Chapter 66

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【The Empty Vial】

I now stood at a crossroads of fate.

The matter at hand was the disposition of the villain before me—Duchess Minchiana of Retriew.

I read the report in front of her.

"A little while ago, a report arrived from Captain Chrombertz via messenger. The Fifth Division, which was heading to the ruins of Beryun, encountered the rebel forces and prevented their entry into the castle. Most of the rebel officers were shot dead, and some were captured and interrogated."

Minchiana's face turned pale. Her lips trembled slightly, not entirely an act.

"Impossible... That can't be. You must be lying."

"You don't have to believe me. Do as you please. But this means you've lost all your cards."

Minchiana immediately countered.

"Is military power the only source of my strength? I am the head of the Retriew family."

"That's no longer the case. You are no longer the Duchess of Retriew. You are just Minchiana."

"What do you mean by that..."

I informed her of the facts.

"Your family has a rule that the head of the house must step down if advised by the Emperor. The Retriew family, based on the advice of Emperor Pelden III, has deemed you unfit to be the head. From now on, your younger brother, Serin, will inherit the family, and your father will serve as the guardian."

"Impossible! It's a lie! I've never heard of such a rule..."

She suddenly realized something.

I sighed softly.

"Yes, neither you nor I know about such 'hidden rules.' We are not the eldest sons."

The next head of the Five Royal Families is taught the knowledge of the noble society from a young age.

This includes the highest secrets, the 'hidden rules.' Even if they are the head's legitimate child, they are not taught unless they are considered the heir.

"It's not something that should be widely known, as it could cause trouble for people like you. It would only sow discord within the family."

"Such..."

Minchiana's face turned ashen, but I had to say it.

"Tomorrow, your father will send someone to fetch you. Officially, you will be sent to a mountain villa within the territory."

"Wait! My father won't let me live!"

"You're right. You will return to your hometown, but not alive. The announcement of your death will be delayed by about half a year."

"What!?"

Duchess Minchiana will be said to have handed over the family to her brother due to illness and passed away in the mountain villa, mourned by all.

This is not for her honor but for the honor of the Retriew family and to maintain the order of the imperial noble society.

"You cannot allow such lawlessness."

"What will you do if I don't allow it? The Emperor and the Retriew family have already abandoned you. The Fifth Division has purged your loyal officers, and the anti-Minchiana faction is rising again. The mercenaries at Beryun Castle have disbanded due to the lack of payment. It's over."

Here stands a girl my age, with no power.

"The only question left is when you will leave this world. His Majesty wishes for you to pass away as soon as possible. To prevent you from escaping during the escort, it has been decided to execute you before handing you over to the Retriew family. I have been assigned to command the firing squad. It is to be done before dawn."

Minchiana's face turned pale, and she seemed unable to speak.

I dislike her, and I cannot forgive her for the deaths of the 20,000 soldiers in the Kionis expeditionary force.

But my heart still aches. I cannot suppress the feeling of sympathy for her as a human being.

Still, duty is duty. I must fulfill my mission.

"However, His Majesty feels it would be regrettable for the former head of the Five Royal Families to be shot by a common soldier. You hate commoners, don't you? That's why I have this."

I placed a small vial on the desk.

"This is a very valuable drug that allows you to pass away peacefully without any pain. It's a rare honor to receive death directly from the Emperor in recent years. You can be proud of it."

"That's not funny!"

Minchiana stood up in a rage.

"If I had been the eldest son, this wouldn't have happened! Just because I was born a woman, I have to suffer like this! You're a woman too, don't you feel anything!?"

"I do feel something. That's why I left my family to become a soldier and managed to navigate the world through my rank."

If you are born a noblewoman, you will only be a tool for political marriages. If you don't like that, you can either renounce the world and live in a temple or become a soldier like me and lead a decorative unit.

In any case, your options are limited.

"But you accepted your noble status and lived a life of luxury. You've never had to pick up bread crumbs from the street or sleep on the cobblestones like Captain Chrombertz. If we're talking about misfortune, Captain Chrombertz has it much worse."

I glared at Minchiana.

"My subordinates and I have braved cannon fire to defend fortresses, fought to the death with infidel cavalry in the dust, and lost four important subordinates. All of them were women. You, who curse your birth as a woman, have killed the same women with your curses."

"What are you talking about? They were commoners, not the same as me."

Minchiana's face showed genuine confusion. I no longer felt the urge to be angry.

No matter what I say, she won't understand. It's a waste of time to argue.

