Chapter 11.4

“Ha! Listen, Brienne Ford. Do you know how much help your family has received from my father? You want to boast about saving me just once? Who do you think you’re talking to…!”

Unable to accept that the daughter of the Ford family had helped him, Derrick shouted, his pride wounded.

“And how could a weak woman like you have saved me? What kind of nonsense is that?”

“You were lighter than you look.”

“What…?”

Derrick, flustered, opened his mouth and sat up abruptly.

“Are you saying I’m weak?”

“I didn’t mean it that way. I just stated the facts.”

“Brienne Ford…!”

Derrick shouted, putting his foot out of the bed. At that moment, someone appeared at the closed hospital room door.

“Ah, you’re finally awake?”

“D*mn it, what the hell are you….”

Derrick’s expression twisted as he looked around, his gaze wavering. Herace approached him leisurely, scanning Derrick’s entire body with a faint smile.

“Judging by your state, you seem full of energy. I was a bit worried you’d be bedridden for a while, but it’s almost disappointing.”

“……Young Master Belif?”

Derrick, standing awkwardly, blinked in confusion.

“Wh-what is all this….”

“Sorry I’m late. I just wanted to grab some documents and come right back, but Aaron asked me to wait a moment so he could go with Sir Kelton.”

“Oh, that was my request. I thought we should inform Father about this right away.”

Herace Belif and Brienne Ford.

A subtle atmosphere drifted between the two, who exchanged soft smiles.

Derrick, glancing back and forth at the perfect pair, felt a slight crack in his composure.

He finally understood what was going on.

“……Ah, as expected.”

Derrick let out an exaggerated laugh, his eyes glinting wildly.

“So that’s it, Young Master Belif saved me!”

“What?”

Derrick hurriedly reached out for a handshake, looking up at the much taller man. Herace Belif, as always, looked down at him with an unpleasant expression, but that wasn’t the point now.

“I’m really grateful. I never imagined I’d receive help from the Belif Dukedom. I’ll never forget this. As soon as I return to Rontiano, I’ll make sure to repay you.”

“That’s a bit much, considering we’re not exactly close.”

Herace brushed off Derrick’s hand, frowning in confusion. Derrick turned his attention to Brienne.

That sly woman, once again trying to hide behind a man to wring out thanks from him, but Derrick had no intention of falling for it.

“It seems Miss Ford wanted to play a trick on me. But now that I know who my true savior is, I’m truly relieved!”

“……What are you talking about?”

Derrick shook his head, looking at Herace with pity.

He felt sorry for the Young Master Belif, ensnared by a pretty face, but he needed to know about the rudeness of the woman he liked. It was a matter of male loyalty.

“Miss Ford dared to demand thanks from me, son of Harrington! She claimed she was the one who saved me!”

And, just as expected, Herace’s expression turned cold the moment Derrick finished speaking. A victorious smile appeared on Derrick’s face.

Unlike earlier, Brienne Ford was silent.

Derrick had noticed this even when she chased after Kaiden Bannon, but Brienne Ford, always pretending to be a reserved lady in front of Herace Belif, was infuriating.

And Melosi Bailey was the same. Why did they only act normal in front of tall, handsome men?

“Well, anyway. Luckily, my sharp mind saw through Miss Ford’s lies right away, but what’s a little gratitude, really?”

Derrick sneered and bowed his head.

“Thank you so much, Miss Ford.”

At that moment—

“……How cute.”

Herace, who had been listening intently, raised one corner of his mouth. Not understanding the meaning of that smile, Derrick nodded.

“Ah, yes, well, it was a cute prank. But as a respected son of the Harrington family and a man with pride, I can laugh it off. Others, though….”

“No, I mean you.”

“……Excuse me?”

Derrick, who had been babbling excitedly, didn’t grasp the situation and tilted his head.

He’d revealed Brienne Ford’s true colors, so wasn’t that enough repayment for saving his life?

“Brienne.”

“Yes.”

“Has this man always acted like this toward you?”

Herace turned away from the flustered Derrick and asked. Brienne glanced at Derrick and nodded carefully.

“……Yes, every time.”

“I see. Now I understand why you tried to hide what happened with him.”

Finally realizing things were going awry, Derrick fell silent in confusion. Even as Herace approached right in front of him, Derrick could only stand there, dazed.

