No More Regrets, Just K*ll Me

“D-Duke!”

“I asked what you were doing.”

 

Carlothian growled. Dolance, startled, quickly threw me aside.

 

“Uh, I was in the middle of disciplining her. She threw a chair at me, then ran away…”

“So you grabbed her by the hair and dragged her away?”

 

Thud, thud.

With a cold expression, he approached Dolance and me.

 

“Y-Yes, Your Grace. She is a criminal…”

 

Dolance emphasized that he had done nothing wrong. In the Empire, there was no punishment for beating a criminal.

 

“But the High Priest ordered you to take good care of Ariadeline, didn’t he?”

“Th-That is…”

“So the fact that you’re doing this means you’ve disobeyed your superior’s order.”

“I-I apologize, Your Grace!”

“Shut up.”

 

Thinking there was no way out, he suddenly kneeled and began to beg. But Carlothian drew his sword.

 

‘W-Wait a minute?’

 

Hey, if you’re going to cut someone, cut me first! Not that one!

I stood in front of the beseeching Dolance, spreading my arms wide.

 

“What are you doing?”

‘What do you think? If you’re going to cut someone, cut me first.’

“Are you protecting him?”

“Am I crazy? Why would I protect him?’

“Are you really crazy?”

‘I am crazy about you!’

 

I stared at him firmly.

After a moment, he let out a long sigh.

 

“Fine, I won’t kill him. But he still needs to pay for what he did.”

 

What’s this nonsense again?

 

‘No, that’s not what I mean!’

 

Frustrated, I ran my hand through my hair. Then Carlothian’s eyes widened.

His big hand suddenly gripped my chin and lifted it up. What’s wrong? Why is he doing this?

 

“……your face.”

 

‘Why, what’s wrong with my face? Ariadeline is known for her pretty face.’

 

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

 

‘It’s a bruise that just appeared.’

 

The bruise around my eye, now turning red, would likely turn blue in time.

Carlothian frowned deeply as he looked at the priest, still kneeling and begging. He felt strange.

Ariadeline is a criminal—one who tried to kill someone.

 

‘She deserves to be treated like this. But.’

 

What was this inexplicable irritation?

He lightly pushed Ariadeline aside and placed his foot on the priest’s shoulder.

Crack-

 

“Aaaargh!”

 

The sound of bones breaking and the priest’s scream echoed.

But it wasn’t enough. Just as he was about to apply more pressure,

Suddenly, a feeble hand grabbed his arm. Looking to the side, Ariadeline was staring at the priest with a pale face.

He could feel her hand trembling slightly. Unable to speak, she fixed her eyes on the priest, quivering.

When Carlothian met her uneasy gaze, he sighed.

 

“…Alright, I’ll stop.”

 

Despite being assaulted by the priest, she was anxious when he got hurt right in front of her.

Her small body blocked the priest, as if to stop him. Her eyebrows furrowed in worry that he might get hurt more.

He couldn’t understand what she was thinking.

Reluctantly, he sheathed his sword, and Ariadeline looked up at him with wide eyes.

 

“I won’t do it anymore.”

 

Only after he reassured her did Ariadeline release her grip on his clothes. Her hands were white and rough.

 

ੈ✩‧₊˚༺☆༻*ੈ✩‧₊˚

 

‘Huh? When did I say to stop?’

 

Keep going! Just completely destroy him!

Of course, don’t do that when you kill me. Surely he won’t, right? Send me off with one swift blow!

Then, I suddenly remembered the fallen priest.

 

‘Come to think of it, I’m the one who got wronged. I only got to hit him once.’

 

I went to the priest to deliver the final blow.

But he grabbed my wrist as if to say no more and started walking briskly. I nearly had to run to keep up.

 

‘Damn, is it because his legs are so long that he’s so fast?’

 

Even though I was panting, he didn’t slow down and kept moving forward. We arrived at a place with a large door.

 

‘Ah, this must be the High Priest’s room.’

 

Creak—

Carlothian opened the door without knocking.
Isn’t this extremely rude?

Indeed, the high priest looked at him with wide eyes.

 

“Duke Carlothian, have you taken a good look at Ariadeline?”

“I have.”

 

With that, he pushed me forward. I blinked, trying to understand what was happening.

The High Priest, who initially didn’t grasp the situation, opened his mouth wide when he saw my face clearly. He hurried over to me and asked,

 

“Why is your face like that?”

 

Why do they keep making comments about my face? I raised a hand to touch my cheek. It didn’t feel like anything was there.

 

‘Ow, what the…’

 

When my hand touched near my eye, I felt a dull pain.

Upon touching it, I noticed that it appeared slightly swollen. It must have been from the blow to my face earlier.

 

“High Priestess, I thought you promised Dorothea that you would take good care of Ariadeline.”

