TSMMT Ch 2

The First Death

[Dianna] "Did His Majesty really hold you?"

[Saruvia] "Of course. His Majesty is a passionate man. He treated me with such gentleness."

Her husband hated and detested her. Yet, her final foothold collapsed.

Lady Levian touched her own belly. That single movement proved that Dianna had nothing left.

[Saruvia] "He always whispered to me. He said you were as stiff as a corpse, and he found no pleasure in holding you."

Dianna pushed Lady Levian’s words out of her mind. She forced herself to ignore them. She wanted to banish Lady Levian, but her own servants lacked the power to oppose the lady's influence.

[Saruvia] "He said he didn't want to continue the royal line through your womb. He regrets making you his queen."

Please, forget it. Forget everything.

Dianna lost her child to a poisoned cup that the lady openly offered. Even so, Lady Levian strutted proudly. She showed her face openly under the sky, even though she had killed the baby.

And her husband! He shared a bed with such a woman and created another child! He should have made Dianna a slave instead, rather than making a disgusting vow of marriage to the world!

Dianna’s gaze hardened. Lady Levian smiled and stepped closer.

[Saruvia] "Oh, you finally show your true colors. I'm so glad, Dianna!"

A bright, high-pitched laugh echoed. Dianna fought to maintain her sanity.

[Saruvia] "Dianna Brienne. The lady of fallen Panborough. You surely didn't expect a peaceful life after daring to enslave our precious Majesty?"

[Dianna] "……."

[Saruvia] "Shameless woman. You'll live like an insect. You'll crawl beneath the dirt, begging for death every single day."

Lady Levian dropped her mask and crushed Dianna with her words. The lady, who had already harmed her, now intended to steal her title as queen. Everything belonged to that woman.

Dianna rubbed her stomach out of habit. She forced her anger down.

Yes. Of course. Her words are not wrong. I am receiving my punishment.

Anger turned into surrender. Dianna resolved to die. She couldn't endure endless punishment. She wanted to escape through death.

[Knight] "Your Majesty!"

Dianna snapped out of her thoughts. The voices of the Imperial Knights rose from beneath the balcony. A glance below revealed knights rushing forward to spread a safety net. If she fell now, she would survive.

As she flinched, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her down. She lost her balance and tilted forward. Strong arms caught her before she struck the marble balcony. She struggled to break free, but she remained trapped.

She couldn't move, trapped like a fly in a spiderweb. A suffocating pressure tightened around her.

Guiscard looked down at her. He smiled coldly.

[Guiscard] "I enjoyed your cute little act, Ann."

His low voice sounded as though he ground his teeth, revealing a deep, hidden rage. The judge pondered what punishment to give the insolent sinner who dared to dream of escape, and his voice carried a hint of excited joy.

[Guiscard] "Are you trying to escape? I will never allow that."

The monster declared.

Just as expected. This monster possessed no desire for conversation. To dominate, to control, and to trap—that was all he knew. Having regained his prize after panicking over losing it, his demeanor shifted once more.

[Guiscard] "You will have to tell me why you committed such an act."

Will he use violence this time? Or will he destroy my precious things, just as he always has? Will he restrict my freedom in this luxurious prison that he used to decorate for me?

No, that is not it. He will make Lady Levian the queen and reduce me to utter misery. In the end, he will strip away everything he gave me on the surface, ruining me completely.

Why am I doing this? You already know.

You destroyed even the tiny piece of land I stood upon.

Resentment toward Lady Levian threatened to spill out, but Dianna swallowed it down. That was her pride.

[Dianna] "No, you monster."

She whispered, grinding her teeth.

She pricked her finger with a poisoned needle hidden inside her ring. The poison took effect immediately. Her stomach churned, and blood gushed from her mouth. Her lips pressed hard against his firm shoulder.

The warmth of the blood alerted him, and he finally looked at her face.

[Guiscard] "Dianna!"

Hatred filled her silver-gray eyes. Tears streamed down.

He shouldn't have ruined my final moment. I wanted to say goodbye in peace. This monster is so selfish that he ruined even my death.

Blood poured from her mouth repeatedly.

[Guiscard] "No, no! Dianna, no! Guards!"

She rested in his arms as her strength faded.

Fortunately, the poison causes no pain. Instead, paralysis spreads through my entire body.

Before her tongue hardened, she gripped his collar.

[Dianna] "Guis……card……."

Her stiff tongue desperately shaped his name. It was the first time she had spoken the monster's name since the day she lost everything.

The man who was both her monster and her husband looked into her face.

Why do you have that expression right now? Why do you look as though you lost the entire world?

Do you not hate me? You detest me.

Are you angry that I am escaping your grasp?

His eyes pooled with tears. The hero who supposedly slaughtered the dragon of Panborough wept helplessly before her death.

[Guiscard] "No, no…… Don't leave me, please……"

He squeezed her hand tightly, trying to awaken her numbing senses. His touch was desperate and warm.

The husband who had fathered a child with another woman now held the daughter of his enemy and wept. He looked like an ordinary husband sobbing over his dying wife.

That sight caused Dianna to let go of everything.

[Dianna] "I regret…… it."

[Guiscard] "What do you regret?"

[Dianna] "I shouldn't have…… saved you……"

Guiscard didn't answer those cruel words. Even though she spoke them to hurt him, he focused entirely on her fading life. Her spark of life dimmed. Even as she spoke, Dianna regretted her words.

How can the daughter of a shameless oppressor say such things?

[Dianna] "Back then, I shouldn't have…… saved you."

[Guiscard] "You……"

[Dianna] "I shouldn't have removed your shackles back then."

[Guiscard] "You!"

[Dianna] "I regret it, I deeply regret it……"

Yet, she was selfish too, and her lips moved to avenge a life ruined by scars.

I know how heavy a dying person's curse can be. I want you to know that I suffered too.

The monster's eyes widened, and sorrow distorted his face.

[Dianna] "Guis……card."

[Guiscard] "Don't speak, don't speak! Please……"

[Dianna] "Sor……"

[Guiscard] "Dianna, please, please, dear God, please."

You said you hated me, so why do you weep with such sorrow? You said you detested me and would abandon me.

He now called upon the God he had once rejected.

Sleep washed over her. As peace enveloped her body, she escaped all emotions. Her hatred and resentment vanished, and she wished to rewrite the dying words she had left like a curse.

She wanted to say she was sorry. She wanted to apologize for not saving him sooner. However, the poison spreading through every part of her body paralyzed her tongue.

Guiscard's screams filled her failing ears. It was already too late to turn back.

If we have another life, I hope we don't hate each other.

Tears soaked her skin, but whether they belonged to her or someone else remained a mystery.

Ah, in the end, even death finds me trapped in this man's arms.

Dianna closed her eyes. She knew that ending her own life meant she wouldn't find happiness in God's embrace, but she found relief knowing this painful relationship had finally ended.

Goodbye, Guiscard.

The memory of a bruised boy from her childhood surfaced. Back then, when she reached out, he had smiled brightly. He had never actually smiled like that in reality, yet the boy offered a smile now, as if saying goodbye.

She could never understand why the final person in her mind was the monster who caused her the most pain. She closed her eyes.

[Guiscard] "Ann, Ann!"

That was Dianna's first death. It was a miserable life.

I tried my best to live well, so where did it go wrong? At what point could I have turned back?

Until her final breath, she reflected on her life over and over again.

---

Requested by one of our lovely readers, I hope you enjoy it. If you do, please consider supporting the author on Naver Series and Kakaopage.