“It’s truly pitiful, Derrick Harrington. I knew you were a pathetic person, but I didn’t realize you were this beneath contempt.”

“……Y-Young Master?”

“Do you know? The type I hate most in the world is someone like you. Those who do nothing but run their mouths, idiots with nothing but pride, always thinking of putting others down. Yet you never realize you’re at the bottom yourself.”

What kind of misfortune was this?

Derrick shook his head urgently.

“No, no! I’m not that kind of pathetic person, Young Master…! I may look this way, but I own a legitimate business running between Rontiano and Roeta….”

“Is this what you’re talking about?”

Herace pulled out a stack of documents from his coat and dropped it on Derrick’s bed.

“A sham company that someone set up using you as a front?”

Derrick’s face went white as he glanced at the papers.

“H-how did you get these, Young Master….”

A cold smile spread over Herace’s face.

“That’s not important. For now, I’d appreciate it if you kept your mouth shut, since it’s embarrassing to be associated with a man like you.”

Herace raised his hand lightly. Realizing the danger, Derrick tried to speak again.

“S-sorry…. Mmph!”

It was as if his lips were glued shut; he couldn’t open his mouth. Derrick, startled, fumbled at his lips.

“Derrick Harrington, my condolences to your sharp mind.”

Herace turned away from the flustered Derrick and locked the hospital room door. Click—the curtain was drawn across the window above the door as Herace bowed gently to Brienne.

“Until you feel better, as you wish.”

“……What?”

“Whether you curse, spit, or kick him. Brienne, you have many options.”

Brienne looked at Herace in confusion. He had now seated Derrick Harrington quietly on the bed.

“Herace, what should I do?”

“Right now, whatever you do, no one will notice.”

Herace flashed a perfect smile and beckoned Brienne closer.

“…….”

Brienne gazed at Derrick, who couldn’t speak or resist, with a look of pity.

She’d imagined such a satisfying moment before, but couldn’t quite bring herself to feel joy.

After all, he’d been locked up and restrained for so long.

Noticing the faint compassion on Brienne’s face, Herace whispered gently.

“I won’t force you. But I can’t forgive someone who’s so arrogant and ungrateful to you.”

Arrogant. Was there a word that fit Derrick better? Brienne sighed as she looked at Derrick Harrington.

“…….”

With his mouth firmly shut, Derrick trembled in fear, so different from when he’d mocked her. It was a face she’d never seen before.

“……Sorry, Herace.”

After a short hesitation, Brienne shook her head.

“I don’t think this approach suits me. Thank you for thinking of me, but if I did something here, I’d regret it later.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I think things can be resolved just by talking.”

Brienne gave Herace a faint smile. Herace, smiling wryly, withdrew his hand from Derrick.

And then—

“You crazy psychopath…! Are you out of your mind? If you’re going to be obsessed with a woman, at least do it gracefully! Are you trying to kill someone?!”

With his mouth finally freed, Derrick shouted, his face red. He swung his fists wildly at Herace, who had stepped back. But his short arms flailed uselessly in the air, never reaching Herace.

“D*mn it, d*mn it…! That annoying Belif, d*mn Herace Belif!”

Was this really the same man who’d been trembling just moments ago? Brienne watched Derrick, now charging at Herace as if his life depended on it, and felt a wave of emptiness.

People don’t change.

She realized that simple truth again.

“Yeah, Brienne Ford! You’re the real problem! When you were glued to Kaiden Bannon, and now you’ve seduced Herace Belif…! Mmph…!”

Herace quickly silenced Derrick, who was about to say more. With his lips sealed again, Derrick stomped his feet as Herace sighed and turned to Brienne with an apologetic face.

“Brienne, I’m sorry. I must have been mistaken….”

But her gaze was already dark and sunken.

Brienne slowly bent down, slipped off one shoe, and carefully held it in her hand.

“……Herace, could you turn around for a moment, please?”

Herace’s eyes wavered briefly in surprise, but soon regained composure.

“……Alright.”

Herace stepped back, and Derrick watched Brienne approach, despair growing in his eyes.

He shook his head frantically, staring at the heel gripped tightly in Brienne’s hand.

But Brienne didn’t hesitate.

“You’re worse than garbage…!”

Thwack!

With a loud sound echoing through the hospital room, Derrick’s scream disappeared into his sealed mouth.