~Chapter 50~
Ricardo tried every possible way to die.
But they all failed.
Was this what Harness wanted all along? Was this why he trained him so harshly?
Just when he began to doubt whether he had to keep living for Harness’s will, Ricardo found a new reason to live.
It was a letter from his mother that he found in Dians.
Inside was her will.
He decided he would die—but only after fulfilling her last wish.
“Search everyone who was in the annex on the night of the fire when I came to the estate.”
The next day, someone unexpected came to him.
“I-I did it for House Hessen…!”
It was his old nanny, the one who had raised him.
“Please… at least spare my son. I’ll tell you everything I know.”
What she said next was shocking.
“You are the heir of House Hessen! You must destroy the curse at its root, on behalf of Lord Harness, who cannot take revenge himself.”
“That’s what you came to tell me? While hiding from Harness?”
“T-the fire really was an accident. But… the fuel barrels were indeed placed there on Lord Harness’s orders.”
Ricardo closed his eyes tightly.
“Why? Did he want to show me what a curse looks like?”
“Because… you can’t understand Lord Harness.”
She clung to Ricardo’s legs.
“You can kill me. I don’t care. Just… please, for the sake of our old ties—spare my son from Hessen’s wrath.”
“Hah…”
Ricardo laughed bitterly.
“Weren’t you the one who begged me to grow up just like Harness?”
Her face went pale. But only for a moment. Then she screamed in rage.
“You’ll go to hell for this! How could you—how could you do this, even to a child?!”
Elliot, who had been standing nearby, shut his eyes and swiftly cut her down.
Ricardo gave a faint smile and spoke to her lifeless body.
“This is already hell.”
Elliot, catching his breath, asked:
“Should I find her son?”
“No need.”
“If you leave a seed of revenge behind, it may come back to harm you.”
Ricardo chuckled quietly.
“I’m actually looking forward to my end.”
After that, he became obsessed with finding Ailins.
The “curse” Harness had screamed about did seem to exist, especially considering what happened in the Roygin territory.
But the curse only affected families that owned the Dremokan forest.
Maybe Harness blamed the curse for the deaths of his wife and son just because he needed someone to blame.
At that realization, Ricardo’s mind cleared.
“Elliot, what will you do now?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re a knight of House Hessen.”
Elliot swallowed hard, then, after a moment, drew his sword and swore loyalty.
“I serve you, young master. Whatever you command, I will follow.”
Ricardo had thought death was near, yet there was still work to do.
He repeated to himself over and over that he would not become like Harness.
But no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t deny it—he was still Harness’s descendant.
***
“An engagement?”
“Yes. Do you remember Bianca?”
Ricardo searched his memory.
“She’s the granddaughter of the Roygin family. You must have played together as kids.”
Then he finally remembered.
That incredibly annoying girl—
A child who boldly talked about love without even knowing what it was.
Ricardo’s face immediately turned grim.
“Get engaged to her. Her family owns Dremokan, so we need them no matter what.”
He felt unpleasant.
The only thing he remembered from childhood about her was discomfort, and now he had to marry her?
Still, Ricardo agreed without protest.
He needed to play the obedient “dog” for a little while.
And besides, there were plenty of ways to break off the engagement later.
For example, getting caught in a scandal.
“I’m often seen with Idette anyway. If people think we’re lovers, it’s easier to explain.”
When a man and a woman are seen together, the easiest excuse is romance.
It was dramatic but made sense.
“What about your fiancée?”
He didn’t have the energy to worry about that.
He hoped she’d just back off on her own.
But when they finally met again, she was nothing like he remembered.
“I-I don’t like this either, you know?”
“You expect me to believe that right now?”
“Why wouldn’t you?”
She said she didn’t like the engagement and acted like she’d be willing to break it off anytime if he wanted.
And that wasn’t all.
“If you want to love Miss Idette, go ahead. Just as you don’t care about my feelings, I don’t care about yours either.”
She used to say she liked him, but now her attitude had completely changed. Of course, it had been a long time since they met. That was enough time for her feelings to change.
He decided to accept it—it was a good thing, really.
She used to care only about jewels, but now she looked at wildflowers growing along the streets.
She nearly tripped while walking and then looked around in embarrassment—that bothered him.
And then, she told her fiancé to just go see the person he liked.
That was the most ridiculous part. Why would she show such pointless kindness?
Was she stupid? Or just clueless? He couldn’t tell.
At first, it was just frustration.
That foolish, clueless girl.
“…Do you know any newspaper reporters?”
“Why? Are you planning to publish something?”
At Elliot’s question, Ricardo frowned.
“Bring someone who’s good at taking pictures.”
It was a decision made out of spite.
He didn’t care much for his fiancée, but rumors that she liked someone else still bothered him.
When she looked unwell, he showed concern—and all she said in return was that she just suddenly felt like going outside.
‘…Damn it. That was her way of saying it was because of me.’
“Is this the photo you wanted, sir?”
Elliot handed him a photo, looking confused. When Ricardo saw it, he was speechless.
It was a photo of a couple yelling at each other, red-faced.
“…Hah.”
“Should I throw it away?”
“No. Just leave it.”
His eyes often went back to that photo—but it was just a coincidence.
Every time he thought of tearing it up, he stopped and put it away in a drawer. He kept checking on it, again and again.
Her ridiculous behavior didn’t stop there.
When they met again after a long time, didn’t she say she fell in love easily?
Turned out she was right.
She had lost interest in him because she had someone new she liked.
The girl standing next to that guy—she was actually quite pretty.
She had a habit of flicking her dress when she walked. He thought he was the only one who noticed, but Leon saw it too and laughed.
Leon casually brushed the hair off her cheek. He even protected her from men approaching her without her realizing.
None of that had anything to do with him.
‘…Then why am I so angry?’
He didn’t want to accept that someone else knew things about her that he didn’t.
As time passed, the gap between them grew—and he hated that.
Even though he knew she no longer had feelings for him, he kept making senseless excuses to hold on.
But in the end, she chose to break off the engagement.
He was afraid to look into her eyes that held no emotion. So, he hoped—just maybe—they’d show some feeling.
Even if it was hatred or resentment.
“So, I was thinking. The weather’s nice… how about we break off the engagement?”
He knew it.
He was being selfish. He knew he couldn’t keep her anymore.
But even so, he had to try.
“…Has Bianca already left?”
The day of the ball.
He went to the Roygin residence, only to be met by a flustered butler.
“M-Miss Bianca said it’d be best to head to the ball early… so she already left.”
…She was going to enter alone, without a partner?
She hadn’t expected her fiancé to come and pick her up. Of course not. There was no trust between them. He had never given her a reason to trust him.
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