CH 90

“Just a moment. Please give me a moment, Young Lady.”

“I don’t have time for that. I’m busy, so let go of me.”

“It’s the same for me, who’s busy. It’ll only take a moment. It’s important—”

“I have nothing to say to you. So let go of me!”

“While you were out on an expedition, a new restaurant opened in the capital, and it is already rumored that the wine tastes great. I heard that meals and desserts taste good, but Young Lady and I are busy, so let’s just enjoy a glass of wine.”

They couldn’t communicate anymore today. 

She tried to force her arm away from him, who was pushing her around recklessly, but it wasn’t enough. 

The more she tried to get away, the stronger his grip grew.

‘Damn it!’

If it weren’t for this being the Imperial Palace, she would have raised her opposite hand and slapped his cheek several times.

“Young Lady, don’t do that—”

“Let go of this. It’s dirty! I did it before, right? Don’t be so pathetic. Do you know how pathetic you are now?”

‘Ugh!’

A blood vessel popped out on his forehead.

It felt like her arm that was caught was about to break.

Count Maient’s large and rough hands mercilessly crushed her pure white skin.

The skin that had turned white at the end of the redness was so painful.

“Young Lady must have a lot of feelings for me, too. Of course, you will. I understand, so please, let’s talk in a quiet place.”

Understand? 

“Why do I have to obey you? Hey, Count. I think you misunderstand something, but you won’t get what you want just by talking. It’s already over.”

“I didn’t finish it, so what’s over? It’s not over yet. It’s just the beginning. Don’t speak carelessly, Young Lady.”

Crazy bastard. 

It’s not even like she was his. 

He was already out of his mind, exceeding the limits of ambition and strong obsession.

All of a sudden—.

Could it be that he abandoned her and chose the female lead because of the female lead’s covetous background?

Wasn’t it the things that came after her that he loved, not the woman?

She had this thought.

Now, he looked like a monster, so she couldn’t imagine him being sincere to anyone.

Count Maient growled lowly, his eyes twinkling.

“And lower your voice. You know where this is. There are a lot of hidden eyes watching.”

“Is this the kind of person who knows that you’re threatening me like this? You’re being so rude to me because you know where I am, right?” 

“Rude? Ha! Don’t you think the Young Lady, who is only a Count’s daughter, is using an inappropriate word to me as a Count? Is it so rude to just have a conversation in a quiet place?”

“I said I had nothing to say!”

“I have so much to say! If you have nothing to say, just listen to me, Young Lady!”

His rapidly fierce eyes showed anxiety and urgency.

He dragged Serdel by force.

There was also a limit to how long one could hold out by only using leg strength.

As she broke the heel of the right shoe, the body that had lost its balance even staggered once, and anger rose. 

‘Damn it! I can’t use Radun’s power recklessly because I’m in the imperial palace!’

She just signed a contract with the Emperor. The ink hadn’t dried out, and she couldn’t go to work.

No matter how secretly she used her power, there were too many hidden eyes to watch.

Because she didn’t know how it would be reflected in their eyes, she couldn’t get her hands on Count Maient. 

‘Ugh!’

‘But I can’t even be dragged away like this!’

Today’s Count Maient looked very dangerous, perhaps because he had lost his reason. 

Nothing good will come from being alone with him.

‘Let’s take advantage of this situation.’

There has been a commotion already anyway.

The blind Count Maient was unlikely to let her go easily.

Those who hide and watch will not come out because of their position.

They’re more liable to think, ‘I will report this situation to my master quickly.’, and run away.

Those who need to gain favor from her will come running thinking it’s time to improve their standing with her.

‘They will severely criticize the person who created this situation to protect me.’

Good. 

Biting her lips, Serdel continued to pretend to rebel.

Even without a big performance, her body staggered because she lost the heel of one of her shoes.

In the end, she fell on purpose.

“Kyaa! Ugh!”

Her knee hurt a lot, probably because she had properly torn it on the stone floor.

“Ugh—!”

A groan broke out.

Ha. He frowned with a deep sigh.

Rather than asking if she was okay, he looked into the air as if to endure his irritation.

As expected, trash. 

“Get up.”

Tsk, he even clicked his tongue and glanced around him, then he gave her strength and forced Serdel to stand up.

It seemed like the bones in her arm were about to dislocate because they were pulled up as much as it was. 

Her ankle must have been sprained as well.

It was quite sore. 

Seeing her sit down again, he twisted his lips.

This time, he grabbed Serdel’s shoulder and raised her.

Unintentionally, her legs lost strength, and she fell again.

“Ha.”

The heels of the shoes had come off before she knew it and were rolling around on the floor.

She looked miserable.

“Damn it, get up! Are you going to humiliate me? You think I’m going to give up?”

There was a glimpse of madness in him.

He harshly pulled her up as she tried to sit still for a while.

The floor was swept with her legs.

Tears welled up in bitterness.

And it was then.

“What are you doing! Let go of that hand!”

Cartal, who ran forward suddenly, took Serdel from the hand of Count Maient. 

The fury that was emanating from his body was terrifying.

“I’ll kill you!”

Slap!

He was completely different from his usual self when he hit Count Maient’s cheek mercilessly, shouting loudly so that the inside of the palace rang.

It looked like he was going to kill ten people right away.

“What is this—!”

The bewildered Count Maient expressed his absurdity by hissing in the wind.

Hit! 

Cartal, who raised his fist again, struck him again in the face without hesitation.

Count Maient’s head turned with a crackling sound.

“How dare a bastard like you! How dare you!

Cartal, who grabbed Count Maient’s neck with both hands, gave strength to his hands.

“L, let go of me—Ugh!”

Count Maient’s face turned pale. 

He scratched at Cartal’s wrists with his fingernails, trying to remove the choking hands, but Cartal didn’t budge. 

Instead, Cartal lost his temper and choked harder as if he was really going to kill Count Maient. 

She has never seen her father like this before.

He never lost his cool in anything.

Even more so in a position where one had to think of one’s dignity as an aristocrat. 

His eyes burn with anger. 

“How dare you! You answered the request for a broken engagement so easily. Did my daughter look ridiculous in your eyes!”

“Ugh—!”

“It hurts my heart that she continued without knowing how to hit the back of the head, and she didn’t even ask anything! You don’t even know how to say thank you, you filthy bastard!” 

Blood and tears seemed to flow from Cartal’s eyes.

“I will not leave you alone today! How dare you, my daughter! That poor child!”

“F, father!”

If he seriously harms a noble in the Imperial Palace, things get bigger.

Maient committed the first fault, but they could blame all the sins on Cartal if this continued much longer.

This was different from what she had hoped for.

The moment she tried to get up because she thought she had to stop him.

Whoosh. 

All the nearby trees were shattered by the strong wind blowing from behind.

“….”

After that, the floor and the surrounding area were thick with dust. 

When the obscured view was restored, hundreds of splinters surrounded Count Maient. 

“Stand back, Count.”

Startled. 

Her body trembled at the low voice.

When she turned her head, the Lord of the Wizard Tower was walking. There was no sound.

His movement was silent yet captivating.

It was similar to when the Duke of Blendard killed the monster.

She also felt the atmosphere that only the strongest beings could exude.