Chapter 162
“……Huh?”
For a moment, Wendy couldn’t understand what she had just heard.
Regardless, Lucy continued speaking.
“Once a week, Tristan made a deal to play a game with ‘me.’ And if he loses even once, he agreed to have his head cut off.”
“That’s too much! It’s a game that’s unfair to the Count…! Why would he agree to such a thing—!”
“I don’t know either. It was the Count who proposed the game first.”
“…!”
Tristan hadn’t told Wendy anything about this. That’s why she only found out today that he’s been playing a life-or-death game with the Emperor every week.
“Why would the Count agree to such a reckless game…?”
“I’d like to know that too. What could he possibly want so badly that he’s willing to risk his life every time? Or does he really believe he can win every single time…?”
“Then please stop the game! His Majesty—no, Lady Luna has no reason to execute the Count over such a game!”
“There are plenty of reasons to execute Tristan. He’s the most arrogant noble in this country. To this day, he’s the only one who hasn’t shown proper respect or courtesy to me, the Emperor. It wouldn’t be strange if his head had already rolled.”
Indeed, Tristan was an unusual figure even among the Empire’s nobles. As the young head of the notorious Ruelberta family, he was famous for his haughty attitude toward everyone.
Whether it was a poor commoner or a wealthy noble, he looked down on them all equally. Not even the Emperor of this country could make him drop his arrogant demeanor.
Wendy knew this too.
In a country where the Emperor is the law, Tristan’s attitude was a grave act of disrespect.
“The only reason Tristan is still alive is because of his family.
Wendy, as you know, the Ruelberta family is the most influential family in the Empire. With immense wealth and private soldiers whose strength rivals the Imperial Army, if Tristan wished, he could easily shake this country to its core.”
“B-but the Count…!”
Wendy clenched her fists without realizing it.
If the train hadn’t been moving, she would have jumped to her feet.
“The Count isn’t that kind of person!”
“…Of course, you’d say that, given how much he favors you. But based on the attitude he’s shown so far, he’s more than capable of being a threat to this country.”
“N-no! That’s not true! If the Count had such intentions, he wouldn’t have proposed such a game to Lady Luna, risking his life….”
“True. Maybe you’re right. But ‘I’ have decided to kill Tristan. Even if it means going to war with the Ruelberta family, I’m prepared for it.”
“W-why…? Why do you hate the Count so much?”
Wendy suddenly grew curious.
Why did Lucy harbor such strong animosity toward Tristan?
*Creak—*
The train slowly entered a curved section of the track.
Lucy sighed and spoke.
“You seem to be misunderstanding something. I don’t hate Tristan. I just despise the name ‘Ruelberta’ to the core.”
“Huh…?”
“Listen carefully, Wendy. Ruelberta is evil. You might not know this, but countless people were sacrificed to build the Ruelberta family as it is today. And that’s not all. According to my secret investigations, there are thousands of unregistered slaves in the mines owned by the Ruelberta family. Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Wendy, have you heard the name William Ruelberta?”
William Ruelberta.
The moment she heard that name, Wendy’s heart sank.
Lucy didn’t miss Wendy’s unease.
“Judging by your expression, it seems you’ve heard of William. All the past heads of the Ruelberta family were eccentric tyrants, but none were as notorious as Tristan’s father, William Ruelberta.”
Lucy’s brow furrowed as if she didn’t even want to think about that man.
“…William Ruelberta was a man who committed countless atrocities. When he was the Count of Ruelberta, many who opposed him disappeared without a trace. Among them, there were likely many who became subjects of human experiments.”
Hearing this, Wendy recalled the dark past of the Ruelberta family she had encountered in the basement.
Lucy spoke in an uncharacteristically angry voice.
“I can’t tolerate it. The fact that such beastly acts happened in my country. And the Ruelberta family, which has committed unforgivable atrocities, must be eradicated. Every single one of them, without exception.”
“……”
It was an extremely cruel statement.
The words that were about to come out got stuck in her throat. Because, as Lucy said, the atrocities were undeniable.
Above all, Wendy had seen it with her own eyes.
The four maids, surrounded by ice flowers, in a deep slumber. Poor girls who had become living, yet not alive, subjects of magical experiments.
The innocent victims of the Ruelberta family.
The sightseeing train carrying people rattled along.
As Wendy and Lucy emerged from the cave, a field of snow-white flowers spread out before them.
The sight, resembling a winter snowfield, drew gasps from the passengers in the front car.
Wendy quietly opened her mouth.
“Lady Luna is right… The Count’s family has done many terrible things. It’s something that’s hard to forgive. But….”
She recalled the sad eyes of Tristan as he gazed at the girls in hibernation within the ice flowers.
“The Count is facing that sin. The atrocities committed by his family won’t disappear… but… but he’s trying harder than anyone.”
Wendy closed her eyes for a moment and remembered.
Tristan’s vow to save those girls.
His desperate determination to give them peace, even if it meant breaking taboos.
Lucy shook her head.
“It’s spilled water. No matter how hard the Count tries to scoop it back up, it’s useless.”
“Then I’ll help him! Even if it’s just me, I’ll help the Count…!”
“You….”
“If someone like me can help, then I’ll do it! Even if it’s just one drop… I’ll scoop it back up…!”
It was unclear where she found such courage.
To shout so loudly in front of the Emperor.
