Chapter 65

Chapter 65

“Ru, Rupert…?”

“Yes, Mina.”

At that, Rupert glanced back at her as if he had been waiting and answered. Trembling at his answer, which seemed as though calling her ‘real name,’ Min-ha opened her mouth.

“…Don’t call me that. No, don’t call me that. Call me Minase properly.”

“Okay, Minase.”

“All right. Oh, and don’t move even a single step from there. I can hear you well from here, too, so don’t try to come up close and talk. I was very surprised that you suddenly touched me a little while ago. It was scary.”

“You’re still angry, Minase… Yes, I see. I’ll talk to you from here.”

She spoke to him in an overbearing tone that she had never used as ‘Kim Min-ha,’ imagining that ‘Minase Persen’ would have said this. Rupert then smiled bitterly and gave a familiar nod. Fortunately, her appearance now seemed to make him feel like the usual Minase Persen.

As she looked at Rupert with a deliberately made-up arrogant face, Min-ha breathed a sigh of relief secretly.

“Really, I was surprised. How did you get in? You certainly weren’t on the invitation list of the Marquis of Loengram?”

“You know, if I had put my name on the invitation list, that fool Duke Persen would somehow have prevented you from coming here. So, I got some help from Louise.”

“If it’s Louise, the Grand Duchess…? Did you get help from her? How?”

“Hiding in Louise’s carriage, I passed through Loengram Castle just like that. It’s because there’s no such thing as a big soldier who dares to search through the carriage of the Grand Duchess who’s favored by the Emperor.”

“So, you mean you’ve been in that woman’s carriage the whole time…?”

“No. When the party started, I took the opportunity to sneak out. There was nothing like what you imagined, Mina.”

“…What did I imagine?”

“Only in my heart is Minase Florence, you’re the only one.”

Min-ha wrinkled her impression when she saw Rupert answering her like that after he was doing so well.

‘What the hell does he think I was imagining? Did something like that happen between cousins…?’

Thinking that could never be the case, she hurriedly changed her words.

“Okay. By the way, what are you going to do next?”

“Well, I think I’ll probably stay in this mansion until the party’s over. That’ll make it easier for me to meet you… Oh, come to think of it, I should’ve said that. Minase, you can come to this garden whenever you want to see me. This place has been newly built so that lowly Persen hasn’t come here yet.”

“I don’t mean that, but what’re you going to do in the future?”

It was a question about Rupert’s future “plans,” who was answering in detail. Min-ha asked again, emphasizing the word ‘future.’ Then, Rupert’s face became serious when he heard her words. He shook his head excitedly and replied.

“I’m sorry, I was confused there. Although this is the safest place in Loengram Castle, that’s not to say that there are no ears at all. Next time, I’ll tell you in a space with only the two of us, where there isn’t even a single mouse.”

“….”

“However, there’s one thing I can tell you for certain.”

“What’s that?”

“The atmosphere of the Vatican now says there are more people in favor of your divorce. So, I think it’ll be decided sooner or later, and your divorce from him would be established.”

“….!”

“It seems that Louisepersuaded the Emperor well. He’s always been neutral about your divorce from that lowly bastard, though it’s tempting to say that he needs a new bride who’ll ‘put wings’ on the shoulder of ‘the most cherished vassal’ rather than your pale, mixed blood from the former Imperial Family.”

“…It can be.”

“Well, it’s good for you and me. Oh, don’t worry about that. There will never be a bride who’ll give him something grandiose like ‘wings’ in his lifetime… because I’m going to make it like that.”

“…No way.”

At Rupert’s next words, Min-ha felt her mind disappear.

Not long ago, Seth had said that the divorce between them was more likely not to happen. Because of that, she was embarrassed and scared at a situation that was different from what she had expected. If it was her a few months ago, she might have been able to break up with him. However, she had only just realized her love, how could she break up with someone she knows and loves?

Min-ha spoke in a startled voice.

“…No, I don’t want to. I can’t break up with Seth like this… No, we’re not breaking up.”

“What…? You, what are you— And Seth, huh? Perhaps, ‘Seth’ is referring to that lowly bastard? Ha! Did I hear it wrong? You can’t break up? With him?!”

