You Said You Wanted Us to Break Up - Chapter 82

Lupid Regen knew a few secrets of his deceased friend.

He and Lerox had entrusted their backs to each other countless times while fighting the war with Kaulm.

It is difficult to hide things between those who rely on each other for their lives. Lupid thus knew several aspects of his friend that only he had witnessed.

The sight of Lerox from sixteen years ago, shown at the Ethel Castle, was one of them.

Upon learning that the child conceived with the Princess of Kaulm was alive, Lerox wanted to reclaim the little one.

One day when he visited Ethel Castle under the pretense of surveying the border, Lerox looked down over the window and said,

“That child is mine.”

Hearing his friend’s voice, Lupid followed him and looked down. Hessen was walking in the garden, holding his daughter. He was accompanied by the Princess of Kaulm.

“That position, too, is mine.”

From the woman to the child. Following the chilling declaration, a sentence followed that revealed what the man truly thought of the situation.

“But another man is enjoying all of it as if it were his own.”

At that moment, Lupid realized that Hessen Ethel would eventually lose his life.

Lerox never let slide any incident that could be interpreted as a challenge to his authority.

There was no need to take separate action against Hessen Ethel. Lupid soon obtained evidence that Count Ethel was communicating with the remnants of Kaulm. And, as he had done with all good things before, he brought it to his liege, Lerox.

Treason with the enemy meant only death.

Ethel Castle was soon devastated.

After killing all of Ethel’s knights, Lerox captured the Princess of Kaulm.

“To not be able to let go of your ruined country and plot a rebellion… It was an idiotic act that belies your beautiful face.”

Grabbing the shoulder of the princess, who was trembling with a tear-stained face, Lerox spoke menacingly.

“Return to me. Then I will spare Hessen Ethel’s life.”

Though clearly terrified, the princess immediately scoffed at his proposal.

“Do you think I would believe that?”

The princess mocked him with a cracking voice.

“You’ve already broken a promise once. That’s why you’ve been cursed.”

Lerox’s face subtly twisted. Seizing the moment, the princess cursed him.

“Even if I die here, that curse will chase you to the very end!”

The woman shrieked.

“It will demolish everything you’ve built, cast you into death, and even infest your corpse!”

Lerox did not bat an eye at her words.

“Is that so.”

He raised his hand and clamped down on the woman’s delicate jaw.

Making the princess face him directly, Lerox sneered at her.

“What a pity; everything you’ve built is about to collapse tonight.”

In that instant, Lupid realized that the man’s ambition had overcome a night’s passion. The Princess of Kaulm would meet her death tonight.

As he had expected, the beautiful blonde hair fell to the floor. Soon, the woman’s body collapsed.

Leaving the dead woman behind, Lerox turned his back. He commanded.

“Find the child.”

Afterward, the child was soon held in her biological father’s arms. She was forcibly clutching a white doll stained with red that Lerox had thrust into her hand.

A young child who has lost her parents is easy to tame.

Lerox was already accustomed to training animals with minimal whipping.

Soon, Lerox made the child get used to him, and then took her on a hunt—something his own son had never accompanied him on.

It was an action he took without knowing the child would go missing there.

When the child disappeared in the snow, Lerox commanded the accompanying knights.

“Find her.”

Lupid asked him.

“Should we send out a separate search party?”

The child was young and small, so she had to be found as quickly as possible.

Lerox pondered for a moment and then shook his head.

“She ran away on her own feet; there is no need to go that far.”

The child soon returned, held in a knight’s arms. As soon as she saw Lerox waiting for her in the tent, the child reached out her hand.

“Papa…”

It must have been a hand extended in feverish delusion, mistaking the person. Even though she was tamed, the child had never used the title she used for Count Ethel for Lerox, so Lupid thought so.

Lerox, too, seemed to be making a similar assumption, staying still without holding the child’s hand.

That was when the child sniffled.

“I—I got lost, and Papa wasn’t there…”

Lerox’s gaze turned to the knight who had returned with the child in his arms.

“It seems she was indeed lost. She was wandering near where she first disappeared.”

