“Prepare the carriage at once!”

“But Lady Lumina, it’s already dusk…”

“How fussy! I need to get to the royal castle! I need to see His Highness Velbutte!”

Lumina screamed at her maid who was desperately trying to stop her and boarded the carriage.

“Hurry up!”

Although confused by Lumina’s unreasonableness, the coachman rang his whip and climbed onto the carriage. After all, he couldn’t go against his master’s words.

The dusk road was mostly empty. There were almost no carriages passing by.

Lumina tightly clenched his hands, staring at the madder-colored sky through the window.

Instead of discussing anything, her parents continued to quarrel until the early afternoon. In the end, neither decided to relinquish what was precious to them.

The count told Belverassa to sell off all her jewelry, while Belverassa blamed the count for everything he had done so far.

Lumina had to put up with their display of nastiness. She couldn’t move until the two exhausted people returned to their respective room.

Lumina, who was escorted by her maid back to her room, cried until she had fallen asleep. Before she noticed it, the sun had already sunk.

As she dragged her heavy body out of her room, Belverassa stood in the hallway as if expecting her.

Lumina screamed—for despite her mother’s gorgeous garments, the sight of her was like that of a ghost.

Perhaps, it was because of her strangely mellow eyes and heavily powdered skin. Lumina felt repulsed by her for some reason.

“Mother…?”

“Lumina, you’re my only hope left.”

With terribly slow movements, Belverassa approached Lumina and grabbed her arms.

Her slender and thin fingers squeezed Lumina’s arm, resulting in pain. Due to her mother’s strength, Lumina couldn’t shake them off.

“My friend, Baron Jill, may be a little old, but he’s powerful and isn’t shy of a fortune.”

“…Baron Jill?”

Lumina frowned at the unfamiliar name.

Why is she mentioning him to me?

“Ever since his wife passed, he has been alone. He has been looking for a new significant other. Hey, Lumina, don’t you think that’s a good offer?”

“…You’re kidding me.”

“Just try it, I’m sure you’ll love him. You’ll support me, right? Hey, Lumina, you’ll help your mother, right?”

“No—!!”

Lumina pushed Belverassa away with all her might.

What did she just say?

“Lumina, please… this way, your mother won’t have to lose anything.”

Belverassa’s gaze was hollow.

Towards the fact that her mother didn’t appear to be looking at her, Lumina wanted to scream.

“Mother, is your jewelry more precious than me…?”

“…!”

Belverassa’s expression distorted briefly at Lumina’s question.

Yet her mother didn’t attempt to deny it. While smiling like a child, her mother called, “Lumina.” in a sweet voice as she began to approach her.

“Don’t come near me!!”

Unable to stand it, Lumina shouted and started to flee.

She wanted to see Velbutte and ask for his help as soon as possible.

Inside the carriage, Lumina folded her hands, as if praying, and thought of Velbutte.

He was her only hope left.

I’m sure he’ll help me. After all, he spoke of his love for me…

The day he decided to annul his engagement with Lorona, Velbutte confessed his love to Lumina.

If everything went smoothly, they’d definitely get married. He’d make Lumina his queen.

I don’t care about my mother or father anymore. It doesn’t matter if the count family fall’s to ruin because I’ll be marrying into the royal family.

She should discard her parents who didn’t prioritize her. In the first place, all she ever desired was Velbutte. He was the beloved she had stolen from Lorona.

“Velbutte, wait for me—huh…? Kyaaa—!!”

Suddenly, Lumina’s field of vision shook.

Then, after a brief floating sensation, a slamming impact shook the carriage.

“W, what is happening…!? Noooooo—!!”

With a loud noise, Lumina’s field of vision was reversed.

Suffering from a pain that pierced her entire body, Lumina lost her consciousness. Faintly, she could hear both the roar of the horse and the scream of the coachman in the distance.

---

***T/N: Eh? …Eh?!?! Please don’t die, yOU HAVEN’T SUFFERED ENOUGH YET!!!!

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