Episode 75. Stone's Cunning
Adele, who entered the room, placed her hat and pouch on the mahogany table, took off her coat, and hung it on a chair.
For a moment, goosebumps appeared on her face without her knowing it, and she looked around.
"...!"
Her face turned pale as her eyes lingered on the bed.
"Hello, Miss Adele. Did you have a nice outing?"
Stone was sitting on her bed with a fancy canopy. He took off his jacket and sat cross-legged in a white linen shirt, looking as natural as if it were his own bedroom.
"How did you get here...?"
Adele tried to calm herself down and glanced at the pouch on the table.
There was a pistol in it. However, she couldn't just sit there and watch until he, who was quick-witted, opened the pouch and took out the pistol. She had to somehow make it look natural and let his guard down.
"Adele, I came here because I missed you so much."
"The guards wouldn't have let you in."
“That’s right. The security was so tight that it was hard to get in. Look, I even got hurt.”
He showed his cut wrist and joked as if he were in pain. As if he wanted Adele to worry.
It was ridiculous.
“You want me to sympathize with the intruder? Get out of here. If you don’t, I’ll call the guards.”
As she said that, Adele stood between Stone and the table. She carefully reached behind her and felt for the pouch on the table.
However, the pouch’s string got caught on her sleeve, and she couldn’t put her hand in the bag’s opening.
‘Damn it! What should I do?’
Meanwhile, Stone got up from the bed and came over.
Step by step.
“That’s too much. We can have a cup of tea together. Between us.”
Before she knew it, the bastard was right in front of Adele’s nose.
“If you want tea, come visit me formally, Stone Oswald.”
Adele felt like she was going crazy. Stone was too close, and it wasn’t easy to untie the pouch’s string without him noticing.
Without realizing it, cold sweat formed on her forehead.
“Why, are you looking for a dagger to stab me with?”
In an instant, Adele froze.
“What are you talking about?”
Stone gestured to the pouch. He had already noticed that she was looking for a weapon. He probably didn’t know it was a pistol.
“Did I not know? You always carry a knife around with you.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed Adele’s wrists behind her back. Then he grabbed her hair fiercely.
“Ah!”
Adele’s arms snapped back, and her head jerked back. She couldn’t move because of the incredible force.
If he were a member of the wolf clan, if he was a murderer, he could kill her in an instant.
Just like her mother...
“If you want tea, come visit me formally, Stone Oswald.”
Adele felt like she was going crazy. Stone was too close, and it wasn’t easy to untie the pouch’s string without him noticing.
Without realizing it, cold sweat formed on her forehead.
“Why, are you looking for a dagger to stab me with?”
In an instant, Adele froze.
“What are you talking about?”
Stone gestured to the pouch. He had already noticed that she was looking for a weapon. He probably didn’t know it was a pistol.
“Did I not know? You always carry a knife around with you.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed Adele’s wrists behind her back. Then he grabbed her hair fiercely.
“Ah!”
Adele’s arms snapped back, and her head jerked back. She couldn’t move because of the incredible force.
If he were a member of the wolf clan, if he was a murderer, he could kill her in an instant.
Just like her mother...
Adele glared at him as if she were going to kill him, breathing heavily in fear and anger. Her eyes turned bloodshot, and tears welled up in them.
“Murderer... is that what you did? You killed people! You killed my mother, too? I’ll kill you! I won’t let you go!”
Stone stared blankly at Adele, who was trembling with anger and gnashing her teeth. Then the corners of his mouth slowly rose, and his eyes became warm.
“My angry cat. This is why I can’t abandon you.”
He licked his lips with the tip of his tongue, licking his lips.
“You son of a bitch! I’ll kill you!”
“Calm down, Adele. You still can’t touch a single fingertip of mine. It’s up to me whether I rape you or kill you.”
Thud!
Adele slammed her knee between Stone’s legs.
“Ugh!”
He let out a painful scream and lost sight of Adele.
In the meantime, Adele quickly took out her pistol from her pouch and aimed it.
Clang!
“I can die with you!”
He looked a little flustered at the unexpected counterattack.
“This, this... you’re carrying a pretty dangerous item.”
“Get out of here by the count of three! Or I’ll rip your head off! One!”
“Wait, don’t do that, let’s talk...”
“Two!”
He had no choice but to raise both arms.
But his expression was still relaxed.
“Do you care if Tanya gets hurt?”
Adele’s expression wavered when Tanya’s name was mentioned.
“What kind of trick is this?”
“If I don’t hear from you by tomorrow, Tanya will be handed over to the pimps. Do you care if your loyal maid gets hurt?”
Did they say he sold Vanessa to the brothel?
Just the thought was so horrible that Adele thought she was going crazy.
“You son of a bitch! What did you do to Tanya?”
Stone laughed again, seemingly amused, as he watched Adele getting excited. However, he couldn’t lower his raised hands, conscious of the pistol.
“I’ll send a carriage tomorrow morning, so get on it. Then I’ll send you back.”
“Do you believe me?”
“I need you, not Tanya. Why not fool the Count and enjoy a secret meeting?”
