"You said it on purpose! You knew everything, and you were just trying to fool me, you disgusting... Aaak!"
Birna raised her hand with all her might.
But before she could rush at Medea, she was caught by Neril's arm and thrown down. The wet mud splashed onto Birna's face, making a mess.
"You won't believe it, but I care about you more than you think. Even though you're being so arrogant, your limbs are still fine."
Medea bowed her head and met Birna's eyes.
Birna shivered, her shoulders shaking.
"..."
"Seeing that I care more about you, my uncle's daughter than my aunt, with whom I have no blood ties, I guess the power of blood is unavoidable."
Medea whispered.
"As you know, I can't openly tell you about my uncle. So I had to let you know subtly."
Medea hoped her voice would sound as sweet as Birna's in her previous life, but she couldn't be sure.
In fact, she didn't even have the luxury of pretending to be kind.
She buried the resentment towards her country in her heart and engraved the resentment towards her children on her sword.
Since returning, Medea had had to suppress her resentment for a long time to solve the pressing issue at hand, but she never forgot it even once.
"Sister. The Empress will not give up until you and Leah are dead. We must divert the gaze of the hermits."
"Please leave Leah with me. I will escape with Leah while you tie the map here. I will protect her as if it were my own life."
Every single word of Birna cleverly manipulated Medea's actions.
If it had not been for the desperate circumstances that had driven Jason and Rachel inside and out, she would not have believed that cunning promise so easily.
'And I gave Leah to you with my own hands.'
The eerie feeling of holding a small pouch soaked in a child's blood still keeps her up at times.
Medea, hiding her cold anger beneath her sleep, bent down toward Birna.
"Now, it is time to choose. Birna, my dear cousin."
A cold, white hand lifted Birna's chin.
"Whose daughter will you remain? Claudio's daughter or Catherine's daughter?"
Will she seek futile revenge on her father who is dead and a handful of ashes? Will she secure a comfortable future with her living mother?
If she is Samon who prioritizes efficiency, you would choose the latter...
Birna is different.
The fact that the blood of the Valdina royal family flows through her Is her pride and identity that sustains her.
"Even if you abandon the pride of royalty and live a pitiful life in Raju's shadow, I will fully understand you."
"..."
"Not everyone can walk the path of nobility. That's one of the advantages of being a collateral."
It was a sweet voice that stimulated Birna's inferiority complex and turned her insides inside out.
"Goodbye, Birna. Next time I will see you as Raju's daughter."
Come back at that time, having learned the etiquette well.
Medea smiled as she watched the fire sparkle in Birna's eyes, which were filled with sorrow.
The prey was caught in the trap.
***
El Amuz Strait, District B. Raju's Mansion.
"Miss Birna! What are you doing without news?"
Raju's secretary was delighted to see Birna appear at the mansion.
He had just recently come from visiting his master, who was in isolation in prison.
The master ordered them to pack up their property in the strait and prepare to leave, saying that they would soon be repatriated to Katzen.
"And the Count's residence in the castle should be cleaned up as well. Catherine and Birna will be staying there from now on."
The secretary was embarrassed.
"Has the master forgotten what she has done?"
Who would want to see their parent's enemy again?
The fact that she never came back to this place again after the day when the maid from Claudio came to fetch Birna in a hurry proved it.
Although he thought the owner was being overly optimistic, he also felt a little sad that their relationship, which had lasted until now, was ending like this.
Because Raju was as devoted to Birna as he was to his own daughter.
In the meantime, she has now visited the Count's residence again.
It was nothing less than a signal for improved relations.
"I stopped by for a bit. Are you okay? I was feeling a bit depressed after the funeral."
"Of course. I completely understand. Come by and stay as long as you want."
The secretary enthusiastically agreed with Birna's words. It seemed that the money and effort the owner had poured in so far had not been completely in vain.
"I was worried about you, young lady, so I can't tell you how relieved I am to see you like this. I'll tell the kitchen to prepare a meal. Should I call the theater company to change your mood?"
"No. Everything... It's okay. I just want to be alone and quiet, so don't send people up here."
Birna shook her head and headed to her room.
There was only one maid who was with her.
Reddened eyes, torn lips, even the crumpled handkerchief in her hand. It was clear that she was still enduring her sorrow.
"Of course, I will tell the kids too. So that the young lady can rest comfortably."