If the front seats hadn’t been far away or if the sound of the train wheels against the rails hadn’t drowned it out, others might have heard Wendy’s cry.
The sightseeing train began to slow down as it approached its destination.
Lucy unbuckled her seatbelt and spoke with a sigh.
“…Disappointing. A hero who’s supposed to save the world is not only defending such a villain but also willing to share his sins.”
“Lady Luna… no, Your Majesty.”
“…?”
*Creak.*
The train came to a stop, and the passengers began to rise from their seats.
Wendy also got off the train and spoke to Lucy in a clear voice.
“I don’t want to save a world that condemns the Count as evil.”
*
“Count, this isn’t fair.”
“What’s not fair?”
“I’ve been losing nonstop since earlier. Are you scamming me, a beginner?”
Bella grumbled as she sat in front of the slot machine. She was here as a ‘guest’ at our casino.
We were in the green zone of the casino, the area where you could enjoy gambling with the smallest capital. Commonly known as the beginner’s zone.
“No. You’re just unlucky.”
“Why am I unlucky? That can’t be.”
“……”
Was she seriously asking?
I was a bit taken aback, but I calmly explained to her.
“…No one is always lucky. Today just happens to be a day when luck isn’t on your side.”
“That’s not a thing! It’s unfair!”
“It’s fair.”
The reason Bella was here as a ‘guest’ was simple.
“Ugh! I’ll definitely win some chips and get Father back!”
This casino had one strict condition: it was divided into three zones, and movement between them was restricted.
Green, blue, and red zones, corresponding to beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. The higher the zone, the higher the minimum bet.
Except for the beginner’s zone, you couldn’t enter the other zones without having the minimum required chips.
To take Duke Fred back, Bella needed access to the advanced zone.
He was in the highest zone of the casino, the advanced zone. The entry requirement was owning chips worth at least 10 million Kael.
So, Bella was diligently trying to win chips in the beginner’s zone.
‘Honestly, I didn’t think it would come to this….’
At first, I had explained the casino’s rules to Bella, hoping she’d quietly leave.
Instead, she pulled out 30,000 Kael from her pocket and exchanged it for chips.
Then she grabbed my hand and sat down in the beginner’s zone.
The game she chose was the most straightforward one: the slot machine. A game where you pull a lever and hope to match the symbols. And…
*Ding!*
Unfortunately, none of the symbols matched.
“Ah, ahh!”
“Magic is prohibited.”
I sensed a surge of magical energy from Bella and grabbed her wrist.
“Let go. If I purify this evil machine with light magic—!”
After losing repeatedly, Bella’s patience had finally snapped.
“By the way, each of these machines costs 20 million Kael.”
“What?!?”
Bella was so shocked that she immediately dropped her hand.
“T-that’s so expensive….”
“It’s actually one of the cheaper ones here.”
“This one?? What’s so special about it….”
“It’s the pinnacle of magical engineering.”
“That’s the most pointless thing I’ve ever heard….”
Honestly, I agreed with Bella.
It didn’t have any particularly impressive features, but the parts were unnecessarily expensive. Apparently, this machine was supposed to embody the essence of magical engineering.
“Ugh… this is the last one….”
Bella trembled as she pulled out a 1,000 Kael chip. Her 30,000 Kael had dwindled to just 1,000 Kael.
Having experienced the downfall of her family, Bella was extremely frugal.
So I understood.
The pain she must be feeling, spending her hard-earned money to rescue Duke Fred.
That’s when it happened.
“…Recharge.”
“…?”
“Recharge me, Count.”
At first, I thought she was asking for more money, but it seemed she was referring to the hug we had shared earlier.
Though it was bothersome, I clicked my tongue and prepared to offer her a hug.
But Bella shook her head.
“No. This time, you hug me from behind.”
“……”
I carefully wrapped my arms around Bella’s back.
I was about to let go, but Bella’s hands gripped my arms tightly, not letting me pull away.
Luckily, we were in a secluded spot. Otherwise, we would’ve looked like a couple showing affection in broad daylight.
“Mmm… not bad.”
Bella closed her eyes, as if lost in the moment. The slot machine was completely forgotten.
“…Let go now.”
“Count.”
“What now?”
“Whisper a victory spell for me….”
Was that a thing?
It was ridiculous, but since it was her last bet, I decided to humor her and send her home.
“……Fine.”
I whispered into her ear, offering sincere advice.
“Your father has a gambling addiction.”
“What?! What did you say?! Seriously! Ahhh!”
In her anger, Bella accidentally hit the lever with her elbow.
The slot machine’s symbols began to spin rapidly.
“Ahhh! I don’t care! You’re responsible for this, Count!”
“You’re noisy.”
The first symbol stopped on a 7.
“Refund! Refund me!”
“…Don’t you think that’s shameless?”
The second symbol also stopped on a 7.
“How can I lose after investing 30,000 Kael? This is a scam, so refund me right now.”
“……”
“Count?”
I couldn’t help but frown as I checked the final symbol.
I couldn’t believe the result.
*Ding ding ding—!!*
A cheerful sound effect echoed through the casino.
The numbers on the slot machine displayed the lucky 7-7-7.
Bella, oblivious to what had happened, was covering her ears.
“Ugh. Why is it so loud? What’s going on?”
“Ah….”
I gave Bella a simple, clear answer.
“This is called a jackpot.”
