Why Are you Obsessed Even Though you're Dead ?

Chapter 33

Hillos Jacques’s eyes were bloodshot,  His clenched fist was trembling.

“It’s quite common in noble society… I suppose you didn’t even have a hint of suspicion. You still lack the airs of nobility.”

Hillos Jacques glared at me as if he were about to kill me. He strode towards me, seizing my wrist tightly.

“…!”

Simultaneously, Hillos Jacques’s memories flooded into my mind,  Most of them showed his efforts to protect his remaining son, having lost two families.

“Now, can you stand by your words?”

“…”

“If it’s a lie… if what you said is a lie to cover up the situation, I will surely kill you. I will tear your limbs apart and…”

“The investigator who looked into the incident colluded with Cedric’s stepmother, Cortisan, to cover up the accident, so you should start by looking into that.”

I casually pointed out to Hillos Jacques where he should start investigating,  When I mentioned precise evidence, the color drained from his face, leaving it pale.

“Cedric, Cedric did that? Did that child… no, it’s a lie. That child couldn’t…”

“You might find it hard to believe my sudden revelation. Shall I tell you that Lady Jacques was riding a carriage to meet Cedric at the agreed place when the accident happened?”

“But that’s… a family secret, how could you…”

“Or should I tell you that the eldest son, who never liked alcohol, was forced to drink until he was intoxicated that day, by Cedric?”

“W-what…”

“Or perhaps I should fabricate a completely absurd lie, like the youngest son, who usually had aquaphobia and never went near the lake, was playing near the lake that day and drowned?”

Watching Hillos Jacques absorb the personal stories of the family, unknown even outside the family, I saw him gulp dryly.

“Cedric has always been cruel and ruthless towards others since he was a child. Instead of hiding such behavior for fear of how it might look to others, it should have been corrected.”

Hillos Jacques clenched his jaw, his eyes clouded with murky resentment.

“It seems you need some time to process this, Jacques.”

I withdrew my wrist from Hillos Jacques’s grip and stepped back. Still reeling from shock, Hillos Jacques, I bowed slightly towards him.

“Jacques,  Allow me to point out that nobles don’t blow theatrical smoke in each other’s faces. It’s considered uncultured behavior, fit for the uncouth.”

“…”

“I’m concerned that perhaps due to your lack of understanding, you might make similar mistakes elsewhere.”

Hillos Jacques’s aide looked at me with incredulous eyes,  I observed the two of them for a moment before bowing once again.

“I’ll take my leave now.”

After leaving a greeting, I stepped out of the Hillows Manor annex.

Having read through Hillows Manor’s memories, it seemed like Cedric knew why he always felt deprived during the social seasons in the capital.

Hillows Manor had always been treated like a half-noble, half-merchant, and Cedric thought that if he could resolve that, he would truly become Hillows Manor’s rightful heir.

So, he made every effort to meet the noble youths of good families.

It’s not even funny.

“Is that the meal for Cedric?”

As I entered the inner sanctum, I happened upon a maid heading towards Cedric’s locked room.

“Yeah.”

Clearly exhausted from the backlog of guests, the maid nodded with a fatigued expression.

“You look really tired. Come here. I’ll take it for you.”

“Th-thank you,  Is that alright?”

“Of course. I’ll bring it quickly before Creamy and Cheese go for their walk. You seem short-handed, so go on.”

With a smile, I received the tray from the maid’s hands. It seemed trivial to be handing over a meal, so the maid didn’t seem to mind.

“Th-then I’ll leave it to you.”

The maid clumsily smiled at me and handed over the tray before quickly hurrying away. I took the tray and headed towards Cedric’s locked room.

“I’ve brought your meal.”

“I said I’m not eating! Don’t bring such food here and go get my father right away…! Huh?”

The room where Cedric had been confined was a mess, as if a riot had occurred. I sighed and set the tray down on the table.

“This room is a mess,  It’ll take a while to clean up. And with the shortage of help, it’s chaos.”

“You, you…!”

Cedric suddenly stood up and approached me aggressively, He grabbed me by the collar and shoved me against the wall.

A sharp pain spread from the back of my head as it hit the wall.

“You! You…!”

“Don’t you usually ask if someone who fell into the water is alright first? Sadly, you didn’t seem to learn even that.”

“If I get out of here, I’ll kill you first. I’ll drown you in the lake…!”

“Or perhaps disguise it as a carriage accident like your mother, or hire mercenaries to beat your brother to death, like you tried to fake?”

As I finished speaking, Cedric’s pupils dilated in shock. The grip on my collar, which had been squeezing tightly, suddenly loosened.

“You, what…”

“We’re the only ones here, Let’s not play disgustingly false roles.”

“What?”

“Don’t act so surprised,  You laughed when your brother begged for his life, remember?”

Cedric gasped in shock.

“…Don’t beg for your life.”

I echoed the words I had read in Cedric’s memories.

“You were the one who killed your mother and brother.”

“Since I was the one who killed your mother and brother.”

“They said they wanted to see their mother and brother, didn’t they? Dear brother , Help them. Go meet your mother and brother.”

After finishing speaking, I reached out and lightly pushed his shoulder, just as Cedric had done to his brother.

“Aaah!!”

Although I pushed him lightly, Cedric screamed as if he had fallen into a lake and fell back with a thud.

“What… What on earth are you? How could you…! How do you know about that!”

“You’re admitting it too easily. I didn’t do it, is the same excuse boring now?”

My nails were bothering me since I hadn’t been taking care of them. I absentmindedly muttered as I bit at the side of my nail.

“The truth is, I can see dead people.”

It was a prepared excuse And it was the best thing I could say to scare Cedric.

