Chapter 146. Angela’s Downfall

“Before I say… promise me you won’t go berserk and start shooting, no matter how angry you get, Enoch.”

“Who is it that you’re being like this? Is it someone I know?”

In response to Enoch’s impatient questioning, Henry avoided answering and let out a heavy sigh. Of all people, it had to be that child. He felt anxious, as if he could clearly foresee Enoch’s reaction.

Why was that child so obsessed with Enoch? Looking back, it had always been that way since childhood.

In Henry’s view, that emotion was not so much a pure first love as it was a twisted admiration and possessiveness. Perhaps he should have anticipated it. That someday, it would come to this.

Swallowing another sigh that was about to escape, Henry glanced towards the left side of the audience chamber, hidden behind purple curtains, and asked.

“…Kidson, are you there?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Bring in the informant.”

“As you command.”

Seeing Henry’s clearly evasive attitude even from the side, Enoch raised one eyebrow and glared at him. While Henry avoided Enoch’s piercing gaze, the door to the audience chamber quietly opened, and someone entered.

Enoch’s expression immediately cracked as he recognized at a glance the familiar face that looked utterly angelic on the surface.

“The informant is…”

Hearing Enoch’s murmur, the informant, Angela, slowly crossed the spacious audience chamber and spoke as she approached.

“That’s right… I reported it, Enoch.”

“……”

The insane recognize the insane.

Enoch instantly realized that Angela Besnard had gone as mad as himself. This crazy woman must have reached a point where she could no longer discern right from wrong.

“I see why Henry was concerned.”

Enoch sneered, glaring at Angela as if to kill her. A chilling murderous intent flowed from him, as if he might draw his gun and pull the trigger at any moment.

“How dare you… meddle with my wife?”

“Meddle… You know it’s not like that. I really found out by chance that Ellenore Lopez was an unauthorized mage. You have no idea how shocked I was when I heard the truth. I couldn’t let a woman who only brings you harm continue to leech off you. It, it was all for your sake…!”

Angela’s voice overflowed with sincerity. She must firmly believe her delusions to be reality.

Henry, aghast, let out a low sigh and pressed his forehead with one hand. Should he have taken action before Angela reached this state? Perhaps this was the price of his insensitivity, for doing nothing even though he knew her obsession was not ordinary, now coming back like a boomerang.

“Enoch… can’t you please understand my true feelings? I’ve always tried to do what’s best for you. Ellenore Lopez will ruin you. Please, come back to your old self. I can’t bear to see you so broken anymore…”

At this point, Enoch couldn’t help but laugh. Because he was so angry. And because this woman’s madness, which had gone to extremes, was both astounding and ridiculous. If this was a bad relationship, it was a terribly bad one. He should have dealt with it long ago, before such an annoying situation arose.

“Don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re Old Morpheus’s granddaughter, Angela Besnard.”

“Enoch…”

“I could kill you right here and now.”

As if to prove it, Enoch drew the gun from his belt. Skillfully cocking the hammer, he placed his index finger on the trigger and aimed the muzzle at Angela. Startled, Henry hurriedly grabbed his shoulder to stop him, but Enoch stubbornly refused to lower his gun.

“You’re also behind kidnapping Ellen’s maid and drugging her, aren’t you? Did you want to corner Ellen so badly that you’d resort to such dirty tricks? You’ve messed with something you shouldn’t have.”

“Wh-what are you talking about? I never did such a thing. Enoch, you’re not really going to shoot me with that, are you?”

“There’s no use denying it. With that abnormal mind of yours, you must have left clues somewhere. I wonder if you’ll still deny your crimes when the evidence comes out. And—”

Bang!

The gunshot that immediately crossed the audience chamber made even Henry and Ellen, who were watching, flinch and hunch their shoulders. The guards on standby nearby rushed in and surrounded the scene. Henry quietly raised one hand to stop them.

It was a warning shot.

…Although a bullet was now embedded in the floor of the audience chamber.

“I can shoot you anytime, Angela Besnard.”

“Ah, aah…”

Angela, who had just experienced a bullet whizzing right past her, collapsed to the floor, trembling in fear. Enoch’s golden eyes, looking down at her, were burning with anger like a raging fire. The only emotions on his merciless face were contempt and hatred. Realizing that he really could kill her, Angela was overwhelmed with shock and lost her senses.

“Enoch, calm down for a moment and listen to me.”

At that moment, Henry grabbed Enoch’s shoulder again and stepped in to stop him. His heart sank when those murderous golden eyes turned to face him, but Henry tried to remain calm as he spoke.

“There’s no need to dirty your hands. I happen to have some information from Lady Ashwood.”

“Penelope…?”

“Yes, Penelope…”

Henry sighed deeply and continued calmly, feeling immensely grateful for Penelope’s foresight in preparing for the eventuality that Angela might cause trouble.

