Chapter 5

I stayed silent, tears slipping down my face in the moonlight. Those men had fought by my side through life and death.

Some had taken blades meant for me, while others had entrusted their families to my care, asking me to look after their loved ones if they ever died in battle.

They hadn't fallen to enemy swords or spears. Instead, they had died shortly after we'd finally won the war. They'd been killed by the very king they'd sworn to serve.

After a long silence, I finally spoke, my voice hoarse. "I've made up my mind. Let's do what you suggested."

I should have come to my senses ages ago. Every gift Martin had ever given me was some little trinket that a young girl would like.

Whenever I'd told him what I wanted, he'd show up with something entirely different the next time.

On my last birthday, I wanted to go stargazing in the wilderness. Martin told me he was too busy with state affairs and promised he'd take me another time.

But shortly afterward, I saw Rosie climbing into his carriage. Time and time again, I'd lied to myself, insisting that Martin treated Rosie so well only because I was her older sister.

But I couldn't lie to myself anymore.

My former subordinates had paid with their lives for my foolish obsession with love. They'd acted on words I'd once spoken so casually, risking everything for my sake.

As for Martin, he was already seated on his throne, having completely forgotten the vow he'd made to me.

"I heard the King and the Royal Mistress went outside the palace to celebrate the New Year together. When will we ever get to leave the palace?"

"Don't even dream about it. We're assigned to serve in the queen's palace now."

After hearing the maids sighing outside, I finalized my plans with the system. I was still awake late that night when I heard footsteps outside my door.

"Helena, are you asleep? It's me. Don't take today's events to heart. Mother was just acting in the heat of the moment. She didn't mean to make such a decision, so don't hold it against her.

"The women of the royal household have always been forbidden from interfering in state affairs. Not even you are an exception, so don't do something like that again.

"Rosie is a good woman. With her here to help you manage the household, you'll have less on your shoulders."

As I listened to Martin talking to himself outside my door, tears rolled down my cheeks. After everything that had happened, too many people had died for Martin and me to ever go back.

I wasn't sure how long I'd been sitting there when someone suddenly kicked the door open.

Rosie stood before me in a festive rose-red dress, looking positively radiant. She smiled brightly. "How have you been, Helena?"

Looking at how vibrant and full of life Rosie seemed, I felt neither jealousy nor envy. She might as well have been a stranger.

When Rosie noticed how unfazed I was, she lost her patience and grabbed my chin. "What's wrong, Helena? Why aren't you saying anything? Did the sound of those beatings that day scare you mute?"

Remembering what had happened that day, I gritted my teeth. "Rosie, you have no right to bring them up."

Those men had served under me, and they'd always treated Rosie well, too. Yet that day, she'd shown no regard for their past kindness. Instead of pleading for mercy on their behalf, she'd made an already terrible situation even worse.

When Rosie burst out laughing, I could no longer hold back. I slapped her hand away from my chin. In the next second, she went flying like a kite with its string cut.

A furious roar reached my ears. "Helena!"

Martin had appeared at the door at some point. The moment he saw Rosie sprawled on the floor, he rushed over and gathered her into his arms.

Just like all those countless times before, he'd chosen Rosie again. The Queen Dowager ordered me to be flogged. Blow after blow landed across my back.

Soon, blood trickled from the corner of my mouth, but I didn't make a sound. Had my loyal subordinates suffered this much that day, too?

Had they endured this unbearable pain, humiliated and broken, in front of the very king and comrades they'd once served with unwavering loyalty?

Just then, the system's voice sounded in my mind. [It's all taken care of. You'll be dead in ten seconds.]

[Ten, nine, eight…]

As the countdown continued, my consciousness began to fade. I heard Martin's footsteps. He stopped a short distance away.

[Three, two, one.]

"Helena, is it really that hard for you to just admit you were wrong?"

The system's countdown and Martin's voice rang out at the same moment. The next second, everything went black, and Martin's voice was the last thing I heard.

"There's no need to fake a faint or play dead. I know about your supernatural powers, so don't think you can use them to threaten me."

But Martin, I was really dead this time.