Chapter 46: Tainted Hands

There was a typhoon. I was walking unhindered in the rain falling like a waterfall. I could recognize it then. This place was in my dream. The dream of living as Wilhelm’s dog in the imperial castle of ‘that time’.

[Ha ha…]

My shoulders trembled due to the cold, but my mind was strangely calm. The dagger in my hand felt lighter than ever. I was going to see Richton. As I did with Vivianne, I was planning to use the boy’s weakness to slowly get closer. However, as of today, such a feeling had been completely burned down and had disappeared. Viviane was still Wilhelm’s dog. Viviane still obeyed him, still spent her daily life with him, while still loving me. This wasn’t what I wanted.

[I need a dog.]

Through Vivianne, I learned that honey-coated obedience using candy had no meaning. Obedience required fear. Just as Wilhelm did to me and Vivianne.

[Ha ha.]

How deep through the forest did I go? The long-awaited old and diseased castle came into view. Rather than feeling heavy due to the decreasing warmth, I became lighter and lighter.

Heat rushed to my head with excitement. I opened the door without hesitation and entered the castle. It was my first time visiting this place, but I didn’t feel any unfamiliarity. I had only one goal. For that goal, I reached this place through the rain in the typhoon. Near the stairs that led up to the second floor, I heard the creaking noise of wood.

[Who are you?]

The owner of the voice had a shabby appearance that could never be found in the Imperial palace. Vivianne was right. Old maid’s clothes, dry brown hair, thin cheeks, and still bright black eyes. It was Jane, the maid who came with Richton when he was imprisoned here.

[Who are you?]

[I’m here on an errand for His Highness Wilhelm. If you don’t mind, can you show me Richton right now?]

[I asked who you are] Jane glared with a wary look.

. I smiled as harmless as I could and answered in a dull voice.

[His bedroom maid]

Jane seemed to understand my expression at once. After a moment of hesitation, she led me upstairs. The castle was very old and well-maintained. Jane alone was able to manage this place. She was a maid who was not stupid, and was faithful to her job. She was the kind of woman I liked.

Knock, knock.

[Mr. Richton…His Highness Wilhelm has sent you a visitor.]

It didn’t seem like it was the first time someone like me had visited. If so, what did they bring to this small and filthy castle? The room, which soon appeared, was bright with dozens of lanterns located in every corner. And the floor was a mess because of the rain from the wide open window.

[Mr. Richton!]

The boy was standing on a puddle of water. The back of his head, stretched out, was completely directed towards the raindrops in the darkness.

[Mr. Richton. You’re going to catch a cold.]

Jane ran to him as if she were accustomed to it and closed the window. Pulling a dry quilt, she carefully wiped Richton’s wet hair and face. I stared at the scene with satisfaction. What I wanted was right there.

[Mr. Richton. His Majesty Wilhelm’s guest has arrived.]

The boy turned to me. He had a lean body, but his face was quite worth seeing.

[… Wilhelm?]

There was no impression on Richton’s face. The boy approached me with a blank look and knelt before me. Then he looked up at my face. He was like a real dog.

[Did Wilhelm teach you to do that?]

There was no answer.

[I asked if Wilhelm had ordered you to behave like a dog.]

There was no answer.

[Poor Richton. You, too, have gained peace in the same way I did. Are you happy in that peace?]

[Yes]

It was a voice I was hearing for the first time. It sounded so rough that it made me feel uncomfortable. Richton’s answer was satisfactory, though I simply didn’t like his voice. I didn’t think I would feel guilty.

[I see. You’re happy]

I closed the door and kicked Jane in the ribs.

[Argh!]

I grabbed her head and pulled out the dagger that had been hanging inside the raincoat.

[Why are you happy? I’ve never been happy since I came here.]

I put my dagger into the back of her hand which was struggling against the wall. The dagger was too weak to pierce it completely. I pulled out the dagger again and threatened Jane’s neck. The scream that had been bothering my ears finally subsided.

[Ahhh!]

[I don’t understand, Richton. How can you say you’re happy? Are you happy to be trapped in this dirty gutter?]

Jane’s body trembled worse than the typhoon I came through.

[Ah…]

Emotions bloomed at last on Richton’s insensitive face. It was a very familiar expression. The boy, who was dripping with tears, crawled up and tried to approach me.

[Stop.]

[I’m sorry. S-sorry. I-I’m sorry. I-I-I won’t do that again!]

[Noisy. Will you be quiet?]

[P-Please punish me! It’s my fault. I’ll be punished….]

[Richton Ingord]

The boy stopped crying. I spoke quietly, to his face which froze abruptly.

