Chapter 8

After meeting Calix, I’m going to file an appeal to His Majesty, the Emperor. I need him to do something about this damn forest·····. Although he might not take seriously the appeal raised by the daughter of a nobleman.

In fact, I was more of a problem than the forest or the emperor. I can’t believe I walk around without a servant even though I knew I’m pregnant.

How outraged would Calix be if he knew? I feel dumbfounded with myself too.

‘I’m gonna have to take extra care of my body from now on. I must never forget that I am pregnant.’

I sighed with a belated resolution. After clearing the last vines and entering the light, a normal flower garden, not a forest, unfolded.

Oh, finally! I felt relieved and kept walking forward past the flower garden. As I looked around, I saw a building in the distance.

But what kind of building is it? I don’t know because I haven’t been to the Imperial Palace for a long time.

I’m sure there’ll be someone there. I strode towards the building.

······But the closer I got to this building, the more familiar it becomes. A snow-white roof and pillars, it seems like a temple···· No, it really is a temple!

Oh, my God.

It’s good to find a way, but I’ve come near the Great Temple.

W-What if I run into Sia? But will Sia already go outside? She must’ve been staying inside the temple safely, right?

Tens of thousands of thoughts ran through my head, when I heard a voice from afar.

“······His Grace is·····.”

“······That’s not true.”

Huh? Her ears pricked hearing the familiar voice. This voice······ It’s Calix’s!

Calix was close by.

My mood was plummeting down little by little as I try to approach carefully.

Strangely, my heart was pounding. Though, I know it was different from feeling any excitement. Right now, the person talking to Calix······.

“······You’re such a nice person. The Grand Duke is.”

Finally, I could see the two of them clearly.

Fearing that I might get caught, I hid quickly behind the flower bed.

My heart was thrashing like crazy. It seemed that the sound could resonate all the way up there. The person facing Calix right now······.

“You’re just mistaken. Divine Lady.”

Sia. It was her.

Black hair and eyes. A face as pale as the moon.

So beautiful that you could get blinded just by looking at her, she was there.

By Calix’s side.

‘Sia·······.’

Sia met Calix.

They’re laughing····· while talking with each other.

At the moment, my head was dizzy. I felt so woozy as if I was going to faint.

It was different from imagining it and seeing it in person. Seeing them standing face to face and looking in each other’s eyes, I felt suffocated to death. My heart aches so much.

I grabbed my chest then lowered my head. Cold sweat flowed all over my body and my hands and feet became very cold.

The moment I raised my head again,

“······!”

Sia fell into Calix’s arms. Calix faltered back in panic but did not push her away.

The next moment–

“Ugh······.”

Sia and Calix’s lips overlapped.

I quickly bowed my head, turning away from them.

I felt suffocated.

As if salt was being sprinkled on the wound, my heart starts to burn.

Ah······.

I’m glad I don’t like Calix so much, that’s what I thought, but now I felt like I was falling into an endless pit seeing that I was losing him.

What the hell is this? What are you really planning to do, Laure Ecree.

I already forgot that I had something to tell Calix. Lost in her thoughts, the two person’s voices grew smaller and farther away.

I carefully lifted my head up and looked at Calix and Sia.

Two people walking side by side, looking in each other’s eyes.

Sia pointed to the sky and said something, and suddenly Calix laughed.

The smile he used to show me, the funny, and his cute smile…

He was now giving that smile to Sia.

“······.”

My heart sank.

I plopped myself down on the spot. My eyes seemed to heat up and tears gradually filled up.

Her field of vision blurred. And the hot liquid ran down her cheek. Drip, drip. Tears soaked the fabric of her clothes. As she just sat there blankly.

And soon I realized.

That the scene I just saw, exactly matches the first meeting between the two in the original story······.

‘In the end·······’

In the end, I guess it was meant to be like this.

As expected, there was nothing I could do.

Like what has been repeated all this time······ I couldn’t change my destiny.

And it will continue to be······

No matter how hard I struggle, I can’t escape. I can’t get away.

I’m fated to lose everything to Sia.

Stupid.

Stupid, Laure Ecree.

What do you expect?

This is the reality. You’re the villainess, and you’re not the main character of this story.

‘Then what about my child?’

What about my child with Calix?

This child, what the hell is this then······.

I held my upper body in my arms. Then bowed my head and sobbed.

A promise never to forsake each other. Calix couldn’t have given that to me.

What did I stupidly expect? It was fated to be like this from the beginning. He was destined to love her.

He sent me a bluebird simply because it was before he met Sia.

It’s not that his feelings didn’t change.

It was just that.

Before meeting Sia······.

‘What should I do now?’

In the original story, there’s no part that Laure and Calix had a child.

Then, what does this child mean?

A child who will be criticized as illegitimate. In addition to that, a child who may be called the child of a wicked woman.

‘However, this child.’

It was my child. I don’t know her face or her voice yet, but she was the child I have to give birth to, raise, and take responsibility for.

‘I have to protect this child.’

I finally came to my senses.

