Chapter 5

The Sewells knew that Julia had always been a dutiful daughter. Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken on the enormous task of disguising herself as a man and going to war in Ezekiel's place at the tender age of 14.

Ezekiel was convinced that she would obey his word without fail.

Julia pressed her pale lips together and looked at Francine. Only then did Francine rise, wiping away her tears as she walked toward her.

"Julia, you're the older sister. Since we've adopted Rebecca, she's your younger sister. She…"

She reached for Julia's hand, only to feel the thick calluses covering Julia's own. For a moment, her voice faltered. She jerked her hand back as though she'd been burned.

Julia watched Francine quietly. She understood the reaction perfectly.

In her previous life, Francine would always turn away when she saw the scars on her body. At the time, she'd assumed Francine simply couldn't bear to look at them. Later, she overheard what Francine said to Martha.

"She has always been headstrong and strong-willed, even as a kid. Unlike Rebecca, she doesn't need anyone's sympathy."

During those ten years on the frontier, Julia had risen from an unimportant foot soldier to become the Apex General. She'd climbed up the ranks by shedding blood and sweat. She didn't have Rebecca's delicate skin or her slender hands.

Julia bowed toward Gillian. "Your Highness, I ask that you show mercy."

Lying on the ground, Rebecca lifted her tear-filled eyes.

"You wish to plead for clemency on her behalf?" Gillian asked.

Julia hugged the bloodstained garments and crimson pennon close to her chest.

"Since Father and Mother have adopted Rebecca, she is indeed my younger sister now. Father is right—I ought to speak up for her."

She paused before adding, "However, I've returned with the duty of guiding my brother's spirit home. It is indeed improper for her to be dressed so flashily at a time like this. So I've thought of a compromise. Rebecca can kneel before my brother's belongings and bow to him 99 times."

Rebecca's head snapped up. "What did you say?"

Julia's voice remained gentle, almost compassionate. "If he sees your sincerity, surely he won't blame her for dressing inappropriately."

Francine nearly leaped to her feet. Her voice cracked as she shrieked, "Jasper was a commander of hundreds of thousands of soldiers! He would never torment his own sister like that all because of what she wore!"

Jasper Sewell was the official name used by the Apex General—the name Julia took on for her male identity.

Rebecca dissolved into tears once more. "Are you trying to kill me, Julia? Is it because you resent me for taking your place? Because the servants mistook me for the eldest young lady and embarrassed you?

"If that's the case, I'll smash my head against the wall right now and die! I would never let you suffer because of me. But we're both women! How can you try to humiliate me like this?"

Ezekiel barked, "Don't push it, Julia! Once word of this spreads throughout Ashbourne tomorrow, it'll tarnish your brother's posthumous reputation!"

"But Rebecca, why are you making it sound like it'd be humiliating for you to bow to Jasper?" Julia asked curtly.

Rebecca stiffened, unable to form a response to that.

At last, Gillian spoke.

"She should indeed kneel and bow in repentance. The Apex General rendered immeasurable service to Danveria. If His Majesty were here today, his punishment would only be harsher than mine."

The Sewells knew she was right about that. Rumor had it that when Arthur had lived as a political hostage, the enemy ruler had forced him to crawl between his legs, humiliating him beyond measure.

But the Apex General had conquered that kingdom and forced the enemy ruler to shave his head before taking his own life right in public. Thus, he'd thoroughly avenged Arthur.

If Arthur learned that Rebecca had the nerve to dress up in fancy clothes while everyone else in the entire capital observed a mourning period for the Apex General… she would not remain alive for much longer.

Even Francine could no longer protest. She could only cover her face and cry.

Ezekiel was all the more aware of the gravity of this situation. "Rebecca, you should kneel and bow as instructed."

Julia instructed Yvette to place the bloodstained clothing and crimson pennon before the gates of the manor. Then she got on her knees and choked out, "We're home, Jasper."

As she tried to rise, her body swayed, and Yvette hurriedly caught her. "Miss, you've been kneeling and bowing the entire journey. You can't kneel anymore."

"You should hurry on in," Gillian chimed in anxiously. "I can feel my heart breaking from the way you disregard your own health like that."

