Chaos erupted the moment Magnus gave the order.
Victoria shrieked, thrashed, and fought tooth and nail, managing to break free from the guards' grasp. Her eyes wide with terror, she scrambled behind her mother, using Clarissa's trembling body as a shield.
"Don't touch my baby!" Clarissa cried, wrapping her arms around her daughter protectively.
Kevin, still on his knees, crawled toward Magnus and clutched the hem of his coat. "Please," he begged hoarsely, "Please, Duke Ravencroft, have mercy. Spare her. She's just a child!"
Magnus sneered, his voice sharp and bitter. "A child? That little devil tormented Selene for three straight years. And now that justice finally comes knocking, you're all scrambling like rats in a fire. And you. You're willing to grovel just to appease your daughter's whims?"
Kevin lowered his head, body stiffening.
Magnus narrowed his eyes and leaned down slightly, voice laced with irony. "But don't worry. You do have another daughter, after all… One who isn't a criminal."
At those words, Kevin's body jerked like he'd been struck. He clenched his fists but said nothing.
Meanwhile, the guards managed to pry Victoria from Clarissa's arms. Clarissa lunged to take her back, but a second guard intercepted her, holding her firmly by the shoulders.
"No! Let me go! That's my daughter!" she cried, her voice shrill with panic.
"Enough!" Magnus barked, then crossed his arms as Kevin stumbled to his feet.
"I-I want to talk to my daughter," Kevin said suddenly, voice cracking. "Just for a moment. Please."
Magnus looked at him suspiciously. "To help her escape?"
Kevin quickly shook his head. "No! I would never dare!"
Magnus watched him carefully, then gave a curt nod. "Fine. But if you try anything… if even a fly escapes from this house without my permission… you're all finished."
He signaled to the guards. "Let her go."
Victoria instantly tore away and ran into her mother's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Kevin ushered Clarissa and Victoria into a nearby room, with Julius trailing after them wordlessly. Once they were inside, Kevin closed the door behind them.
One of the guards stepped forward. "Should I follow them, Your Grace?"
Magnus waved him off. "No."
Selene, who had been quietly watching everything beside Merly and Damian, gave Magnus a thumbs up with a crooked smile. She was impressed.
Magnus raised his own hand and returned the gesture without a word.
Inside the Dining Room…
Victoria clung to her mother like a drowning girl to driftwood. "Mommy, please! Don't let them take me away! I don't wanna go! Please!"
Clarissa held her close, stroking her hair. "Shhh, baby, it's okay. We'll find a way. We'll get you out of here before Duke Magnus does anything."
"Are you insane?" Julius snapped. "If we do that, we'll all be arrested or worse!"
Clarissa glared at him. "She's just a child! We can't just hand her over!"
"She's a criminal!" Julius growled. "And old enough to be charged as one. We should hand her over now before this gets any worse."
Victoria wailed louder. Clarissa's eyes turned cold.
"This is your fault!" she hissed at Julius. "If you hadn't pressured us to invite Selene here, none of this would've happened!"
Julius's patience snapped. "If you two hadn't spoiled that brat rotten, we wouldn't be in this mess! You let her run wild, and now you want to blame me for it?"
"Enough!!" Kevin shouted, slamming his hand against the wall.
The room fell silent.
Julius stepped forward. "Then tell us, Kevin. What do you want to do?"
Kevin didn't answer right away. Then he whispered, "Miranda."
The room stilled. Even Victoria stopped crying for a brief second.
"You've lost your mind," Julius snapped. "You think you can use Miranda? Magnus isn't stupid. And don't forget Selene has clairvoyance."
"I don't care!" Kevin roared. "I won't let Victoria be taken away like this! And besides… she's just a cursed child anyway. This might be the perfect opportunity to get rid of her once and for all."
Julius stared at him, disgusted. Then he looked at Clarissa, who turned her face away.
"You're fools," Julius said coldly. "Both of you. I won't go down with you."
Without another word, he stormed toward a side door and exited the room.
