Chapter 24: BWCGD

Chapter 24

Until now, he had never paid much attention to how she had been treated while growing up in that household.

No, he had forced himself not to.

In noble society, it was nothing unusual for an illegitimate child to be mistreated, and he had absolutely no justification for interfering in the affairs of a count's family.

So he had told himself—

That the only reason he had involved himself in such a troublesome matter was because the Countess had used forbidden dark magic and disturbed the order of the Empire.

That was all.

But the emotions he felt now were clearly far from objective.

He was irritated.

He was angry.

The surge of emotion climbing up his spine was unlike him, and it annoyed him.

So he wanted to confirm it.

He wanted to identify the source of this unpleasant feeling that kept scratching at his nerves.

"You endured that horrible thing for three whole years?"

"If I had taken it directly, I wouldn't have lasted even six months. Instead, the Countess deceived me into thinking it was holy water and gradually let me absorb it through my skin until I became addicted."

"Why?"

"Because after getting what she wanted from me, she wanted me to die slowly... in a way that looked natural."

"Hah."

At that moment, he realized what had been bothering him and let out a bitter laugh.

It was human instinct to fear someone who had tried to harm you.

Yet even though this drug had cursed her, made her suffer from high fevers and coughing up blood, and left her with only a limited time to live...

The woman spoke of it as if she were talking about someone else's story.

That was probably what bothered him.

Because he had no idea what a woman with nothing left to lose might do in order to uncover the truth behind her mother's death.

A cold smile escaped Kallian's lips.

"So what exactly are you planning to do with this?"

"I'm going to visit the merchant guild that imported it and find out whether anyone purchased it in large quantities."

"And if you ask..."

Evelyn quietly looked at him.

Her expression was strangely twisted, as though she truly couldn't understand him.

"I have to try something. One of my goals is to uncover whoever is backing the Countess."

"Do you think a merchant guild is that easy to deal with? That they'll hand over their transaction records for free?"

She fell silent.

He wasn't wrong.

But it wasn't as though she had no plan.

More importantly...

Evelyn wanted to know why that smell was coming from the Grand Duke's hair.

The raw herb and the musk imbued with dark magic smelled completely different.

The raw ingredient gave off the stench of decay, but once refined into a cursed substance, the scent became so neutralized that an ordinary person could no longer detect it.

The only reason Evelyn had recognized the herb used in the curse was because she had briefly seen the raw ingredient before.

Her gaze returned to his black hair, dark as the night sky.

"By the way... your hair..."

Just as she was about to ask him with a serious expression, he spoke first with obvious displeasure.

"The Empress threw a teacup at me."

She had noticed his poor mood ever since he entered the office.

So that had been the reason.

But what did that have to do with this?

As she opened and closed her mouth, unsure how to respond, he let out an incredulous laugh and lowered his eyes toward the Horn of Iblis.

"The tea poured over my head carried the scent of the curse."

"...What?"

"It seems Her Majesty wished to separate my soul from my body."

Evelyn jerked her head up in shock.

Their eyes met immediately.

The corners of his lips curved into a graceful smile as he looked at her.

"You once said someone had a strange conversation with the Countess."

"A strange conversation..."

"Yes. The voice of the one who mentioned the Grudge Stone. Can you remember it?"

A deep frown formed between her brows.

Could it be... does he suspect the Empress is the Countess's accomplice?

In her previous life, the Empress had openly looked down on Evelyn.

Never once invited to any imperial events, Evelyn had never even heard the Empress's voice.

But...

She clearly remembered the voice of the person who had spoken with the Countess.

Even after turning back the river of time.

Evelyn quietly met Kallian's gaze.

"Yes. How could I ever forget it?"

A sharp light flashed within his golden eyes.

"Four days from now, the final interrogation will take place at the temple. The Emperor, the Empress, and the High Priest will all be present. You'll come with me."

The next morning.

Kallian summoned Vice Commander Max and Dwayne.

The unexpected order caused the two vice commanders, who had been supervising training at the practice grounds, to hurry back to the estate.

As they walked down the corridor toward the office, Dwayne spoke with an uneasy expression.

"Surely he isn't planning to change his orders? I heard an epidemic is spreading around Richev Port."

"No chance. You know how much our lord hates Richev."

"It's the territory of the maternal grandfather who didn't even attend the late Grand Duke's funeral. I'd hate going there too."

Kallian's mother, Charlotte, had been the only daughter of House Paminion, the Empire's sole ducal family, and the Emperor's longtime lover.

One day, just before their imperial wedding...

Tragedy struck without warning.

The current Empress had slept with the drunken Emperor and conceived a child, shattering everything.

According to imperial law, the woman who conceived the Emperor's first son had to be crowned Empress.

Unfortunately, Claudia gave birth to a son.

Heartbroken, Charlotte rejected the Emperor's desperate plea to become his imperial consort instead.

As Charlotte prepared to abandon everything and enter a convent...

The late Grand Duke proposed to her.

