(21) Rachel's Tactics (7)
"Stop right there."
At Ariana's cold command, the man who had just entered stopped dead in his tracks.
A slender figure and a handsome face. Ariana, upon seeing his face, sneered inwardly.
Ariana knew that man.
Rounder, a vile man who had successfully impregnated and married the innocent daughter of a certain Count. Even after rising in social status, his temperament remained unchanged, and he continued to harass countless noblewomen. The same was true for Ariana.
He would approach Ariana at every party, big or small, and her husband, Viscount Ingo Alfrech, would mistake her for an affair and beat her when they returned to the mansion.
Every time she was beaten by her husband, Ariana resented Rounder.
Why did he talk to her? Why did he smile at her? Why did he treat her kindly?
She had never dreamed she would encounter him at such a time. She thought they'd never meet again in this life.
Rounder grinned at Ariana. It was a smile that would have been appealing to a stranger.
"Second Princess. You don't have to be so cautious."
Rounder took a step closer.
"I told you to stop."
"I'd like to do the same."
Rounder took another step closer.
"Stop right there."
At Ariana's cold command, the man who had just entered stopped dead in his tracks.
A slender figure and a handsome face. Ariana, upon seeing his face, sneered inwardly.
Ariana knew that man.
Rounder, a vile man who had successfully impregnated and married the innocent daughter of a certain Count. Even after rising in social status, his temperament remained unchanged, and he continued to harass countless noblewomen. The same was true for Ariana.
He would approach Ariana at every party, big or small, and her husband, Viscount Ingo Alfrech, would mistake her for an affair and beat her when they returned to the mansion.
Every time she was beaten by her husband, Ariana resented Rounder.
Why did he talk to her? Why did he smile at her? Why did he treat her kindly?
She had never dreamed she would encounter him at such a time. She thought they'd never meet again in this life.
Rounder grinned at Ariana. It was a smile that would have been appealing to a stranger.
"Second Princess. You don't have to be so cautious."
Rounder took a step closer.
"I told you to stop."
"I'd like to do the same."
Rounder took another step closer.
"I think I owe you something."
Almost simultaneously, Ariana drew her dagger, and Rounder grabbed her arm and pulled her closer.
Rounder expertly turned Ariana around and hugged her waist, and Ariana stabbed his arm around her waist with the dagger.
"Ugh!"
But Rounder, accustomed to such things, merely groaned and didn't let go. In fact, his left arm around her waist tightened its grip.
Ariana drew her dagger and tried to strike again, but...
"Oh... you're carrying something scary."
Rounder roughly grabbed Ariana's wrist with his right hand. Ariana tightened her grip on the dagger, determined not to let it slip.
“Don’t let go. The Second Princess won’t defeat me. Do you think I’ve never been through this before?”
Yes, of course.
“But I’ve been through this before.”
Ariana lifted her foot and stamped hard on Rounder’s instep.
“Ugh!”
Rounder only groaned, but didn’t seem to have taken much damage, so she continued to stomp on him. The strength in Rounder’s arms waned, as if he was struggling to withstand the relentless attacks.
At that moment, instead of running away, Ariana spun around.
If she had fled, Rounder would have tightened his arms again, pinning her waist, but turning towards him completely defied his expectations. Cradled in his embrace, Ariana lifted her knee without hesitation.
Her knee struck his vital spot.
“Ugh!”
This attack wasn't even enough for the worn-out Rounder.
Without even a scream, Rounder let go, letting go as if tossing Ariana away, and bent down.
Ariana straightened her posture, gripping the dagger tightly with both hands as she glared at Rounder. Rounder hunched over, groaning.
"How much did the Duchess promise you?"
At the calm voice, Rounder simply raised his head and looked at Ariana.
Uncharacteristic of a woman who had been brutalized by a man, Ariana stared down at Rounder with perfect composure.
"Six gold."
Ariana was stunned by Rounder's answer.
A mere six gold. To think that her compensation would be a mere six gold.
