TVIOWHFW 40

John nodded lightly toward Baron Penula, as if to tell me to watch.

Startled, I grabbed John’s sleeve.

“What are you planning to do?”

“Well, I’m planning to show you how to do things my way.”

His red eyes brushed against my hand, which was holding onto my sleeve, then returned to my face.

“That Libertan document, it’s the one your wife left behind.”

“…”

“That was a good idea, but too slow.”

How did you know I left that document behind?

“Where on earth do you know the full extent of it?”

The banquet hall grew increasingly noisy.

Perhaps it was the tumultuous rumors surrounding it.

Meeting his gaze, it felt as if John and I were the only two people left in the world.

John closed his sharp gaze and smiled wickedly.

“Those fools who don’t heed warnings need to be dealt with.”

John patted my shoulder.

“That way, I’ll understand my position and figure it out.”

~·~·*· . ·*· . ·*· . ·*·~·~

Countess Hettel was shocked and speechless.

“Why is he still alive?”

At first, Countess Hettel was uneasy about Baron Penula.

Even if the fraud was successful, it would be a disaster if Baron Penula betrayed him.

So, under the pretense of gathering evidence, she imprisoned him and sent a knight to kill Baron Penula.

Baron Penula was definitely dead.

Her husband, Count Hettel, confirmed it.

Her husband, Count Hettel, was equally shocked.

“P-Baron Penula? I confirmed the body…”

In his panic, he blurted out something he shouldn’t have.

The surrounding nobles began to murmur even louder.

“Honey! Then people will misunderstand.”

Countess Hettel quickly cut Count Hettel off.

“You may have met someone you knew in the past, but now that we’re in different situations, you shouldn’t do that.”

Baron Penula was officially wanted by the Imperial Family.

He was a heinous criminal who collaborated with the Duke of Libertan, who committed treason.

Naturally, the fact that Baron Penula was being housed at Count Hettel’s castle was a major problem.

“Oh, that’s right.”

“Count Hettel? And… Countess Hettel?”

At that moment, Baron Penula, who had been clinging to Chancellor Ortega, widened her eyes.

“You’re here! You dare use me and then kill me?”

“Wh-what do you mean—”

“I gave you all the evidence you needed to frame Duchess Blanchet!”

Everyone in the banquet hall stared at Countess Hettel with astonishment.

Countess Hettel quickly denied it.

“Uh, I think you’ve got the wrong person—”

“I’m saying I got the wrong person?”

Baron Penula was further incensed by Countess Hettel’s denial.

“I gave you all the evidence to manipulate the contract magic! You tried to kill me to destroy the evidence, and now you shamelessly evade it!”

The situation had already deteriorated beyond repair.

“My goodness. So you’re saying that everything you just told me, with tears streaming down your face, was a lie?”

“How can you be so shameless and vulgar?”

“I feel bad for Duchess Blanchet, who got caught up in this unnecessary mess.”

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t see any way to cover up the crime.

“Chancellor Ortega has already reached the limit of what he can stop.”

Unfortunately, the only one who could help them now was Duke Blanchet.

“Duke Blanchet. I know that we, Countess Hettel, have committed a great sin against you.”

Countess Hettel passed Chancellor Ortega and knelt before John.

John stared at Countess Hettel, his lips curled into a smile. His sharp chin tilted arrogantly.

Countess Hettel tensely responded, but she calmly continued her apology.

“I know full well that nothing will change since we walked all the way to Obrinte. So please, have mercy on us so that we can preserve the lineage of our family.”

John placed a hand on Estelle’s shoulder and asked Countess Hettel.

“Are you asking for my forgiveness now?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Why?”

However, the words that came out of John’s mouth were not what Countess Hettel had expected.

“Do you want me to apologize again?”

Countess Hettel stammered.

“That’s because we committed a grave sin against the Duchess Blanchet and tarnished their honor—”

“No.”

John cut Countess Hettel off mid-sentence.

“That’s not it.”

His elegant voice flowed without a hint of euphoria.

“That’s not what you need to apologize for now.”

“Then what…”

“You’re asking for the wrong person. Do I have to teach you every single thing about this?”

Countess Hettel’s face flushed crimson.

