Chapter 25

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“Noona, the door won’t open!”

“Cough, cough!”

How much did she shake the door while holding the doorknob?

Suddenly there was a gunshot, and the door burst open.

Nicole and Jay quickly moved out.

“Gasp, gasp…….”

The two went as far away from the house as possible.

Fortunately, no one was seriously injured because they were not locked up for a long time.

Her mother, whom she was carrying on her back, was injured by the fire, but it was not a serious burn.

They sank to the floor. Her lungs seemed to be filled with black smoke. She coughed for a long time and barely breathed.

The fresh air in the forest brought her to her senses.

And Nicole looked up. Isabel, who had turned pale, was in front of her.

“Isabel, you!”

It was then. Someone standing behind Isabel’s back slowly turned the gun and pointed it at Nicole.

Looking at it, Isabel had her hands up. And Grace with her gun was threatening Isabel from behind.

“Stand up, Nicole.”

Grace said coldly.

“Noona, do you know her?”

Nicole tried to nod her head calmly.

“Yes, that’s Ms. Grace.”

“Then… Did she save us? By shooting at the door?”

Jay said in a tone that is unsure where to be surprised by the embarrassing situation.

“Yes, and I’m thinking about whether to kill you or not.”

Grace said derisively.

“What… Don’t do that! We have done nothing wrong!”

Jay became contemplative and tried to block Nicole.

Nicole barely stood and stopped Jay.

“Let’s walk first. I don’t like this place.”

Grace said gracefully. Nicole realized that her tone was her true self.

“Follow me.”

She chinned Jay, too.

Jay, who bit his lips tightly, stumbled along with their mother on his back.

They went slowly into the forest.

They found two men and women bleeding to death near the mouth of the forest.

“Noona, they’re dead.”

Nicole is not surprised.

‘As expected, I was right in my prediction that Karen and Jen would be mercilessly executed by Grace.’

‘Grace was Raul’s teacher. I thought she’d be like that’

Caw, caw— 

Birds flew away. Dawn began to break.

Fortunately, the fire did not spread enough to become a forest fire because it was not a windy day.

‘But no matter how remote this place is…….’

Smoke would have begun to be seen in the village. In rural villages, they are sensitive to forest fires. There will be a crowd soon.

Nicole stopped at Grace’s command.

Jay also carefully put his mother down on the ground. And sat next to Freya and supported her upper body.

“Do you know this?”

Grace took something out of her pocket and threw it on the floor.

“It’s a poisonous herb that causes milk disease.”

Nicole said quietly.

“Your sister claims that you fed it to the cow and staged it. And the medicine you gave me was paralytic.”

“………I have never done that. Believe me.”

Nicole said calmly.

“No, it’s all my sister’s doing. I didn’t do anything wrong. It’s unfair. Help me!”

Isabel finally turned away and cried.

Grace still had her gun pointed at the family.

“It doesn’t matter who lied. For me, it’s best to dispose of all of you. What do you think? I’ve lived in an environment where there are a lot of people who threaten me and I’ve always done this. And I can cover up one or two deaths.”

“No, I don’t want to!”

Isabel realized that Grace meant what she said. She sprang to her feet and tried to escape.

Ping—-

Grace shot Isabel without even looking to her right.

Isabel fell flat on the floor.

The magic bullet of the shotgun grazed Isabel’s shoulder. As she collapsed, Isabel’s shoulder was hit by a stone which made a bone break.

“Ugh, Ugh, Ugh……. Ahhhhghhh!”

Isabel shed tears.

“If you know manners, don’t cut me off.”

Grace said quietly. Isabel sobbed and passed out slowly.

“It’s a little quiet now. Now, tell me.”

Grace looked at Nicole and flicked her gun.

“What is your identity? Did someone send you?”

“No, Madam.”

Nicole said. She was trembling all over, too.

“Noona!”

“Stay still, Jay.”

Nicole said quietly.

“Your excuse for hiding and living here due to debt is good. I need to know who tried to kill me. So tell me. If you don’t, I’ll hand you over to the authorities.”

Nicole slowly raised her head. And she took a small deep breath.

Then she looked Grace in the eye. She didn’t shy away from her eyes at all.

“I….”

She won’t lose anything in this life.

She will no longer watch people with such weapons harm her and her family.

She will respond to it all with her own mouth, and stop it with her own hands.

“I am the eldest daughter of the YvesChapel family, who is branded as a traitor.”

Grace’s eyes shook. Jay looked at Nicole with a puzzled stare.

“I’m the one who the Prince of Valentine is desperately searching for to prevent his involvement with the imperial family.”

“You?”

Grace tilted her head.

“If you were the teacher of Grand Duke Valentine, you would know my mother’s face. I have a portrait of my mother when she was young. You can check it out.”

