“He wouldn’t return my salute, so I couldn’t lower my arm for an hour. The next day too, and the day after that. I did this, standing at attention from arrival until lunchtime, for about a month.”

“He made you do such a childish thing?”

“Why, is it surprising?”

“I’m just shocked that a grown adult would suddenly act like that…”

“It was so-called ‘breaking in the newbie’. It wasn’t much different from what I experienced at the military academy, so I was rather disappointed.”

Anyway, the reason for the bullying that the guy cited was that Ivlik’s very existence was annoying. He said it would all be valuable experience for future social life, so follow his orders without question. What’s so great about the Wintermore viscounty? He said that once you become a soldier, it’s all about the rank insignia.

“The opponent was so simple-minded that I didn’t even feel the urge to retaliate.”

“So you didn’t do anything?”

“What do you think, Trainee Liere? Do you think I left him alone?”

Cedine, who was about to answer immediately, hesitated. She thought for a moment and then replied that she thought the instructor would have left him alone.

“Why is that?”

“There’s no greater fear than being the only one alive when everyone else’s heads have rolled. Especially in a situation like now where your reputation has spread throughout the empire. He might reassure himself that you’ve forgotten him after all this time, but sudden anxiety would strike him from time to time.”

Having said this far, Cedine smiled slightly, looking a bit unsure.

“Did I get the right answer?”

To dare to smile in a situation where Ivlik was sitting across the table as an instructor. It was absurd, but he felt the urge to pinch her cheek. How could she smile now, he thought about grabbing and shaking those apricot-like cheeks.

He later confirmed this when he became close to Cedine. Cedine’s nape really did smell like sun-dried fruit. The moment he smelled it, his mouth watered. He could be certain without tasting that if he sank his teeth into that soft flesh, heavenly nectar-like juice would burst and flow.

* * *

One day, Ivlik realized the real reason why Cedine wasn’t afraid of him. Although he had done all sorts of dirty things to Cedine in his imagination, he hadn’t laid a finger on her in reality. The harshest he had been was saying, “Stop acting like a child and get out of my room.” That says it all.

“Stop acting like a child… I really tried hard to act like a cold adult.”

Why did Ivlik Wintermore gain the infamous nickname of Bluebeard in the first place? It was because of his cruelty in the torture chamber. Even the soldiers guarding the door of the torture chamber couldn’t make eye contact with their superior, Ivlik. The story of a young ordinary soldier who ended up taking psychiatric medication after just doing 3-shift guard duty for Ivlik’s torture chamber, without even being directly tortured by Ivlik, was already famous.

However, Cedine had never directly encountered Ivlik coming out of the torture chamber covered in blood. She had also never seen the torture devices that were chilling even to imagine, nor had she ever seen a prisoner whose mind and body were completely broken by Ivlik’s brilliant techniques.

The scariest version of Ivlik that Cedine had encountered was only when he was a training instructor. To be honest, even during the special training period, Ivlik had been soft only towards Cedine. When those big eyes welled up with tears, blood kept rushing to his center, making it impossible to do anything more.

After Cedine left the training room, Ivlik would lock the door and m*sturbate until the next trainee arrived. Some days, he had m*sturbated even before Cedine’s lesson. Ivlik would spread the s*men soaked in his handkerchief on the chair where Cedine would sit.

That day, Ivlik had been particularly kind to the trainee in front of him. The thought of Cedine going home with his traces on her skirt made him feel pleased. Ivlik had given Cedine writing materials that day and literally gave a lecture on psychological tactics.

The more he thought about it, the more obvious the favoritism became, to the point of embarrassment. Although Cedine might think differently, that’s how Ivlik felt anyway.

After deciding on the fake marriage with her sister Karen, Ivlik became even more careful with his words and actions. Looking back, he doesn’t think he ever swore in front of Cedine. It was because he wanted to appear perfect in Cedine Liere’s eyes. So Ivlik acted like a boy desperately trying to impress the girl he likes.

