Volume 2, Chapter 31 – Resolve

The long-brewing heavy rain poured down.

The raindrops pelted her face, and her damp clothes stuck to her skin, making her feel incredibly uncomfortable.

This is terrible.

Commanding the soldiers with torches to clear the ruins, Fia looked at Estelle, who was still kneeling on the ground. The latter’s eyes were vacant, as if she didn’t feel the rain falling on her head at all. She was staring blankly at the ground where Noreen had turned into ashes. She had been in this posture for a very long time.

Even if she had stood up and cursed Fia for killing her sister, it would have been better. Her current dejected state was both worrying and frustrating.

Even though Fia knew that anyone in her position would find it difficult to accept this reality.

Everything was going in a good direction. The sanctuary had enough food and clean water, much of the chaos in the city had been eliminated, and hope for the future was already visible on people’s faces. Even some valuables from the ruins had been excavated. But then, reality delivered a hard blow, waking everyone up from their beautiful dream.

The eldest daughter of the House of Oro, Noreen, who should have been the next Count Oro, had become a part of chaos. She had not only attacked Norton and the soldiers but had also laid her hands on Estelle. Even without knowing the reason, facts were facts. The furrowed brows and uneasy expressions of the passing soldiers had already revealed their inner thoughts. They had pledged their loyalty and were helping their lord’s successor heal the wounded and restore the city. Yet the person who had destroyed the city was the lord’s successor herself. Anyone in their position would be filled with rage.

Estelle would only feel this emotion more strongly.

The only thing to be thankful for at the moment was that the chaos had retreated and had not launched a major attack on the sanctuary at the worst possible time.

A soldier holding a torch quickly ran to Fia’s side. With Norton gravely injured and Estelle’s state obviously abnormal to anyone, Fia, who had displayed extraordinary strength this morning, had become the leader of the sanctuary.

“Your Highness the Eldest Princess, the numbers have been counted. No one is missing.”

“What about the injured? Has any chaos appeared in other directions?”

“No. Only Young Master Norton was injured, and he is now recuperating in the house.”

Fia looked at the soldier, who was also standing in the rain. Under the flickering light of the torch, the soldier’s face was exceptionally grave. Fia then glanced at the soldiers who were busy on the ruins. Unlike their motivated appearance in the morning, their movements were lifeless, like a defeated army. Fia couldn’t help but ask in a low voice.

“How many people here know that Norton was attacked?”

Upon hearing Fia’s words, the soldier looked up. However, the words got stuck in his throat, and he stammered.

“I… I don’t know.”

He knew, but he was afraid to say. The situation was probably very bad.

Fia urged him impatiently.

“Just give me a rough number. I won’t blame you—I’ll tell Estelle the number later.”

“This…” The soldier’s face showed hesitation. Finally, like a deflated ball, he lowered his head and shoulders, his tone filled with dejection. “…Everyone. Almost everyone knows. Both us retainers and the commoners over there. Everyone is talking. They’re all saying that Lady Noreen was the one who destroyed our city.”

“Everyone knows, huh… You can go. There’s nothing more for you to do here.”

“Yes.”

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Waving her hand at the soldier, Fia turned and walked towards Estelle, who was still kneeling. Because of the heavy rain, Fia had Anastasia protect Liti and return to the carriage first. She herself had stayed behind to command the soldiers to clean up the area.

Fia crouched down and touched Estelle’s shoulder with her right hand—her dark red dress was soaked through by the heavy rain—like a piece of wood, Estelle showed no reaction.

Fia frowned. She was about to say something to scold her, but after seeing Estelle’s slightly immature face, the words got stuck in her throat. To ask Estelle to pull herself together immediately was too much to ask of her.

It’s better to take Estelle back first. I can’t let her continue to make a fool of herself in front of her subordinates.

Thinking this, Fia sighed and grabbed Estelle’s wrist. Estelle, like a lifeless doll, let Fia pull her away without any resistance.

◇

Who knows how much time had passed.

When she came back to her senses, she was in a civilian house in the sanctuary, with a familiar desk beside her. She was sitting in a chair.

Did Fia bring me here?

The blood-colored eyes gradually regained their life. Estelle, with her extremely sluggish mind, looked at her hands—they were covered in mud.

It must have been from lying on the ground, Estelle thought. The chaos that had been turned into ashes had mixed with the rain, turning into something like mud. And this gray mud, just a moment ago, had the same appearance as her sister.

Noreen Oro.

At the thought of this name, Estelle’s chest felt a sharp pain.

Her sister, who had given her a second life and taught her combat skills. The sister who had not abandoned her, even though she knew that standing with a defective product like herself would lower her prestige.

