HRNGDS 66

~Chapter 66~

Ivelina twisted her lips into a smirk.

If Delphina didn’t do as she wanted, Ivelina had her own plans.

People who love passionately get hurt the most when they are betrayed.

‘Just like Delphina was hurt by Kassen.’

Ivelina still remembered the look in Delphina’s eyes as she stared at the ring on her finger—the pain of betrayal.

What if Elcayan was betrayed by Delphina too?

‘Would he still be able to love her the same way?’

Ivelina nodded in satisfaction.

“So, you prepared things just like I asked?”

“Yes, I followed your orders carefully. He’s locked up so he can’t run away. He’s probably shivering in fear. We made sure he has no choice but to listen.”

“Good. I’ll visit him today, so give him some money and talk to him. We have to win him over no matter what.”

“Yes, Lady Ivelina.”

“If you can’t win him over, threaten his life if you have to.”

“Yes!”

Roni bowed deeply at Ivelina’s words. Ivelina didn’t see the cold sweat running down Roni’s forehead.

Roni quickly left the Rikeion house before Ivelina went out, to persuade that troublesome man.

‘I wonder if he’ll listen.’

Roni arrived at the inn where the man was staying.

He was a neat-looking middle-aged man. At first glance, he could pass for a noble, with an elegant air.

“What did you say your name was?”

The man kept his mouth tightly shut and didn’t answer, his face cold.

He picked up a paper and wrote down his name:

[Alphong.]

His handwriting was beautiful.

Roni sighed. He clearly could speak but just didn’t want to talk to her.

‘Doesn’t matter. He’s just someone I’ll use and then get rid of.’

With a cold face, Roni began,

“Fine, Alphong. I’m here to make you an offer. You know, right? We only fed and sheltered you because we had a reason.”

[Of course.]

Roni glared at Alphong, annoyed by his unmotivated face.

“Listen well. The noble I serve is very powerful.”

After that, Roni started to threaten him—telling him that if he didn’t follow her master’s orders, he’d be killed.

[So, what’s the order?]

“A woman will come into this room. Pretend to be her lover. It doesn’t matter how you do it. Understand?”

[Very suspicious job.]

“Don’t ask for details unless you want to die.”

Alphong quickly realized he was getting involved in something dirty.

Alphong—Alphonso Rikeion—thought,

‘I’ll just run away when I can.’

He actually had the strength to escape at any time. He had stayed only because it was comfortable—he got food, shelter, and a bath.

But if he ran away, the poor girl who would be trapped in this scheme might be replaced by someone else.

[How old is the girl I have to pretend to be lovers with?]

“She’s just become an adult. Does that matter?”

Alphong frowned.

If she just became an adult, she was the same age as his granddaughter.

‘Do I really look that young?’

He touched his face. After reaching a high level, his appearance had become younger.

‘In the East, they call this a rebirth.’

After this change, he was able to overcome some of the sadness and laziness that always weighed him down.

‘That’s why I came back to see Delphina.’

But even that was difficult. Though he barely reached the Rikeion lands, going to the main house was hard.

The truth was, Roni didn’t know, but even talking was so tiring that he preferred writing.

For some reason, moving his body felt easier than speaking.

He used to be talkative, but now he couldn’t remember when that was.

Alphong’s face went blank.

He had no energy, but he couldn’t let a girl his granddaughter’s age get hurt.

Just like he decided to return to the Rikeion house, Alphonso made another decision.

‘This is really annoying, and I don’t want to do anything, but I can’t leave this alone.’

He decided to endure for the sake of the unknown girl.

Elcayan and Calix were in a carriage heading to the hunting grounds.

Calix looked at Elcayan and clicked his tongue.

“Tsk tsk, you worry so much about Lady Delphina, so why did you leave her alone?”

“Because that’s what Delphina wanted.”

Calix turned his head, surprised. He cleared his throat.

“Ahem, if she wanted it, there must be a good reason.”

Calix quickly changed the topic.

“Any progress on finding Alphonso?”

“No sign at all. Investigators are searching for a knight of his age, but can’t find him. Do you know any special features?”

“What I know, everyone knows. He always looked way older than his age. Unless he became a transcendent, he should still look really old.”

Calix seemed to recall memories.

“Even though there’s a big age gap, we became friends because we both liked swordsmanship. Alphonso always envied my face. Ha! But aside from looking old, he was actually quite handsome.”

“Also, he used to talk a lot. A scary amount.”

Elcayan nodded.

An old-looking, talkative knight.

Everyone knew those features and was searching for him.

‘There are famous portraits of Alphonso. Why can’t they find him? If he came to Rikeion to see Delphina, the investigators should have seen him.’

Maybe Alphonso wasn’t in the Rikeion lands at all. With no trace, they had to consider the worst.

Or maybe he changed completely.

‘A big shock can change a person.’

Elcayan sighed. Calix laughed loudly.

“Don’t worry, if Alphonso is alive, he’ll walk in by himself. He always keeps his word. If he said he’d see Lady Delphina, he will.”

Early in the morning, Ivelina went to see Delphina. As soon as she saw her, she started to complain.

“Delphina, I heard you still haven’t dropped my lawsuit.”

Delphina nodded. Ivelina scowled at her calm reaction.

“Why won’t you drop it?”

Ivelina put on a pitiful face for others to see and lowered her head.

“We’re family. Why are you being so cold?”