Come and Cry at My Funeral - Chapter 223
Since Izar’s departure, a new year had dawned, and today marked the 60th day of his absence.
“Madam! I’m off!”
Thea was about to leave on an errand with her close friends and relatives, the same people who had helped Freesia during the ‘first tea party’.
“Yes, go safely. You’ve packed everything I gave you, right?”
“Hehe, don’t worry about that! I’ve never made a mistake when it comes to things like this!”
Unaware that this would be her last encounter with Freesia, Thea beamed with joy. After all, she had received generous rewards, just as promised, for serving her mistress well.
But before taking a step, Thea hesitated awkwardly.
“By the way, Madam, didn’t you once say that I only needed to wait for nine months to receive my reward…?”
“Ah, yes, I did say that.”
“Well, those nine months are almost up now.”
Thea glanced furtively at her mistress’s rounded belly and began to count silently. By her estimation, spring would mark the nine-month period, and if the baby arrived early, it could be even sooner.
“Are you planning to go somewhere, by any chance?”
“Hehe, who knows?”
Her mysterious master only tilted her head and gave a cryptic smile in response to Thea’s question.
On impulse, Thea blurted out,
“If you’re planning to leave, would you like me to go with you?”
“……”
At those words, the ever-enigmatic expression on Freesia’s face softened. But it wasn’t long before she smiled gently and shook her head.
“Even so, thank you, Thea, even if it was just a polite offer. But I’ll be fine. Instead, you should take this chance to do all the things you’ve ever wanted.”
Thea pursed her lips awkwardly. Sure, it had been a polite gesture, but a small part of her—perhaps ten percent—had meant it sincerely.
“Well then, I’ll be off on my errand!”
In the end, she gave Freesia a spirited farewell and turned away with the group she had assembled.
The only people left in the castle now were those who had long been stationed there.
Though many of the knights had departed, there was still a mix of personnel remaining—those assigned to guard the castle and officials sent from the imperial palace to protect Freesia.
Freesia then summoned the last person who remained by her side.
“Sir Dike, I imagine you’ve felt quite neglected all this time.”
The loyal knight was still serving as her guard, but he had been affected by the ‘incident’ involving Freesia.
It wasn’t a formal demotion, but the power dynamics within the castle had rendered him half-crippled in terms of influence. He had also suffered because he hadn’t actively defended himself.
“After all, I suddenly elevated Sir Károli above you, despite your loyal service…”
“It’s nothing, Madam.”
Dike lowered his head, his face flushed. Looking back, he felt ashamed. Had he not been too incompetent as her guard?
Even if it hadn’t been someone like Charles, he would have deserved to be replaced by another knight long ago.
As Dike silently pondered his regrets, Freesia spoke softly.
“Do you remember what you said on the day you returned to the capital from the south? That you’d help me no matter what?”
Dike nodded. He had made that vow on the journey back to the capital after rescuing her from her kidnappers. He had promised to repay her for the rare medicine she had used to save him during the hunting festival.
“Then, will you help me one last time?”
“Please, command me as you wish, Madam.”
“Even if it means betraying Izar?”
Dike’s throat went dry, and it felt like he was swallowing sand. Misinterpreting his tension as hesitation, Freesia quickly added,
“I’ve prepared a reward for your help, as well as measures to ensure your family’s safety. So, don’t worry.”
“I need no reward, Madam,” Dike replied, steadying himself and bowing deeply.
He knew that as a knight betraying his liege, he would be branded a traitor. Even so, he had decided to devote his knightly honor to the woman who had saved his life.
“Please give me your orders. I will follow them without question.”
At last, the tension in Freesia’s face softened, and she whispered,
“First, we need a corpse.”
***
There had been no news from the knights since they left, but reports of uprisings centered around the Kreiter territory were growing more frequent.
It was an increasingly unstable time for everyone in the empire.
However, those within the duke’s castle remained oddly calm. They had what they considered a ‘source of security’.
“After all, the imperial descendant is here.”
“Exactly. No way will monsters dare attack this place.”
Rumors had already spread throughout the land that monsters would turn into white flower petals the moment they came into contact with the imperial descendant, preventing them from approaching recklessly.
And weren’t the imperial guards stationed here to keep watch alongside the ducal castle’s guards? With their combined strength, even a large-scale uprising could easily be subdued—or so they believed.
But complacency breeds vulnerability, and nothing triggers fear faster than a sudden attack.
Exactly one month after the duke’s departure, late at night, the first to detect the anomaly were the sentries patrolling the outer walls.
“……What is that?”
In the dark forest, where it was hard to distinguish sky from ground, a strange movement began to stir.
At first, they thought it might be an animal that had woken too early from hibernation.
But when the cold moonlight filtered through the gaps in the clouds, illuminating the scene, those who realized what they were seeing gasped and shouted.
“No way.”
“M-Monsters!”
“Prepare for battle! Light the flares!”
The guards immediately assumed battle positions, but their hearts froze as they took in the unbelievable sight before them.
