Chapter 5: Despair

The Adallindus estate was known for its beauty, not only in it's magnificent manor, but also the beautiful garden. The flowers cultivated on the land were like no other, as the Marquis had sought out even the rarest of flowers for his daughter Lucretia. Due to this, it was named as one of the most bewitching locations in the empire.

Standing in the courtyard, a dashing man with brilliant blonde hair looked out on the scenery. The garden's flowers were beautiful, but it didn't draw away attention from the man, as the scene looked almost picturesque.

"Your highness!"

His ruby eyes turned to see the beautiful silver platinum-haired girl hurriedly walking to him. With a maid holding a parasol by her side, her amethyst eyes shined with a sparkle. However, not even her beauty was able to move the blonde-haired man, as his cold facial expression didn't change.

"I hope you didn't have to wait long."

As she stood in front of the man, she curtsied and greeted a him with rosy cheeks. Her eyelashes fluttered while looking at him, trying to make sure he only saw her at her prettiest. Despite this, the man seemed to not have any interest in her, and didn't respond. Clearing her throat, Lucretia gestured over to the table underneath the gazebo.

"What type of tea would you like today?"

The man looked at her for only a second before taking a seat, Lucretia following him in the same manner. She couldn't help but glance over at him, whenever she turned her gaze away.

Dominic Aegis Gratiana.

The indisputable crown prince of the Gratiana empire.

Lucretia's fiancé.

Under the light breeze that swayed the vibrant green leaves of the trees and hedges, the sound of Lucretia's voice easily carried. In contrast, the voice of Dominic was far and few between.

This engagement was obviously not one both parties mutually wanted.

Lucretia fell in love with Dominic, and, using her father's power and wealth, she was able to secure an engagement to him. Unbeknownst to her, or maybe she just didn't care enough, this act had put the Marquis heavily under the thumb of the Emperor, and the once neutral house had joined the Imperial faction.

Even so, Lucretia didn't even bother to listen to the lecture her brother had given her, nor did she care enough about the politics surrounding high society. The Marquis was quite lenient, on the other hand, as he only wanted his daughter to be happy.

With such a one-sided engagement, Lucretia did not even take one look to notice that the prince did not care for her at all.

Checking his pocket watch, Dominic went to get up.

"It seems it's about time for me to attend to other matters."

"Ah… Let me accompany you to the gate!"

Quickly walking to his side, she grasped onto his arm. The latter didn't look upset, but his demeanor felt more apathetic than anything.

As they made their way out of the garden, Lucretia noticed Dominic's body stop. Looking up to see why, she followed his gaze as it landed on a beautiful silver-haired girl. Knitting her brows, she couldn't hide the annoyance that grew on her face.

As Charlotte noticed the two nearby, she quickly walked over to them.

"Lucretia!—"

However, as she saw Dominic, she looked surprised for a second, before quickly curtsying into a bow.

"Your royal highness! Forgive me for not recognizing you earlier. May the grace of the Zephyrs be with you."

She looked a bit worried, as she had called out to Lucretia, before addressing the crown prince. Lucretia couldn't hide the smile on her face, as she also saw her mistake.

"Raise your head. It was a simple error."

On the other hand, the crown prince didn't seem to place any heavy fault with Charlotte, letting the latter sigh with relief as she raised her head. Lucretia grumbled to herself, but her attention then turned to the arm that had shook her hand off.

Having reached his hand out, Charlotte looked surprised by the prince's gesture, but obliged as she placed her palm on top of his. Raising it, he planted a kiss only a few millimeters away from atop her hand, before letting go.

"You must be Lady Charlotte, correct? It is a pleasure to finally be acquainted with you."

"Likewise. It is an honor to meet your royal highness."

Lucretia clenched her fist as she saw the two's exchange. Although she knew that he had not actually kissed Charlotte's hand directly, she still hated seeing this sight. Being an easily jealous woman, she couldn't stand that it was Charlotte of all people.

Why did the prince, her fiancé, treat Charlotte and other women better than her.

…

Lucretia couldn't stand it.

She had thought that first encounter between the two was just an unpleasant but uncommon occurrence.

However, it seemed as though the world was trying to pull those two together, as they often ended up meeting by coincidence. The times they happened to see each other when Lucretia wasn't there, she would hear it from gossiping ladies the next day.

Walking through the main halls of the manor, she noticed a couple of maids carrying a beautiful flower bouquet. She knew these maids to be the ones loyal to Charlotte. Already in a bad mood, she walked up to them to cause some trouble, blocking their way.

"Stop."

"Y-yes, miss?!"

The two seemed to tremble at the sight of Lucretia. After all, they had worked for her before they transferred over to serving Charlotte, though Lucretia would never remember that.

"Who are those flowers for?"

The two young maids looked at each other with a nervous expression, but they quickly caved under Lucretia's glare.

"F-for the miss! Lady Charlotte!"

"For that girl, huh?"

Her eyes narrowed, hearing her name again. She really has gotten sick of hearing about her. Now there are people even sending flowers her way?

