XElenea
patreon
MT - 73 Return
🕑 Added 2024-12-24 15:59:28 +0000 UTCGhislaine exhaled deeply as she watched the figure of the black-robed man fade into the distance.
There was no doubt in her mind—this was the strongest opponent she had ever faced. Not because of his swordsmanship, but because of the overwhelming aura of magic he wielded. It was a suffocating pressure that tested even her formidable will.
As her tense muscles finally began to relax, Ghislaine turned her gaze toward Eris, who was still staring at the black-robed figure disappearing into the night. Her voice was firm yet calm. "Eris, let's go home."
Her sharp eyes then fell on the middle-aged butler, who was paralyzed with fear. A sneer tugged at her lips. She grabbed him roughly and said in a frosty tone, "If you run, you die."
The threat was simple and absolute. Anyone foolish enough to flee from a Sword King was doomed to fail.
On their way back, Eris recounted the events that had transpired, her voice filled with indignation and confusion. Yet, neither she nor Ghislaine seemed to realize the oddities hidden within the story. Both lacked the insight to uncover deeper schemes.
Meanwhile, Rudeus remained silent.
Unlike the two of them, Rudeus knew more—far more than he wished to admit. His thoughts churned restlessly.
His eldest brother, Roy, had always been an enigma. Rudeus thought he knew him well, but after tonight, he wasn't so sure. That man, cloaked in a tide of darkness, felt both familiar and alien. Was that really his brother? Or had he never truly understood him at all?
Lost in these thoughts, Rudeus followed the others back to the Greyrat estate.
When they arrived, the house was far from quiet. Despite the late hour, the living room was packed with people.
Roy stood off to one side, stifling a yawn, while Philip sat with an expression of cold fury. But when Philip saw Eris return unharmed, his rigid demeanor softened into relief.
Before Philip could speak, a loud thud reverberated through the room.
The head butler dropped to his knees, trembling as he slammed his forehead against the floor. His voice was choked with fear. "It's all my fault! I was blinded by greed! I-"
Philip's icy glare cut him off. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a burly man to his side.
Pointing to the groveling butler, Philip spoke with chilling indifference. "Take him outside. Finish it."
Without hesitation, the burly man grabbed the butler like a ragdoll and dragged him away. The butler begged for mercy, his pleas growing more desperate with each step.
Philip's cold gaze didn't waver. With a slight nod from him, the strongman drove a brutal kick into the butler's stomach, silencing his cries as he crumpled into a quivering heap.
The room was silent, save for the sound of faint, pained gasps. No one seemed moved.
Roy, seated casually in a chair, surveyed the scene with an air of detachment. As he glanced around the room, his gaze met Rudeus's.
For a fleeting moment, their eyes locked. Then, as if startled, Rudeus quickly averted his gaze.
Roy raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk playing at his lips. He had expected to fool no one completely, but he hadn't anticipated Rudeus catching on so quickly.
Still, it didn't bother him much. What if Rudeus knew? It didn't change anything.
Across the room, Rudeus's suspicions grew. The more he watched Roy, the more he felt certain—this man was the black-robed figure from earlier.
Breaking the tense silence, Philip turned toward Ghislaine, his tone filled with gratitude. "Sword King Ghislaine, thank you. You've done us a great service. If not for your intervention, my daughter might not have returned alive."
He emphasized her title, Sword King, with deliberate weight.
Ghislaine, ever aloof, simply responded with a curt nod, her expression unchanging.
Satisfied, Philip shifted his attention to Rudeus.
His stern expression melted into a bright smile as he addressed the young man. "And you, Rudeus. Though you're Paul's son, you've proven yourself unexpectedly reliable. Of course, this entire situation stemmed from an internal family issue, but I'm afraid resolving it will fall entirely to Ghislaine."
Rudeus furrowed his brow, pondering Philip's words. He didn't need much time to understand—this was politics. Another intricate dance of power and negotiation.
After a short while, the burly man returned to the living room, dropping to one knee as he relayed everything he had extracted from the butler.
It turned out that the mastermind behind the kidnapping was none other than the butler, Thomas. He was connected to a certain depraved nobleman who had orchestrated the scheme.
The noble, known for his twisted proclivities, had long been fixated on Eris. According to the confession, he had hoped to humiliate and "tame" the proud and fiery young woman.
Blinded by greed, Thomas had been swayed by the noble's wealth, agreeing to include the two scoundrels provided by the noble in the plan. And so, the absurd and disastrous plot unfolded.
Philip's expression grew darker with every word, though his face remained adorned with an unsettling smile. In a low, calm tone, he remarked, "No one dares to set their sights on the Greyrat family without paying the price."
He leaned toward the elderly butler standing nearby, whispered a few instructions, and motioned for him to step away.
The events of the night were anything but small. The news of Eris's abduction had already spread like wildfire.
Interestingly, Philip made no move to suppress the information. On the contrary, he seemed keen to let it circulate even further.
By the time all arrangements were made, the sun had risen, casting its golden light over the estate. Philip dismissed the group, suggesting they rest after the long, sleepless night.
As Roy entered his room and moved to close the door, Rudeus appeared suddenly, slipping his foot into the gap to keep it ajar. His face held an air of mystery as he leaned closer. "Nii-san, be honest—was that person you?"
Roy raised an eyebrow, his expression one of feigned confusion. "What are you talking about?"
The voice that came from Roy was clear and youthful, no longer as androgynous as it once was, but still far removed from the deep, resonant tone of the black-robed man.
This disparity was precisely why Rudeus couldn't bring himself to fully believe that Roy was the same person. The differences were striking: the height—Roy was a full head shorter than the black-robed man—and that weathered, commanding voice, utterly unlike his brother's youthful tone.
Unwilling to give up, Rudeus pressed further. "Are you sure it wasn't you? That black-robed man?"
He locked his eyes onto Roy's face, scrutinizing every detail, hoping to catch even the slightest crack in his façade.
Roy, in turn, played his part perfectly. With a subtle flicker of surprise crossing his face, he responded, "Are you talking about the man who saved you? Why would you even think to connect him with me?"
Rudeus studied him intently, searching for any signs of deceit. But before he could continue his questioning, Roy abruptly pushed him out of the room.
"Quit bothering me. And weren't you the one who swore everything would be fine?" Roy shot him an exasperated look and kicked him lightly out the door, slamming it shut behind him.
Rudeus landed unceremoniously on the floor, sitting there for a moment in silence. Once again, he found himself lost in thought, doubts swirling in his mind.
