The Fake Madam Disappeared-Chapter 53Vol. 1 -

Chapter 53

Drip. Drip.

The sound of water droplets falling roused Daphne from her sleep. The first thing she felt was the cool droplets landing on her cheek, followed by the damp air that clung to her skin. Slowly blinking, Daphne groaned and clutched her throbbing head as she pushed herself upright. Feeling the moisture against her hands, she glanced around. She was inside a cave.

Frowning, she struggled to piece together her memories.

[“Stay alive. I will find you, no matter what.”]

That was the last thing she heard before she lost consciousness, clutching the unconscious Damian as they plummeted downward.

As Edmund had warned, the waters below had risen due to the rain. However, one crucial miscalculation had been made. Daphne, weighed down by Damian, was no match for the raging currents.

[“Damian, please…! Please, wake up!”]

Even as the current dragged them mercilessly downstream, she shook him over and over, but his tightly shut eyes remained unyielding. Realizing that trying to rouse him would only result in her swallowing more water, Daphne focused entirely on keeping hold of him.

For what felt like an eternity, they were carried away by the rushing waters. Then, a chilling realization struck her. If this continued, hypothermia would claim his life. Survival was left to chance.

Blindly reaching out, she managed to grab onto a floating tree trunk. Seizing the brief respite when the rain momentarily lessened, she fought her way toward the riverbank. Once she climbed up first, she lay against the tree, panting, before mustering the last of her strength to pull Damian from the water.

Every inch of her body ached, but she had no time to rest. With trembling hands, she reached into her soaked clothing and pulled out the magic stone she had held onto so desperately.

[“Please… please…”]

Turning Damian onto his back, she gasped at his pallid lips and sweat-soaked face. Praying she wasn’t too late, she placed the magic stone into his hand.

Even in his unconscious state, Damian’s survival instincts kicked in. His fingers clenched tightly around the stone. A soft white light emanated from it, seeping into his body. Gradually, the ominous mist rising from him began to dissipate. When the last traces vanished, Daphne let go of the tension she had been holding onto.

Through her dimming vision, she caught a glimpse of Damian’s eyes opening before everything went black.

Damian is saved.

“Hah…”

A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she tried to steady her racing heart.

Glancing around, a delayed realization hit her – Damian was gone.

“…Damian?”

Her hoarse voice echoed within the cave. A sudden wave of anxiety crashed over her. Staggering, she braced herself against the cave wall.

“Damian!”

Stumbling outside in search of him, she was instantly drenched by the heavy downpour. Beyond the cave entrance stretched a vast forest. Just as she hesitated to take another step—

“Mother?”

Emerging from the undergrowth, Damian appeared, holding a handful of fruit.

* * *

Crash!

The sharp sound of shattering glass rang through the air. Elizabeth, the cause of the commotion, trembled with rage, her chest rising and falling with ragged breaths.

“Y-Your Highness…”

At the frightened whisper of a maid, Elizabeth snapped her head around. Her eyes, often lauded as beautiful, were now alight with menace, exuding an eerie chill. The stark contrast between her lovely features and the cruelty in her gaze sent a shiver down the maid’s spine.

“Say that again.”

“It’s just… Duke Winter said he was too busy with work and asked me to return…”

Anticipating another object flying her way, the maid instinctively shut her eyes tight. But instead of lashing out, Elizabeth remained silent, seemingly working to suppress her fury.

The moment the maid sighed in relief—

“Grace! Get this out of my sight. Now.”

The seasoned maid, Grace, paled in terror. At her signal, two knights stepped forward and seized the trembling maid.

“Y-Your Highness! Please, have mercy! Your Highness!”

The maid’s desperate pleas faded as the doors shut behind her. Tense, Grace hesitated before cautiously perching on the edge of the bed.

“He saw through it. The staged accident. That’s why the Duke refuses to come to me!”

Elizabeth’s murmur sent a ripple of unease through Grace. After a brief hesitation, she parted her lips.

“Your Highness, now is not the time to act against the Duke.”

“What?”“Duchess Winter and the Young Lord have fallen from the Black Forest cliffs and are missing.”

For a fleeting moment, Grace hesitated.

“Since he’s the sole heir, they’re searching desperately for him…”

Grace trailed off, suddenly aware of something unsettling.

