The Devil Is The Villainess (✔)

Chapter XXXI: Icarus (Part 3)

Hold on, hold on, hold on. Just how in the world did she survive? Rezef's voice inside his head was a mix of disbelief and frustration, his eyes widening with an incredulous fury. He had meticulously ensured the poison was lethal, that there would be no chance for her to escape death. His jaw tightened, and his teeth ground together audibly. "H-How did you manage to escape death yet again? You're supposed to be dead! I made certain of it!"

Medea halted mid-stride, her posture exuding a calm defiance. She sighed softly, the light in her eyes dimming to a cold, dispassionate gaze. He's still a fool, she thought with an inward smirk. She raised her hand in a dismissive gesture as if swatting away an annoying fly. A small, mysterious smile curled her lips as she began to speak, her voice dripping with deliberate enigma. "The specifics of my survival are irrelevant. You should concern yourself with your current predicament."

She turned her head slightly towards Rezef, her smile transforming into a mischievous smirk that spoke volumes. "The true heir to the throne has returned to claim what is rightfully theirs." With that, she averted her gaze and looked ahead, her expression resolute.

Just then, the knights of the Imperial Family emerged, their presence formidable. They were accompanied by Frederick, the crown prince of the Empire. They marched purposefully towards Medea and Rezef, and Frederick stopped beside Medea, his eyes ablaze with determination and righteousness. "Arrest the true criminal, the murderer of the Emperor!" he commanded with an unwavering voice.

The knights acted swiftly, their grip unyielding as they seized Rezef, forcing him to his knees. "Y-You! This is unacceptable! Do you even have a shred of clear evidence that I killed our father? Weren't you the last person with him, Frederick?!" Rezef's voice cracked with desperation and anger, his facade of control crumbling.

Medea rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, clearly exasperated by his attempts to deflect blame. Rezef was on the brink of his downfall, but before this moment of reckoning, events had unfolded that changed the course of destiny.

Frederick stared at his brother in utter disbelief, his voice trembling with a mix of anger and sorrow. "Why are you still denying the truth? You orchestrated our father's death and pinned the blame on me. Brother, don't you have any conscience at all?" He searched Rezef's face, longing for an answer that might explain the betrayal.

Before Rezef could respond, Medea interjected, her presence commanding the attention of everyone in the room. "Perhaps he has none," she suggested, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But do you want to know the flaw he overlooked?" She glanced at Frederick, then turned her gaze back to Rezef with a disdainful, mocking expression. "He was so fixated on his enemies that he forgot about his own family members who could easily see through his intentions."

Her words hung in the air, and Rezef's face contorted with astonishment and confusion. It was as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over him, jolting him back to the harsh reality of his situation. Medea's gaze was unrelenting, and she crossed her arms, tapping her fingers in a display of controlled impatience.

"Your sister witnessed you poisoning me," Medea revealed, her voice steady and clear. "She heard every word you said." Rezef's eyes widened in shock, his mind racing as he processed the implications of her statement.

Frederick's shoulders slumped in disappointment as he recalled Charlotte's frantic words when he returned. Everything had started to unravel from that moment. Both of his brothers, Endymion and Lucius, stood in stunned silence, unable to fathom the betrayal they were now witnessing. Frederick clenched his fist, a deep sigh escaping his lips.

"Capture him now and take him to the jail," Frederick commanded, his voice resolute.

The guards moved swiftly, seizing Rezef and binding his hands. He struggled briefly, but the realization of his defeat had already taken hold. As he was led away, his eyes met Frederick's one last time, a mixture of anger and desperation flashing in their depths.