Freyr Heronis, she was an ordinary aristocrat, no, an ideal woman who had never lived a life of misery. Beautiful appearance, birth that no one envy, and even the unstinting love of the family. Freyr was a woman with a lot of things, and a woman who did not know what she lacked.
It was a marriage of political convenience, but she had a kind husband, the people who treat her kindly in the mansion, and even the socialites who treat her accordingly. That’s why Freyr, as the Duchess of Heronis, did her best in her position so that she would not be a troublemaker to others.
Her kind husband was always kind to her and was a faithful person who never abandoned his duties. So Freyr started to have a feeling of love towards him and believed that they would stay happier as a couple.
“Hello, I’m Eunice. I’ve decided to work at Duke mansion starting from today. Please take good care of me!”
Until a woman who called herself Eunice appeared.
Since she appeared, her surroundings have become weird. Eunice was a woman with such clear energy, capable of making everyone in her surroundings feel good.
At first, Freyr didn’t dislike her either. She thought it was a really good thing.
Not until her husband had a gleam in his eyes when he saw her.
* * *
I couldn’t feel the warmth next to me in the bedroom from some time ago.
Waiting for him until late at night, when I opened my eyes in the early morning and saw the seat next to me empty,
When I saw him coming out of Eunice’s room late in the morning,
For the first time in her peaceful life, Freyr realized something was going wrong. Nevertheless, Freyr could not do anything about it.
Eunice, who is sweet and kind, brightens up her surroundings, and people are naturally attracted to her.
But she couldn’t just stay still.
“Honey, there are eyes around us. I don’t think it’s good to get too close to Eunice.”
Freyr thought that this was a natural right to say as his wife.
“Two adult men and women are in a secret room… Shouldn’t you be careful about that?”
“I’ll take care of it.”
“But…”
“Wife, Eunice is helping me. As you know, the capital city is very chaotic.”
Duke sighed loudly as if he was asking her to listen.
“There won’t be such a thing for you to worry about.
Her advice didn’t even work with the duke.
Duke’s answer to Freyr’s advice was cold, but since then, the relationship between Duke and Eunice seems to have become increasingly awkward.
Still uneasy, Freyr secretly hired a man to chase after Eunice.
Freyr only hoped.
Please, I hope I misunderstood the relationship between those two.
She wanted to make sure, even at the risk of embarrassing herself.
Would this not have happened if I had just held on to a little reason and waited for my husband to come back to me?
Obviously, she just tried to keep her position.
Freyr raised her head slowly and looked at the place where she was.
A desolate, narrow space that she had never been before.
‘Why did I come here?’
Freyr couldn’t keep herself sane. It was so fast that the people who were always kind to her turned their backs, and it was the same with her husband as well.
With the false accusation that she was filled with jealousy and greed, and tried to hurt an innocent person and his lover, she was confined on a spire.
“Freyr Heronis, the sin of abducting and torturing the people of the slums, and cursing at the imperial family with their blood and brought chaos in the whole empire!”
The tone of his voice was cold.
“The crime of kidnapping, threatening, and taking their lives. Hence, I shall remove Heronis’s surname from her and sentence her to life in prison.”
Her ex-husband’s voice was no longer friendly to her.
Since when has his voice been so cold to me?
Even if it was a political marriage, was it my delusion to think that it was a happy relationship?
I just wanted to confirm that the strange relationship between those two was my delusion.
Neither did I want to attack Eunice, nor did I ever order people to kidnap her.
I just… I just wanted to know for sure what the relationship between those two was.
Even though she begged, screamed, pleaded, and cried because of the unfairness, neither her husband nor the people around her listened to her.
At first, I didn’t have any suspicion.
That something was wrong.
What do you mean, the body was found in the basement of the mansion? A blood crazy-witch.
You don’t really believe that crap, do you? You don’t.
You know I’m scared to see blood, let alone dead bodies.
Please, please say no.
I wanted to believe that he was trying to get me out.
But as a week went by and a month went by, I had no choice but to realize that this was reality.
Still, I waited for him endlessly.
I believed that I could go back to my place.
Because that was the only thing Freyr could do there.
* * *
During my life on the spire, I found out that I had a present.
Freyr gently wrapped her stomach.
With the thought that he would come to find her when he learns of the child’s birth, I informed the guard.
But even after a long time, even after I gave birth to my child, my husband didn’t come to see me.
News that the Duke of Heronis got married, news of the joy of the nation,
A sarcastic remark that the Duchess of Eunice is kind and caring for many people, and that she is different from anyone else,
And even the news about the birth of the princess in Heronis Duke mansion, everyone is talking around and congratulating them.
The child in my arms… without even being congratulated, lives like this with her mother who became a prisoner.
When I asked them to call my husband or even contact my relatives, there was no answer that returned back.
As if they were asking her to die here, those acts, those words, and those gazes killed Freyr again and again.
