Episode 73. The Returned
Renisha brushed past Gale and walked down.
Then she stopped and turned.
Renisha's pink eyes sparkled with anger.
"I'll take the children."
"Lady Renisha..."
Gale's throat choked up, unable to say anything.
Becoming Count Calliot was like declaring to the world that he was a traitor.
The gaze of the people felt like poking Gale with an awl.
Gale's shoulders trembled.
Saying he had no choice...
He had killed Count Calliot by saying he had no choice, and taken away the guardianship of innocent children.
Gale's knees buckled.
He felt as if he was finally realizing the gravity of what he had done.
Gale's eyelids fluttered.
"You were the one who threw those children into the streets, Gale."
Renisha pointed out each child with a gentle expression.
Kassius appeared behind her.
Kassius's expressionless face frightened Gale.
Everyone here was condemning him.
Gale chewed his lips.
One step, two steps.
He backed away.
He felt a chill, as if someone were pointing a sword at his back.
Gale blinked.
"You will pay a price."
"Lady Renisha, I... Count Calliot wouldn't want that!"
Gale cried out hysterically.
Fear seemed to consume him.
"He would have considered me first. Understand my situation..."
Renisha tilted her head slowly.
Even if Laxus was stupid, why would he do something like that?
Her thoughts became tangled.
Every time she blinked, her long eyelashes caught Kassius's palm.
Renisha covered her hand with his.
Kassius kissed the nape of her neck intently.
“Just sleep, Renisha.”
“...If someone gets hurt or dies while I sleep...”
“That won’t happen tonight.”
“How would Kassius know?”
“Because I’ll make it happen.”
Even though she knew it was nothing more than a ridiculous boast, she wanted to believe it.
Renisha hid herself in Kassius’s arms.
It was fortunate that Kassius was there.
There was a place to hide when she felt helpless and hated herself.
Renisha slowly drifted off to sleep, hoping for peace tonight.
Kassius ran a hand through his hair.
Renisha’s small, peaceful face caught Kassius’ gaze.
The deep fatigue was slowly fading away.
“Renisha...”
He doesn’t know why bad things keep happening to Renisha.
When he thought it was over, the world would always hit her on the back of the head.
Like this time.
He wanted to take her place, but it was a shame that he couldn’t.
Kassius carefully stroked Renisha’s cheek.
“Renisha...”
Renisha had countless people.
She cherished and respected them all.
So, what kind of person was Kassius to Renisha?
Greed filled Kassius’s eyes.
Renisha had promised to become his family.
His greed was endless.
He wanted to have more and more.
He wanted to be Renisha’s only one, to be special.
Kassius carefully stroked Renisha’s cheek.
Kassius slowly bent down.
Kassius, who had kissed Renisha’s cheek, pulled away.
And above all, the greed Kassius felt for Renisha...
“Don’t cry, Renisha.”
There was a longing.
"I feel so helpless when you cry. Like I'm a fool who can't do anything."
Kassius ran his finger over Renisha's eyes.
If only he could, he wanted to rush into the palace right now and behead Laxus.
But Kassius would be beheaded before he even got there. He couldn't do that, since he promised not to die.
As Kassius's agony deepened, the night grew deeper.
And the next day, new cards arrived that would solve Kassius's worries.
"Kien."
"I'm home, Your Excellency the Duke!"
A tall woman with her hair tied up in a ponytail stood beside him.
"This is Luna."
The two tribesmen returned to him.
Renisha brushed past Gale and walked down.
Then she stopped and turned.
Renisha's pink eyes sparkled with anger.
"I'll take the children."
"Lady Renisha..."
Gale's throat choked up, unable to say anything.
Becoming Count Calliot was like declaring to the world that he was a traitor.
The gaze of the people felt like poking Gale with an awl.
Gale's shoulders trembled.
Saying he had no choice...
He had killed Count Calliot by saying he had no choice, and taken away the guardianship of innocent children.
Gale's knees buckled.
He felt as if he was finally realizing the gravity of what he had done.
Gale's eyelids fluttered.
"You were the one who threw those children into the streets, Gale."
