The criminal activities of those involved were revealed, and they began to be punished one by one. Jason Nova and Owen Casper were secretly executed for distributing illegal drugs.
'Curtis Lane has long humiliated the royal family by disguising his illegitimate child as a member of the royal bloodline. He is also guilty of conspiring with Tiffany Oberon to plot treason.'
Of course, Curtis couldn't avoid trial either. It was only natural since Cecilia had exposed his guilt in the trial involving Tiffany.
'Curtis Lane is sentenced to death.'
Curtis was also sentenced to death. On the day she heard the news, Cecilia shut herself away from the Empress's palace. Even Madame Monte was not allowed to be by Cecilia's side. The only one who was allowed to be by her side was Eden. That day, Eden canceled all his schedules and stayed with Cecilia.
It's already been several days since that happened.
“Cecilia.”
Cecilia, who was reading a book by the window, turned her gaze to Eden. Eden looked down at her clean face and habitually kissed it.
“It’s time to go out now.”
“Oh, is it that time already?”
Cecilia was surprised. Eden nodded quietly. Cecilia closed the book she was reading and stood up.
“Are you sure you want to attend?”
Cecilia nodded as if it was obvious. However, it was not that she did not understand his feelings.
“It probably won’t be much of a sight to see.”
Eden had already advised Cecilia not to watch Tiffany's execution scene once because watching someone's execution is not a pleasant thing to watch.
“But I still have to see it.”
Cecilia was not unaware of this fact. However, Cecilia had a clear reason for being there.
“I can’t break your stubbornness.”
Eden sighed softly. He held out his hand to Cecilia. Cecilia took his hand as if they were going out for a walk.
“Let go!”
When they had just arrived at the execution grounds, the execution grounds they could see from where they were standing were already in an uproar.
“I can’t die like this!”
Tiffany was screaming. She said she couldn't die like this because it was so unfair. Cecilia thought back to Tiffany just watching Curtis die. And the way she disgustingly comforted herself.
"No!"
Tiffany struggled. But it was impossible to overcome the strength of the two men holding her from both sides. Tiffany was literally dragged onto the scaffold.
Tiffany's gaze turned to the direction where Eden and Cecilia were. It was the place where she had once indifferently watched Curtis' death and laughed at Cecilia's despair.
“...”
The distance was quite far, so it was difficult to be certain of anything. But Cecilia saw a face gradually distorted with despair from afar. And she thought she had definitely met Tiffany's eyes.
“You are a criminal who dares to mock the royal family with lies!”
“A traitor who tried to sell out the country!”
But that time was short. Criticism poured in from the imperial people. Those who helped execute Tiffany knelt down under the dull, distorted light.
“No! I can’t die like this!”
“Kill hee! Kill her!”
It was when Tiffany was swearing that she didn't want to die because it was so unfair. The audience that had gathered at Tiffany's execution grounds chanted for her to be killed immediately.
“The execution of the sinner Tiffany Oberon is underway!”
It was just before the execution.
“Cecilia.”
Eden quietly called Cecilia's name. It meant to tell her not to look.
"Yes."
Cecilia answered obediently. And the moment the executioner released the string connecting the blade, she quietly closed her eyes. Just as Eden had warned, the sound of the blade falling continued several times until it finally snapped completely.
The ill-fated relationship that had lasted two lives was cut off like that. It was disappointing. Revenge was quite a futile thing.
Even after Tiffany finally died, Cecilia wasn't very happy. Now all that was left was Curtis' death. Eden knew that it was a regret that couldn't be cut off until the end.
But he had not guessed that Cecilia would go alone to meet Curtis. Eden started walking quickly. The chamberlain stumbled and followed him at the Emperor's sudden action.
“Tiffany Oberon is dead.”
When they reached the cell where Curtis was being held, they saw Cecilia and Curtis talking alone, as if it had been left open on purpose. Eden looked around.
“As many times as the number of people you have killed, as many times as the number of sins you have committed.”