'How pitiful, Ariana.'
Her heart froze.
She had no hope left for Rachel, who would sell her daughter for a mere six gold coins.
"If you quietly disappear from here, I'll double it."
Now that the pain seemed to have subsided, Rounder straightened. He looked down at Ariana, who was proposing a deal, as if amused, and then said,
"Does the Second Princess have that kind of money?"
"I do. Plenty."
"Ha, double is 12 gold..."
"You'd better accept it. If you maltreat me here, you won't be able to return safely."
"Well, if things go wrong, I could become the Second Princess's husband. No noble would accept a Second Princess with such flaws."
"You have big dreams. Do you think you could marry the Second Princess of the Duke Bronte?"
"I don't know. It's possible, isn't it? Because we love each other."
Rounder lunged at Ariana again. Ariana swung her dagger, but Rounder easily dodged and slashed Ariana's wrist with the edge of his hand.
Clang-
The dagger fell to the floor.
Rounder pushed Ariana forward, laying her down on the sofa in the pergola. He climbed on top of Ariana, gently grasping her neck and whispering,
“If you’re telling me you’ve been doing this, I should marry you. What else can I do?”
“You’re going to die.”
“No. I won’t die. Don’t you see, seeing as I’m still alive?”
“No, you’re going to die. I’m different from other ladies and young ladies.”
“Same.”
Rounder brought his face closer. His damp breath brushed the tip of Ariana’s nose.
“No, maybe even worse?”
“...”
“People like us are quicker to spread rumors than those in power.”
Rounder’s hand gently rubbed Ariana’s neck.
“Everyone who knows knows that the second daughter of the Bronte family is treated worse than a maid.”
“So marrying someone like me is no problem?”
Rounder smiled.
“Yes, that’s true... I like the Second Princess. You're much prettier, more mature, and more confident than I’ve heard. You’re the first woman in this situation who isn’t afraid. Oh, my. Don’t do that.”
Ariana, watching for her chance, raised her knee to strike again, but Rounder pinned her leg with his thigh.
“I won’t lose to you twice, Princess.”
Ariana knew it was difficult for a woman to defeat a man. But she hadn’t expected it to be so brutal.
‘Even with a weapon, it’s hard to win.’
It was only natural that a girl, starved and skinny from starvation, couldn’t defeat a man.
Ariana had expected this to happen.
The only problem was that Rounder was more foolish than she’d thought.
He dreamed of marrying Ariana. He hadn’t even considered the idea that he’d be killed to silence him as soon as this was over.
Even if Ariana wasn’t treated as a daughter within the mansion, she was still the Western Duke's bloodline. The Western Duke couldn't just let the man who had defiled his granddaughter go.
But such persuasion wouldn't work on this dreamy man.
Ariana decided to try another trick.
Even a man so accustomed to such things wouldn't have had his tongue cut out.
When Ariana closed her eyes and stopped resisting, Rounder, as if he had accepted her situation, leaned down to her face without any hesitation.
Ariana waited for Rounder's lips to touch, imagining how she would move.
Then, suddenly, her stomach felt light.
"Ugh! What are you?"
Rounder's scream came from beside the sofa.
Ariana opened her eyes and turned her head. Cyrus, looking somewhat angry, was standing there, clutching Rounder's neck.
Rounder struggled to escape his grasp, but Cyrus subdued him without any apparent effort.
Ariana envied the vast difference in strength. If only she were that strong.
“Do you covet this man’s lips, or did you give them to him and then aim for the next?”
“Let go of me! I don’t know what you’re doing, but I’m here at the Duchess’s request! If you treat me like this, you won’t get away with it!”
Rounder, unable to see Cyrus’ face due to his neck being held, seemed to mistake Cyrus for a knight of this mansion.
When Rounder’s voice interrupted Cyrus’s soft voice, Cyrus moved both hands in annoyance.
Crack-!
Just once.
With that single, effortless movement, Rounder’s neck twisted strangely, and he froze.