[Every day is like hell for me, Richton. It’s been like that every day since I was brought to this cage. Those days when power is sealed by those motherfuckers and we are treated like slaves. I endure the urge to kill and die dozens of times a day.]

The color began to dwell on Richton’s stupid face. As if he had taken off his mask, a person with a different atmosphere appeared in front of me.

The boy called me. [Karold]

[Hello, Richton. Call me Agrane from now on.]

Richton Ingord, whom I met properly, was a serious and calm-eyed boy. His low voice was much better than before. [I’m going to get out of here.] I told him.

[That’s a stupid idea.]

[There’s a way out.]

[You won’t succeed.]

Jane’s tremor stopped completely. I twisted her wrist and cut off her left ear.

[AHHHHHH!]

[You’d better choose your words wisely, Richton. I don’t want you to kill sweet Jane.]

There was a strong smell of blood. Jane’s second scream made Richton’s face noticeably paler. I felt relieved and amused at the same time. I couldn’t believe he was stupid enought to have a weak spot while living in the Imperial City!

[Uh, hik….]

The sound of the rain was louder than Jane’s cry. Richton, who could not look away from her, seemed to me like a child who could not abandon his favourite doll.

[About today, do you think Wilhelm doesn’t know what is happening?]

[Wilhelm loves this kind of me the most.]

I could do even more than this to get you. I could receive that terrible punishment ten more times.

[You’d better kill me.]

[Our prince… That’s very nice of you to say.]

The strength from Jane’s whole body was drained as if she were already dead. I pressed the dagger that I had fixed under her chin harder.

[Ahh!]

[Kill me, please….]

More and more strongly.

[Uh, hik…..ugh]

[I’ll do whatever you tell me to do.]

More.

[Hik….]

[Fuck, stop now! I’d rather you kill me….]

[You can’t order me, Richton]

I smiled brightly at him without losing my grip.

[Say it again.]

I wonder how hard he bit himself to make his torn lips bleed? It was Jane who was wounded, but it was Richton who was dying. I couldn’t understand him. Was this woman so precious? Tears were about to fall from his distorted eyes.

[Please, Jane… That child…]

I could not understand Wilhelm either. I couldn’t believe he was having so much fun with this. He was such a jerk.

[You’re really weak like trash.]

I relaxed my grip. I hated Richton, who had felt happiness, but now we were in the same boat. I wanted to instil only the necessary amount of pain.

[Jane, if you listen to me, I’ll give you back to him. Until then, you’ll be treated like a VIP in my castle. You’d be much happier than eating dust and serving as a maid in a place like this.]

Her body stiffened in my arms. My heart, which had been going up and down, suddenly stopped.

Jane, who struggled to push me away, ran forward as if she was about to run away. Of course, Jane’s attempt failed in vain because I had been holding her hair with all my might. I gently hugged her shoulder and said goodbye to Richton.

[I’ll be waiting.]

While Richton was standing absent-mindedly, we walked slowly down the stairs. She was somehow strangely docile for being dragged by me, but as soon as Jane left her castle, with her eager eyes, she grabbed my arm.

[I-I think you’ve got something wrong. I am His Highness Wilhelm….]

Wilhelm’s, what? Do you mean you keep an eye on Richton? There was nothing surprising. On the contrary, it was so Wilhelm-like that laughter came out.

[Ah! Don’t worry I’m here to pick you up. The play was too rough, wasn’t it?]

As if deeply relieved, Jane poured out her tears once again. What is she relieved about? It was all full of lies from beginning to end. I went back to the castle through the heavy rain. I handed Jane to the maids who were quietly waiting for me.

[Throw her away]

Jane lifted her head roughly as if she had been struck by lightning.

[Oh, I’ll tell Wilhelm well. I dealt with you because you were useless.]

[No way…]

When Wilhelm’s name came out, the maids, standing awkwardly, began to restrain Jane’s arms one by one. The red blood flowed down to her neck.

[Oh, no! Let me go to Richton! He should have me. He would give up his life without me. Please, miss. For Mr. Richton….]

[Don’t worry, Jane. Even if all the precious things die, people will live. I’ve experienced it myself, so don’t doubt it. You’ll do your last good with death.]

A voice distorted by fear, anger and desperation called me dozens of times. I felt a calm fever enveloping my whole body by her howling.

[You’ve done a great job pretending to be loyal to him.]

The fever from excitement and pleasure was by no means inferior. It was… Yeah, it was a relief. a sense of relief that Richton’s happiness was all false.

***

T/N: I think I understand why Richton treats Agrane (Susan) like a dog