I Regret The Kindness I Gave You - Chapter 29

Even after the servant’s presence disappeared, Genovefa unperturbedly examined only the documents to be processed.

However, the satisfied smile lingering on his lips was thick and distinct enough to be noticeable to the eyes.

Eventually, he burst into laughter.

“Christine. Christine Ashtad…”

The only Ashtad other than Merche that he had spared. The one thing he had long regretted not finding and grasping in time.

He had finally found a way to locate her.

−Rude. You said that child’s younger sister was in the mansion Merche took you to.

−…Ah. That. The little thing was nothing like Merche and only knew how to babble. Why suddenly bring her up?

−That younger sister. She’s the family Merche cherishes very much. So if we find and hold onto even the sister on our side, wouldn’t Merche’s troublesome stubbornness quickly crumble?

−……

−No matter how much you threaten and push, Merche keeps enduring, you say. Then we need to perfectly corner her so she can’t resist any longer.

−…I don’t know. I don’t even know where that mansion is located, so what do you expect me to do?

−Didn’t you say Merche brought a doctor to treat you? Just find that doctor. He must have frequently come and gone from the mansion, so he should at least know the location. Do you remember the doctor’s name?

−……Burke. I think it was Gerald Burke, that quack.

What a naive fellow. So foolish, when will he ever become a usable successor?

Genovefa closed his wrinkled eyes. Now it was truly right before them.

As long as the succession announcement ceremony was carried out well, his family, the Lupinus, would continue their glory for generations to come.

However, as his son had unfortunately learned the truth today, a justification to restrain his son was needed in order to smoothly conclude the announcement ceremony.

Having finished his contemplation, he summoned the attendant waiting outside.

“Go and tell Rude. I have already captured Merche’s younger sister, so if he doesn’t want to see that child die and Merche go mad, he should faithfully carry out the succession announcement ceremony.”

“Yes, Lord.”

“And one more thing. Also convey that I will determine Merche’s life and death depending on how well he performs at the announcement ceremony.”

He couldn’t allow his ignorant son, who had fallen for a woman like a beast, to ruin the announcement ceremony.

−For the Lupinus. For the eternal glory under that name.

“Even if it burns my soul, I shall make the name of Lupinus shine.”

The words passed down from his father, the previous family head, and his father before him.

Tracing back to the lips of the first generation head, Genovefa quietly recited the words that had been carried on until now.

All these events would serve as fertilizer for the family, ultimately leading to the glory of the Lupinus. He had no doubt in believing that fact.

The night spent tied up was the worst time in Rude’s life.

Of course, it wasn’t because he couldn’t move an inch with his body bound.

Such experiences were a daily occurrence he had frequently gone through during his days as a slave.

However, what drove him mad was Merche, who would be trapped in this castle’s underground prison.

The woman with dazzlingly beautiful blue eyes, his companion, whom he had imprisoned with his own hands, forcing her noble knees to buckle and sit on the damp stone floor.

“…Merche.”

Plop. The rope finally snapped as his arm muscles, swollen as if about to burst at any moment, strained.

As Rude stood up, the servant spacing out in a corner opened his eyes and mouth wide in shock.

“Wh-what? Young Master…!”

“Move.”

“No, how on earth did you untie the ropes? Urk! Ah, this won’t do!”

The servant desperately tried to stop Rude from leaving the room.

However, with their body sizes differing by more than twice, and him having rolled around in the arena for over a decade, it was insufficient to dissuade him.

The servant, panting breathlessly, eventually sank to the floor.

Rude flung open the door in an instant and ran like the wind, ascending the stairs like a beast.

The knights and soldiers who followed tried their best to somehow catch him, but to no avail.

Up, up…. Endlessly up. Rude, who had reached the very top floor without taking a breath, pushed aside several startled maids and opened the large wooden door with a loud bang.

“…Rude?”

Pushing away the maid rubbing her shoulder, Elizabeth approached him in shock.

“Oh my goodness, Rude! What is going on? Why are you…”

“Help me. I need Mother’s help.”

“……Rude.”

Rude knelt and prostrated himself without hesitation.

Elizabeth’s complexion stiffened rigidly as she sensed what her son’s request would be.

“Please help me save Merche.”

“…But Rude. Didn’t you say Merche passed by you, pretending not to know you, and even threatened your life while scheming?”

