Chapter 152

 

It seemed there was still a long way to go before reaching the destination. Was there a problem with the road?

 

From the narrow window, it was impossible to grasp the entire situation outside.

 

Nils, brushing it off as insignificant, turned his eyes back to Yvonne and continued speaking.

 

“Even though Iona inherited the title through despicable means, our family is not one to be taken over by such a bastard. The retainers must be in quite a quandary now that she’s the head.”

 

“So what? She inherited the title anyway.”

 

“That’s why we need to reclaim it.”

 

Nils, recalling Iona’s constant, condescending advice, gritted his teeth in frustration.

 

‘The next time we meet, I’ll make sure she never dares to act that way in front of me again.’

 

With this determination, Nils spoke in a serious tone.

 

“First, let’s go down and win over the retainers there. Those in the capital were Father’s close allies, so they won’t easily side with Iona. And above all, we know her fatal secret.”

 

“...You mean that she’s a bastard?”

 

“Yes. We’ve kept that hidden for Father’s sake, but with things as they are now, we have no choice. It’s all or nothing now.”

 

A resolute expression appeared on Nils’ face.

 

The scandal of being a bastard was a powerful means to shake Iona’s social standing.

 

Though it was a critical card to be used strategically depending on the situation, knowing he had a weapon to threaten the enemy gave Nils considerable confidence.

 

However, Yvonne’s reaction was somewhat ambiguous.

 

It was only a few days ago that she had been stopped by the Duke from spreading the fact that Iona was a bastard.

 

Recalling Leroy’s chilling gaze, Yvonne shivered involuntarily.

 

“But that’s...”

 

Just as Yvonne hesitated, the carriage suddenly rattled, and the door swung open.

 

It was the mercenary who had been tasked with escorting them, appearing beyond the door.

 

The burly man gave a lazy nod.

 

“We’ve arrived. Get out.”

 

“What?”

 

Nils frowned and asked back.

 

Despite his uncertainty, he glanced outside again, but they were still in the rugged mountains.

 

Nils let out a laugh of disbelief.

 

“Arrived? What are you talking about? We still have a long way to go.”

 

“Just get out if I tell you to. Why so much talk?”

 

“You lowly scum... how dare you speak to me like that—ugh!”

 

Nils couldn’t finish his sentence.

 

The man, looking at Nils with annoyance, grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out.

 

“Brother!”

 

Yvonne screamed shrilly and followed Nils out in shock.

 

As she looked around for help, she hesitated, feeling a strange atmosphere.

 

The mercenaries who had been guarding the convoy were now standing in a circle, eyeing them greedily.

 

It was as if the people from their family had all fallen back to the rear, as if planned.

 

While Yvonne stood dazed and bewildered, the mercenary who had forced Nils to kneel on the ground dragged her beside her brother.

 

There was no need to use force on Yvonne like they did with Nils.

 

Her legs had already given out, and she collapsed to the ground on her own.

 

“You crazy bastards... Did you all get drunk together or what?”

 

In this humiliating situation, Nils’ face turned red as he hurled curses continuously.

 

In front of them, a small vial was placed.

 

Sensing danger instinctively, Nils immediately shut his mouth.

 

But that didn’t mean their captors took away the mysterious vials.

 

“Drink.”

 

The man who seemed to be the leader gestured with his finger.

 

A man who had been waiting in the background stepped forward and kindly cut the ropes binding them with a knife.

 

Even though their hands and feet were free, Nils and Yvonne remained motionless, sitting in place.

 

They couldn’t tell exactly what was in the vial, but they didn’t need to be told that it was something no one should ingest.

 

Seeing them fall silent as if the dead, the leader sighed as if he had expected this.

 

“See, this is what happens. They never listen when you ask nicely.”

 

Muttering to himself, the leader waved his cane roughly.

 

At the unspoken signal, a fist came crashing down on Nils’ face.

 

Yvonne screamed silently as she watched Nils fall backward.

 

“Ugh, gah...”

 

Nils tried to shield himself by raising his hands over his head, but it was impossible to fend off the barrage of kicks.

 

Unable to bear the pain, Nils desperately shouted that this was Iona’s doing and that he would double whatever she had paid.

 

There was no response from the assailants.

 

After a while, the leader, deciding that Nils had been beaten enough to listen, signaled his men to stop.

 

Scratching the back of his head, he spoke.

 

“Ha... In the old days, you could just stab someone in the back and walk away without any trouble. But nowadays, even murder needs a story. A story. The clients’ demands are getting more and more complicated.”

 

Clicking his tongue in disappointment, the leader squatted in front of Nils and Yvonne.

 

Pointing his cane alternately at them, he began to explain.

 

“Since you seem confused, let me kindly explain. I’ll only say it once, so listen carefully.”

 

“...”

 

“From this moment, you two will be missing. Because you decided to flee this country, having concluded there’s no future here. You chose to escape with some wealth rather than live under surveillance in your territory. You planned it all with those guys over there.”

 

The man who spoke gestured behind him with his chin.

 

Nils and Yvonne turned their heads in the direction he indicated.

 

The workers standing beside the wagon, feeling their gaze, casually waved in greeting.

 

All of them were unfamiliar faces.

 

“So, you leave this country, and no one will ever find you. You’ll go down in history as perfect fugitives. Isn’t that grand?”

 

“...”

 

“Still no answer? Do you still not understand?”

 

They understood all too well.

 

The man was declaring that they would be killed and buried without anyone ever knowing.

 

Nils and Yvonne began to tremble like leaves in the wind.

 

The mercenaries standing behind them watched their final moments with bored eyes, holding shovels and tools.

 

After pausing as if waiting for their response, the man drove his point home.

 

“So here’s what I mean. Do you want to be buried alive, or would you rather drink that and be buried peacefully?”

 

He pointed the end of his cane at the vial on the ground.

 

Nils and Yvonne squeezed their eyes shut as if denying reality.

 

In the darkness, they felt the footsteps drawing closer.

 

It no longer mattered on whose orders this situation was happening.

 

After crying, cursing, screaming, and begging to their heart’s content, they soon couldn’t make any sound at all.

 

***

 

A maid approached Leroy and whispered something in his ear.

 

A hint of a satisfied smile appeared on his lips at the news he had been waiting for since waking up this morning.

 

After checking the note handed to him, Leroy nodded slightly, and the maid finished her brief report and withdrew.

 

Iona, who had been watching, asked curiously.

 

“Is it good news?”

 

“There’s one piece of good news and one piece of bad news. Which do you want to hear first?”

 

He asked, folding the note carelessly, his tone sounding playfully mischievous.

 

Iona’s voice carried a hint of apprehension.

 

“...Has the young lady you were going to introduce to me today canceled her visit?”

 

Anxiety flickered in Iona’s eyes.

 

Hadn’t she come to Leroy’s mansion early this morning to be introduced to a maid candidate through him?

 

She was scheduled to leave for the duchy with him this afternoon, so a canceled appointment would be a significant inconvenience.

 

If they left the capital without securing a maid, she wouldn’t be able to find one until they arrived at the duchy.

 

Fortunately, it seemed that wasn’t the issue. Leroy shook his head slowly.

 

In a calm voice, he spoke.

 

“The bad news is that Nils and Yvonne have gone missing.”

 

“...What? How do you know that, Duke...?”

 

“And the good news is, they are most likely already dead.”

--- End Of The Chapter ----

 

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