It's Pretty Damn Efficient

And oh, if I could take it all back I swear that I

Athanasia took a step back, blinking and falling back into reality.

"Your majesty? Are you alright?" One of the guards that escorted her is standing over her, looking down at her worriedly.

"I don't believe it." She whispers.

Shakily standing, she stumbles out the door. "We have to head back to the palace."

"What did you see? Are you alright?" One of the guards call, following after her quickly.

The Garnet Palace.

Athanasia stumbles forward into the gaudy halls, gasping for air whilst running, her sobs coming out through chokes.

She bursts into the Emperor's Chamber, and Claude is already waiting for her.

He's sitting on the sofa, hands folded in his lap and legs crossed. He looks serene, although a bit pale.

Claude opens his eyes. They look so hollow, empty.

"My dear daughter." He greets hoarsely.

"Claude." Athanasia doesn't bother with any honorifics, simply searching his face for the truth. "You've been ill for a while. Everyone in the empire can see it."

The Emperor stays silent, his unempathetic gaze piercing into Athanasia's soul.

"Tell me- was your illness a side effect from the black magic in your system?" Athanasia narrows her eyes, as the puzzle pieces slowly click in her mind.

That one main piece she was missing, it's here.

"...in a way, yes." Claude coughs, standing up slowly and stumbling to his feet. "But also, no."

"Then what?" Athanasia demands. "If it weren't for your mana, the magic you left behind, I would have never figured out it was you. What was your motive? Why did you kill Roger Alpheus?"

Claude remains silent, longer than Athanasia would like.

A heavy sigh. "I could never save you."

Athanasia blinks, taken aback. "What..?"

"Did you know I died?" Claude croaks out, moving his gaze down to the intricate marble of the floor.

The princess stares at him cautiously, shifting into a defensive position. "What do you mean?"

"Don't pretend that you don't remember." Claude whispers out. "The noose."

Unconsciously, Athanasia raises her hand to her throat.

That's right, in her first life, she was hung under accusation of poisoning Jennette. "You died..?"

"My brother." Claude sighs once more, glancing over at a covered portrait. "He plotted my downfall. When I woke up the second time, I thought it was some sick version of purgatory. When I woke up, I couldn't find the words to speak to you."

His eyes darken. "And then that girl came along."

"Jennette?" Athanasia asks carefully.

"That rat." He seethes. "I fell for the same trap twice. I forgot everything again- I only remembered after you died."

In the back of her mind, she can recall a knife lodged in her gut. Claude is fuming, his entire personality shifting- along with his health.

He's transformed from a sickly, dying man to the epitome of death itself.

"I remember, we went over to the Alpheus Manor, and you died. And I could no longer stand to the side."

Knocking the table over to the side, Athanasia gasps as Claude stumbles forward, her hand on the hilt of her sword. He reaches out and yanks her into a poor imitation of a hug, his grip around her tightening dangerously.