The Male Lead Knelt Before Me - Chapter 139

Chapter 139

Translator: Missme
Editor: Missme

“O-orabeoni……”

Vivian clapped her stiff lips.

Vivian hadn’t opened her mouth in a while after the trial ended, so her lips were dry.

Vivian only realized later that the replacement knights were members of the Royal Knights.

Edmund grabbed his cloak over Vivian’s shoulder as she was looking at the members.

Edmund fastened the cloak tightly to the chain strap because it was constantly falling off her shoulder.

It was his gesture on Vivian’s behalf, who couldn’t move her hands.

“Thank you.”

Edmund opened his mouth as he turned away from Vivian’s gaze.

“…… Let’s get going. Father and Mother are waiting for you.”

“Father and Mother?”

Following Edmund’s strange appearance, his subsequent words were even stranger.

‘Why? Why are they waiting for me?’

Vivian was constantly asking questions while walking. She was perplexed as to why they were waiting for her.

‘Are they going to curse me with hatred because I ruined the Marquis’ honor? Or are they about to slap me?’

It seemed plausible.

Because what she did was such a colossal blunder that it harmed not only Vivian and her own honor, but also the family of Marquis Vessel.

As a result, when Vivian saw the image of the Marquis couple, she lowered her gaze once more. It was because she didn’t have the courage to look at them.

Vivian was determined to put up with whatever curses and swear words they hurled at her.

However, when she stood in front of the Marquis couple, her hands trembled to the point where her determination faded.

The Marquis was the first to speak after a brief silence.

“I’ve sent someone to the kingdom of Irgenia to buy a small house.”

The unexpected remark caused Vivian to raise her head.

“I want to find the best place, but it will be difficult because it is so urgent. Still, it would be enough to live alone.”

“……”

“We won’t be able to visit you in person, but we’ll send someone often instead.”

Vivian realized what the Marquis was saying after a while.

And what the Marquis said was not what Vivian had expected.

“Why……?”

Her voice was trembling as it came out of her mouth.

“I… I did something unforgivable. I am a sinner who has harmed the family. But why……”

“I’m not going to deny what you said. In fact, you deserve to beg Lady Oreu’s forgiveness.”

The Marquis continued calmly.

“However, in life, we can’t always think and judge objectively, and we end up doing things we eventually regret.”

Vivian thought the Marquis was calm, as he always was. Until she noticed his red eyes.

“You’re our child, aren’t you?”

“I…… don’t you hate me?”

“That would have the same answer. You are our child.”

The Marquis took a step closer to Vivian. Vivian flinched and trembled, but she kept her eyes on what the Marquis was doing.

The Marquis, who had appeared directly in front of her, hugged her.

Vivian hardened.

The hug itself was sudden, but this was the first time she was being hugged by the Marquis since she became ‘Vivian Vessel’.

It was simply surprising that the Marquis, whom she always believed was stern, was behaving in this manner.

“Vivian, my daughter.”

The Marquis eased away. And looked Vivian in the eyes.

“Regardless of what anyone says, you are our daughter. Since the beginning. As well as in the future.”

Vivian bit her bottom lip firmly. Otherwise, she felt like she was going to cry uncontrollably.

“I am sorry.”

“……”

“I… I am sor- sniff, -ry.”

Vivian burst. Tears streamed down both of her cheeks.

She strained her eyes to stop crying, but it was in vain.

Tears just flow down endlessly.

“I am sorry… sniff… I am really… sniff sniff sorry.”

The Marchioness, who approached them after the Marquis, also embraced Vivian.

Her vision became cloudy as she cried.

It was a love she had never considered her own since regaining her memory as ‘Elena’.

So she had no idea that in this life, she was also precious to someone.

The fact that they love ‘Vivian Vessel’ this much.

Vivian burst into tears in the arms of the Marquis couple.

Their arms were as warm as they could be while also being cruel.

Because it was already too far back for her to get it back.

⇺⇺⇺⇼⇻⇻⇻

Patter, patter, patter.

Sitting in front of the fireplace, I touched the holy relic necklace while listening to the sound of the fire burning.

I was restless.

I’ve been feeling this way since the Marquis couple came to visit a while ago.

The Marquis couple paid me a visit a few days ago, apologizing for being late to greet me. They were also thanking me for writing the petition and wanted to make amends in any way they could.

‘Of course, I declined everything.’

First and foremost, I wrote a petition for Vivian not because I truly forgave her, but for my own benefit.

Of course, the Marquis couple, who were unaware of this fact, simply thanked me and promised to assist me in the future if the Marquis Vessel family could assist.

‘In a way, I’ve gained a powerful ally, but……’

I wasn’t feeling very at ease.

‘I heard she’s leaving today, right?’

I touched the holy relic dazedly.

Actually, I’ve been thinking about returning this to Vivian several times.

The archduke and his wife are aware that this necklace is mine, but it was originally owned by Vivian.

The necklace she called the ‘guardian necklace’ and has cherished since childhood.

However, I couldn’t give it back completely because this necklace, along with the crown prince, was the root of the problem.

The necklace’s power has already been used once, so I don’t think that such a miracle will happen again, but I was still nervous and couldn’t return it.

‘Perhaps I won’t be able to return it indefinitely.’

Vivian would have been in a carriage on her way to the border by now, and I would never see her again.

I placed it in the jewelry box where the holy relic had previously been kept, locked it, and pushed it deep into the drawer.

