How grotesque that smile was.

Varia unearthed a memory she hadn’t recalled in a long time.

'A disgrace to the family that hinders our great cause.'

The last person she had seen in her first life—one that ended in death—had been Remus.

'Dispose of her like a family heirloom.'

Just before killing her with a ceremonial dagger passed down from Count Erbanu, Remus had said those very words while smiling.

'Your death will be handled as a mere case of running away. People love stories about rebellious daughters who dream of freedom.'

The raised dagger shimmered in the faint moonlight, and the reflection of Remus on its blade had worn the same revolting smile he had now.

Perhaps it was because she had lived so many happy days with her beloved husband and child...

Having forgotten those horrific moments of her past, Varia now came to another realization.

‘That thing’ wasn’t just good at hiding its monstrous nature behind a charming mask.

He manipulated people’s hearts with unnerving skill, and when they were no longer useful, he discarded them. There were many ways he did it.

By whispering twisted love and then abandoning them.

By blaming them and casting them aside.

Or by killing them outright.

Young Regina died believing his filthy desire was love.

Cunning Lota, manipulated and puppeteered, never realized how twisted Remus truly was.

The heir of House Aust barely survived but was left with a crippled leg.

And the emperor... had been murdered.

‘I would have...’

Varia couldn’t take her eyes off the dead emperor.

‘I would have ended up like that too.’

That “body,” which had only moments ago been alive and moving, was now simply a “corpse.”

Even without touching him, she could feel the temperature of the corpse begin to fade.

To Varia, that lifeless emperor looked just like the version of herself murdered by Remus in her past life.

“Monster...”

She spoke coldly.

Then and now, Remus hadn’t changed at all.

No—he’d only become more vile.

He was now revealing a side of his monstrous self that she hadn’t even seen in her previous life.

Perhaps he had heard her whisper of insult. Remus snickered and pressed the knife even closer to the child's neck.

“Kea!”

Kella screamed. Her younger brother Kea was moments away from passing out.

“You’re a good big sister, caring so much for your brother.”

Remus praised Kella. Varia twisted her body, shielding Kella within her arms.

The child didn’t need to see that grotesque monster.

“What the hell are you doing?”

She asked him in a calm voice, forcing composure.

“Do you even realize what you’ve done?”

“I got rid of something useless.”

“Useless...?”

Varia was speechless.

“You killed someone.”

“Does that thing even count as a person?”

Remus scoffed, saying a person had to be worthy of being called human.

“What...?”

Varia was dumbfounded.

Remus and Emperor Subiteo had always been like comrades-in-arms.

The things those two had done couldn’t be justified by any excuse. Not even if they jumped off a cliff holding hands could they be forgiven. Yet, one would think they’d at least show each other a shred of respect.

“I tolerated a lot while dragging around that useless bastard.”

As if reading her thoughts, Remus began kicking the emperor’s head on the ground.

“Stupid, inadequate, overflowing with inferiority complex... nothing but trash.”

Fuming with rage, Remus kicked the corpse harder.

The emperor’s dull, clouded eyes shook under the impact. Varia’s brow furrowed.

The monster had fully shed his human skin.

“Thanks to him, all my plans were ruined.”

“......”

“No, wait.”

Remus opened his eyes wide, correcting himself.

“The one who truly ruined everything... was you.”

He slowly approached. The knights instantly drew their swords.

But no one dared attack. Because of the child held hostage in his grasp.

Remus dragged Kea forward. The boy couldn’t even cry anymore. With the cold blade against his neck, he had wet himself.

Fortunately, Remus hadn’t noticed. If he had, who knows what worse humiliation the boy might have suffered.

“Come any closer, and this brat dies.”

Remus pressed the blade tighter against Kea’s neck.

“Stop this. Let the child go.”

Varia pleaded. “This only harms you. Why rush toward your death?”

“It’s already over for me. Whatever I do from here won’t make a difference.”

“At least you’re still alive!”

“I’m as good as dead already!”

Remus shouted, spittle flying from his mouth. His red eyes rolled with madness.

“I can’t even show my face anymore! People see me as a freak who lusts after minors! They call me a lunatic claiming someone else’s child as my own!”

“......”

“My love was pure! That child was my blood!”

He believed he had been truthful.

But the world had labeled him a liar and a pedophile.

His fame and popularity had vanished like a sandcastle swept away by waves.

The once-admired and trusted Remus couldn’t stand his disgraceful fall.

“So...”

At some point, Remus had walked right past the knights.

“...I have to at least make one final display.”

Now standing before Varia, he pointed toward the carriage.

“Lead the way, Voreoti.”

Behind his vile smile, madness pulsed.

“I have business with the god said to dwell beyond the mountains.”

***

“...Sir.”

Leonia, diligently copying classical texts, suddenly paused her hand.

“Why did you study Northern mythology so much?”

“Hm, now that’s a sudden question.”

Ardea, who had been reading a passage aloud, removed his glasses.

The sand in the hourglass on the desk was about halfway down.

