Chapter 93
The atmosphere was ice-cold.
“….”
The coldness emanated from Sereniel’s face as she stared at Calian sitting in front of her.
It was truly an unexpected visit, an unwelcome guest indeed.
…And the only reason that audacious human dared to step foot in the Rosenvester Duchy was one.
“Just listen to me… a little…”
“….”
“You can at least do that much, can’t you? Huh?”
What a nerve-wracking individual!
Standing in front of the reception room, Vain and Kina shared the same thought simultaneously….
Standing by the window, Lexion, who had been observing Sereniel and Calian, surprisingly showed no reaction.
“Give it a try.”
Sereniel spoke with an unwavering tone, her lips parting.
“Speak up, Calian. I’ll listen to what you have to say.”
“Sereniel, I…”
Calian fell silent for a moment. He hesitated, instinctively glancing at Lexion.
Then, turning his gaze back to Sereniel, Calian spoke in a measured tone.
“I’ll soon be taken into custody… You must know… But…”
Grand Duke Clan and nobles who signed a pact of rebellion with Calian,Belles, and Royden. They were all already behind bars.
Calian’s absence from that list was probably because Belles didn’t consider him someone who could actively contribute to their cause.
But that was until now, with the key figures safely apprehended, the palace was now rounding up anyone even remotely involved in this affair.
“Even if I apologize a thousand times, it wouldn’t be enough. I know that too well. But, Seri… Still, can’t you give me a chance to explain my circumstances? Can’t you?”
Sereniel remained silent.
“First, about the incident with Leraie… I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean for that to happen, but Leraie… tried to kill me…”
“….”
“Of course, I’m not saying I’m blameless. But it was an accident.”
“An accident?”
Sereniel chuckled incredulously.
“You’re calling it an accident when they tried to team up to kill me, aimed for my mine, secretly set up a household with me, and even had a child, and you call that an accident?”
“Seri, I…”
“On the contrary, I should be the one labeled as an accident, shouldn’t I? I almost died just sitting still, being betrayed by everyone.”
“I… got drunk…”
“What?”
“I went out for an inspection and got drunk… and… it happened. I truly thought it was you. If I had known it was Leraie, it wouldn’t have happened.”
Calian stammered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
“The next day, when I woke up, I realized what had happened. I agonized over whether I should tell you or not. But you know, Seri, how much I worried about your health…”
Sighing deeply,
“I thought I should keep the secret until the end, and I explained it to Leraie as well. I’m truly sorry. I didn’t know it was not you, but then Leraie…”
“Leraie?”
“She threatened me. Said she would reveal everything to you if I didn’t end the relationship in that way.”
“….”
“I knew I was wrong, but… I had no choice… And the fact that I got her pregnant, really…”
Sereniel laughed.
“If you had stood by Leraie until the end, it would have been less surprising than this. But you even abandoned Leraie, just like the day you pretended not to see your child.”
“Ser…”
“Thank you very much for making me realize what kind of person you are. Thank you for helping me be able to abandon you first. I’m sincerely grateful for that.”
“I’m not like that!”
“The nerve of you to blame everything on Leraie. Watch what you say, Calian.”
“No, really and about Belles… concerning him…”
At this point, it was getting interesting to see what he would blabber about. Sereniel stared at Calian without any response.
“…I just wanted to stand proudly in front of you, Seri.”
“What?”
“I knew Belles was preparing for rebellion, but I wasn’t directly involved. I just… saw it as an opportunity to expand my business… and… thought that if I succeeded, I could be happy with you…”
“You heartless jerk…!”
Kina, who couldn’t stand it anymore, muttered, but Lexion stopped her. Then he looked back at Sereniel.
Sereniel didn’t say anything. She just looked at Calian with a chilly face.
And after a long time, she slowly parted her lips.
“Is there a woman in the world who would believe the words of a man who tried to do business with the person who killed her parents?”
“….Sereniel?”
“Do you still think of me as a foolish woman, Calian? So you think you can manipulate me as you please.”
“What do you mean…”
“I know everything, Calian. About how you stood by and watched while Belles killed my parents, tried to kill me and take over my mine, and even secretly gave me medicine to prevent pregnancy.”