Only then did Ezekiel snap back to his senses. He immediately urged Julia to enter the manor. The most important thing now was ensuring that she settled down. He couldn't afford to let her say anything more in front of Gillian.

Diane had no desire to remain involved in this matter any further. She had nearly offended Gillian merely by being present today. Irritated by the Sewell family's complete lack of decorum, she promptly excused herself.

Before leaving, however, she took back the prayer beads she had previously given Rebecca.

Gillian instructed Helga to remain behind and supervise Rebecca's punishment.

The others swiftly filed into the manor under the pretense of paying respects to Jasper and lighting a candle in his honor. A memorial plaque dedicated to him had already been installed inside the ancestral hall. It was placed dead center, in front of all the other memorial plaques.

Julia stared ahead. Smoke from the candles drifted through the air. Jasper Sewell, the name carved into the memorial plaque, felt fuzzy and unfamiliar.

For generations, the Sewell family had been thoroughly ordinary, never producing any exceptional talent.

Before Julia had gone to war in Ezekiel's place, Ezekiel had been nothing more than a third-class patrol general, which was a largely nominal position. He would've been replaced long ago if not for the Sewell family's legacy.

It was thanks to the decade Julia spent risking her life on the battlefield that the Sewells were granted a dukedom and secured their place among the country's nobility.

With wealth and glory like that, it was no wonder they would rather she had truly died than return wearing the same face as the Apex General.

After Gillian lit a memorial candle, Ezekiel and Francine swiftly escorted her to the main hall. They were still keen to plead for leniency on Rebecca's behalf.

Thus, Julia and Paul were left alone in the ancestral hall, with Yvette withdrawing from the room.

Using the flame from a candle, Julia drew out the secret letter from her sleeve and set it alight. It had been Paul's reply, informing her that he would depart immediately and meet her in Ashbourne.

In her previous life, Paul had also returned to the city to give Arthur an official update around the same time she returned home.

Under the pretext of paying respects to the Apex General, he had visited Sewell Manor, but he saw no sign of Julia anywhere, only Rebecca. Perhaps sensing that something wasn't right, he secretly sent Julia a letter asking whether she needed help.

But at the time, she believed that she would be endangering her family by revealing her identity, so she didn't even respond to his letter.

That was why, after her rebirth, Paul had been the very first person she thought of.

"General, I couldn't bring myself to destroy the things you asked me to, so I've hidden them in a safe spot instead. If you need them, I'll bring them to you at once," Paul murmured to her from behind.

Julia nodded slowly. "The Apex Legion is now under Prince Hugo's command. His Highness is shrewd and decisive. You and Cameron must obey his orders and do a good job leading our men in guarding the frontier."

Cameron Lisle was her other trusted subordinate. He and Paul had been her two right-hand men.

"Understood, General. But you will always be my commander to me," Paul declared.

"You should go. It's not easy for you to get a chance to return to Ashbourne. You should spend time with your wife and children."

Emotion flickered in Paul's eyes at the mention of his family. "Thank you, General."

Julia was younger than he was, but she had earned his and Cameron's loyalty not only through her military prowess but also through the way she treated others.

Cameron had no family. Paul, however, had a wife and two young children before he joined the army.

Therefore, whenever he came back every three years to report to Arthur, Julia would allow him to remain in Ashbourne for an additional month. As long as Arthur didn't ask questions, she simply turned a blind eye to this as well.

Paul was aware of the kindness she showed him, which inspired even greater loyalty in him.

Gillian stayed at Sewell Manor for a little longer, only leaving once Rebecca had fainted after bowing over 30 times.

Julia accompanied her parents to see her off. But before she left, she gave Julia a meaningful look. "If you ever find yourself in a difficult situation, come to me."

Once Gillian left, no one spared Julia another glance. The entire family rushed to Rebecca's side instead.

Francine instructed the staff to take Rebecca back to the main residence so she could care for her herself.

Julia wasn't bothered in the slightest. Taking Yvette with her, she headed toward the residence that had once been hers. Bloom Garden was the name of the residence she'd stayed in until she was 14, but it was now Rebecca's.

Seeing that, Julia simply said, "Yvette, throw out or destroy everything that needs to be dealt with. I want the place ready for me to rest in two hours."