Chapter 193: Side Story 49 – with illustration [END] 

Sylvia tilted her head, puzzled.

The mansion was oddly quiet. She had just returned from spending two days at her maternal grandparents’ home with her mother. During their visit, Sylvia chattered proudly about everything she had seen and heard. In her mind, she already felt as if she were the Empress. Now that she had come back after such an enjoyable time, she was ready to beg Count Jertho to marry her off quickly.

She was dying to put that arrogant Julia in her place.

How dare she offend me? Who does she think she is?

“Mother, something feels off.”

Sylvia pouted as she looked around.

“Why does it seem like there’s no one in the mansion?”

“…Sylvia, listen to me very carefully.”

Her mother suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders. Sylvia looked at her, startled.

“You’re hurting me, Mother…”

“Only take what’s truly necessary and valuable. Leave behind anything heavy or cumbersome, only bring jewelry or items that are worth money and won’t take up space. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Mother…?”

“There’s no time to explain. Hurry!”

“But, Mother! Wait a moment. What’s going on? I need to know why! Why are you suddenly telling me to gather jewelry…? What about the Count?”

“Do you still not understand?”

Her mother’s face had gone pale as she spoke. She had taken Sylvia away for two days to keep her from being caught up in the downfall of Count Jertho. It was all to save at least Sylvia. 

Fortunately, her family had offered them shelter. And they had even arranged a new house for them to hide in.

“Count Jertho’s household has fallen. The Count himself is in the underground prison. It was Young Lord Thersion who took him there. Your father too!”

“W-What? That can’t be true.”

Sylvia shook her head.

“We didn’t do anything wrong… I didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Sylvia, Count Jertho’s crimes are anything but light. Treason… he was found to have plotted to kill the Emperor. If that’s proven in court, there’ll be a bloodbath in this mansion. You and I would surely be on the list of those to be purged!”

“T-That’s… that’s absurd. I was supposed to become the Empress… Count Jertho promised me…”

“Enough with that childish nonsense! Do you want to die here for nothing? Do you want to die like a dog?”

Sylvia’s mother dragged her upstairs. Once in her room, she shoved Sylvia inside.

“Pack anything valuable. You have ten minutes. Understood?”

She then hurried off to gather what wealth she could. Sylvia’s golden dreams had been right in front of her. There were so many things she had wanted to do once she became Empress. But now, everything had crumbled into nothing. So suddenly, so senselessly.

Sylvia collapsed to the floor in a daze.

“…Ha.”

* * *

Covered in filth and grime, Count Jertho was dragged into the courtroom. His hair was disheveled, and his eyes, bleached pale from torture, looked upward.

On the high seats sat Jeremiah, Ysildus, and Carlisle of Thersion. Jeremiah had seated the other two at his sides, a clear display of both favoritism and trust.

“Criminal, Peyton Jertho!”

The presiding judge stepped forward and began listing the long string of charges. It was the moment when Count Jertho’s misdeeds were laid bare for the world to see. Hearing his own crimes recited from another’s lips, things he had hidden or forgotten, only made them feel more foreign to him. Count Jertho let out a hollow laugh.

The charges felt so distant, it was hard to believe he had committed them all.

“What punishment shall we bestow upon this criminal?”

Jeremiah asked in a calm, almost gentle voice.

“Death! He must be sentenced to death! Eradicate his bloodline!”

“Count Jertho bled the people dry to amass his wealth! Off with his head!”

Those gathered in the courtroom cried out in unison for his death. Among them were people who had once drunk with the Count, and even some who had profited from his money. Yet now, none of them acknowledged him.

They had erased all ties to Count Jertho to curry favor with the soon-to-be Emperor.

“Count Jertho must pay the price for his crimes!”

“Do you all agree?”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Jeremiah slowly turned his head to look at Count Jertho. The man who once brandished his power like a madman was now bleeding from his own wounds. With just one more word from Jeremiah, Count Jertho would die.

He had driven many to their deaths. He had encouraged the late Emperor as one of his most wicked advisors, and had been a key figure in orchestrating the Thersion incident. Violeta had uncovered all of this while cleaning up the royal court. The late Emperor had left behind plenty of evidence and stories.

And now, it had all come full circle.

“Count Jertho, have you any final words?”

Jertho raised his head and looked at each face present. Everyone desperately avoided meeting his gaze, terrified that catching his eye might lead them to the same fate. Jertho chuckled bitterly. Such was the fleeting nature of power.

Everything he had clung to with such desperation now slipped away like grains of sand.

“I have nothing to say.”

He answered flatly. The prince already had all the evidence. No matter what Count Jertho said, he would die.

“I-I do!!”

