Chapter 42: I’ll Make You Realize How Miserable You’ll Be If You Leave Me
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 42: I’ll Make You Realize How Miserable You’ll Be If You Leave Me
“……”
“I want to strip that bastard’s name from our Dia as quickly as possible.”
Veronica spoke through gritted teeth. Her low, muttering voice carried an immeasurable depth of fury.
The Duke and Vincent found themselves unable to say a word in response. Both men let out a sigh at the same time.
“Sigh… Fine. Do as you wish.”
“But you must take an escort. You are not to go alone under any circumstances.”
Hearing Vincent’s worried remark and the Duke’s permission, Veronica nodded with a smile.
“Thank you, Father. And you too, Brother.”
“Haaa…”
The two sighed again in perfect unison. Seeing them act like carbon copies of one another, a deep smile played on Veronica’s lips.
‘This time, it will be different.’
Veronica murmured to herself.
She didn’t know what Cedric was planning by meeting her, but she truly no longer held any feelings for him.
Whether he clung to her in tears or flew into a rage.
She was confident that she could face him now and feel absolutely nothing. So, with this final meeting, she would make sure he understood that fact clearly.
Veronica’s red eyes sank into a dark shadow.
*
‘I wonder if those two are meeting right about now.’
Out for a stroll in the garden, I looked down at the blooming flowers and murmured to myself.
The townhouse was unusually quiet today. The Duke had headed to the palace for a noble council meeting, and Vincent, the heir, had followed him.
Henrietta had just left to manage her businesses in the capital.
Brandon is an Academy professor, and while he’s usually free during the break, he had been summoned by the Dean today. And Veronica, of course, had left for the Marquis Mansion to meet the male lead.
‘Well, I’m sure nothing will happen.’
Yesterday, I’d eavesdropped on the conversation between Veronica and the direct lineage members.
I hadn’t expected that jerk Cedric to still be obsessed with Veronica, but I managed to accept it by figuring his "karma stats" as a regretful male lead hadn't peaked yet.
Besides, the Duke, worried for Veronica, had assigned a small army of elite knights to her, including Sir Raven. I didn't need to worry about her getting into trouble.
‘It’s been a while since it’s been this peaceful.’
In any case, thanks to that, I was enjoying a rather leisurely day. By my side in the garden were Sophia, a knight standing in for Raven, and Abel, who had been called over again today to be my playmate.
“This flower looks just like you, Dia!”
“Really?”
“Yes!”
Abel looked at me and beamed. He still had such a pretty face.
Veronica seemed to think very highly of Abel because he had given me Dollens, but the other direct members felt differently.
The Duke and Vincent, in particular, had glared at Abel so fiercely before leaving for the palace that I felt terrible for the poor boy, who had been sweating bullets under their predatory gazes.
I couldn't understand why they were picking on such a young child. The thoughts of the Winston direct line were truly a mystery.
Tsking under my breath, I turned my head to look at the flower Abel had pointed out. I didn’t know its name, but the white blossom was quite beautiful.
I wasn't sure what about it reminded him of me, but looking at Abel and the pure white flower brought someone else to mind.
‘Nathaniel.’
I recalled the dream I’d had shortly after my possession.
The collapsed building, and Nathaniel standing in the center of it. The way he had looked at me, pleading for his life.
Nathaniel was the greatest power of the Temple’s radical faction. In the original work, he was even referred to as the "Ultimate Weapon."
The Temple hadn't sent Nathaniel to the North yet. That meant even the Temple couldn't take such drastic action without a "just cause."
‘But a cause is something you can just manufacture.’
Manipulating public opinion was what the Temple did best. Since they had made Marianne a Saintess earlier than in the original plot, there was no telling when they might use her to brand the North as demonic.
Before that happened, I intended to spirit away the Temple’s ultimate weapon, Nathaniel. I sank into deep thought while staring at the white flower.
‘I heard Nathaniel is imprisoned deep within the Temple’s basement.’
The problem was how to get him out.
The relationship between House Winston and the Temple was at its worst. Even if I could somehow get inside the Temple, they would surely interfere to ensure I couldn't go anywhere except the chapel.
“Hmm.”
“Dia? What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
“...?”
Abel tilted his head, watching me glare at the flower in contemplation. I turned my gaze back to him and gave a small smirk.
