Chapter 77

Chapter 77

“….”

As if Cassius swallowed dry saliva, his throat moved slightly.

‘He’s pondering about it.’

Very slowly, his lips softened before parting.

“I’ll do it.”

Feeling relieved for a moment, I stared at Cassius.

‘So easy…?’

Somehow, I thought it would take a lot of time to persuade him, but he accepted it right away. It was not that I hated it, though I could not help being confused.

As it may have been before, I am no longer his fiancée.

Cassius, too, knew very well that he could not expect that kind of relationship from me. Regardless, I believed that I could persuade him because of the reaction he had only shown me, who had been immersed in himself until now.

‘After all, does his mind change because my life is at stake…?’

He quietly opened his mouth.

“Instead, may I ask you one thing, too?”

I blinked my eyes. There was no way he would make an unreasonable request now, so I wondered what it could be?

“What is it?”

“..It’s nothing.”

Uttering that, he then avoided my gaze before adding his words, “

“Come to think of it, I’d rather not do it.”

“Is that so?”

I shrugged my shoulders.

Well, if he said he did not want to ask anymore, I had no intention of prying about it further.

“So, when should Gabriel Vecchio be dealt with?”

“Is it that easy?”

This was also quite surprising.

“It’s difficult if I’m alone, but… If it’s your request, my father will be happy to help.”

I wondered if Duke Brudenell heard my name, he would actually listen to my request. Still, I just nodded my head at him. Somehow, Cassius seemed quiet when he sometimes showed his low self-esteem.

…No, what am I talking about? Cassius Brudenell and low self-esteem were as incompatible as hot ice.

“Is there anything else you want?”

“If I tell you, will you listen to everything?”

“Yes.”

I gazed straight at him.

Cassius now seemed to return to his former self. That meant that his possessiveness toward me might have returned to the way it used to be as well.

“…Even if all my wishes are granted, I have no intention of becoming the Lord’s wife. Are you really okay with that?”

“Of course.”

At my question, he nodded his head.

“Wasn’t that point clearly specified in the divorce papers? No matter what exchange between you and I, it wouldn’t be a rational relationship.”

“Did it say that much?”

I asked back in a sour tone.

As the situation was, I only glanced at it roughly and signed it. However, now that I think about it, I thought I should have looked into it more closely before signing.

“If that’s the case… I want a blood oath.”

“….!”

It was not Cassius who was surprised, but me instead. It was because as soon as he heard the word ‘blood oath,’ a bright smile suddenly appeared on his face.

“Well, not now… We can do it after work is done. We’re both busy right now.”

Seeing him so happy like that made me nervous for some reason. I turned, thinking that I should learn more about the blood oath, but all of a sudden, Cassius urged more.

“I’m not busy.”

“Then, let’s say I’m busy.”

“The blood oath has nothing to do with being busy. We can do it right now.”

As Cassius’ gentle voice tickled my ear, my face warmed up unknowingly. Nevertheless, I shook my head and took a step back.

“First, let’s get rid of Lucifer Bynell.”

“All right.”

Cassius’ smile folded languidly.

“Now, tell me when you want him to be dealt with.”

ﾟ･ : * ✧ * :･ ﾟ

That evening.

I got into the carriage to the Count’s mansion in a state of dizzying confusion.

‘…How can this be solved so easily?’

Even though I should have been happy, I could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. In the first place, Cassius Brudenell has always been a riddle to me. Though today I could not understand him even more.

‘It seems obvious that there is something he wants…’

…To hide what he wanted without properly talking about it. As a result, did it not come to be that I was able to do everything I wanted without any compensation? As I frowned in thought, that did not last long.

Bang!

It was because the carriage suddenly stopped with a loud noise.

“What happened…?”

I screamed as I looked out the window before freezing. I was so immersed in my thoughts that I did not pay any attention to the scenery, but in the meantime, I had come to a town I did not know at all.