His household, dragged in along with him, began to scream and plead. They were people who had lived off the Count’s wealth and influence.

“I did nothing wrong, Your Highness! I truly didn’t know anything!”

“Me too! Please, have mercy, Your Highness! It was all his doing, I swear!”

Pathetic.

“Remove them all. Execute the sentence.”

“Yes, Your Highness!!”

* * *

A mix of emotions stirred within him.

Jeremiah had won it all. The dust-covered prince who had left with nothing was now the final victor.

In the end, Jeremiah stood alone.

He wandered in front of the palace wing where the Queen usually stayed, pacing for a long while before leaving. For some reason, he felt like crying like a child. His steps quickened.

“Jeremiah…!”

He went to find Essellia. She had been having tea with Alexa and Julia but stood up when she saw him.

“Essellia.”

Jeremiah needed a place where he could lean and cry freely. Not the arms of a mother who had thrown her child into danger, not those of the girl he had once loved, nor even a friend.

Essellia opened her arms and pulled him into a hug. Sensing the moment, Alexa quickly left with Julia.

“…It’s over now.”

Essellia gently rubbed his back. The shoulders of a grown man trembled, shoulders that would soon bear the weight of an empire.

“Then why do I feel like this… so empty? In the end, the villain who shook my life to its core was nothing but a pathetic old man.”

Instead of responding, Essellia rested her head on Jeremiah’s shoulder. At the warmth of it, Jeremiah’s tears finally fell. He sobbed for a long while, words spilling from him with no order.

“Why did it have to be like this? I still don’t understand. The late Emperor… and Count Jertho…”

They were both dead now.

“What did they want so badly that they would go to such lengths…”

“It’s okay, Jeremiah. Cry as much as you need.”

Jeremiah burst into tears like a child. Behind him, he could almost see the little boy he once was – small, shabby, exiled to Thersion.

Essellia held him for a long time, letting him cry all he needed.

* * *

At last, the era of Jeremiah had begun.

Alexa stared at the podium with a face full of emotion. Jeremiah stood there in imperial regalia, receiving the scepter from Dephensores. The god who had once shaped the foundation of the empire passed the crown and scepter to the new Emperor.

A gold crown adorned with red satin was placed upon his head.

It marked the beginning of a new empire. Dephensores patted Jeremiah on the shoulder and stepped away.

“…It’s really…”

Ysildus pulled Alexa into his arms.

“What? Does Jeremiah suddenly look handsome to you?”

“No, no…”

Alexa shook her head. It wasn’t that, it was emotion swelling up inside her.

All the events that had happened since she came here came flooding back, jumbled in no particular order. It felt like reaching the end of a novel. Like it was time for the words: And they lived happily ever after.

But it’s not over yet.

Alexa grabbed Ysildus’ hand.

Everything had changed. Selina was gone. The Magic Tower had collapsed. The curse that bound the Red Clan and the wolves had been broken. The ones who had been sacrificed returned. Those who should’ve died survived, and those who should have lived, perished.

And it was all because of one small presence: Alexa.

“…We’ll do well from here, right?”

Until now, they had been walking along a clear path. But from this point on, they would have to face this world head-on with nothing to shield them.

“Of course.”

Even if he didn’t really understand the question, his gentle answer brought a smile to Alexa’s lips. She truly believed they would do well.

Jeremiah turned toward them, flashing a wide grin and giving the scepter a small wave. At the sight of his confident smile, Alexa laughed too.

“I hereby proclaim Jeremiah Temperchi as the new Emperor of the empire!”

Dephensores’ voice rang out with deep resonance.

It was not the end, but the beginning of a new chapter.

— END — 

T/N: We’ve finally arrived at the end of the story. Everyone had a happy ending. 

Alexa and Ysildus are married and are expecting their baby. Jeremiah became the Emperor (I was actually hoping he’d do well with Lady Julia, although it wasn’t really mentioned). Carlisle and Essellia didn’t die but survived. Dephensores came back to the waiting Lunailliah. And Terrun and Tenail became friends. Visten and Violeta are also well and alive. 

The villains were given their due karma, even Neimir from Alexa’s last life. Ruella died just as soon as she was freed from the Red Clan’s curse. Selina died when Alexa was brought to Karakter. Emperor Brachio was dead after Thersion marched to the capital. Even Jeremiah’s mother received her karma by not being given the chance to rekindle her relationship with Jeremiah and wasn’t given the title Empress Dowager. Even the minor villains, like Count Jertho, Sylvia and Jena received their karma. 

We came too far just to get to this happy ending. Like Alexa, I hope that all of us can also chase for our own happy ending. No matter how long the road, I believe that we will achieve that. 

Until here, Cotton~ see you when I see you again~ <3