Chapter 43

Alice stopped talking and looked at me in surprise.

Yes, I should have told her this earlier, but I was so absorbed in other things that I forgot. We already know that Nocton Edgar is messing with people’s minds, so it wouldn’t be surprising if there was another victim named Sheryl Bornaine.

As for me, who had been at odds with her for year and mocked her for being rejected by Nocton, I couldn’t take it lightly.

“I heard it directly from Nocton Edgar. I think I have to go because it bothers me.”

When I said that with a bitter smile, Alice patted me on the shoulder without a word.

***

The next day, a gift arrived from Nocton.

There was a large white crystal in the box. It’s bigger than the one Alice gave me, and it’s got a higher purity.

I was surprised to see the contents, and my heart sank as I speculated what was his reason for sending this.

To me, the white crystal seemed to be an expression of confidence. Nocton Edgar’s confidence that whatever relics I prepare, it will not work on him

Additionally, I’m sure that Nocton’s obsession with me is not over.

I wasn’t afraid. After confessing my fears directly to him, my heart became rather calm. Now, just thinking of his face did not make my heart pound, nor my hands tremble.

Maybe I felt that I had been assured of my safety because I was saved by him even after scratching his guts so far.

I still couldn’t understand Nocton.

Why are you obsessed with me, why do you say I’m special now?

W

hy did you approach Alice and why did your engagement fall apart so easily?

What are you planning and what future you are drawing?

A long line of questions still remains unsolved. Maybe the day when the knot will be untied will not come forever.

Nevertheless, I was no longer curious about those things.

As soon as he admitted that he tried to kill Aaron, Alice’s dream was given unparalleled authority, and our friendship that stuck to whether it was a memory or a lingering memory fell down there.

I glanced at the relic and called Sadie.

“Sadie.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Take all this away.”

The holy water he brought the day after the tea party, the relic that had just come, and the few items that I had previously received from him or brought, were all put in a large box and removed from my sight.

Perhaps, there will never be a day to open those meaningless items again.

***

The carriage stopped silently in front of the enormous and quaint Duke Edgar’s residence, the second largest residence in the capital after the Imperial Palace.

The family’s emblem were not engraved and there were no distinctive features, but it was quite a luxurious carriage.

The door opened and a tall man got off. He approached the guards staring straight at him with cloudy eyes.

“It’s Aaron Claymore. I made an appointment with the Duke Edgar, so open the gate.”

“Let me check.”

Aaron took a deep breath, recalling what had happened a while ago.

It happened at the canceled Imperial ball, when he followed Nocton Edgar from the balcony. Aaron told Duke Edgar, who has been threatening him, to try it if he can.

Then he said,

“

Try it if I can

…?”

Surprisingly stunned, Duke Edgar repeated what he heard.

Aaron was so nervous to the point his fingertips went numb, but thanks to his recent concentration on training, Aaron was able to pretend to be calm.

Aaron Claymore was aware that he was doing something dangerous.

Even though he had focused on training for a month, the difference in skills wasn’t enough to fill in that time.

However, he wanted to test the Duke even if he took risks.

When he vomited blood in the drawing room, was it really the Duke’s intention to keep Roa safe? If so, how does Nocton Edgar truly think of Roa?

At that time, he could see with his eyes that the Duke was obsessed with Roa, but it had to be clear whether it was as a precious person or an obsession in the possessive sense.

When they talked about Nocton Edgar, Roa Valrose, his friend’s expression looked so forlorn.

“I don’t understand why you believe in such a thing. You must have gotten a character that would appear in a heroic novel.”

“I don’t believe in swords. I believe in Roa.”

The Duke’s face sank at the provocative words.

It wasn’t a good look, but it’s also a trick to see that he can be more brutal over there.

To ease the tension, Aaron deliberately took it lightly. Nevertheless, his fingertips moved unknowingly looking for his sword.

He spoke again before the Duke’s patience reached its limit.

“Just in case, If I were killed here and found dead, who would the suspect be?”

“…”

“The day we met at the Marquis Valrose’s residence, I know Your Grace even had the intention of killing me when you threatened me.”

And maybe, if you hadn’t vomited blood for some sort of thing, you might have ended my life.

“You didn’t mean to do it. You’ve had the chance to kill me since then, but I’m still alive. You were provoked by Roa’s words and acted impulsively.”

“Is that what you believe? Because I was looking at Valrose, you don’t think I’m going to touch even the tip of your hair?”

His eyes, which were looking at him, turned downward. Because the gaze was facing the floor, half of the pupils were covered with dark lashes.

Nocton Edgar seemed to be worried about something.

Aaron may not have the ability to look into other people’s minds, but it was clear that the worries contained in those dimly lit eyes would come to life.