“Since the person in question is here, we might as well hear the story directly. Kidson?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The royal servant who left his post upon hearing Henry’s order appeared moments later with about six people. They were all wearing uniforms of the Public Security Bureau, with Penelope at the center.

She too was dressed in a Public Security Bureau uniform.

“…Did you find a new job while I wasn’t looking?”

As Enoch looked her up and down and sneered with a mocking voice, Penelope shrugged and grinned.

“I just wanted to try it on once. I’ve worn military uniforms before, you know. It’s all about the experience.”

“Crazy woman…”

Muttering with contempt, Enoch holstered his gun and strode over to Ellen’s side. Just then, Penelope’s eyes met Ellen’s, and she winked, flashing a charming smile. Seeing this, Enoch scowled and covered Ellen’s eyes with one hand.

“So, what’s the reason for bringing along Public Security Bureau officers?”

Enoch asked indifferently while tightly embracing Ellen, who was struggling to regain her vision. Penelope cleared her throat with a fist to her mouth and answered.

“Well, it’s to arrest the mentally unstable Lady Besnard over there. On charges of illegal drug possession and use.”

Enoch raised an eyebrow, his sharp gaze piercing Angela. Angela, who had been in a daze, suddenly seemed to feel his gaze and flinched, shaking her head and looking around. She clearly appeared to have been out of her mind until now.

Penelope slowly approached Angela, bent over, and lifted her chin with a white-gloved hand. Smiling gently at Angela, who was blinking vacantly, Penelope spoke.

“You’ve been up to no good for quite a while, Miss Besnard.”

“What…?”

“You’ve been obtaining drugs that cause mental confusion or pain and frequently tormenting maids, haven’t you? I have five witnesses who confessed the truth to me. Not only that, but this time you even committed kidnapping.”

“No, no, I never did such things…!”

“Of course, you’d claim that. But, Miss Besnard, you can’t cover the sky with your palm. Your crimes will be revealed in detail once the investigation is conducted.”

As Penelope straightened up and nodded, the officers rushed over and firmly grabbed Angela’s arms, lifting her up. Angela, clearly flustered and at a loss, soon began to struggle violently, screaming.

“Let go of me! How dare you treat a nobleman’s daughter like this…! My father is Count Besnard!”

It was then.

“Wait a moment, please.”

Ellen’s voice, having finally escaped from Enoch’s embrace, cut through the commotion.

“Ellen?”

Penelope looked at Ellen with a puzzled expression. Ellen gave her a faint smile and approached Angela without hesitation. Then, before anyone could stop her, she raised her hand high.

Slap!

A sharp, cracking sound split the air. The officers, as well as Penelope and Henry, were startled and stepped back. Only Enoch was grinning with a pleased expression.

Angela, who had been suddenly slapped, blinked vacantly with her head turned. Then, Ellen’s cold voice cut through the silence.

“That’s for kidnapping Laila and harming her.”

“You…”

As Angela gritted her teeth and was about to spit something out, she hesitated upon seeing Enoch, who had approached and stood by Ellen’s side. Large green eyes looking at him, Angela’s eyes slowly welled up with tears.

“Enoch, I, I didn’t do it, believe me, please…”

Angela pleaded desperately, but Enoch’s response was as cold as midwinter weather.

“What are you all doing? Take her away already.”

“Ah, yes, Your Grace.”

The officers, who had been frozen in shock at the sudden situation, snapped to attention and dragged Angela out of the audience chamber.

As the door closed and the audience chamber fell silent, someone’s dejected laughter gradually grew louder. It was none other than Henry.

He shook his head and muttered as if to himself.

“Now I see, you two are a match made in heaven.”

* * *

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine…”

After dealing with the issue about Angela, Enoch and Ellen finally faced the mages from the Mage’s Tower.

However, Enoch was worried about Ellen’s physical condition. As he recalled once again that Angela was the cause of Ellen’s overexertion, anger inevitably welled up. Perhaps he should have shot and killed her after all.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace, Grand Duke of Bayern, and Your Highness. I am Geminian, in charge of searching for and transporting unauthorized mages at the Mage’s Tower.”

Just then, a mage with auburn hair who had entered the reception room offered a polite greeting. Two other mages were following behind the man named Geminian. Enoch, never letting his guard down, pulled Ellen even closer.

“I’ve heard the details from His Majesty the King. I understand that Your Highness had no choice but to hide the fact that you were an unauthorized mage. However, now that we know, Your Highness must come to the tower for investigation. It is the principle of the Mage’s Tower, which manages and supervises all mages in Europia—”

“No.”

Interrupting Geminian, Enoch drew his gun for the second time today. When the muzzle pointed at his head, Geminian flinched greatly, his eyes widening.

“If you want to take Ellen, you’ll have to take me too. Or, you can engage in a bloody battle with me here.”