Chapter 89
The sound of swords clashing echoed throughout the entire mountain.
The bodies of fallen soldiers littered the ground, and the blood they spilled formed puddles here and there.
And Lexion, relentless, continued to advance endlessly.
“…”
Lexion’s gaze, constantly cutting down enemies, scanned various places.
This rebellion, the moment it handed over military authority to the Emperor, was already a fight with a predetermined outcome. Belles also knew this, which is why he gathered nobles who were not favorable to Lexion, putting pressure on him to prevent him from gaining military authority.
But it seemed like everyone gathered here already knew. Ultimately, it was Lexion who seized victory.
It might have been easier to just kill everyone here.
But it was imperative to capture them alive.
The reason was simple. It was all the words he had said to the soldiers.
Dying peacefully was too much of a luxury for them.
They had to be captured and face punishment in front of all the people of Carteia.
Especially Belles.
“Block everyone in my way! Block them!”
At the loud voice of Grand Duke Clan echoing around, Lexion glanced back slightly. He could see Grand Duke Clan, who was being pushed forward by the crowd, desperately pushing the soldiers aside.
‘What’s important to me now…is not the Duke Clan.’
If Lexion had come here solely because of the Emperor’s order, he would have been focused solely on capturing the Grand Duke Clan first.
But Lexion had only one reason: Seriniel.
So, what needed to be done now was clear.
“Gran, go over there and capture Grand Duke Clan. You know what to do, right?”
“Yes. But what about the Duke…”
Before Gran could finish his sentence, Lexion tightly grasped the reins without a word and started running towards Belles.
“Belles!”
At the angry voice calling him, Belles, who was fending off the rushing soldiers, raised his head.
Belles had brought some soldiers to block his path, but it didn’t really matter.
Before long, with a sharp cry, the neck of one of the soldiers was severed…and Lexion, dismounting from his horse, aimed his sword at Belles.
“Ha…”
Belles’ face, confronted by Lexion, was filled with clear anger.
‘This damn bastard…’
In the end, it was all Lexion Rosenvester’s fault and his reason wasn’t even to protect the Emperor.
“If it were for you, that damn bitch…!”
No matter how he thought about it, it was unbelievable. That all of this, for no other reason, was because of Seriniel.
“Shut up.”
Lexion glared at Belles with cold eyes.
“You’re not someone worthy of opening that filthy mouth.”
“Ha…”
“In the end, everything is your fault.”
Lexion continued to speak.
“If you hadn’t killed the Viscount and Viscountess, or tried to kill Seriniel by joining hands with Callian Helcar, I wouldn’t have had to come out like this.”
If Belles hadn’t done anything, Lexion wouldn’t have done anything either.
He wouldn’t have stopped him like this, and maybe he wouldn’t have revealed himself in front of Seriniel forever, quietly. Maybe he would have lived hiding his feelings, as if dead.
Even if that happened, it wouldn’t have been too bad for Lexion.
For him, the most important thing was Seriniel’s happiness.
The person who ruined that was Belles, so ultimately, all the blame for what happened lay with him.
“If you wanted it so badly, you should have said so.”
Belles, who had been chewing his lips, slowly spoke.
“If my life had such a low value to you, then I would have done that, of course.”
“What?”
“I don’t care whether Seriniel goes to you or to Callian.”
Belles laughed.
“Moreover, that bitch’s value plummeted the moment her parents were killed!”
[Mom, Dad… I promised to live well… I’m sorry…]
That day.
The day they met again after meeting at Paul’s store.
Lexion quietly watched Seriniel crying at the edge of the cliff and he clearly heard the words Seriniel muttered like a sob.
Lexion also knew. That apology was not something she could say simply because she was pessimistic about her situation.
It was because she was sorry for her own reality, which had become painful, sad, and miserable. She knew how much her parents loved her. And she knew how much they would mourn.
Seriniel endured and endured with all her might, those hellish times.
But, value?