The secretary nodded enthusiastically and escorted Birna to her room.
"Then, Miss. Please call me anytime."
As soon as the secretary left, Birna's tired and weary-looking complexion completely changed.
"Abominable!"
She picked up a letter knife and started stabbing the pillow roughly.
Pok, pok.
The metal dug into the soft cotton, drowning out the noise.
"Haa... You stay here. If anyone comes, tell them I'm sleeping."
Birna, who had been quietly expressing her anger, gave a request to the maid.
She left the room as if she had been waiting and headed straight to the third floor.
Knock knock.
And then she went into Raju's private room, where entry was prohibited.
Since she had been there before, her steps did not hesitate.
Birna immediately searched Raju's desk.
The seemingly simple mahogany desk had hidden drawers scattered throughout.
Soon, the black vault located in the deepest center came into view.
Birna stretched out her hand. A tingling pain ran through her fingertips.
And at the same time, with a click, the safe door opened.
This time, she could tell that this pain was the medium that opened the door to the vault.
Birna picked up the black book inside the safe.
Beneath the black book lay a stack of parchments.
She was so shocked that she didn't notice it last time because she found out that this book was the late Emperor's secret ledger.
[Dear Robbie. Even if the world doesn't allow us, don't forget that my heart is always with you.
-Your Cath.]
When Birna discovered her mother's handwriting on the old parchment with dried ink and curled edges, she crumpled the letter.
"Haa...how can you end it..."
Before finding this mansion, Birna, who had just finished the funeral, followed the whereabouts of her mother who hurriedly left without even waiting for her daughter who went out in anger.
And she saw it with my own eyes.
The mother went to find Raju. The two people were stuck together with the bars of the isolated prison cell, even biting people.
"The two of you are lovers."
So, what Medea said was true.
That her mother and godfather had been deceiving her and her dead father for so many years!
"I'll kill you... I'll never let you go."
Her index finger stung terribly. Birna sucked up the black drop of blood that had formed on her pricked fingertip and swallowed it.
Even if she puts some poison here, it won't stop Raju's wicked nature.
***
"Miss, are you leaving already? I told the chef to prepare dinner, so please eat dinner before you go."
The secretary looked at Birna with regret as she tried to leave the mansion before half a day had passed since she came in.
"People are watching, so I think it would be better to go home early today."
"Ah... That's true. I see... You'll come looking for me again, right?"
"..."
"Miss, I know it may be presumptuous of me to say this, but the master really does care about you. I know it's not the right thing to say at this time, but..."
Birna nodded at the secretary's careful words.
Of course, she knew that her godfather loved her and devoted himself to her.
"Don't worry, I too, will never forget and will definitely repay him."
Birna's unwavering eyes emitted a strange light.
In the carriage on the way home.
Birna hands the maid the black book she had smuggled from Raju's secret room.
"Give this to Samon... No. Samon is not allowed."
This ledger is Raju's never-ending money supply.
Moreover, Samon is also involved in smuggling, which is the only means of livelihood for
the family.
If her brother, who is calculating to the core, were to do this, he would be thinking about how to fill his own stomach with this account, let alone avenging his father.
"Turn the carriage around. We're going to the Katzen delegation's quarters."
The general himself has now returned to Katzen, but he has left a few of his men in the strait under the pretext of inspecting the delegation.
But in reality, it was to keep an eye on his subordinate Raju while Jason was summoned to the empire.
She once heard Raju say in passing that he was a very old man.
"Miss. The delegation is currently in custody. If you go there yourself, won't you stand out too much?"
The accompanying maid opened her mouth cautiously.
"Besides, everyone will know that the young lady is the master's daughter... I think it would attract too much attention..."
Yes. She can't just casually reveal that she's going to denounce Raju.
Birna bit her lip, realizing that the maid's point made sense.
"If you have something to tell me, I'll sneak out and come back. I'm confident I won't get caught by the security."
"Now that I think about it, you came to pick me up back then."
The maid had already proven her loyalty by being the first to tell her about her father's death, avoiding her mother's attempts to cover up the incident.
"Yes. There will be people among the delegation wearing clothes embroidered with red roses."
A red rose is a symbol given only to those who serve the Emperor.
That is, it meant that he was the person in charge of the watch.
"Tell them this. I'll be watching from here, so come right back."
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