Curtis' face was twisted in agony. Cecilia watched his sorrow and pain expressionlessly.
“Are you in pain?”
And asked. Curtis couldn't answer. He seemed to have no sanity left in him, thinking that it was not something he would say to his own daughter who had almost died at the hands of those evil men.
“You still haven’t come to your senses.”
Cecilia said firmly.
“I still get angry when I think about how my life got caught up in that woman’s vengeance.”
“Cecilia, I...”
Curtis mumbled, unable to continue. Cecilia's eyes were a mixture of pain, disappointment, and guilt.
“Do you feel pain when you see me?”
“...”
“Do you feel sorry for me?”
Cecilia asked again. Curtis lowered his eyes.
“Of course it’s painful, and of course I’m sorry.”
He answered softly. The look of guilt on his aged face was clear. He had clearly abandoned his daughter.
"Father."
Cecilia called Curtis with a tired face.
“I have neither the strength nor the will to protect my father.”
And she confessed her true feelings. Just as Curtis had abandoned Cecilia, Cecilia had also decided to abandon him.
“If you are truly sorry to me, then go with that feeling.”
Cecilia said that and got up from her seat. She had a rather cold attitude, even though she knew that this might be the last time they would meet.
“...”
Eden knew that Cecilia's attitude was an effort to not be foolish.
“Cecilia.”
“I’ll go back first.”
Cecilia, who already knew that Eden was there, was not surprised to see him. She just hugged Eden once and passed him by.
"...Your Majesty."
Eden looked at Curtis, who had risen from his seat awkwardly. His gaze was searching beyond Eden's shoulder for the back of his daughter who had disappeared.
“Cecilia isn’t coming back. You know that.”
Curtis bowed his head at Eden's words. He must have said so because it was a truth he knew. As Eden watched him, his heart sank. Unfortunately, Curtis looked unusually similar to Cecilia.
“Yes, I know.”
The window, which had always been closed, was open as if Cecilia had left it open. The breeze made his heart flutter.
'Should we resent the sentence handed down to Curtis Lane?'
Eden asked while looking at Cecilia, who looked very depressed. It was a ridiculous story. Cecilia laughed briefly and shook her head.
'Those who commit sins must be punished.'
It was a firm attitude. However, Eden did not know that there was a faint hint of regret at the end of those words. Even if he chose Tiffany, the fact that he cherished Cecilia as his daughter would not change.
'I just think that way.'
'...'
'If you were going to throw it away anyway, why not treat it well? Just think of it as a child you raised since you were born.'
That's how resentment grew. It left a trail of guilt. Eden had to hug and console Cecilia, who couldn't even cry because she felt sorry for him.
"Ha..."
Eden let out a low sigh as he recalled the memories of last night. Curtis instinctively flinched at his sigh.
“As Cecilia said, the sinner Tiffany Oberon is dead. And now it’s your turn.”
Curtis nodded.
“Are you scared?”
“If I'm not afraid, I'm lying.”
And he meekly admitted his fears.
“Cecilia hates you.”
“...”
“At the same time, she still feels sorry for you and loves you.”
Eden acknowledged Cecilia's feelings in a calm voice.
“And I hope that person doesn’t get hurt.”
And he revealed his feelings towards Cecilia in detail.
“So I’m going to give you another option.”
Curtis looked at Eden with a puzzled look. Eden couldn't help but look at his green eyes, which were the same color as Cecilia's.
“Get out now and don’t come back.”
“...”
“Put aside the position of the head of the household, the wealth, and the power.”
What Eden recommended to Curtis was a life of floating, literally, with only one body.
“If you really feel sorry for Cecilia.”
It was unclear whether Curtis, who was shedding tears, would accept it. However, it was the most Eden could give him. In fact, it was also a personal matter that the Emperor should not do.
“I’m just barely surviving until I die of old age.”
But there was nothing he could do. He loved Cecilia too much. He had never overcome that love, and he had no will to overcome it.
“You will live a lonely and painful life thanks to the daughter you abandoned, and then you will die.”