Elizabeth’s face had brightened. A radiant smile curved her lips, eyes crinkling in delight.

“Contact Marquis Bled immediately. But first, remove this makeup.”

She had applied it to look even more fragile in front of Duke Winter.

Before long, Marquis Sergei Bled, who had been at the royal palace, arrived. Once Grace had discreetly left the room, Elizabeth wasted no time.

“The Duchess and the young heir fell into the Black Forest’s cliff. Was that your doing?”

“…Yes.”

“So this is the gift you promised me!”

Elizabeth’s joy was boundless.

Sergei had approached her just days before the royal hunting competition. She had been skeptical of his reliability, but when he assured her that Edmund would become her partner for the event, she had taken the risk and allied with him.

Elizabeth barely had time to feel uneasy about partnering with a criminal before she received the news – Edmund had indeed been paired with her. After that, she relentlessly whispered in the Emperor’s ear, urging him to appoint Sergei as Chancellor.

Sergei had promised her a gift if she helped him rise in power. She never imagined it would be this. Two obstacles removed in one stroke. Elizabeth was overwhelmed with euphoria.

“I love it.”

“Is that so?”

Sergei’s response was devoid of enthusiasm. His mind seemed elsewhere, and his reply lacked warmth. However, by the time Elizabeth noticed, he had already resumed his usual smile.

“By the way, Your Highness. Do you remember the brooch I gave you?”“Of course.”

Sergei had gifted Elizabeth a brooch.

As the beloved imperial princess, Elizabeth possessed countless rare and extravagant treasures, making the brooch relatively unimpressive in value. Yet, the peculiar, mesmerizing gemstone at its center was oddly captivating. She had worn it nearly every day since receiving it.

‘I don’t know what it is, but it must be something extraordinary.’

Even Daphne had turned pale upon seeing it, demanding to know where it came from.

[“I will never allow this divorce.”]

Recalling Daphne’s impudent defiance, Elizabeth scowled. Then she remembered – Daphne was dead. A delighted hum escaped her lips.

“Did you wear the brooch when you met Duke Winter?”

“Yes, I believe so.”“Did anything seem off?”“Not at all.”

“…I see.”

Unaware of Sergei’s subtle shift in demeanor, Elizabeth asked,

“Marquis. The Duchess is truly dead, correct? And the young heir as well?”

“Her chances of survival are very slim.”

Daphne had fallen alongside a rampaging Aura Master. Even if they survived the fall, Daphne would have perished from Damian’s uncontrollable power. And Damian himself would have succumbed, unable to withstand his own energy.

Of course, Sergei hadn’t anticipated Daphne getting caught up in it. The plan had always been to eliminate Damian.

‘But this works out even better.’

One less problem to deal with.

As Elizabeth basked in her triumph, Sergei left the Imperial Princess’s palace.

— — —

On his way to an audience with the emperor, Sergei encountered someone.

“Duke Winter.”

It was Edmund. His gaze had sharpened in just a few days.

“Have you just come from the Emperor?”

As he moved past Sergei, Edmund’s steps halted.

“Indeed.”

“Any progress in finding Daphne?”

Edmund stiffened slightly. Sergei forced a look of sorrow, playing the role of a grieving brother desperate for news.

“It has been three days. Even the smallest lead would be something…”

Feigning grief, he contorted his face.

“Are you truly searching for her?”

“Marquis!”

Johann, standing behind Edmund, instinctively stepped forward, but Edmund raised a hand to stop him.

Sergei’s accusation was clear. Was he deliberately not searching despite having the means to? People in the corridor turned, pretending not to listen while their curiosity burned.

“We are investigating the ones behind it.”

“…Pardon?”

“Did you not know? Assassins were responsible for Daphne and Damian’s fall.”

Sergei blinked. The assassins he had sent had been thoroughly vetted, no loose ends remained.

“I just informed His Majesty. As Chancellor, you will learn of it soon enough.”

Sergei stifled a laugh. A poorly laid trap. He would not fall for such an obvious ruse.

“Is that so? Still, I find it most troubling that not a single trace of Daphne has been—”

“Your Grace!”

A voice interrupted. At the far end of the corridor, a man came running. Without pausing for breath, he blurted out—

“We found them!”

T/N: To the person who had blurted it out: please think before you speak or it will be your death the next moment 🙄