She was more like a gentle mother than a sister.

But now, that existence had turned her sword on the soldiers and Norton. The person who had attacked her in the house must have been her sister Noreen, too, Estelle thought, clenching her hands, which were covered in mud.

Without Noreen, there would be no her today. Everything that existed in the being named Estelle was given to her by Noreen. She had once thought that when her gentle and outstanding sister became Count Oro, she could become her aide. At that time, she would be able to repay her sister’s kindness with the most fervent and sincere heart. Just as Noreen had stood up for her when she was being ridiculed by the small nobles, she too would use an iron fist to get rid of those who were dissatisfied with her sister.

Although she could not become the heir of the family, to stand by her sister’s side with legitimacy and become the background that complemented her sister was also the ending Estelle had hoped for. For her, whose pure-blood status was questioned, this was already the best outcome.

But what was this now?

Disregarding the mud on her hands, Estelle hugged her head, her fingers painfully digging into her golden hair. The black mud instantly matted her golden hair.

In the past, she had hoped that Noreen was still alive. But now, she desperately hoped that Noreen was dead, and that her body was right before her eyes. That way, she could announce to her people that the Noreen who had attacked the sanctuary tonight was a fake, and that the real Noreen was dead.

—That would be the best possible outcome. Order would be restored. People could once again look forward to tomorrow with hope. The people of the House of Oro had not turned their swords on their own people. Noreen Oro was still the respected Count’s successor, with a spotless life. She was still the sister she revered so much.

But all of this was just a beautiful fantasy.

Estelle’s breathing trembled.

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Just a moment ago, she had seen Noreen. Both her posture and her swordsmanship were exactly the same as the Noreen she remembered. She was extremely familiar with her sister’s swordsmanship. A person’s appearance could be copied, but a person’s swordsmanship could not be easily imitated. Her sister, who had always been gentle and reliable and whom she had admired so much, had actually pointed her blade at her. If Fia had not kicked her hand aside, the blade would have pierced her heart.

She recalled the flying knife that had cut her right arm a moment ago. Although the wound had healed, the pain that lingered was cold and piercing.

My sister has allied with chaos.

The ability to control chaos, the constant attacks, and even the act of severing Norton’s hands and feet all proved that Noreen was no longer Noreen, at least not the Noreen who was gentle and a respected elder to others.

Causing the disaster that killed two hundred thousand people and letting chaos into the city was an unforgivable sin, even if it was her own sister.

The Blood Oath on Estelle’s right hand became hot.

She had made a Blood Oath that no matter who the person who caused the destruction was, she would make them pay in blood. If Noreen continued to be lost to darkness—no, there was no turning back now. Even if it was her sister, she had to clench her weapon and face her. As a noble with the blood of the House of Oro flowing in her veins, she had the responsibility to avenge her family and her people.

Even if this responsibility was something Noreen had taught her.

A bitter taste lingered in her mouth. Following it was the sting of her teeth breaking her lip and the taste of blood. Estelle put down her hands that had been digging into her hair and clenched them tightly.

To have a member of the family destroy the family, and then to have the living make a Blood Oath, leading to the current situation of sisters fighting each other.

Despair Demon General, was this your purpose?

A torrent of hatred surged from Estelle’s chest.

Even if I turn into an undead, I will not let you go.

Her nails dug into her palms, and blood dripped down her fingers. The sting made Estelle’s mind clear. She suppressed the anger in her heart and took a deep breath.

Now is not the time to be dejected.

My sister and father are dead. I am now Count Oro. As a lord, I should not be dejected at a time of crisis. My people are still waiting for me. The children of the House of Oro will not abandon their people.

Estelle stood up, and with her action, the quiet room where one could hear a pin drop suddenly had another person’s voice.

“You look alright.”

It was Fia.

For some reason, after hearing this voice that had no hint of maturity, a strong sense of relief surged in Estelle’s heart. It was as if as long as the owner of this voice was here, nothing was an insurmountable difficulty. Like a small boat in a storm that was tethered to a giant ship by an iron chain, although it could not withstand the storm itself, it no longer felt lonely or afraid because the bigger ship was right beside it.

This was a feeling Estelle had only ever felt with Noreen.

Estelle turned to face Fia. Fia had clearly just gotten up and was still holding onto the back of the chair.

It would have been cooler if she had her arms crossed and was leaning against the wall.

Even though it was a serious occasion, Estelle couldn’t help but think this. Fia’s presence was like the sun, and it made a warmth surge in Estelle’s heart.

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Gently shaking her head, driving the weird thoughts out of her mind, Estelle’s expression relaxed.

“Do I look that weak?”

“Yes.”

“What’s your proof?”

