I Won’t Accept Your Regrets

The second day after Leon Sios was imprisoned in the imperial prison.

Edmund was expecting a message from his mother.

"Your Majesty, Lily is awaiting permission."

"Let her in."

After the incident with the Sios family, his mother never entered the Imperial Palace.

Edmund knew well that she couldn’t come, even if she wanted to.

His grandfather fell terribly low, and his mother barely survived, but the criticism against them didn’t subside.

So, these two were forced to distance themselves in order to avoid even more complications.

Knowing this, they exchanged letters every two days.

The letters were carried by Lily, his mother's maid.

Edmund had seen her since childhood, so he trusted her.

So now he was going to share the news that he heard two days ago.

The day Carlisle accidentally uttered the name ‘Leon’. And Edmund remembered who it belonged to.

Then he was still quite a child, and the memories were faded, but the name ‘Leon’ was clearly the name of his uncle.

His uncle left the family long ago and said that he would never set foot on the land of the Empire again.

"He's not coming back under any pretext. So just think that he is not and never was. Forget hum,” mom said.

‘But…why did my uncle return to the Empire?'

And he even had a meeting with my father. Who knows, maybe my father will come to help my mother through my uncle?

Anyway, I expected to hear the news about my uncle, who came back many years later.

The news about my uncle coming back after years was perfect for people to talk about. However, strangely, I couldn't hear any news about my uncle for the whole day… As if my uncle had never met my father.

Edmund suspected something strange and found out something through the courtiers.

His father did meet someone that day, but that was in the prison, not in the office.

Edmund couldn’t help guessing that this someone was his uncle.

So, excited, he decided to pass the news on to his mother.

"Greetings, Your Highness the First Prince, the Star of the Empire."

Lily entered the room and showed her respect to Edmund. The servant went out the door.

"Get up, Lily."

"Your Highness, have you been alright?"

"I'm alright. What about my mother? How is my grandmother's condition?"

Lily hesitated for a moment, then opened her mouth.

"…Your grandmother died a few days ago."

"What?" Edmund widened his eyes. "She died? Why did not you tell me…?"

"Your mother didn’t order."

"But still…"

While Edmund was confused, Lily spoke in a firm voice.

“Your Highness, we didn’t tell anyone, and the funeral was quiet. As your Highness already knows, now your path can’t be associated with the Sios name."

"My path?"

It was always what his mother told him from a very young age.

And Edmund didn't like those words. Wasn't his path just his mother's wish?

Edmund, accustomed to suppressing emotions, held out the letter.

"Tell my mother. And Lily, I have something to share."

"Tell me, Your Highness."

"Two days ago, my father caught a man named Leon."

"What?"

Lily's now emotionless face contorted. Seeing that she couldn't hide the surprised light from him, it seemed to be Leon, his uncle.

"I don't know exactly what's going on, but he… I think he's in a prison."

“…Is that information clear?”

"I heard the name ‘Leon' directly from the crown prince."

Lily grabbed her forehead sharply.

"I will hand over everything to the lady. Then I’ll go."

“Yes.”

Lily left the room with quiet steps. Edmund sighed heavily as he looked at her back.

* * *

The carriage leaving the Imperial Palace stopped in front of a small two-story mansion. Even before the coachman opened the door for her, Lily flung the door open herself and hurried out.

After the funeral of her mother, Lisa, who was asleep as if she had been killed from accumulated fatigue, was awakened by a knock on the door.

"Who's there?"

Two days ago, she punished that the entrance to her room was closed.

"Milady, it's me."

Lily's voice forced Lisa to get up. Knowing her mannerisms, Lily wouldn’t have violated the order if the matter were not truly serious.

"Come in.”

Lily entered the room and went to the bed.

"Is something wrong with the First Prince?"

Today was the day Lily went to the palace. If it's urgent, surely it has something to do with Edmund?

"It's about Leon Sios."

"What?"

Lisa's face went wild.

