CH 95

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

Heinrich muttered softly.

“It bothers me”

In the party hall with a more mellow atmosphere, he was alone, holding his chin as always.

Then he lowered his long eyelashes, and was lost in thought.

He was just in deep thought, and the women around him (there were definitely also some men) muttered at the beautiful, sweat-soaked face.

Beside him, a lively woman spit out a little, but blatant exclamation (she was almost ready to give a standing ovation).

Either way, Annette’s voice was the only thing in Heinrich’s head.

“Heinrich is… my ‘brother’!”

He was just her brother.

His eyes sank coldly, and his eyebrows narrowed gracefully.

“My baby. Cute Heinri.”

‘Annette, how I’ve been living my life…… You don’t know how I’ve climbed this far.’

It was good that she was careless towards him, but it was difficult for the relationship to become solid like this.

Especially on a day like today.

Heinrich had a ‘special plan’ for her today.

It was perfect timing for her, who especially liked a ‘happy ending’.

Everyone was smiling, now was the time.

Although Heinrich was indifferent to other people’s feelings, he always made his decisions with sensitivity and consideration towards Annette.

That habit had not changed at all, even after 10 years had passed.

“…….”

Heinrich looked at the members of <Winston’s Shield>, who were naturally mixed with other people.

And Kyle Winston, who sits loftily next to a subordinate, with an innocent face that dazzlingly deceived Annette (in Heinrich’s point of view, a hypocrite).

“It’s up to Miss Annette, right?”

Yes, it’s Annette’s choice anyway.

But there was one thing that stupid marquis didn’t know.

She had never, ever…

…There was never a time when she didn’t choose Heinrich as her top priority.

‘She always told me that I was her favorite. Me.’

“Sister, why are you being so nice to me?”

“That’s because I love you, Heinrich. I like you the best in the world!”

While Heinrich hated everything in the world. except for only one.

Annette.

She was the only one he loved.

To be chosen by her, he could do anything.

It was something that smug marquis could never do.

Heinrich got up quietly from the table and entered the log cabin.

The people inside the first floor had all gone out to the garden like the low tide.

Heinrich took a purple card and pen out and wrote a brief message.

—To be seen only by Annette.

Soon he kissed the letter lightly. His eyes were gently curved.

“See you later, Sister.”

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

「I know the location of Annette. I’d like to meet with Prince Gerard.」

Gerard stared suspiciously at the letter he had received from Avilus.

This was the first letter he received. There were other letters afterward.

Those letters announced the time and place.

The other side wanted to see Gerard in a forest where there was no one around, in a very deep valley.

Additionally, on such a dark evening with no lights.

Perhaps if he wasn’t strong enough, and if his obsession with Annette was a little lesser…

…He would never have accepted it.

To commit the rudeness of calling the prince of the country into such a dirty forest.

The other party also demanded that there be no ‘escort’ in particular.

Place, time, condition.

Taking them all into account, two conclusions could be drawn.

First, someone dared to try to assassinate Gerard.

Second, someone who must completely hide their identity was trying to give information.

“…….”

This was a deep forest road that was difficult for even a carriage to enter, so Gerard was walking.

Every time he walked, trampling on dry grass, a faint smell of water rose up.

Avilus, who quietly followed Gerard, stepped forward.

“Prince, I’m suspicious. He knows where the girl is.”

“…….”

“It’s something we couldn’t figure out even after 10 years of tracking, yet the person who knows is someone who doesn’t even have the money to buy high-quality paper.”

At first, Avilus thought it was just a message to save him, but the more he thought about it, the more strange it became.

“It’s someone who can’t even reveal his identity.”

Besides, he was calling his master to a suspicious place.

Gerard looked at his aide with an expressionless face.

“Avilus.”

“Yes.”

“From here on, I will go alone. You wait here.”

“……!”

Avilus’ thin eyes rose in bewilderment.

“But, Prince.”

Gerard’s rosy eyes gleamed in the darkness. Like a poisonous snake before snatching its prey.

“I need that girl. I feel like I want to search through the pits of hell. A speck of possibility, even a tiny bit of hope.”

It was human eyes mad with obsession and thirst.

It was the eyes of a hungry beast that would lick and devour even the smallest debris that fell to the ground.

“Even if it’s very trivial, if it’s brought to my eyes, I should give it a chance.”

“…….”

‘No matter what I say, my master won’t hear it.’

After Annette fled, the feelings and aspirations that had accumulated little by little every year for over ten years were now turning into madness.

‘What the hell is that girl for him to be like this…’

These days, Avilus found Gerard unfamiliar. 

Avilos quickly adjusted his expression, stepped back, and bowed his head.

“Please go. I will be waiting here as you have ordered.”

Avilus continued.

“I hope that person has the answer you are looking for. But if not, he’s a street scoundrel or a vulgar guy looking for money and bounties.”

“…….”

“Call me anytime if you need ‘cleaning up’.”

If it was false information, it would require a certain ‘post-processing’ as the cost of deception.

It was too trivial for Gerard to do it himself.

Avilus stopped there like a stone statue.

Gerard left his men behind and went deep into the forest.

After passing through the thick trees a few times, he soon came to the ‘appointed place’.

He pulled out a cigarette and bit it.

Then he lit a fire and deeply inhaled.

By the time a hazy smoke flew up, about a third of the cigarette was burned by crimson fire.

“…….”

There was a sound in the dark forest. Gerard’s fierce gaze turned towards it.

A dark silhouette approached the prince without hesitation.

Soon, when that face was reflected in the moonlight.

Gerard distorted his brows.

“You…!”

Contrary to all expectations, a ridiculous human appeared.

It was a familiar figure to Gerard.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

I stared at Sislin’s scar.

Initially, I thought it was a scar from being badly wounded in a war.

But it was a scar that was created in an unexpected place and in an unexpected way.

―How he lived his life, that scar seemed to reveal it instead.

A life that seemed far from happiness or a happy ending.

Annette was heartbroken.

‘Sislin, I only asked for one thing…’

‘…When I left you.’

“Don’t get sick, don’t cry, and be happy all the time.”

But it must have been too difficult for Sislin.

For a little boy who lived in a dark cave with a set of misfortunes in his life.

“It must be painful, Sisl…”

I raised my little hand and placed it on the scar on his hard chest.

Then I touched it very carefully.

“…….”

Sislin had a sharp intake of breath. The place I touched shook violently once, even his ribs.

I muttered, upset.

“It must have been difficult…”

At that moment, Sislin lowered his head and quickly shook it. Near my sensitive ears.

“I can’t stand it anymore.”

“……!”

Oops. When I took my hand away in surprise, startled, Sislin drew nearer.

Thud, thud. Pushed by him, I stepped backwards without realizing it, over and over again; I was driven into a corner.

—I can’t even run away.

He grinned and smiled handsomely. It was a charming yet boyish smile.

“You got cream on you.”

“What?”

Embarrassed, I groped my cheeks.

“Where?”

Then my field of vision swung once. The sofa got caught behind my knee.

The moment I sat on the sofa, a red light flashed in my head.

Sislin’s gigantic body draped over mine. The sofa, which did not move much when I landed, was hollowed out to the point of pressure when he put one knee on it.

He whispered huskily.

“Here.”

Sislin slowly lowered his eyes, and he licked the cream off my fingers.

“……!”

Astonished, I pressed my hands against his chest.

A powerful and violent pulsation felt hot against my fingertips.

“And…”

The tenacious, red eyes stared at trembling green eyes, then moved slowly to place their gaze on the lips.

His lips rose in an arc.

“There’s something here, too.”