Hessen Estate.

“Do you even realize what you’ve done?”

As enraged Harnen pointed his sword at Ricardo, Benjamin hurriedly stopped him.

“L-Lord H-Harnen!”

“All that I’ve built throughout my life……!”

At his words, Ricardo let out a laugh without realizing it.

Who could he possibly blame?

If he had skillfully hidden his true feelings and dealt with me under a friendly façade, things wouldn’t have turned out this way.

That woman had already decided to leave this place, yet she was desperate to save her family.

Even though she hated me to death, she couldn’t bring herself to speak of breaking off the engagement.

She must have thought it was her way of repaying the love she received from Blua.

If I had done the same, I wouldn’t have become a hunting dog that bites its master.

Harnen’s eyes began to tremble with rage.

“How dare you, laugh?”

Ricardo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his fingers as he stared at Harnen.

“All the honor the ducal house has built up until now has been destroyed by you alone! We will now be branded as traitors and be led to the execution platform.”

“Lord Harnen, to His Majesty…….”

Harnen’s furious voice sounded as if it were coming from a faraway place.

The House of Hessen was his hell. Standing before Harnen was no different than standing before judgment, and Ricardo was always the sinner.

Without receiving punishment equal to his sins, he could never be redeemed.

And yet.

‘……Since when was it?’

Hair turned completely white like a snowstorm had passed.

A back that had hunched and bent.

A face marked with all the traces of time.

Ricardo narrowed his eyes at the sight of Harnen, who now stood below his eye level.

Small. He was so very small.

It had been a long time since he’d surpassed the height of Harnen, who once seemed unreachable.

If he stretched out his hand to grab his throat, he was now so powerless that he couldn’t even resist properly.

His grandfather, who had once been like the trunk of a thick zelkova tree.

But now, he looked like the stump of a zelkova tree with its trunk cut off.

A person bound to self-destruct even if I didn’t lay a hand on him.

His frenzied state, overcome by emotions, felt like a candle in the wind.

The Harnen in his memory wasn’t like this. He was a being like a monster, a colossal man who could never be overcome.

Maybe that’s why. A hollow sense of emptiness filled him.

‘What am I even trying to take revenge on. What value is there in it now.’

He didn’t even know who he was asking.

“I have simply guided His Majesty down the right path as a loyal retainer.”

Overcome with rage, Harnen slapped Ricardo across the cheek once again. Unlike the agitated man, Ricardo merely let out a dry chuckle without even turning his head.

“The bleeding just stopped, and yet you go too far.”

……It really is strange.

The more he looked at the enraged Harnen, the calmer his mind became.

With bloodshot eyes, Harnen eventually staggered. His chest rose and fell violently, as if even breathing had become difficult.

“I raised a tiger cub……!”

“Lord Harnen!”

Benjamin, who was standing beside him, hurriedly supported him. But Harnen roughly shook off his hand and approached Ricardo.

“Was it truly the fall of the Hessen house that you desired? In the end, to drive me to the execution platform and abandon everything of the Hessen house……!”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be following shortly.”

Of course, he had no intention of doing that.

He would survive, no matter what.

In the world that woman wished for, he had to survive and see her smile.

That was all he wanted.

‘……Bianca, maybe that’s why I’ve survived until now.’

Of all the days I had lived so far, today felt the most invigorating.

Being born into the House of Hessen, being able to follow that woman. Everything surrounding him felt like a stroke of luck.

“How could you do this! Have you forgotten all that Lord Harnen did to save the Duke?”

Benjamin shouted through gritted teeth.

“Lord Harnen lived his entire life in hell! Even though everything was twisted because of the curse, he cherished family blood and cared for and protected the Duke, and yet how could you…….”

Bang!

“Your Grace, all the knights have been assembled.”

Just then, Elliot entered the room. Behind him, the knights stormed in.

Seeing himself surrounded by knights, Harnen, perhaps not yet grasping the situation, shouted in fury.

“What is the meaning of this rudeness!”

But none of them intended to step back at his command. They merely stood their ground.

The master of the House of Hessen was Ricardo. Harnen, having stepped down from his title, was nothing but a figurehead.

Still clinging to the glory of the past, Harnen trembled at the lips, as if afraid to acknowledge his reality.

“I must go to the House of Roygin immediately.”

As Harnen limped forward, Ricardo blocked his path.

“What do you intend to say to your precious friend?”

Bianca cherished Blua. That meant he was a precious being to Ricardo as well.

The House of Roygin was a spotless and clear place where she resided. Harnen had no place there.

He had to remain in the House of Hessen. The only fitting end for him was to never leave the ducal house until the moment of his death.

I couldn’t bring myself to deal with the pitiful hero by my own hand now, so I had no choice but to show him the hell I’d experienced all this time.

“You were the one who wished for this tragedy, Former Duke. I thought you would have anticipated a situation like this, but I was mistaken.”

Ricardo took off his gloves and handed them to Elliot.

“I’ve already informed His Majesty that I cannot send any troops. However, it seems the Former Duke hasn’t heard the news yet.”

A tree rotten to the core is destined to eventually fade into oblivion.

“You told me to repay the favor, so I’ll show mercy and offer you two choices.”

He gave a slight nod to Elliot, who seemed about to speak.

“Choose whether you’ll end your life here as a traitor, or fall into peaceful sleep as a hero.”

“……!”

“Whatever you choose, I will respect your will.”

That was Ricardo’s final mercy.

* * *

Somewhere, the sound of a crow crying echoed.

A chill ran down my spine for just a moment before I bit down hard on my lower lip.

“This is what you meant, right?”

But Arkan, who had been repeatedly writing and erasing letters for some time, gave no reply. He simply continued to repeat meaningless motions as if he couldn’t find the words he wanted to say.

‘……What am I supposed to do if you act like this?’

I retrieved the object from the other world just as Arkan wished.

Wasn’t that enough?

I had walked the path he showed me, so I couldn’t understand what he was dissatisfied with.

Silently watching the eerie black letters gather and disperse again and again, I let out a quiet sigh.

……He did say my expression looked strange earlier.

Was that the reason?

‘But what was so wrong with it!’

I was dumbfounded by Arkan’s behavior. It wasn’t enough that he always disappeared after saying only what he wanted, and now even doing what he asked was a problem.

Letting out a hollow laugh, I turned my head away.

If Arkan wouldn’t show me the way, I’d just have to find it myself.

Though it did feel a little daunting.

At that moment, Count Rowain’s words flashed through my mind.

〈In a situation where nothing can be restored, war is an absurd means!〉

‘The Count was clearly…….’

He took an opposing stance to Ricardo at the council meeting.

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