Chapter 5

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter Title: There Is No Mercy - Chapter 5

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Unable to utter a word or even twitch her lips, she just rolled her eyes in a foolish manner.

She lacked the courage to speak openly, and she didn't have the confidence to repeat what they'd said right in front of me.

Yet, despite all that, she still had her pride and showed no intention of apologizing.

I knew that nobles became nothing without their pride.

I hadn't expected an apology from the start anyway.

"Richel Lady."

I met the gaze rising toward me.

I stared intently at her eyes, which were scanning me with utter fear, then slowly softened my hardened expression.

Covering my mouth with the fan in my hand, I curved my eyes into a smile.

"Relax your face. With an expression like that, it looks like I'm taking out my anger on you for no reason, doesn't it?"

"Brilloxen..."

"So, let's talk later, just the two of us. Got it?"

I brought my mouth close to her ear and whispered softly.

Her face, which had been calling my name in relief, froze with her mouth agape.

"I hope you can chatter just as freely later. I like consistent people."

I straightened my back and pulled away from her.

Richel's eyes followed my retreating figure.

I lightly covered my mouth with the fan and smiled faintly.

"I'll be looking forward to it."

With those final words, I turned away.

"My head hurts..."

Sitting on the sofa in my room, I recalled the events from moments ago.

I still hadn't fully grasped or accepted the situation, and it felt like a bunch of things had piled up all at once.

But I could somewhat understand and accept that the events unfolding before me weren't a dream or an illusion.

"Haa..."

When I closed my eyes, the raw images of Bellieta and Reiton still appeared vividly, and it seemed like their moans echoed in my ears.

The sensation of cold water was so clear, yet the warm, soft touch against my back made everything that had happened feel like a dream.

But it wasn't a dream.

It was the reality I'd endured, and a future I could face again.

If I just sat back and took it, I'd reach that future once more.

I didn't want that.

"Not enough."

But that alone wasn't sufficient.

Merely protecting what was mine wasn't enough.

Considering the pain I'd suffered, just defending wasn't satisfying.

There were people who preached that revenge eats away at you, and I'd believed them.

But what nonsense.

That was just something victims who couldn't strike back said to console themselves.

If you only endured, all you'd be left with was betrayal and utter loss.

That someone would eventually recognize it?

They never would.

If you didn't step up yourself, no one would save you.

So, I had to resolve it myself.

I had to exact revenge myself...

"...! Relationship... no!"

What was that noise?

I stood up and approached the window.

Voices drifted in through the open window, thanks to the hot summer air.

They were faint and sporadic from the distance, but it was clear someone was arguing.

Some lovers having a lovers' quarrel, perhaps.

Well, for every couple that met at a ball, there were just as many that broke up.

It was only natural to feel jealous seeing them dance or smile sweetly with someone else.

"Even so, they're fighting way too loudly."

Thank goodness the ball was still in full swing and no one was around here, or everyone would have poked their heads out.

But the woman must be really furious.

The man's voice was quiet; only the woman's carried over.

When the breeze stopped, so did the voices.

Just as I thought it had quieted down, the wind picked up again.

This time, it carried clearer voices.

"So stop being a nuisance!"

My footsteps halted as I turned to leave.

That voice for sure was...

I peered out the window to confirm where it came from, then moved quickly.

It was a familiar voice.

No, more than familiar—it was one that had worn holes in my ears.

She should definitely be lying in bed asleep by now, yet there her voice was coming from?

I left my room and slowly approached the source of the sound.

With every step, the voices grew clearer.

And the more I heard, the more certain I became.

It was Bellieta's voice.

Rounding the corner, I spotted the silhouettes of two people standing opposite each other.

A blonde woman gleaming in the dim light.

It was Bellieta.

She was scowling furiously, throwing a tantrum.

"I didn't make that promise!"

Bellieta's raised tone carried clearly to me at a distance, but the man opposite her was inaudible.

Whoever he was, the man facing away from me toward Bellieta looked quite tall and sturdy.

At a glance, he towered a full head above her.

And Bellieta wasn't short...

The garden was dim with only faint light, but his gray hair stood out sharply within it.

Was there a man like that? With gray hair...

Not in my memory, at least.

Then, a gust rustled the branches, carrying a man's cold voice on the wind.

"So this is why the Bozbon Duke has ignored our agreement all this time? Trying to break a contract forged decades ago over mere whining from his daughter."

"Think what you want. I don't care. And since it's come to this, I'll be frank."

Bellieta took a breath, then spat out her words.

"Bozbon has no regrets over that old promise. Besides, I have no intention of honoring the contract with Riplton, and neither does my father. To begin with, Riplton isn't worthy of Bozbon. All it has are rugged mountains crawling with beasts and barren wastelands."

"Pathetic."

The voice dripped with icy detachment.

Bellieta, who had been aggressively berating the man, narrowed her eyes.

Even under her venomous glare, he didn't retreat an inch, standing solid as a rock.

"You thought you could break the contract over something so trivial? When it's voided, Riplton won't be the only one to suffer."

"Don't you know that barely qualifies as damage? Scolding Bozbon over some backroom deal?"

Bellieta sneered.

"No one would want to make an enemy of Bozbon, a power above powers."

"It's impressive you could voice such a dull, idiotic thought instead of just keeping it in your head."

Bellieta smirked at the man's words.

Even from afar, their conversation sounded brutally tense.

Wonder how many men could speak to Bellieta like that.

In high society, she was the flower at the center, the queen.

Every man brought her flowers and jewels to curry favor, yet here was outright venom.

And talk of rupture?

My instincts prickled that I was missing something big.

Bellieta snapped back several times in anger before finally turning and storming off.

Left alone, the man stared at the spot she'd vacated, sighed, and ran a hand through his hair.

Then he spun his head around.

Now facing me, the man who'd hidden his face came into view.

Golden eyes like amber gleamed.

Gray hair and golden eyes.

Only one noble matched those traits, as far as I knew.

That man...

"Come out. I know you're there."

"..."

My heart plummeted.

Unlike what I'd thought—that he wouldn't notice me from afar—he was staring right at my position.

And that firm voice was directed at me.

But from this distance, hidden as I was, how...?

A mistake?

"I can see you even if you're hiding. So it would be best if you come out."

No mistake.

The man didn't stop at words; he started walking toward me.

Startled by his approach, I glanced around frantically and spun away in a panic.

This looked bad.

Caught eavesdropping on their secret talk.

Nothing good would come from getting caught.

And if Bellieta learned it was me? What face would she make?

The thought twisted my gut.

My head said apologize to the man, but instinct screamed otherwise.

Moving faster than he could close in, I bolted the opposite way.

Why did I even come look!

Cursing my pointless curiosity, I bit my lip hard.

A quick glance back showed he wasn't pursuing, thankfully.

For now, I leaned against a secluded wall, catching my ragged breath.

Even at night, summer was summer.

Sweat poured in the stifling heat.

I shed my outer garment, wiped the sweat, and exhaled deeply.

"So here you are."

The voice came from behind just as I thought that, and my body was yanked backward.

"Wh-what?!"

What? No way! There's a wall behind me...!

But it didn't matter; the hand and arm pulling me were unyielding.

He gripped my shoulders and waist to prevent escape, holding me like an embrace from behind.

I felt the hard press of his chest against my back.

Lifting my head, fierce golden eyes like a beast's glared down at me.

"Eavesdropping on a private conversation and then fleeing? You have poor taste in hobbies."

The ruler of Harmonia, the titleless Ghost Archduke.

"Planning to run again?"

It was Aden Riplton.