‘…It’s a fringe area.’

Riding such an aristocratic carriage to the outskirts of the capital, which became a crime zone because the security forces did not patrol, was nothing short of living prey.

‘It was the coachman!’

I peered around the carriage and tried to get something that could be a weapon, but of course, I could not find anything that was appropriate.

Moments later, the door rattled open from the outside.

“…Eve.”

Lucifer Bynell, with one of his lips curled up, was staring at me.

Goosebumps crept up all over my body.

‘…I should have been careful!’

Even though I asked Cassius to take care of him as quickly as possible, Lucifer’s movements were much faster.

“What did you go to the Duke’s for? There’s no way you’ve rushed and told them like a child, did you?”

“I’m sorry for disappointing you, but I’d already told them.”

I answered proudly and continued, “Soon, the Duke’s enlisted men will come. You’ll be dead before you could even kill me.”

“Oh, my.”

Lucifer laughed out loud after he had heard my words as his green eyes lit up.

“Eve, do you think I kidnapped you to kill you?”

“You said you’re going to silence me…”

“Don’t you know there are many kinds of silence?”

As he asked so, his twinkling eyes sank in an instant as he finished his remarks.

“I think Eve knows better than anyone.”

“….”

My throat felt tight and dry. I was not stupid enough not to understand Lucifer’s hint.

“…You plan to kidnap me to the Bynell Kingdom and imprison me.”

“Exactly.”

He answered as if singing.

“But before that, I have work to finish in this country… Please, be patient. I’ll take you to heaven constructed just for Eve only.”

“You’ve gone completely crazy…”

“After all, Eve likes me, right? Between Cassius Brudenell and me, isn’t the one whom you chose me? I’m going to let you make that choice, so what’s the problem?”

A cold rage ran through my head.

To begin with, I wanted to get away from both Cassius and Lucifer, Gabriel at the same time. I just ran away with him because the lesser evil was Gabriel. Besides, did we even part ways somehow in the middle as well…?

Gabriel, who had acted like a gentleman at the time, felt nothing but hypocrisy now.

“Don’t talk nonsense. Even if the sky falls, I won’t ever love you.”

“That’s something we’ll have to wait and see.”

Lucifer Bynell answered slowly.

“I’ve got a knack for torture. You don’t know how many praises I’ve received for changing others to become excellent people in the future.”

…Dangerous.

My whole body started to holler alarms. If Cassius Brudenell was just a madman, Lucifer was nothing less than pure evil.

“Eve.”

Lucifer whispered in an innocent voice and held out his hand.

“Just crouching like this isn’t going to solve the problem. Come with me. I will take good care of Eve.”

“…No.”

“It’s okay. You’ll even forget to say no later.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Oh, you’ll forget all those bad words. So come with me, okay? Or do you want me to force you to go?”

I swallowed dry saliva.

Cassius had never touched my body. I mean, he had never inflicted any direct injuries towards me. However, Lucifer was different. He seemed capable of breaking my leg or crushing my arm if he wanted to.

“…I’ll go. I’m going, so don’t do anything.”

“Well thought out.”

At my words, he praised me in a sweet voice.

“Now, take my hand and come out.”

In the end, I got out of the carriage with his courteous escort. I thought I was going to feel nauseous, but I did not think it would really help in the current situation. Lucifer, who was right next to me, whispered as he held me tight.

“If you’re thinking about running away. I’m going to cut off your fingers one by one.”

“…I won’t go.”

“You know? I don’t believe in Eve. It’s always been like this…”

At that moment—

I could hear the sound of horses running from a distance. Lucifer grabbed me and dragged me in a panic. Nonetheless, I instinctively realized that now was my chance, and I hurriedly struggled to get away from him.

“I told you to stay still!”

However, it was not long before I was caught by him again as he was about to bind my hands behind my back…

“Evelyn!”

…Just a few minutes ago, it was the voice of a man who swore he would give me everything.