Chapter 4 (Part 4)

Laon, who had been hired to follow Lady Yuliana Loengrin, was suddenly struck from behind and woke up in this place. With a blindfold covering his eyes and his body tightly bound in chains, he struggled but couldn’t move the chair he was sitting on.

“You seem to have come to your senses.”

“Please… Please spare me. Cough, cough.”

Terrified by the sudden male voice, Laon trembled, his teeth chattering in fear of what might happen next, pleading for his life.

“I was wrong… Please.”

“What did you do wrong?”

“Well… That is… Cough, cough.”

Laon’s frightened apology did nothing to move Anthus.

“Ferrell, remove the blindfold.”

When the blindfold was removed, Laon found himself staring into the blood-red eyes of a blond handsome man. Instinctively, Laon knew that this man held his life in his hands.

“Do you want to live?”

Laon nodded his head vigorously.

“Do you know where you are?”

“…”

“This is the underground prison and torture chamber of Duke Rockbellion’s residence.”

Anthus smiled brightly as he spoke. Laon’s face turned pale. 

Duke Rockbellion’s residence… it was where she worked.

“Duke Rockbellion’s residence… You seem to recognize someone.”

“N-no.”

“I thought you might die if I came down here in a bad mood. Be grateful that I came down in a good mood today.”

Anthus’s face, filled with happiness, was unmistakably satisfied.

Laon, his teeth chattering and body trembling in fear, continued to beg for his life. Anthus approached him, grabbed him by the collar, and glared sharply.

“Did it hurt? I must have used too much force. Why were you following my woman around?”

Laon, in extreme pain, tried to move his bound body but couldn’t. Anthus’s grip on his collar tightened around Laon’s neck.

“I was just following orders!”

“Who ordered you?”

Releasing his grip, Anthus gently brushed back his hair and asked kindly.

“You should tell me.”

“Well, that is…”

“Is the secret more valuable than your life?”

Anthus pulled out a dagger from his pocket and stabbed Laon’s shoulder and arm.

Laon screamed and coughed up blood in agony. While most people would furrow their brows when stabbing someone, Anthus’s expression remained unchanged, even smiling.

“Please… Spare me. Please…”

“If you want to live, tell me who ordered you.”

“If I tell, they will kill me.”

“If you don’t tell, you’ll die here.”

Anthus slowly pressed the dagger into Laon’s foot. Laon screamed endlessly in pain.

“I thought you might be a man in love, following my woman around. But you weren’t.”

“I’m sorry.”

“There are many ways to find out who ordered you, even if you don’t tell.”

Anthus raised the dagger high and plunged it back into Laon’s previously stabbed shoulder.

“Remember that following someone else’s woman can lead to this.”

“I was blinded by money… I have gambling debts!”

Laon deeply regretted his actions. If he could turn back time, he would go back to before he accepted the job.

“I don’t like it when others show interest in what’s mine.”

“I was wrong. Please, please! Stop, ahh!”

“Do you know how hard I worked to win her over… You don’t, do you?”

Laon screamed in pain.

“Why do you keep making my kind personality, which she softened, turn bad?”

“It’s someone from the imperial palace.”

Unable to bear the pain, Laon revealed who had hired him. Meeting Anthus’s unamused red eyes, Laon couldn’t endure the fear any longer.

“Name?”

“She introduced herself as Lara.”

It was the name of a maid Anthus had planted with Princess Ophelia.

“A slightly plump maid with brown hair and brown eyes, right?”

“Yes, yes. That’s right.”

“What was the assignment?”

“To follow her and at the right… time.”

“At the right time?”

“To put on a magic sealing device and kidnap Lady Loengrin.”

No matter how strong a spirit user she was, once her magic was sealed, she would be just an ordinary, weak woman. Anthus sighed deeply and handed the blood-stained dagger to Ferrell.

“Don’t kill him yet, Ferrell.”

“Yes.”

Sweat dripped down Ferrell’s back. The look in Anthus’s eyes when he handed over the dagger seemed more dangerous than usual.

“And call Lara here.”

“Understood.”

* * *

Lara moved to the secret tavern where she could meet Anthus in secret.

