I've Suffered for Five Years, Now It's Your Turn. ~The Crown Princess Has No Intention of Forgiving~ - Episode 21

Clang.
A sharp metallic sound rang out.

I looked down at the knife that had fallen to the floor, let go of Rosaline’s arm, and picked it up.

“You threaten death without the resolve to go through with it… So pitiful. You can’t even end your own story properly.”

“Ugh… ahh… aaaahhh!”

She covered her face with both hands, overwhelmed by shame.
Rosaline wailed like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum.

“I was a fool to expect a noble lady ruled by personal feelings to have a graceful, resolved end.”

“Sob… I… I just wanted to do this for Erik…”

“Well, sorry to interrupt your tears—”

I grabbed Rosaline’s chin and forced her to look at me.
Her once-elegant appearance now distorted by sobbing, I couldn’t help but feel pity as I asked:

“Tell me about Erik.”

“Heh… haha. You really don’t know anything, do you?”

She scoffed, but it was true—I knew very little about him.
I had no response, so she whispered with a faint, bitter smile.

“You know… it’s true. He can’t have children.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“No matter how much you and Erik love each other, there’s no way you’ll ever have a child together. No matter how much you wish for one.”

Her words instantly reminded me of something.

When Erik had almost attacked me once before, he had said something similar:

“It’s true. No matter how much I want it… you and I can never have a child.”

At the time, I thought he was lying stubbornly.
But now I realized—those words didn’t mean I was the problem.
They could also mean that he was the one who couldn’t have children.

“…So that’s it. The reason we can’t have children… lies with Erik, not me.”

I spoke my thoughts aloud, and Rosaline responded through tears.

“Erik told only me… because he loved me. That’s the truth. He loved me enough to trust me with that secret. That means… I was the one he truly cared for.”

“That’s not something I care about anymore.”

“I—I was more fit to be the crown princess than you. That’s the one thing Erik acknowledged in me!”

It must’ve been the last shred of pride Rosaline clung to.
But to me, her words were just laughable.

“His love means nothing to me now.”

“Shut up… I was the one he loved more… I deserved to be by his side too…”

“How wonderful for you. You’ll get to stay by his side forever—at rock bottom.”

“Shut up! Shut up! He loved me more… I could’ve been the crown princess…”

As she cried and screamed, I gave a signal to the knights of the Sylvan royal family waiting outside.
They moved in to detain Rosaline and Duke Telmond.

“Stop! Please!”
“I was the one he loved… I could’ve been the crown princess…”

They shouted whatever they wanted, but we calmly loaded them into the carriage for transport.
Among them, I caught sight of the doctor who had given me a diagnosis five years ago.

“Once we reach the royal palace, you’ll tell us everything you know. Understood?”

“…”

The doctor kept his head down, wearing a sour expression.
He was silent now, but once we arrived, we had ways to make him talk.

“Return to the palace. Let’s go.”

I gave the order.
But the carriage didn’t move.

Curious, I turned to see why. One of the knights holding the reins called out to me.

“Princess Filia, a carriage from the Harvin royal family… has arrived.”

“What?”

I stepped down from the carriage—and it was true.
A carriage bearing the Harvin royal crest had stopped in front of the Telmond estate.
Out stepped… Erik.

Only a few knights accompanied him, clearly indicating he came in secret.

“Filia… I heard you came here to confront Rosaline. I rushed here as soon as I could.”

“Erik, what do you want?”

It was the first time I’d seen him since our last official meeting.
He looked worn down, pale, clearly unwell.

He staggered before me and dropped to his knees.

“Filia… if you came here, then you must know everything now, right?”

“Yes. The doctor will tell me more about my body soon, and I’ve already guessed most of the truth you told Rosaline.”

“…”

He looked up at me in silence, eyes filled with desperation, then raised his voice as if pleading for his life.

“Filia, I understand if you’re angry. You have every right to be. I have no excuse.”

“Good. Because I don’t want to hear one.”

“But… please. I’m begging you. At least spare Rosaline.”

“…What?”

The rage I had tried to suppress flared up instantly.
But Erik didn’t notice. He just looked at me, wearing a face like he was the righteous one.

“It’s my fault Rosaline got dragged into this. She was only trying to support me.”

“…”

“I know you’re furious. But she only got involved because of me. Blaming her too is wrong!”

“You…”

How dare he.
To say something like that, all in the name of “love”…?

I took a step forward.

“Don’t punish Rosaline. If you came here for peace between our countries, then at least show her some mercy!”

“…”

“Punish me all you want. I’ll accept anything. But don’t create more victims because of my actions. You don’t want that either, do you—?”

“Would you just shut up?”

Before I knew it, my hand moved.
A sharp slap echoed through the air. Erik winced in pain, his face twisting.

“What you owe me is an apology—to the Sylvan royal family and to me personally, for all the suffering you caused.”

“!”

“And yet here you are, playing the hero, begging for Rosaline’s innocence? Are you mocking me?”

“N-no! I swear I intended to apologize. I just… I just wanted to save Rosaline—”

“Your pleas mean nothing. All they do is disgust me.”

“Please don’t say that… I’m begging you… Filia…”

As my words sank in, Erik’s face fell into despair.
But I wouldn’t give in—not even an inch.
Not until justice is served for the crimes the two of them committed.