The Duke of Paminion fiercely opposed the marriage, convinced it was all part of the Grand Duke family's scheme.

But in the end, Charlotte accepted the late Grand Duke's hand.

Afterward, Charlotte never again returned to the Empire, and relations between the ducal family and the Grand Duke's house gradually became distant.

"Our lord isn't the kind of man who'd abandon his duty over something like that. Still, if he orders us to conduct a full investigation of the epidemic, I'd rather bite off my tongue in front of His Highness!"

Max burst into hearty laughter and gave the trembling Dwayne a firm slap on the shoulder.

"Relax. He probably called us because of the return order. Isn't it about time we headed back anyway?"

However...

The news awaiting them in the office struck like a bolt from the blue.

"We'll pass through Richev. We'll depart immediately after the interrogation. Inform the knights and make sure they're fully prepared."

"My lord! What do you mean by...?!"

Dwayne stepped forward before abruptly freezing.

His fist had already clenched as he prepared to protest the order.

Kallian looked down at him calmly.

"Is there a problem?"

Meeting that icy gaze, Dwayne instinctively shrank back.

The expression on Kallian's face made one thing perfectly clear.

He would tolerate no opposition.

The heavy atmosphere instantly silenced everyone around them.

Benjamin and Max couldn't utter a single word.

In the suddenly quiet room, Kallian spoke in a low voice.

"I'll ask again. Does anyone question my order?"

Even if someone did...

Was there any knight in Blackwood bold enough to say it aloud?

It wasn't merely because of Kallian's overwhelming strength and unmatched power.

The bond they shared was unlike anything found among the Imperial Knights or mercenaries.

Especially Dwayne.

He had faithfully served Kallian for eighteen years, ever since the latter had first been sent onto the battlefield at the age of ten.

"I'm disappointed, my lord."

Perhaps because of that history, Dwayne alone hesitated before speaking.

He roughly scratched his lion-like brown hair.

Benjamin and Max, standing behind him, silently urged him to stop.

But he felt he had to say it.

"The entire estate is talking about Your Lordship having a fiancée. Why are you keeping it from us?"

The rumors had started back when they were stationed at Ferrum, waiting for the gate to open.

People said a certain physician had entered Kallian's quarters and spent the night with him while he was in a berserk state.

Then, almost immediately after that rumor spread...

A tiny young woman suddenly began appearing everywhere.

Even the dullest soldiers couldn't help finding it suspicious.

"Could she have the gift of prophecy? What if she's a spy sent by someone? How can you allow a woman like that to remain by your side...?!"

"It seems I've been too lenient with you lately."

Kallian spoke quietly.

It was a warning.

A warning not to cross the line.

"I'd rather fight alone on a battlefield swarming with monsters. If you ordered me to bring back Babel's head, I'd at least try!"

His entire body stiffened beneath Kallian's cold gaze.

Yet once Dwayne started speaking, he couldn't stop.

"But watching my lord be led around by the nose by some scheming woman—even if someone held a blade to my throat, I..."

Just as Kallian turned to leave...

Dwayne shouted those resentful words after him.

Then—

"!"

Kallian stopped.

He turned around.

His icy gaze pierced straight through Dwayne.

But it wasn't only his gaze.

The massive axe Dwayne had been holding was suddenly in Kallian's hand.

Its blade rested against its owner's throat.

Blood slowly trickled from the shallow cut, staining his neck.

Cold sweat poured down the face of Dwayne, whose long scar stretched from his right eyebrow to the corner of his left mouth.

"M-My lord...!"

Even while staring at Kallian's usual arrogant face and emotionless eyes...

Dwayne could hardly believe what had happened.

Kallian withdrew the bloodstained axe.

After wiping the blood from the blade with his sleeve, he pressed it back into Dwayne's hand while looking him straight in the eyes.

"Do not lose the trust I place in you through reckless words and actions, Dwayne."

His voice carried quiet reproach.

"If you utter one more disrespectful word, I'll cut out your tongue."

Only then did Dwayne realize the gravity of his offense.

He hurriedly bowed deeply.

"…I spoke out of turn. My apologies, my lord."

Leaving the apologetic Dwayne behind, Kallian strode away.

Benjamin quickly followed after him.

"We'll have to stay in Eldin for a few days."

"I'll accompany you."

"There's no need. Stay here and make sure the Order has all the supplies it needs."

The loyalty his knights held toward him was so unwavering that even the Emperor coveted it.

He disliked having to draw the line with them over something like this.

But right was right.

Now that he had accepted Evelyn's proposal, the knights would have to follow her orders.

No amount of objection from them would change that.

If the chain of command isn't properly established, confusion will follow.

Kallian let out a quiet sigh.

He was reminded of his mother—

Who, after marrying into the North, had never once stepped outside the castle walls, and after his father's death had even refused food and drink.

Could a woman who cannot even accept what she rightfully deserves truly be able to handle such rough men?

Kallian's thick brows slowly drew together.