ITIF Chapter 65

Confession

In front of the villa, surrounded by fairly dense woods, a vast field spread out.

A woman crouched by the stream flowing through the middle of the field came into view.

She could be recognized immediately just from her back. That person over there was Lady Zimmer.

After Princess Trinity’s death, Lady Zimmer had stayed only at this villa visible before her eyes.

She could guess why the location for house arrest had been set here rather than at the Zimmer estate.

Among flowers, Lady Zimmer particularly loved Lugosa roses, and she had once mentioned that around this time of year, Lugosa roses would bloom profusely at the villa owned by the Zimmer family.

Along with saying that if the opportunity arose, she would like to take Her Imperial Highness the Princess to the villa for a vacation.

‘So this is how I end up coming here after all.’

A bitter smile crossed Giselle Grante’s face as she recalled that memory.

“The Lugosa roses bloomed early this year.”

When Giselle Grante approached and spoke to her, Lady Zimmer slowly rose from her spot.

“…….”

Lady Zimmer’s eyes were full of wariness as she looked at Giselle Grante.

She was probably thinking now about why Lady Amaterasu had come all the way here to find her.

Giselle Grante casually sat down in front of the Lugosa roses that Lady Zimmer had been gazing at just moments before and plucked a flower.

Lady Zimmer gasped and glared at Giselle Grante.

“What are you doing right now…….”

“So you can enjoy it comfortably.”

Giselle Grante held out the Lugosa rose in her hand before Lady Zimmer. The freshly plucked flower was fresh, but it would clearly wilt before long.

“Give it…… here.”

Lady Zimmer snatched the ruthlessly plucked flower from Giselle Grante’s hand. Then she added:

“Now that I look at you, it wasn’t just your head that was bad, it seems.”

“Does my lady know me so well?”

When Giselle Grante asked, Lady Zimmer, who had furrowed her brow as if to snap back, pressed her lips tightly shut again.

Then, as if she didn’t even want to deal with her, she turned sharply away. It seemed she was trying to enter the villa.

“There are more flowers here to pluck…….”

Giselle Grante gazed at the flowers blooming in the field and casually let the words drop.

Then Lady Zimmer’s steps toward the villa stopped abruptly.

“……What business brings you to find me?”

Lady Zimmer turned to look at Giselle Grante and asked.

“I have something I want to ask.”

“My lady…… wants to ask me?”

Lady Zimmer, who had been looking at Giselle Grante as if she couldn’t understand at all, soon opened her mouth.

“Ah…… well, did you come to find me to receive an apology for past events? I’m sorry. Is that enough now?”

This time, Giselle Grante’s fine brow furrowed slightly.

As Trinity, there was indeed something Lady Zimmer should apologize for. She had deceived Trinity and served as the Empress’s spy.

However, she didn’t know there had been anything in the past that she should apologize to Giselle Grante for.

Giselle Grante decided to bury the past between the two of them for now and spoke.

“An apology without sincerity is meaningless.”

“Then what do you want me to do?”

“Try kneeling and begging. Who knows, maybe my mind will change.”

Giselle Grante deliberately wore a thin smile and provoked Lady Zimmer.

Lady Zimmer, whose clenched fists were trembling, turned sharply toward the villa again.

“I’m under house arrest, so causing a commotion would be troublesome. Trample the flowers to death or pluck them all—do as you please.”

“My lady seems to think I can only pluck flowers.”

Giselle Grante spoke while suppressing her emotions as much as possible.

Again stopping her steps toward the villa, Lady Zimmer turned toward her.

“What…… do you mean by that?”

“A threat.”

“Pardon……?”

“I’m openly threatening you. With Lady Zimmer’s life at stake.”

Giselle Grante twisted up one corner of her mouth crookedly.

Then Lady Zimmer stepped back with a slightly frightened expression.

Giselle Grante closed the distance as much as she had retreated and added:

“Princess Trinity, First Imperial Princess of the Phasis Empire.”

“……!”

The moment that name was mentioned from Giselle Grante’s mouth, Lady Zimmer’s pupils began to tremble violently.

From that reaction, she was convinced that Lady Zimmer was connected to Princess Trinity’s death.

“Are you now inclined to have a serious conversation with me?”

Lady Zimmer, who had been looking around warily, walked toward the villa and said:

“Let’s…… go inside and talk.”

****

Seated across from Lady Zimmer at the table near the fireplace, Giselle Grante glanced around the interior.

