Episode 76. Adele's Trick (1)
Jan and Christine entered the living room connected to the bedroom.
On the table were a bunch of half-finished bottles of liquor and cigars he had been smoking.
He buried himself in the soft sofa and lit a cigar.
"If the search of Oswald's mansion has been stopped, then I think there's no need to go that far."
Jan said lazily, puffing out a long puff of cigar smoke. At that moment, Christine's lips curled up as if they were twisting.
"Huh, judgment? Aren't you trying to collude with Stone again?"
Jan's eyebrows shot up.
"You bastard...!"
Christine snatched the cigar from his hand and ground it against the table.
Swish.
The cigar, which had been burning red with smoke, died down on the marble table.
"I can hear your bad head spinning all the way here."
"You... you... Beast, how dare you!"
Unable to contain his anger, Jan shouted in rage.
At the same time, silver fur sprouted on Christine’s smooth, white face. Her lower face became sharper, her fierce eyes lifted, and her sharp, pointed, long wolf teeth eerily revealed themselves.
“Huh!”
Christine’s wolf transformation was only halfway complete. Nevertheless, the sight of such a foreign and ferocious beast sent chills down Jan’s bones.
Yes, he had forgotten. How cruel and horrifying a beast it was.
How many people had he brutally killed on the battlefield in that beastly form?
“Yes, don’t forget, Jan Valencia. That I am a beast.”
A rustling, ominous sound flowed from Christine’s throat, which had a form somewhere between a wolf and a human.
A wolf clan that had the form of a beast and spoke human language.
Many people would not have tolerated them because of their foreign appearance.
They would have always felt threatened by those beings stronger than themselves.
That’s why they were exterminated like that.
Fortunately, people were more cunning than beasts.
Knock knock.
“Captain, we heard a strange noise. Are you okay?”
“Your Majesty, are you okay?”
The guards knocked on the door outside and asked.
“Nothing... nothing.”
Jan groaned as he spoke outside.
In the meantime, Christine had returned to his neat human form.
“Foolish. I gave you enough of a chance, but you threw it away.”
Christine turned around and disappeared out the door, leaving those words as if warning him.
Even though he was out of sight, Jan was still terrified for a while.
“Damn it, April!”
Jan muttered miserably, recalling the conversation he had had with April earlier.
“You can’t put off the marriage, Father!”
Of course, just a few hours ago, Jan had been thinking of doing as Christine said.
After telling April to put off the marriage with Stone, he had also planned to sign the papers authorizing a search of the Oswald mansion.
If Stone were captured with clear evidence, the Noble Council would not be able to stop him.
Also, if it were proven that the thing known as the Silver Wolf was Stone, it would be a good thing.
This would put an end to the rumors about the Silver Wolf. Then, Isabelle and the Duke of Rodwell would not mention that the Silver Wolf killed the previous Emperor. No one would believe it.
It was a shame to let Stone go, but there was more to gain, so it was not bad.
However, it was April who ruined all those plans.
“No?”
“Haven’t you thought about my reputation? My marriage to Count Weiss broke down, and I became a laughing stock in society for a while. Now, if my marriage to Marquis Oswald is postponed, what will everyone say?”
“Reputation and rumors are forgotten with time.”
“It’s my marriage. I don’t want to be swayed by Father’s will any longer.”
Jan looked at her daughter in front of him with a puzzled look.
It was hard to believe that his arrogant wife had given birth to a child who was always obedient. This was the first time she had been so stubborn.
A wolf clan that had the form of a beast and spoke human language.
Many people would not have tolerated them because of their foreign appearance.
They would have always felt threatened by those beings stronger than themselves.
That’s why they were exterminated like that.
Fortunately, people were more cunning than beasts.
Knock knock.
“Captain, we heard a strange noise. Are you okay?”
“Your Majesty, are you okay?”
The guards knocked on the door outside and asked.
“Nothing... nothing.”
Jan groaned as he spoke outside.
In the meantime, Christine had returned to his neat human form.
“Foolish. I gave you enough of a chance, but you threw it away.”
Christine turned around and disappeared out the door, leaving those words as if warning him.
Even though he was out of sight, Jan was still terrified for a while.
“Damn it, April!”
Jan muttered miserably, recalling the conversation he had had with April earlier.
“You can’t put off the marriage, Father!”
***
Of course, just a few hours ago, Jan had been thinking of doing as Christine said.
After telling April to put off the marriage with Stone, he had also planned to sign the papers authorizing a search of the Oswald mansion.
If Stone were captured with clear evidence, the Noble Council would not be able to stop him.
Also, if it were proven that the thing known as the Silver Wolf was Stone, it would be a good thing.
This would put an end to the rumors about the Silver Wolf. Then, Isabelle and the Duke of Rodwell would not mention that the Silver Wolf killed the previous Emperor. No one would believe it.
