53. The Wolf Appeared!
“Don’t hide there and laugh, come out here, Marquis.”
Christine spoke to Stone beyond the door.
His voice was so sweet that it would have felt like a push if someone who didn’t know the situation had heard it. As if he were trying to appease someone. However, the tendons on the back of Christine’s hand that were gripping the sword bulged.
He instinctively felt that he shouldn’t let his guard down.
Then Stone asked softly from behind the door.
“What are you most afraid of? Count Weiss.”
“Well, I’ve never felt fear.”
“Then I’ll tell you right away. Even though you’ll lose your breath the moment you realize it.”
Christine giggled as if he couldn’t hold it in any longer, but eventually burst into laughter.
“If you can make me like that, I’ll gladly die. Marquis.”
“That spirit. Adele would have been charmed for a moment.”
Slurp.
Christine’s blue eyes, as he raised his sword, were colder than ice.
“What a pity, Marquis. If you hadn’t mentioned that name, I would have killed you in one stroke.”
Stone also laughed as if he were going crazy behind the door.
“That’s what I’m going to say. I’m going to tear you to pieces and eat your heart last.”
Christine doubted his ears.
‘What...?’
At that moment.
Kwaaang!
The old door of the guard post shattered, and something burst out from inside.
It cut through the air sharply and rushed at him.
Christine instinctively felt the hairs on his body stand on end.
He quickly jumped back.
Woohoohoo!
A tremendous force cut through the wind, and a terrifying sound rang in his ears.
The snow on the tree branches scattered, and one side of the cape that had been fluttering was torn off.
Bam!
Christine’s expression was pale as he lightly landed on the snow.
Woohoohoo!
The opponent attacked again, but he just stood there frozen.
It was flying in, covering the dazzling blue winter sky...
‘Brown wolf!’
Slap!
The creature swung its five claws and struck Christine.
Red blood splattered on the pure white snow, and his body flew down the cliff like a piece of paper.
***
While waiting for the four winners to return, the stadium was bustling with various performances.
Starting with the royal guards’ martial arts demonstration, the knights belonging to each family performed horseback riding. Since pride was at stake in these performances, a fierce battle of nerves ensued as each family tried to stand out. In between, circus performers in fancy attire presented amazing skills and hearty laughter.
Outside the palace, all kinds of crafts and food were sold. The nobles who were tired of watching the performances would mingle with the citizens and watch.
It was a fun festival for everyone all day long.
Except for one person, Adele.
“Oh, it’s Madame Bonita!”
Tanya shouted as she dragged Adele to look at the crafts.
Mia, who was taking a big bite of skewered meat, also ran over to see the two.
“Adele! Tanya!”
“It’s been a while, Mia.”
Adele wiped the sauce off Mia’s mouth and smiled.
“Oh my, Adele, your face has brightened up so much. Is it because the water in the Marble Palace is good, or is it because you’ve been receiving so much love from the Count?”
Mia chattered away as soon as they met. She thought her mouth had spiderwebs because Adele wasn’t there. However, Adele couldn’t talk as cheerfully as usual.
After a while, Mia realized this and looked at Tanya with a face that asked what was going on.
“I’m worried about the Count.”
Mia laughed out loud.
“Oh, the most useless worry in the world is worrying about the Count. Do you think someone who has lived in a war zone would fall over in the palace forest?”
“Even a butt-blow hurts.”
Adele didn’t even like that.
“Well, I can’t imagine the Count falling on his butt. So he's going to come back with His Majesty’s treasure without a single hair on his head being harmed.”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
Even Tanya agreed, but Adele couldn’t relax.
The two of them didn’t know how cunning Stone was. And Christine didn’t seem to be planning on just leaving him alone.
If they were to fight in the deep forest where no one was...
‘Will Christine really be safe?’
That was when she thought.
“He’s back! The winner is back!”
Someone shouted, and Adele ran frantically to the stadium.
It wasn’t Christine or Stone who had returned. One of the four winners, who had returned because she thought it would be dangerous when the sun went down. The Emperor’s treasure had not been found.
Before she knew it, the short winter sun had set on the western mountainside, and a dim darkness had fallen.
Adele became increasingly anxious.
Was there really nothing going on between the two of them?
“Who’s coming over there!”
Everyone’s eyes were focused on one place.
Someone was driving a horse out of the forest path, covered in snow and darkness. He raised his hand high as if to show off to the people. The last rays of the setting sun dazzled the golden ornament in his hand.
“I think I found His Majesty’s treasure!”
“Who is it?”
“Well, it’s too dark to tell.”
***
“It’s my treasure.”
Jan placed the treasure brought by the final winner on top of the hole. The golden crown-shaped scepter with a huge blue diamond inside was a perfect fit.
Jan raised the perfectly formed scepter high and shouted,
“I hereby declare that the final winner of this competition is Marquis Stone Oswald!”
“Wow!”