The inside of the villa was quite bare, as if furnished only with items absolutely necessary for living. The viola above the fireplace could be considered the greatest decoration.

When Giselle Grante’s gaze fell on the embroidery on the table, Lady Zimmer quickly hid it.

Among Trinity’s ladies-in-waiting, Lady Zimmer in particular was terrible at needlework.

‘Her skills are as they’ve always been.’

After that brief observation, Giselle Grante spoke with an expressionless face.

“I heard there will soon be a trial for Lady Oppenheimer.”

At Giselle Grante’s statement, Lady Zimmer’s bony hand twitched.

“Why are you bringing that up to me?”

“Lady Oppenheimer and Lady Zimmer—you were both ladies-in-waiting to Princess Trinity. A young lady you shared hardships with for years might die…… but you don’t seem to care at all.”

“What exactly do you want to hear?”

“If you know anything about Princess Trinity’s death, I’d like you to tell me, just me.”

“……I don’t know anything. I wasn’t even there that day. Above all, I don’t understand why Lady Amaterasu is curious about it.”

At Lady Zimmer’s shameless attitude, Giselle Grante couldn’t help but snort.

“You didn’t seem to know that Princess Trinity had a hidden supporter.”

“……!”

Only then did Lady Zimmer show a startled expression. But she soon regained her composure and said:

“Ah, you want to say that Lady Amaterasu was that hidden supporter. So what? What will you do about it? Princess Trinity is already dead.”

“…….”

“Whatever the reason for her death, there’s no one left to avenge Princess Trinity. With no mother to protect her safety and no family, digging up that incident now would be futile.”

Giselle Grante mulled over one word among those Lady Zimmer had uttered.

‘Avenge?’

Usually, the word “avenge” is used to express paying back what was done to someone. So Lady Zimmer had just made a confession.

That Princess Trinity needed to be avenged. And that there was no one to avenge her. So don’t bother getting involved.

“Can you testify to those words in court?”

“……What?”

At Lady Zimmer’s gaze asking with a snort whether that would work, a faint smile appeared on Giselle Grante’s face.

It was a reaction that could be sufficiently anticipated. Though she hadn’t expected such a smooth confession.

“So what, are there more supporters of Princess Trinity?”

After thinking something in that brief moment, Lady Zimmer suddenly changed her attitude as if flipping her palm and asked:

“Tell me. Who knows? If my lady gives me information, I might offer information worthy of it in return.”

“No. I’ve obtained everything worth getting from my lady.”

Giselle Grante stood up with a much more refreshed expression. Then she turned toward the exit.

“Wait! What did you obtain from me?”

Lady Zimmer, who had jumped up from her seat, spoke urgently, and Giselle Grante, standing at the door, turned back.

“Usually the word ‘avenge’ is used when paying back what was done to someone. Isn’t that right?”

Lady Zimmer, who had been blinking with narrowed eyes, belatedly gasped. It seemed she had just realized she had made a slip of the tongue.

Toward Lady Zimmer, who was glaring at her with an anxious expression, Giselle Grante added one more thing:

“Thank you. For giving me a chance to overturn an unfavorable trial.”

And just as she was about to turn and leave through the villa door.

Olla, who had been walking into the villa, bowed to Giselle Grante and approached Lady Zimmer, saying:

“Miss. I’m back. Oh…… you have a guest.”

Olla, who had been observing Lady Zimmer’s reaction for a moment, continued:

“Shall I prepare tea?”

Giselle Grante quietly shook her head and said:

“My business is finished.”

“Ah, I see. Then please go safely.”

Olla, who had bowed toward Giselle Grante, approached Lady Zimmer and chattered:

“Miss, today I went to the shopping district…….”

Giselle Grante, who had briefly glanced in that direction, soon walked toward the waiting carriage.

Having stirred things up, the rest was now Olla’s responsibility.

****

The gentle breeze entering through the open carriage window softly swayed her blonde hair and tickled her nose and cheeks. Tucking the gently swaying blonde hair behind her ear, Giselle Grante continued to gaze at the world outside the carriage.

As if the picture in a frame was changing, the scenery of the plaza and shopping district rapidly receded.

As the massive stone building grew closer beyond the window, the carriage’s speed also gradually decreased.

When Giselle Grante’s gaze fell on the crow decoration atop the black roof, the carriage stopped.

Escorted by her guard knight, Giselle Grante descended from the carriage and walked toward the courthouse.

When she had taken only a few steps, a familiar low voice fell from above her head.

“We meet again.”