“Greetings, Duke Rockbellion.”

“Welcome.”

“Yes. Thank you for the large sum of money you sent last time. My brother’s health has been fully restored. Thank you, Duke Rockbellion.”

“Don’t thank me, Lara.”

“Pardon?”

“You’re receiving payment for betraying the master you serve. It should be expensive.”

Lara looked up at Anthus. She was thrilled when he called her.

<You said you were Princess Ophelia’s maid.>

His prominent nose, beautiful cat-like eyes, and lips that looked as if they were dipped in blood. Her heart started pounding the moment she saw him.

<You said you had a sick brother, right? And the baronet family is struggling with debt.>

<Yes.>

<I want to help.>

Enchanted by his seductive voice, she accepted a task she shouldn’t have.

As long as she kept watching Ophelia, she could meet Anthus. He listened to every trivial story about Ophelia and paid her for it.

She imagined that perhaps, as they continued to meet, love might blossom. She indulged in the happiness, anticipating and feeling excited each time she met him, just like the heroine in a romance novel.

But Anthus never once gave her a second glance. He only looked down at her coldly.

That gaze constantly reminded her that their relationship was strictly one of master and servant. Her wild imaginations were only met with self-inflicted wounds.

Recently, Lara realized why Anthus had her watch Ophelia. It was because of Lady Yuliana Loengrin.

<There’s a man named Laon. Ask him for a favor.>

<Is there a reason you chose him?>

<He’s a trash who, driven by gambling, hit his good wife, causing her to miscarry, and now lives in a drunken stupor.>

Later, she learned that Laon’s wife was one of the maids cherished by the head maid and butler of Rockbellion.

“I have no new reports on Princess Ophelia.”

“The reason I called you today is different.”

Lara bit her lower lip and bowed her head. 

Could I end up like Laon? 

She had betrayed her master and knew his secrets, so she was worried that he wouldn’t leave her alone.

“Raise your head, Lara. I want to reward you for doing a good job this time.”

“No, I just did what you instructed, Duke.”

“Thanks to you, Yuli didn’t get into danger. I’m really grateful.”

Ophelia had ordered her to find out if Anthus and Yuliana were really dating. She reported this to Anthus immediately and received a large sum of money.

“Now, there’s only one thing left for you to do. You could say it’s the last task.”

“Please tell me.”

Lara swallowed nervously without realizing it.

“When the time comes, expose in front of His Majesty the Emperor that Princess Ophelia ordered the surveillance and kidnapping of Lady Loengrin.”

“What? But…”

Anthus laughed heartily at Lara’s flustered reaction.

“Why are you so surprised? Is it difficult to lie in front of the Emperor? Didn’t you say your brother’s health had improved? How about sending him to study abroad in the Zentas Empire? You can go together, of course. I can even buy you a suitable noble family in the Zentas Empire. If you complete this task well, you can start anew.”

Understanding Anthus’s intentions, Lara nodded. It meant leaving the Sirius Empire. Even if she had to abandon her current family, it was fine as long as she could keep her life and live elsewhere.

“I’ll give you time to think, Lara.”

Because of Ophelia’s position as a princess, it wasn’t easy for Anthus to get rid of her. So, he intended to use this opportunity to cut her off completely.

“I don’t need time to think. I’ll do as you say.”

Lara had long since given up on her feelings and romance for Anthus. It was better to take the money and start anew with her brother elsewhere. Imagination should end as a beautiful fairy tale with a happy ending.

“Although I betrayed my master, I will never betray the money and my brother’s life.”

“Thank you for saying that, Lara. I’m really glad.”

Lara blinked and looked at Anthus.

“You’ve worked hard. Live well in the Zentas Empire.”

Meeting Anthus’s cold red eyes, Lara shuddered. She realized that if she had refused this last task, neither she nor her brother’s lives would have been guaranteed.

“I will never betray you.”

“Alright. I trust you, Lara.”

“Thank you for everything, Duke.”

He is a poisonous mushroom. Beautiful but potentially deadly if consumed. So, just look but don’t touch… People say his unrequited love is pure, but to Lara, he is a twisted monster obsessed with Yuliana, acting and enduring to hide his true nature.