"Well done, Lady Miriallia"

As Lady Lidiana collapsed after eating the confections she"d received from me without any doubt, I heard the voice from this morning. Should I say it was as expected?
While clutching my left arm I raised my body and glared at the owner of the voice.
The woman dressed in pitch black clothes like in the morning looked at Lady Lidiana lying on the carpet and laughed with satisfaction.

"Fufu, it seems the medicine is working properly. I"m glad."
"Who… are you?"

Despite breathing roughly, Lady Lidiana firmly glared at the woman.

"I"m afraid to say I won"t give you my name. I"m here on a request, nothing more. I"ll take you to a certain person. That"s my job.  You"ll faint before long. Afterwards, let"s see, when you wake up that person will explain."
"… Wha…t?"
"It"s alright. There won"t be aftereffects… Or rather, I couldn"t afford them. I have to bring you unhurt. That"s why, just sleep a little."
"… Why… No way… I can"t move…"
"Fufu, of course. Isn"t it obvious, since you were served medicine? By Lady Miriallia over there."
"Eh…"

Lady Lidiana looked at me with surprise. I couldn"t bear to look directly into her violet eyes.
When I hung myself while still clutching my arm in silence, the woman further kicked me when I was down.

"You see, Lady Miriallia sold you. Out of worthless envy. And she"ll die for her mistakes. Isn"t it wonderful?"
"Die?"

With eyes wide open, Lady Lidiana again looked at me.

"That"s right. A special magical art was put on Lady Miriallia. So she wouldn"t be a hindrance, a magical art with an oath to not reveal this matter no matter the way was inserted on her left upper arm. And yet this person left the confections in the mansion on purpose. And some time ago she told you to run away. It"s natural the magical art would activate, right?"
"…"

Listening to the woman"s words I bit my lip.
I was sure it would be okay if I"d just left the confections behind. So I thought, but after all it didn"t go well. Around the time I arrived in the Royal Castle my body was already in a constricting pain.
What came to my mind was the silent appeal to my brother. Only that.
And the words telling Lady Lidiana that she mustn"t stay here and must run away, after she expressly told me that she loves the Crown Prince.
That was the finis.h.i.+ng blow.

"You"re a stupid person. You obeyed us because you didn"t want to die, and yet you self-destructed in the end. But, whatever. Once it was all over, I was thinking of having you die anyway. You saved me ha.s.sle."
"…"

I could"ve predicted it.
It"s hard to imagine people who carve such magic formations would let me go like it was nothing once I finished my role. I realized I had just been pretending not to see it on purpose.
Moreover, I did what I was told, so even if I"m called an irredeemable fool, I have no words to return.

"Ara, you aren"t very surprised."
"… I was an idiot to believe in your promises."

When I spat that out with disdain, the woman said, "I intended to abide by the promise".

"I said you should feel at peace once it was over, right? There"s nothing more peaceful than death. As promised, I was only thinking of granting you death with my own hands. But it looks like it was unnecessary. You chose the end yourself."

The woman smiled like she was truly having fun.

"… Milly."
"Lady Lidiana…"

A quiet, feeble voice called out to me. It came from Lady Lidiana.
While looking at her, my tears overflowed.
She"d been unrelated to this.
She got dragged into it by my foolish actions. I feel so apologetic I want to die.
Of course, only death awaits me already.
Because I was driven by my stupid envy, I put the Crown Prince"s important person in danger.
―― I understand I should"ve never done this.
I faced Lady Lidiana and bowed my head.

"I, I am sorry. I am sorry. I… I apologize… Lady Lidiana, Crown Prince, I apologize…"

Looking like she was desperately enduring fainting at any moment, Lady Lidiana beckoned me.

"… Never mind that. Come here."
"Eh…"
"Never mind, quick… ly."
"Y, yes…"

Lady Lidiana seemed somehow impatient.
When I approached her while clutching my arm, Lady Lidiana whispered, "Move your hand."

"My hand?"

Although I didn"t understand, I let go of my arm. Lady Lidiana reached out her hand to that spot.

"Now then, we don"t have much time for idle chatter. Shall we go soon, Lady Lidiana?"

When Lady Lidiana"s hand was about to touch my arm, the woman spoke.
The woman looked at me and saying "Whatever" she nodded.

"You"ll die soon anyway, so I"ll leave you alone. Enjoy the last few minutes of your life. Now then, shall we go?"

The woman said so and lifted Lady Lidiana in her arms. Lady Lidiana didn"t resist, however she desperately reached her hand to me. Her fingertip was aiming at the faintly visible activated magic formation.
As soon as she touched it――.

"Ah…"

Suddenly, the unpleasant feeling of my body being constricted disappeared.
Taken aback, I just stared at Lady Lidiana. She smiled at me with satisfaction, and perhaps having exhausted her energy, she fainted. At the same time, the woman activated a magical art and both of them disappeared.

"Lady… Lidiana."

I was left alone. I froze for a while not understanding what had happened, then I hurriedly checked my upper arm.

"Eh… It"s gone?"

That"s impossible.
Unbelievably, the black-colored magic formation disappeared. As if there was nothing there from the start.
How did this happen?
I don"t know the reason at all, but at the very least I understand Lady Lidiana helped me. After all, the instant she touched me, the thing that was trying to take my life disappeared. That"s the only thing I understand.

"Why…"

But then, why did she help me?
Me, a hopeless woman who led to her kidnapping.
Even though she was in much bigger danger than me. I recalled Lady Lidiana"s face. Just before she fainted, she showed a relieved smile.
My tears spilled in drops.

"What have I done…"

I clutched the spot where there was no magic formation anymore and just cried.
I can"t forgive myself for my foolishness.
Why did I envy the Crown Prince and Lady Lidiana?
If I"d honestly blessed them, that would have been it.
Even if it had been vexing, I wish I had given up and obediently accepted the marriage proposal my father brought with him.
Because I was unbecomingly envious and did something unnecessary, Lady Lidiana was kidnapped.
The Crown Prince"s important person, the gentle person who helped even the foolish me.
Because of me, he lost her.

"Somebody… Somebody, help…"

My tearful voice was dry, but I didn"t mind.
I raised my voice as loud as I could. I didn"t care what would happen to my throat.

"Somebody, somebody come! Lady Lidiana… Somebody, please help Princess Consort!"

The Crown Prince needs her.
No matter what happens, she must be saved.
He must never lose that gentle person. She mustn"t be taken away from the Crown Prince.

―― I don"t mind if I"m cut down.

Once I explain the situation, it"s fine if I die. That"s why, please save Princess Consort.
I didn"t want to die so much, and yet I shouted throwing all that away.
I don"t care about my life. That"s why, please save Princess Consort.
I even prayed to G.o.d, whom I"d never truly believed in.

"Lidi!!"

―― Immediately after, with a restless expression the Crown Prince burst into the room with a terrible momentum.

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