Adele tightened her guard and aimed her pistol fiercely.
“Shut up! I’ll find Tanya no matter what!”
“Then how about this? If you come to see me, I’ll let you see the silver wolf.”
“What?”
“Yes, the beast that killed your mother. When you see it, shoot it in one go with that gun.”
“You’re the one who did that to my mother!”
“Well, will you change your mind when you see the silver wolf?”
“This is my answer, Stone!”
Taang!
Adele's pistol shot out a spark.
But the bullet grazed Stone's ear and lodged in the wall.
Adele's hand holding the pistol was shaking. Stone chuckled at that.
"People don't kill just anyone. See you tomorrow, my cat."
Stone disappeared out the window in an instant.
Bam!
Henry and the guards came running in in surprise.
"What's going on? I thought I heard a gunshot!"
Adele managed to say, covering the pistol with her trembling hands.
"Call the Count... please..."
The white handkerchief on the table fluttered in the wind blowing outside.
Stone had already left the handkerchief with his initials engraved on it. Tanya's hairpin was on it.
"Chris!"
Adele ran to Christine, who was getting off his horse.
She couldn't wait calmly inside, so she waited in the garden.
"What's going on?"
Hearing the report of gunshots in Adele's room, he ran in shock.
"Tanya, please find Tanya!"
"Why Tanya?"
Adele held out the handkerchief Stone had left behind and Tanya's hairpin.
"He took her! If I don't come to see him tomorrow morning, he'll sell Tanya!"
Christine's breathing became ragged.
He couldn't forgive him for daring to enter his territory, kidnap someone, and threaten Adele.
So he had to catch him. Of course, he planned to kill him without anyone knowing.
"Don't worry, Adele. The Emperor will soon approve a search of Oswald's mansion. Then we can arrest him and find Tanya right away."
Christine hugged Adele's shoulder, reassuring her.
"Really?"
"Yes, if the skeletons come out of the catacombs you mentioned and we find out the identities of the victims, he won't be able to get away."
Adele finally let her worries go.
“Thank goodness. If the evidence is solid, then the House of Nobles will be unable to shield him, right?”
“Of course. And the objection he filed to the Vatican will not be accepted either.”
Was this a blessing in disguise?
“Murderer... is that what you did? You killed people! You killed my mother, too? I’ll kill you! I won’t let you go!”
Stone stared blankly at Adele, who was trembling with anger and gnashing her teeth. Then the corners of his mouth slowly rose, and his eyes became warm.
“My angry cat. This is why I can’t abandon you.”
He licked his lips with the tip of his tongue, licking his lips.
“You son of a bitch! I’ll kill you!”
“Calm down, Adele. You still can’t touch a single fingertip of mine. It’s up to me whether I rape you or kill you.”
Thud!
Adele slammed her knee between Stone’s legs.
“Ugh!”
He let out a painful scream and lost sight of Adele.
In the meantime, Adele quickly took out her pistol from her pouch and aimed it.
Clang!
“I can die with you!”
He looked a little flustered at the unexpected counterattack.
“This, this... you’re carrying a pretty dangerous item.”
“Get out of here by the count of three! Or I’ll rip your head off! One!”
“Wait, don’t do that, let’s talk...”
“Two!”
He had no choice but to raise both arms.
But his expression was still relaxed.
“Do you care if Tanya gets hurt?”
Adele’s expression wavered when Tanya’s name was mentioned.
“What kind of trick is this?”
“If I don’t hear from you by tomorrow, Tanya will be handed over to the pimps. Do you care if your loyal maid gets hurt?”
Did they say he sold Vanessa to the brothel?
Just the thought was so horrible that Adele thought she was going crazy.
“You son of a bitch! What did you do to Tanya?”
Stone laughed again, seemingly amused, as he watched Adele getting excited. However, he couldn’t lower his raised hands, conscious of the pistol.
“I’ll send a carriage tomorrow morning, so get on it. Then I’ll send you back.”
“Do you believe me?”
“I need you, not Tanya. Why not fool the Count and enjoy a secret meeting?”
Adele tightened her guard and aimed her pistol fiercely.
“Shut up! I’ll find Tanya no matter what!”
“Then how about this? If you come to see me, I’ll let you see the silver wolf.”
“What?”
“Yes, the beast that killed your mother. When you see it, shoot it in one go with that gun.”
“You’re the one who did that to my mother!”
“Well, will you change your mind when you see the silver wolf?”
“This is my answer, Stone!”
Taang!
Adele's pistol shot out a spark.
But the bullet grazed Stone's ear and lodged in the wall.
Adele's hand holding the pistol was shaking. Stone chuckled at that.
"People don't kill just anyone. See you tomorrow, my cat."
Stone disappeared out the window in an instant.
Bam!
Henry and the guards came running in in surprise.
"What's going on? I thought I heard a gunshot!"
Adele managed to say, covering the pistol with her trembling hands.
"Call the Count... please..."
The white handkerchief on the table fluttered in the wind blowing outside.
Stone had already left the handkerchief with his initials engraved on it. Tanya's hairpin was on it.
