#Prologue

Brown hair that had become dry and brittle filled her vision. Her mother’s collapse, like a tree on a hill full of green leaves, was an unbelievable sight incomparable to when her father died.

She barely called out to her mother with her parched throat. Thinking it wasn’t true, thinking what she saw was wrong, she crawled toward her mother and reached out her hand.

“Mother……”

The beautiful green eyes lost their light. The eroded vitality in those eyes told the cruel reality.

That her mother was dead.

That the mother who held her hand and laughed with her had left this world.

That she was now…… alone.

“Huk…… Uk. Ahhh!”

A desperate cry like a scream poured out between her teeth.

Even when her father passed away and they were driven out of the ducal residence where they had lived their entire lives, even when her younger brother Lewis was pointed at for not being their father’s child. Even through all those days, she had never felt such great sorrow and despair. Everything was fine. As long as her mother was there to hide her behind that frail back. With just those worried eyes looking at her over that small face. No matter how much this world pointed fingers, it was fine.

“Uncle Bruno……”

Behind her, she saw Uncle Bruno’s face, looking shocked by the scene. Even little mother Jessica, who gripped Bruno’s arm tightly and turned her head away.

No…….

No matter how much you hate us, Uncle wouldn’t do such a thing. Right?

“A, a physician…… Uncle……”

Bruno, who had been moving his lips, turned his head to the side. They remained silent toward her as she embraced her mother’s body, which had become a sea of blood.

Ah…….

“Tsk. Dirty blood got on my gloves.”

Everything was planned.

The glove that fell in front of her eyes with a thud covered her mother’s face. When she removed the glove with trembling hands, the man who had cut down her mother brushed off his sleeves.

“Should…… should I cut the child too?”

Bruno glanced down and asked the hooded man.

“Of course? Did you think we’d let her live after seeing all this?”

“N, no. I just…… Jessica, go inside.”

Bruno waved his hand and pushed Jessica toward the door.

“The sword has been discarded, and the remaining scabbard must also be buried together.”

The sword…… Was that a metaphor for her father?

The shadow of death approached. The ducal residence’s reception room where she had lived just a few years ago. When she raised her head, the familiar chandelier’s light illuminated the hood. At the same time, the raised sword gleamed with sharp light.

Ah, if there is a god.

If there really is a god…….

When she closed her eyes, tears flowed down.

With the sharp pain in her chest, her upper body collapsed. When she opened her eyes with the consciousness that remained faintly…….

She only saw three very small dots marked on the bare hand of the man who had held the sword.

“Burn the gloves together.”

“Yes, understood.”

Mother…….

She moved her finger slightly, but that was the end.

The hood completely turned its back on the lifeless mother and daughter.