"Have you found my brother?"

“I didn’t find him, but the Emperor. He dragged him to his place."

"What are you saying?"

"The Crown Prince's words that His Majesty was meeting a man named Leon. And he said that he is now locked up in a prison."

"In the prison?”

It was a place where criminals were kept.

Lisa was confused by the sudden news.

Raymond met Leon and then threw him into the prison?

"At the exit from the palace, I questioned the courtiers. But no one has heard the news of your brother. It seems that His Majesty kept the whole matter a secret."

‘Why so suddenly?’

Lisa couldn’t grasp the connection. If Raymond wanted to throw all her family members into prison, he would first come for her.

And then he would have to officially arrest Leon and punish him.

But the Emperor made a move in the shadows.

And Leon has long since disowned the family.

‘But why did you bring Leon at this point?'

"…Didn't the Prince misunderstand?"

"His Highness the First Prince heard this directly from the Crown Prince, so it seems to be true."

"Why is the Emperor suddenly…"

“One thing… There is one thing I heard.”

"What is it?"

“I'm not sure if this is relevant, but I was told that Duke Drua came to an audience with His Majesty about a month ago. And the commander of the fourth corps of knights dropped by right after."

Raymond had the highest hopes for Carter, and all of Carter's secret missions were crowned with success.

"After Duke Drua left, he called Carter…"

If Duke Drua smelled something and hinted to Carter, how could he find Leon more conveniently?

Lisa quickly turned away.

‘What is the message that Duke Drua gave Raymond about Leon?'

After all, the evidence that destroyed the Sios family was collected by the Drua House.

The former Duke Drua has amassed incriminating evidence against the Sios family.

And if the murdered Duke left something more… Ah, of course.

"…No."

At this moment, Lisa was seized with an ominous foreboding, and her face turned white… ‘No way, did the sly old man know something?'

He was the deposed prince's right hand man. Perhaps the dead Duke also knew about her relationship with that prince.

Now that all the vices of the Sios family have been revealed, there is only one secret left.

What if Freud Drua had saved some information about Edmund's connection with the deceased prince?

That would be the only explanation for Raymond's new infatuation.

It became clear Raymond had captured Leon to reveal the secrets of Edmund's birth.

"Ugh…"

‘If Leon tells the truth.'

It seemed that all the blood in Lisa's body was frozen. The illusion of Edmund's death passed before her eyes.

She put her hand on her chest and exhaled in shock. Her heart was about to jump out of her chest.

"Milady, are you okay?"

Lily put her arm around Lisa's shoulders.

"Huh, huu.”

"Milady?

If the truth about Edmund's birth is revealed, Raymond won’t leave that life.

In Raymond's case, there is no such thing as a second chance.

Everyone will die, and only Raymond and Ellie will remain in this world and enjoy endless happiness.

‘Did they deserve to be so happy?'

Liza, whose heart was now beating in alarm, suddenly got angry as soon as she thought about the happiness of the hated couple.

Fear and anxiety quickly gave way to anger.

“…I can never leave you like this… You guys should never be happy.”

They should not enjoy happiness, sitting in a place that was taken from her.

Lisa jumped from her seat.

And she left the room like a person possessed by something and went down to the basement of the mansion. The place was full of unpacked luggage.

Almost all the things were thrown in a hurry during the move, but she still saved the old family heirlooms.

And among them was some old and dangerous object.

"Milady. Tell me what to look for and I will find it."

Following Lisa into the basement, Lily scurried between the clouds of dust and talked to Lisa, who was madly prowling all over the place.

However, Lisa didn't seem to hear anything. And finally, her movements stopped.

"Found it.”

Finding an old shabby brown box, Lisa carefully opened the lid.

Inside was a black crystal bottle with a clear liquid.

"Lily.”

Lisa took out a small crystal bottle and turned to Lily.

"The time has come. Lastly, there is something I want you to do for me."

With a glass poison bottle in hand, Lisa smiled dangerously.