The House of Russell
"Do we... really have to cooperate?"
Choi Seoyeon asked in a trembling voice.
"What? Seoyeon, stay out of this."
"Huh? I-I'm sorry, Unni..."
At Ok-ja's glare, Choi Seoyeon immediately shrank back.
She treats everyone like that, doesn't she?
"Heh. You're just as rude to your own members, I see."
"Shut up, you pig!"
As the tension refused to die down, Lee Cheri finally lost her patience and let out a sigh.
"Sigh, Ok-ja, hold on. They're probably waiting for us outside soon. Seoyeon, what were you trying to say just now?"
"W-well..."
"It's fine. Go ahead."
Only after Lee Cheri spoke did Ok-ja back off.
Choi Seoyeon, after cautiously reading the room, spoke up again.
"We don't necessarily have to cooperate, do we? We could fight separately during the Total Lunar Eclipse..."
"It sounds simple in theory. But is that really possible?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"We're the only ones here with any actual combat ability. Isn't the outcome obvious? If he doesn't want to die, he'll naturally try to cling to us."
...What the hell is she talking about?
"That's true."
"T-that's..."
This went beyond mere condescension. Not only did they kill me, but now they were treating me like dead weight here too. My blood began to boil.
Then, Choi Seoyeon spoke up once more.
"But I'm a Saint, so I can support him. If we fight separately and he gets scared, he can run to me!"
Ha. Now she's looking at me with pity?
Before I could even open my mouth, Ok-ja glared fiercely at Choi Seoyeon.
"What the fuck, Seoyeon? You're going to help that?"
"Huh? W-well..."
"Have you lost your mind? Think before you speak, you bitch!"
"Ok-ja, stop. Let's leave it at that."
Once again, Lee Cheri intervened.
Ok-ja looked furious, but she only huffed and didn't argue further.
"Yeong-sik de Russell, I believe we've said all we need to say. As I mentioned, I hope you don't enter the Academy."
"I believe I told you that's for me to decide?"
"Fine, decide for yourself. And during the Total Lunar Eclipse, as Seoyeon said, there won't be any issues if we fight separately. But isn't it true that you don't want to get involved with us any further either?"
I let out a hollow laugh, dumbfounded. Was she telling me to stay out of their way if I didn't want to see them? In a way, it sounded plausible. A very plausible suggestion to cut ties and live our separate lives from now on.
But there was one thing she had completely misunderstood about me.
Why on earth would I avoid you?
It was quite the opposite. The insults, the humiliation, and the murder I suffered at their hands—there was no way in hell I would just quietly forget and move on.
My mind was consumed with thoughts of revenge. Giving them a taste of the exact despair I had felt. To me, that was a far more pressing matter than saving the planet of Lercelon.
No matter what it takes...
I clenched my fists tightly against my knees. I knew all too well that with my current strength, I couldn't exact my revenge.
But if raw strength wasn't enough, I was prepared to use any dirty trick in the book. Learning the skill Yeolmulhansok was for this very purpose.
"...Pfft."
At my involuntary chuckle, the members of Rosemary flinched.
I scanned their faces one by one.
"Don't flatter yourselves. I want to kill you, not avoid you."
"Sigh... I figured you'd say that. Do whatever you want. I've given you my warning."
Having nothing left to say, Lee Cheri averted her gaze.
I didn't see any point in dealing with them right now either. Arguing here was just a waste of time.
Yeah, let's see how long you can keep this up.
At the very least, I had made my intentions clear. I had no other choice but to seek revenge against them.
"Is that all you have to say?"
"Yes, that's all. Let's get up."
"Sure."
As Lee Cheri stood up first, the other members followed suit, throwing parting shots at me.
"You piece of shit! You're dead next time I see you."
"U-Unnis, please, stop..."
Sigh, you guys are really...
"See you around, you murdering bitches."
"Fuck you!"
"O-oh dear..."
"Think whatever you like."
I didn't bother replying. There was nothing I could do here anyway. For the sake of a greater revenge, now was the time to endure.
But next time would be different.
Next time, I would definitely...
As I flashed another grin, they finally turned their heads away.
"I suppose I'll see you in a week, then."
In front of the main gate of the Imperial Palace.
Eden offered a smirk as he bid farewell, sounding absolutely certain that we would meet again. The members of Rosemary had already gone their separate ways.
"Grace, I leave Lord Yeong-sik's protection in your hands for the next week."
"Understood."
Grace, standing beside Isaac and me, replied to his command. I looked at her with a complicated expression.
It was just as Eden said. By the Emperor's decree, Grace was to serve as my bodyguard for a week. And that meant she would be staying with us at the Russell estate for the time being. It wasn't exactly a welcome development for me.
You guys are the ones I suspect the most.
In the end, during my three-day stay at the Imperial Palace, I hadn't managed to find out anything specific about the Imperial Knights.
Whether someone specific was involved in the death of Chloe—the mother of this body—or if the entire order was complicit remained a mystery.
And now, I had to travel with Grace. I was worried that Oliver and Liam might show their hostility.
At least it's Grace, which is a relief.
Of course, I hadn't completely cleared her of suspicion. But Grace was, first and foremost, the savior who had spared my life. Even if she were an enemy, she didn't seem to have any immediate plans to kill me.