Once he was gone, Clarissa looked at Kevin, her eyes filled with anxiety. "Will this even work?"
Kevin exhaled slowly, dark determination flashing in his eyes. "If it doesn't… I have another plan. Just do what I say."
He turned to Clarissa. "Take Victoria to the bedroom. Hide her there. Then come back to me."
A few minutes later, the doors to the dining room creaked open once again.
Kevin and Clarissa stepped out, Kevin holding a small girl in his arms. Her head lolled limply against his chest, a faint scar visible on her left cheek. Despite the slight differences, she bore a striking resemblance to Victoria.
Clarissa fidgeted, glancing anxiously at the girl. "Why is she still sleeping?" she whispered.
Kevin shifted his arms. "I don't know. I tried shaking her, calling her name… but she wouldn't wake up."
Clarissa's expression twisted with worry. "How are we going to convince her to take the blame if she doesn't wake up?"
But Kevin simply shrugged and muttered, "It's better this way. Less trouble. We'll just… hand her over to Duke Magnus while she's unconscious and hope for the best."
Back in the parlor, Selene adjusted a necklace around her neck. Hanging from it was a gold-sized pearl with a soft violet hue. With practiced precision, she poured mana into it, and the pearl began to faintly glow.
Magnus noticed the signal and gave her a single, acknowledging nod.
Selene took her place beside him, gently settling Teddy Bear Miranda on her lap. The little bear twitched, its button eyes fixed on her.
"What are you doing?" Miranda's muffled voice came through the plush.
Selene smiled but didn't look down. "Just be quiet and watch. No matter what happens, don't move. Understood?"
Miranda hesitated, but then gave a tiny nod.
The door to the parlor opened.
Kevin stepped forward, looking sheepish, carrying the unconscious girl in his arms. Clarissa followed silently behind, avoiding everyone's gaze.
Kevin approached Magnus, the girl's limp form held out like an offering. "Here she is," he said. "Victoria."
Miranda's bear form trembled in Selene's lap. "That's me!" she tried to yell, but Selene pressed a firm hand over her head.
"Stay still," she whispered.
Magnus slowly rose from the couch and approached. His eyes narrowed as he took in the girl, her face, the scar, the slight differences in her expression, even in unconsciousness.
He said nothing for a long moment.
Kevin chuckled nervously. "Ah, yes… well, Victoria got a bit aggressive while trying to escape. In the struggle, her cheek got scratched. Clarissa… she tried to heal it, but couldn't fully get rid of the scar…"
Silence.
Then Magnus' voice rang out like thunder.
"Do you think I'm an idiot, Kevin?!"
Kevin flinched violently and fell to his knees, nearly dropping the girl in the process. "No, no, of course not, Duke Magnus! I-I didn't mean...!"
"That girl is Miranda. Even if she and Victoria are twins, I know how to tell them apart!"
Kevin's face drained of all color. "P-please… forgive me. I didn't mean to insult your intelligence! I swear, Miranda… she offered herself in Victoria's place! Yes, that's it!" He clutched Miranda tighter. "She said she would take the punishment if it meant you'd spare Victoria. Spare us."
He laid her gently on the floor and bowed so low his forehead touched the tiles. "Please… you can take Miranda. Do whatever you want with her. Just let Victoria go. Let us go."
Magnus stared at him, silent.
"That's your daughter," he finally said, voice low and dangerous. "Miranda is your daughter, too. Don't you care about her at all?"
Kevin hesitated.
He looked down at Miranda's unconscious form. Guilt flickered in his eyes. But it was gone in a blink. He gritted his teeth and said, "Even so… Duchess Evangeline is a beautiful woman, yes, but beauty fades with age, doesn't it? A man of your standing… surely you'd want someone younger someday."
The room froze.
Kevin continued, voice growing quieter, more desperate. "Miranda may have a scar now, but she's still cute. One day, she'll be very beautiful. She could… she could be yours. You could keep her as a pet if you want. Do anything you desire. And as her father… I would allow it."
Silence.