Ariana was terrified, but she didn’t show it. She quietly stayed where she was, as if the death of a man before her was nothing.
Cyrus threw the dead Rounder to the floor.
Even after killing someone, Cyrus’ expression was no different from usual. He looked calm, as if he had just finished washing his hands or eating.
“Is he dead?”
“Yeah. Are you scared?”
She couldn’t show Cyrus her weakness just because she was scared.
Ariana got down from the sofa and kicked Rounder’s body. Rounder didn’t move.
“He’s really dead.”
“As expected, you amuse me. A normal woman would faint after a scene like this.”
“Why would I faint when the man who tried to harm me is dead?”
Cyrus picked up the dagger from the floor, twisted the handle toward Ariana, and handed it to her.
“Did you think you could beat a strong man with something like this?”
“I always have my next move in mind.”
“Even if it means staining your lips?”
“Would someone who would drag others into the mud fear the mud that would splash on them? However, I thank you for dipping your feet in my place. I will definitely thank you someday.”
Cyrus stared at Ariana for a moment before saying,
“Are you going to stay here?”
“I should go. I will excuse myself first today.”
Ariana pulled a handkerchief from her bosom. It was a handkerchief she always carried with her, thinking she might need it someday.
Ariana dropped it on the floor.
She couldn’t even fathom why Cyrus had shown up at a moment like this to help her. But if he truly meant to ‘help,’ he wouldn’t put this handkerchief away.
After Ariana left without explanation, Cyrus checked what she had left behind.
It was a handkerchief.
Cyrus’s mouth quirked at the name engraved on the handkerchief.
“Noah.”
Noah appeared at his call.
"Go to the investigation bureau as quickly as possible and send an investigator here. The investigator must be from the Empire."
Each territory's office had one or two officials sent by the Empire.
If the investigator was from the imperial family, the Western Duke's influence could be used to quietly cover up the case. But even the Countess's influence wouldn't work on someone from the Empire.
Noah gave a short answer and disappeared, and Cyrus pulled a dagger from his pocket, stabbed Rounder in the chest twice, and disappeared.
Victoria was walking hurriedly through the forest.
It was because of the letter that had been shoved under the door earlier.
[Victoria.
I need your help with Ariana. Come to the pergola at the pond in the center of the forest.
Burn the letter as soon as you read it.
-Rachel-]
It was strange that Rachel, who had told her not to come today, suddenly called, but it wasn't suspicious enough.
Perhaps she had told Helena to stay in her room, worried she wouldn't mess things up, and had secretly called Victoria out.
As she walked toward the pergola, she heard sounds. The voices of Rachel and the ladies.
Victoria hurriedly headed toward the sound.
Rachel, who was heading to the pergola with the ladies, seemed startled by Victoria's sudden appearance.
"Victoria?"
"Mother, I..."
"Why are you here? Go back to your room, quickly."
Victoria was taken aback by Rachel's attitude.
"I came here after receiving a letter from Mother..."
This may be part of the plan.
"Yes, Mother."
Victoria answered politely and left.
Almost simultaneously, Ariana drew her dagger, and Rounder grabbed her arm and pulled her closer.
Rounder expertly turned Ariana around and hugged her waist, and Ariana stabbed his arm around her waist with the dagger.
"Ugh!"
But Rounder, accustomed to such things, merely groaned and didn't let go. In fact, his left arm around her waist tightened its grip.
Ariana drew her dagger and tried to strike again, but...
"Oh... you're carrying something scary."
Rounder roughly grabbed Ariana's wrist with his right hand. Ariana tightened her grip on the dagger, determined not to let it slip.
“Don’t let go. The Second Princess won’t defeat me. Do you think I’ve never been through this before?”
Yes, of course.
“But I’ve been through this before.”
Ariana lifted her foot and stamped hard on Rounder’s instep.
“Ugh!”
Rounder only groaned, but didn’t seem to have taken much damage, so she continued to stomp on him. The strength in Rounder’s arms waned, as if he was struggling to withstand the relentless attacks.
