Chapter 103
Chapter 103
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: The Trap
-----------------------------------------------------------------
—Vega is getting married.
A strange rumor began to circulate. But it didn't end as just a rumor.
In fact, a reservation had been made at a high-end inn in Allat.
The date was set for ten days from now.
The rumor circulated for a while, but it didn't become a major topic of conversation.
After all, no one cared who a fallen noble married.
Except for one person.
Having finished his five-day leave and completed his mandatory coastal patrol, Leonard returned home faster than ever.
—I'll treat you to a delicious meal today.
Though he always ate the finest food, he felt a strange sense of anticipation today.
'Should I take more time off?'
After rescuing her from the sea, Leonard had been spending his days in bliss.
The night he spent with her after persuading her to stay was unlike anything he had ever experienced.
She was a woman perfect in every way.
In the morning, she was as affectionate as a kitten; in the afternoon, as graceful as a noble lady; and at night, as alluring as a succubus.
Yet, she had her secrets.
She never spoke of herself and asked for nothing from Leonard.
—I just want us to be happy together. Let's not have any obligations or expectations of each other.
At first, Leonard agreed.
He had been reluctant to get deeply involved with a woman of unknown origins.
But as time went on, he found himself falling for her.
He took leave twice and spent all his time with her.
They spent a fortnight like this.
Leonard's steps were quicker than ever as he headed home.
"M-Master."
It was only upon entering the mansion that he realized something was wrong.
"What is it?"
"Lady Arianne... she was abducted on her way to the market."
Deprived of the happiness he had taken for granted, Leonard felt a surge of anger.
"By whom?"
"Well..."
As the servant tried to explain, someone arrived at the mansion's entrance.
The man, dressed in the robes of a Hemian priest, was someone he recognized.
"Vice Admiral Leonard, I have something to tell you."
Through the Hemian priest, Daily, he heard an unbelievable story.
"Arianne is betrothed to Count Lennox Vega. You must end your relationship with her now. I will do my best to smooth over what has happened so far."
The woman he had been with was the fiancée of another noble.
He couldn't believe it.
'Then why did she jump into the sea?'
She had seemed so happy with him, but whenever he asked about her identity, her expression turned sorrowful.
"I am here to bless their marriage. Please consider my position as well."
Daily was to officiate the wedding, acknowledging the union of the noble houses.
He couldn't stop Daily as the priest finished speaking and turned to leave.
Alone in his room, he felt a void in his heart.
'She's just a passing fling.'
He tried to console himself with that thought, but the loneliness only grew. Deep loneliness soon turned into longing.
'I have to at least hear her side of the story.'
Leonard decided to find her.
Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, it didn't take long.
—They say she's at the gambling den.
An illegal gambling den in the back alleys.
He went to the place, so unsuited for him, and saw her.
A man, drunk and gambling with a pile of money before him.
Beside Vega sat Arianne, her face etched with sorrow.
"Arianne..."
Their eyes met, but she looked away. He noticed bruises around her neck and jaw.
Just this morning, she had been smiling at him.
Without realizing it, Leonard sat down across from Vega.
A dice game was in full swing at the table, but Leonard didn't even know the rules.
"I-Isn't that Vice Admiral Leonard?"
The game paused as someone recognized him.
The navy sometimes conducted raids with the city hall, so some people began to sneak away.
"Here to break up the game?"
Vega asked in a cold voice.
But Leonard didn't answer, his eyes fixed only on Arianne.
Seeing this, Vega sneered, grabbed Arianne by the neck, and kissed her roughly.
Arianne resisted for a moment but then, trembling, had no choice but to accept it.
*Sob!*
When their faces parted, Arianne was crying.
"Blood..."
Blood trickled from the corner of Arianne's mouth.
Tears and blood.
Leonard couldn't bear it.
*Bang.*
As he slammed the table and stood up, Vega spoke.
"What? You planning on stealing another family's fiancée?"
This could become a serious issue. In fact, just having slept with her was already a huge problem.
A shiver ran down his spine, but then Vega said something unexpected.
"I'll forget what's past."
He meant he wouldn't make an issue of it.
Then he looked at Arianne with contempt.
"She's a filthy whore anyway. A few more men won't make a difference."
Vega gestured, and the men around him dragged her away roughly.
"If you're not going to interfere, then get lost. You're not exactly in a position to be proud, are you?"
In the end, Leonard left the gambling den as if he'd been thrown out.
From that day on, Arianne's face haunted him like a nightmare.
Especially her eyes at the end.
Was she asking for help?
Or telling him to forget her?
And so, the day before the wedding arrived.
—It seems Vega has decided to hand over his title to Gail, a back-alley loan shark. He'll do it by holding a wedding and then adopting him. The wedding is just part of the process.
Since it was a story woven from facts, there was no room for doubt.
"Now, what choice will he make?"
—Might he not give up?
"He's a man who's had everything he's ever wanted his entire life. Never missed out on a single thing. And he's going to let some degenerate from a fallen noble house take it from him?"
Wang-sik was certain.
"At the very least, he won't let *me* have her."
—Now that you mention it, that seems certain.
"He only has two choices. Negotiate with me for Arianne, or try to kill me."
—Because he'll believe he has the power to do so.
"Exactly. That's his weakness. Thinking he can do it."
—Brilliant.
The ghost butler was genuinely impressed. Perhaps that's why his movements slowed as he filled the teacup, taking even greater care.
