I Plan to End This Possession — Chapter 9

NOW I THINK I FINALLY UNDERSTAND WHY MY HEART WAVERED AFTER ALL THIS TIME.

JUST ONE PERSON.

THAT AT LEAST ONE PERSON IN HOUSE WINDSOR HADN'T DECEIVED ME.

DEEP DOWN, I WAS STILL HOPING FOR THAT.

OF COURSE, I ALREADY KNEW.

STILL, I HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO TELL YOU THAT.

WOULDN’T YOU SAY?

"DANAE WINDSOR."

I MIGHT ADDRESS YOU BY THAT NAME,

BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN I THINK OF YOU AS MY SISTER.

SO DON'T FLATTER YOURSELF.

I SEE...

THEN I'LL GET STRAIGHT TO THE POINT.

I WANT TO BREAK OFF MY ENGAGEMENT WITH LAIOS.

...DO YOU THINK BREAKING AN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE IMPERIAL FAMILY IS THAT SIMPLE?

EVEN IF THE ENGAGEMENT IS BROKEN,

A WOMAN WHO WAS ONCE THE CROWN PRINCE'S FIANCÉE...

...WILL NEVER RECEIVE A RESPECTABLE MARRIAGE PROPOSAL AGAIN.

I DON'T CARE. I'M FINE NEVER MARRYING AT ALL.

IF I...

IF I SAID I WANTED TO LIVE WITH YOU FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE, BROTHER, WOULD YOU DESPISE THAT?

WHAT?

INSTEAD OF BEING SOMEONE'S WIFE,

I WANT TO LIVE HERE AS A MEMBER OF HOUSE WINDSOR.

RIGHT BY YOUR SIDE, BROTHER.

JUST FOR A LITTLE WHILE.

JUST UNTIL I GET MY HANDS ON THE HOLY RELIC.

I'LL DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO BE OF USE TO HOUSE WINDSOR.

WON'T YOU LET ME, BROTHER?

PROVE YOUR OWN USEFULNESS FIRST.

IT WON’T BE TOO LATE TO TALK ABOUT IT THEN.

...YES, I UNDERSTAND.

BROTHER, WHAT IF...

WHAT IF I FAIL TO PROVE MY WORTH,

SAY THAT I'D RATHER DIE THAN MARRY LAIOS?

WHAT WOULD YOU DO THEN, BROTHER?

THEN YOU SHOULD DIE.

DIE AN HONORABLE DEATH INSTEAD, DANAE WINDSOR.

YES, BROTHER.

"DON'T FLATTER YOURSELF."

—VIEGO IS RIGHT.

JUST NOW,

THE LAST SHRED OF HESITATION INSIDE ME DIED.

ALICE, IT'S MOTHER. HOW MANY DAYS HAS IT BEEN ALREADY?

PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR...!

—NO! GO AWAY!

ALICE...!

"GOODNESS, I'VE NEVER SEEN SUCH A HUMBLE BETROTHAL CEREMONY IN MY LIFE."

I KNOW, RIGHT? I ALMOST FELT SORRY FOR LADY ALICE.

IT SEEMS HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR...

...WISHES TO TAKE LADY DANAE'S SIDE, WOULDN'T YOU SAY?"

OF COURSE.

AFTER ALL, THE POSITION OF THE FUTURE EMPRESS IS AT STAKE.

"LOVE DOESN'T SOLVE EVERYTHING."

DANAE... WHO DOES THAT WRENCH THINK SHE IS...?!

WHAT'S ALL THIS COMMOTION?

DEAR...!

AND,

JUAN.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

I JUST DROPPED BY BECAUSE OF THE MOONLIGHT FLOWER BUSINESS.

IS ALICE STILL SULKING OVER THE BETROTHAL CEREMONY?

DON'T SPEAK OF IT SO LIGHTLY!

DO YOU KNOW WHAT HUMILIATION OUR DAUGHTER ENDURED THAT DAY?!

COME ON NOW, THAT'S ENOUGH, BOTH OF YOU.

YOU KNOW HOW WOMEN MAKE A FUSS OVER NOTHING.

NOW THEN, WHY DON'T WE STEP ASIDE LIKE MEN AND TALK BUSINESS?

WHEN I HAD TO BEG KARL JUST TO GET HIM THAT POSITION!

I ONLY HELPED BECAUSE I COULDN'T BEAR TO SEE MY ONLY BROTHER

COWERING AND GETTING MOCKED BY THE NOBLES...!

WAIT, WAIT.

JUST A MOMENT.

EVEN THAT PATHETIC JUAN IS BEING COURTED WITH FLATTERY BY NOBLES LATELY.

SOLELY BECAUSE HE HOLDS THE MONOPOLY ON THE MOONLIGHT FLOWER BUSINESS!

WHAT IF... WHAT IF...

ALICE TOOK THAT POSITION INSTEAD—?

DEAR!

GIVE THE MOONLIGHT FLOWER BUSINESS TO ALICE!

SANDRA?

SISTER! WHAT KIND OF NONSENSE IS THAT?!

JUAN, YOU STAY OUT OF THIS!

I REFUSE TO SEE MY DAUGHTER REMAIN NOTHING MORE THAN A CONCUBINE.

ESPECIALLY NOT PUSHED ASIDE BY THAT WRETCHED DANAË!

THE TRADE BUSINESS THAT IMPORTS MOONLIGHT FLOWERS FROM THE SOUTHERN CONTINENT-

I'M ASKING YOU TO HAND IT OVER TO ALICE!