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-Thud!

The heavy blade embedded itself in Brinden’s neck.

But it didn’t slice through; that was just a little too much to ask.

Calling it a mistake would be absurd when Kyle had been chopping off heads since he was 15.

This was nothing more than a public display of what happens to betrayers.

-Slurp!

The sword was pulled from Brinden’s throat, which was gaping open like a mouth.

Kyle raised his sword again and brought it down as if he were chopping wood.

Brinden could do nothing but tremble and make noises more akin to escaping air than actual groans of pain.

Twice, thrice.

At first, the citizens, who had been excitedly watching the execution as a spectacle, started to frown.

If the Trelli Family had witnessed this scene, they might have plotted an endless revenge against Kyle.

But Kyle, already a public enemy, wasn’t fazed by that at all.

Each time the sword sank into Brinden’s neck, Kyle glanced at the retainers gathering on the stage.

Whenever that red bear glared at them, they were too busy avoiding eye contact.

Kyle knew his actions resonated as a warning.

This was also Vivian’s plan, to begin with.

Vivian knew full well that she ordered this but wanted to turn a blind eye to its brutality.

Yet, of course, she couldn’t manage to do that.

Seeing Kyle relentlessly wielding his sword at Brinden made her want to hide her face under her helmet.

“…That monster…”

Someone whispered from the crowd.

Familiar derogatory terms began to pop up.

Barbarian, Northerner… and so on.

To them, it seemed like a southern man had fallen victim to a northern beast.

Finally, Brinden’s breath ceased, and his head rolled off.

It was a pitiful fate for the treasurer of Rondore.

As Kyle cleaned his blade of blood, soldiers wrapped Brinden Trelli’s head in a sack and exited.

Vivian stood up and climbed onto the stage.

The smell of blood lingered heavily in the air; the scent of Brinden Trelli’s blood, which had been familiar since they were born.

She felt nauseous, but she steadied her heart and looked down at the crowd.

“Brinden Trelli carried out this act out of dissatisfaction with my statements. He likely hated my plan to recruit talent without regard for status. However, I won’t let this incident tear my plan apart. Kelsy, come here.”

At Vivian’s call, a blind woman approached, leaning on a stick.

Kyle wiped his bloodied hands and walked over to support Kelsy.

Vivian’s eyebrows twitched, but she tried to maintain her composure.

After all, Kyle had taken her into his heart.

And when Kyle’s hand touched Kelsy, she briefly flinched.

Just like Vivian, Kelsy harbored hatred for the Allen Family.

She found satisfaction in that.

But maybe it was because she was already forewarned about standing before so many people, Kelsy quickly hid her discomfort.

“The Kelsy here is a talented person who recently knocked on the doors of the Castle of Rondore. She has lost her father to war and has a sick mother and many siblings to support…”

“I’ve been nurturing Kelsy, observing her skills closely. Whether she’s blind or commoner doesn’t matter. With Brinden’s death, the position of treasurer is now vacant, and I intend to appoint Kelsy as the new treasurer of Rondore.”

The crowd gasped, swallowing their breath in shock.

But it was obviously a lie.

Vivian had no intention of handing over such a heavy responsibility to Kelsy just yet.

Maybe in the far future? But certainly not now.

However, that simple lie was causing a significant ripple among the crowd.

And as it stirred, hidden talents would surely gather the courage to step forward.

Kelsy knew this as well, but her role was to keep up the act.

Kelsy bowed her head to Vivian, expressing her gratitude.

“I dedicate my entire being to you, Vivian!”

Vivian nodded and spoke to the crowd.

“If you have brilliant talents, don’t hesitate to knock on Rondore’s door. I will be waiting.”

Then she turned and exited the stage.

The retainers followed her.

****

When I returned to the castle and washed myself, night had fallen.

I sought out Vivian, trying to shake off the lingering stench of blood.

She was staying in a separate office instead of my ruined room.

Outside her door, members of the Punishment Unit were on guard, and I passed them to enter.

-Thump.

Vivian was writing a letter to the Trelli Family in the room.

Seeing me enter, she smirked again.

“…You came scurrying like a good dog seeking a reward, huh?”

Her voice was laced with sarcasm but also carried a hint of playful mischief as if she had a delightful toy.

Vivian simply stood up and approached me, planting a light kiss on my cheek.

-Peck.

