Villainess' Second Chance

EPILOGUE

My name was being called out by voices that were getting louder and louder. I closed my eyes simply because I was unable to endure it any longer.

I awoke in my bedroom in the ducal's estate.

My father, Elliot, Zian, Celeste, Shan, and Stella are all gathered in my room, and also they're all lying asleep.

"Stella..." I murmured as I gently stroked her right shoulder. She was peacefully asleep right beside me.

She blinked her eyes, astonished when she saw me obviously alive and well.

She shouts with delight, "Lady Eloise! You're awake!" then embraced me.

Stella's scream awoke Elliote as well, and he wipes his eyes and asks, "What are you babbling about? Eloise is still---"

He failed to continue with his statement mainly because he paused after he noticed me.

I merely gave him an informal glance since, at that particular moment, he tried to lock me in the bedroom.

Shan and Celeste leapt onto my mattress and greeted me, "Lady aunt."

Zian said with tears in her eyes, "Welcome back, lady Eloise, I'm ecstatic that you're okay. I really thought I'd lost you like my brother."

I simply laughed and caressed her on the top of her head.

"Eloise.."

Redness can be seen in Duke Gomez Ophelia's eyes as he looks at me. He seems to be sobbing endlessly.

"You've remained asleep for five days straight, m'lady, and Zian, Sam, and Raiden helped you to recover your consciousness," Stella explained.

"What happened to them?" I wonder.

"Malcolm had been turned over to the Western Empire, while the monarch ordered the death sentences for both Veronica and Sera for committing attempted murder, deceit, unauthorized possession of black magic, and mass slaughter."

"So, they deliberately murdered all of those kids who went missing..." I said.

"Indeed,"

"Lady aunt! Zian gifted me with a jewelry! Look!" Celeste flashes out a stunning ruby ring on her ring finger.

"Shan and I have become friends with her," she claimed.

"Lady aunt... I want to protect you... I wish to master how to operate any sort of weapon so I am able to defend those whom I value more than anything," Shan added as he tapped my hands.

"I am completely certain thou will be the most outstanding swordsman that will ever live throughout this kingdom in the foreseeable future," I replied as I patted his head.

"Do you really believe I can manage to pull things off?"

"I certainly do, Shan."

As soon as he heard those words, his smile brightened the day for me.

Days have whizzed by, and I am currently enjoying tea in the shade of the garden.

I've been waiting for Prince Severus to get here; today is the public execution of Sera and Veronica. It is scheduled to be held in the very center of the Empire for everyone to witness, even commoners.

I sipped the beverage while reading the latest edition of the newspaper.

The headline terrified everyone across the nation, they feared for their children's sake.

"Four years after her death, Thalia Ygritte resurrected in order to seek vengeance on the Lady from Ducal's State.

Reports of kids who had been missing for months proliferated across the Northern Empire, with eyewitness claiming that the youngsters were abducted by a huge serpent that left nothing behind after performing the heinous act.