I Plan to End This Possession — Chapter 5

TOMORROW WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE DAY OF MY MEDAL AWARD CEREMONY AT THE IMPERIAL PALACE.

FOR MY ACHIEVEMENT IN PURIFYING THE ROTTEN LAND,

IT WAS TO BE THE HISTORIC MOMENT THE FIRST WOMAN RECEIVED A MEDAL IN THE EMPIRE,

AND AN EVENT THAT WOULD SOLIDIFY MY STANDING AS THE DEPUTY HEAD OF OUR FAMILY, BUT...

THE CROWN PRINCE HAD SENT WORD.

"I WILL BE HOLDING A CEREMONY OF VOWS WITH ALICE AT TOMORROW'S BANQUET.

IT WOULD BE UNCOMFORTABLE FOR ALL OF US,

SO I WOULD APPRECIATE IT IF YOU REFRAINED FROM ATTENDING.”

WH-WHY ARE YOU HERE, SISTER...?

...THIS IS INSANE.

HE MUST’VE KNOWN I WAS ON MY WAY.

KNOWING THAT, HE DELIBERATELY PUTS ON A DISPLAY LIKE THIS?

YOU’RE HERE.

...HE WAS WAITING FOR ME.

I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW... HE SMOKES CIGARS.

JUST HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DECEIVING ME?

YOU SENT A MESSENGER.

JUST AS YOU ASKED, I HAVE COME TO REFUSE IN PERSON.

...ARE YOU TRULY INTENT ON RUINING OUR CEREMONY OF VOWS?

YOU ARE THE ONE RUINING THINGS, YOUR HIGHNESS.

TOMORROW'S BANQUET WAS ORIGINALLY MINE.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY, YES.

UNTIL YOU TORE ALICE'S HANDS TO SHREDS, THAT IS.

TO THINK YOU WOULD WALK AWAY UNSCATHED AFTER TORMENTING MY BELOVED-

WHERE DOES SUCH ARROGANCE COME FROM?

AH, SO THAT'S WHAT THIS IS.

AS YOUR ONLY OLDER COUSIN, I HOPED YOU WOULD SHOW AT LEAST SOME REMORSE.

DID YOU RUN AND TATTLE ALREADY, ALICE?

TATTLE?! NO, I DIDN'T...!

ENOUGH.

DID YOU THINK I WOULDN'T NOTICE HER HANDS IN SUCH A STATE?

KEEP YOUR JEALOUSY WITHIN REASON.

THE THREE OF US WILL BE MARRIED IN THE FUTURE. SHOULDN'T WE ALL GET ALONG?

WHO SAID ANYTHING ABOUT GETTING MARRIED?

I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU THE VERY SAME THING.

EVEN AFTER THINGS HAVE COME TO THIS,

WHERE DOES THE ARROGANCE TO ASSUME I WILL MAINTAIN OUR ENGAGEMENT COME FROM?

IT COMES FROM MY POWER.

NOWHERE IN HISTORY HAS ANYONE EVER BROKEN OFF AN IMPERIAL MARRIAGE UNILATERALLY.

MEANING YOUR WISHES DON'T MATTER IN THE SLIGHTEST.

WE SHALL SEE. THERE IS ALWAYS A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING.

I HAVE SAID ALL I NEEDED TO SAY, SO I WILL TAKE MY LEAVE.

I WILL NOT BE MISSING TOMORROW'S BANQUET.

THAT'S...

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT, DANA?

PARDON? NOTHING IN PARTICULAR.

COME NOW, TELL ME ANYTHING.

I WANT TO GIVE YOU WHATEVER YOU DESIRE.

THEN PLEASE GIVE ME A SINGLE MOONLIGHT FLOWER AS A GIFT.

A MOONLIGHT FLOWER?

THAT'S A FLOWER EXCLUSIVELY IMPORTED BY HOUSE WINDSOR,

SO YOU CAN HAVE AS MANY AS YOU WISH WHENEVER YOU WANT.

STILL, IT WOULD MEAN SOMETHING DIFFERENT COMING FROM YOU, YOUR HIGHNESS.

AH, THAT IS THE FLOWER I ORIGINALLY PROMISED YOU.

ALICE HAD A DIFFICULT DAY TODAY, SO I GIFTED IT TO HER FIRST.

SURELY,

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE PETTY ENOUGH TO BEGRUDGE HER EVEN THIS, ARE YOU?

THERE IS NO WAY LAIOS WILL MEEKLY ACCEPT MY REFUSAL.

I NEED TO MEET HIM.

ALLOW ME TO ESCORT YOU BACK TO YOUR RESIDENCE.

THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY.

INSTEAD, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO TAKE ME SOMEWHERE ELSE.

MY APOLOGIES, MY LADY.

HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY HAS REFUSED AN AUDIENCE.

JUST AS I EXPECTED.

EMPEROR JUSTIO LOATHES MEETING WITH PEOPLE, AFTER ALL.

BESIDES, A MEETING WITH DANA OF 'WINDSOR' IS...

COULD YOU MAKE THE REQUEST ONE MORE TIME?

ALONG WITH THIS NOTE.

...UNDERSTOOD.

H-HIS MAJESTY...

HE IS IN A TOWERING RAGE AND ORDERED YOU TO COME INSIDE.

THANK YOU. I'LL HEAD IN.

WHY IS IT SO DAR-

DANAE WINDSOR, DANA.

DO YOU WISH TO DIE?

I ANTICIPATED THIS REACTION.

THE NOTE I JUST PASSED THROUGH THE GUARD...

"Your Imperial Majesty, it Palace gardens." seems the Moonlight Flowers will soon be in fall bloom across the Imperial

BECAUSE THAT WAS A BLATANT THREAT FROM A 'WINDSOR' TO THE EMPEROR.

YOUR MAJESTY.

I HAVE COME HERE TO MAKE A DEAL.