NIYTR 49

Chapter 49

Count Sandor

Why?

As the Pope bestowed his blessing upon Isabella and sprinkled holy water during the farewell rites, a surge of emotion welled up uncontrollably.

“Did you have a personal connection with Princess Isabella?”

Biting her lip to hold back tears, Edelweiss saw Damian casting her a puzzled glance. She quickly bowed her head with an excuse.

“We were close in age… it’s just sad. But, why hasn’t His Majesty the Emperor shown up?”

The funeral was nearing its end, yet the Emperor hadn’t made an appearance.

Damian curled his lips into a bitter smirk.

“When you don’t consider someone your child, you don’t care whether they’re born or dead.”

“……”

“He favors Charlotte because she reflects Mother—satisfies his desire that way. She’s young, easy to handle. But once she grows older, he’ll lose interest. Just like he did with me.”

Damian spoke as if narrating someone else’s life. But Edelweiss knew all too well—because she had lived through the same thing.

“That’s not the kind of expression I wanted to see when I said it…”

Damian suddenly reached his hand toward Edelweiss’s face, near her eyes, then slowly pulled it back.

She understood now—his heart had been shattered from so much resignation.

She also understood why Damian kept Princess Charlotte close.

Because he knew the Emperor’s affection for Charlotte would someday vanish.

And when that time came, he wanted to make sure she wouldn’t be hurt.

“I hope Lady Shasha never realizes that.”

“Someday, she won’t be able to avoid it.”

What the Emperor loved was nothing more than a shell resembling Empress Anastasia.

Empress Roxanne clutched the glass coffin and wailed.

Everyone shared in the horror of a mother’s lament for her lost daughter.

As the glass coffin was carried out, someone limped over to Empress Roxanne, who had collapsed with vacant eyes.

“Your Majesty, how much pain you must be in…” It was Rosemary.

Rosemary bent her injured leg and knelt, comforting Empress Roxanne.

“Look at that—even with her own body in pain, she’s trying to console Her Majesty.”

“I know, it’s so heartbreaking.”

Those moved by the scene quietly praised Rosemary.

Suddenly, a spark of focus returned to Roxanne’s vacant gaze. She hurriedly reached out and embraced Rosemary.

“Isabella! My child!” she cried out Isabella’s name.

“Mother, Sister is gone! Please, don’t do this!”

“No, Adolph, Isabella isn’t gone. See, she’s right here, in front of her mother, isn’t she?”

Adolph, who was standing by, tried to stop Empress Roxanne, but she refused to let go of Rosemary.

Everyone looked at Roxanne with sympathy, moved by her desperate gesture.

“The shock of suddenly losing the princess must be so great, for Her Majesty to mistake the Viscountess Benel for the princess.”

“I wouldn’t be able to stay sane either, especially since it was s*icide…”

“Come to think of it, Viscountess Benel has a mole in the exact same spot as Princess Isabella.”

“Oh, you’re right.”

It was strange. Rosemary’s attempt to comfort the Empress felt forced.

It also seemed unnatural how public opinion was suddenly focusing on how much Rosemary resembled Princess Isabella.

At that moment, Edelweiss saw the corner of someone’s lips curl up slightly.

‘No way…’

Rosemary’s real father.

Count Sandor was standing there, looking utterly satisfied.

On the inside of his wrist was a vivid red scratch—nail marks.

‘Her nail must have broken in the struggle when she was pushed into the lake.’

Edelweiss was certain.

Count Sandor killed Isabella.

‘It’s true, Isabella and Rosemary both have a beauty mark in the same spot. Now that Roxanne has lost Isabella, she’ll want to keep Rosemary close.’

It was obvious—he killed Isabella to win favor for Rosemary with the Empress.

…But there was no evidence.

There was no way to prove Isabella’s fear of the lake, nor did anyone see Count Sandor push her.

For now, the truth behind Isabella’s death remained hidden.

Since Isabella escaped the lake by herself in the past, no one knew about her trauma. She thought it was a weakness and told no one.

‘He killed Isabella just to support Rosemary. How can father and daughter act so alike?’

‘Rest in peace, Isabella. I’ll clear your name.’

Edelweiss had a letter proving that Rosemary was Count Sandor’s daughter.

She would reveal it on the day she found evidence that Count Sandor killed Isabella—

and drag both Rosemary and Count Sandor into ruin.

“Why are you shaking so much?”

Once outside St. Marian Wolf Cathedral, she found it hard to breathe.

Images of Isabella, terrified and struggling in the lake until she finally couldn’t breathe anymore, played endlessly in her mind.

Her steps faltered, and Damian caught her by the shoulder.

“…Sorry.”

“You don’t look well. Don’t go straight home—stop by Calliope Palace first.”

As she was about to go with Damian to Calliope Palace, she heard someone approach from behind.

“Edelweiss!”

Count Benjamin Sandor called out cheerfully as he walked over.

With those very hands, he must have pushed Isabella into the lake and watched her drown.

Before Edelweiss knew that Rosemary was his daughter, she had only thought of him as a gentle, smiling uncle.

So whenever he visited the Duke of Stern’s residence, she spent time with him, smiling.

Now that she knew the whole truth, the memories of those days sent chills down her spine. The image of Isabella’s broken fingernail before her eyes made it hard to breathe.

Revulsion surged up inside her—she couldn’t even pretend to be civil toward him.

Her hand, gripping Damian’s sleeve, still trembled. He stepped forward, shielding Edelweiss behind him.

Damian faced Count Sandor, his demeanor icy.

It was as if he was deliberately giving Edelweiss time to compose herself.

“Count Sandor.”

“…Prince Damian?”

“Do you think the royal family is a joke? How can you laugh and raise your voice in a place where a royal funeral is being held?”

At Damian’s sharp question, Count Sandor’s eyebrows furrowed briefly before he quickly composed himself.

“My apologies, Your Highness. I was simply glad to see my niece after such a long time. I pray for the peaceful repose of Princess Isabella’s soul.”

“And where is this niece of yours, Count? I’m curious, too. Please, do tell.”

Damian was openly calling him out.

How could he call Edelweiss his niece, when she was no longer part of Stern, and Rosemary—a bastard—not even from Stern at all?

“…It seems I was mistaken for a moment. I’ll take my leave now, Your Highness.”

Count Sandor bowed and turned to leave.

“…He’s gone.”

Damian whispered quietly enough for only Edelweiss to hear.

Once Count Sandor was completely out of sight, Edelweiss was finally able to calm down.

Just as at her coming-of-age ceremony, he had helped her again this time.

She’d felt it strongly lately—every time she met Damian’s gaze, a corner of her heart tingled.

But she had promised herself never to love again.

Her heart beat out of rhythm. Edelweiss knew exactly what this feeling was. That’s why she was afraid of it.

“What?”

It was dangerous. She wanted to rely on him more and more. The indescribable feelings she had for him seemed like they would only deepen.

“…It’s nothing.”

“If it’s nothing, don’t stare at me like that. It feels stifling, like you have something to say.”

What if she fell in love and was abandoned again?

To make sure that never happened again, she couldn’t let this spark grow any bigger.

“Your Highness. I have somewhere I need to be. I should go.”

“…Is that so? Should I walk you back?”

“It’s fine.”

Not wanting to let anything slip through the cracks, Edelweiss declined Damian’s offer and walked away.