WDEDLF-Chapter 116

Rubaine gripped Lark’s collar even tighter, making a sound that was neither a laugh nor a sob. Then he whispered quickly in a small voice as if he was revealing some great secret.

 

“I think my father had an affair with a witch and had Mariel. Both my father and I were bewitched by the witch. And that girl Elaine is trying to take over our family by bewitching you!”

 

“That doesn’t make sense…!”

 

“But it’s not too late for you, Lark. Forget that woman! Think of her only as a tool for the family. That’s what you and I are doing. This is the path for our family!”

 

“Father!”

 

“Is she the only woman in the world? If you don’t like Lorina, take another woman as your mistress. If one doesn’t satisfy you, take two, or three! But don’t take Elaine!”

 

However, Rubaine’s bloody feelings did not reach Lark.

 

The expression that seemed to suggest that Elaine would be thrown to the dogs of the streets only provoked Lark more.

 

He roughly pulled away from Ruben’s hand that was grabbing his collar and then patted down his crumpled cravat.

 

Then, all of a sudden, he started to laugh out loud. The laughter that started out low and small gradually grew louder and eventually turned into a loud laugh until it was the loudest Lark had ever heard.

 

“Aha, ahahahaha!”

 

“La, Lark!”

 

Ruben just stared at his son with wide eyes, startled by his unexpected reaction.

 

“Ahahaha! Haa, haa, this is really funny. I didn’t realize it even after Elaine said she liked me, but I realized it after hearing my father’s words just now.”

 

“What, what are you talking about?”

 

“Ah….I was lusting after Elaine…that’s what I was saying.”

 

“Lark!”

 

Lark, who had erased his smile, had a very calm expression in contrast to Rubaine, who was so angry that his face turned red.

 

“Everyone was anxious to take Elaine away from me, but I let her go because I thought she was mine anyway. But now I know, I’ve been too complacent.”

 

“Are you going to ignore what I say?”

 

“I have not the slightest intention of having what is mine taken from me, no matter what it is.”

 

Rubaine broke out in a cold sweat at the sight of Lark, who seemed to have already crossed a certain line. If he had known Lark’s true intentions, he would have sat down right there in fear.

 

‘We must first eliminate the enemy within, Father.’

 

Lark smiled at his pale father and left the head of the household’s office.

 

‘Now that I have become completely aware of the emotions I had previously denied, my head, which had been clouded by fog, has become clearer and my stuffy heart has become more open.’

 

‘I will bring Elaine back and make her mine. Only I will know, only I will look at her…’

 

Lark walked briskly, wondering if he would ever get to use the outbuilding where Rubaine had kept Mariel.

 

If he wanted to take over everything in that family, including Elaine, he had to move quickly.

 

* * * 

 

“Has it been two months? Judging from your cheerful expression, it seems you had a meaningful holiday season, Sergey Lindell.”

 

“Thanks to Your Highness’ concern, I had a more enjoyable holiday season than ever.”

 

Sergey answered lightly as he walked around the palace with Anais.

 

Anais had deliberately suggested a walk around the palace to make it public that Sergey had chosen her over Abel, and Sergey had accepted the bothersome suggestion to check the barriers and magical powers detected throughout the palace.

 

Although it was a season where the cold never went away, the palace was kept warm by the power of wizards, and spring flowers were already blooming in the garden.

 

Anais deliberately approached the garden near the prince’s palace to show off her and Sergey’s union.

 

“Your ability to act is indeed impressive. The atmosphere of the social world changed in just two months.”

 

“Rather than saying that my actions were impressive, shouldn’t we say that the nobles’ judgment was quick?”

 

“That makes sense, but it would have been impossible if you hadn’t shown your support by throwing two parties in the two months following the imperial banquet. And you, who are stingy with attending parties, attended three parties held by other families.”

 

“It seems like you’re watching my every move.”

 

“Let’s use the expression ‘trend tracking’ instead of the word ‘surveillance’.”

 

Anais and Sergey exchanged words without being pushed by each other at all.

 

Sergey felt like a new weapon that was difficult for Anais to handle, as he was determined to support her but was also not very docile.

 

But that doesn’t mean he was annoying.

 

He was certainly making moves for her, even though he was paid a small price, the actions of one Sergey Lindell were bringing about much better results than those of a few mediocre nobles.

 

So sometimes Anais wondered.