The first insult, shame, anguish, and loneliness that she experienced in her life eroded Freyr.
She found out eventually that the only one who could get her out of this place was the Duke, so she had no choice but to search for him anxiously.
“Duke, did you really forget about me…”
Everyone cursed Freyr as a wicked woman who had gone crazy because of love.
They pointed her out as a stupid woman, a pathetic woman, who was looking for love even after receiving such treatment.
Even if she wanted to swear at them or curse them, the only thing that came out of her mouth was the longing for her husband.
As if no other words were allowed.
That’s why Freyr gave up thinking about other things.
The faint expectation that he would come to find her if she waited was the only reason she could survive.
Yet, no matter how hard she tried to hold onto her consciousness, it was impossible to do anything if her body was unstable. Freyr found out at some point that the sickness was eating her body.
‘You’re dying alone like this.’
Why did the Duke abandon her?
Why should she be framed and die so miserable?
Come to think of it, it was really strange.
A trial wasn’t held properly, it was a fixed punishment, and I couldn’t even contact her family.
My life, which was splendid, was no longer there.
The world was right for abandoning me.
After all, they curse me as a witch, a wicked woman, and are hoping for me to die.
The splendid thing was for a moment, and at the end of my life, deep darkness was greeting me.
When I struggled from death in frustration, despair, and excruciating loneliness, no one but my daughter appeared before me.
My daughter said she understood me.
Why did she forget about this child?
For seven years old, the child was so small and thin.
I could see the child’s hand trembling when she said that she understood what I wanted to be, was duke’s wife and not her mother.
It was obvious to me that people had cursed and abused the child for being her daughter.
Even when I looked at her through my blurred vision, she had a physique that looked atmost six years old.
Yes, just for being her own child, she was living like this and would continue to live like this again.
The hand of the child holding her hand was very warm.
I wanted to wrap tightly the small, warm, yet trembling hand, and hug the child.
Nevertheless, in my mouth, I only heard a voice looking for duke.
Why?
Only then did Freyr realize that she was strange.
Why do you say that you miss the Duke if you blame him, and can’t say any other words?
She didn’t have enough strength to deeply reflect on the sense of deja vu that came to her.
Only, at the moment of her death, Freyr wanted to open her mouth to call her daughter’s name.
The mouth that opened easily when searching for the Duke didn’t open at its own will, so Freyr resented and regretted it.
‘Daphne. Daphne. Daphne.’
My poor daughter, whom I couldn’t even give a proper name.
Why did she finally remember her daughter, who she held in her arms a few times?
When I had you, I was so happy.
It was as if my memory had been erased and then rewritten.
As if someone were covering her mouth, she resented her tightly sealed mouth, and Freyr closed her eyes, enduring the injustice.
She felt her consciousness slowly sinking down with tears flowing from her eyes.
She was no longer afraid of this death.
‘If, God is listening to me…’
If God considers me to be a little wise, please, please.
Please don’t let my daughter walk on the same fate as me.
If my daughter is born with this fate, please let her break that fate…
I heard the voice of my daughter, Daphne, looking for me.
However, Freyr could never open her eyes again.
The child’s name could not be called at the end.
It was the end.
* * *
The heavy pressure that held me down so far had disappeared.
When I thought that I was as light as a butterfly, I really became a purple butterfly.
I saw something beneath my wings. As I approached, I saw a little girl sitting in front of me.
It was Daphne, the daughter of Freyr.
I thought it was definitely the end, but was she given another chance?
I instinctively knew what to do in this situation.
I can’t take care of this child, touch her, hug her, or even call out her name.
I wanted to live for my child for the last time. So, I flapped my wings vigorously to take the child to a safe place.
The unfamiliar boy was sad, looking at the child. Somehow, I thought that if he were to become that child’s family, that child would be happy, too.
This was the end of what I could do.
As I felt the wings that were flapping hard slowly turn into light, my eyes met with the child who was leaving far away.
“…Good-bye, Butterfly.”
Despite the words of gratitude from the child’s mouth, Freyr could not cry.
Because she wasn’t allowed to cry.
She was just sad.
This will be our last meeting.
I should’ve held you in my arms a little longer.
I should’ve given you a name myself.
I should’ve told you I love you at least once.
From the beginning to the end, she was a truly unqualified mother.
Therefore, I had no choice but to hope that you live a happy life.
The purple butterfly began to be erased from this place.
Freyr, who was slowly disappearing into the light, prayed to God again, knowing that it was her greed.
‘Please, give this ugly mother another chance in the next life.’
Really, I’ll give her generous love in the next life.
Please, once again, put that child down by my side.
I want to tell my child that I love her so much until she gets sick of it.
I want to make my child happy.
I want to be Daphne’s mother.
I want to live happily with Daphne.
If God is listening…
The purple butterfly, with its little wish, left a small halo of light and disappeared without a trace.
Only God knew whether her wish reached God or not.