Cornelia Alway had her gag removed by her husband, Harald Alway.
However, she couldn’t even scream, and could only stare blankly at the room she would now inhabit, trembling in disbelief.
“From today, this is where you will live, Cornelia.”
“You’re lying… You can’t do something like this. I’m your wife! Why am I in a room like this!”
Cornelia had been brought to one of the Alway Ducal Family’s separate residences on their territory. The three-story mansion had the appearance of a villa. However, the room she was in was different.
Everything from the bed to the sofa was first-class, indistinguishable from what she had used in the Main Family Residence in the Capital City, but that wasn’t the problem.
All the windows were covered, blocking out the sunlight. They were also securely locked, making escape impossible. Even if she managed to break the window and escape, the room was on the third floor. For Cornelia, who had no experience with physical exertion, it was as good as being in the sky.
She had been told she would be confined. But in reality, it was imprisonment. It was no different from being locked in a prison cell.
She looked at her husband with eyes full of hatred, but was surprised to see his entirely emotionless gaze.
Had he ever looked at her like this before? No.
“I gave you several chances. If you had ever acknowledged what you did and shown remorse, I would have given you a lighter punishment.”
“What do you mean?”
“Emilia, Tobias, Hannelore, and Olivier all interceded on your behalf, begging me to forgive you. However, I was uneasy. Even if I forgave you as they asked, if you hadn’t repented, wouldn’t you do the same thing again? That’s why I decided to make a gamble.”
If possible, Harald would have preferred to show leniency to his wife and childhood friend, Cornelia, without such a gamble. However, Harald couldn’t fully trust Cornelia, who had been secretly plotting for years to kill Hannelore, whom she had once admired as an older sister, despite their acquaintance since childhood.
It was Cornelia’s own fault, but Harald made a gamble with a small hope for his wife, with whom he had lived for many years.
However, the gamble ended in failure.
While it was sad, there was also a sense of inevitability.
If only she had shown even a little remorse for her actions. For that reason, he had given her brother, Linus, a chance to persuade her. But even with that grace period, and despite contact from her side, she used Dolf Ein to try and harm Hannelore again.
When they stormed the mansion, borrowing the help of many to apprehend her, she was nowhere to be found. Just when they thought she had fled, she attempted to kill Hannelore alone.
He couldn’t understand what drove Cornelia.
And now, for what he considered a final act, he had intended to show leniency if she repented even a little. But he couldn’t sense the slightest hint of that. Instead, her shameless attitude, hiding her dissatisfaction despite committing a crime, even earned his admiration.
“I will never let you out of this room again. Honestly, killing you would not be enough. But even a woman like you is a wife and a mother. You cannot leave here until the day comes when you are alive and regret what you’ve done.”
“–Don’t be ridiculous! You can’t do that!”
“Yes I can. Or would you prefer to be judged as a criminal? I, and Hanne’s father, were quite angry with you.”
“—”
Harald was exasperated by Cornelia’s silence.
She had always cared about her aristocratic titles and status since she was young. Hannelore’s family was a Marquis Family, higher in rank than Cornelia’s. There was even a possibility of her entire family being ruined.
Even if Cornelia had succeeded in murdering Hannelore, he wondered why she thought her own family would remain silent. There would have been conflict involving even the Ducal Family.
“I’m not defeated yet! When Tobias becomes the head of the family, he’ll release me!”
“What are you talking about?”
“As long as I have Tobias, I can start over.”
“That’s impossible. You expect Tobias to become the head of the family, but that will never happen.”
“What…?”
Seeing Cornelia’s bewildered expression, Harald stated clearly.
“Tobias has relinquished his claim to leadership to take responsibility for your attempt on Hanne’s life.”
“No! That’s not true! Then… it’s my fault?”
“Yes. Because of your actions, Tobias’s path to becoming the head of the family has been completely closed off.”
“No… you’re lying…”
Cornelia sank to the floor, murmuring in disbelief.
“I spoke with Tobias. He wants to be a teacher, not the head of the family. He was always good at his studies, so I understand. No, I’m ashamed I didn’t realize his dream sooner. From now on, I intend to support him in becoming a teacher.”