Aaron’s collar rose and fell quietly.

“It’s not pleasant, but it’s a good cheap guess. Even so, it is only right for a person who has revealed his weaknesses like you to take care of himself.”

“It’s the same that you can’t touch the daughter of Duke Limorand.”

“Now you don’t have the intention to hide that name.”

“If you can’t do anything to me, it will be the same for the Duke’s daughter. No, it would be harder to touch her.”

“Well, I’m not sure, isn’t that what you want to believe, Sir?”

The Duke twisted his lips as if he were laughing at Aaron, pretending not to be nervous and calm.

“As you said, the thing I did in the drawing room was a mistake. But I didn’t let you live because you were special or engaged to Valrose. I haven’t killed anyone so far, and I’m planning to continue doing so.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“But, Sir Claymore, there’s always a method that is even more lethal than death. Please don’t be relieved. There are endless kinds of misfortunes.”

Having said that, the Duke of Edgar bit himself.

The words were harsh and his eyes glowed, but nothing happened, unlike in the drawing room. Despite all the provocation and rasping, the only thing that Nocton Edgar had done was playing cold.

Aaron didn’t get hurt a finger.

Because there’s a ballroom right in front of them? Because there’s a lot of aristocrats at the ballroom? Because the Imperial family is about to enter?

In common sense, the answer would be one of them, but Aaron Claymore was convinced that there was another reason for the Duke to spare his life.

Roa Valrose, the answer was her.

If he cherished Roa as a possession, Aaron himself would have been held responsible for scratching the inside of the Duke in any way.

But nothing happened.

Evidently, Nocton Edgar was looking at Roa.

He doesn’t know yet if he should say it’s a good thing.

“I will see Your Grace soon at your residence.”

“Maybe a blizzard night will be nice. I will allow you to share your sympathy in front of the gate.”

“If you don’t like the engagement between me and Roa, you’d better open the gate. I—”

“What subject you put in your mouth, your engagement with her?”

Aaron fell down with a silent scream. There seemed to be nothing wrong with the naked eye, but he felt a burning pain in his right hand.

He was soaked with cold sweat. But the pain that made him even think was a moment.

From the crystal stuck in his neck, a fresh force came out and flocked to Aaron’s right hand. White magic devoured black pain and brought Aaron’s spirit back from hell to reality.

In his head that stopped white, his thoughts continued again.

‘Is this a curse….? The necklace seems to have driven away the magic, but the necklace Alice gave me is…’

Just barely breathing, while Aaron groaned, Nocton Edgar approached.

“Don’t be mistaken, Sir Claymore. You don’t have a choice.”

He stomped on Aaron’s right hand without hesitation with his feet. It wasn’t enough to break the bones of his hand, but it was enough to bruise.

Aaron’s face was distorted by the sensation of his own flesh.

“Roa … do you know why she’s engaged to me?”

Aaron clenched his teeth, grabbed the Duke’s ankle with his left hand and pushed him. The young man narrowed his eyes, retreating more easily than he thought.

The pain was alleviated thanks to the unknown crystal, but the hellish pain was too intense for a moment. Aaron’s body was still trembling. Because of that, he got up with some difficulty.

“You speak as if there is any special reason, I know that it’s because the conditions were right—”

“It’s because of Your Grace.”

Immediately afterward, he swung his fist at the Duke’s face. The young man’s head turned when his fist, which had been crushed by his feet, struck his pale chin.

The Duke smiled in vain, with blood all around his mouth.

“Yeah … there was that necklace, indeed.”

While Nocton Edgar was talking to himself, Aaron took a step back and stood guard.

He thought he would attack again immediately, but the Duke only wiped the blood with the back of his hand and looked calmer than before.

Is he not being sensitive to pain?

Aaron shook his numb hands and opened his mouth again.

“I will tell you the details in the Duke’s residence.”

“Who told you I’d let you in?”

“I’ll tell you one thing first, I don’t have any regrets about my engagement. But, if Your Grace ask me to break it, I’ll do it. Of course, without anyone being hurt.”

He was going to announce the breakup today, but Aaron had the gall to say as if he were penetrating Roa’s inner thoughts.

In fact, it wasn’t even a lie, as she agreed to break the engagement without much backlash.

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The young Duke raised his eyebrows slightly, and glared at the white crystal in Aaron’s neck, discontented with something.

After a brief confrontation, he breathed a sigh.

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T/N: forlorn (adj): pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely.

I didn’t know I need Nocton x Aaron interaction this MUCH. (If you’re confused, the last part of this chapter is Aaron having a flashback about what happened in the party.) Basically Aaron and Nocton in this chapter:

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