Acidity of Regret Ch 54
- Jan 12
- 7 min read
[Vanessa] "Oh, it seems it has only just finished."
By the time Vanessa returned to her seat, the play had already swept past its climax, and the actors were taking their curtain calls.
Her mind was in such disarray that the performance had been the furthest thing from her thoughts.
How had it ended? That tragic romance that mirrored the twisted bond between herself and Declan?
Rather than curiosity about the finale, she felt a profound sense of relief that she had missed it. No matter how the story had concluded, she doubted she could have watched it without being consumed by gloom. It felt as though the play’s climax would inevitably become the blueprint for her own life.
But the play was over, and she was already the protagonist of another drama staged by the Goddess herself. This was a precious opportunity. Depending on how she orchestrated her revenge this time, the final act of her life would be actually different.
In contrast to the overcast skies of the past few days, the garden was in full, magnificent bloom.
The Imperial Palace was home to five distinct gardens. Vanessa currently stood in the First Garden, the most sprawling and opulent of them all. Unlike the others, access here was restricted to those with special permission; perhaps because of this, the verdant foliage looked as though it had just been kissed by morning dew, vibrant and untouched.
Amidst the spectacular tapestry of colors, a shock of golden hair swayed gently. Vanessa tucked a stray lock behind her ear and surveyed the picturesque landscape. Even standing still, the air was thick with a pleasant, floral perfume.
[Hayden] "You seem to like it here."
Hayden, walking in step beside her, stole a glance at her face and spoke with a soft smile. He had clearly noted her expression of quiet contentment.
[Vanessa] "I do. I have visited the other gardens, but this is my first time here. Even when catching glimpses of it from afar, I always thought it was a stunning place, but up close..."
Before she had reached this level of intimacy with Hayden, no one would have granted her entry. She had been forced to pass it by, like a beautiful dream just out of reach. Most nobles likely shared that experience.
Today, however, she walked these paths with confidence at Hayden’s side. The scenery she had once only glimpsed through a carriage window was actually beyond description in its perfection.
[Hayden] "Originally, the late Emperor intended for this to be a free space where anyone could come and go. He felt it was a waste to keep such beautiful landscaping hidden away. However, I was told it was closed off due to a scandalous incident that occurred before I was born."
[Vanessa] "A scandalous incident?"
[Hayden] "I don't know the full details. His Majesty—my father—loathes even the mention of it."
"His Majesty" referred to the current Emperor. If the incident had occurred in the generation immediately preceding Hayden’s, it was curious that even a noble like Vanessa had heard nothing of it. There had undeniably been a strict gag order issued. Whatever the truth was, it felt a bit tragic that such beauty was reserved for so few.
[Vanessa] "Thank you for bringing me here, Hayden."
As she offered the gratitude that had become a habit, Hayden looked at her for a moment with an unreadable expression before nodding.
[Hayden] "By the way, the season for the Grand Tournament has already returned."
Hayden leaned toward a flower bed as he spoke. Only then did Vanessa realize how quickly the days had slipped by.
The Grand Tournament was a massive event hosted by the Imperial Palace every three years. It was a contest of swordsmanship where those of noble or knightly status competed. Regardless of rank, the winner was decided solely by the strength of their blade.
In her previous life, she had been in the Duchy when the tournament took place. At that time, she was essentially a traitor’s kin; merely thinking of the Ingzella Empire was agonizing. She’d had no mental capacity to care for a tournament.
Things were changing. Every time she noticed such a shift in her reality, the weight of her return struck her anew.
[Vanessa] "Time has truly flown. Will you be participating, Hayden?"
[Hayden] "I must. I have waited three years for this."
Hayden, who had been busy with something in the flower bed, straightened up and reached toward her ear. He often smoothed her hair when it became ruffled, and by now, she should have been used to his touch. Yet, she still flinched reflexively, as if encountering something foreign.
With even more cautious movements, Hayden tucked her hair back and placed something behind her ear. She reached up to touch it, her fingers brushing the soft petals of a flower. To any observer, they looked like a pair of lovers deep in the throes of a romantic date.
[Hayden] "Will you come to watch me?"
