There Is No Mercy

Chapter 65

“Are they always like this?”

The former Duke Rippleton that I remembered was the literal  embodiment of war and a living demon.

She wasn’t someone with such a lighthearted demeanor.

To begin with, it was hard enough for a woman to rise to the title of Duke in Rippleton, which was famous for its military prowess.

But Benicia made that possible and even earned a better reputation than her father.

But seeing her arguing with Aden like this…

‘I don’t even know how to play along…’

I glanced between the two while sipping my tea.

It didn’t seem like their conversation would end anytime soon unless I intervened, so I put my teacup down.

“If you’re interested in paintings, how about I show you the studio run by Brilloxen? Lure Artling also uses that studio, so you could see more paintings that might suit your taste. If you like any, I’d be happy to gift you one.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

When I smiled, Benicia looked at me blankly for a moment, then broke into a grin.

“The more I see you, the more I like you. You’re talented, well-mannered, and you know how to handle people. You’re quite the impressive young lady.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

There was no reason for me to get on the bad side of the former duchess. Even though she had stepped down, her influence remained strong.

Not to mention, she’s Aden’s mother. Getting on her good side would only benefit me.

Benicia, seeming to understand the calculation behind my words, smiled broadly and slowly shifted her legs.

“Since I’ve received such a wonderful offer, I suppose I should give you a gift in return.”

“Where are you going?” Aden asked.

“To meet an old friend. You and Sierra can relax here. I’ll be back soon.”

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

“Are you planning to send me with a bodyguard?”

Standing by the door, Benicia tilted her chin.

Aden shook his head at her suggestion.

“Right?” she smirked and left the room.

As the door closed with a soft click, Aden let out a small sigh.

His usual composed demeanor seemed different today, so I watched him closely.

Sensing my gaze as he swept his hair back, Aden turned to meet my eyes.

“Sorry about that. I didn’t mean for you to see us like that.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being on good terms with your mother.”

“It’s not something a Duke should display.”

“You’re a person before you’re a duke. And you’re still someone’s son, aren’t you? Or did you spring out of the ground, born from an egg?”

Aden opened his mouth as if to retort but then let out a small chuckle instead.

He lowered his chin slowly and stared at the teacup in front of him.

The room fell into a comfortable silence after that.

Aden absentmindedly tapped the table, creating a steady rhythm that filled the air.

Then, without warning, the tapping stopped, and his voice broke the quiet.

“About the mercenaries…”

“There’s no need to talk about that. I was just doing my duty.”

“Duty?”

“The moment I got you involved in all this, I knew you’d become a target for Belietta. And I was right. Belietta’s smart. She figured out how to use you to get to me.”

Belietta’s moves were carefully calculated.

If we had made even one wrong step, both Aden and I could’ve been in real danger.

“She’s been trying to weaken Rippleton’s power, all while planning her own attack on me.”

I poked my forehead with my finger and tilted my head.

Aden’s expression hardened, his eyes narrowing slightly. His lips parted slowly as he asked in a low voice, “Did she try to harm you?”

“She tried. Thankfully, I managed to avoid it. To be honest, I wouldn’t say it’s because my plans were perfect. I’d say luck played a big part.”

What if the ladies I sent Rippert to had arrived even a second later?

What if Benicia had come through the gate a moment too late?

There were too many what-ifs to count.

But honestly, there weren’t many other good options.

“Good solutions often come with risks. Sometimes, those risks are to my safety, or sometimes, it’s just bad timing. This isn’t just about situations like this. Life throws these things at you all the time. But this attitude of mine is what makes the real difference against Belietta.”

Belietta never takes risks that could put her in danger. No matter what she’s doing, her safety comes first.

That’s the small difference.

It’s why I can win against her.

Aden remained silent, watching me as I spoke. He seemed deep in thought, his lips pressed tightly together.

Was he unhappy with my answer?

I studied his face, picking up my teacup again. But then I remembered something and paused, putting it back down.

“Speaking of which, what happened to Richelle? Did you find anything out?”

“She’s still unconscious after that sudden seizure. There are even rumors that the investigation might have been too harsh.”

“Did you figure out what caused the seizure?”

Aden shook his head slightly.

That made me rest my chin in my hand as I slowly began to piece together my thoughts.

“Aha…”

Knock, knock.

Just as I was about to say something, someone knocked on the door.

Who could it be? I got up to open the door, and standing there was Belietta.

I barely managed to stop my face from twisting in annoyance.

Belietta glanced around the room, spotting Aden, and then locked eyes with me.

“What do you want?”

“Can I come in for a minute?”

“I have a guest.”

“I know your guest too.”

Belietta gave me a sweet smile as if it were no big deal.

I furrowed my brows.

What’s she up to?

I glanced back at Aden, who gave me a nod, signaling it was okay. Letting out a small sigh, I stepped aside, and Belietta walked in.

As she made her way over to Aden, I closed the door and followed behind her.

“It’s been a while, Your Grace,” Belietta said, dragging a chair over to sit down before anyone could even offer her a seat.

Even though we were in the Bozebourne estate, her behavior wasn’t exactly appropriate, especially in front of the Duke.

Aden’s brow furrowed slightly as he slowly crossed his arms and faced her.

“I’ve been trying to get in touch with you for a while, but I kept getting turned away. It’s nice to finally see you here.”

“Get to the point. I’m not exactly thrilled to be sitting here talking to you. And, if I remember correctly, I’m not the host of this room, am I?”

Aden rolled his eyes and pointed at me.

Belietta glanced my way before nodding slightly.

As soon as I took my seat, Belietta opened her mouth as if she’d been waiting.

“The former Duke is currently with my father. They seem to be having an important discussion.”

“I don’t think that’s why you came here.”

Aden drew another line, and Belietta’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t seem pleased with Aden’s dismissive attitude.

I wasn’t too fond of Belietta’s behavior either, so I put my hand on the table.

“What’s going on? Why the sudden visit?”

Despite my question, she didn’t respond. She shot me a quick glance before focusing back on Aden, as if I wasn’t even there.

What the hell? I felt a mix of disbelief and irritation as I opened my mouth to speak, but Belietta cut me off.

“I have something to tell you.”

“Go ahead.”

“We’re planning to officially announce our relationship soon. My father went to see the former Duke to discuss this, and I thought I should let you know as well.”

I was taken aback by Belietta’s unexpected news, my expression crumpling for a moment.

‘Suddenly?’

That was the only thought racing through my mind.

I knew Belietta was spontaneous and unpredictable, but I never expected her to say something like that right next to me.

“We already wrapped up that discussion.”

“No, it’s not over yet. So, for the time being, I’d appreciate it if you could avoid personal meetings with Your Grace. Right, Sierra?”

Belietta’s gaze slowly turned to me.

Her usual cheerful smile was replaced by a tense expression.

The smile that was always there was now gone, her eyes serious.

She was trying to lend weight to her words with that serious expression.

“I’ve been thinking a lot. While I appreciate that the Duke is helping you, I was curious about how far that help would go. Today, I saw the result of that curiosity, and my father said he could no longer sit back and watch. So, let me be clear.”

She took a short breath, gathering her thoughts before speaking calmly.

“If the Duke continues to be involved with you, Bozebourne will formalize the engagement and will no longer support the royal family and the council.”

“…”

“You understand what that means, right?”