Chapter 189 : Chapter 189

Chapter 189: Staying Behind (3)

It ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍was strange.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍one whose blood was mixed with god’s was clearly Cellos, yet the Empress standing beside him seemed to be the one pressuring him.

Anna ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍blamed her own feelings, which did not match common sense, and bowed her head even deeper.

“I ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍do not know how one intends to clean a window empty-handed.”

At ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Empress’s flat voice, Anna squeezed her eyes shut.

Unless ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Empress spoke to her directly, Anna did not dare cut into their conversation.

She wished Cellos would say anything at all, but Cellos was silent, as if his upper and lower lips had stuck together.

As far as Anna remembered, Cellos was always shouting, so that appearance of his felt strangely unnatural.

“Can you no longer even speak properly?”

“N-no. That is not it.”

Flustered by the Empress’s cold voice, only then did Cellos stammer an answer.

“She was c-cleaning the window, and now I had just ordered her to organize my clothes.”

It was probably something he blurted out at random among tasks one could do empty-handed, but Anna squeezed her eyes shut again at his answer.

“You mean this maid is organizing your clothes?”

Not just anyone could organize an Imperial Family member’s clothes.

In the 7th Prince’s Palace, there were so few people to work and no one of high status, so anyone organized clothes. But even in Cellos’s imperial palace, there was no way tasks would be assigned so carelessly.

Cellos was blinking, not knowing what was wrong with what he had said.

The Empress, who had been looking at her pathetic son, shifted her gaze to Anna.

“What is your name?”

“A-Anna, Your Majesty.”

Anna quickly answered.

She knew there was nothing good about someone so high remembering her name, but she could not speak falsely either.

Anna swallowed as she felt a hot gaze prick the back of her head.

“I have never heard that name.”

“I brought her here.”

Anna almost raised her head in surprise at Cellos’s sudden help.

Fortunately, the Empress’s attention turned back to Cellos.

“I disliked the maid working here now, so I brought over a girl who worked in the kitchen.”

After hearing the ridiculous excuse that he had entrusted organizing his clothes to a kitchen maid, the Empress, for some reason, did not rebuke Cellos and simply looked quietly at her foolish son.

Before long, she opened her mouth.

“If you dislike her, there is nothing to be done. I will use this chance to replace everyone who enters and leaves your room. That would be best.”

Cellos widened his eyes at the sudden notice.

“This is good timing. From the maids to the cooks in the kitchen, I should replace everyone.”

There was no need to say what would happen to the people being replaced.

Many people would disappear without a trace.

It was not that he was worried about them.

Only, whenever the Empress suddenly changed an important part of his life like this, his chest felt tight.

“Th-there is no need to do that. It is better to continue as it is.”

The Empress looked at Cellos, whose expression had stiffened, and opened her mouth.

“Or is there someone important among the servants?”

That was not it.

Cellos did not even know the faces of the people who worked here.

When he could not answer, the Empress turned away as she was.

“The people will change starting tomorrow, so you only need to live as you always have. Quietly, without doing anything useless.”

Right now, all he had to do was answer that he understood, and that he was grateful.

But,

“......Why must I do that?”

After saying it himself, Cellos panicked and covered his mouth with his hand.

That did not mean words already spoken would go back into his mouth.

The Empress did not become angry.

“Do you think you have the qualifications to demand such a thing?”

Cellos thought he would rather she get angry.

“Doing this bothersome work, and replacing the employees, all of it is because of you, so why do you expect me to explain things to you? Do you think I have to receive your permission for everything?”

“......”

“If you want an explanation so badly, I will give you one. It is because those who have worked for a long time might know your secret. Do you understand now?”

At the sharp word secret, Cellos reflexively turned his eyes to Anna, who had her head bowed.

His heart pounded just from imagining that insect-like servant learning his secret.

The desire not to experience such humiliation and unease ruled Cellos’s head.

The Empress slowly opened her mouth as she looked at his pale face.

“I hope you understand at least this much. If even your head is lacking, I will grow far too tired.”

“......I apologize.”

Cellos lowered his head to hide his blurred face.

The Empress, who had been looking expressionlessly at that son of hers, swept her eyes over Anna, who still could not raise her head and was curled up.

“You deal with that child.”

At her cold words, Cellos looked at her in surprise.

“Why are you so surprised? What is special about getting rid of a single servant? Is that not what you always do?”

“That...... is true, but.”

“You should take responsibility for at least one result of your actions.”

Cellos looked down at Anna, who was trembling without even being able to breathe, and eventually nodded.

“......Yes, Your Majesty.”

To Cellos, who had been thoroughly cowed, the Empress brought her face close.

A sweet scent heavily stimulated his nose.

“Live as if you are dead. Do nothing useless.”

Leaving behind only bitter words, she left the room.

Emptiness wrapped around Cellos.

Soon, everyone in the castle would change.

The Empress had replaced the employees of his castle several times before as well.

She had never once explained the reason.

The Empress swept her eyes over Cellos’s room one last time, then left the room as she was.

Cellos’s room grew silent.

Anna, thinking that jumping out the window even now might not be such a bad idea, quietly looked back.

“......”

Cellos turned without a word.

Anna looked at him with terrified eyes.

The Empress had clearly told him to deal with her.

Anna was not foolish enough to have the hopeful thought that this merely meant silencing her.

“Y-Your Highness, I-I won’t say anything. Last time too, and when you talked with Lord Ran, I didn’t say anything.”

Cellos’s gaze as he looked down at Anna, who was desperately begging for her life by claiming her mouth was heavy, was cold.

