Chapter 28

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Chapter 28 – A Stepping Stone To Take Care Of That Day (4)

A week passed since the day Liam was attacked. Meanwhile, Evelyn dyed her hair brown to hide her identity. She also prepared a veil to cover her face. Dyeing pills were easier than one might think, but changing the color of eyes was a difficult task. So she decided to cover her whole face instead.

Evelyn, with her unnatural, awkward brown hair braided, stroked the veil hat lying on her tabletop. It was something she had prepared before she even arrived at Vetern. Not only the ring connecting the veil but as well as the fabric were enchanted with damage-preventing and non-damaging magic. This was to prevent disturbing due to external force. If someone wanted to remove the veil without Evelyn’s mana, they’d be struck with magic right away.

‘It is not an exaggeration to say that the debt increased thanks to this.’ She prepared it with all her heart because it was an object to hide her identity. It was made long before Ethan arrived in Fedora.

She should be happy now that she finally set foot in Vetern and everything was ready. But for some reason, when she looked back at herself, who had always been thorough in the past, her mouth was bitter. Taking a deep breath, Evelyn closed her eyes and immersed herself in thoughts.

Liam Sianov Agramento. As said repeatedly, he was the sub-male lead of this storyline. The setting values ​​given to him could be summarized briefly. A boy who grew up in the same orphanage as Etrada, the illegitimate son of Marquis Agramento, who was called the Emperor of the Shadows. At the age of ten, he was admitted into the family by the Marquis. In the original work, Marquis Agramento was expressed as a cold-blooded man without blood or tears, and he wanted to pass the title to the best of his children.

“I’ll give you everything if you survive.”Thus he incited competition between blood relatives. It was natural that the competition in question was not a sound and fair method. Liam, who was taken to the Marquisate without even an option, was threatened by his half-siblings. This was why he escaped from the mansion a half a year after he was admitted into the household. To save his life.

Afterward, he blended in with the orphans who wandered the streets of the Imperial Capital. Orphans who were young and weak, thus no one felt threatened. Liam reigned over them scattered throughout the Imperial Capital and created his own power and information network. Children holding out their small, dirty hands hanging from the windows of the stores to beg overheard the stories of the grown-ups. And he put them in narrow places where adults could not hide and extracted information that could not otherwise be heard. As the orphans smoothly operated in the Imperial Capital that took them for granted, Liam’s information network expanded. The little boy who guided Evelyn the other day was also an orphan of Vetern associated with Liam in that way.

This was why Liam was able to detect Cesar’s rebellion in advance when nearly ten years had passed since the day he escaped the Marquis. He saw the chaos that rebellion would bring as an opportunity. So after hiding himself for a long time, he returned to the Agramento mansion. To get revenge on his half-siblings who wanted to kill him, and his father who threw his life to them.

“In the end, you became the final winner.”

Having taken the lives of his biological father as well as his half-siblings, he reigned as the owner of Agramento. Evelyn leaned against the back of the chair as she reorganized the information she knew about Liam.

“First, you succeed in making him owe you.”

In the original story, it was Etrada who rescued Liam right after the raid that took place a few days ago. Evelyn sighed, recalling the story.

“There was a person who went through the corpses after Gale left. She was a woman with shoulder-length bobbed hair and vivid scarlet eyes, and her ability to hide her presence made it seem that she had the level of a senior knight.” It was the report given by a free knight hired, aside from Utah and Gale. Rebellio Obellasak. Although he didn’t appear in the original story, it had been eighteen years since he reached the status of a senior knight. For him, who was already over forty, it was easy to monitor and identify Etrada, who became a senior knight only two years ago.

She placed him on a whim, just in case. And as expected, Etrada appeared on the spot. In the original work, she felt skeptical about being next to Cesar and exited the Imperial City. After she smells the blood mixed in the rain, she heads toward the place where the battle occurred. Even though it was a reunion after more than a decade, she remembered who he was as soon as she saw Liam lying down.

However, their reunion was delayed by Evelyn’s intervention. Etrada came to the place as scheduled that day, but the two did not directly meet each other, so it would be hard to call it a reunion. Of course, there won’t be any major problems. She would have to wait a little longer and see, but if Evelyn’s judgment was correct, the original wouldn’t react much. All she needed to do was not touch the main story, where the relationship between Etrada and Liam leads to contact between Cesar and Agramento. It was not because of feelings that Liam treated Etrada so well in the beginning anyway. He tried to solidify his position by making a connection with the new Emperor.