So all he could do was utter a noble curse that wished him a lifetime of loneliness and misery.
'Curtis Lane has long humiliated the royal family by disguising his illegitimate child as a member of the royal bloodline. He is also guilty of conspiring with Tiffany Oberon to plot treason.'
Of course, Curtis couldn't avoid trial either. It was only natural since Cecilia had exposed his guilt in the trial involving Tiffany.
'Curtis Lane is sentenced to death.'
Curtis was also sentenced to death. On the day she heard the news, Cecilia shut herself away from the Empress's palace. Even Madame Monte was not allowed to be by Cecilia's side. The only one who was allowed to be by her side was Eden. That day, Eden canceled all his schedules and stayed with Cecilia.
It's already been several days since that happened.
“Cecilia.”
Cecilia, who was reading a book by the window, turned her gaze to Eden. Eden looked down at her clean face and habitually kissed it.
“It’s time to go out now.”
“Oh, is it that time already?”
Cecilia was surprised. Eden nodded quietly. Cecilia closed the book she was reading and stood up.
“Are you sure you want to attend?”
Cecilia nodded as if it was obvious. However, it was not that she did not understand his feelings.
“It probably won’t be much of a sight to see.”
Eden had already advised Cecilia not to watch Tiffany's execution scene once because watching someone's execution is not a pleasant thing to watch.
“But I still have to see it.”
Cecilia was not unaware of this fact. However, Cecilia had a clear reason for being there.
“I can’t break your stubbornness.”
Eden sighed softly. He held out his hand to Cecilia. Cecilia took his hand as if they were going out for a walk.
“Let go!”
When they had just arrived at the execution grounds, the execution grounds they could see from where they were standing were already in an uproar.
“I can’t die like this!”
Tiffany was screaming. She said she couldn't die like this because it was so unfair. Cecilia thought back to Tiffany just watching Curtis die. And the way she disgustingly comforted herself.
"No!"
Tiffany struggled. But it was impossible to overcome the strength of the two men holding her from both sides. Tiffany was literally dragged onto the scaffold.
Tiffany's gaze turned to the direction where Eden and Cecilia were. It was the place where she had once indifferently watched Curtis' death and laughed at Cecilia's despair.
“...”
The distance was quite far, so it was difficult to be certain of anything. But Cecilia saw a face gradually distorted with despair from afar. And she thought she had definitely met Tiffany's eyes.
“You are a criminal who dares to mock the royal family with lies!”
“A traitor who tried to sell out the country!”
But that time was short. Criticism poured in from the imperial people. Those who helped execute Tiffany knelt down under the dull, distorted light.
“No! I can’t die like this!”
“Kill hee! Kill her!”
It was when Tiffany was swearing that she didn't want to die because it was so unfair. The audience that had gathered at Tiffany's execution grounds chanted for her to be killed immediately.
“The execution of the sinner Tiffany Oberon is underway!”
It was just before the execution.
“Cecilia.”
Eden quietly called Cecilia's name. It meant to tell her not to look.
"Yes."
Cecilia answered obediently. And the moment the executioner released the string connecting the blade, she quietly closed her eyes. Just as Eden had warned, the sound of the blade falling continued several times until it finally snapped completely.
The ill-fated relationship that had lasted two lives was cut off like that. It was disappointing. Revenge was quite a futile thing.
***
Even after Tiffany finally died, Cecilia wasn't very happy. Now all that was left was Curtis' death. Eden knew that it was a regret that couldn't be cut off until the end.
But he had not guessed that Cecilia would go alone to meet Curtis. Eden started walking quickly. The chamberlain stumbled and followed him at the Emperor's sudden action.
“Tiffany Oberon is dead.”
When they reached the cell where Curtis was being held, they saw Cecilia and Curtis talking alone, as if it had been left open on purpose. Eden looked around.
“As many times as the number of people you have killed, as many times as the number of sins you have committed.”
Curtis' face was twisted in agony. Cecilia watched his sorrow and pain expressionlessly.
“Are you in pain?”
