There Is No Mercy

CH 03
Frantically patting my cheeks, I checked the silver thread hanging around my neck. The necklace was intact. I opened the curtain of the carriage window.

Outside the carriage, a lush green landscape unfolded, capturing my attention.

“… Summer?”

“Why are you acting like this, really? Where does it hurt? Should I turn the carriage around if you’re in pain?”

Looking worried, Belrietta raised her hand to my forehead. I stared blankly at her face, with her hand raised to my forehead, and then abruptly pulled away.

Glaring at Belrietta, who looked surprised, I spoke briefly.

“Belrietta.”

“Why, all of a sudden? Did you have a nightmare? Your expression is frightening, Sierra.”

“How old are you now?”

“Me?”

“You.”

Without immediately answering, Belrietta looked at me with a puzzled expression, as if my question was written on my forehead. After a momentary pause, she calmly opened her mouth.

“I’m eighteen.”

“Eighteen…”

So she’s passed the age of adulthood. Considering that I had my birthday earlier than Belrietta, I experienced adulthood first. That means we should be the same age. Reflecting on my age at twenty-five, it was an absurd number to consider. To think that I was speaking about a time seven years ago. If Belrietta wasn’t joking or mentally unstable, it was a situation that couldn’t be easily accepted.

However, the sudden change from winter to summer, my clothes, and Belrietta’s altered appearance, when taken into account, made the reality of being eighteen weigh heavily.

In other words, it meant we were talking about seven years ago.

Biting my lip, I glanced out of the carriage window.
The rapidly moving carriage caused the surrounding scenery to pass by in a flash.

Suddenly, Belrietta’s words from earlier came to mind.

In fact, I felt a strong desire to slap Belrietta across the face and give her a piece of my mind for what she had done. How dare she casually utter my name after all she had put me through? I wanted to vent my frustration, but for now, understanding the current situation was the priority.

Suppressing the urge to retch at the sight of her face, I calmly spoke up.

“Anyway, Belrietta. Earlier, you said it wasn’t too late.”

“Huh? What about it?”

“You said it wasn’t too late.”

“Oh, that? I just repeated what Sierra was saying in her sleep about being late.”

At that moment, the carriage jolted.

Since we were traveling in a forward direction, my body lurched forward.

Naturally, my hair became disheveled as I instinctively covered my face with my hands.

After brushing my hair back and clearing my face, I tried to speak to Belrietta again.

But I couldn’t bring myself to open my mouth.

Belrietta’s hair remained neat.

However, when I brushed my hair aside, her reflection mirrored my actions like a mirror.

It was uncomfortably identical.

From the shape of the fingers to the expression while brushing aside, and even the way she looked at me after brushing aside her hair.

Even such a trivial detail was imitated and taken away from me, Belrietta.

Suppressing the urge to laugh, I slowly opened my mouth.

“Right, about that. Where are we going?”

Asking where we were going while dressed in a dress and riding in a carriage might seem like a ridiculous question, but I needed information.

If it was indeed seven years ago, knowing the exact moment was crucial.

Belrietta, still looking flustered, narrowed her eyes for a moment before cautiously speaking up.

“Are you really not feeling well?”

“It’s not that. I’m just feeling a bit confused after waking up.”

I didn’t know how convincing my excuse was, but I said it anyway.

“Oh, okay.”

Fortunately, Belrietta seemed to buy it.

She nodded as if she could understand and then immediately continued speaking.

“I only mentioned that we’re going to Marquis Jason’s reception, but I didn’t explain why we’re going. But then again, since I also heard it when I got into the carriage, it’s only natural, right?”

Marquis Jason?
“Are you talking about the general who defends the Western front line?”

Seven years ago, Marquis Jason…

He was one of the fervent supporters of the Bozebon family.

“It seems the barbarians tried to unite their tribes to cross the western front line. Marquis Jason’s forces managed to stop them and protect the front line, so this reception is to honor his achievements.”

Oh, that reception? It vaguely rings a bell.

It was an ordinary reception, with nothing particularly remarkable about it.

Just a gathering to honor Marquis Jason’s accomplishments, attended by many nobles.

That was all.

But looking at the current situation, I strongly felt that even in such an unremarkable reception, Belrietta would have copied me.

Her dress was similar, her hairstyle was similar.

