Those words had finally given me certainty and hope.
And at last, I found him.
The one who might become my hope—my only key.
Lian Gwendil.
‘Yes.’
In truth, despite that short span of time, numerous incidents had erupted both inside and outside the Academy.
Among them were several that made one question whether students had truly resolved them.
And I remembered that most of those involved had hidden their power and background so thoroughly and cunningly that even I would not have grasped it had I not been directly entangled in the incidents.
While gathering and organizing information about them, I eventually concluded that Lian Gwendil was the one most likely connected.
Yes—my calculation had been correct.
Lian Gwendil truly was connected to the Brand.
Then……
Those who were abandoned and purged by her voiced their doubts.
Most of them belonged to the Holy Sun Church.
The reason she cut off her own hands and feet was simple.
While investigating Lian Gwendil, she had uncovered unsavory stories about his family.
At the same time, she learned that the Holy Sun Church, too, had been attempting to approach Lian Gwendil, who had drawn attention in many ways—and in the process, they intended to threaten him using his family and household as leverage.
So she moved first.
That was also the reason she had somewhat forcibly borrowed Artiac Gwendil from the First Imperial Prince.
Of course, she herself could have threatened him in place of the Holy Sun Church.
But……
To achieve what she desired, she absolutely needed his help.
And if she made a careless threat and irreparably damaged their relationship?
If that thin thread of hope—of meeting her Older Sister again—were to vanish?
If the reason were nothing more than her own immature actions?
……That could not be allowed.
No matter what, I wanted to see her again.
Even if only for a single moment.
And if I could meet her……
‘Older Sister.’
I wanted to apologize.
I wanted to atone.
For that, I was willing to do anything.
Yes—anything at all……
“Your Highness.”
At that moment, someone grabbed me and shook me awake.
When Velita opened her eyes with a hazy gaze, there stood a face that felt both familiar and unfamiliar at once.
“……Who?”
“My name is Artemia. Though I am of little ability, I serve as a maid of the Academy.”
Artemia carefully lifted Velita into her arms.
Then she took out a piece of cloth from her bosom and began administering emergency treatment as best she could.
“Please forgive the discourtesy of laying hands upon you. Unfortunately, this is all I have……”
Velita gave a small shake of her head.
“……No. It helped. May I ask how the situation is unfolding?”
At her question, Artemia nodded.
She briefly explained the situation.
That she and someone named Lancia had been sent flying to a strange place by the Man without a Head, only to return.
And that, at Lian’s request, she had come to tend to Velita.
After listening silently, Velita asked,
“……Artemia. If I recall correctly, you were once a famous mercenary. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
Artemia nodded obediently.
“And yet you were defeated by that…… monster.”
She posed the question quietly, almost as if speaking to herself.
“In that case, at the time—were you acting as a mercenary, or as a maid?”
“The former.”
“Then the client—”
Velita let out a small sigh and asked again.
“……Was it Lian Gwendil?”
“……My apologies.”
Artemia gently shook her head.
“Even if you are of the Imperial Family, I cannot answer questions regarding my employer.”
She declined politely, offering an apology.
But that alone was answer enough.
“Lian Gwendil.”
That man again.
As if he knew everything… even the future.
“…….”
Even with her vision wavering, Velita carefully rose to her feet.
Artemia, somewhat flustered, supported her at the side.
“What will you do now?”
“For now, I intend to request assistance from the outside.”
“There will be no reinforcements.”
Velita cut her off firmly.
“By now, they will all be busy putting out the fires at their own feet. Moreover, the entrance has surely collapsed…… Even if a rescue squad comes, it will take considerable time.”
“Then what do you intend to do, Your Highness?”
At Artemia’s question, she shrugged.
“If we cannot go back, then we must go forward.”
And there was something she absolutely had to confirm.
“…….”
Recalling the words she had faintly heard as her consciousness faded—that someone had returned against the flow—she carefully took a step forward.