And asked. Curtis couldn't answer. He seemed to have no sanity left in him, thinking that it was not something he would say to his own daughter who had almost died at the hands of those evil men.
“You still haven’t come to your senses.”
Cecilia said firmly.
“I still get angry when I think about how my life got caught up in that woman’s vengeance.”
“Cecilia, I...”
Curtis mumbled, unable to continue. Cecilia's eyes were a mixture of pain, disappointment, and guilt.
“Do you feel pain when you see me?”
“...”
“Do you feel sorry for me?”
Cecilia asked again. Curtis lowered his eyes.
“Of course it’s painful, and of course I’m sorry.”
He answered softly. The look of guilt on his aged face was clear. He had clearly abandoned his daughter.
"Father."
Cecilia called Curtis with a tired face.
“I have neither the strength nor the will to protect my father.”
And she confessed her true feelings. Just as Curtis had abandoned Cecilia, Cecilia had also decided to abandon him.
“If you are truly sorry to me, then go with that feeling.”
Cecilia said that and got up from her seat. She had a rather cold attitude, even though she knew that this might be the last time they would meet.
“...”
Eden knew that Cecilia's attitude was an effort to not be foolish.
“Cecilia.”
“I’ll go back first.”
Cecilia, who already knew that Eden was there, was not surprised to see him. She just hugged Eden once and passed him by.
"...Your Majesty."
Eden looked at Curtis, who had risen from his seat awkwardly. His gaze was searching beyond Eden's shoulder for the back of his daughter who had disappeared.
“Cecilia isn’t coming back. You know that.”
Curtis bowed his head at Eden's words. He must have said so because it was a truth he knew. As Eden watched him, his heart sank. Unfortunately, Curtis looked unusually similar to Cecilia.
“Yes, I know.”
The window, which had always been closed, was open as if Cecilia had left it open. The breeze made his heart flutter.
'Should we resent the sentence handed down to Curtis Lane?'
Eden asked while looking at Cecilia, who looked very depressed. It was a ridiculous story. Cecilia laughed briefly and shook her head.
'Those who commit sins must be punished.'
It was a firm attitude. However, Eden did not know that there was a faint hint of regret at the end of those words. Even if he chose Tiffany, the fact that he cherished Cecilia as his daughter would not change.
'I just think that way.'
'...'
'If you were going to throw it away anyway, why not treat it well? Just think of it as a child you raised since you were born.'
That's how resentment grew. It left a trail of guilt. Eden had to hug and console Cecilia, who couldn't even cry because she felt sorry for him.
"Ha..."
Eden let out a low sigh as he recalled the memories of last night. Curtis instinctively flinched at his sigh.
“As Cecilia said, the sinner Tiffany Oberon is dead. And now it’s your turn.”
Curtis nodded.
“Are you scared?”
“If I'm not afraid, I'm lying.”
And he meekly admitted his fears.
“Cecilia hates you.”
“...”
“At the same time, she still feels sorry for you and loves you.”
Eden acknowledged Cecilia's feelings in a calm voice.
“And I hope that person doesn’t get hurt.”
And he revealed his feelings towards Cecilia in detail.
“So I’m going to give you another option.”
Curtis looked at Eden with a puzzled look. Eden couldn't help but look at his green eyes, which were the same color as Cecilia's.
“Get out now and don’t come back.”
“...”
“Put aside the position of the head of the household, the wealth, and the power.”
What Eden recommended to Curtis was a life of floating, literally, with only one body.
“If you really feel sorry for Cecilia.”
It was unclear whether Curtis, who was shedding tears, would accept it. However, it was the most Eden could give him. In fact, it was also a personal matter that the Emperor should not do.
“I’m just barely surviving until I die of old age.”
But there was nothing he could do. He loved Cecilia too much. He had never overcome that love, and he had no will to overcome it.
“You will live a lonely and painful life thanks to the daughter you abandoned, and then you will die.”
So all he could do was utter a noble curse that wished him a lifetime of loneliness and misery.
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