Renisha pointed out each child with a gentle expression.
Kassius appeared behind her.
Kassius's expressionless face frightened Gale.
Everyone here was condemning him.
Gale chewed his lips.
One step, two steps.
He backed away.
He felt a chill, as if someone were pointing a sword at his back.
Gale blinked.
"You will pay a price."
"Lady Renisha, I... Count Calliot wouldn't want that!"
Gale cried out hysterically.
Fear seemed to consume him.
"He would have considered me first. Understand my situation..."
Renisha tilted her head slowly.
"Gale. You are not mine. Count Calliot was mine."
Renisha lowered her voice.
Renisha lowered her voice.
"I only do what is right for my people. Not by Count Calliot's will, but by my own."
Gale shook his head violently. His mind felt like it was going to explode.
“But, even so, I... I respected Lady Renisha and Count Calliot... and protected them.”
Gale’s lips twitched.
Judging by the way he looked around, she could tell what he was trying to say. He probably hadn’t revealed all of Renisha’s secrets.
Renisha let out a hollow laugh.
“Shouldn’t you have kept them?”
“Huh?”
“You just proved it to me with your own words.”
Renisha’s smile blossomed like a rose.
She was a captivating beauty, but it also filled Gale with fear.
A woman who could smile like that in this situation?
She was definitely not an easy person.
“Didn’t you just prove that you could betray me at any time? You were trying to flaunt your secret while also trying to threaten me.”
Gale’s face turned pale.
“That gives me one more reason to kill you.”
A shiver spread through Gale’s body.
An instinctive fear flooded him.
He wanted to bolt and run from that very spot.
“But you know what, Gale?”
Renisha tilted her head.
“I’m not stupid. I know it’s only a matter of time before Laxus discovers the secret I’ve kept hidden. But did I do anything to prevent it?”
A smile filled her face.
“No way,”
Renisha continued slowly.
“Does Lottera seem so weak that we’ll be defeated again? You’re the weak one, not us.”
Gale remained silent this time.
Renisha smiled.
It seemed there was no need to deal with Gale anymore. After Renisha left, the funeral hall became quiet.
No one remained by Gale’s side.
Turiel concluded the ceremony.
Turiel was also responsible for Count Calliot’s death.
It was she who sent Count Calliot to Hiloshine with Meteo. Turiel performed all the rituals with reverence.
He reached out to Gale, who was trembling with fear.
“One mistake can be forgiven. Don’t you think so?”
Turiel smiled, mirroring Renisha's smile.
Renisha pushed Gale off the cliff.
In desperation, Turiel reached out to Gale.
In this situation, Gale had only one choice.
“...I'll do anything. Just spare my family.”
Gale fell to his knees. Turiel smiled.
“You don't have to worry about that. My master is generous and fair. You will be fully compensated for what you are offering.”
Gale realized in that moment.
He could have chosen Count Calliot instead of the Emperor. He could have refused to submit to the Emperor's will and asked Count Calliot for help.
Gale burst into hot tears.
Turiel stared at Gale with a cold gaze as he lay groaning on the floor.
Renisha had guaranteed the lives of Gale's family, but she hadn't said a word about Gale.
She didn't care if Gale died.
“Eliminate the Emperor's heir, Gale,”
Turiel ordered.
“The child in the belly...?”
“We're not being so cruel, Gale. What we want is 'deprivation.' Just prove that the child is not the Emperor's child.”
“What...?”
“There are witnesses, there is evidence. But...”
Turiel ran his finger over her lips.
“That alone feels insufficient.”
It would have been easier if the child’s father had lived, but he didn’t.
“Claim the Emperor’s child is yours.”
Then, why not just create the child’s father?
Truth or falsehood didn’t matter.
If only we could plant even a moment of doubt!
“If you do that, your family will live.”
Gale’s pupils dilated. He felt pushed to his limits.
He could see a thorny path unfolding before his eyes. Gale blinked.
Ahead was a cliff, behind was the enemy.
Was his only choice even predestined?
Gale lowered his head.
Death was right.
Renisha had predicted his own death.
Renisha curled up on the bed.
Kassius hugged her body, which rose and fell slowly.