At her words, unable to believe the shocking situation he had conveyed, Rupert made a more astonished expression than Min-ha had a little while ago. The next moment, as if he had heard something he could not stand, he asked her with a ferocious expression.

The sight of him staring at her with his blazing red eyes glimmering felt very intimidating. She was so afraid of him that she unknowingly took a step backwards before stopping at a thought that ran through her head.

…The thought was, perhaps, that this terrible situation caused by her own mistake might have been better.

In the first place, she wanted to hear what he was planning and she was just peeking at the timing of when she could bring it up naturally. From the beginning, Min-ha wanted to talk to Rupert and clear up their ‘relationship.’

‘…Now that it has become like this, let’s say goodbye properly now.’

Swallowing her dry saliva, she chose the words that tangled in her head carefully before opening her mouth towards him.

“…Yes, that’s right. I can’t break up with Seth Persen.”

“Why?”

“That person… I fell in love with him.”

“…What?”

“I’m sorry. I no longer love you.”

‘…Actually, I never loved you in the first place.’

As she downed her words inwardly, Min-ha said ‘goodbye’ to him in the most calm voice possible. At the same time, Rupert’s face, which had become harsh for a moment, was distorted as if crying. He went to her side at once, grabbing her hand and kneeling in front of her.

Min-ha was embarrassed by the way he was hanging onto her, but she spoke to Rupert with a cold expression.

“What is this?”

“I was all wrong, Mina.”

“You did nothing wrong. I’ve changed my mind. That’s it.”

“…Thi-this, this is nonsense, Mina! Are you doing this on purpose because you’re angry? I didn’t go to see you, is that so? That’s what I explained properly a little while ago! I thought you and I would understand—!”

“No. I’m not saying this just because you didn’t come to see me. How many times are you making me say the same thing over and over again? I just fell for that person who was unchanging.”

“…Mina.”

“So, I have changed my mind now. You should stop…”

“No, it can’t be. Your love for me is still so vivid in my heart, have you changed? No… No way!”

“Ha… You didn’t even hear what I’ve said before? I don’t like you anymore!”

“Mina, please! Why are you talking like that?!”

“Even if I divorce Seth as you wish, I’ll not go to you! Now, I’ve no intention of going with anyone other than Seth. I don’t want to!”

Even though she promised to keep her reason as much as possible and say goodbye coldly and calmly, Min-ha could not accept the situation and eventually uttered a harsh voice at Rupert’s persistent response.

Rupert, who heard those words, immediately gave an expression as if he had lost his mind and released her hand that he was holding tight. Because of that, she took a quick step back, avoiding his gaze, who was staring up at her with his blurry red eyes.

‘…Now, all I have to do is escape safely from here.’

And so, Min-ha moved away from him little by little with such a heart.

While she was not very happy when she imagined his heart as he heard the words that could be a big shock in an instant, Min-ha was happy to think that this could end this relationship that was ‘wrong from the beginning.’

As she thought so, she finally turned her back on Rupert.

“I can’t give up on you, Mina.”

“….!”

“Is that the reason you can’t come to me, because of that lowly guy? Then… If I kill him, will you come to me?”

Hearing his growling voice coming from behind her back, Min-ha stood tall like a beast caught in a trap. She must run away now, her head exclaims, though her body strangely froze.

Horrible goosebumps appeared all over her body.

It was strange. All she had to do was ignore it and she could run anywhere, whether there was a path or not. However, she couldn’t move even at the sound of Rupert’s footsteps, who raised his body up from the kneeling position and slowly approached her.

And, when he hugged her body, which had hardened on the spot, Min-ha screamed as she covered her head with both hands in pain as if she was suddenly pierced by an arrow through her head.

“Kkyaaaaaak—!”

“Mina, what’s wrong? What?!”

“Aaakk…!”

It was the first intense pain she felt in her life.

Min-ha screamed at the excruciating pain and loosened her arms from the embrace as she pushed Rupert, who was looking at her in a bewildered voice. She groaned at the terrifying pain and sat down on the spot.

‘Please… Someone, please get me out of this moment.’

While she was enduring the torment as though someone was squeezing her hair and shaking her in earnest hope, Min-ha could hear the voice of a very familiar woman. It sounded vividly, very clearly as if a speaker was in her head.