The Princess’s Final Wish Before Her Time Runs Out - Chapter 93

Snow had begun to fall.

Tericia stared blankly up at the sky, now thick with snow-laden clouds. Rashid had said he wanted to return before winter came but he would be spending the season on the battlefield.

The letter delivered by the Crown Prince had been short, filled only with a brief update. Yet to Tericia, those few words had been a ray of light.

You’re safe. You’re unharmed.

Every time she read those lines—again and again—relief slowly filled her chest. A smile naturally came to her lips when she read his complaints about Heinz.

But just as he had written at the end, saying that he might not be able to write for a while, no more letters had arrived since.

Though the war was said to be going in the Empire’s favor, there was no other news.

The only comforting fact was that the supply caravans were still reaching their destination on time, and the merchant group handling the logistics hadn’t raised any concerns.

“Young Lady.”

Mandy approached carefully, calling out softly to Tericia, who stood still, staring out the window.

Since Rashid’s letters had stopped, Tericia had taken to quietly gazing outside more and more often.

To Mandy, the sight of her mistress standing there with a blank expression, watching the distant sky, was unfamiliar—almost unsettling.

What is she thinking?

Mandy used to think she had a general idea. But ever since the Duke had gone off to war, Tericia had become harder and harder to understand.

“Yes, Mandy?”

Tericia turned from the window, her expression softening back into the familiar face Mandy knew so well.

“These arrived for you, my lady. Letters and invitations. The steward sorted them—this stack is addressed to the Duke, and this stack is for you.”

Mandy gently placed the tray she’d been carrying onto the desk.

Tericia glanced over the envelopes, then picked up the one on top.

“I’ll go bring your tea.”

Even after Mandy left, Tericia remained seated at her desk, quietly reading through the invitations and letters.

She made a quick system—things that didn’t need a reply went on the left, those requiring a simple response on the right. One envelope remained.

As she reached for the last letter, her hand paused.

It had no sender. No recipient. No seal.

“…What is this?”

She hesitated, then carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the contents.

Fifteen years ago — the war.

Her expression froze.

The paper inside bore only a single line—no signature, no context.

“Fifteen years ago… the war?” she repeated under her breath. “…Ah.”

Something stirred faintly in her memory.

She recalled the conversation she had with the former Duke at Castle Pellos. This… this had come up then.

“Have some sweets with your tea, my la— My lady?”

Mandy entered cheerfully, pushing a tea trolley, but stopped in her tracks when she saw Tericia’s rigid expression.

“Mandy.”

“Yes, my lady?”

“Call for Harris. Immediately.”

Tericia’s voice was firm, her face now deeply serious.

“What is this…?”

The head steward, Harris, was clearly taken aback by the letter Tericia handed him. He had never seen it before.

“You’re in charge of screening all letters that come through the manor, aren’t you?”

“Yes, my lady, that is correct.”

Both the envelope and paper were high-quality—clearly noble stationery. Still, Harris would never have passed along a letter without a sender or recipient unless it had already been cleared.

“I sincerely apologize, my lady. I must have failed to inspect this one properly. I have no idea how it slipped through.”

Ashamed, Harris could only offer a humble answer.

Especially now, with the Duke away and only Lady Tericia present at the estate, the risk of something happening was too great. If anything were to occur while Rashid was at war, Harris knew he would face dire consequences.

After the incident at the last banquet, the manor’s security had been tightened to an almost excessive degree.

And yet—something like this had still slipped through.

For someone who had managed the Hespelt estate in the capital for nearly thirty years, this was a painful blow to his pride.

“It seems we’ve grown careless with monitoring what enters the manor,” Tericia said coldly. “To think someone would dare circulate something like this—have they come to see House Hespelt as easy prey?”

“…I’m truly sorry.”

Her words were sharp.

As Harris bowed deeply in apology, Tericia furrowed her brow in silent frustration.

‘Who sent this?’

This was the first time anything like this had happened. Not in her previous life, and not in this one.

“Harris.”

“Yes, my lady?”

