-Chapter 4-
Even if Maribelle had lived the future and came back to the past, her personality did not change very much.
“Sister said she will not be going to the Emperor’s birthday party. Right, sister?”
“Did I say that, Arinel? I want to go.”
She simply just became less affectionate.
Even in the past where Maribelle got murdered by Arinel, she was not stupid nor did she not have a purpose. She was just swayed along a lot. Maribelle just was not able to be more harsh with Arinel.
For example, a few days before Maribelle returned to the past. Arinel suggested that Maribelle did not attend the party.
-Sister, what do you think about not attending the party and just resting at home? You don’t like crowds.
-….Do you think that would be for the best?
-Yep. Stay at home.
-Okay then.
Maribelle knew that Arinel was tying her down at home without a good motive, but she did not deliberately oppose things that Arinel wanted. Because Arinel wanted it. It was okay with just that thought.
However, the situation was different now.
Maribelle no longer wanted to turn a blind eye away from the visible hidden plans of a child whose head was not dried of its blood yet by just staying still and suffering. She had already lived enough while suffering in her previous life.
After that day, Arinel’s words became more bold. Before, only when Maribelle was not there she would talk behind her back, but now she began to put Maribelle into a predicament even when she was in the same room.
‘It’s a shame, but your actions are too thoughtless.’
“What? Sister, why would you go to the part!”
Arniel banged/smacked the table without realizing it. It was an uproar unsuited for the quiet setting of the dining table; however, Maribelle’s gaze had not time to stay on Arinel. Maribelle calmly spoke to her uncle, Lorentz.
“Uncle, I will soon reach the marriageable age now. I think that I should slowly start looking for a marriage partner since I have been with the family for a long time. Wouldn’t it help the family for me to go to the party and broaden connections?”
Of course this was a lie. ‘For the family?’ Why would she care about such useless things?
On the day Maribelle returned to the past and slapped Arniel, she made up her mind.
‘The things I suffered, I’ll return it to you in exactly twice the amount.’
She still remembered the moment she closed her eyes with hatred and desire for revenge. She trusted and she loved. Even if the whole world turned their backs on her family, she would have been on their side.
But who would have known? The family she so loved and followed had gotten rid of her like that.
The people who took Maribelle’s positions, inheritance, and even her life. With her hot desire for revenge, she felt like she could even bite a knife at this moment.
‘I don’t have power.’
But she had no way. The temporary head position was already completely given to Lorentz and Arinel and Vittoria had long turned their backs on her.
‘Why should I do?’
While contemplating, something passed through her thoughts. The reason why she thought of it was because Arinel had gone around singing about it before.
It was the birthday of the Emperor.
The Emperor who sat on the throne currently was a young emperor who wiped out his younger brother and other related forces to ascend to the throne. It was, Etherland Reghina Feopil. He was a skilled emperor who ended the conquest of war that continued from the reign of the preceding emperor, but he was a person who always had the stigma of a tyrant following him due to his cruelty.
If the number was wrong he would mercilessly cut heads, and he was a man who obtained all the power into his hands within one month of this reign. Feopil’s tyrant.
This man who was the center of attention was the unrequited love of Arinel.
‘Although she did not win him in her previous life.’
Arinel failed to obtain Etherland’s heart. Begging to spend even just one night with him, she borrowed the power of Lorentz, the Duke of Edenberg to crawl into his bedroom,
–When did my bedroom become a barn for a dog-pig?
But all she got was those words and her neck she barely managed to preserve. The one who comforted the crying Arinel was of course Maribelle.
Maribelle thought that this incident probably didn’t not also influence Lorentz’s conspiracy to commit treason. His daughter he raised with gold and jade had been shamed and returned like that so what parent would not have a grudge.
Maribelle dragged her nail on the dot of ink that dropped on the paper. The tips of her nails became dyed black.
‘The Duke of Edenberg will soon rebel against the emperor.’
This was the one fact Maribelle knew after returning to the past. After returning to the past, Maribelle realized that about the 1 year she lived in the future, she could not remember the exact details. But thanks to Arinel who blabbered while Maribelle was dying, Maribelle at least knew the reason why she had to die.
Lorentz joined the rebellion, Arinel assisted, and she herself died because she found out.
So then what would be the method most suited to get revenge for this time’s ending? The answer was clear.
‘I have to see the Emperor.’
It was to meet the emperor, Etherland, and inform him about the treason and have him purge the people of this house in exchange. Isn’t it the best way for them to be defeated because of what they planned?
And just perfectly, isn’t there a good opportunity to do so?
‘Wouldn’t I be able to see him if I attend the party?’
It was the Emperor’s birthday party. Although it is not an easy thing meeting a powerful person like the emperor, at the very least she should be able to talk say a few words to him.
The previous Maribelle was not able to attend the party due to Arinel’s interventions, but it was not the case this time. She tried to convince Lorentz by using her marriage as an excuse, but Lorentz was more simple than she anticipated.