Grace slowly turned her head and saw her unconscious mother’s face.

Freya was barely able to open her eyes, only breathing out shakily.

Grace’s eyes were shaking and full of hesitation.

Eventually, she regained her composure and spoke coolly.

“So you are my disciple’s betrothed. What about it?”

“…….”

Because Grand Duke Valentine has been searching for the Yveschapel family, he will be happy if you get into his hands. Do you think I am in a position to flatter you?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Nicole took a step closer to her. Again she raised her gun.

“Help me.”

“W, why?”

“Y… Your daughter wants to…… I don’t want to die like that poor man did.”

Then Nicole took a step closer. The gun almost touched Nicole’s head. The tip of Grace’s gun trembled.

“If you don’t wish to repay your daughter’s injustice with goodness, kill me now. I don’t want to be taken to the Grand Duke of Valentine and be exploited for politics. I don’t want to die at the hands of those terrible imperial people.”

Nicole rummaged in her arms. Then she took out a small rocket.

There was a small piece of paper folded several times in it. Nicole held out the paper.

“Grace, it’s a letter from your daughter. You don’t have to believe me. But please read this and think about it.”

Grace finally remembered her dream. Two nights ago, she had a dream about her daughter.

It was the night when she slept with the incense that Nicole gave her.

Her daughter stood by her bed and kept staring at her blankly.

Siena is one step closer. And she kept trying to hand something over to her.

Like Nicole now.

Grace put the gun down for a moment. And she took the letter with trembling hands. It was Siena’s short will.

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???’? ?????. ? ?? ??????? ?? ? ?????? ???? ?????????? ??? ? ???? ?????.

? ???? ??? ???’? ?????? ???? ? ????? ?? ???? ?????? ???? ?? ? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ??? ???.

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??????? ??? ???? ??.… ?????? ????? ??? ????????? ??? ???? ???? ????????.

???? ???? ???? ?? ??????? ???????.

?? ?????? ????? ? ?? ?? ?? ??? ????, ? ???? ?????????? ?? ???? ?? ?? ?????? ???????.

? ???? ???, ??????.?

Tears fell from Grace’s eyes. This was definitely Siena’s handwriting.

Sienna learned the arts when she was young. So she had excellent drawing skills, and she knew how to sign in detail that no one could copy.

Whenever she sent a letter to Grace, there was a signature made for her mother, who had an occupational disease, in case she doubted the authenticity of the letter.

The signature was clearly written in the letter.

“Why do you have this letter?”

“It was…… I was touching the orgel on the altar and found this note in a hidden space at the bottom of the orgel. I accidentally dropped the note on the floor, and I picked it up and kept it. I had planned to give you the note last time I saw you, but …… I couldn’t give it to you because I had work to do.”

Nicole replied. But that was a lie.

The day she left her letter at Grace’s house. Nicole sneaked into the house. Then, she opened the bottom of the orgel and found Sienna’s letter.

Then, she left her letter in front of the house and rang the bell.

It was in her previous life that Nicole learned about this letter.

In her past life, the orgel was given to Nicole. Nicole would often open the music box to listen to music.

Then she happened to know that there was a secret compartment at the bottom of the orgel, where she could store jewelry and various small props.

‘When I opened the secret compartment, there was this note inside.’

It was a great coincidence that she found this note in her last life.

“A letter from Sienna…”

Shocked, Grace’s gun fell to the floor.

“Please, help me. Grace.”

Nicole took advantage of Grace’s vulnerability and begged again.

“Cough, cough.”

Then Freya opened her eyes. Freya, who barely came to her senses, was confused at the sight of her surroundings.

Grace approached Freya and asked.

“She says she’s the eldest daughter of YvesChapel.”

“……!”

“Is she telling the truth? And are you the heir to Yveschapel?”

Freya’s eyes were filled with fear.

“Mother.”

Nicole approached Freya and briefly informed her of their situation.

That Grace saved them. And that she told her who she was and asked for help.

Grace looked down at Freya with eyes asking for an answer.

Freya nodded helplessly.

Jay closed his eyes tightly and hugged her even more.

“If you’re… if you’re someone I know…… Ms. Grace, then…… I think you know how to do it now.”

“We can’t make it out tonight…….”

Grace seemed to understand the meaning of her words. For a few seconds, she closed her eyes.

Isabel’s grunts. The sound of a fire burning an ominous sound of the wind

She slowly opened her eyes.

“You.”

Grace pointed to Jay.

“Leave your mother under the tree for a while. And move this body to your house. You, too!”

Nicole did as she said.

Jay also faltered. They staggered and carried Karen and Jen’s bodies as they were told.

“Go back to the burning house. Why?”

Jay said as if possessed.

“It’s dangerous over there.”

“Someone should die on your behalf.”