“I found it interesting.”

Ardea decided to entertain the conversation, giving Leonia a break.

“I’ve been fond of regional folklore and legends since my academy days.”

Though he had to give up formal study to inherit his title, Ardea had continued collecting records and researching alone as a hobby.

He recalled that period with fond nostalgia.

“......”

Leonia glanced at him with dry eyes.

It irked her to see this man—who had abandoned his wife and child for his obsession with research—get so misty-eyed about the past.

“But then I noticed something strange.”

“Something strange?”

“Yes. Across the oral traditions and ancient legends passed down in various regions, one common element always appeared.”

The mountain range.

“Currently, the prevailing theory is that life originated in the southern seas. But even in southern oral traditions and ancient ruins, the mountain range appears.”

Ardea discovered that it was the Northern mountain range being referenced.

Leonia tilted her head.

“How did you figure that out?”

“It was surprisingly simple.”

Ardea twitched his wrinkled mouth and pointed upward with a finger.

Leonia’s eyes widened.

“The fresco on the third floor?”

Ardea nodded.

The painting on the ceiling of the hallway leading to the third-floor office.

“It’s a narrative painting. They say it was left behind by the first Duke.”

“The first Duke...”

“There are ancient symbols beneath those images. They match ones found in the ruins.”

He proudly explained his discoveries, clearly satisfied with himself.

'...What the hell?'

But Leonia was thrown off.

'How did this old man even research that?'

Ardea had been so obsessed with his academic pursuits that he’d abandoned his noble duties and even run away from home.

To his wife, he was unforgivable. To the North, he was a disgrace.

So how had such a man studied a painting in the capital estate?

'Something’s off.'

The current Countess of Bosgruni was Ardea’s wife.

She had become the head of the family thanks to the former Duke Voreoti’s support.

On the condition that she stay married to Ardea.

A noble cast out by their house was less than a worm. Yet Ardea was still protected by the Bosgruni family.

In other words, the former Duke had taken Ardea’s side.

'...The former Duke.'

Leonia’s breath caught.

'Did he know this would happen?'

Despite the bad blood between the two houses, the former Duke and the former Emperor were known to be on friendly terms.

They even met several times with their children in tow, forming a public bond.

But the late Emperor had set his sights on the Northern mountain range, using the Olor family and sending Remus north as a chess piece.

'Then what was the former Duke doing...?'

What the hell was he?

Leonia didn’t hesitate to curse even her grandfather.

'Did he know the emperor was targeting the North? And he still acted like they were on good terms?'

Her heart pounded.

That much-praised friendship had been nothing but a facade—a curtain masking the stage.

Behind that curtain, the two had pointed swords at one another.

'Then what about Regina?'

Ferio had searched for Regina after she’d run away. But she had never heard that the former Duke—who supposedly cherished Regina more than his own child—had ordered that search.

'No way...'

Did he know about Regina and Remus?

Did he know where they were?

Did he choose not to search?

'...Did he know about me?'

The year the former Duke and Duchess died in an accident... was the year Leonia was born.

“......”

A horrible “what if” crossed her mind, and Leonia quickly shook her head.

'That’s not what matters now!'

She pressed a hand against her pounding chest, trying to calm herself.

She could ask her dad about those grim suspicions later—after everything was over.

'So who won?'

She couldn’t raise either hand in victory. No—she didn’t want to.

'Losers, all of them.'

The little beast wanted to spit on the floor.

They were already dead—ghosts who no longer had a place in this world.

The fact that such pitiful wraiths were still clinging to the world with their regrets was laughable.

'We’re the ones who win.'

Her family, who had orchestrated this entire hunt—those watching from the highest place and pulling the strings—they were the true victors.

The defeated ghosts could just sit back and suck their fingers.

“Young lady?”

Ardea looked ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) at Leonia with clear concern.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m just a little pissed off.”

Leonia brushed her bangs back casually as if it was nothing.

Thump, thump.

“...Huh?”

The pounding in her chest grew louder.

“What the...?”

She’d thought it was just from getting worked up over those irritating old men, but the unrest in her chest wouldn’t subside—it only worsened.

“...What is this?”

Startled by the unfamiliar sensation, Leonia abruptly stood up.

Her chair toppled backward, and the papers on the desk trembled.

“M-My lady!”

Ardea cried out with difficulty.

“Your eyes...!”

“Young lady!”

Just then, Tra called out in a panicked voice.

“There’s trouble! Milady...!”

But Leonia didn’t wait to hear the rest. She ran straight for the entrance.

The Fangs of the Beast rampaging inside her were urging her—no, dragging her—outside.

There stood Meleis, panting heavily.

He couldn’t even meet Leonia’s gaze. He lowered his head.

That was all she needed to understand everything.

“...Bring me my sword and cloak!”

She commanded Tra, who had followed her out. He quickly turned and brought what she asked for.

Donning the cloak and strapping the sword to her waist, Leonia declared:

“From this moment on, we’re going to the Imperial Palace!”