It was a shame to let Stone go, but there was more to gain, so it was not bad.
However, it was April who ruined all those plans.
“No?”
“Haven’t you thought about my reputation? My marriage to Count Weiss broke down, and I became a laughing stock in society for a while. Now, if my marriage to Marquis Oswald is postponed, what will everyone say?”
“Reputation and rumors are forgotten with time.”
“It’s my marriage. I don’t want to be swayed by Father’s will any longer.”
Jan looked at her daughter in front of him with a puzzled look.
It was hard to believe that his arrogant wife had given birth to a child who was always obedient. This was the first time she had been so stubborn.
“April, you are a Princess who inherited the noble blood of the Emperor. With that position comes responsibility. Don’t forget it.”
Jan spoke authoritatively, trying to break his daughter’s will.
However, April did not flinch, but instead looked at him with disillusionment.
“Your Majesty may have wanted it, but I never wanted it.”
It was as if she knew all about his shortcomings.
And to the person he least wanted to be caught by in the world.
“What...?”
“Did you not know? How did Father sit there?”
Crack!
Jan unconsciously slapped April’s cheek. It was not because he was angry, but because he was ashamed. His face flushed with embarrassment at having his ugly intentions exposed.
Thud!
April stumbled and fell, hitting her head on the table.
“April, dear!”
Startled, he quickly ran over and hugged his daughter.
Blood was flowing down her white forehead.
“I’m sorry. I must have been out of my mind. How could I have...?”
Jan apologized, frantically wiping April’s blood away with his hand.
However, his daughter pushed him away with a cold hand and spoke more firmly than ever.
“I love him. I’m going to marry the person I love.”
“What? You’re not in your right mind now...”
“And now there’s no turning back.”
April, caressing her belly, looked more determined than ever.
Suddenly, goosebumps ran down Jan’s spine.
He somehow knew why his gentle daughter was so insistent on getting married.
“April... You couldn’t possibly...?”
But Jan quickly shook his head at the words he couldn’t bring himself to say.
“No, no. That can’t be true. How could you?”
Jan stared at April as if asking her to tell him she was lying. But his daughter looked away from him with a pained expression.
“It’s exactly as you think...”
“...!”
Jan swallowed back a scream that was about to burst out and covered his mouth. Then, his pale face fell into thought for a moment before he opened his mouth heavily.
“Who else knows about this?”
“My doctor.”
“Marquis Oswald?”
“I told him yesterday.”
“I understand. You must not tell anyone else for the time being.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, yes... Go away.”
Jan covered his head and sank into his chair.
If Stone were a wolf clan and April were pregnant with his child, all plans would go awry.
No one knew what a wolf clan child would look like.
He must have done this on purpose. To take her hostage!
Crap!
“Eeeeeee! Stone!”
Christine’s expression hardened as he entered the reception room of the Marvel Palace.
Adele, who had been pacing around anxiously waiting for him, felt let down.
It was clear that the conversation with the Emperors had not gone well.
It felt like the sky was falling down at the fact that it would be difficult to save Tanya.
However, she decided not to show it in front of Christine. She knew that he would have done his best to persuade the Emperor.
If it were something that he couldn’t do, it would have been better to think of another way instead of being frustrated.
“I don’t think a formal search will be possible, Adele.”
When he opened his mouth with difficulty, Adele nodded.
“That’s better. Rather than trusting a capricious and self-centered Emperor, we should save Tanya and capture Stone.”
“We...?”
Adele smiled with shining eyes.
“I’ll take the carriage Stone sent tomorrow and go to Oswald Street.”
Christine looked at her as if he was dumbfounded.
“Are you out of your mind?”
Of course, Adele also expected that he wouldn’t easily give his permission. But for now, there was no other way.
“I know, you’ll say it’s ridiculous. But listen to what I have to say first.”
“Just tell me.”
Adele held Christine’s hands and spoke softly to persuade him.
“I’ll take Stone’s carriage and go to Oswald’s mansion, and you lead the guards. If your fiancée has been kidnapped, that will be enough of an excuse to search for me. This is something we can do without the Emperor’s approval.”
Christine shook his head firmly as if there was nothing left to hear.
“It’s dangerous! I’ll lead the WG troops and invade Oswald Street instead.”
“Are you going to go to war with Oswald?”
“If necessary.”
“You idiot!”
Adele finally shouted in anger.
Christine looked at her in bewilderment at the outrageous words coming out of her mouth.
“Why are you making a big deal out of something that could have been easily resolved! You have no justification for disobeying the Emperor’s orders. And what crime did those who were injured commit in that fight commit! They are just as precious to someone as I am to you!”
Christine did not like what Adele said, but he could not refute it.
“So you’re going to be the bait?”
“Why don’t you have confidence in saving me?”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Yes, that’s why I can go see Stone. Because I trust you.”
