Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: The Changed Future
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Hasty footsteps.
It had been quite some time since Lark last lost control of his reason amid confusion, panic, and rage.
‘I heard about a future where the 2nd Prince Nathan assassinates me and ascends the throne, but honestly, I wasn’t worried about the 1st Princess Bella’s safety.’
If Lark were to die, the next in line for succession would be the 1st Princess Bella. That made her the one Nathan would have to eliminate to become emperor.
But.
‘Because Bella is Nathan’s full-blood sister, and...’
Nathan and Bella were twins born from the same womb, famous for their deep affection for each other.
‘Even without killing and removing Bella, Nathan could become emperor. With the agreement of the imperial officials and council nobles, the line of succession could easily be adjusted.’
Bella had been frail since birth. She often coughed up blood and could hardly leave her bed.
‘No one would welcome the succession of Bella, who can’t even properly manage her own body in the first place...’
So Lark had assumed.
The only obstacle in Nathan’s path was Lark himself.
After eliminating him, Nathan would smoothly swap the succession order through an agreement with his sister Bella.
That’s what he’d thought.
‘No, I was complacent. He’s the guy who assassinates his own blood and meticulously covers it up. I should have considered he might do something inhuman.’
Regret came too late, spilling out as a sigh.
‘If the future the duchess saw has truly changed...’
Astor Palace.
The bedroom of the 1st Princess, Bella van Rashumah Decard.
For some reason, the door was wide open. And the attendants surrounding the bed where Bella always lay were in an uproar.
Step, step, step.
As soon as he made his presence known, two maids who had been crying tears of worry turned to greet Lark.
“Y-Your Highness the Crown Prince...”
“Your Highness.”
They were noble maids who had served Bella since their youth, familiar faces. Just from their expressions, Lark could tell.
‘It’s changed.’
His sister Bella lay there, her thick ash-gray hair splayed across the pillow, her face serene as if peacefully asleep.
Bella.
‘It’s changed.’
The future Rubette had seen had changed.
The tragedy that should have occurred far in the future was unfolding right before his eyes.
“...Brother.”
A familiar voice.
Lark slowly raised his head.
Standing at the foot of Bella’s bed, as if he had already arrived...
‘Nathan.’
The culprit behind all this.
His eyes were heavily wet, his face twisted as if the world had collapsed.
The sunlight shattering over his ash-gray hair made Nathan look all the more desolate.
‘The future probably changed because of me.’
After hearing the future from Rubette, the one who had introduced the most variables was none other than Lark himself.
He had defended his aide Ren from false accusations and, pinpointing Nathan as his rival, pursued him even more relentlessly.
Naturally, Nathan wouldn’t sit idly by in response to Lark tightening the noose around his neck.
‘Frame Lizbet to shake me, and eliminate Bella ahead in the line of succession...’
Lark inwardly mocked himself.
Even knowing the future, he couldn’t change Nathan’s ambitions.
‘A clear mistake on my part.’
For a long while, their sharp gazes intertwined in the dry air.
* * *
Thud.
Crash.
The poker cards stacked in a pyramid shape collapsed entirely when slightly nudged from below.
“If the future has changed, it’s my fault. If I hadn’t acted differently, the future wouldn’t have changed. From the moment I started meddling somewhere, it all came crumbling down.”
“So?”
Wishit, who had been watching me from across the table with arms crossed, raised an eyebrow.
“Unlike the original future, if Lizbet gets framed for targeting the 1st Princess, I have to help her.”
“No, I’m against it. This is dangerous. It’s like jumping into a deadly family feud.”
Wishit leaned toward me as he spoke.
“I’ve felt this before, but you often make these judgments where I think I understand you, yet I really don’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you know the future, unless you’re a fool, you shouldn’t live the same way.”
“Well, sure.”
“If you act differently from your previous life, variables are bound to arise. This situation might just be the beginning. If you save someone who was supposed to die, someone who was supposed to live might die instead. Are you going to blame yourself every time?”
