Chapter 98

Chapter 71: Shadows Below

Lafayette was still in the dark.

Three years ago, Edward’s plan failed when I fled midway through. He didn’t inform anyone and left with his men that very night. Afterward, I was considered missing, and no one at Shantelle Castle knew what he had done. It wasn’t until yesterday that I told the Duke the truth, but the news hadn’t reached Lafayette yet.

As he listened to Edward’s words, he suddenly seemed to understand something. The face that had remained stern and unflinching even as blood splattered on it lost its color instantly.

“What does he mean—! Peppe…”

Bella turned her head and whispered something in his ear. After that, Lafayette’s eyes quickly reddened.

“What did you say!?”

Clang—

Without thinking, he drew the longsword at his waist, already drenched in blood, and took a step toward Edward, only to be stopped by Bella’s hand.

“Bella, you…”

Facing Lafayette’s fierce gaze, Bella remained calm and merely gestured toward me: “Wait for now.”

With that glance, Lafayette understood her meaning.

He hesitated for a moment, then with a grim expression, sheathed his sword. His sharp, hawk-like eyes seemed to want to pierce through Edward: “Edward, you will die today.”

Edward seemed not to hear Lafayette’s words; his face paled completely.

I saw his Adam’s apple move slightly, then he licked his cracked, pale lips.

“…Peppe, don’t… You wouldn’t… You just want to scare me… right…?” His gaze trembled, and his smile quivered, “You can’t, you can’t kill… you can’t kill me… you won’t kill me…”

I crouched down.

“…Who knows.”

The next moment, the short scythe in my hand swung down without hesitation.

“Ah—!!”

The blade, carrying freezing frost, pierced through Edward’s palm, pinning his right hand firmly to the ground. Edward’s body trembled violently, emitting an inhuman scream.

Blood froze just before it could gush out, turning his wound a dark purple. It spread rapidly across his entire hand, slowly creeping up his arm.

I released the handle of the short scythe, calmly watching his pained face, then stood up and walked to his other side.

“Peppe, don’t—! Don’t do this… ah…”

Sss—

A new short scythe appeared in my hand.

“Sss… sss…”

Edward’s breathing grew heavy. He already understood what I intended. Negative emotions like pain, fear, and tension constantly assaulted his fragile nerves. He straightened his legs, pressing his left hand under him, begging incessantly.

“It’s enough, enough… I’m in so much pain… stop… please…”

I stared into his eyes and crouched down again.

“The time has come. Where are you?”

Swish!

The short scythe stabbed into his right leg, the blade piercing through.

Edward’s whole body trembled violently, and he half-sat up with a muffled groan before collapsing again.

He fainted.

But so what?

“Peppe…”

It seems someone is calling me… never mind for now.

I grabbed Edward’s lifeless arm and pulled his left palm out from under him. Blue light flashed, and a third ice-cold short scythe appeared, swinging down without delay.

It pierced through his left hand.

Edward’s body shook again, his eyes suddenly wide open as he let out a hoarse animalistic howl.

“A!”

“Ah ah ah—!!”

He turned his head, his eyes bloodshot, his face wild and mad.

“Peyelo—!”

“No! Peyelo wouldn’t treat me this way, you’re not her!”

“You’re a devil—!!”

“You’re not her! You’re a devil—!”

I looked into his eyes indifferently.

“This is repayment.”

“Not yet repaid.”

At hearing this, Edward’s mouth drooped, and he actually started crying.

“Wuuu… don’t kill me… I still want to be emperor… don’t kill me…”

The fear consumed his sanity; his hands and legs were trembling.

Several swollen, purple, gruesome wounds were covered with frozen dark brown blood, making it difficult for him to die easily… or so I wasn’t sure. But his life was in my hands.

If I wanted him dead, he would die. But he was also terrified of dying, so despite being tortured to such an extent, he could only glare at me with red eyes and cry like a child.

He must have been scared, perhaps even angry, but dared not make any resistance… no, he couldn’t even if he wanted to.

Truly…

I furrowed my brows.

In the next moment, a smile tugged at the corners of my lips.

“Kek kek.”

How interesting.

Click, click.

A fourth short scythe appeared in my hand, and in the next instant, the blade flashed before my eyes.

Pfft.

“Ugh—cough… you… gurgle…”

Blood overflowed from Edward’s mouth, only to be swallowed again, then spewed out once more.

I looked at the short scythe still in my hand, then at the long sword embedded in his chest, and dumbly lifted my head. Lafayette, with a cold expression, slowly pulled the long sword out of Edward’s chest.

“Ugh… ugh…”

Edward started coughing up blood.

He mustered all his strength to lift his head, his bulging eyes fixed on Lafayette’s face as if trying to say something, but unable to speak anymore. The light in his pupils gradually faded, and with a thud, his head fell.

Silence reigned once more.

I stared intently at Lafayette’s face.

His body was still stained with blood, and now he wiped away the sweat from his gray hair, lifting his left hand, which was not holding the sword, seemingly wanting to touch my head. But seeing the dust and blood on his hand, he withdrew it, rubbing it against his leather armor before looking at me with a warm smile.

“This kind of thing isn’t suitable for you. Let me do it.”

“…Yes.”

I nodded obediently.

My heart felt like the first snow after a heavy snowfall.

“Let’s go home.”

“Yes.”

Lafayette sheathed his sword, turned around, and pointed at Edward’s corpse. He said to the guards, “Bring his body back.”

“Understood, My Lord.”

“Puh! This wimp finally died. Did you see his expression just now? Hahaha—”

“My Lord, that was a beautiful strike!”

“Hey hey, what are you talking about? The main point isn’t there! My Lord actually smiled just now, didn’t you all see?”

The guards gathered around Lafayette, laughing and chatting with him while giving me knowing looks.

“I saw it—! Haha, someone once said that if they could see My Lord’s smile before dying, they would be content…”

“My Lord, is that girl your fiancée?”

“Go to hell.” Lafayette laughed and punched the guard who spoke, “What are you saying? She’s my sister.”

“Oh~”

“She’s truly beautiful—tough enough, I like her!”

“…Peppe, why are you standing there? Let’s go?”

“…Oh, coming.”

I looked down at Edward.

His eyes were wide open, his distorted expression frozen, his mouth slightly agape. His black hair was matted with mud and snow, and both his hands and one leg were pinned to the ground by the short scythe.

I glanced at the frosty short scythe in my hand, which was still emitting thick white smoke.

I casually tossed it aside, and as I lifted my foot, my brow furrowed.

In the distance, the sound of wheels rolling approached.

I turned my head and saw a black carriage slowly approaching, a familiar style with a crescent moon in a cloud on its side—the emblem of Winter’s Moon.

In front of the carriage, Hoover held the reins with one hand and waved high with the other, far off in this direction. Behind him, dozens of hunters rode majestic horned horses, stepping forward with a dignified air.

I recognized many of their faces; they were part of the Shanter Army’s Third Company.

“Caw—”

Another raven’s call echoed in the sky. I looked up.

Flap—

A large black bird with red eyes flapped its wings and flew towards me.

—

Please note that due to the sensitive nature of the content, it’s important to handle such translations with care and consideration.