"Will you keep saying that until the very end? No matter how you hate this stepmother of yours, how could you make me bear all of your sins?"
"What? I can be considered as a kind stepdaughter because I never use you as a scapegoat for a murder case."
I impulsively replied her while looking around to observe the situation. I saw a familiar face which I didn't notice before at a few steps at the back, behind other guards. It has been awhile since the last time I saw that bastard Cain. Suddenly I feel more annoyed than before. And…
'…, What are those?'
There were two men wearing masks that covered up more than half of their faces, quietly hiding behind the Countess. I didn't notice them right away so they shouldn't be part of the mansion guards. Could they be the reinforcement that Ortzen had previously mentioned before? Other than that bastard Cain, I also need to deal with those two. That's too much for me to handle if all them come to me at once. Did I unintentionally reveal my abilities much more than I originally thought?
I took one step behind as natural as possible. Even though there were three of them, it's still hard for them to catch one enemy if they went altogether in one direction. From this distance, I should be able to run away easily.
"You might haven't known about it, but actually… Silla, you can't live for long."
While I was looking around to see if there're any hidden danger, the Countess began to talk nonsense.
"The doctor said it's hard for you to live past the age of twenty."
Perhaps they planned to cover up the contract they made with the Demon King that way. Ever since I was born, I have weak constitution, so in the end I died young~ I'm sure they'll most likely use this kind of excuse to fool everyone.
"I'm perfectly healthy as someone who won't live past the age of twenty."
"I sent you to a secluded pavilion for your own good so that you can have a good rest in a tranquil place. It's all due to my swift decision that you've finally regained your health. You don't know anything, that's why you resented this mother…"
She's really good at making excuses. If I were a bystander, not the involved party, I would have definitely cursed at the real Silla for being unfilial. The Countess wiped out her tears from the corner of her eyes using her handkerchief.
"I've cared for you with all my heart but you misunderstood it and instead want to sell out this Earldom. Even though you're my precious daughter, I won't let you do that."
"…, sell the Earldom?"
Although I intended to take over the Epheria family, I never thought of selling it. Hearing my question, the Countess coldly glared at me as if she never shed any tears before.
"First it was the Special Task Squad, then you also got the First Princess Aranea involved in your plan while you put on your innocent facade. All this time, the leader of Special Task Squad has done all kinds of dirty tricks to devour our family!"
Oh, this is new. I've never heard of it before. It sounds interesting, and if I didn't know Captain Jullius well, then perhaps I would believe it. It's quite a common practice for the nobles in the Central Capital wanted to swallow up rich countryside nobles. However, Captain Jullius isn't that kind of person. If he had that bit of brain to brew up that kind of scheme, Ortzen wouldn't have sighed and offered me to be his marriage partner.
"I'm just dating someone I love, but you have jumped into a false conclusion."
"You are the only legitimate descendant of Epheria family. If you marry Captain Jullius Rizar, then the succession rights to inherit this family will naturally belongs to him. How could you not feel worried in the slightest?"
I stared at the Countess who acted as if she was a protagonist in a tragic drama, then I just shrugged.
"Then, can't I just renounce my succession rights to inherit the title?"
Anyway, the Count title is useless now, I want to get some money as compensation instead. Hearing my words, the Countess widened her eyes disbelief.
"Now… did you just say you want to cut ties?"
"Yes. If you give me a sufficient amount of money as compensation, I can do it for you anytime."
It's good, isn't it? Quickly accept it! Then your son will be the next Count Epheria. But of course, by that time, he won't be able to inherit the lands and even the Count title and he will have nothing left. However, contrary to my expectation, the Countess had a distorted eyes and she bit down her lower lips.
"…, I just had a hard time accepting your relationship with the leader of Special Task Squad, it doesn't mean I want to throw you away. I'm… We can never let go of our precious eldest daughter just like that."
Huh? So all this time, you caused troubles for me not because of the succession rights… no, it can't be. The Earldom is important for her, but the most important thing is her contract with the Demon King. But there's no evidence though? And since the contract has already completed, there will be only one person who can recognize it. That'a why, you don't need to be that nervous- Darn it!