The people cheered, the pollen scattered, and the trumpets rang. Everyone was in high spirits at the festival's peak.
The stadium, which had already become dark, was illuminated by splendid lanterns. More people were gathered than during the day, anticipating the fireworks that would soon begin.
In the midst of all this, Adele couldn’t stand the anxiety. Stone had safely returned after finding the treasure, but Christine hadn’t come yet.. It meant that there was a high possibility that he was wrong.
In the end, she pushed through the crowd and went to the Emperor.
“Your Majesty, something might have happened to Count Weiss. I want the guards to search for him immediately...”
Jan’s gaze at Adele was extremely cold.
“Not only Count Weiss, but the other contestants have not returned yet. The final winner has been decided, but the game is not over until they return. So please return to your seats quietly.”
“Your Majesty...!”
However, Jan did not even glance at Adele, and the guards came close to her sides. They seemed ready to drag her out with force if she did not return obediently. After all, they were Christine’s subordinates, but they were also those who obeyed the Emperor’s orders.
Adele had no choice but to bow and leave.
“Wait a moment, Your Majesty, I have business for Miss Adele, so please do not leave.”
Stone approached Adele. Just the sight of his sly eyes lingering on her made Adele feel goosebumps all over her body. As they got closer, she felt her throat tighten.
However, instead of backing down, she stared at him with all her strength. After all, he was the one who should know Christine’s whereabouts the best.
“Did you see Count Weiss? What happened?”
Stone gave her a strange smile as she asked urgently, then turned around and knelt down on one knee in front of the Emperor.
“I have one request, Your Majesty.”
“Tell me, Marquis Oswald.”
Before the game began, Jan had made a promise in front of the crowd. He would grant one request to anyone who found the treasure. Stone was about to exercise that right.
His eyes, as evil as a snake, were fixed on Adele again.
“Please pardon Miss Adele.”
“Pardon? Shouldn’t someone be pardoned only if they have committed a crime?”
When Jan asked incredulously, Stone answered with a solemn face.
“In fact, it is true that Miss Adele poisoned my father, the former Marquis Oswald, eight years ago.”
At those words, the people gathered in the stadium began to murmur.
And Adele felt her heart drop. The reason Stone was lying so boldly was probably because Christine couldn’t help her. Could it be that he had done something to him in the forest?
But she couldn’t believe it. After all, he was Count Weiss. The leader of the White Ghost Knights, a war hero and a brave knight...
And...
My lover...
'So that could never be true.'
Adele's whole body trembled as she tried to deny it.
***
Stone continued speaking fluently as if reading from a prepared script.
“Miss Adele has always admired me. After taking care of my sick father for a long time, it was understandable that she, at her prime, would have feelings for me. But she was my stepmother. I had no choice but to ignore her feelings. Then one night, she came into my bedroom late and tried to seduce me. I was very angry. And in the end, the next day... she poisoned my father. I think she thought that if only my sick father were gone, everything would be fine with me.”
The people’s murmurings turned into sighs. Some even clicked their tongues, saying that the terrible rumors about her were true.
Adele felt as if she was being sucked into a deep, dark swamp.
Who would believe her if she said no?
“Do you have any evidence?”
“Yes, as soon as my father passed away, I suspected it and searched his room, and found a lot of poisonous plants.”
“But why did you say there was no evidence that she poisoned the former Marquis?”
Stone answered Jan’s question bitterly.
“My father... must have been in a worse state of health and not lived long. But I thought it would be painful if she, who was so young, were hanged for that. I also thought it was my fault for not being able to persuade her to listen more that night. However, I believe that by now, she has repented for her sins.”
Everyone clicked their tongues, completely fooled by Stone’s sad expression.
He was a master at winning people’s hearts like this.
“Since Miss Adele has met a new person, I thought it would be right to settle things. The reason I participated in this game was to ask for Your Majesty’s pardon. Please allow her to let go of her burden and make a fresh start, Your Majesty.”
People praised Stone’s character. How could he be so merciful to the enemy who killed his father?
He went even further and smiled gently at Adele.
“Miss Adele, I couldn’t accept your heart, but the Oswald family will gladly be your guardian. So feel free to reach out to me whenever you need help.”
He smiled with an infinitely kind and gentle face.
That made Adele even more horrified, so she just stood there with a pale face.
“I understand. You must be ashamed that your sins have been revealed to the public. But think of this as the price you have paid. And then kneel before His Majesty and ask for forgiveness.”
It felt as if she had been caught in a well-set trap.
The trap seemed to be tying Adele's arms and legs and strangling her.
'Stone, I thought I could escape from you.'
Adele glared at him with bloodshot eyes.
Then Stone, who had been kneeling in front of Jan, slowly got up and approached.
"What should I do? He's gone now."
A devilish whisper.
"...!"
As Adele stiffened and looked up, he put something in her hand.
It was the severed hem of Christine's cape.
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