Lexion’s face was filled with anger.
“And you wouldn’t have hit me like this. You should be grateful. I’m the one who killed Seriniel’s parents.”
“That’s ridiculous…!”
“If they were alive, would they have allowed you to have this kind of relationship with Seriniel? They wouldn’t have even dreamed of it!”
Belles looked at Lexion mockingly and asked.
“Seriniel and her parents are also nobles. They’re completely different from you, who was born lowly. No matter how you took away their family and became a duke, what meaning does that have to them?”
“…”
“You probably said the same thing to everyone else that a parasite like me caused all this! So don’t even think about bargaining!”
There was no expression on Lexion’s face.
Did they really think that? Did they really look at me with such eyes? Did they not forgive me for daring to hold Seriniel in my heart?
Lost in thought for a moment, Lexion quietly looked at Belles.
“No, that’s impossible.”
Then, he slowly licked his lips.
“They’re not like you.”
“Just because you’re that kind of person, it doesn’t mean others are at the same level.”
[His Excellency said to wait until you have the courage to knock on the door of the Viscount’s residence.]
Seriniel’s parents, the former Viscount couple… They would never look at me like that.
They would have looked at mel warmly, just like their daughter, with those eyes that were affectionate and kind.
…It was a life that couldn’t confidently present anything, being a bastard, living with low treatment and persecution.
But as much as his feelings for Seriniel, Lexion always had confidence.
So they would have known. They would have surely recognized Lexion’s genuine love and affection for Seriniel.
Because Seriniel, who must have resembled them greatly, would have done the same.
Therefore, Lexion was not hurt by Belles’ words. There was no reason for him to be.
“I will never kill you here, Belles.”
Lexion said, gripping his sword.
“I know very well what kind of thing someone like you fears the most.”
It was not dying peacefully. It was being scorned and falling to the bottom by the people you thought were beneath you, then receiving a fair judgment of the law.
What someone like Belles feared most.
“Count!”
At Grand Duke Clan’s sharp cry, Belles desperately looked ahead. And then, surrounded by soldiers, Grand Duke Clan appeared before him.
“…”
From Belles’ tightly closed lips, a grinding sound of teeth came out.
And the culprit behind all this was also Lexion Rosenvester…
“Gran, you don’t have to worry about the Grand Duke Clan’s side.”
Gran, who understood the situation, approached while conveying the message to Lexion.
Meanwhile, Belles’ gaze remained fixed on Lexion.
‘All because of that despicable bastard…!’
If Lexion hadn’t been there, everything would have gone according to plan without anyone interfering.
The outcome was already decided.
And Belles could also easily understand the things waiting for him.
In that case…
Even if it was him…
Belles’ hand, gripping the sword, showed blue veins.
Sensing it, Lexion quickly swung his sword towards Belles, and Belles also began to fight back.
“Arrest the traitor Belles Verdellete! Chase Royden as well!”
Gran, who urgently shouted the order, grabbed his sword and began to fend off Belles’ soldiers who were constantly attacking Lexion.
‘Even if it’s him…!’
It wasn’t just Lexion who was desperate, Belles was the same.
He desperately wanted to kill Lexion Rosenvester. If he did, at least he would spend his life in remorse, like Seriniel and even Lexion, even if he died, would not be at peace.
But Lexion was by no means an easy opponent.
“…!”
Belles, who barely avoided Lexion’s heavy and fast sword, took a short breath. Then, he looked down at his thigh, where blood was flowing.
“It’s over, Bel…!”
And it was at that moment.
An arrow shot by someone flew towards Gran, who was fending off soldiers attacking Lexion.
“Gran…!”
In that moment when Lexion’s gaze was off him…
Belles never missed it.
Belles’ sword, very swiftly, flew towards Lexion.
The sharp and keen sword pierced Lexion’s side accurately…
“No, Lord Lexion!”
…Gran, who barely dodged the arrow, shouted Lexion’s name in a voice close to a scream.
