The sun began to set.

Around the time Valtter noticed that the shadow rising above his blood couldn’t be distinguished, he realized the fact. When he looked up, the sun crossing over the western mountains was visible against the cobweb-covered sky.

Due to the characteristics of this area, darkness would likely fall in less than five minutes.

Valtter lightly swung the sword, with fresh blood flowing only from his wrist, and thought to himself.

‘It seems I won’t be able to keep the promise with Russell.’

However, that fact didn’t feel like a significant problem.

Just as beating the flesh that had survived wouldn’t cause any pain, Valtter’s nerves were in a state of literal insensitivity.

For a long time, he hadn’t felt the weight of the importance or value of things.

Ironically, only after reaching this state did Valtter realize that this state was his true nature.

It was only thanks to his outstanding learning ability that he had learned social norms early on and was cutting everything with reason.

Originally, he was this kind of person—an individual who couldn’t feel anything important, who couldn’t find value in anything.

Except for one thing, everything in Valtter’s life was worthless.

Even now, the face that still came to mind when he closed his eyes.

‘…Odette.’

It would have been better if he was inclined to forget, but Valtter’s memory was exceptionally sharp.

Therefore, he had to constantly watch the scenes replaying in his mind.

From the very first moment, the appearance of the girl he met with Cedric, to the changing appearance of Countess Clovis, who was drying up day by day.

What tortured Valtter the most was that in all those moments, he couldn’t do anything.

The reason was simple. Odette didn’t want him to.

He had undoubtedly reached out to Odette. He told her to take his hand because he could save her.

Odette chose death without taking that hand.

It was a supremely foolish act.

‘No, that woman was always like that.’

Every choice was hopeless.

Choosing someone like Louis Clovis in the first place was like that.

Even though she held hands with Cedric, she lived without showing any signs of abuse.

Even though it was clear that married life was terrible, she refused him, saying she couldn’t betray her husband, and threw him out!

I am unlucky, Duke. Maybe I was born unfortunate.

When he recalled those words, he laughed even more bitterly.

If possible, he would have violently grabbed those thin shoulders with both hands and shouted.

You weren’t born unfortunate; you’re walking the path of making yourself miserable.

Aren’t you the one who robbed yourself of all the opportunities given to you?

Why do you have to suffer so much because of this incredibly foolish, stupid, and ignorant woman?

The reason for the agony was the woman’s suicide; it was nothing more and nothing less than the death of a dog.
But why does he sway so much under that damnation?

Valtter’s mind constantly berated and criticized the deceased Odette.

He ridiculed Odette, who had rejected the helping hand he offered, and resented the fact that she had made him into this state.

When all those things became unbearable, Valtter thought in the sensation of his head splitting like an axe.

‘I want to forget everything about Odette.’

Then I wouldn’t have to mourn your death.

The moment you fell from the balcony.

If I seem pitiful even a little… Please let me go, Duke Ertman.

There’s no need to vividly remember that voice alone.

You don’t need to regret not stopping you that day, not holding you back carelessly.

“……. ”

Valtter’s head dropped.

The blood dripping from his nose tip thudded, detached from his body.

Even in such a moment, Valtter didn’t cry. He was a person who was inherently distant from tears.

He was the same that day.

The day he visited Viscount Clovis’s mansion. And the day Odette died.

Even when there was a sound of Odette falling with a thud from the balcony.

Thus, even in the moment when he grabbed Louis by the neck and screamed like a person who lost his sanity, Valtter’s face was dry.

He didn’t even attempt to confirm Odette’s corpse.

He could feel Odette’s death without having to see it. At the same time, it was terrifying to confirm the fact with his own eyes.

Too many emotions were mixed up, and he couldn’t even be sure what he was feeling.

The tearing sensation in his chest was undoubtedly searing anger, but his head cooled down without a single tear.

Even in the moment of horrific misery, there was no resentment towards Odette’s foolishness.

But one thing was certain.

From that day on, all of Valtter’s judgment disappeared.

‘After all, that day, I should have killed that bastard Louis Clovis.’

There had been a clear line between whether to kill a person or not, but now it was blurry, and he had to feel for the traces with his hands.

Nothing felt important or valuable, and all lives seemed no different from tree leaves.

It didn’t take a moment for the emptiness that had always swayed from his ankles to engulf his entire body.