“Didn’t you faint this afternoon?”

“Tch.”

Fia’s bluntness made Estelle impatiently click her tongue.

Fia, on the other hand, looked relieved.

“You can still argue. That means you’re fine. I was worried you would become dejected and try to kill yourself alone in the room.”

“So you’re here because you were worried I would kill myself?”

“That’s one reason, but not the whole reason.”

Fia smiled wryly. This was the same house where Estelle had been attacked. But it was not the same room. As for the carriage, it was parked in the courtyard in a place Fia could see with just a glance, and there were also soldiers guarding it.

“You were in a daze just now, and it looked like you would never wake up again. The analogy may not be appropriate, but you looked like a mother who had lost her child.”

“…A child who has lost a mother, maybe. I’m not old enough to be a mother yet.”

“Is that so? The age of maturity for humans is fifteen. The development speed of vampires before the age of twenty is the same as humans. The age of maturity should also be fifteen.

“Becoming mature at fifteen doesn’t mean becoming a mother at fifteen. Besides, I don’t even have an engagement partner. Thanks to this half-wing, no one would ever look at me. They would think that marrying me is like marrying a burden and that they would be laughed at by others for their poor taste.”

As she spoke, Estelle extended her half-wing in front of her and pointed to it.

“What a waste.”

Fia complained from the bottom of her heart. Estelle was quite beautiful. The vampire traits—the fangs, the wings, and the blood-colored eyes—added to her beauty. In a few years, she would definitely have a charm that could capture people’s hearts with just a small smile. Not to mention her lively personality and her resolute heart.

“A waste?”

Estelle raised her eyebrows with a look of amusement.

Fia shrugged.

“What else would you call it? Okay, enough with the small talk. You and I both know that time is running out. You should go show your face to your people and explain the situation to them. Everyone saw you kneeling in the rain, and the news about Noreen colluding with chaos is also spreading like wildfire. The only way to reassure them is to be honest with them now.”

“Mm. Thank you for your advice.”

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Estelle accepted Fia’s advice readily. She then pulled a chair to the side and pushed a table between the two of them. She gestured at Fia with her chin, an expression of discussing important matters on her face.

The two sat across from each other. Estelle intertwined her fingers and said seriously.

“Fia, I want to ask you for one more favor.”

“Go on. As a close friend, helping you is something I should do.”

Close friend?

Weren’t we just friends who exchanged letters?

Did she lose her memory and mistakenly think that their relationship was very good? Or did she come to accept me as a friend during the time we spent together?

In any case, the word “close friend” made Estelle’s heart warm. She gripped her hands even tighter, and a look of even more sincerity appeared in her eyes.

“I want to set a trap, and I need your help, Fia. My sister’s state is clearly not right. She is worlds apart from the sister I know. My sister Noreen would never harm innocent people, let alone turn her sword on me and Norton. Something must have happened to her. I must confront her face to face.”

“…I don’t think you’ll get the result you’re hoping for, Estelle. You saw it yourself. Noreen doesn’t have a body of flesh and blood. The question of whether she’s even Noreen is a problem.”

Fia repeated the “far-fetched” guess Anastasia had made during the day and the contradictions she had come up with.

That is, if that was Noreen, why would she destroy the city, and why didn’t Noreen take the initiative to talk to Estelle? Anastasia had not been wrong. The current Noreen was very likely not the Noreen people remembered. She was just an empty shell that only had the appearance, and not even the ability to speak.

“I know about these contradictions. But if I don’t talk to her in person, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life. Even if she doesn’t say anything and just attacks me with her sword, I want to have a chance to talk to her… to my sister Noreen face to face. And only you, Fia, can create that condition for me.”

At this, Estelle’s hands grabbed Fia’s hands.

Estelle’s soft, delicate hands, which were a little bigger than Fia’s, were exceptionally cold. But the blood-colored eyes on the other side of the table were filled with urgency and pleading. Her quivering lips revealed her uneasy heart.

It was an expression that made one feel sympathy and affection. Fia couldn’t help but be reminded of a sick person begging a god for a cure.

There was no reason to refuse.

Fia let out a helpless sigh.

“I agree. But what’s the plan?”

“Thank you!”

Fia’s answer made Estelle’s eyes light up. A feeling of relief and joy filled her entire being. Even her vampire wing spread out to its maximum. Fia couldn’t help but feel that if Estelle had a tail, she would be wagging it in joy.

“Alright, hurry up and tell me the plan. The commoners and soldiers on the streets are surely all anxious and on edge. They’re just waiting for you to go back and comfort them.”

“We can do this—”

As if she didn’t want anyone to hear, Estelle’s whisper faded into the wind.