Renisha hadn’t slept a wink last night.
Kassius couldn't fall asleep either, complaining that he thought he heard the voices of the dead.
Kassius lowered his lips and branded the nape of her neck.
"...Shhh. Try to sleep, Renisha."
Renisha blinked, her eyes heavy.
The children she'd brought from Calliot had been taken care of by nannies.
They'd wash and feed them themselves.
Her head felt dizzy. It wasn't clear if it was from lack of sleep or the weight of her heart.
"...I can't sleep."
"You couldn't sleep yesterday either,"
Kassius said with a sigh and pulled Renisha into his arms. Renisha's eyes slowly closed in the intense heat. It was warm. Enough to calm her tense mind.
Gale shook his head violently. His mind felt like it was going to explode.
“But, even so, I... I respected Lady Renisha and Count Calliot... and protected them.”
Gale’s lips twitched.
Judging by the way he looked around, she could tell what he was trying to say. He probably hadn’t revealed all of Renisha’s secrets.
Renisha let out a hollow laugh.
“Shouldn’t you have kept them?”
“Huh?”
“You just proved it to me with your own words.”
Renisha’s smile blossomed like a rose.
She was a captivating beauty, but it also filled Gale with fear.
A woman who could smile like that in this situation?
She was definitely not an easy person.
“Didn’t you just prove that you could betray me at any time? You were trying to flaunt your secret while also trying to threaten me.”
Gale’s face turned pale.
“That gives me one more reason to kill you.”
A shiver spread through Gale’s body.
An instinctive fear flooded him.
He wanted to bolt and run from that very spot.
“But you know what, Gale?”
Renisha tilted her head.
“I’m not stupid. I know it’s only a matter of time before Laxus discovers the secret I’ve kept hidden. But did I do anything to prevent it?”
A smile filled her face.
“No way,”
Renisha continued slowly.
“Does Lottera seem so weak that we’ll be defeated again? You’re the weak one, not us.”
Gale remained silent this time.
Renisha smiled.
It seemed there was no need to deal with Gale anymore. After Renisha left, the funeral hall became quiet.
No one remained by Gale’s side.
Turiel concluded the ceremony.
Turiel was also responsible for Count Calliot’s death.
It was she who sent Count Calliot to Hiloshine with Meteo. Turiel performed all the rituals with reverence.
He reached out to Gale, who was trembling with fear.
“One mistake can be forgiven. Don’t you think so?”
Turiel smiled, mirroring Renisha's smile.
Renisha pushed Gale off the cliff.
In desperation, Turiel reached out to Gale.
In this situation, Gale had only one choice.
“...I'll do anything. Just spare my family.”
Gale fell to his knees. Turiel smiled.
“You don't have to worry about that. My master is generous and fair. You will be fully compensated for what you are offering.”
Gale realized in that moment.
He could have chosen Count Calliot instead of the Emperor. He could have refused to submit to the Emperor's will and asked Count Calliot for help.
Gale burst into hot tears.
Turiel stared at Gale with a cold gaze as he lay groaning on the floor.
Renisha had guaranteed the lives of Gale's family, but she hadn't said a word about Gale.
She didn't care if Gale died.
“Eliminate the Emperor's heir, Gale,”
Turiel ordered.
“The child in the belly...?”
“We're not being so cruel, Gale. What we want is 'deprivation.' Just prove that the child is not the Emperor's child.”
“What...?”
“There are witnesses, there is evidence. But...”
Turiel ran his finger over her lips.
“That alone feels insufficient.”
It would have been easier if the child’s father had lived, but he didn’t.
“Claim the Emperor’s child is yours.”
Then, why not just create the child’s father?
Truth or falsehood didn’t matter.
If only we could plant even a moment of doubt!
“If you do that, your family will live.”
Gale’s pupils dilated. He felt pushed to his limits.
He could see a thorny path unfolding before his eyes. Gale blinked.
Ahead was a cliff, behind was the enemy.
Was his only choice even predestined?
Gale lowered his head.
Death was right.
Renisha had predicted his own death.
***
Renisha curled up on the bed.