“…What?”

At the same time, the color drained from Cedric’s face.

“How could I have known all that? All the people you’ve killed have been standing on your shoulders, telling me.”

“Ugh!”

Cedric exclaimed in surprise, hitting his own shoulder with his palm. I watched him indifferently.

“Did you really think just hitting yourself like that would make them fall?”

“Lies, it’s all lies.”

His face, which was full of anger just a moment ago, was now filled with fear.

“Lies? Do you really think so? Cedric Hilos. Your little brother hanging from your head is smiling. This isn’t the hide-and-seek game we used to play. …or so he says.”

“Aaaah!!”

This time, Cedric flailed, hitting his own head.

“Do you think hitting your head will solve anything? What about those people hanging from your two legs? Acting like that even towards a child.”

“You, you…!”

He seemed to not want to believe my words, but Cedric was busy shaking off his legs and arms.

The longer the shadow, the scarier the retribution that comes back around.

“They, while you sleep peacefully, will stand by your head, by your feet, and surround you, cursing you with nightmares. While you eat happily, starving ones will bite into your legs, and while you laugh as if nothing happened, they will shed tears of blood and eagerly try to kill you.”

“Stop it, please, stop!”

“Cedric Hilos.”

I aimed at Cedric, who was gnashing his teeth and hitting himself hard all over.

“You’d better confess with your own mouth and ask for forgiveness from Celly and Ronen before leaving the North. Otherwise, I’ll expose all the atrocities you’ve committed one by one.”

Cedric, with a terrified expression, looked at me and then immediately dropped to his knees.

“T-this bastard… tell me a way to get rid of them.”

He looked truly frightened at the thought of his misdeeds catching up to him.

“Why ask me? I can only see things; I can’t do anything about it.”

“T-then, what about these…?”

“You’ll have to live with them for the rest of your life. Because it’s not what I did, it’s what you did.”

Cedric nervously glanced around at the empty surroundings. He looked like someone others might call crazy.

Suddenly, Cedric’s bedroom door swung open. Without warning, Helios, with an admonishing look and anger, strode in.

I discreetly stepped aside, and Helios marched towards Cedric, who seemed to see him as if meeting a savior.

“Father… F-father!”

Cedric stumbled as if he had met his salvation.

“Father… Father! Please help me! Call the priests. The dead are… in my body!”

Thwack!

Cedric fell backward before he could finish his sentence. It was because of the forceful blow from Helios’s fist to his beloved son’s face.

“Father!”

Suddenly struck, Cedric grabbed his cheek and glared resentfully at Helios.

“Is it true that you killed my wife, who raised you through sleepless nights when you were in pain, thinking of you as her own son?”

“….!”

“Is it true that you killed your brother, whom I treated as my own, who sacrificed everything for you, and your loyal sister who followed you?”

The room echoed with Helios’s thunderous voice. Cedric trembled as if he were a convict receiving a death sentence.

“Fa… Father.”

To Cedric, Helios was a necessary figure. No matter what atrocities he committed, Helios was a reliable shield who would cover for him and protect him.

“It was an accident!”

Cedric clung to Helios’s leg as if hanging onto a lifeline.

“I didn’t kill them, it was an accident!”

“How will you explain that you’re not my son then?”

“….!”

Cedric jerked his head up at the cold tone, startled. It was the moment when the magpie, who had always received more love than he deserved, was cast aside.

“Did… Did Mother say something?”

“…”

Hillos Jaak closed his eyes tightly. Then he made a casual gesture to his aide standing behind him.

“Cedric is expelled from the Hillos family.”

“Father! I— Cedric is someone you loved!”

“Apologize to Duke Viollentus for coming without notice, and express regret for leaving. Send a separate gift later to make amends.”

“Yes, Your Lordship.”

“Father!”

“Cedric’s punishment will be left to Duke Viollentus. Since Cedric is no longer a member of the Hillos family, do as you wish with permanent banishment from the North.”

“Father!!”

“Don’t call me father.”

Hillos Jaak glared at Cedric with eyes full of hatred and anger, speaking with a low voice.

“I’d like to tear you apart right now if I could. What I’m enduring isn’t my last consideration for you, but because you’re still a knight of the Viollentus family. Once you’re expelled from that position, I intend to repay you, my wife, eldest son, and youngest son, for what you’ve done.”

“Ah, ah…”

“All your misdeeds will be investigated starting now, so you’d better prepare.”

“Fa— father…”

“It was my mistake to raise someone who enjoyed ruining others’ lives and then made him a knight.”

Hillos Jaak forcefully pushed away Cedric, who was clutching his leg, and turned away. Before leaving the room, he glanced at me off to the side.

“When you go back, bear the consequences of that monster’s actions and the punishment I’ve hidden. That way, it shouldn’t tarnish the nobility’s reputation.”

“It’s impressive to see you taking full responsibility for your actions.”

“Stubborn to the end.”

“When you return, please handle the debt forgiveness you mentioned earlier first. The child doesn’t want any more involvement with the Hillos family.”

“…I hope you don’t lose that stubborn courage.”

I nodded.

“Of course,  I had that in mind.”

Hillos Jaak nodded, then left the room as he was. After everyone had left, I remained alone, watching Cedric despair.

“That’s why I said it from the beginning. Cedric Hillos. No, Cedric.”

“You, you…!”

“I told you I didn’t think you’d ever hold a sword again, didn’t I? My words were right, weren’t they?”

“How dare you, how dare you…!”

“It’s you who’s being expelled, not me.”

I smiled warmly, bowing politely like a servant.

“Sir Cedric,  Thank you for your service until now.”