“No wonder Cedine provoked me without fear.”

She must have believed that Ivlik saw her as just a child. The young sister-in-law left behind by his fake marriage partner. Someone who still needed to be given ‘pocket money’ even at twenty-seven. It was truly Ivlik Wintermore’s most successful act in his life.

In fact, there was no need to act to such an extent. The result of years of acting worthy of a professional actor was that one day, he suddenly heard from Cedine that she had a man she wanted to introduce. On Cedine’s left ring finger, as she said this, shone a ring that he hadn’t seen until yesterday. At this completely unexpected announcement, Ivlik dropped the fountain pen he was holding.

He already knew that she was popular among men. After breaking free from Duke Crotsfield’s influence, Cedine had been enjoying cultural activities she couldn’t before. Things like going to see performances, which naturally expanded Cedine’s network and increased the number of peers she newly met.

He had heard that there were some among them with whom she had dinner. But there were several such people, and at the time, Cedine’s attitude didn’t seem very serious, so he had been reassured.

But should he not have been reassured?

“What kind of wet-behind-the-ears brat proposed to Cedine Liere? She’s not the type to accept a proposal after just a few dates.”

While he was pulling out the fingernails of human trash in the dark torture chamber, someone was enjoying dates with Cedine under the bright sunlight. Realizing she was a woman who should never be let go, they somehow got a 1-carat diamond ring and proposed.

And Cedine accepted it.

Ivlik literally felt his blood boiling.

[Should we invite him home for dinner? I’ll probably be able to make time next week, Cedine.]

He managed to answer. Even at that moment, thanks to his damn excellent acting skills, he could maintain a calm voice. However, Ivlik’s mind was filled only with thoughts about what kind of bastard he needed to strangle.

Anyway, the fact that they prepared a diamond ring means they come from a well-off family. A resident of the capital, around 25 years old, and to have a connection with Cedine, they must have a job that allows them to go to art galleries on weekdays.

Ivlik’s eyes narrowed. The imagination of tearing apart a bastard with a justifiable reason to torment is always thrilling. Everyone has some dirt on them. Where should he poke to make him willingly leave Cedine’s side?

That night, Ivlik couldn’t easily fall asleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw images of that bastard whose face he didn’t even know, embracing Cedine’s waist, kissing Cedine, and having relations with Cedine in the glossy backseat of a car.

Then the day of the dinner arrived. It was as he expected. The clumsy bastard was so busy trying to curry favor with the great Lieutenant Colonel Ivlik Wintermore that he missed Cedine’s words twice during the meal, even with her right beside him.

[Brother-in-law, I’ll see the guest off and come back.]
[Alright.]
[It was truly an honor, an honor to meet you, Lieutenant Colonel…!]
[…Take care on your way back.]

Through the window, he could see Cedine kissing her fiancé’s cheek. Ivlik felt like he wanted to pull the trigger right then, using the center of the pale bastard’s forehead as a target.

* * *

Ivlik rushed to Cedine, who had collapsed on the stairs.

Even at her sister’s funeral, she had exuded vitality like a midsummer fruit tree. No matter how deep in despair Cedine was, her lips were red, and her cheeks reminded one of sun-ripened apricots. The gloomy weather and black mourning clothes only served to highlight Cedine’s freshness.

The mourners, knowing it was impolite, couldn’t take their eyes off Cedine, who couldn’t even respond to “We offer our condolences” and just stared ahead. Ivlik, who was repeating “Thank you for coming” beside her, also had all his attention focused on Cedine.

Cedine’s vitality had always existed regardless of her own will.

But now her face was as pale as a sheet of paper. Ivlik reached out with terribly shaking hands and embraced Cedine. The pearl-colored blouse with bishop sleeves would be completely red with blood. The blood flowing from her body had formed a small puddle on the stone stairs.

It was a penetrating wound. Multiple shots at that.