“But he’s crazier than you think.”
“No one knows him better than I do.”
Of course, Adele was afraid, too. Going back to that horrible Oswald to see Stone. The mere thought made her suffocate.
But she had to do it.
Save Tanya, and catch him, her mother’s enemy.
She wanted to do it more than anyone else, with her own strength.
“So, Chris, trust me. As much as I trust you.”
Deep in the night, Oswald.
Knock. Seira, wearing a robe over her pajamas, knocked on Stone’s door.
“Brother, can I come in?”
There was no answer from inside.
“I’ll open the door.”
Squeak.
Seira carefully opened Stone’s door.
As expected, the inside was empty.
Stone seemed to be going out every night these days and coming back around dawn.
One time, she happened to see him coming back at dawn. He was covered in blood, not knowing where he had been or what he had done. He didn’t look injured.
Since he liked hunting so much, maybe he had gone out hunting at night?
However, it coincided with the recent murders in Greenhill. More importantly, murders almost always occurred on days when he went out late at night.
‘Could it be that the murders in the Orbis Kingdom were my brother’s doing, as Adele said?’
‘Could it be that girl just made up a story?’
Of course, there was a way to confirm whether Adele’s words were true or not.
She just didn’t feel like it.
After leaving Stone’s room, Seira headed to the underground crypt of the mansion.
The basement of the mansion was as complicated as a maze. The path to the crypt was the most gloomy and eerie of them all.
And on the way there, there was Adele’s old lodging.
It was so cold that it was chilly even in midsummer, and mold grew on the walls and ceiling, and water dripped down.
“A vicious woman.”
Seira muttered, holding a lantern in one hand and holding her nose with the other.
“How dare you endure such a terrible place for two years?”
In fact, it was Stone’s decision to have Adele stay here. The illegitimate daughter of a Count was more than worthy of the title of Marchioness.
Seira also thought it was appropriate treatment for that lowly girl.
“That lowly girl...”
She had become the lover of the greatest hero of Kalame and was the envy of everyone.
Numerous poets sang of their love, and the newsletter reported their news every day. And people were curious about the news.
But... Seira was nothing now.
If April, who had married Stone, came to the Oswalds, she would have to give up her position as the hostess of this place.
Then her position in society would weaken.
In fact, she had been the de facto head of the household for the past eight years. But now all she had left was the empty honor of being a relative of the royal family.
‘Damn honor!’
Seira actually wanted power, not honor.
While thinking about this and that, Seira went down the stairs in front of her.
How long had she been down the spiral staircase?
A long, arched passage made of bricks appeared. She held up a lantern and shone it. The end where the light could not reach was a black darkness that looked like the mouth of a giant beast.
“Damn it, just say no...”
Seira ground her teeth once again at Adele, who had brought her here, and went into that darkness.
Jan spoke authoritatively, trying to break his daughter’s will.
However, April did not flinch, but instead looked at him with disillusionment.
“Your Majesty may have wanted it, but I never wanted it.”
It was as if she knew all about his shortcomings.
And to the person he least wanted to be caught by in the world.
“What...?”
“Did you not know? How did Father sit there?”
Crack!
Jan unconsciously slapped April’s cheek. It was not because he was angry, but because he was ashamed. His face flushed with embarrassment at having his ugly intentions exposed.
Thud!
April stumbled and fell, hitting her head on the table.
“April, dear!”
Startled, he quickly ran over and hugged his daughter.
Blood was flowing down her white forehead.
“I’m sorry. I must have been out of my mind. How could I have...?”
Jan apologized, frantically wiping April’s blood away with his hand.
However, his daughter pushed him away with a cold hand and spoke more firmly than ever.
“I love him. I’m going to marry the person I love.”
“What? You’re not in your right mind now...”
“And now there’s no turning back.”
April, caressing her belly, looked more determined than ever.
Suddenly, goosebumps ran down Jan’s spine.
He somehow knew why his gentle daughter was so insistent on getting married.
“April... You couldn’t possibly...?”
But Jan quickly shook his head at the words he couldn’t bring himself to say.
“No, no. That can’t be true. How could you?”
Jan stared at April as if asking her to tell him she was lying. But his daughter looked away from him with a pained expression.
“It’s exactly as you think...”
“...!”
Jan swallowed back a scream that was about to burst out and covered his mouth. Then, his pale face fell into thought for a moment before he opened his mouth heavily.
“Who else knows about this?”
“My doctor.”
“Marquis Oswald?”
“I told him yesterday.”
“I understand. You must not tell anyone else for the time being.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, yes... Go away.”
Jan covered his head and sank into his chair.
If Stone were a wolf clan and April were pregnant with his child, all plans would go awry.
No one knew what a wolf clan child would look like.
He must have done this on purpose. To take her hostage!
Crap!
“Eeeeeee! Stone!”