I am grateful to her for this realization. It has lessened the pain in my heart.

"Then this is a conflict between the nobility and the commoners. There are many soldiers who want to shoot you, so I have prepared a large firing squad. You will die easily. The execution will be carried out now."

As I reached for the vial on the desk, Minchiana shouted.

"Wait! It is unacceptable for the head of the Retriew family to be shot like an animal by commoners!"

I picked up the vial and held it out to Minchiana.

"Then take the death granted by the Emperor."

Minchiana, beads of sweat on her forehead, stared at the vial on the desk.

"I... have to... drink this..."

"This is your last choice. Choose between execution and suicide."

"But... Where is Captain Chrombertz?"

"He's not here. I won't allow you to cling to his kindness. You tried to have him assassinated."

He is too kind. Even if it's impossible, he would consider hiding you and faking your death.

But that is not allowed as a soldier. We must kill when we must.

Chrombertz understands this and will prioritize his duty. But he will be hurt by his inability to reconcile this.

My advisor is too kind.

The nickname "Death Dealer Chrombertz" does not reflect his true nature.

So I will be the one to take her life.

"If you drink this, I will stay with you until the end. I can show you that much mercy and respect."

"I... I have to drink it, don't I... I have to..."

Trembling visibly, Minchiana took the vial.

The intricately crafted glass vial looked like a perfume bottle. It might be a fitting prop for her final act.

Minchiana stared at the vial intently, cutting the seal with trembling fingers. Her breathing was heavy.

"Do I have to drink it all?"

"It would be more certain that way."

I know I shouldn't feel sympathy, but I still felt sorry for her. Being forced to commit suicide is a humiliation and terror she cannot bear.

But my dead subordinates didn't even have the chance to accept their deaths.

To avoid feeling too much pity, I forced a cruel smile.

"You will die on a sofa in a quiet room. My subordinates died on cold sand."

"Comparing me to commoners, you are insane..."

Minchiana, still trembling, drank the vial in one go and threw it on the carpet.

"I... I drank it! Now praise my resolve!"

"...I will. You are indeed a noble."

I didn't want her to give up, so I praised her as a matter of courtesy.

The "Emperor's poison" was deliberately made without an antidote or cure. Even if she vomited it out immediately, it would be too late.

Minchiana's death was certain. She would die soon.

Minchiana was drenched in cold sweat but eventually stood up, her gaze wandering.

"In this room, it doesn't matter where I die. I just want to rest."

"Do you want to go to the bed?"

"Yes..."

Minchiana lay down on the canopy bed. I helped her, being cautious to avoid being attacked.

I brushed the sweat-soaked bangs from her forehead. Minchiana, lying on her back, whispered.

"I'm going to die... I am..."

"Are you in pain?"

"No, just a little... short of breath."

Her breathing became heavy, confirming her words.

I noticed Minchiana was looking at me with a pleading gaze, something I had never seen before.

"I'm scared... Can you... hold my hand... until the end?"

After causing the deaths of my subordinates, she had the nerve to ask this.

But I didn't have the strength to refuse. Reluctantly, I took her hand in silence.

"It's not so bad... that the witness to my end is from the Five Royal Families..."

Her consciousness was fading. She would soon fall into a peaceful sleep.

She was a great evil who had ruined many lives, but there was no need to make her suffer needlessly.

"Hey, Altsa..."

"What is it?"

"If I were to be reborn... would you... be my friend...?"

I would refuse.

But different words came out of my mouth.

"If you listen to me obediently, I will."

It was a meaningless promise. The Filnia religion's Resting Sect does not believe in reincarnation. The afterlife is a fixed destination in the Underworld's Resting Ground.

But Minchiana smiled like an innocent child.

"Thank you... I'll be a good girl... I'm so sleepy from dancing... I'll take a nap and when I wake up... we'll take a walk in the Winter Palace garden... and have lots of sweets..."

Her consciousness was clouding, and she was probably reliving old dreams.

I glanced at the floor, where the empty vial glistened in the moonlight.

She had taken the family from the Retriew family, and after all the wars and political struggles, this was the only thing she had gained.

It was foolish, but perhaps this was the life she had wanted.

There was something I wanted to ask her.

"Why did you go to such lengths to take the headship? What was your reason for clinging to power so desperately?"

There was no answer. She had fallen into a sleep from which she would never wake.

After a while, her chest, which had been moving slightly, stopped.

The fingers I had intertwined with hers slipped away and fell onto the sheet.

"Goodnight, Minchiana."

I put my cap back on and stood up to call the doctors.