At that moment, instead of running away, Ariana spun around.
If she had fled, Rounder would have tightened his arms again, pinning her waist, but turning towards him completely defied his expectations. Cradled in his embrace, Ariana lifted her knee without hesitation.
Her knee struck his vital spot.
“Ugh!”
This attack wasn't even enough for the worn-out Rounder.
Without even a scream, Rounder let go, letting go as if tossing Ariana away, and bent down.
Ariana straightened her posture, gripping the dagger tightly with both hands as she glared at Rounder. Rounder hunched over, groaning.
"How much did the Duchess promise you?"
At the calm voice, Rounder simply raised his head and looked at Ariana.
Uncharacteristic of a woman who had been brutalized by a man, Ariana stared down at Rounder with perfect composure.
"Six gold."
Ariana was stunned by Rounder's answer.
A mere six gold. To think that her compensation would be a mere six gold.
'How pitiful, Ariana.'
Her heart froze.
She had no hope left for Rachel, who would sell her daughter for a mere six gold coins.
"If you quietly disappear from here, I'll double it."
Now that the pain seemed to have subsided, Rounder straightened. He looked down at Ariana, who was proposing a deal, as if amused, and then said,
"Does the Second Princess have that kind of money?"
"I do. Plenty."
"Ha, double is 12 gold..."
"You'd better accept it. If you maltreat me here, you won't be able to return safely."
"Well, if things go wrong, I could become the Second Princess's husband. No noble would accept a Second Princess with such flaws."
"You have big dreams. Do you think you could marry the Second Princess of the Duke Bronte?"
"I don't know. It's possible, isn't it? Because we love each other."
Rounder lunged at Ariana again. Ariana swung her dagger, but Rounder easily dodged and slashed Ariana's wrist with the edge of his hand.
Clang-
The dagger fell to the floor.
Rounder pushed Ariana forward, laying her down on the sofa in the pergola. He climbed on top of Ariana, gently grasping her neck and whispering,
“If you’re telling me you’ve been doing this, I should marry you. What else can I do?”
“You’re going to die.”
“No. I won’t die. Don’t you see, seeing as I’m still alive?”
“No, you’re going to die. I’m different from other ladies and young ladies.”
“Same.”
Rounder brought his face closer. His damp breath brushed the tip of Ariana’s nose.
“No, maybe even worse?”
“...”
“People like us are quicker to spread rumors than those in power.”
Rounder’s hand gently rubbed Ariana’s neck.
“Everyone who knows knows that the second daughter of the Bronte family is treated worse than a maid.”
“So marrying someone like me is no problem?”
Rounder smiled.
“Yes, that’s true... I like the Second Princess. You're much prettier, more mature, and more confident than I’ve heard. You’re the first woman in this situation who isn’t afraid. Oh, my. Don’t do that.”
Ariana, watching for her chance, raised her knee to strike again, but Rounder pinned her leg with his thigh.
“I won’t lose to you twice, Princess.”
Ariana knew it was difficult for a woman to defeat a man. But she hadn’t expected it to be so brutal.
‘Even with a weapon, it’s hard to win.’
It was only natural that a girl, starved and skinny from starvation, couldn’t defeat a man.
Ariana had expected this to happen.
The only problem was that Rounder was more foolish than she’d thought.
He dreamed of marrying Ariana. He hadn’t even considered the idea that he’d be killed to silence him as soon as this was over.
Even if Ariana wasn’t treated as a daughter within the mansion, she was still the Western Duke's bloodline. The Western Duke couldn't just let the man who had defiled his granddaughter go.
But such persuasion wouldn't work on this dreamy man.
Ariana decided to try another trick.
Even a man so accustomed to such things wouldn't have had his tongue cut out.
When Ariana closed her eyes and stopped resisting, Rounder, as if he had accepted her situation, leaned down to her face without any hesitation.
Ariana waited for Rounder's lips to touch, imagining how she would move.
