Yelena’s eyes widened.

Incan stood up uninjured and shook out one of his wrists.

“Hm… If anyone else wants a go, get on with it. I’m a little busy here.”

“Attack him all at once!”

Promptly, all the men who surrounded Incan dove at him simultaneously.

Evenso, astonishingly, the result was not so different from what happened to the person who was slammed into the corner of the bar earlier.

In an instant, a group of over 10 men was knocked out.

“U-urgh.”

The legs of one man who had swung his weapon at Incan trembled upon seeing Incan destroy the weapon with his bare hands.

Incan lightly struck the man.

The result, however, was not so light.

The burly man was sent flying like a piece of paper, shattering one of the bar’s windows in the process. Outside, the man tumbled.

“…”

Frozen stiffly in place, Yelena stared at Incan. She couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.

Incan sighed. “Your Grace.”

“…”

“To tell you the truth… I honestly had no intention of coming to the Mayhard Duchy at first.”

Was it just Yelena or were both of Incan’s hands darker than they had been before entering this place?

“I just wanted to muster my strength to flee the Kingdom and live peacefully in another country. That’s all I wanted.”

Incan clenched and released his fists. His skin didn’t look like it would go back to its original color anytime soon.

“But strangely enough, I couldn’t stop thinking of Your Grace.”

“…”

“Why was that? Did I want to get revenge? Did I want to demand that you take responsibility for making me like this?”

“…”

“Did I want you to pay the price? Perhaps.”

Incan, who had stopped clenching and releasing his fists, slowly approached Yelena.

Reflexively, Yelena backed away, but she couldn’t move very far. Her back soon hit a wall.

The distance between them gradually decreased.

“I had my doubts, but after meeting you again, I’m sure. I took a liking to you. Indeed.”

“…”

“You’re the one who made me like this, but surprisingly, I took a liking to you. And I wanted to do good by you.”

“…”

“I really wanted to treat you well.”

At some point, Yelena stopped listening to what Incan was saying.

The stench.

As Incan came closer, the stench grew more foul, assaulting Yelena’s senses.

‘I think I’m going to throw up.’

Yelena’s insides turned over just from the smell. Her head hurt.

Unable to take it anymore, Yelena covered her nose with her hand. Incan momentarily stopped in his tracks at this.

Then, he flashed a twisted grin.

“That’s a new reaction. Are you disgusted by my words? Are you showing your disgust with actions rather than words?”

“…Don’t come close.” Yelena spoke with difficulty.

Disgusted was the right way to put it.

However, contrary to what Incan thought, his stench was what disgusted her, not his words.

“Haha.”

After letting out a short laugh, Incan scowled fiercely.

“It would be a good idea not to provoke me any further, Your Grace. I’m already holding back quite a bit.”

“I said not to come… I’m going to throw…”

“I told you that I’m holding back.”

Incan closed the distance between them and outstretched his hand towards Yelena.

It was the moment his darkened hand grabbed Yelena’s arm.

Like a sudden firespark, white flashes appeared on Yelena’s hand.

“…!”

Yelena didn’t have time to think about what it was. She shoved Incan away.

And then…

Bang!

“Urgh!”

With a shout, Incan was noisily knocked out far away.

“…”

Yelena couldn’t believe what just happened right before her eyes, despite being the one who caused it. She looked down at her hand blankly.

‘What was that?’

Did something happen? She didn’t know what was going on.

But she couldn’t just stand there dumbfounded.

Yelena glanced at where she sent Incan flying. Then she bolted out of the bar.

“…!”

Upon running out of the bar, Yelena exchanged glances with Incan’s men who were on lookout outside.

Yelena immediately turned around, but one of the men was faster in grabbing her arm.

“Let go of me!”

Like what she had done to Incan earlier, Yelena shoved the man away.

However, the remaining white flashes on her hand had no effect on the other person who wasn’t Incan.