***
"Chris!"
Adele ran to Christine, who was getting off his horse.
She couldn't wait calmly inside, so she waited in the garden.
"What's going on?"
Hearing the report of gunshots in Adele's room, he ran in shock.
"Tanya, please find Tanya!"
"Why Tanya?"
Adele held out the handkerchief Stone had left behind and Tanya's hairpin.
"He took her! If I don't come to see him tomorrow morning, he'll sell Tanya!"
Christine's breathing became ragged.
He couldn't forgive him for daring to enter his territory, kidnap someone, and threaten Adele.
So he had to catch him. Of course, he planned to kill him without anyone knowing.
"Don't worry, Adele. The Emperor will soon approve a search of Oswald's mansion. Then we can arrest him and find Tanya right away."
Christine hugged Adele's shoulder, reassuring her.
"Really?"
"Yes, if the skeletons come out of the catacombs you mentioned and we find out the identities of the victims, he won't be able to get away."
Adele finally let her worries go.
“Thank goodness. If the evidence is solid, then the House of Nobles will be unable to shield him, right?”
“Of course. And the objection he filed to the Vatican will not be accepted either.”
Was this a blessing in disguise?
“I hope His Majesty approves quickly.”
“It’s just a matter of time. So let’s go in, have some tea, and wait a little.”
Adele’s red lips had already dried out. But she stubbornly shook her head.
“I don’t think anything will go down right now.”
“Then prepare some refreshments for me. Then you can gain the strength to tear his soul out.”
Only then did Adele laugh weakly. She realized that he was doing it for her.
“Yes. Let’s go to the reception room.”
“It’s just a matter of time. So let’s go in, have some tea, and wait a little.”
Adele’s red lips had already dried out. But she stubbornly shook her head.
“I don’t think anything will go down right now.”
“Then prepare some refreshments for me. Then you can gain the strength to tear his soul out.”
Only then did Adele laugh weakly. She realized that he was doing it for her.
“Yes. Let’s go to the reception room.”
***
“Did you practice shooting today?”
“Huh? Oh...”
As she was serving tea to Christine, Adele realized that his gaze was on her wrist. The wrist Stone had grabbed was red and swollen, and bruised.
“It’s worse than yesterday.”
“That’s right...”
Adele lengthened the sleeves of her dress and covered her wrists. She didn’t want to tell Christine that it was Stone’s doing, for fear that he would be upset.
But she couldn’t fool him.
“Stone’s doing?”
Adele answered with a bitter smile.
“But I’m glad I had the pistol you gave me.”
“You’ll shoot him in the head.”
“I missed.”
Adele sighed and confessed as she met his piercing gaze.
“Yes, actually, I couldn’t shoot. I aimed at his head, but I unconsciously turned the gun at the moment of shooting.”
“That’s how well you’re going to kill him.”
Christine’s voice was filled with accusation.
“I know. You think it’s pathetic. But it’s not easy to shoot someone.”
“You might get hurt if you do that.”
Adele nodded with a darkened face.
“I know what you’re worried about. But I won’t make that mistake next time.”
Adele sipped her tea and avoided his gaze.
In fact, she was the one who thought she was the most pathetic. Hesitating to kill Stone, of all people.
Still, she would be relieved if he could search Oswald’s mansion and arrest him. She could kill him later...
Knock.
Zimmer came in with a knock.
“A message from His Majesty.”
Christine quickly read the envelope Zimmer handed him.
“Is it... approved?”
Adele asked, anxiously studying his expression. Looking at his frozen face, she felt uneasy because it didn’t seem to be good news.
“Damn it!”
Her hunch seemed to be right.
Christine mercilessly crumpled the paper he was holding.
“Could it be... it hasn’t been approved?”
When Adele asked with a face that looked like she was going to cry, he got up from his seat.
“I have to see the Emperor!”
***
In front of the Emperor’s bedroom.
“His Majesty is very unwell and cannot see you.”
The Emperor’s chamberlain kept giving the same answer.
“Have you forgotten that I am the captain of the guard?”
“I apologize. However, today, the imperial order says that no one is allowed in.”
“Open quickly. I will take responsibility for disobeying the order.”
“No...”
Slurp!
When Christine drew his rapier, the guards standing guard around him also became tense.
Normally, disobeying the Emperor’s orders and drawing one’s sword was considered treason and required arrest. However, he was the only one who could draw his sword in front of the Emperor, and he was their superior.
The chamberlain trembled with a pale face. Even though Christine was just standing there with his sword in hand, he felt suffocated by the overwhelming murderous intent.
Bam!
At that moment, the Emperor opened the door and came out.
“Are you planning to kill my servant and break down the door?”
“If necessary.”
“Ha, insolent...”
Jan stumbled and leaned against the doorway, reeking of alcohol.
He had deliberately avoided Christine and locked himself in the bedroom. And then, relying on the power of alcohol, he tried to escape.
A cowardly and fearful traitor!
Christine asked with an expression full of accusation on his face.
“Why was the search of Oswald’s mansion refused?”
Jan looked around and sighed deeply.
“Come in.”
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