94. Engagement Ceremony (1)
Owen naturally accepted Lucia’s request.
Since he already had evidence of the illegal activities through his investigation, it was not difficult to report them.
Upon returning to the mansion, Owen organized the materials he had and began to inform the public about the evidence of the illegal activities from the next day.
As the illegal activities began to be exposed, Lord Cyril Yeongsik started to crumble.
The difference between just saying it’s a rumor and seeing the facts in front of your eyes was like night and day.
Especially in a society where imperial law was holding it together.
Edward lost his wealth and businesses, and his reputation hit rock bottom.
To address the issues that arose in the Celdi Marquisate, Celdi Marquis Yeongsik dismissed Edward from the position of successor.
The position of the Marquisate passed to Hanna instead of Edward.
Edward seemed frustrated and angry, yet he couldn’t even respond.
Losing everything left him feeling inadequate and led to repentance.
The situation turned overwhelmingly unfavorable for him.
It was only natural.
Edward was the one who committed the crime and had weaknesses.
When Bella and the rest returned to the capital, Edward was on the brink of ruin.
“Wow, this guy really can’t handle things properly. Using dark magic seems to be his style.”
Seeing Edward deteriorating, Bella cursed inwardly.
It was inevitable.
Having dabbled in dark magic, collapsing so helplessly was incomprehensible.
Why would he even consider possessing dark magic?
Obtaining abilities he couldn’t even use properly.
“No wonder Lucia left him…”
Bella clicked her tongue towards Edward.
She understood why Lucia had called off the engagement.
Once someone commits murder, they become a serious criminal, and there was nothing good about being married to such a person.
It could lead them both to ruin.
And on top of that, being so incompetent.
If a criminal is incompetent, they’ll just get caught and face punishment.
To be a villain, one needed to be smart and meticulous.
Not be caught with so many weaknesses, letting the protagonists slip away.
“What will you do now?”
Though it was a sigh-worthy situation, she couldn’t unilaterally end it.
The other party was insane, so being rash might harm Bella too.
It was wise to step back rather than push too hard.
Via a communication crystal, Bella talked to Edward.
“There don’t seem to be many options left.”
To that question, Edward let out a long sigh.
“That’s right… There aren’t many options left.”
His voice was still ominous, like a snake.
It was pathetic to consider spewing venom even in a cornered situation.
Bella smoothly lied over her genuine feelings.
Pretending to hesitate wasn’t difficult.
“Since there’s no way out, shall I kill you?”
“…!”
However, what she said next left Bella astonished.
To kill him.
Was she saying she would kill Lucia now?
“What…?”
She was so flustered that she couldn’t speak properly.
In ＜Empire’s Flower＞, Lucia was killed.
But back then, there was a valid reason.
She was executed for attempting to poison the saint multiple times.
Although the envoys attempted the same, they weren’t sentenced to death because the Emperor had made a deal for their punishment.
Originally, executing the saint was a crime deserving of death.
Lucia had no family to protect her, and in the original work, ‘Owen’ wanted to punish Lucia for trying to harm Bella.
No, in fact, Louis stepped up, gathered evidence against Lucia, and ‘Owen’ used it.
“Lucia probably doesn’t like me. Hypnosis didn’t work, so she won’t like me.”
“….”
Yes, technically, Lucia died for the protagonists.
For their happy ending.
But she also had the sin of attempted murder, so this is…
“If you can’t have it, you should kill it.”
This was clearly wicked.
That’s what Kyle said.
Kyle told Bella that it was murder for her to consume ‘Bella’ and take over her body.
But Bella didn’t see it as murder.
Anyway, it’s not like I’m going to kill “Bella.”
But this, at least-.
“That way, no one else can have it, right?”
Stories poured out like those of obsessed and crazed murderers.
Bella realized belatedly.
There was a reason why Edward, who had been so fixated on Lucia, had simply watched her death unfold in the original work.
Because Lucia seemed unlikely to ever love him.
If he couldn’t have her, he might as well make her disappear altogether.
And that’s probably what Owen, whom Lucia so desired, did for her, hoping that Lucia would eventually realize.
That Owen, in fact, never loved her.
He must have hoped she would despair.
“Crazy bastard.”
Bella bit her lip, looking down at the phone with a horrified expression.
She thought Owen, who had said he would give her anything she wanted if she loved him, was insane, but it was the human species over here.
“I will not lend the Lady’s hand. Since the Lady is the one who must save people.”
The feigned kindness in his words was absurd.
To know that and still say that she would kill Lucia to her face.
Bella made a disgusted expression, but the conversation continued.