So far I have been desperately avoiding fate. But it all failed.

However, I couldn’t give up like this. It’s not just about me anymore.

‘Yes, that’s it.’

I hugged my stomach tightly.

‘I have you.’

My eyes grew hot.

‘I······ Mom, will protect you.’

You’ll never be pointed out or killed for being the child of Laure Ecree.

Amidst being in great grief and sorrow, she promised. She vowed again and again. No matter what, she’s going to protect and keep this child.

Never, I’ll never let anyone take you away from me.

After a firm resolution, it was not difficult to make a plan.

“Are you sure you’re gonna be okay? Laure·····.”

At Alice’s anxious question, I smiled and nodded.

We are now packing our luggage. Originally, I was thinking of leaving alone, but Alice stepped out, saying she would go with me.

Saying I didn’t know anything about living an escapee’s life, no matter how much I refuse, she was still relentless. That she can’t let me go alone.

Tears welled up my eyes. There will always be a sliver of light even in the midst of darkness. I thought I was alone, but I was thrilled to have someone who was willing to sacrifice her comfortable life just to be with me.

“Thank you, Alice.”

I hugged Alice and said. She then quietly patted me on my back. Like a long time ago, just like my late mother did.

“Laure, I believe in you, that’s why I’m helping you do this, but someday you have to tell me. Why you should run away, and why you can’t tell the Grand Duke the truth.”

“······I will.”

I answered in a small voice. Even I can hear the uncertainty in my tone myself.

The secret that has been plaguing me for 11 years, will there be a day when I can confide it with someone else?

I thought that if I would ever tell someone my secret, the first person to know should be Calix.

But the moment I saw him with Sia, something inside me fell apart. I feel so desperate beyond resuscitation

Now all I had left was this child in my stomach. To protect my only child, I will leave the Imperial Capital.

For this child to grow up happily, there was no other way but to get out of here.

The flow in which the Divine Lady and the Grand Duke fell in love with each other, and the wicked woman, due to jealousy commits all kinds of evil deeds.

If the original story is so, I can leave here even before the story unfolds.

I will leave the Imperial Capital and become a character who doesn’t appear in the story.

‘Calix.’

My thoughts went to him. The many days I spent with him. The words he whispered to me. The promise he’ll never let go.

By that time, will he miss me at least once? When he thinks of me, will it hurt him for even a little?

‘I’m sorry I left like this. Contrastingly, I hate you, but I know that things can’t be helped because it’s fated. Thank you for liking me all this time.’

I pressed my reddened eyes with the back of my hand. And crushed my sorrowful heart and lingering regret.

From now on I have to be stronger. I have to be tough. Because I’m not alone. Because I have a child to protect.

Let’s not be weak-minded. For the child who has no family in this world but me.

I slipped out of Alice’s arms and raised my head. To her with a worried look on her face, I said with a big smile.

“Alice, I’m fine.”

I chanted like a spell to myself.

I left a letter to my father, brother, and Calix.

Perhaps the letters will be found this evening at the earliest, or tomorrow morning if late.

I looked around, pressing my hat deeply. I hid my pink hair in case anyone recognized me. And a scarf was wrapped around me like a mummy.

Not sure whether my appearance looks suspicious, passers-by glance once in a while, but I smiled at them as if unconcerned.

Alice and I packed up and came to the train station. If you take the mana train that crosses the Arisia continent, you will be able to reach the kingdom of Alona in the east.

After getting off there, we have to take a carriage.

Alice and I decided to go to the Jura Peninsula, the easternmost part of the continent, where the train routes do not go.

The Jura Peninsula was the so-called “World’s Edge.” It was said that it was not a good place for people to live in because of the storm from the eastern sea, and there were many pickpockets, fraudsters, and pirates.

However, it was a better place to hide for a long time than anywhere else.

“I’m glad people that I know were there. They took care of me when I was a kid, but now they’ve settled down and lived in the port city of Canello.”

Said Alice, looking carefully at the map. I smiled and shook my head.

“Yeah. It’s really fortunate. I hope they’ll not dislike me.”

Then Alice folded the map and smiled.

“That won’t happen. Every time I see Lady Laure, I always want to give you something to eat and keep you in a warm room.”

“Is, is that so?”

“Of course. Our lady is very cute.”

Uh. Stop saying something embarrassing. I blushed and diverted my gaze. Alice laughed as she looked at me.

“By the way, aren’t you hungry? I saw they sell crepes over there. Should I get some?”

Alice asked, pointing to the crepe stall. I think for a moment and nodded. I was just getting hungry. I can’t make a grumbling noise inside the train cabin. I don’t want to advertise that I’m hungry.

Alice grinned and said before turning,

“Then I’ll go get it. Please wait a little longer. Scream when someone approaches!”

“Yes!”

I nodded with a solemn look. I have to be careful in such crowded places. If a weirdo approaches and talks to me, I’ll kick him in the shin right away.

And if I scream promptly, Alice will come running and save me with magic.

While watching the surroundings and staying alert, there was a disturbance on the other side of the station.