“When they mention ‘the war from fifteen years ago’… are they talking about the internal war between the ducal families?”

“……”

Harris couldn’t respond easily.

In all the years he had served House Hespelt, he had seen and endured much. Among those experiences… was exactly what Tericia had just brought up.

Tericia let out a small sigh as she looked at his tightly closed mouth.

“This might take a while. You should sit.”

“I… I couldn’t possibly, my lady.”

“I don’t ask unnecessary questions. You know that better than anyone.”

“…Yes, my lady.”

With a firm expression, Harris sat down, bracing himself. He wasn’t sure what Tericia already knew—or how much he should say. That uncertainty weighed on him.

“I spoke with the Duke—no, the former Duke—at Castle Pelos once.”

Harris quietly waited for her to continue.

“He told me that during the internal conflict fifteen years ago, one of the ducal families was destroyed… and that only House Hespelt remained. That’s all he shared with me.”

Though her voice was calm, it was clear her mood had shifted. Her tone was firmer, and the faint crease in her brow revealed her growing concern.

“…It’s true.”

“And you weren’t planning to say any more?”

“……”

Tericia let out a frustrated breath.

“So I need the Duke’s permission to know the rest, is that it?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Rashid protects me too much.”

“He does it because he worries about you.”

“I know.”

She did. And though that warmth always filled her heart when she thought of him, it also made her heart ache.

Being protected was one thing. Being shielded from the truth was something else entirely.

“Hiding things doesn’t protect me. Telling me the truth is what helps me prepare.”

“It’s been fifteen years, my lady. Nothing will come of it now.”

“How can you be so sure? That letter showed up, didn’t it?”

“…Forgive me for speaking out of turn, but…”

Harris hesitated a long time before finally looking her in the eyes and speaking.

“There are no direct bloodline survivors of that house.”

Tericia’s composed expression hardened.

It was the first time she’d heard that. How had something so monumental been hidden so completely, even from the social world?

“It was a massive event,” Harris said gravely. “And in the end, House Hespelt emerged as the Empire’s only ducal house. No one dared speak of it openly.”

“…So everyone kept quiet out of fear and politics.”

Afterward, House Hespelt must have done everything it could to survive—gaining strength, consolidating power.

Harris nodded slowly, then continued.

“There may be distant branches with diluted bloodlines still living somewhere. But all close blood relatives perished in the conflict. That house was officially declared extinct.”

“I see…”

Tericia fell quiet for a moment, then asked thoughtfully:

“Then… there must still be records. A ducal house falling—surely that was documented.”

“Yes, as far as I know, there are records.”

So, she could dig through the archives if needed. If she truly wanted answers, that was a place to start. After that… she’d speak with Rashid directly.

But for now, she decided to stop here. Harris was loyal—and unless Rashid gave his permission, the steward wouldn’t say a word more.

“For now, let’s strengthen the manor’s defenses. Too many little cracks are forming, and it’s making me uneasy.”

“I’ll inspect everything again personally.”

“When Rashid comes home…”

Her voice softened. She lowered her gaze. That stern, composed tone from earlier melted away—replaced with something quiet and wistful.

Maybe it was just her mood, but her cheeks seemed a little flushed.

“I want to welcome him back… peacefully, without any worries.”

“…I understand, my lady. I’ll make sure of it.”

Harris smiled faintly. The expression on her face was so beautiful, even his stern features relaxed. Tericia, flustered by the moment, reached for her teacup—only to find it cold.

Just then, a loud knock echoed across the office.

“Lady Tericia! My lady!”

A servant burst in without waiting for permission.

“You dare act so carelessly in front of the lady!” Harris scolded sharply, but the servant looked pale and terrified as he turned to Tericia.

A cold chill crept down her spine. Something felt very wrong.

“What is it?” she asked.

“It’s the Duke!”

A shrill, horrible ringing filled her ears—like the air had been ripped apart.

“A messenger just arrived! The Duke… the Duke has fallen in battle at Membroux Mountain!”

Crash—

The teacup in Tericia’s hand slipped, shattering on the floor with a sharp crack.

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