Lerox, convinced that the child had indeed called for him, commanded the knight.

“Give the child to me.”

The child burrowed into the arms that embraced her tightly, as if he had never been hesitant. Lerox looked down at the child, who was breathing raggedly with teary eyes, with a satisfied look.

“The deceased Count Ethel, in spite of his place, raised her dearly, didn’t he.”

“…”

“From now on, I will raise her much more dearly than she was raised by Count Ethel.”

Lerox kept his word.

To the extent that even while dying from a potent poisoning with no hope of cure, he summoned his retainers and gave them a separate command.

“Even if I die, promise me that she will enjoy the same things she enjoys now.”

“…”

“Swear to treat her with the same loyalty you showed me.”

Was there anyone who didn’t make that vow? Lupid could guarantee there was none.

Besides loyalty, it was also more advantageous for the retainers of Raslet.

The family successor had never had a good relationship with his father. Naturally, he did not look kindly upon his father’s friends. This was in contrast to the lady, who always treated her father’s friends kindly and with respect.

Still, at any other time, they would not have considered turning against the legitimate heir.

However, the lady was different. It was because Lerox had transferred all real power to her before he died. He had introduced her to his connections by taking her along while the successor was sent to the border region and absent for several years, and after his wife passed away, he even entrusted her with internal affairs.

Lupid knew why Lerox made that choice. Lerox was preparing for the possibility of his son gaining power as he matured.

Since no one could stop the flow of time, the day would eventually come when the successor inherited the title.

Knowing full well where the successor’s blade would be aimed when that time came, Lerox sought to design a situation where he could still hold real power even if he stepped down from his position.

If necessary, by any means.

“When the time comes, I will have the two of them married.”

One day, Lerox made that declaration. Lupid was slightly surprised to hear it but soon accepted that there was no other way to maintain power.

The reason the marriage was postponed was due to the lady’s objection.

“It’s not that I don’t want to marry. But I want to enjoy my freedom until I’m twenty.”

By the time she actually turned twenty, Lerox had passed away due to an unforeseen event, but his legacy remained intact.

Lupid planned to marry the two, if only to utilize everything his deceased friend had left behind.

If only Rowen’s daughter hadn’t entered the family, the plan would have been executed long ago…

Lupid’s face contorted as he briefly recalled how much things had gone awry over the past few years.

The new head of the family, who had inherited the title after his father’s death, not only systematically stripped them of their real power over the past three years but also confined them to the estate.

“Sioden will kill all of us someday.”

When the lady said that, Lupid couldn’t help but agree.

Though, he had no intention of quietly submitting.

After being confined to the estate, Lupid contacted his old friends. He intended to make a move before the Head of the Family could take action against them.

Many shared the same thought. Lupid resolved to unite with them and reclaim their lost authority.

Tonight was the perfect moment.

Lupid sealed the letter he had finished with wax and handed it to the servant attending him.

“Send this letter to my son.”

His son had agreed to gather an army with the surrounding lords. Lupid planned to lead that army and attack Raslet Castle. The other retainers, who had also been sentenced to confinement, agreed to join.

As the servant took the letter, the sound of a door opening was heard.

“There’s no need for that.”

Lupid’s face turned deathly pale upon hearing the young man’s voice.

The young man, with black hair like his deceased friend, stood in the doorway and looked down at him coldly.

* * *

Late at night, the highest tower of Ethel Castle.

Merwen, who was looking out the window, turned around at the sound of the door opening.

After confirming who was standing in the doorway, she smiled clearly.

“It’s been a while.”

The man, who had already glimpsed her true nature, did not return the smile. Merwen, of course, didn’t care and simply grinned.

She observed the man walking toward her and assessed him.

“Your face is worn out.”

Though his expression was still frigid, an unmistakable weariness, which he couldn’t hide, was apparent beneath it.

Knowing that this was a fatigue felt throughout his life rather than from a specific incident, Merwen wholeheartedly pitied him.

“How pitiful.”

Sioden showed no particular reaction to her pity.

After a moment of silence, he asked her,

“Rowen’s spy who poisoned the previous lord was you, wasn’t it?”