Kassius hugged her body, which rose and fell slowly.
Renisha hadn’t slept a wink last night.
Kassius couldn't fall asleep either, complaining that he thought he heard the voices of the dead.
Kassius lowered his lips and branded the nape of her neck.
"...Shhh. Try to sleep, Renisha."
Renisha blinked, her eyes heavy.
The children she'd brought from Calliot had been taken care of by nannies.
They'd wash and feed them themselves.
Her head felt dizzy. It wasn't clear if it was from lack of sleep or the weight of her heart.
"...I can't sleep."
"You couldn't sleep yesterday either,"
Kassius said with a sigh and pulled Renisha into his arms. Renisha's eyes slowly closed in the intense heat. It was warm. Enough to calm her tense mind.
Kassius covered Renisha's eyes with his palms. Her heavy eyes closed. Renisha let out a languid breath.
"...You'll be fine after you sleep."
“The Count of Calliot won’t come back to life. And my parents... and the knights who died.”
“At least I won’t die.”
“...”
“I won’t make you sad. Not dying, not getting hurt. Always here.”
Renisha swallowed. Perhaps these were the words Renisha wanted to hear the most. She wishes no one would get hurt or killed because of Renisha. Wasn’t it enough so far? As if Laxus had appeared to destroy Renisha’s life... he broke her again and again.
“I will protect you.”
Renisha nodded heavily. Whatever Laxus found out, he would definitely take action. Fortunately, Lottera was no longer a family of sinners. Laxus had rehabilitated them with his own hands.
Haylin, Brixton, and Isabella were no longer sinners. Laxus could not allow knights into Hiloshine for any reason. While the Knights of the Capital were uneasy about falling into Laxus's hands, the Knights of Hiloshine were no less unsettling. Even if Laxus's people were killed in Hiloshine, he couldn't use that as an excuse to do anything. It would be like persecuting innocent nobles.
Even if Laxus was stupid, why would he do something like that?
Her thoughts became tangled.
Every time she blinked, her long eyelashes caught Kassius's palm.
Renisha covered her hand with his.
Kassius kissed the nape of her neck intently.
“Just sleep, Renisha.”
“...If someone gets hurt or dies while I sleep...”
“That won’t happen tonight.”
“How would Kassius know?”
“Because I’ll make it happen.”
Even though she knew it was nothing more than a ridiculous boast, she wanted to believe it.
Renisha hid herself in Kassius’s arms.
It was fortunate that Kassius was there.
There was a place to hide when she felt helpless and hated herself.
Renisha slowly drifted off to sleep, hoping for peace tonight.
***
Kassius ran a hand through his hair.
Renisha’s small, peaceful face caught Kassius’ gaze.
The deep fatigue was slowly fading away.
“Renisha...”
He doesn’t know why bad things keep happening to Renisha.
When he thought it was over, the world would always hit her on the back of the head.
Like this time.
He wanted to take her place, but it was a shame that he couldn’t.
Kassius carefully stroked Renisha’s cheek.
“Renisha...”
Renisha had countless people.
She cherished and respected them all.
So, what kind of person was Kassius to Renisha?
Greed filled Kassius’s eyes.
Renisha had promised to become his family.
His greed was endless.
He wanted to have more and more.
He wanted to be Renisha’s only one, to be special.
Kassius carefully stroked Renisha’s cheek.
Kassius slowly bent down.
Kassius, who had kissed Renisha’s cheek, pulled away.
And above all, the greed Kassius felt for Renisha...
“Don’t cry, Renisha.”
There was a longing.
"I feel so helpless when you cry. Like I'm a fool who can't do anything."
Kassius ran his finger over Renisha's eyes.
If only he could, he wanted to rush into the palace right now and behead Laxus.
But Kassius would be beheaded before he even got there. He couldn't do that, since he promised not to die.
As Kassius's agony deepened, the night grew deeper.
And the next day, new cards arrived that would solve Kassius's worries.
"Kien."
"I'm home, Your Excellency the Duke!"
A tall woman with her hair tied up in a ponytail stood beside him.
"This is Luna."
The two tribesmen returned to him.
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