I Regret The Kindness I Gave You - Chapter 70

“Who’s calling whom gloomy? The coward who sneakily pushed from behind and snatched the flag, who is it?”

“…What happened during the competition did not violate any rules.”

“Only a pathetic excuse-spitting fool like you needs to be warned with mere words. Hey, despicable Duke Diego.”

Rude brusquely brushed off Merche’s hand trying to stop him and grinned, baring his teeth.

“I’ll crush anyone as gloomy as our dear Duke Diego before they even get close, so don’t worry. Didn’t I tell you to watch those eyes?”

Don’t mess with me. His hand tapped, tapped provocatively against Diego’s chest.

Diego clenched his teeth, his neck muscles taut, but remarkably refrained from retaliating and stepped back.

“Congratulations on your victory.”

“…Thank you, Duke.”

Having somehow peacefully concluded the conversation, Diego disappeared to the other end of the corridor.

Tsk, Rude clicked his tongue in disapproval, then turned to Merche and spoke.

“Looks like you got hit pretty hard somewhere.”

What? Taken aback by the unexpected remark, Merche blankly asked back.

“Are you talking about Duke Diego?”

“Who else would it be?”

“…What makes you think that?”

“It’s obvious at a glance. He’s trying his damnedest to not look defeated, putting on airs, but he’s limping.”

She tried to recall the image of Diego conversing with her. Was he limping?

Come to think of it, he had an unusually grim complexion when he first approached her to talk. For someone who always maintains a neat and dignified demeanor, the way he’d take breaths between words was concerning.

“There’s no one who would dare use violence against Duke Diego…”

Diego is the heir of House Fondo, after all.

In this day and age where even royalty is rumored to watch their words in front of the head of House Fondo and his direct lineage, what ignorant fool could possibly inflict injury upon him?

Merche, lost in thought with her head slightly bowed, raised puzzled eyes at the piercing gaze.

The man let out an absurd chuckle at her, as if she were some naive child oblivious to the ways of the world.

“There’s a guy right here in front of you who, despite being of respectable blood, constantly gets beaten and dragged around. You’ve suffered because of the same guy, so how can you not know?”

Only then did she realize he was talking about Genovefa.

So according to him, Diego must have also been subjected to violence by his father, just like Rude.

“What did I say before? It’s always the ones who smile to your face and then gloomily stab you in the gut. Guys who would beat their own children if they got on their nerves. I can tell those two-faced types with one look.”

“……”

Merche glanced briefly at the opposite end of the now silent corridor. If that’s really the case… perhaps she should have checked on his condition more closely.

“Are you worrying about another man right in front of me?”

Abruptly, without warning, eyes like an enraged bull thrust close to her face.

Merche absently took in the thick, distinct features that had charged right up to her nose.

He himself dismisses it as a needlessly crude and fierce impression, but well… Merche begged to differ.

It’s a strangely captivating face.

When he keeps his mouth shut with a blank expression or narrows his eyes, he looks as cold-blooded as can be.

But the moment those eyes land on Merche, they instantly blaze with fierce heat, exuding an aggressive savagery that makes her avert her gaze unintentionally.

The upturned eyes curved viciously. It was a characteristic change, a sort of signal that occurred when Rude was about to make a threatening plea to her.

“I don’t care if you drag dozens of other men to play with or tumble in bed when I’m not around. But don’t you dare bring up another bastard in front of me. Don’t even think about it. When I’m here, think only of me.”

A darkly tanned hand started from the wrist that easily fit in one hand and slowly climbed up her body.

Stealthily rubbing the white skin with his fingertips, he was gripping her arm close to the shoulder with a persistent hold when –

“What I think is my right and freedom. It’s not for you to dictate.”

Snap, Merche cut him off decisively.

The grip that had almost seized her entire shoulder loosened, limply falling away.

She remained unflinching even as she sensed the man glaring at her, struggling to swallow his words.

He’s a man who seeks any opening to tie her down the moment she lets her guard down. To mold her to his liking.

Knowing his dark intentions, she cannot afford to show even the slightest crack. Their tense gazes clashed in silence for a while.

“…It’s not a dictate, just my wish. That I’d like it to be that way.”

In any case, as always, it’s Rude’s role to yield first.

He shrugged with a flawless fake smile, as if he had never used a forceful tone.

Fortunately, his mate, dull in many ways, let the spark that nearly ignited a fight pass without further comment.