 

‘What on earth is this man’s goal in supporting me?’

 

It was clear that he had no interest in worldly or material rewards. If he was interested, it would have been Abel, not Anais, who he supported.

 

The problem was that Anais had no idea what Sergey really wanted.

 

For now, she didn’t delve too deeply into his inner thoughts because she lamented her lack of power, but she worried that it might one day come back to haunt her.

 

Of course, Sergey had no interest in such things.

 

‘The salad I had this morning was pretty tasty. Should I have it again for dinner tonight?’

 

If Anais had known that he was mulling over such thoughts, she would be embarrassed.

 

At that moment, a tingling sensation came from the direction of the prince’s palace.

 

‘That mysterious dragon’s aura is enveloping the prince’s palace. Well, is that to be expected?’

 

Prince Abel was nothing more than an empty puppet, but he was still a living human being.

 

If so, then whenever he wasn’t exercising mind control, he would have had to hide Abel from others’ eyes.

 

Sergey took Anais with him to the prince’s palace to get a closer look at the dragon aura surrounding it.

 

“When did His Highness Abel come to live in this palace?”

 

“From the day after he ascended to the throne.”

 

Anais answered with a sigh. 

 

On the day Abel ascended the throne, his mother rejoiced as if it were her own child.

 

“Abel. With this, you and Anais have become real siblings. As a younger brother and subject, please take good care of Anais.”

 

“It is an honor to be able to call Your Highness Anais my sister. Until my last breath, I will do everything I can to protect you.”

 

The sight of Abel swearing his oath with dignity even at a young age made everyone there happy.

 

It was a truly happy time.

 

“Since he came here and started living here, Abel has been coming to visit me every day, making me happy. It couldn’t have been free, but I forgot for a moment that everything has a price.”

 

Anais smiled bitterly and turned her head away from the prince’s palace. 

 

But Sergey noticed that someone was standing by the second-floor window, looking this way.

 

‘Hmm…I don’t think it’s any of my business, but what should I do….’

 

Sergue made brief eye contact with the person on the second floor, then looked away and pondered.

 

In fact, meddling in other people’s affairs was far from Sergey’s taste.

 

These people, who are ignorant and weak, will act as if it was their right to do favors and then stab you in the back.

 

‘The dragon’s magic power is concentrated in the imperial palace. If I were so inclined, I would have wanted to hang it in the imperial palace, but the divine power there is too strong.

 

The Emperor’s Palace probably had the strongest divine power, but Sasha, who had captured the Emperor, had somehow managed to break through it.

 

‘These guys are very simple, too. I suppose they thought they didn’t need to bother with the dragon.’

 

‘What they didn’t expect was that there was another dragon in the human realm, and he stood opposite them.’

 

‘If this is a simple fight, I’m in favor. Let’s see who’s stronger.’

 

Sergey stifled a chuckle as he and Anais made their way back to the palace.

 

But the man standing at the second-floor window looking down called out to them, pounding his fist on the window. Of course, the sound didn’t make it out of the palace.

 

“Sister, Sister, please look this way, Sister!”

 

Abel tried to open the magically locked window somehow.

 

It was the first time he’d been that close to Anais since he’d escaped Malek’s control.

 

He didn’t want to miss that opportunity.

 

But the result of the struggle was, as always, his defeat.

 

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he watched Anais’ back as she walked away.

 

“Please, please look back at me, sister! Please…..”

 

Abel pounded on the window until he lost sight of Anais’ form, and when she was completely out of sight, he froze in place and sobbed.

 

The most horrible thing about mind control magic was that recurring feeling of helplessness and hopelessness.

 

Nineteen years of repeated despair had driven him to the brink of insanity, but Abel had managed to keep his sanity.

 

It was only thanks to the dead Empress and Anais.

 

“You are Abel. I’m Anais, your sister.”

 

The image of Anais smiling fondly and reaching out her hand to her half-brother, the child of her father’s mistress, was etched in his mind, even as he was ruled by Malek.

 

The dead empress and Anais were willing to give him the family affection that his own mother had never given him.

 

Malek’s portrayal of the “gentle and innocent prince” was actually a reflection of the real Abel.

 

Abel really wanted to serve Anais as his sister and emperor and remain her sweet and affectionate brother.

 

So when Malek was acting in front of Anais, Abel felt like he was being himself.

 

* * *