“Then who will become the head of the family!”
“We’re talking about Tobias right now!”
“I don’t care about that! Besides, it’s all your fault for not making the eldest son the head of the family! If Tobias can’t be the head, then who will be!?”
“Konrad.”
While talking about his son, Harald, exasperated by Cornelia’s sole focus on the next head of the Alway Ducal Family, spoke the name of the heir for the first time, a name he had never revealed to anyone.
He continued, addressing a stunned and speechless Cornelia.
“Including you, many people do not understand the role of the head of the Alway Ducal Family. Our lineage is tasked with the protection of the Capital City. In other words, we are a warrior family. You seem to have failed to notice that those who I trust, including Baron Daum, are all from warrior families.”
To protect the Capital City, they had the duty to command the Knights and lead the Ducal Family’s private army to defend it. That was the Alway Ducal Family’s responsibility.
“Including you, the consorts only made the children study the management of the territory. Even though I told them to learn swordsmanship, they ignored me, saying it was irrelevant for becoming the head of the family. Only Konrad followed me and diligently learned swordsmanship. Therefore, I have made him my choice. Konrad will eventually join the Knights. Or perhaps, he will gain experience as a magician under Jared and eventually become the head of the family.”
“Why… Why, why are you doing this? If you had explained it even once, I would have gladly had our son learn the sword.”
“Why don’t you understand that it’s meaningless that way? Doing it because you’re told to is no good. No, that’s not right. I gave advice repeatedly. You were the ones who didn’t listen.”
Konrad, on the other hand, learned swordsmanship. He genuinely came to love the sword. While the other children vying for the position of head of the family were all studying territory management, Konrad and Therese wanted to show clearly that they had no interest in becoming head by solely following their father’s instructions to learn the sword, unaware that this action would lead to Konrad being chosen as the next heir.
“The reason I haven’t revealed Konrad yet is because you have been targeting Hanne and Olivier for years. Until recently, I didn’t know for sure who it was, but if it were decided that Konrad would be the next head, I wouldn’t know what anyone would do. Therefore, I kept completely silent about the heir to everyone.”
However, the Duke continued, speaking clearly to the dejected Cornelia.
“Now that you’ve been apprehended like this, there’s no longer any need to worry. Everyone will fear becoming your stepping stone if they take foolish actions. When Konrad comes of age, I will make the official announcement. Do you understand, Cornelia? In other words, there is no one who will try to help you.”
“Wait!”
Cornelia finally understood that she truly couldn’t be saved, but it was too late.
Harald turned away from her outstretched hand and left the room.
The door slowly closed, sealing Cornelia in the soundproofed room.
“Please! I beg you, reconsider! I’ll do anything! I’ll bow down to Hannelore and beg for forgiveness! Just let me out of here!”
“It’s too late, Cornelia. If you had said this even a little earlier, there would have been a different future…”
She pounded on the door from the inside, but it was not something that could be broken by human strength.
“I will never let you out of this room again. Once a month, I will permit Emilia and Tobias to visit you. However, information from the outside will be restricted. I don’t know if you have the courage, but suicide is not permitted. A doctor has been provided in this mansion for you. Always remember that you are under surveillance.”
“Please! Let me out of here! I promise, I’ll never do anything foolish again!”
“If you die, I will kill Tobias and Emilia as well. I will eradicate your entire bloodline.”
“The children have nothing to do with this! They are your children too! How can you say that!”
“I don’t want to hear that from you. That’s all. I won’t be visiting you again. Lastly, if you have anything to say, I’ll listen.”
Of course, Harald had no intention of harming his children or Cornelia’s family. But if he didn’t say this much, it wouldn’t be much of a punishment.
“Please! Please forgive me!”
“No. I can never forgive you—not even in death.”
He could tell she was speechless beyond the door. Harald turned away, having no further business there.
“You can live miserably in this small prison until you decay.”
With those words, he walked away without looking back, no matter how much Cornelia screamed or pleaded.
Left alone in the room, where sunlight never reached and only the dim lamplight shone, Cornelia despaired at the end she had brought upon herself.