Evelyn had no intention of hindering Liam’s choice. Rather, she will give wings to his actions with information that only she knew. That way, he will be able to approach Cesar without the original reacting. As long as there was room left, the original storyline wouldn’t react violently and would just monitor the situation.

Once again, Evelyn heard a knock as she was organizing her thoughts.

“I’ve brought him here.” It was Utah’s voice. Wearing the pre-prepared veil, Evelyn answered slowly.

“Come in.”

When Utah opened the door, she saw Liam’s haggard face. Evelyn and Liam looked at each other in silence. However, it wasn’t long before Liam spoke first with a mischievous smile.

“I will formally greet my savior. This is Liam Agramento.”

“Savior… You almost died too, but that’s a generous treatment.”

As soon as Evelyn and Liam began the conversation, the seemingly vertical relationship was stark. Liam was polite, but not Evelyn. Meaning she defined Liam as her own subordinate.

“You can leave now.”

“Yes, Master.”

When Utah closed the door and left, Liam’s speech started again.

“The important thing is that I am alive.”

He had just accepted the hierarchical relationship with Evelyn. He continued to speak politely to the woman who was being impolite, acknowledging himself as her subordinate. Evelyn didn’t think much of it. All she was glad about was the fact that she had just put the first stone and then the second one properly.

Originally, Liam was a sneaky and cunning person, cruel enough to do anything for his purposes. Despite his high self-esteem, he had the determination to throw it out at any time. He tended to be infinitely generous toward his own people but could become a terrible demon to his enemies. He hid it well, but his nature was wild and violent. If you had to pick his special skill, it would be mischievousness and deception, and the talent would be betrayal. If you look easy, you will be dragged around and used.

She only claimed to be his superior because it was easy to move on if you pressed down to get the upper hand from the beginning. From rescuing Liam to their first encounter face-to-face, her plan was going smoothly. Evelyn’s lip, covered by her veil, curled up.

“Looking at your attitude, I don’t have to say what I had prepared,” Evelyn said to Liam, who had been smiling brightly and softly.

“It makes me uncomfortable to hear that the words that my savior took the time to prepare are useless.”

“Since it’s a good thing I don’t have to say it, you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Isn’t that what you meant to say to me?”

A nerve war between those who want to hide the truth and those who want to dig it out. It was a meaningless war of attrition. Evelyn’s head tilted to the side, making a sound.

“It’s disappointing to only receive without giving.”

“…Even if I just want to hear what you have prepared for me?”

“Do you know what words you’re going to hear?”

Liam’s firm smile faded slightly.

“…If I had asked as soon as I entered this place, would you have told me easily?”

“Of course.”

“May I ask why?”

Unlike Liam, Evelyn smiled more deeply and answered.

“Because if you were like that, you wouldn’t even realize the value of what I said.”

Liam didn’t say anything right away. He stared at Evelyn as if he were thinking of something. She was also silent. She sat quietly as if she didn’t want to say a word until Liam opened his mouth. Evelyn had just offered a deal. She told him to pay a reasonable price if he wanted to hear what she had to say.

“I don’t really like gambling, but…”

“Then you don’t have to listen.”

Evelyn acted like she had no regrets. If she was honest, it was advantageous for her to give her prepared speech. But swallowing it didn’t put her at a disadvantage either. Because she had already paid her debt to Liam. No matter what he chose, Evelyn’s plans wouldn’t be disturbed.

‘Nevertheless, if his choice is based on the original story…’

“It feels good this time. How much would I have to pay to hear the words from you?”

‘Even if he loses, he will still listen at least once. Because he is a person who needs to know his opponent’s cards for his stubbornness to feel satisfied. A persistent personality that can’t let go to the point of absurdity. He’s suspicious and doesn’t trust others easily, so it’s understandable. If you want Liam’s attention, it’s best to hide your cards and withdraw. If you add a little provocation in the process, the effect will be better. In a way, he has the temperament of a hunter.’

Evelyn looked away from Liam, who had agreed to make a deal. She could finally see the clear sky through the window since the rain had stopped yesterday.

After staring at the blue sky for a moment, Evelyn’s lips parted.

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