It seemed he had even uncovered that fact.

It was something that happened before he took real power, yet he managed to dig it up well. Merwen nodded.

“Yep.”

That was when a loud noise was heard.

“Th-that mad…!”

Merwen slightly frowned at the old man’s cracking voice. Turning her head toward the source of the noise, she realized who Sioden was accompanied by: Lupid Regen.

Merwen greeted him cheerily.

“Hello?”

Lupid flushed and tried to shout something in response. But before he could make a sound, Rhys clamped his mouth shut.

Without sparing a glance at the commotion behind him, Sioden asked her.

“The motive?”

“You know that too.”

“State it in your own words.”

Merwen briefly glanced at Lupid.

He had unnecessarily dragged the man, who he could have simply executed, all the way here.

His intention was obvious without having to be told. Merwen clicked her tongue softly.

“It’s not just me; you are truly heartless, too.”

They were cold and cruel, as expected of those with the same bloodline.

Regardless, if he wanted it, there was no reason she couldn’t oblige. Wasn’t she playing the role of the cornered culprit right now?

Merwen confessed obediently, fitting her role.

“He took away everything I loved.”

“…”

“When you leave someone with such unforgettable memories, you should have been prepared to suffer the same thing yourself.”

And she decided to try and utilize this situation a little more. She looked directly at the old man being restrained by the knight’s strong hand and asked Sioden.

“You killed everyone, from his son to his grandson, didn’t you? That’s your style.”

Lupid didn’t seem to know about that yet, as he twisted and agonized. Merwen gave a small laugh.

Although she didn’t particularly like her half-brother, Merwen did appreciate one of his tendencies.

The man tended to wait until precise evidence emerged and then crush his opponents so thoroughly they wouldn’t get a second chance.

Sometimes Merwen thought that he might be waiting for the cause in order to get the result. Suppressing his murderous urges until the opportunity arose, and then seizing the jugular.

She wasn’t so different herself. Merwen leaned against the window seat and said.

“Honestly, it was annoying. They’d foolishly fall for it even if I was just slightly nice to them. They wouldn’t be able to do that if they properly remembered what they did to me.”

Merwen knew why they did it. She spoke as if chewing the words.

“They thought they didn’t have to worry about retaliation.”

They had looked down on her.

“And yet, they were the ones who taught me that there is no leniency in the North, and only those who take revenge survive the winter.”

There were surprisingly many people in the world who forgot what they themselves had taught.

Perhaps that was why so many parents felt betrayed by their grown children.

To Merwen, who was briefly contemplating one of the unchanging laws of the world, Sioden asked.

“There’s a gap of about a year between the deaths of Count and Countess Ethel and your entry into the castle. What happened during that time?”

Merwen’s brow furrowed abruptly. Confirming that she was reluctant to discuss the topic, Siorden demanded.

“Answer me.”

Merwen did not answer obediently. She changed the subject.

“You hate the family too, don’t you?”

She leaned her upper body forward slightly and looked up at him. With the innocent face of a child planning mischief, she asked.

“You’ve wanted to leave this family since the beginning. Didn’t you want to take revenge? Everything about this family makes you so miserable; you wanted to pay them back too, didn’t you?”

The brown-haired man tried to interject in their conversation. He called out his master’s title.

“Your Excellency.”

Merwen casually looked back at the man who was wary of her. She knew who that man was. The doctor was of commoner origin, wasn’t he?

A doctor like that could do nothing.

She turned her gaze back to Siorden.

“But your feet are bound to this land, and as long as there is warmth left in your body, you can’t escape your bloodline.”

“Your Excellency, do not listen further.”

Ignoring the doctor’s interference, Merwen extended her hand to her half-sibling.

“There’s only one way to get revenge.”

His blue gaze briefly swept over her fingertips.

But Sioden did not take her hand.

Merwen assessed him cheerily.

“That’s a shame.”

Merwen’s body tilted backward. Her pristine white fingertips rose up as if to brush past the man’s jawline.

Soon, the woman’s silhouette sank against the backdrop of the pitch-black night sky.

It was an intentional fall.