At her question, his eyes seemed to harden for a moment, and Rude muttered a small curse under his shadowed face.

“……That’s not true.”

“If you’re telling a lie right now just to save her, that’s not the right choice, dear. You clearly said with your own mouth that Merche had wronged you.”

“I’m not lying to save her, I was the one who lied from the beginning. Being stupid with no learned skills, I got backstabbed by that bastard father. What can I do even if I’m an idiot?”

“…What?”

As soon as he thought of Genovefa, anger surged to the point of his head turning white, but now was not the time to explode.

Rude gritted his teeth and spoke again.

“Now is not the time to explain this and that. So let me just say one thing. If it weren’t for Merche, I would already be dead. The fact that I’m alive and here, in front of you, is all thanks to Merche.”

“……”

“And one more thing. If Merche dies, I will also die.”

“Rude!”

“It’s not a lie or a bluff. It may be laughable to say this now, but I’ve imprinted on Merche.”

“…What? Imprinting, what is that!”

“You should know well about an imprinted companion. When a companion dies, the remaining one goes mad. I heard they can’t bear it and end up hanging themselves. How would I be any different from them?”

“False…… Falsehood. It’s a lie? It’s that, right?”

“Get a grip, Mother. If Merche dies, I die too. Her life holds your son’s life as well. How… Do you understand a little now?”

Rude laughed in a low voice.

“What will you do? Shall I show you the sight of your son, whom you arduously found again, dying before your eyes?”

It was evident from his eyes, glowing with a pale light, that this was a threat filled with nothing but sincerity, without a single fabrication.

Elizabeth, who had repeatedly pursed and relaxed her lips several times, let out a sigh as if her whole body would collapse.

What can be done? She couldn’t lose her son again, so there was only one way.

To respond to that vile threat.

She summoned a maid standing far away to her side and gave a few instructions.

Then, she received the key the maid brought and placed it on Rude’s hand.

“It’s the key to the safe house I own. I’ll open the way for you, so take refuge there.”

Elizabeth resolutely grabbed Rude, who was about to snatch the key and leave without even answering.

As Rude looked down at her askew, she spoke.

“This has to be the last time. Threatening me with your life. Such a thing must never happen again.”

“……”

“Hurry. Answer without being stubborn.”

“As long as Merche is alive, I will also live a long life until I become a senile old man. Isn’t that enough?”

“Rude! Are you going to be like this until the end?”

“Of course. I’m your son, so you’ll have to deal with it. Ah. Of course, I’m grateful for this, Mother.”

He jingled the key, flaunting it, and left the room as quickly as he had come.

A headache rushed in at the sight of her colt-like son’s actions, and she leaned on the chair as if collapsing.

A maid hurried over and offered her ice water, but Elizabeth didn’t accept it and dismissed the maid as she was.

Leaning her head against the backrest, Elizabeth murmured softly.

“Lies… It was all lies.”

That’s what Rude said.

The crimes currently attached to Merche were false accusations, and in fact, she had saved him.

Then why did Rude imprison Merche, his savior, with false charges?

The speculation was not difficult.

Because at the end of every evil relationship, there was always one person. There was a fixed person who could incite such an act to her son, who couldn’t even think of complicated thoughts.

…Genovefa. Her husband.

Genovefa tries to kill Merche, and Rude tries to save Merche.

Husband and son. Whose side should she take between them?

After a long thought, Elizabeth burst into a hollow laugh. Whose side to take?

That was something with a predetermined answer from the beginning.

At least for this problem, it was exceedingly clear to her.

Having finished her brief contemplation, she turned around with a cold expression, leaving the window behind her.

On the snowy field where a biting wind was blowing, Karla shrank her shoulders to the fullest.

This damn north. I’ll never come here again. How can the snowfall be so fierce as if it will kill a person!

She pulled down the hood of her cloak somewhat irritably with all her might, and unable to hold back, she reproachfully complained to her companion standing next to her.

“You, are you really a child with the ability of prophecy? You said if I come here, I can meet a destiny that will glorify me! Trusting only your words, I left the main territory at this important time and came all the way to this cold north, but tsk…. What is this? In the end, I gained nothing!”

“……I apologize for disappointing you. But you know better than anyone, don’t you? Among the days I have spent with you so far, my prophecy has never been wrong even once.”

“Yes. That was the case. If not, would I have come all the way here trusting only your words in the first place?”