Well, an opportunity would surely arise. An opportunity to enter the depths of the Temple…
When it did, I would definitely steal Nathaniel away.
It would be great if I could make him an ally, but even if I couldn't, simply breaking his brainwashing so he wouldn't be loyal to the Temple would be enough.
“Dia, if you’re bored, do you want to play a game?”
“A game?”
“Yes.”
Abel made the suggestion, thinking I was bored. I looked at him, my eyes rounding.
“Let’s play hide-and-seek. I’ll be the seeker.”
“Haha…”
That certainly is a game children would play in a wide-open garden, I thought to myself. I really didn't want to play something like hide-and-seek, but with Sophia and the knight watching fondly from a distance, I had to pretend to go along with it.
“Abel, then you have to count to a hundred, okay?”
“Okay!”
Since it’s come to this, I might as well drag it out as long as possible. Playing with kids is exhausting.
[Master, I hate the smell of flowers. Let’s go far away. Far away!]
‘If I go too far, the knight will follow me.’
[Ugh, I hate flowers!]
Desmond continued to whine and shout. I ignored him and started walking.
Abel had his back turned and was counting, and I stealthily moved away from him. I didn't forget to put a finger to my lips, signaling the stiflingly giggling Sophia and the knight to be quiet.
Good, I should be able to enjoy some peace and quiet for a while. I’ll just hide near a reasonably large tree.
Just as I thought that—
Whoosh!
“...!”
“My Lady!”
“Dia!”
Something black surged up from beneath my feet. In an instant, my vision went dark.
I could only stare blankly at the thing that had lunged at me.
*
Veronica gazed indifferently at the Lionel Marquis Mansion, a place she hadn't visited in a while.
It hadn't actually been that long since she’d returned from the North, but it felt strangely as if an eternity had passed.
“Welcome, My Lady.”
“……”
Veronica lowered her gaze to the man bowing politely toward her. It was Oswald, the head butler of the mansion.
Taking after his master, he had been cold as a blade even to Veronica when she was the mistress of the house, but today he was exceptionally polite and well-mannered.
“Where is the Marquis?”
“...He is waiting inside.”
“Lead the way.”
“Yes, My Lady.”
Veronica acted strictly like a guest. She ignored the fact that Oswald was pointedly calling her "My Lady."
Walking through the hallways, which felt particularly eerie today, Veronica found herself murmuring, “It’s quiet.”
“...It has been that way since the Master was injured.”
“……”
It was well-known that Cedric had gone into seclusion and locked the mansion doors after his crushing defeat and severe injury in the duel with Dantalion.
But for it to be this quiet… It was as if the mansion itself were dead.
It hadn't been like this even when Veronica was performing her duties as the mistress. Furthermore, someone else should have been managing the estate in her stead. Come to think of it, she didn't see any sign of that woman or the child either.
“Please, go in.”
“……”
Veronica’s thoughts came to an end as she reached her destination. Oswald bowed politely as he opened the door to Cedric’s bedroom.
“Knights, please wait here.”
“What?”
The knights who were about to follow Veronica inside frowned at Oswald’s interference.
However, Veronica held them back. Even at his peak, she could have handled Cedric to some extent with her own strength; now that he was severely injured, it would be even easier. Veronica stepped into the room alone.
“...Wife.”
“……”
Acrid smoke filled the room. Veronica realized it was the smoke from burning medicinal herbs. She slowly turned her head.
“You came, Wife.”
Cedric actually looked calmer than before. For some reason, that was even more suspicious, but Veronica looked at him steadily and spoke.
“Let’s get a divorce.”
“……”
“Stamp the papers. That is my only business here.”
At those words, Cedric’s expression shifted strangely. His distorted face looked as though he were suppressing a surge of rage.
“Hahahaha!”
“...!”
But surprisingly, Cedric burst into loud laughter. Startled, Veronica stared at the convulsing Cedric.
“Divorce? You think you’re going to leave me and be happy?”
“What are you…”
“No, you can’t. Absolutely not.”
Cedric’s glowing eyes glared at Veronica. Startled by that gaze, Veronica reflexively took a step back.
“I will never let that happen, Veronica. I’ll make you realize just how miserable you’ll be if you leave me.”
His words were dripping with obsession. Veronica’s face contorted in disgust.