⇺⇺⇺⇼⇻⇻⇻

“Oh, my God, it suits you so well!”

The Archduchess’s compliment made me smile awkwardly.

I was currently trying on dresses with the Archduchess at the capital’s most famous dress shop.

This was because the Archduchess offered to go on an outing together. I couldn’t bear turning down her offer, so I accepted.

‘I had no idea that outing was going to be shopping.’

Until I came out to the city, I assumed we were just going for a stroll through the streets.

As a result, I was taken aback when the Archduchess entered the shop and stated, ‘Actually, I ordered the dresses for you in advance.’

“I thought it would look good on you, but I guess my vision was correct.”

“Does it really suit me that well?”

“Sure! It’s best if you see it for yourself. Come here.”

I was led to the mirror by the Archduchess. To be honest, my reflection in the full-length mirror was very pretty even to me.

‘I thought it wouldn’t look good on me because of the color of the dress……’

The dress I was wearing was a bell-line dress made by layering a bright yellow fabric like a chick on top of a beige fabric. There were black ribbons as points here and there, but the color of the fabric was so intense that I was concerned.

Despite the fact that I was concerned for nothing.

“Come on, let’s try the next one.”

I went back into the dressing room at the request of the Archduchess.

After that, we were able to leave the dress shop after changing nearly ten outfits and paying for them.

But the shopping did not stop there.

After the dresses, the Archduchess requested a shoe store and accessories.

Because of this, I was able to eat lunch and dinner outside, and only after the sun had completely set could I board the carriage returning with the Archduchess.

‘How much did she spend……?’

I soon gave up subconsciously counting the items I purchased today. Because the thought of it was terrifying.

‘Really, anyone who sees it will know it’s my birthday today…… huh? birthday?’

I looked at the Archduchess as an unexpected thought occurred to me.

‘Is it really my birthday?’

I forgot about my birthday because I was lazy to take care my life, and Elena’s situation was just similar.

She considered herself an orphan and celebrated her birthday on the day she was adopted by the baron couple, but she didn’t celebrate it after they died.

The Archduchess, on the other hand, must have known Elena’s true birthday and wanted to take care of it.

“Uhm, Mother?”

“What’s wrong?”

“What day is it today?”

“What exactly do you mean by what day?”

“I was wondering if today is my birthday because you bought me so many things just for shopping.”

“That is not true. Your birthday is still a long way off. Come to think of it, you don’t know your birthday.”

The Archduchess then informed me that my birthday was June 23rd.

“Is that really my birthday?”

“That’s exactly right.”

What a strange coincidence.

I can’t believe that my birthday is the same as my birthday from my previous life.

But it was a relief to me. Because I won’t be confused when telling others about my birthday.

“It’s not your birthday today, but I wanted to do as much as I could before I went back the day after tomorrow.”

“Are you going back the day after tomorrow?”

“I have already stayed longer than when I was supposed to…… and to attend the execution ceremony is a bit too much already.”

The Archduchess gave a wry smile.

That’s when I realized something.

That the Archduchess was aware of the Crown Prince’s attempt to assassinate me.

The son of her close friend, her husband’s cousin, tried to kill her daughter. It would be very disturbing.

“And since we’re already talking about it, you don’t have to worry about what I suggested before.”

“Then……”

“I mean when I asked if you wanted to return to the Principality with us. I still want to take you with me, but I believe you need some time to settle down for the time being.”

The Archduchess continued, one hand rubbing her other arm.

“And it would be better for you to be by your fiance’s side rather than by our side.”

I flinched without realizing it at one point.

I’m curious if I made it clear that I was uncomfortable with the Archduke and Archduchess.

Apart from the guilt, I couldn’t even say anything else with empty words.

I opened my mouth after a long pause.

“I am deeply sorry.”

The Archduchess’s face was about to darken.

“However……”

“……”

“If it’s later, I think it’ll be fine.”

I didn’t dare to be sure, but it was a sincere word.

Even if dealing with the Archduke and his wife was difficult right now, I wonder if I would be able to treat them more comfortably later.

As I adapted as Elena.

“In addition, my brother…… I’d like to see him.”

“Right.”

My hesitant words elicited a bright smile from the Archduchess.

“Later in the future, I will come.”

What I said sounded more like an empty promise.

Nonetheless, seeing the Archduchess beaming with joy, I felt that the “later” I mentioned was closer than I thought.

⇺⇺⇺⇼⇻⇻⇻

The Capital Square.

It was usually a noisy square with merchants and passers-by lined up, but today it was noisy in a different way.

And there was Enosh in the midst of it all.

He was so disfigured that it was difficult to believe he was once a crown prince, kneeling with his wrists and upper body tightly tied with ropes.

Enosh’s face, visible under the dirty blond hair, was filled with miasma.

To the point where her exceptional appearance, which is her innate nature, loses its brilliance.

When a certain amount of people gathered and the appointed time came, the investigator recited Enosh’s actions and the final trial.

The people gathered in the square, like the nobles who attended the trial, could not hide their surprise.

However, Enosh was unable to hear their expressions or words.

Enosh’s life had come to a halt the moment Vivian framed him and the Emperor ordered his arrest.

His parents abandoned him, his trusted subordinates betrayed him, and the things he took for granted vanished in an instant.

It was all because of Vivian.

Yeah, it’s all because of that damn bitch. If only it wasn’t for that bitch.

‘This wouldn’t have happened.’

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