The head that had always bowed to John was strangely reluctant to bow to Estelle.

While Countess Hettel trembled with pride, the anxious Count Hettel stepped forward.

“Honey, what are you doing? I need to apologize quickly.”

Countess Hettel held her breath and gazed at Estelle, who sat gracefully.

She had clearly bowed her head easily in front of Duke Blachet.

“Kowtow to that woman again?”

“She’s a commoner.”

The arm resting on the ground trembled. I couldn’t bow.

~·~·*· . ·*· . ·*· . ·*·~·~

I continued to observe the situation John presented.

“Is this what John had planned?”

Countess Hettel and her family were denying their wrongdoing, and Baron Penula was furious at them.

The nobles at the banquet were taken aback by the scene, and Chancellor Ortega frowned, taking in the situation.

Everything seemed to be going according to John’s plan.

“It’s like watching a puppet show.”

Perhaps this was John’s way of looking at the world.

“Then will I look like a doll like those people?”

Countess Hettel, who had just shamelessly apologized to John, hesitated at the sight of me.

When she reluctantly bowed her head, John asked in a cold, blatant voice:

“I guess Count Hettel’s life doesn’t matter.”

Count Hettel, pale, asked back.

“Yes?”

“Or did you dare to think that this apology would atone for the Count’s sins?”

The murderous intent in John’s voice pressured Count and Duchess Hettel.

Countess Hettel bowed her head, her face pale. The hesitation from earlier was gone.

“I apologize, Duchess Blanchet. Blinded by greed, I slandered you. How can I repay this sin…”

“Hmm.”

“I know it’s a sin that even if everyone in Count Hettel’s family bowed their heads to the Duchess, it wouldn’t be repayable, but…”

Even as Countess Hettel bowed her head and apologized, she constantly watched John’s expression.

John tilted his head, raising one side of his mouth.

“Is that all?”

“Then how should I apologize…”

“Beg like a dog.”

A snort escaped his twisted lips.

“Beg for at least your life.”

“…”

“Wouldn’t that be the only way you’d feel inclined to offer mercy, or anything?”

The moment Count Hettel and his wife heard those words, they froze, unable to do anything.

John rose gracefully from his seat.

In that brief moment, he whispered softly in my ear.

“Watch carefully, because this is the climax I’ve prepared for you, Madame.”

My heart pounded with anxiety.

‘The more John spoke, the more terrifying things became.’

John stood before the prostrate Count Hettel and his wife.

Chancellor Ortega, who had been observing the situation, asked John.

“Duke Blanchet, what are you trying to do?”

“I’m trying to teach you a lesson.”

John ignored Chancellor Ortega and stamped on Count Hettel’s hand with his shoe.

“Ahhh! B-Duke Blanchet!”

“Is this the hand that tried to frame my wife?”

The shoe roughly crushed the back of his hand.

A scream rang out.

“Please, spare me…”

“When you do something like this, you should have been prepared to be punished.”

Count Hettel fainted from the pain. The countess paled even more at the sight of her husband.

“Just this much?”

John brushed his foot off as if he’d stepped on something dirty and looked at Countess Hettel.

“Come to think of it, you insulted my wife with that vulgar tongue.”

“S-save me…”

“I’ve been meaning to rip that tongue out ever since.”

Countess Hettel shouted at Chancellor Ortega as if he were her lifeline.

“Oh, Chancellor Ortega. Please stop Duke Blanchet! This isn’t a formal trial, and we can’t treat a noble like this…”

“Didn’t you call Oblinte?”

Chancellor Ortega answered coldly.

“It seems all these actions Duke Blanchet is taking are a price to pay for Countess Hettel. That’s why I can’t help you.”

“That’s nonsense…”

“The Countess herself swore to Oblinte, so you can take full responsibility.”

Countess Hettel despaired.

John turned to me and smiled beautifully.

“Madam, which should I take out first, your eyes or your tongue?”

I had been pretending not to know, but I was startled. I felt myself snapping back to reality.

“Do I have to choose?”

“If anything, I’d rather do whatever you want.”

I don’t want to choose either.

“John is a man who will truly commit adultery, and that’s what scares me.”

I don’t like Countess Hettel, who tried to bury me. But I didn’t want to be mutilated in front of me.

