I've Suffered for Five Years, Now It's Your Turn. ~The Crown Princess Has No Intention of Forgiving~ - Episode 16

When I stepped into Queen Camilla’s chambers, I found her packing her belongings as if preparing to flee the country.

Dresses strewn about in disarray. Jewelry hastily thrown into a trunk.

Even now, she clung to her vanity, trying to escape wrapped in gaudy splendor—and that pathetic display only fueled my anger.

“How pitiful. How vulgar you are, Camilla.”

“W-What… What are you doing here!?”

Camilla couldn’t hide her shock at my sudden visit.

But I no longer had even a shred of respect left for her as queen.

A queen who had abandoned her duty, betrayed the people’s trust—such actions could never be forgiven.

“I’ve prepared everything needed to bring your crimes to justice.”

“M-My… What are you talking about?”

I stepped in front of her.

Even I could feel the icy coldness in my gaze now.

This was the queen who had tormented me, cornered me with her schemes.

And yet—seeing her like this, so small, so wretched, so base—I realized just how little she truly was.

“Take a look at this.”

I dropped a ledger taken from the House of Lot, along with a document listing the full amount of funds he had received.

Camilla’s expression changed completely.

“First… this is proof of embezzlement. We have records, and testimony. Count Lot has already been taken into custody by the knights.”

“……”

“And one more thing. You’ve thrown away your pride as queen—and committed a disgraceful crime out of greed and self-interest.”

“You… You heard everything?”

“You slept with Count Lot. Even as queen, you gave your body to a man outside the royal family. You defiled yourself—of your own will.”

“……”

“We have testimony. Your crimes will come to light soon enough.”

Realizing everything had been uncovered, Camilla collapsed to her knees, not even caring that she was crushing her dress or scattering her jewelry across the floor. She begged me.

“Please… Stop, please… Filia, I had no choice. There were reasons, I was a victim too… Just like you, I—”

“As queen, you carried the trust of the people and were entrusted with guiding the nation. Do you really think you can justify your reckless behavior just by saying you had ‘circumstances’?”

“Forgive me… Please… I…”

“No matter how much you beg, I’m not the one who will judge you. That duty falls to the people who once believed in you!”

How pathetic. How disgraceful.

The fact that she shared the title of queen with me only deepened my fury.

My voice shook with rage as I shouted. Camilla, her face twisted in tears and cold sweat, looked up at me.

“Do you even know how much the people pay in taxes despite their harsh lives?”

“…I…”

“They pay those taxes because they trust this nation. They believe in the royal family to lead this country with dignity and honor.”

“……”

“And you—you disgraced that pride yourself. As queen, no matter what your reasons were, you should have upheld that dignity. You should never have done anything that would make you unable to face the people.”

She must have realized that no amount of begging would gain her forgiveness.

I saw the resignation sink into her eyes as she lowered her head.

“!”

But the action she took next—was one devoid of any pride.

Maybe it was panic—realizing her crimes would be revealed, that there was no time left to escape. She suddenly grabbed a vase in the room and shattered it.

“What are you—!?”

Camilla picked up one of the broken, razor-sharp shards.

Ryug rushed in front of me protectively, but Camilla didn’t raise the shard toward us.

She sliced her own palm.

Bl00d splattered onto the floor.

“Let me go… Or else I’ll accuse you of hurting me! I’ll tell everyone you gave me this wound! I’ll ruin you!”

So that’s her plan? How childish.

Self-harm, followed by false accusations—to buy herself time and arrange an escape.

How low was she willing to fall?

“G-Get out! Say nothing to anyone! If people think you harmed me—the queen—your reputation won’t just be ruined in this country, but in others as well!”

“And?”

“W-What…?”

“I asked, so what? What problem is that supposed to be?”

“Ahhh!”

I grabbed Camilla’s wounded hand and squeezed it with all my strength.

She screamed in agony, and I looked down at her as I let my fury erupt.

“I told you—your crimes will be judged. Nothing you do now will change that. Scream all you like. Let the world see how far you’ve fallen.”

“Stop! Please—stop!”

“Silence. You’ve disappointed me… To the very end, you’ve lived without pride—driven only by selfish emotions.”

I stared down at Camilla as she screamed and writhed in pain.

What a perfect expression.

Despair, fear, and eyes that pleaded for mercy—realizing there was no escape.

The storm of anger inside me urged me forward. Urged me to deliver judgment upon this wretched woman—not even worthy of being called queen.

“Camilla. There’s no running from the sins you’ve committed.”

“Ah… Aah…”

“Wherever you go, the disgrace you bear will strip all that jewelry of meaning. That is the weight of the crimes you’ve committed.”

“Aaaaaaahhh!”

Camilla… There’s no escape left for you. No forgiveness for what you’ve done.

That is the burden carried by one who bears the title of queen.

That is the price for your sins.

And finally, as she understood that—she crumpled to the floor and let out a sob of pure despair.