And there was one more thing. If those masked men ever tracked us down to the Russell estate... it was true that there was no bodyguard more reassuring than her.
"Shall we go, Lord Yeong-sik, Lord Isaac?"
We retraced the exact path we took when we first entered the palace. From riding the carriage out of the capital to boarding the griffon-drawn sled.
Even though it was my second time, the fear didn't fade. Isaac and I gripped each other's collars tightly, trying our best to maintain a calm facade.
"We are departing. Are you two ready?"
"R-ready? Of course we are. Nothing to worry about at all. Right, Young Master?"
"Y-yes, of course. I'm fine too."
"...Understood."
With a powerful flap of the griffon's wings, we soared into the sky, leaving behind the Imperial Palace, to which we might never return.
The high-altitude flight continued. Darkness fell over the blue sky, and far below, the lights of houses began to flicker to life.
After flying for half a day, the city that had now become my home came into view.
A quiet, rural landscape that stood in stark contrast to the bustling capital. Simple houses dotted the territory, which was mostly made up of fields and paddies. It was a place that had somehow grown to feel familiar and warm.
As we approached the hill where the Russell estate stood, the griffon gradually slowed its wingbeats. The altitude dropped, and as the sled touched down on the ground, a voice called out to me from somewhere.
"You did well, my son!"
"Welcome back!"
"Ugh..."
The moment my feet touched the ground, Liam and Oliver rushed over and wrapped me in a hug. It was a hug so fierce it made it hard to breathe.
Seriously, I was only gone for three days.
"...I'm back, Father, Brother."
"I'm so glad you're safe. Truly glad."
"I heard what happened through the letter! Are you hurt anywhere?"
"F-first, please let go of me..."
Watching me suffocate, Albert, who was standing behind them, let out a soft chuckle.
"Welcome home, Young Master. By the way, who is the lady beside you...?"
Albert asked, pointing at Grace, who was quietly observing the scene.
"Ah, let me introduce her. This is Lady Grace, the Vice Commander of the Imperial Knights. She will be guarding me for the next week."
"Pleasure to meet you. I am Grace."
"The Imperial Knights? C-cough, I see. I am Liam de Russell, the Lord of the Russell territory."
"...Nice to meet you. I am Oliver, Yeong-sik's older brother."
As expected, both Liam and Oliver stiffened slightly at the mention of the Imperial Knights. I quickly made eye contact with them, giving them a silent warning not to act so obviously.
"R-right. We shouldn't be standing around like this. My son is back after a long time, so let us all have dinner first."
Seriously, this family's solution to everything is food.
Ultimately, guided by Albert, we immediately moved to the estate's dining hall.
The three men of the Russell family, along with Isaac and Grace—five of us in total—finished our dinner together.
I told Liam and Oliver about what had happened during my time at the Imperial Palace.
Their main concerns were two things.
The attack by the mysterious assailants, and the fact that I had been invited to the Imperial Academy.
Although they had already received word of the situation through the letter, their eyes were still filled with worry.
"Please don't worry too much, you two."
"Lord Yeong-sik is right. You can take your time over the next week to make a decision. The Imperial Academy will do its utmost to ensure Lord Yeong-sik's safety and growth."
Grace spoke to Liam and Oliver in a calm tone, and the two avoided a direct answer by simply nodding. They would likely want to have a serious talk with me soon.
Seeing their grim expressions, I felt the need to change the subject. If we kept this up, we might accidentally let slip that we suspected the Imperial Knights.
"By the way, Brother Oliver, do you and Lady Grace not know each other? Aren't you both graduates of the Academy?"
Hearing my question, Grace looked at Oliver with a slightly surprised expression.
"Are you a graduate of the Imperial Academy?"
"...Yes, I am."
"It's a pleasure. I am a graduate of the 48th class."
"Yes. I am from the 52nd."
At Oliver's stiff tone, Grace seemed to sense something off and narrowed her eyes slightly.
"I don't care much for senior-junior formalities. Please don't feel uncomfortable."
"Don't worry. I won't."
...This foolish brother of mine. Anyone could see he was on guard against Grace. No matter how much Chloe's memo weighed on his mind, acting like this would only arouse suspicion.
"Brother, Lady Grace is the one who helped me during the attack."
"The Young Master is right. If not for her, the Young Master and I might not even be here right now."
Isaac, who was sitting with us, nodded in agreement. I wasn't trying to take Grace's side, but it was a fact that Isaac and I owed our lives to her.
"...Cough, I apologize if I seemed a bit cold. Hearing that my brother was in danger must have made me defensive without me realizing it."
"No, it is fine."
An awkward silence filled the air. Perhaps thinking he needed to break the ice, Liam, who had been quietly watching, spoke up first.
"Haha, Lady Grace, do you enjoy a drink?"
"Pardon? I enjoy it well enough, but..."
"I see."
At Grace's reply, Liam and Oliver's eyes flashed instantly. As if they had been waiting for this exact moment, Liam immediately ordered alcohol to be brought out.
I wondered why they were being so quiet.
Of course, those two would never skip a drink. This was an inevitable outcome anyway. But there was something else that caught me off guard.
Did I see that wrong...?
For a brief moment, Grace's eyes seemed to light up with life as well.