His blue eyes, shimmering like a starlit galaxy, sparkled with anticipation. It was a gaze that no lady could genuinely refuse. Since she had no intention of declining anyway, she nodded easily.
[Vanessa] "Of course."
[Hayden] "I believe I can perform much better if I know you are there cheering for me."
Despite being the one to say it, he looked away, seemingly embarrassed. When she replied, "Then I have all the more reason to go," the area around his cheekbones flushed a soft crimson. His shyness was vividly apparent in the sunlight.
[Hayden] "There will likely be more participants than last time. Specifically, the Grand Duchy has decided to join."
[Vanessa] "...The Grand Duchy is participating?"
[Hayden] "Yes. As you know, the Duchy possesses many knights who surpass those of the Empire. Unlike our knights, they have honed their skills by directly facing monsters. Everyone is secretly anticipating their arrival. The atmosphere will likely be... more heated than ever before."
When one thought of the Grand Duchy, only one name came to mind.
Declan Vinkart.
Until now, the Duchy had never taken part in the tournament. Why the sudden change of heart? Vanessa felt a sense of foreboding rather than surprise at this unexpected move.
She hadn't seen Declan's face since the night at the theater. She frequently worried about what schemes he was brewing. Whenever she thought he might be secretly plotting another "treason" charge against the Rohawk family, anxiety would wash over her. Their last conversation had been so heavy that she had no inkling of what he might do next.
[Vanessa] "Then, the Grand Duke will be in attendance as well."
[Hayden] "Most likely."
Vanessa had never actually seen Declan wield a sword, but she could easily guess his prowess. As a man who led the vanguard in monster subjugations, his skill was undeniably at a level that could not be ignored.
The thought of him using that extraordinary skill to hurt someone again made her heart pound with unease. If that someone happened to be Hayden...
[Hayden] "On that day..."
His hesitant voice pulled her from her dark thoughts.
[Hayden] "I shall give you a flower even more beautiful than this one."
His gaze shifted to her ear, looking at the blossom he had just placed there.
Vanessa understood him perfectly. The tournament was held in one-on-one matches, and with every victory, a single red rose was bestowed upon the winner. It was a long-standing custom for the victorious participant to present that flower to the lady they held in their heart.
It hadn't started as a romantic tradition. It began with a tale passed down through generations about a knight who won the very first tournament in Imperial history and offered his flower to his beloved.
[Hayden] "Do not accept roses from other men."
In the last tournament she had attended, she had received over twenty roses. Knights without a lady of their own or young nobles who had set their sights on her had all showered her with flowers. Hayden seemed to be keeping that memory in mind.
Vanessa let out a small chuckle, thinking his worry was unnecessary. The situation was different now. Was she not officially the Crown Prince’s fiancée? Unless someone wanted to make an enemy of the Imperial family, no one would be brazen enough to offer her a rose.
[Vanessa] "..."
Wait. The problem was that this time, there was exactly one man who might be that brazen.
The joy she felt when thinking of Hayden turned to gloom at the thought of that man. Especially since there would be so many watchful eyes at the tournament, both Vanessa and Declan were figures whose every move invited scandal.
She desperately hoped he would just stay still, but a sigh escaped her lips as the worry took root.
Swallowing her anxiety, she forced a smile.
As soon as their walk concluded, Hayden’s attendant rushed over to announce his next appointment.
As the heir most trusted by the Emperor, Hayden was currently fighting an uphill battle to secure the throne. To put it simply, he was honestly buried in work.
Vanessa knew this, so she didn't try to hold him back. While walking through the garden, she had thought several times that he shouldn't be spending his precious time so idly with her.
He was naturally kind enough not to show his stress, but being near him, the reality of his situation was obvious—the attendant hovering a few paces back, or the way Hayden subtly checked his pocket watch.
Hayden seemed quite disappointed that he couldn't see her off personally, but time waited for no one. He gave the attendant strict instructions and hurried away.
[Attendant] "I shall bring the carriage around, My Lady."
She nodded, but then, something tapped the top of her head.
[Vanessa] "Oh...?"
The sky had been gloomy since morning, and it seemed her intuition was right.
One or two raindrops began to fall.
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