***
Christine’s expression hardened as he entered the reception room of the Marvel Palace.
Adele, who had been pacing around anxiously waiting for him, felt let down.
It was clear that the conversation with the Emperors had not gone well.
It felt like the sky was falling down at the fact that it would be difficult to save Tanya.
However, she decided not to show it in front of Christine. She knew that he would have done his best to persuade the Emperor.
If it were something that he couldn’t do, it would have been better to think of another way instead of being frustrated.
“I don’t think a formal search will be possible, Adele.”
When he opened his mouth with difficulty, Adele nodded.
“That’s better. Rather than trusting a capricious and self-centered Emperor, we should save Tanya and capture Stone.”
“We...?”
Adele smiled with shining eyes.
“I’ll take the carriage Stone sent tomorrow and go to Oswald Street.”
Christine looked at her as if he was dumbfounded.
“Are you out of your mind?”
Of course, Adele also expected that he wouldn’t easily give his permission. But for now, there was no other way.
“I know, you’ll say it’s ridiculous. But listen to what I have to say first.”
“Just tell me.”
Adele held Christine’s hands and spoke softly to persuade him.
“I’ll take Stone’s carriage and go to Oswald’s mansion, and you lead the guards. If your fiancée has been kidnapped, that will be enough of an excuse to search for me. This is something we can do without the Emperor’s approval.”
Christine shook his head firmly as if there was nothing left to hear.
“It’s dangerous! I’ll lead the WG troops and invade Oswald Street instead.”
“Are you going to go to war with Oswald?”
“If necessary.”
“You idiot!”
Adele finally shouted in anger.
Christine looked at her in bewilderment at the outrageous words coming out of her mouth.
“Why are you making a big deal out of something that could have been easily resolved! You have no justification for disobeying the Emperor’s orders. And what crime did those who were injured commit in that fight commit! They are just as precious to someone as I am to you!”
Christine did not like what Adele said, but he could not refute it.
“So you’re going to be the bait?”
“Why don’t you have confidence in saving me?”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“Yes, that’s why I can go see Stone. Because I trust you.”
“But he’s crazier than you think.”
“No one knows him better than I do.”
Of course, Adele was afraid, too. Going back to that horrible Oswald to see Stone. The mere thought made her suffocate.
But she had to do it.
Save Tanya, and catch him, her mother’s enemy.
She wanted to do it more than anyone else, with her own strength.
“So, Chris, trust me. As much as I trust you.”
***
Deep in the night, Oswald.
Knock. Seira, wearing a robe over her pajamas, knocked on Stone’s door.
“Brother, can I come in?”
There was no answer from inside.
“I’ll open the door.”
Squeak.
Seira carefully opened Stone’s door.
As expected, the inside was empty.
Stone seemed to be going out every night these days and coming back around dawn.
One time, she happened to see him coming back at dawn. He was covered in blood, not knowing where he had been or what he had done. He didn’t look injured.
Since he liked hunting so much, maybe he had gone out hunting at night?
However, it coincided with the recent murders in Greenhill. More importantly, murders almost always occurred on days when he went out late at night.
‘Could it be that the murders in the Orbis Kingdom were my brother’s doing, as Adele said?’
‘Could it be that girl just made up a story?’
Of course, there was a way to confirm whether Adele’s words were true or not.
She just didn’t feel like it.
After leaving Stone’s room, Seira headed to the underground crypt of the mansion.
The basement of the mansion was as complicated as a maze. The path to the crypt was the most gloomy and eerie of them all.
And on the way there, there was Adele’s old lodging.
It was so cold that it was chilly even in midsummer, and mold grew on the walls and ceiling, and water dripped down.
“A vicious woman.”
Seira muttered, holding a lantern in one hand and holding her nose with the other.
“How dare you endure such a terrible place for two years?”
In fact, it was Stone’s decision to have Adele stay here. The illegitimate daughter of a Count was more than worthy of the title of Marchioness.
Seira also thought it was appropriate treatment for that lowly girl.
“That lowly girl...”
She had become the lover of the greatest hero of Kalame and was the envy of everyone.
Numerous poets sang of their love, and the newsletter reported their news every day. And people were curious about the news.
But... Seira was nothing now.
If April, who had married Stone, came to the Oswalds, she would have to give up her position as the hostess of this place.
Then her position in society would weaken.
In fact, she had been the de facto head of the household for the past eight years. But now all she had left was the empty honor of being a relative of the royal family.
‘Damn honor!’
Seira actually wanted power, not honor.
While thinking about this and that, Seira went down the stairs in front of her.
How long had she been down the spiral staircase?
A long, arched passage made of bricks appeared. She held up a lantern and shone it. The end where the light could not reach was a black darkness that looked like the mouth of a giant beast.
“Damn it, just say no...”
Seira ground her teeth once again at Adele, who had brought her here, and went into that darkness.
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