“Hm, alright. If you say so then do as you wish. Wife, the things you have to prepare have increased.”
With the permission falling so easily out of Lorentz’s mouth, Arinel’s foot caught on fire.
“Dad, are you being serious? Didn’t the carriage break? There will not be enough seats.”
Look at that, that was the real reason Maribelle could not make it to the party before.
There was a large and fancy carriage that the Duke of Edenberg used. The carriage that was decorated by the precious stones from mines owned by the Duke of Edenberg was envied by many nobles; however, not long ago, due to the horse being surprised by the storm that hit, half of the carriage was trampled over.
Eventually a carriage was shipped over in a hurry, but because it was found in a rush, it looked formal but was ridiculously small that it could not be compared to the previous one.
The whole reason why Arinel was able to play such a trick on Maribelle, and the reason why Lorentz and Vittoria followed her words, was all because the carriage’s role of being way too small.
The eyes of Vittoria, who was frowning while thinking about the financial situation due to Arinel’s words, grew bigger.
“Oh my, that’s true. The seats….. There would not be enough. It should be too late to find a new carriage….”
Of course, there was no way Maribelle would not have prepared for this.
“I think we can just move the carriage twice.”
“Twice?”
“Yes. I’ll go late. I think it will look harmonious for a family to enter together from a small carriage. There is no reason for us to act like we’re close. Right, Aunt?”
When the baton to talk was thrown to Vittoria, she blinked a little in surprise.
Vittoria, as a refined lady, recognized the knife hidden in Maribelle’s words. Answering her was the same as acknowledging the fact that she had been ‘acting close’ to her.
In the end, the one who returned her words was her Uncle.
“If that is what you want, then do it like that.”
In order to hide the smile that was forming, she hid her mouth behind a napkin. It was the moment of exchanging darkness with light. Arinel could not hide the flustered expression as she raised her voice.
“Dad!”
“You’re being noisy. Your tutor says that you are slow at learning. Instead of thinking about parties you should be focused on improving your education.”
“Dad, but…”
“I said you were being noisy. Maribelle, after you finish eating, come up to my room.”
In a flash, unlike Arinel who was like dead grass (looked depressed), Maribelled who was singing joyfully in her heart blinked. Me? A bunch of questions marks formed in her eyes. Lorentz, as if he was saying something obvious, wiped his mouth and stood to leave.
In the past that Maribelle lived, Lorentz was on the side of leaving Maribelle to her own means unless she stepped out herself. Directly bothering her and making her conscious of her surroundings were all done by Vittoria.
‘Why me all of a sudden?’
Although Maribelle found it incomprehensible, she could not refuse.
“…..I understand.”
There was no change. Maribelle answered with her gaze lowered.
Lorentz, who called Mariblle to the study, said this without a pause.
“Maribelle, externally, you are known as my foster daughter.”
She was aware of it.
“If you stay out of the social circle for too long, then there will be many false rumors so going out once in a while is good. The reason why I accepted your request is due to that.”
Ah ha.
Only then did Maribelle understand what Lorentz was saying.
‘You’re saying we should make some justifications.’
He was increasing his legitimacy for succeeding the title of the head of the household while showing that he was raising the child of his younger brother. And along the way, finding a married partner for her.
‘It seems like it was not just me being delightful inside.’
How much was he delighted when Maribelle said she wanted to go to the party, she didn’t even have to think about it. He was a detestable human being. Maribelle laughed inwardly.
If there was something he wished to obtain, it would be easy to use him. Anyways, since she also had her reasons, it did not really matter. As usual, Maribelle let out a smile.
“So what, Uncle. Is there a reason I should know about this?”
“I’m saying you shouldn’t say something wrong by getting worked up going to a big party, Maribelle. It’s a place even the emperor will be present. I’ll look for your spouse so you just stay stuck under the terrace.”
He’s threatening me so blatantly like that? How vulgar. The thought of having trusted and followed such a person made her sick to the stomach. But it seemed like she was being told this fact for the first time at the moment making Maribelle let out a bitter smile.
“I hope that the husband uncle is looking for me is not an old man reaching sixty with a beer belly. I lived quietly up till now so is that a hard thing for you to do? Don’t worry.”
She clenched her molars after speaking. Her uncle’s words seemed to remind her that she was in a low position. Maribelle did not miss the humiliation embedded into each and every word and held onto them. Only when falling from a high place will the fall be long.
It’s not hard doing what he wanted.
Unlike her mood that had fallen to the ground, she was confident that she could really stay quietly. Keeping her mouth shut, and erasing her presence. Those two were the best things she could do in her whole life.
Staying quiet, and after finding the emperor, requesting for a quick private meeting. If necessary, she could use the name of the Duke of Edenberg. Insult and deceptions, she was no longer afraid of those. Since she had already been insulted her whole life.
I am going to return to her most magnificent and brilliant self. And that brilliance will blind them so that they don’t even know what killed them.
And for that sake, I could do anything.