The only difference from my loosely tied hair flowing to the right was that Belrietta’s flowed to the left.

If my dress was a dress made of blue fabric that delighted the eyes, Belrietta’s was made of green fabric.

Apart from the color, the texture of the visible fabric, the buttons attached, and even the jewels on top were eerily similar.

It was as if they were made by the same designer, to the point where it was believable.

It looked so similar that anyone could tell she had copied me.

Sighing softly, I turned my gaze out of the window.

“Sierra.”

With only my eyes rolling over, I glanced at Belrietta.

She hesitated as if finding it difficult to speak, then chuckled softly before calmly opening her mouth.

“But when are you going to tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“About that necklace.”

The necklace? I furrowed my brow slightly.

“I told you to tell me where you got it from.”

“….”

My face reflexively scrunched up.

To think that the first thing I heard upon waking up was about the necklace.

With a frown, I slowly turned to Belrietta.

“Did I say that? I don’t remember.”

“You definitely said that last time. You said you’d tell me later.”

She spoke with a firm expression and even her eyes.

Belrietta didn’t hide her desire to have it by any means.

I watched her confidently demand, then chuckled softly.

“Really? Well, if I said so, then I’ll tell you.”
“Really? You said it would be difficult to tell me, what’s the matter?”

I suppressed a smirk inwardly at Belrietta’s expression, a mix of joy and confusion.

With a smile, I responded to Belrietta, who already seemed excited at the thought of stealing.

“It’s a jewel from the island of Depoxi. It’s so precious that nobles go there personally to carefully select and acquire them. If you want to get one, you’ll have to go there yourself.”

“Depoxi?”

“Yeah.”

It was an island so deep that it would take a whole four days by carriage to reach there.

Moreover, in the summer, there were so many mosquitoes and bugs that even the locals had a hard time.

Belrietta looked hesitant at the thought of going there, but I was quite pleased.

Because it was a lie.

It was just a simple prank, but it was the beginning.

The countless faces Belrietta showed me.

And the countless things she tried to crush and take from me.

Family, men, and ultimately, even my own identity.

Now, in Belrietta’s hands, there would be nothing left.

All that would remain for Belrietta were desperate despair and death.

There was no any mercy.

—

The banquet hall was already packed with many people.

As if to prove the authority and power of Marquis Jason, countless people gathered to praise and compliment his achievements.

Known for his humility, he smiled broadly this time and responded to the voices of the people.

I glanced discreetly at Marquis Jason’s side as I tilted my glass.

From soldiers and knights to businessmen and even those with political ambitions, they were all buzzing around him.

Their clinging to him, like ants moving food, looked amusing to me.

It wasn’t difficult to understand.
Marquis Jason was a high-ranking noble, and with just one word from him, even the royal family dared not speak against it.
At least, in the Western Front, he was an essential figure.
Moreover, the Western Front also included the ruler of the famous Harmonia region, the head of the Rippleton family.
Aiden Rippleton.
Also known as the Ghost Duke.
Harmonia had always been perceived as a rugged land by people.
It was situated in the highlands, and the journey there was treacherous.
Located in the heart of the mountain range, it was an area where monsters frequently appeared.
As a result, despite the royal efforts to subdue the area and minimize civilian casualties, it was not an easy task.
Being far from the capital, it was difficult to dispatch soldiers, and even if they were sent, the number of monsters was too high, resulting in more casualties.
Therefore, most of the authority in that area was delegated to the Rippleton family, almost relinquishing control.
Despite everyone scoffing at their efforts, they took action to subdue the monsters in the nearby mountains and stabilize the region.
The royal family acknowledged their remarkable contributions and, although unofficially, granted them a title.
Thus, the wide Rippleton region was designated as a principality and handed over to them.
An independent land free from any interference from the empire.
Although there was no official title, Aiden Rippleton, the ruler of the designated principality, came to be known as the Ghost Duke.
“I wonder if he’ll come today.”
He was such a reclusive man.
How old was he again…?
By current standards, he would be in his early twenties.
I had never seen his face.
Even when I attended the previous Marquis Jason’s party, I only heard that he came, but I had no memory of actually seeing him.
At that time, I couldn’t properly enjoy the party because Belrietta was persistently clinging to me, annoyingly demanding attention.
Just like now.