Chapter 22: Ambush-Part 1

Something grazed past her ear.

Instinctively, she became alert to her surroundings.

Glancing sideways at the ground, she saw a knife embedded in it.

The sensation of a slight tingle still lingered from the stone of her mother’s heirloom necklace. Was it a sign that the danger had not yet passed?

As she attempted to take cover, she noticed her aunt at the entrance of the rose garden. A gleaming silver object was visible in her hand.

Greta had mentioned that there were guards at the entrance. If her aunt had entered, it meant there was a possibility the guards had been defeated. Given that her aunt lacked the strength to accomplish this alone, there might be an accomplice.

“Aunt.”

Eva, who had resolved herself, stood up to face her aunt.

Her aunt raised the corner of her eye, glaring fiercely at Eva with sparkling eyes.

“Because of you, my entire plan went awry. Back then, you should’ve died with the carriage. Lord said he wanted to keep you alive for political use, and I should’ve defied his words.”

“Aunt, did you also attempt to kill Father and Mother with the carriage?”

“Lord said he would only threaten, but he’s too naive. Even if he had threatened, Lord Klaus would never give up. You were also supposed to be on that carriage. It would have been better if the three of you died together as a family.”

“…What did Aunt desire?”

“Everything Elizabeth brought from the barbaric country. Although I gained the position of Marchioness, the opportunity to make my daughter queen was completely ruined because of you.”

“What does Mother have?”

“I was supposed to marry Lord Klaus. I’ve liked him since I was a child. However, Klaus never noticed me. He married Elizabeth, who had no lineage.”

“The two loved each other. Father seemed happy.”

“If he had married me, he would have surely loved me. That woman took it away from me. You, becoming more and more like Elizabeth, made me hate you. And you took away my position and dreams. That’s why I’ll take your life. Die and atone!”

She didn’t know that her aunt had admired Father.

“Aunt, didn’t you love Uncle?”

“Huh? Love him? I only loved Lord Klaus because he resembled him. I married him because their faces looked alike.”

Her aunt approached slowly, wielding the knife.

“Aunt, even if you try to kill me with that knife, your grip won’t be enough.”

She stared at her aunt, who approached with an obvious amateurish grip.

“It’s okay if I can’t kill you. I wouldn’t mind if I left a scar on your face. It would be amusing to see you suffer for the rest of your life.”

Feeling pity for her aunt, who had gone mad with her first love, she began to think about how to disarm her.

Where could her accomplice be?

“Please tell me before the end. How did you get in here?”

She remembered that her aunt and cousins had been locked in the aristocratic prison.

“Hehe, your enemies weren’t just me. It’s only a matter of time before you die.”

With a loud laugh, her aunt swung the hand holding the knife, attempting to slash at Eva.

She grabbed her aunt’s wrist, pulling it towards her chest.

Taking a firm grip on her wrist, she struck it with all her might, causing the knife to fall from her aunt’s hand. Before her aunt could pick it up, she kicked it far away with her foot.

Holding onto her aunt, Eva remained vigilant of her surroundings. If there was an accomplice, her aunt, who seemed less than an amateur, wouldn’t be thinking of killing her.

Undoubtedly, her aunt was a decoy.

Just as Eva thought she heard another sound grazing past her ear, her aunt let out a scream.

A knife was visibly embedded in her aunt’s abdomen.

It’s intentional. It wasn’t a fatal injury on purpose.

Because her aunt was screaming in pain, Eva couldn’t pick up the sounds around her.

“Aunt, if I pull out the knife, the bleeding will worsen. Let me lay you down on the ground for now.”

While remaining vigilant of her surroundings, Eva laid her aunt down on the ground. Then, there was the sound of knives flying one after another. Knives surrounded Eva and her aunt, forming a circle on the ground.

They were deliberately cornering her.

Gradually, Eva’s heart seemed to be covered by a dark fog.

The curse-like words of hatred towards Eva that continue to leak from her aunt’s mouth are even more exhausting for Eva.

She knew she no longer had a place to belong.

Returning to her territory as a relative of the criminal Marquise would bring uncertainty about acceptance from the people. Even meeting her grandparents in the Dacian Empire wouldn’t create a place for her.

In that case, wouldn’t it be fine to end it surrounded by roses?

It seemed that Eva’s spirit had drained away. She felt a strong killing intent directed straight at her. Facing the direction where the killing intent was coming from, Eva raised her head with a calm heart, ready to face the final assault without running away.

Suddenly, she felt a flash of light in front of her.

Surprised, she looked up to find Lucas, holding a sword, standing in front of Eva.

“Lord Lucas.”

She murmured with a hoarse voice.

“Eva, are you injured?”

“I’m fine. But more importantly, Aunt…”

“Do you really care about such a woman?”

“Yes… I want her to atone for her sins.”

“I see.”

“Lord Lucas, I apologize. She slipped away.”

It was Greta who knelt before Lucas, reporting.

“Collect all the knives scattered around here; investigate them. Also, take that woman away and ensure she receives medical treatment.”

“Are we keeping her alive?”

“It’s Eva’s wish. Make her atone for her sins. Better to suffer than to die.”

Staring coldly at her aunt, Lucas spoke before turning to Eva.

“A few of my subordinates will come shortly. They are men; is that okay?”

“Uh… yes.”

“Greta, call them.”

“Yes.”