Wishit added with an expression that said he couldn’t comprehend me at all.
“I liked how you acted for personal gain or could be endlessly cold to others.”
“Hm, yeah. You always found Rubette frustrating because she couldn’t act like me.”
“Think back to why you first decided to help the crown prince.”
Wishit pressed on.
“It was to benefit your business, and you paid the price sufficiently. Just hinting at the future to him was already a huge risk. You don’t need to care about what happens after that.”
“You’re right. That’s what I said.”
I acknowledged it plainly, then began restacking the fallen poker cards one by one.
“But Wishit, to be honest now, it wasn’t just about having him model for my shop that made me start helping the crown prince.”
“...”
“It was because he was someone who would die tragically, and many would grieve his death.”
“Ah, so from the start, you planned to play the naive saint based on your flimsy knowledge of the future?”
“Not me—Rubette.”
Wishit froze.
“You seem to know it well too, but yeah. ‘Juliet Karena’ wasn’t a particularly good person. She never did anything at a loss, was moderately selfish, and acted like a fox while mindful of others’ eyes.”
“...”
“The complete opposite of Rubette. Well, as you know, Rubette was...”
I chuckled lightly while stacking another card.
“The type who tried to understand and forgive even those who hated and tormented her. You found that frustrating.”
“...”
“I felt the same way about her. So, I’m going to screw over every single one of those who hurt naive Rubette. On that point, no compromise—even if it’s not what Rubette wants.”
I wagged my index finger coldly.
“But in other situations.”
Soon, over the fully stacked pyramid of cards, I met Wishit’s eyes.
“I’ll act not as Juliet Karena, but as Rubettria Diorus.”
“...”
“I’ve always wondered what it would be like if Rubette knew the future. She would have regretted the tragedies that absolutely had to happen.”
Having absorbed all of Rubette’s memories and every fleeting emotion, I had instinctively felt it.
What she desired. How she would have acted if it were her.
“Dad was indifferent her whole life, but Rubette still loved him. She would have done something—anything—to prevent him dying at thirty-nine.”
That’s why she tried to save her father, with whom Juliet Karena shared not a shred of bond.
“And if she had the chance to meet the crown prince, she would have blurted out the future without a second thought. ‘You’re fated to die, so be careful.’”
That’s why she couldn’t ignore him, knowing the secret of his tragic death.
“And now, because of the choice to meddle with the future, innocent Lizbet is in a position to take the blame.”
I stared straight at Wishit, who had been listening silently, and asked.
“What about the Rubette you knew? Would she have ignored Lizbet and lived carefree?”
“...”
“Many of the choices I’ve made so far are things I never would have done as ‘Juliet Karena.’”
But.
“But because I resolved to live Rubette’s life happily.”
“...”
“I want to make choices that don’t stray too far from the life she desired and hoped for.”
“Like a fool...”
“I know what you’re worried about. You don’t want me getting dragged into unnecessary trouble and putting myself in danger.”
“...”
“But I won’t jump into anything that harms me or puts me at risk. So, I’ll think it through and act.”
“...”
I stood up, leaving the silent Wishit behind.
“You’ve seen me well, Wishit.”
As I passed him, I said.
“I’m someone who can be cold to others. I won’t go soft for anyone. But if there’s one person I can’t be cold to—”
Before opening the door, I turned back to Wishit and said.
“It’s Rubette. So, cut me some slack.”
* * *
After leaving the room, the place I headed straight to was Dad’s bedroom.
“Dad.”
“...”
Dad, who had been sitting by the sunlit window reading a book, only lifted his eyes to look at me after my quiet call from the doorway.
“I came to ask something.”
“What.”
His tone was as curt as his personality, but unlike our first meeting, his voice had softened a bit.
Feeling that small change, I relaxed slightly.
“Hey.”
“...”
Dad tilted his head slightly as he watched me hesitate by the door handle.
“If I cause trouble, how far can you cover for me, Dad...?”