In the original work, Maximilian had mixed feelings toward his mother. Despite hating her, he yearned for her love. Cecilia, aware of this, manipulated Maximilian as she pleased.

“I know why Mother came here and why that woman Bianca brought her.”

Cecilia’s expression hardened at my response.

“What are you talking about? I just wanted to see my children…”

“Lies.”

“What do you mean, lies?”

Her feigned laughter made my stomach churn.

The anger, even unknown to me, gradually took shape.

“You are our mother!”

I approached her, one step closer, toward the trembling figure.

The simmering anger erupted into a massive flame, engulfing my entire being.
“Until now, there was not a single contact, and now that the money is running out, they come looking for us? And even bringing a woman, claiming they want to introduce her?”

“I, I brought her without thinking of anything… I’m sorry for how things turned out, but I really had no other intentions.”

Her tearful appearance didn’t move me. If it were someone else, they might have overlooked her state.

However, in my eyes, it looked nothing more than a swindler’s pretense.

“Mother, please stop the feeble excuses.”

At the low-toned voice, her body jolted.

“Neither your brother nor I are ignorant children anymore.”

Forgotten memories resurfaced one by one in my mind.

Cecilia had used us, Maxmilian and me, several times before. Among other things, she embezzled money from the Winter’s Duchy by using us, even attempted it several times after the divorce, occasionally getting caught by Father.

“She merely saw us as tools, never once did she love us!”

The emotions from that time vividly came back, as if reliving my own experiences.

“Don’t pretend to be a mother now. It’s disgusting.”

Cecilia trembled as she rose from her seat.

When she raised her hand, my body reflexively tensed. However, soon enough, Cecilia had to lower her hand. If even a small injury were to occur to me, she would become a prisoner and have to sit next to Diana.
“How did I give birth to you…!”

“As a reward, I’ll cover your living and residency expenses in Cravy. If you don’t want that either, then roll on the floor in this Hiera square.”

Cecilia blushed her cheek and shook her head. There was nothing more she could do in front of her daughter, who was neither younger nor weaker than her.

“The carriage is already prepared.”

“…”

“Never see us again.”

I adjusted my clothes, opened the door, and walked out.

“Lady Demeter is about to leave, so I’ll assist you.”

The maids waiting outside bowed and entered the room. I was worried she might resist, but fortunately, Cecilia was quietly packing her belongings.

Going straight up to the second floor, I encountered Nathaniel waiting for me in the hallway.

“What about Diana?”

“I sent her off in the escort carriage.”

“Sigh… Finally getting rid of those tiresome people.”

I held his hand, and we headed to the drawing-room.

As if waiting for us, a maid, who had been sitting on the long sofa, raised an iced tea and left the room.

Feeling thirsty, I drank half of it in one breath.

“It really feels refreshing.”

Nathaniel, who was sitting across from me, stared at me intently and asked, “Is that really the price?”

“…!”

Due to his indifferent remark, the emotions I had been suppressing suddenly burst out.

It was the emotions that remained due to my unusual immersion in the current situation since earlier.

“My mother has never loved me even once.”
The twisted memories turned into a line and faded away.

“I tried to exploit the Duke’s money using my brother and me. When things didn’t go well, she sometimes hit me….”

Nevertheless, young Jaina and Maximilian wanted her love.

Children’s hearts were like that.

Just as Nathaniel wanted his mother’s love despite being hurt by her, so did Maximilian and I.

Ah.

At that moment, I realized the reason I was drawn to this world.

The world I believed was in the book was my past.

After one life ended, I lived on Earth, only to return to the past once again.

“It’s okay now.”

“I know. Now my mother can’t do that to me.”

“And I’m here too.”

Impulsively, I hugged Nathaniel. His firm arms held me so I wouldn’t slip.

“If you want to cry and scream, you can.”

His words became a trigger, and I cried out loud.

The emotions that had been suppressed exploded, and I couldn’t hold it back any longer.

Nathaniel comforted my back for a long time.

As if soothing my past wounds.

I cried for a while and fell asleep in his arms.

“You captured Diana?”

“Yes. His Highness, the Crown Prince, personally captured her. We’ll be arriving at the Imperial Palace soon. What should we do?”

The Emperor pondered the words of his chief advisor for a moment.
Diana was once an interesting and mysterious woman, but now she was not someone worth paying much attention to.

“Just handle it summarily.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After dismissing the chief advisor, Phillips gazed out of the window. Due to the forced postponement of the New Year’s festival, the snow had melted, and the spring breeze was bringing warmth to the tree branches.

“A new season…”

Lately, the Emperor found himself lost in thought for extended periods. Among the many thoughts that crossed his mind, the image of Jaina worrying about Nathaniel stood out the most.

How affectionate and lovely the two of them looked. He felt a strange sense of inferiority to his son’s couple. Although he had once been captivated by love, a time when he laughed and cried for love.

“After living so fiercely all this time, is family the only thing that remains?”

Phillips looked at the family portrait hanging on the wall. It was a portrait painted ten years ago to commemorate Milia’s ascent to the position of Empress. In the painting, he, Milia, young Nathaniel, and Anais looked like a perfect family.

He recalled how he had neglected his children while immersed in work all this time, not even realizing Nathaniel’s potential.

Feeling the weight of the years, he slowly stood before the portrait.

“Henry is still young.”

Now, he wanted a real family, not as an emperor but as someone who desired the same as others. He wanted to watch Anais marry a good man, witness Henry grow up, together with Milia.
Phillips realized that he was exhausted.

“It seems the time has come to abdicate.”

With a bitter smile, he gently stroked the image of Milia in the painting.