Chapter 104
Chapter 104: I Wish It Wasn’t Hard
BANG—
Lupeon, who had kicked down the barrier-protected door in one go, quickly took the child into his arms.
Upon discovering his fiancée collapsed powerlessly on the floor, his expression turned ice-cold.
Elena shook her head as she watched him, looking as if he might approach her immediately.
Seeming to understand her intent, Lupeon quickly handed his sister over to Josephine.
Then he looked at the intruder with cold eyes that seemed devoid of any mercy.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Realizing he could no longer escape, the intruder drew his sharp blade.
Behind Lupeon, Josephine hurriedly covered Anasha’s eyes as he checked on her condition.
Soon, the blades pointed at each other began to clash.
Though the Imperial Family seemed to have sent someone quite skilled, they were no match for Lupeon, who was emanating an aura like madness.
The masked intruder, quickly assessing the situation, began running toward the window he had entered through.
At that moment, Lupeon unleashed his aura and stabbed the intruder’s back with the fallen dagger.
“Ugh—”
“Capture him alive so he can’t escape!”
The knights who had followed his command succeeded in apprehending the intruder.
Though the intruder seemed to be struggling desperately to escape the child’s room, he was no match for the majority of knights.
“Big brother…!”
Finally seeming to realize the situation was safe, Anasha ran to her brother and hugged him tightly.
“Anasha, are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m fine, big brother.”
As Lupeon exhaled deeply after confirming the child was unharmed, Anasha looked at Elena with tearful eyes.
“But new sister…”
Though Elena, still sitting on the floor, slightly furrowed her brow from dizziness, she showed a faint smile to reassure the child.
“Don’t worry, young miss. I’m stronger than you might think.”
Lupeon, who had approached Elena by now, parted his lips before speaking.
“…Are you really alright?”
Though brief, his voice trembled at the end. His eyes seemed to ripple with indescribable emotion.
Perhaps because she could somewhat guess his feelings, Elena deliberately answered in a bright, casual voice.
“As you can see, I’m perfectly fine.”
Listening to her words, Anasha shook her head and pulled at her brother’s clothes.
“New sister protected me! From that scary person!”
Upon hearing that the intruder had pointed a dagger at the child and Elena, Lupeon’s eyes flashed even more coldly.
“So, they dared to do such a thing.”
His killing intent flashed as if he might head down to the underground prison to deal with the captured intruder immediately.
Nicollman, watching his superior, let out a shallow sigh and whispered softly.
“Your Grace, the young lady is still present.”
Only then did Lupeon seem to become aware of the child and withdraw his killing intent, quietly staring at Elena’s trembling hand.
Though she tried to hide it, Elena’s hands were still shaking.
Observing the situation, Nicollman soon bent his knee and asked Anasha in a kind voice.
“Young lady, it seems it might be difficult to sleep right away. Shall we go to the kitchen together for some warm milk?”
“Yes, I’d like that! Then I want chocolate milk!”
Nicollman showed a gentle smile to the child whose eyes were sparkling, seeming to have regained her composure.
“I heard we just received some Delgian chocolate, so let’s do that.”
Then after glancing at the two people left in Anasha’s room, he quietly closed the door. So that no one could disturb them for a while.
* * *
In the quiet child’s room, Elena showed an awkward smile as she looked at her fiancé who seemed lost in worry.
“I suppose it’s because it was my first time directly facing an assassin.”
“It seems I keep… drawing you into unfortunate situations.”
Lupeon pressed his forehead while letting out a deep sigh. For some reason, he looked somewhat unstable.
“I’m really fine, Lupeon. Thanks to you coming, I wasn’t hurt at all.”
“Even so, it doesn’t change the fact that you and Anasha were in danger.”
Elena knew that right now, he was blaming himself more than anyone else.
Lupeon always tried to shoulder everything alone.
Unable to easily find the words, she firmly held his hand and spoke.
“Lupeon, this was just an accident.”
“…”
Elena, not avoiding his gaze toward her, continued firmly.
“So I wish you wouldn’t blame yourself.”
When the guilty party was elsewhere, why should Lupeon blame and torment himself?
Her heart aching, Elena wished he would realize he wasn’t alone.
How wonderful it would be if he could rely on her even a little—she wanted to be of some help to him.
Perhaps finding comfort in her words, Lupeon dropped his head heavily onto her slender shoulder.
“I wish you wouldn’t have to suffer because of me.”
“…”
‘I wish you wouldn’t have to suffer anymore either.’
Elena simply patted his broad back silently.
Between them, only the gentle sound of someone’s heartbeat could be heard.
* * *
Having completed all preparations for revenge, Lupeon began gradually eliminating the forces of Marquess Byzantium and the Progressive Faction.
He started revealing one by one the Marquess’s evil deeds that had been hidden, including the carriage accident of Marchioness Rohenbach.
As the Marquess’s heinous crimes made headlines, they spread widely from the North to the capital.
<Was Marchioness Rohenbach’s Death Actually Marquess Byzantium’s Plot?>
Though Elena still felt bitter and sorrowful when thinking of her mother who had been unjustly killed, she was relieved that the Marquess would finally face punishment for his crimes.
Always filled with longing for her mother, she especially missed the Marchioness today.
‘Finally, I can avenge you, mother.’
Though she didn’t feel completely settled as things weren’t finished yet, Elena felt somewhat lighter.
When the Progressive Faction leader’s evil deeds against the Conservative Faction leader’s wife were revealed to the public, the imperial citizens were quick to criticize both him and the Imperial Family.
To ensure Marquess Byzantium couldn’t escape, Lupeon anonymously filed for a noble trial, gathering all the evidence he had been holding back.
With public sentiment boiling and the nobles’ backlash added, the Emperor had no choice but to accept the trial.
As other Progressive Faction nobles’ misdeeds were revealed, they too couldn’t escape punishment.
Finally found guilty in the noble trial, Marquess Byzantium was imprisoned in a frontier region prison.
As the atmosphere grew increasingly turbulent, the imperial citizens’ fierce opposition to the Imperial Family kept growing.
Yet the Emperor maintained his silence, making no particular response.
With the person who could serve as regent now imprisoned, he likely lacked proper judgment.
Elena requested a private meeting with Marquess Byzantium as a victim’s family member. She had words she needed to convey to the Marquess.
Given that the public was watching them closely, even the Emperor couldn’t carelessly harm her.
Though Marquess Rohenbach and Lisette also wanted to go together, Elena shook her head.
Perhaps she was the only one who could maintain composure in that place.
When her private meeting with Marquess Byzantium was finally approved, Elena headed to the frontier region.
Josephine, who had accompanied her as guard, spoke with a rather serious face before entering the underground prison.
“My lady, this place is too dangerous regardless.”
“Don’t worry. It should be safer precisely because the Imperial Family is managing it.”
The knight, sending her a doubtful look, reluctantly nodded.
“If anything unexpected happens, shout immediately.”
Elena had separately prepared protective magical tools in case of emergency.
Though she pretended to be composed in front of Josephine, one never knew what might happen with people.
“Yes, I will.”
Elena showed a faint smile and, as the basement door opened, followed the gatekeeper who was guiding her.