“Well, that is…”

 

Ah, why is he like this? The High Priest must be a busy man, too.

 

“What?”

“What’s going on?”

 

Priests were gathering outside the high priest’s room. They were nowhere to be seen when I was looking for them earlier.

 

“They say Dolance hit the prisoner.”

“So what?”

 

Ugh, this is why I didn’t want to cause trouble.

I shook my head and extended my hand to the high priest. He looked at my hand for a moment before handing me a notebook and pen.

I scribbled something and handed it back. I couldn’t keep living like this, getting beaten every day.

 

[When is my execution date?]

 

The High Priest’s face twisted strangely.

 

“Ariadeline, you can be redeemed. Don’t think like that. This incident is… Yes, it’s my fault. I did not take good care of you.”

 

No! I’m the one who attempted to assassinate the Crown Princess! I’m a criminal! I deserve to be executed!

In romance fantasy novels, the villainous character invariably faces execution. Why am I on the redemption path?

When I covered my face with my hands, the High Priest seemed anxious. Then Carlothian abruptly intervened.

 

“It would be best for me to monitor Ariadeline from my side.”

“…….”

“I do not wish to worry Dorothea any further. Let’s make sure this incident doesn’t reach her ears.”

 

The high priest sighed heavily and nodded. I looked back and forth between them.

What’s going on? What are they talking about?

 

“And we need to punish the priest assigned to care for Ariadeline.”

“Understood. You there!”

“Yes, High Priest.”

“Go and fetch Dolance!”

 

After shouting orders, the High Priest looked at my face with a troubled expression.

Is the bruise that bad? I couldn’t see it, so I had no idea.

While I stood there dumbly, Carlothian clicked his tongue in frustration.

 

“Then I will take her and monitor her closely.”

 

With that, he turned away. I stood there awkwardly, and he soon looked back at me.

 

‘What? Why?’

“Follow me.”

 

His eyes were full of malice. Seeing that, I deeply regretted my lack of perception.

 

‘Oh! You’re planning to take me somewhere no one knows and kill me, aren’t you? That’s why you didn’t want Dorothea to find out?’

 

My face lit up with a big smile, and I saw a crack appear in his expression.

I quickly ran over to his side. Oh, our eyes met. The thought that he might kill me made me smile even more.

Then he blatantly looked away.

I tilted my head and lightly grabbed his clothes.

 

‘What are you doing? I’m ready.’

 

As I followed Carlothian, the eyes of the surrounding priests followed us.

Then I saw Dolance being dragged by what seemed to be senior priests.

 

“I’m innocent! That bastard is just a criminal at best…”

 

One of the senior priests replied,

 

“Dolance, be quiet…!”

 

Carlothian stopped abruptly upon hearing that. I followed him mindlessly and bumped my forehead into his solid back.

Oh, what’s going on?

With an unreadable expression, he was staring at the retreating figures of Dolance and the senior priests.

I tugged at his clothes.

 

‘What are you doing? Let’s go somewhere where no one is around.’

 

That way, you can kill me. But even though I tugged at his clothes, he just kept staring at Dolance.

 

“She’s a devil who deserves to die!”

“Ha.”

 

Carlothian let out a cold laugh and drew his sword.

Spring—

 

“I distinctly remember telling you to shut your mouth.”

 

My eyes widened. Ah, is that also an order? If I don’t shut up when he tells me to, I will be in trouble.

 

“Your Grace, Your Grace! Please wait a moment!”

 

The senior priests, clearly alarmed, attempted to stop him. But Carlothian showed no intention of sheathing his sword.

 

“What is it?”

“H-High Priest! Please stop the Duke.”

 

The High Priest hurried over to Carlothian and said,

 

“Please reconsider taking his life; I will ensure he receives adequate punishment.”

 

Despite the senior priests and the High Priest intervening, Carlothian’s sword did not waver. He raised it high.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Dolance buried his head and began to beg again.

 

“I’m sorry! Your Grace. Please have mercy…”

 

But there was no change in Carlothian’s resolve.

Swish-!

I think that sound was similar to when he cut me the first time.

Bright red blood began to stain the white floor of the temple. The brutal slash on Dolance’s back was clear. He gasped sporadically

But no one came to his aid. Everyone watched in silence as he died.

And I stood among them.

 

‘Is he dead?’

 

Dolance died in Carlothian’s hands before me. As I stared at his lifeless body, something fell.

Drip, drip.

Oh, they were tears.

I looked down at his corpse, tears streaming down my face. My expression didn’t change.

I’m the one who should die, so why did you die first? I felt a surge of emotion. It was jealousy. An intense, ugly jealousy.

 

‘If only I were you.’

 

The murmuring around me quieted down. I didn’t even realize people were watching me. I just stood there in a daze.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

Until Carlothian grabbed my wrist and pulled me away.

 

𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝑲𝒐-𝒇𝒊