For him, taking the life of a small bug like this was not difficult.

“Shut up and stay still.”

Usually, when he gave an order like this, servants trembled in fear but still obeyed.

However, there was one thing Cellos had overlooked. The small maid before his eyes already had a record of disobeying his order once before, and right now, his order did not exert as much power as it had before.

Because of that, it was unavoidable that he could not respond to Anna suddenly springing to her feet, or to the unexpected action of that same Anna really jumping out the window in the time it took him to blink once in panic.

“Hey......!”

Cellos, coming back to his senses, leaned out the window.

Anna’s small body was hanging desperately from the window frame.

Anna’s face, flushed from straining, was so desperate that even Cellos flinched for a moment.

Anna looked down, then could not bear the dizzying height and raised her head again.

What entered the child’s eyes was Cellos’s hand reaching toward her.

“Aaaah!!!”

Anna screamed and twisted her body to the side, avoiding his hand.

But because of the hurried movement, Anna’s arm, unable to withstand her swaying body, also shook greatly, and in the end, Anna lost her grip.

Anna fell downward without even being able to scream.

Anna’s hand, stretched out before she knew it, instinctively tried to grab Cellos’s hand, but it only barely brushed the tip of it.

***

The sound of wind and ringing struck Anna’s ears together.

That sound, which made her imagine the impact of the fall, only fueled the child’s terror.

As Anna prepared for the coming pain while praying that it would stop at her legs or arms breaking, a different sound rang in her ears this time.

THUD!

‘Thud?’

It seemed to have come from the ground, but there was no time to think any further.

WHUMP!

Because this time, along with an impact that chilled her to the tips of her feet, the sound of her body striking the ground hit her eardrums.

Anna, who bounced once off the ground, had to clench her teeth at the way her body rolled several times before she even had time to feel pain.

Feeling something distinctly hotter than the cold winter air against her back, Anna carefully opened her eyes.

And immediately after, she was surprised by the fact that she had enough consciousness left to feel pain.

Because she had thought her body would obviously burst and she would lose consciousness.

“Ugh...... wh-what is this?”

Anna fumbled over the ground and checked the rough, soft something lying beneath her back.

Rough fallen leaves, and tree branches.

Slightly hot ones.

Anna realized that they were branches from the trees decorating the area around Cellos’s castle.

And that the thud she had heard a moment ago had been the sound of a tree falling.

There was a hole in the stump of the fallen tree.

Anna blankly watched the area around the hole blacken and burn, sparks jumping from it.

Is this the true power of the Imperial Family?

It was a somewhat stronger flame, different from the small ember she had seen in Ran’s castle.

The tree was not old enough to have grown a thick trunk, but felling one in a single blow was a power Anna could not even imagine.

Did he save me?

The child thought there was no way, and lifted her head to look up at Cellos’s room.

He was frozen in the exact posture of leaning out the window and stretching out his hand.

Cellos’s gaze passed over the fallen tree and turned toward Anna.

The moment Anna’s eyes met his, she staggered to her feet.

Then she turned and ran.

Because it became clear that he had not intentionally tried to help her.

What filled Cellos’s eyes was surprise.

As if he himself had not known that he would bring about such a result.

***

“Hah, hah, hah......!”

Anna ran while freely releasing the breath she had been holding.

If she turned back, it felt as if Cellos would grab her by the scruff of the neck at any moment.

When she saw herself moving away from the gleaming 8th Prince’s castle and drawing closer to Ran’s old and shabby castle, Anna shed tears of relief.

She wanted to get inside quickly.

She wanted to feel safe among the older girls who exchanged chilly jokes while dragging their tired bodies before sleeping.

Even if only for a very short while.

Anna, who had reached the castle, slowly stopped walking.

Anna knew too that running away now was useless.

As long as she was inside this Imperial Palace, no, perhaps as long as she was in this country, she might become a fugitive forever.

It was strange.

Going against the will of the Imperial Family was something utterly impossible, and it should certainly be that way, yet when she thought she might die, her body moved on its own.

It felt as if she had done something wrong, but even so, she did not want to blankly offer up her life like before.

Anna, panting, climbed the castle steps.

She had to pack her things and leave.

She could not explain in detail, but she would say goodbye to the others, and then......

“Aaaah!!!”

Anna’s plan was cut off as a scream from upstairs sliced through her head.

“P-please spare me! Why are you doing this?”

“Wh-why are you doing this? No one here has committed a crime. Why on earth......”

The voice filled with injustice did not continue to the end.

THWACK!

The terrified voice vanished, blocked by a striking sound frightening just to hear.

Anna was not so dull that she could not understand what had just happened.

Trying not to imagine it, she covered her mouth as a scream tried to burst out.

“This is the castle of the late 7th Prince. If you do something like this......”

This time, it was a familiar voice.

It was the old doctor from the first floor, whom Anna had often relied on.

Just like Anna, his cowardly voice was trembling terribly.

“The reason we kept you alive is because you’re the bastard in here who remembers every employee’s face and name. So if you want to keep living, just answer what we ask. If you want to keep working as a doctor, you should take good care of your remaining fingers.”

A cold, low voice threatened him.

Anna realized that his voice was frail not only because he was frightened.

“There is no one. The person you just killed was the last.”

“It says in the ledger that one person is missing. Is that true?”

It was obvious who the one missing person was.

Anna held her breath and stepped backward.

Now it was only a matter of time before her existence was discovered.

As Anna turned around and tried to go down the stairs, someone covered her mouth from behind.

A strong force pulled the child back.