Disgusting.

"Let me see it."

"E-Eh? But—"

"Are you attempting to talk back to me?"

"N-no! Of course not, miss!"

They quickly handed off the bouquet, before Lucretia's mood got any worse.

Examining the flowers, her brows knit seeing how high quality each flower was. Seeing a note attached, she wanted to see who would dare send Charlotte flowers, and who she would need to humiliate next.

However, as she read the placard, her body stilled. She felt as though a dark pit formed in her stomach, as her hand grasped tighter.

"Unforgivable."

Muttering under her breath, she threw the bouquet on the floor, aggressively. The maids looked surprised, but quickly jolted as Lucretia glanced back at them with a petrifying glare.

"Burn it. I don't even want to see a single petal. This bouquet never existed. Understood?"

"B-but—"

"Understood?"

Lucretia's gaze grew colder and fiercer, making the maid quickly retract back like a hamster.

"Y-yes!"

"Hmph!"

Turning with one motion, her silky hair flowed with her gorgeous dress, as she continued down the hall, not forgetting to step on some of the flowers on her way out. Gripping her hand tightly, her face was twisted with fury, as she repeated her thoughts in her mind.

'I refuse to believe that his highness would gift Charlotte flowers, instead of me, his fiancée!'

Although Lucretia felt as though Charlotte was robbing her of everything since she appeared, she had not dared to cause Charlotte direct harm, as she was the real legitimate daughter.

However, the one thing she would not accept being taken away from her was her fiancé, Dominic.

'I'll never forgive you, Charlotte!'

As if it was creating a spark, that statement started Lucretia's harassment toward Charlotte.

Whether it be splashing wine on her dress or mocking whatever she did, she never let a chance to humiliate Charlotte slip away. Every time she saw her fiancé give Charlotte a kind gesture, the more Lucretia felt as though she couldn't stop.

'Just why can't she just stay away from what's mine?!'

Even when she was rebuked by her brother and even her father for her behavior, she wouldn't listen. She felt as though this nagging and disgusting feeling was consuming her every being, making each breath feel heavier and heavier than the next.

Every time Charlotte knocked on her door to try to talk to her, the more she felt her chest tighten. This feeling like she could die at any moment caused her to always shout and throw things to chase away anyone who was at her door.

All that was left was her disheveled appearance reflected in her vanity mirror.

Grasping onto the sheets of her soft blankets, she felt that visage to be of someone unfamiliar.

This person was not her.

They were definitely not her.

So why do they keep staring back at her?

SMASH!!

Disliking that image, disliking what she had become, she shattered the reflection that seemed to try to mock her.

But all she was left with was numbness.

…

Standing by her lonesome at a banquet in the imperial palace, Lucretia didn't even seem to listen to the whispers asking why she was here. While holding a glass of wine, she looked at the bandages on her knuckles that contrasted with her delicate fingers. Her eyes narrowed into a look of discomfort, unable to fix this nagging feeling she had.

The whispers around her felt like a torrent running through her brain, unable to be stopped. The dam had long since been broken, and no amount of repairs could fix it.

Had she ever felt this suffocated during a banquet before?

Looking at her reflection created by the crimson liquid in the glass, she furrowed her brows. Putting it down on the tray of a passing server, she couldn't stand to stay here anymore.

Leaving the hall, she only felt more burdened with each step as the whispers continued to get louder and louder, to the point Lucretia wasn't even sure if they were real anymore.

As the grand doors closed behind her, she felt as though she was finally breathing fresh air.

The cold light compared to the warm but blinding colors of the banquet hall gave her a feeling of tranquility that caused her to feel calmer. The only people here was herself and the moonlight shining through the windows.

Charlotte didn't exist.

Her family didn't exist.

And Dominic didn't exist.

However, that stillness quickly got interrupted as the faint sounds of the boisterous banquet hall leaked through.

She wanted to get away from here.

Taking a step, she walked further and further away from the Iron Maiden she had trapped herself in.

Anywhere would be fine.

However, as she turned the corner, she was surprised to see a familiar figure.

The blonde-haired man had entered a room at the end of the hall, and although it was only a second, Lucretia knew it was definitely him.

Seeing him, she felt a moment of relief before a tightening feeling landed in the pit of her stomach. Grasping the hems of her dress, she couldn't help but continue to yearn for him.

'If… if I can just talk to him one more time…'

Saying this to herself as she bit her lip, she held onto hope. Whatever delusional hope it was, it didn't stop her from taking a step forward.

One step turned to two steps, before becoming three.

By the time she had realized it, she was stopped in front of the room he had entered in. Inhaling deeply, before exhaling, she held onto the handle of the door, opening it.

Before she could even take her second breath, however, she felt as though everything was crumbling.

She knew for sure now that her hope was truly only a delusion. Seeing the figures of the man she loved and the girl she hated locking lips in an embrace, her eyes couldn't help but widen in hopelessness.

"Your… Highness?…"

She finally knew the feeling of despair.