“They say the engagement ceremony is next week. Lady Gongnyeo said she would proceed with it without delay, even after such an incident occurred.”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
“It’s a wedding of two dukes, so many will be invited. Will the Lady attend as well?”
“Yes.”
Bella forced herself to answer positively, even though she really didn’t want to.
She couldn’t understand why they were insisting on going through with the engagement ceremony.
“As there’s nowhere more suitable to gather people and carry out the event than at an engagement ceremony….”
Edward trailed off, but he never revealed what he intended to do.
He bizarrely smiled and simply told Bella to look forward to that day.
“Please go there in person that day. It will be quite enjoyable, I assure you.”
Click.
The phone call disconnected.
Bella bit her lower lip, pondering her tangled thoughts.
She couldn’t decide if it was okay to leave things as they were.
Even in “Empire’s Flower,” if Lucia died, it wouldn’t cause much trouble.
Owen might be shocked and go crazy, but perhaps he would break down.
But….
“Then I could have Owen.”
It would be easier to handle him broken.
The person he loved so much would disappear from the world.
Leaving things for Edward to succeed would be beneficial for Bella.
However, she had never even considered killing Lucia.
Bella didn’t like Lucia so much because she was trying to claim Owen, not because of Lucia herself.
The thought of having to kill Lucia never crossed her mind.
“He’s really losing it….”
Bella pulled at her hair, exhaling heavily.
Continuing to mull over her thoughts, Bella opened the window to cool her head.
As soon as she opened the window, a slightly cool breeze entered along with the scent of autumn.
Unlike Taylor Viscount’s territory, the capital was still in the midst of autumn.
Unlike early autumn when the green leaves began to turn slightly brown, now the trees were completely red and yellow.
Looking at the red and yellow leaves, Bella counted the days.
Owen and Lucia’s engagement was next week, and next week would be October.
“If Owen gets tired and gives up….”
Bella started to ponder again.
If she left what Celid, Viscount Yeongsik, was planning alone, and if he succeeded.
Once Lucia disappeared, Owen would have no reason to stay in this world.
“Then he could possibly return to his original world.”
Maybe she could meet “Owen” again.
And then he would likely choose Bella.
“Even if he doesn’t go back, Owen will be in a state where what he wants is gone….”
Even if Owen didn’t go back, it would be okay.
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Owen had nothing more to lose now that he had lost Lucia.
He might hate and despise Bella, but Bella would not face any consequences.
Unlike Edward, he had left no evidence or weakness behind.
So if Bella were to approach Owen, he couldn’t make her disappear, no matter how much he pushed her away.
It wasn’t worth killing someone.
And if Bella continued to pester Owen, the temple and the imperial palace would push her away.
The Emperor and the palace feared the Duke of Verdin.
They would probably want Bella close to keep Owen in check.
And they had approved of the marriage in “The Flower of the Empire” for that reason.
“If Owen continues to resist, should I borrow a bit from Lord Selyd’s methods?”
And if Owen continued to resist and rebel, if he reached the point of going mad or falling into depression.
Then they might have to resort to dark magic.
Or find a dark magician for help.
They said that with mental magic, memories could be erased or newly created.
They could also use hypnosis or suggestion to make him think he liked something.
So if Owen was irreparably damaged -.
They could completely erase Lucia from Owen’s memories and fill them only with Bella.
Create an Owen from “The Flower of the Empire” who only loved Bella.
“Not a bad idea, right?”
Upon reflection, it wasn’t bad at all.
No, it was rather satisfying.
In the end, Bella decided to choose silence after much contemplation.
After all, it was Edward who would be committing the act.
She just had to quietly watch the situation unfold.
Even if Edward messed up, it was fine.
He would face the consequences, and just the attempted murder incident would turn the engagement ceremony into chaos.
At least they could buy some time.
“If we fail, we’ll have to spout nonsense.”
If Edward failed in this plan as well, there was only one option left.
As Bella had told Owen, to mimic the appearance of a representative of the gods.
She was a glorious and noble saint who had appeared in 200 years.
Not just someone with great powers, but a great protagonist who could even attack with them.
So the world would easily believe it.
Even if Bella suddenly claimed she heard the voice and will of the gods, there would be no one to refute it.
There was no one greater than a saint in the temple, and the empire supported the temple.
“Just form a bond with the representative of the gods.”
So even if Owen or Bella spouted what seemed like nonsense, no one would even suspect.
They would easily buy into the nonsense that the representative of the gods had been directly bonded by God.
Owen didn’t need to deceive anyone.
The world would do it for him.
If the world believed it, and people spread the word and moved accordingly.
Then they could drive Owen.
So it was fine.