“If you can’t choose, I’ll do both.”

John’s crimson eyes were filled with interest.

He seemed eager to see which I would choose.

“Well, then I…”

“And you?”

“Achoo.”

I deliberately coughed and touched my forehead.

“Let’s pretend to be sick and run away!”

Fortunately, being sick often allowed me to act realistically. When I trembled, as if I were struggling, John’s expression darkened.

“Are you in pain right now?”

“No. I’m fine.”

I shook my head, pretending not to notice.

“I can’t just go in and rest.”

“Why can’t I?”

“Well, I can’t interfere with what John wants to do.”

“Did I fool him?”

With that thought in mind, I carefully studied John’s face.

“Madam…”

Unexpectedly, John’s expression was more serious than I’d expected.

“Let’s go to the doctor right now.”

“R-right now? Prime Minister Ortega is here, and the situation is…”

“None of that matters.”

John clenched his jaw and lifted me into his arms.

“Madam, all that matters to me right now is you.”

John ignored the situation and carried me out of the banquet hall.

“Duke Blanchet?”

Prime Minister Ortega called out to John in a bewildered voice.

“What are you doing—”

Of course, John pretended not to hear and ran from the banquet hall toward the doctor.

As he made his way out, I could hear the nobles’ cries of confusion.

I guarantee no one was more surprised than I was.

“Wow, I didn’t know it would be this effective!”

But in any case, my goal had been successful.

I won’t have to watch Countess Hettel die right before my eyes.

“Anyway, as long as Baron Penula is here, Count Hettel and the Countess will be transferred to the capital.”

Marquis Ortega even has the Libertan documents. There’s absolutely no way out.

“That’s enough.”

Honestly, if the punishment had been more brutal than what the other person had done, I think I’d have felt a little uneasy.

In the blink of an eye, I arrived in the room where Dr. Henry was. Henry’s eyes widened at the sight of John’s anxious appearance.

“Wh-what’s wrong?”

“My wife suddenly feels very dizzy.”

John said in a serious voice.

“She’s very ill. She needs urgent medical attention.”

Mr. Henry tilted his head at my face. My complexion was normal.

“You’re fine now…”

“What?”

“You look very unwell. I’ll see you right away.”

Mr. Henry sat me down and began examining me.

Even as he did, John glared at him with a fierce gaze.

“Tell me every symptom you suspect.”

“Yes, yes, yes.”

“If you have any symptoms you don’t tell me later, I won’t let you off the hook.”

John’s growling threat made me tense for no reason.

“What should we do now?”

You can’t suddenly say you’re completely healed.

That was it.

-Honey. Do you know what news we’ve learned?

– “We’ve brought you such good news that the baby will scream with joy if he hears it!”

I was already confused, but the trees spoke to me. I answered them as quickly as I could.

– “I’m in an urgent situation right now, so I’ll answer later.”

– “There’s no point in telling you later! You have to hear it now!”

– “I told you not to right now.”

– “Okay. Then let’s get to the point.”

I don’t know why we’re so busy today.

– “We found a place where there are traces of fairies. By contacting the trees there, we found a way to weaken your curse.”

– “Anyway, since you said it won’t work, let’s talk about the rest later. Let’s just talk about the urgent matter.”

– “They said your fairy powers will recover more quickly with the prayers of our trees. So we all threatened the other trees and prayed for them.”

John asked worriedly, rubbing my face.

“Hasn’t the condition gotten worse? You’re leaving the patient behind—”

“That’s not it.”

At that moment, a strange feeling struck me.

“What is this feeling?”

A fishy smell wafted from my mouth.

“Could it be that the fairy’s powers have been restored…?”

John’s eyes, staring at me, shook with shock.

John spoke to me in a trembling voice.

“There’s blood at the corner of my mouth…”

I quickly wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. Black blood stained my sleeve.

“… I’m screwed.”

~·~·*· . ·**##^^##**· . ·*·~·~

Hey there, It’s Green Rose 😉

Since I human I might have make some mistakes while translating so please if you find them let me know here in the comments or in the Discord group so I can correct them and be careful in the future so they do not repeat.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

~~~Next Chapter~~~

Next chapter will be released Tomorrow.

See you then!!