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Episode 141: The Way They Love (VI)
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In the residence of the Marquisate of Winston.
As it was the day of the regular meeting, <Winston’s Shield> was gathered and noisy, though some were watching Kyle.
Whispers flowed.
“The master’s face is withered like a pulled cabbage.”
When Number 19 said so, Chubby, who was next to him eating strawberry jam streusel bread (which was baked by Number 19 who discovered his knack for baking), replied,
“I think something happened at the banquet hall yesterday
 Could it be that he couldn’t find Miss Annette because she wore a mask?”
Number 19 shook his head.
“If it was our master, wouldn’t he be able to find out who Miss Annette was among the crowd, even if 100 people were lined up and covered in a sackcloth from head to toe?”
“
That’s right.”
Chubby, who ate all the bread in an instant, one-shotted a bottle of milk, and added,
“But Number 19, your baking skills are really improving day by day.”
Number 19 rubbed his nose like how Annette usually did and said proudly.
“The sales of <Little Bakery> are also maintained. Now, we are even doing marketing in other regions!”
“Oho.”
“There are plans to open a second <Little Bakery>.”
“Choose El Dorado, please! Then I can buy bread and eat it even in the capital!”
At that moment, a vicious-looking man stepped over and was as excited as if he had found a diamond mine.
“Oh, if only I could
! If that huge cream puff landed in El Dorado!!!”
By the time Number 19, Chubby, and a few more men were heated up at the <Little Bakery> story, there was still a group of people interested in Kyle.
One of those men asked quietly.
“
Master, has your proposal been rejected?”
Next to him, One-eye responded in equal softness.
“I don’t think so.”
“Our lively master became so limp, didn’t he?”
“It wouldn’t be ‘just’ for that reason.”
“

!”
Words of the marriage proposal being rejected were uttered, One-eye dismissed it as ‘just a thing’, making the man look at him in shock.
One-eyed rolled one eye and carefully observed Kyle.
“Even if the proposal had been rejected, it would have not changed. Master, that is.”
“

.”
“He would have planned for the future without being too disappointed, to still be by the side of Miss Annette.”
Still, their master was a man of tenacity. No, it might have nothing to do with his tenacity.
He simply loved her that much.
Also, he was a man accustomed to waiting.
“
So, if we think of it like that, does it mean that something more happened?”
“Perhaps it is.”
One-eye mumbled as he touched his chin.
“
Did he realize that waiting won’t solve it
”
If that’s the case, even the ‘professional crush’, whose main specialty was waiting, couldn’t help but be upset.
Even after hearing that Grand Duke Hyacinth was injured due to an attack at the banquet, the master only confirmed that Annette was safe. He did not visit her.
Normally, the master would have dropped everything and ran over.
‘I’m sure he’s having a tough time right now. It’s the love of a lifetime.’
At that time, the face of Number 19 popped out as if he had been listening to the story.
“Then <Winston’s Shield> will stop for the time being.”
“Huh, oh my gosh!”
The vicious-looking man that was talking to One-eye swept his chest in amazement and surprise (not just because it suddenly popped out, he was surprised by how ugly the face that popped out was).
One-eye said sternly.
“Maybe. Today’s regular meeting will be over
 It will be difficult for him to take care of us for a while.”
It was then.
Kyle, who had been immersed in quiet contemplation alone, stood up without hearing what the shields were talking about.
Breaking expectations, Kyle said,
“Everyone, stand up. Let’s start the regular meeting.”
“

!”
“

!”
“

!”
The men’s eyes twinkled. Their master seemed to be a much stronger and more solid man than they thought.
“Yes!”
They responded loudly.
Today, their great respect for their master has grown a little more.
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“Ahhhhhhhh!”
In the dungeon of the Imperial Palace, there was the sound of piercing screams.
The person who targeted Annette was Baron Birosetsu, a man who had a crush on Annette’s mother, the previous Duchess of Valienne.
In the past, they fought in the bid to obtain the rights to develop the mines in the Eastern Continent. Soon after winning development rights, the duchess collapsed.
Even after the duchess collapsed, he had ambitions to devour her businesses.
He was also one of the strong supporters of Gerard von Axelferion.
When he was initially arrested and imprisoned, all he said was “Ahahahaha!” He just laughed. But he came back to his senses just three minutes after Sislin entered the dungeon.
Because Sislin ‘forced’ him to come to his senses.
Sislin’s black gloves were all bloodied, and the baron was almost in rags.
Tired of torment, the baron finally pleaded and cried.
“I, I will tell you everything! Please, please stop
 He-Help me.”
“You don’t have to.”
Red eyes stared at the baron indifferently.
From the moment he targeted Annette, he could not be treated as a human being.
Sislin slowly made eye contact with the bound baron.
Thick red blood dripped down from the iron tool he was holding.
“Keep your mouth shut.”
“