Wang-sik leisurely awaited Leonard's choice.
With the wedding tomorrow, tonight was the last chance if he wanted to handle things quietly.
And so, as the night deepened.
—Master, suspicious individuals are approaching.
Having become a ghost, the butler could sense happenings around the house far quicker than any human.
"He chose the worse of the two options."
In truth, it was also the simplest method.
A fallen noble, living alone on the outskirts far from the city.
He had no private soldiers, and even his butler was known to be dead.
"I suppose he thinks getting rid of one degenerate would be easy."
*Creeak.*
The old door opened.
"You stay out of this."
—I will help.
"There won't be a chance."
The man who entered through the door had his face covered with a mask.
—There are seven of them.
"He sent quite a few just to catch one degenerate."
Even with the masked man before him, Wang-sik didn't put down his teacup.
"Did Leonard send you?"
The masked man reacted instantly to the perfunctory question.
*Swish!*
The sword in his hand cut through the air, aiming for Wang-sik's neck.
When Wang-sik didn't react, a look of relief appeared in the man's eyes.
*Clang!*
If not for that sound, everything would have gone according to plan.
Why would striking a man's skin with a sword produce such a sound?
He had no time to ponder the question.
*BAM!*
An explosion seemed to go off in his head.
Unbelievably, it was the fist of Vega—known to be a weakling and a degenerate—that had caused it.
The man's face was crushed as he was slammed into the wall like a crumpled piece of paper.
"Attack!"
The others who had been hiding burst out all at once.
Some broke through the windows, while another crashed down through the shabby roof.
"Butler, make sure you keep a record. We'll need to bill them for the repairs."
No matter how many attacked, the result was the same.
Their attacks were completely ineffective, and Wang-sik dealt with them one by one.
When only one was left, Wang-sik broke his legs instead of killing him.
He tore off the mask, but it wasn't a face Wang-sik recognized.
"Did Leonard send you?"
Despite the pain, the man remained silent.
"Shall we test that loyalty?"
Wang-sik began to break the man's shoulder bones.
He made no effort to stifle the screams.
"I-I'll talk."
The man's loyalty had its limits.
"Actually, you don't have to. I just need to drag you to the market, and someone will identify you immediately."
"Ugh..."
"The training of these private soldiers is a mess. Or did they give you these guys because you're the second son?"
The men were trained soldiers. They were skilled in their own right, but they had picked the wrong opponent.
"Leonard ordered this, didn't he?"
"Y-Yes."
As the man answered, someone entered through the half-open door.
"W-What has happened here?"
The person who spoke, feigning shock at the sight of the bodies, was Daily from the Hemian Temple.
"Leonard sent them, apparently. It seems he's not happy about my marriage."
"How could this..."
"With this, I'd say I have just cause to start a war between our houses. Wouldn't you agree?"
"P-Please, wait a moment."
"What am I waiting for?"
"I will go and meet with Vice Admiral Leonard. If this is a matter that can be resolved peacefully, wouldn't that be for the best?"
"Hasn't the time for that already passed?"
"There may be a satisfactory compensation."
"Compensation?"
Vega released his hand from the man's shoulder.
"Please, give me a chance. It is better than a war between houses, is it not? You have your wedding to attend to tomorrow as well. I implore you, for the sake of the Hemian Temple's honor."
Daily spoke as if he were begging.
The captured man silently cheered Daily on. If the priest failed to persuade Vega, he was certain to be killed.
"Compensation... Fine. I'll be waiting."
Before Vega could change his mind, Daily quickly took the man and left.
"His acting is superb. I suppose that's how a man of his character landed such a fine position."
—Your performance was also excellent, Master.
"Is that a compliment or a criticism?"
—A compliment, of course.
Wang-sik leisurely awaited the outcome.
It was just before sunrise.
With the priest Daily mediating, Wang-sik and Leonard sat facing each other.
From Leonard's perspective, it was an incredibly dangerous meeting, but he couldn't refuse.
Ostensibly, he was trusting Daily of the Hemian Temple, but in reality, he had been dragged there with no other choice.
—Leonard has forsaken his family's honor for a woman.
What would happen if this fact became known?
Not only did he commit adultery with a woman on the verge of marriage, but he also tried to murder the noble groom the day before the wedding.
Regardless of the internal circumstances, this outcome would not change.
'It's over.'
When he heard of the failure, Leonard felt as if his entire world was collapsing.
'Forget being the heir; I'll be lucky if I'm not cast out.'
He had no choice but to come to the negotiating table where his subordinates had been killed.
"Both of you, swear in the name of the Hemian Temple that you will engage in dialogue without violence."
"I swear."
"I swear."
This was how nobles negotiated using the name of the temple.
"Then I shall withdraw for a moment."
The Hemian priest bowed and stepped back.
After he left, a heavy silence filled the living room. However, the two men's attitudes toward the silence were starkly different.
Wang-sik was at ease, but Leonard was anxious.
'This man took out my soldiers by himself?'
Now that he was here to see for himself, his opponent didn't have so much as a scratch on him.
According to the surviving soldier, his skills were overwhelming.
'How...'
Everything had become twisted.
Just as he was at a loss for what to say, Wang-sik finally spoke.
"Arianne, Gail, and Daily. The three of them were here with me a month ago."
"What?"
"I ordered them. To lure you into a trap. That's the reason you're sitting here."
Wang-sik began to reveal the unsolicited truth.