Calian’s face turned pale.
“And I also know that the password to your hidden safe where you kept that medicine was Leraie’s birthday.”
“….”
“Do you want me to tell you more?”
“Ser, I…”
“Don’t call me by that name,” Sereniel said firmly.
“It’s dirty and pathetic. That’s all I have to say to you. Get out of my sight.”
“….”
“Now go back to your little writer’s den. That way, the people who came to take you into custody won’t have wasted their time, right?”
Calian couldn’t say anything.
He seemed to realize now. That there was nothing he could do.
He looked at Sereniel with a pathetic face, then suddenly stood up. He knelt in front of Sereniel and began to beg.
“But, you loved me, didn’t you…”
“….”
“Sereniel, please… help me… You can at least do that much for me, can’t you?”
With clasped hands like a beggar reaching out for forgiveness, Calian’s face was reflected in Sereniel’s green eyes.
If I had kneeled and begged like that in the past, would you have listened to me?
Sereniel already knew the answer.
“Goodbye, Calian.”
So she didn’t need to feel guilty for not helping him, even though she knew he would die.
He was just reaping what he had sown.
“Goodbye.”
With that, Sereniel stood up without any lingering attachment…
“Just a moment, Ser…!”
Desperate, Calian reached out recklessly to grab Sereniel.
But his hand didn’t reach her.
It was Lexion who grabbed his hand firmly.
“That’s enough, Calian Helcar.”
Lexion’s eyes, staring at Calian, were unreadable.
…The reason he had listened silently to their conversation until the end was simply because he wanted Sereniel to be able to say everything she wanted to say to Calian. Whether it was resentment or anger.
Now that Sereniel had said all she wanted to say, there was no reason for Calian Helcar to be in this mansion anymore.
“If you have so much to say, say it in court. Of course, you won’t escape the death penalty.”
“Please… just a moment! Sir!”
Calian shouted with a pale face, but it was futile. Lexion grabbed Calian’s collar and dragged him out into the hallway.
“Sir, I was just about to come and see…”
The pitiful servant Gran, who appeared at that moment, stepped back in surprise, and Lexion brushed his hand as if touching something very dirty as if he had touched a very dirty thing.
“Gran.”
“Yes… yes?”
“Get rid of that.”
“….”
“I would do it myself, but I’m injured.”
But you just slapped him with one hand like a piece of paper…
Gran wanted to say, but he didn’t say it out loud.
Without even looking back, Lexion left to take care of Sereniel…
Soon after, Kina and Vain appeared.
Ah, those servants, the chatterbox maid and the swindler butler.
Gran, who recognized them first, was about to greet them with a simple greeting, but Kina was a little faster.
“Master.”
Looking down at Calian, who was writhing on the floor like trash, Kina slowly opened her mouth.
“Do you know that? Throughout the time our madam spent at your mansion, I wanted to tear off your head many times.”
“W-What…?”
“A person like you who insists on a topic with no ability at all, just because of their pride, how disgusting it is…”
Kina sighed deeply.
“Our madam used to say that, whether noble or commoner, if you do something worthy of criticism, you should be criticized.”
“Kina, are you talking to me…?”
“Our madam seemed to like the writer but because of your stupidity, our precious lady was able to escape from that hell. You’re going to be in trouble soon, right? It’s a pity, but what can we do? It’s because of your own stupidity.”
“….”
“Clean up your act. Wait for the end. Kina said you made her want to vomit so many times. Do you think she’ll let you die comfortably? Our master said that once in a lifetime, even in hell, God grants one wish. I’ll pray that God tortures you until you’re dust in hell.”
What a despicable human!
Kina turned away with a face full of disgust…
“It’s usually not good to be greedy for big things in small topics.”
Vain, who had been silently standing by, added nobly.
With that said, Vain turned away without looking back, leaving only Gran and the miserable Calian Helcar in the wide corridor.
‘You have servants who resemble you so much…’
Gran thought of it for a moment, but decided to keep it as his own secret.
Soon, Gran grabbed Calian’s collar and dragged him away, leaving only Lexion, who looked like he had seen something incredibly dirty.