Then, suddenly, her stomach felt light.
"Ugh! What are you?"
Rounder's scream came from beside the sofa.
Ariana opened her eyes and turned her head. Cyrus, looking somewhat angry, was standing there, clutching Rounder's neck.
Rounder struggled to escape his grasp, but Cyrus subdued him without any apparent effort.
Ariana envied the vast difference in strength. If only she were that strong.
“Do you covet this man’s lips, or did you give them to him and then aim for the next?”
“Let go of me! I don’t know what you’re doing, but I’m here at the Duchess’s request! If you treat me like this, you won’t get away with it!”
Rounder, unable to see Cyrus’ face due to his neck being held, seemed to mistake Cyrus for a knight of this mansion.
When Rounder’s voice interrupted Cyrus’s soft voice, Cyrus moved both hands in annoyance.
Crack-!
Just once.
With that single, effortless movement, Rounder’s neck twisted strangely, and he froze.
Ariana was terrified, but she didn’t show it. She quietly stayed where she was, as if the death of a man before her was nothing.
Cyrus threw the dead Rounder to the floor.
Even after killing someone, Cyrus’ expression was no different from usual. He looked calm, as if he had just finished washing his hands or eating.
“Is he dead?”
“Yeah. Are you scared?”
She couldn’t show Cyrus her weakness just because she was scared.
Ariana got down from the sofa and kicked Rounder’s body. Rounder didn’t move.
“He’s really dead.”
“As expected, you amuse me. A normal woman would faint after a scene like this.”
“Why would I faint when the man who tried to harm me is dead?”
Cyrus picked up the dagger from the floor, twisted the handle toward Ariana, and handed it to her.
“Did you think you could beat a strong man with something like this?”
“I always have my next move in mind.”
“Even if it means staining your lips?”
“Would someone who would drag others into the mud fear the mud that would splash on them? However, I thank you for dipping your feet in my place. I will definitely thank you someday.”
Cyrus stared at Ariana for a moment before saying,
“Are you going to stay here?”
“I should go. I will excuse myself first today.”
Ariana pulled a handkerchief from her bosom. It was a handkerchief she always carried with her, thinking she might need it someday.
Ariana dropped it on the floor.
She couldn’t even fathom why Cyrus had shown up at a moment like this to help her. But if he truly meant to ‘help,’ he wouldn’t put this handkerchief away.
After Ariana left without explanation, Cyrus checked what she had left behind.
It was a handkerchief.
Cyrus’s mouth quirked at the name engraved on the handkerchief.
“Noah.”
Noah appeared at his call.
"Go to the investigation bureau as quickly as possible and send an investigator here. The investigator must be from the Empire."
Each territory's office had one or two officials sent by the Empire.
If the investigator was from the imperial family, the Western Duke's influence could be used to quietly cover up the case. But even the Countess's influence wouldn't work on someone from the Empire.
Noah gave a short answer and disappeared, and Cyrus pulled a dagger from his pocket, stabbed Rounder in the chest twice, and disappeared.
***
Victoria was walking hurriedly through the forest.
It was because of the letter that had been shoved under the door earlier.
[Victoria.
I need your help with Ariana. Come to the pergola at the pond in the center of the forest.
Burn the letter as soon as you read it.
-Rachel-]
It was strange that Rachel, who had told her not to come today, suddenly called, but it wasn't suspicious enough.
Perhaps she had told Helena to stay in her room, worried she wouldn't mess things up, and had secretly called Victoria out.
As she walked toward the pergola, she heard sounds. The voices of Rachel and the ladies.
Victoria hurriedly headed toward the sound.
Rachel, who was heading to the pergola with the ladies, seemed startled by Victoria's sudden appearance.
"Victoria?"
"Mother, I..."
"Why are you here? Go back to your room, quickly."
Victoria was taken aback by Rachel's attitude.
"I came here after receiving a letter from Mother..."
This may be part of the plan.
"Yes, Mother."
Victoria answered politely and left.
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