!”
He was enjoying it.
‘You crazy bastard, you’re enjoying this.’
‘Hitting me like mincing pork, he’s totally enjoying this.’
Feeling terrified, the baron was completely overwhelmed and cried out, his limbs shaking.
“It was all ordered by Prince Gerard! He said all I had to do was take the dagger he gave me and go to the banquet
 I suddenly went crazy!”
Sislin asked quietly.
“What did Prince Gerard say? What will happen if you bring the dagger to the banquet?”
His voice, steady and low, was cold, but there was hope in that he was asking questions.
‘He’s not telling me to shut my mouth.’
The baron knew it was normal to torture people to open their mouths, but common sense didn’t work for this madman.
As if he was happy with the question itself, the baron confided.
“He told me that if I bring the dagger to a certain man, he will stab Duchess Valienne with that dagger!”
The baron was so obsessed with throwing up what he knew that he didn’t even know what he was talking about.
The baron did not notice the subtle changes occurring in Sislin’s eyes for a mere moment.
“However, after meeting the prince’s eyes at the banquet, things became strange. I was running towards her with the dagger as if I had become a puppet
!”
“

.”
“There must have been some kind of special magic casted on me!”
The baron begged
“I am not guilty, Your Highness the Crown Prince. I am also a victim of being deceived by the prince!”
“

.”
“I’m also a victim.”
The baron looked genuinely sad. At that moment, when he couldn’t tell the true thoughts of the extremely expressionless crown prince.
“Right.”
At Sislin, indifferent reply, the face of the baron, who thought it had worked, light up.
And that was the last expression he could make while he was alive.
Swiik—
The blade moved resolutely.
After a while.
Owin politely asked Sislin, who had left the dungeon.
“How are you going to deal with it?”
Sislin quietly took off his gloves as he walked quickly.
The reason Gerard was kept alive was because it was more beneficial to keep him alive than to harm him because of his excellent external image.
In addition, there was also respect for Annette’s will, who wanted to reveal his sins and punish him according to the law.
But now

“Looks like the time has come to slaughter the pigs.”
The black gloves he threw out stuck to the floor.
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I forgot the flow of night and day.
I forgot hunger and sleep, and just became numb.
I sat, looking at Heinrich like a doll.
“Where are you?”
I wondered where the consciousness of the boy had gone even though his body was with me.
He left me here unilaterally. I wanted to see where he was wandering right now.
I think I know it now. How Heinrich must have felt when I left him.

He must have been so anxious.
He must have been so terrified, thinking he would never see me again.
What Heinrich did to keep me bound was obviously an irreversible decision, but the sentiment was

It was only now that I completely understood the fear of losing someone again.
“That’s probably why. Just because you’re afraid you won’t see me again.”
‘Heinrich.’
‘I should have understood you sooner rather than later and hugged you.’
Repeating his name inwardly, I took his hand, and laid it on my forehead.
I spent my time praying that I would like to see a smile just once more.
I didn’t know how much time had passed.
‘Is it just me?’

Heinrich’s hands seemed to have gotten a little warmer.
Did it get warm due to my body temperature? From me holding his cold hand too much?
It was when I was looking at Heinrich with my eyes blinking in surprise.
His silver eyelashes, which had not moved, shook and quivered.
“
Heinri?”
Very slowly, Heinrich’s eyes fluttered open.
The beautiful purple eyes that I had been praying to see again quickly regained their focus and looked at me. Like a miracle.
The dry lips were licked slowly.
“
Sister.”
“

!!!”
For a moment, my throat was choked and my eyes were clouded.
‘I thought I was losing you, Heinri.’
Without thinking, I hugged him.
Heinrich whispered in a voice that seemed to fade anytime, like a barely leaking breath.
“
Sorry.”
After coming back alive from the brink of death, that was the first thing he wanted to say to her.
The moment his consciousness was clouded when being stabbed by the dagger, it was the last thing he couldn’t say to her. Which he regretted.
He previously spoke of stupid things, like dying.
But his sincerity was different.
“
I did something bad, I let you down
 Sorry.”
“No, Heinri. I always understand everything. Your everything—”
Heinrich’s eyes shook.
‘
Why didn’t I know.’
It was not just him who stayed in his childhood. The heart that truly cared for him was always there. She was always there.
“Then don’t say you’re sorry. You’re back well.”
The corners of Heinrich’s eyes were also wet.
I hugged him even tighter.
“It’s really nice to have you back, Heinri
”
Ame: I’M OKAY AND NOT OKAY AT THE SAME TIME!
Tassie: God I’m so glad he’s okay!!!