Seraphina supported Lina as they walked slowly along the corridor back to the study.
Lina tried her best to support her own weight, doing everything she could to lessen the burden falling on Seraphina.
The trembling body in her arm made the ache in Seraphina’s heart almost impossible to put into words.
Saint Eustacia’s arrival had instantly stirred up a thousand waves.
Although the process had been intense enough to leave one’s heart pounding in fear, from the outcome… it seemed that, by some twist of fate, it had forced the revelation of the identity Lina had long buried deep in her heart, along with the emotions she had suppressed for far too long.
But… was it really worth it, using a method like this?
Looking at Lina’s pale profile and the tear stains on it, Seraphina couldn’t help but question herself.
“I’m sorry.” Seraphina’s voice carried guilt as it sounded through the quiet corridor. “I shouldn’t have let you go… If only I had stopped you back then.”
Lina shook her head slightly, her voice hoarse and exhausted. “This has nothing to do with you. Actually, the moment I saw her, I already guessed her identity. It was only a matter of time… something that couldn’t be avoided.”
“And…” She lowered her lashes, hiding the emotions in her eyes.
“The one who should be saying sorry is me.” Seraphina gripped her icy hand and cut her off. “…I’ve lied to you about many things. It’s precisely because we have pasts we don’t want to show and choices buried deep in our hearts that we are complete individuals, not just indistinguishable lumps of flesh for others to pry into.
“You can choose to tell me at any time, or you can choose to let them rot in your heart forever. That is your right—a right no one else can touch!”
That was all Seraphina could say.
She placed every bit of power into Lina’s hands.
Whether the other wanted to live out this life in peace like this, or wanted… revenge, she would give her the greatest affirmation and support.
On the final stretch of the path, Lina’s condition improved noticeably.
They pushed open the door to the study.
Inside the study, Ailinuo was standing on her tiptoes, placing a scroll high on the bookshelf.
Hearing the door open, she immediately turned around, a brilliant smile rising on her face as she was about to greet them. “Your Highness, you’re back—”
Yet when she saw Lina’s haggard appearance, the smile froze on her face and the words stuck in her throat.
She keenly sensed that the atmosphere was extremely off.
She immediately restrained her expression, carefully walked forward, her gaze moving back and forth between the two of them, and finally asked Seraphina in a soft voice:
“Your Highness, Sister Lina… what’s wrong with her? Did something happen?”
Seraphina smiled at her a little apologetically. “I’m sorry, Ailinuo. As for what exactly happened… I can’t tell you for now.”
The other nodded very understandingly, with no curiosity on her face, only pure concern. “Alright, Your Highness. I understand. Is there anything I need to do?”
“No need.” Looking at how obedient Ailinuo was, Seraphina reached out and stroked her hair. “Thank you for your kindness, but right now… could you please step out for a while? There are some things I want to talk about with Lina alone.”
Ailinuo responded without the slightest hesitation. “Alright. I was just about to go check the warehouse inventory list!”
She was very clear about her place, and understood that there were things between Her Highness and Sister Lina that she could not touch.
After that, quiet returned to the study once more.
Seraphina helped Lina sit by the fireplace and poured her a cup of hot water.
Then she didn’t rush to ask questions.
Instead, she gave the time to Lina, letting her think things over properly, while she herself sat down beside her.
After a good while, Lina finally seemed to recover some strength and slowly opened her mouth.
“I… actually, my name isn’t Lina. Or rather, it’s a name I made up on the spot. I have many names, and this is just one of them.”
Seraphina had already anticipated this, but when she heard about the many names, her heart still shook, and a wave of bitterness surged up.
“My real name is… Ira.” When she spoke this familiar yet unfamiliar name, Lina seemed to once again experience the scent of blood and scorched earth…
In her eyes, it was as if that nightmare-like night from years ago had reappeared, and her voice became ethereal and unsteady.
“The last… princess of the Bisge Duchy. That… Debisge Duchy that was reduced to ashes overnight five years ago!”
After the words fell, the room once again sank into a heavy silence.
After saying this, Lina stared blankly at the leaping flames, as if her soul had returned to five years ago.
A long time passed—so long that Seraphina thought Lina might not plan to say anything more that night—before Lina finally turned her head.
“Seraphina, give me some time, alright? More than this… I might not be able to say any more today.”
Although Seraphina’s understanding of Lina’s background was still vague at this point, and there were many questions left unclear, the conditions clearly weren’t there to keep pressing right now.
“Of course!” Seraphina answered immediately. “We have all the time in the world. Just tell me when you want to. But…”
Seraphina looked into Lina’s eyes, her tone becoming especially serious at the end. “Lina, right now I only want to ask one question!”
Lina raised her eyes and met Seraphina’s gaze once more.
She still chose to trust.
Seraphina took a deep breath and asked, word by word:
“Do you… still want revenge?”
Everything Lina had said to Saint Eustacia in the room earlier had been heard by Seraphina, including the words about wanting to completely leave the past behind.
This question was nothing if not important.
No one could simply let go of a blood feud involving the murder of their family!
If this wasn’t resolved, it would undoubtedly crush Lina little by little.
“Yes!” The voice Lina squeezed out from her throat almost through gritted teeth was not loud, yet it carried a force that was absolute and unyielding.
“I dream of it! Of tearing them limb from limb!”
“Good!” Seraphina didn’t say any more words of comfort.
In her eyes there was heartache, heaviness, and also a sense of relief as if dust had finally settled.
The only thing absent was any judgment on whether this hatred was right or wrong.
That was the work of ignorant saints, not hers—Seraphina’s!
She only knew that if one didn’t even have this bit of resolve, then they were truly no different from a rat!
At the very least, Lina had a goal, even if its existence would bring doubts and debates.
That was enough!
Seraphina guessed that it was probably because Lina had already been disappointed by the Church that she had said those words of giving up to Saint Eustacia.
The unease in her heart lessened a little.
She sat with Lina for a while longer, until even the sky outside had dimmed a bit.
The study door was pushed open directly.
The only one who would usually do something like that was Movira.
Sure enough, Movira walked straight up to Seraphina, her face dark, and said one sentence to her: “Come with me.”