Then she returned to her desk and grabbed her quill.

And that was all.

“…”

I hadn’t acted solely out of a desire for reward… but an unbearable emptiness enveloped me.

Her gesture, instead of making my heart race, felt like the epitome of mockery.

Perhaps this was yet another of Vivian’s schemes. Just the satisfaction seen on her face told me that.

It was painfully obvious she was trying to toy with me.

It was clear she meant to take revenge for what happened yesterday; it was the act of someone who had finally seized the upper hand.

Shaming her own pride while heightening my embarrassment.

She was making a mockery of my heart.

Looking at her, I found it hard to contain the rising emotions within me.

Today, it was anger, not affection, that burned fiercely.

“…If it’s not you…”

At my words, she halted her hand and looked up at me.

I felt the blood on my hands filthy again today.

“…If it weren’t you and I had liked Serena, it would have been easier.”

Now, there was no reason to hide my feelings.

Both I and Vivian acknowledged it.

Despite the many excuses, curses and whatnot, that was the current situation.

Vivian’s smile finally faded away.

Her expression stiffened, and her eyes became sharp, as if trying to grasp the meaning of my words.

“If I had liked Serena, I wouldn’t be going through all this trouble because of you.”

“…”

It seemed my words pierced through Vivian’s armor.

She shrugged nonchalantly, but the act didn’t last long.

Her expression darkened further.

She whispered.

“…But in the end, you like me, don’t you? Just as you admitted moments ago.”

By now, Vivian’s voice was quaking softly.

I could sense she was trying to suppress her emotions to maintain her composure.

“Behave yourself, Kyle. You wouldn’t want to have to sever Serena’s head with your own hands.”

“…”

“…Who knows? If you play nice… maybe I’ll bless you with a reward later on.”

How could the relationship have flipped so dramatically in just a day?

I knew changes would come from the moment I yearned for a kiss, but I never expected it to be this extreme.

Once my most vulnerable weakness was exposed, everything turned upside down.

There was no going back now.

I let out a sigh.

Then, casting aside all facades, I warned Vivian.

“Why should I behave? I hold your leash—”

I interrupted her.

“—or I might just end up taking what I want by force.”

At last, Vivian seemed to comprehend the situation.

There were only two of us in the room.

And this closeness was so familiar that she seemed to grow comfortable.

But if I had malicious intent, there was nothing more dangerous than this distance.

I was in a position to toy with her as I pleased.

If it weren’t for the strange conscience of chivalry that my father instilled in me, I might have surrendered to my impulses.

Vivian’s face flickered with a variety of emotions.

It was hard to classify what emotions they were – there were too many.

For now, I felt satisfaction in simply having silenced her for a moment.

But before I could fully savor that satisfaction, Vivian glared at me and whispered.

“…Go on.”

“What?”

She swallowed and firmly stated again.

“…Do it.”

Amused, I chuckled.

“You think I can’t?”

Vivian barked, unafraid.

“…Just do it, I’m telling you.”

“…”

It was clear how much Vivian hated losing to me.

She had never easily backed down from any threats before.

I paused, looking at her, and took a step forward.

Vivian made no attempt to act, even as I approached.

Even if she did, it would have been pointless.

With each step closer, the tremor in her icy eyes grew stronger.

In that quivering, I kept seeing the 13-year-old Vivian.

She had lost her entire family and looked nearly extinguished, like a candle about to go out.

“…”

“…”

We stood face-to-face, with barely a hand’s breadth between us.

I placed my hand on Vivian’s face.

Her red eyes never left me.

I’d been there to witness her frail state and her growth.

No one understands better than I how much she had struggled and flailed.

Was that why?

I approached boldly, but my resolve began to crumble.

Because I had watched over her through it all… I couldn’t bring myself to harm her recklessly.

To protect her, I had had to make so many sacrifices.

Now, if I were to hurt her, it would feel all too unjust to make my past efforts worthless.

As much as I disliked her, she was far too precious to me.

I had resolved to just go for it a hundred times, but in the end, that was an empty bravado.

Vivian seemed to understand that better than I did.

“…Hah.”

Finally, a powerless sigh escaped my lips.

I stopped, looked at her, and placed a kiss on her forehead.

-…Peck.

Vivian’s breath froze momentarily.

“…Rest.”

After that, I shook my head and left the room.

It was a night where witches wanted to kill.

 

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