She’s a dense woman. Innocent and untainted. That’s why he can’t stand seeing her wandering around without him.

He matched his steps to her small back as she turned to walk. In the shadowed side hidden from Merche’s view, he cracked his neck this way and that like a starving beast.

Coercion, threats… Right. To hell with that. He can drive the situation as he wishes without blatantly resorting to such things.

If she tries to take a concubine, he’ll snuff out the bastard’s breath before he can crawl into bed, and if she dares to think of another man in his presence, he’ll thoroughly eliminate all the erect things in her surroundings.

How easy and convenient is that?

If his woman wants the peace she envisions, then even by force, he will break the brush and paint the peace she does not desire.

Having reached his own sinister resolution, he shortened his noticeably large strides and stuck close to Merche’s side.

“So you two came tightly stuck together, I see.”

A steaming teacup was placed in front of Mariette.

She didn’t seem particularly surprised to see Rude tagging along unannounced.

“I apologize, clan leader.”

“It’s fine. No need to apologize. It’s a conversation you both can hear anyway, so there’s nothing to hold back.”

Narrowed eyes scanned the pair sitting side by side as if searching.

Did something happen during the competition? The previously frigid atmosphere was nowhere to be seen, replaced by an eye-straining closeness.

Young people’s lovers’ quarrels are all like this… To her, who has lived a long life, it’s not an extraordinary behavior.

With a single twitch of her eyes instead of a mischievous remark, Mariette moistened her dry throat with the tea.

“I heard the gist of the competition story. You properly used your powers in front of many eyes, right?”

“…I’m sorry. Clearly, it was my fault for breaking the promise with you, clan leader.”

“How is that your fault? It’s thanks to you that we achieved victory, so I should be expressing my gratitude to you instead. Don’t lower your head over needless things.”

Was it even possible to win the competition without using her powers? Once Merche participated, it was inevitable. However…

“Phew.”

It’s become a headache. Mariette let out a long sigh tinged with frustration.

“Now that all the clan leaders know of your ability, there will be many bothersome issues in the future. They may even try to threaten you.”

Venenum, a unique treasure with immense value despite its lacking defensive shield. It’s not a favorable position.

There’s no telling what the clans’ desires to produce a king from their own will drive them to do.

It would be a stroke of luck if they at least tried to bring Merche to their side and crown her as king.

In the worst case, they could lock Merche up, force her to bear children with their direct descendants. As long as they can place one of their own on the throne by any means.

“Try to threaten? You’re so old that your mouth is all dry and twisted, but at least speak properly. She’s already been threatened, ages ago.”

“…What do you mean? Don’t tell me, did something happen to Merche?”

Merche gently tried to stop him from the side. But Rude stubbornly leaned back at an angle and spilled the shocking news.

“Some crazy bastard once dropped Merche into a sea swarming with monsters. Thanks to that, I almost drowned in the sea with her.”

You didn’t know? Your information network sure is shoddy. He scoffed, throwing his head back.

“…It’s about what I mentioned before. About someone gathering divine objects or whatnot.”

Staring at the white stone ceiling, he recalled Magnus Fondo, whom he had seen on the cliff.

The red light seeping from that bastard’s fingers. The ruby ring he had clearly seen with his own two eyes. No need to scrutinize further, what he saw then was accurate.

The very ring that was stolen from his castle, the one that perfectly matched the image.

“Every Tom, Dick, and Harry wants to become king, and among them, Dick rather than Tom. That’s him. Magnus Fondo.”

“…Magnus Fondo…? I’ve never heard of such a person in House Fondo.”

“Whether a clan leader with lacking intel has heard of him or not, that’s none of my business. If that thing attached above your neck isn’t just for show, you should know. How long are you going to hide it? Isn’t it time for the person involved to know too?”

“……”

“Because you keep it so tightly under wraps, even now she’s sitting there clueless, getting startled. Let’s stop making a fool out of someone.”

A large hand struck the leather of the chair with a thud. Merche, with a look of incomprehension, followed the sound and glanced at Rude, then Mariette in turn.

Heavy silence. Only after a long while did Mariette’s tightly sealed lips part.

“Merche. There is something we must solemnly discuss about you. More precisely, about your true identity.”

At Mariette’s signal, an attendant brought something and placed it on the table.

Seeing it, Merche flinched and stiffened her hands resting on the sofa.

“Why is this…”