(T/N: 아차 basically means 'oops', but it's weird to use oops in the sentence so after I did some research, it's also equivalent to 'omg', 'damn', 'gosh', and any others similar remarks)
'I can meet with the High Priest if only I get engaged to Captain Jullius. Of course the Countess knows about this fact.'
Wait, then perhaps the Countess thought that I tried to get engaged to Captain Jullius as a means to meet the High Priest instead? The Special Task Squad thinks that I'm not the sacrifice object because they know nothing about it. Then it does makes sense that the Countess will never let me go no matter what. I glanced at Cain and the two mask men, somehow I felt a bit tense.
'So that's why the Countess had those guys just to catch a Count's daughter.'
I wonder why she called for three wolves, instead of foxes, to catch a rabbit. And if by any chance they missed the rabbit, the rabbit might even attracted a tiger to deal with them. Actually, the rabbit isn't your usual rabbit either though. I pretended avoiding the Countess anxious gaze while looking out for an escape route. Fortunately there wasn't any prominent danger from those bastards.
"You don't have to care for me dearly. That's why you can let me go so I can live independently. I'm already old enough, so it's time to let me go."
"Don't say such depressing words."
"I've already decided. I have no need of inheritance rights, I'll only take one maid out from here to leave with me, so please just give up already."
Initially, I thought I could get some compensation money for giving up my inheritance rights, but in the end I got nothing. The Countess inconspicuously sighed in relief after I was indirectly asking about Sofia whereabouts.
"I have that kid. She's with me. Do you want to see her?"
"It doesn't matter if I don't see her."
I deliberately gave a curt reply. I doubt she won't use Sofia as hostage. I wish that Sofia won't become a hostage, but I'm sad to know that there's no way the Countess would leave her alone. If I guess it right, the Countess who even prepared a large number of guards to prevent me from running away, would use any necessary means, included taking a hostage. As expected, the Countess gestured with her hands and two servants came out while holding Sofia's arms at both of her sides.
"…. Miss…."
When I saw Sofia's almost-crying-face and bewildered state, I subconsciously tightened my grasp on the sword. Although right now a storm is brewing inside my heart, I kept my head cool to think clearly about the situation.
(T/N: 울컥하다 is mostly translated as 'a feeling as if you want to cry' but actually it's best to describe a' strong feeling such as longing, grief, anger, etc., and lead to be nearly or actually in tears'. I don't know any equivalent words in English (or perhaps I know it but can't recall it atm) so I just use any idioms with almost similar meaning that comes to mind.)
This whole situation is a mess and I feel really disgust by it, but it's not like I haven't faced any similar situation before. For the Countess, and also… the unlucky Sofia, this kind of situation would never happened if I were still in my previous body.
Not long after I was promoted as the new Captain of Holy Knight Squad, my deputy told me this, "There is always an obvious gap that can't be narrowed down between a leader and the subordinates. People can live on with just one leg or one hand, but they can't live without their head." My deputy also reminded me for countless times that it's fine to make mistakes or any little accidents while we were in the Capital because he could covered it up for me cleaned up the mess, but no mistake should be made on the battlefield.
I let out a short sigh. The fellow knights were allowed to save the hostages. They could also wreaked havoc the enemies after seeing their comrades and civilians who had died miserably with their own eyes, because I always got their backs so everything would be alright. But that's not the case with the leader. Unless I was in the Capital, on the battlefield there was no one whose position higher than me with authorization to make a decision. That being said, I had already made many ruthless decisions over the time.
Compared the gains and losses, and also the possibilities and impossibilities, then took them into consideration to make the most appropriate decision. While I was going to make the decision, I had to push away all my emotions to the bottom of my heart. One life for another life, that kind of sacrifices could only be made because of your own selfishness. I was more than willing to sacrifice my own life for tens of times, or even more for the greater-good. But in the end I couldn't do that because I still have many people waiting for me, I was responsible for all my colleagues lifes. And if I were to make such a hasty decision, I could endanger dozens of life so I had to turned a blind eye and kept moving on.
'I still went rampage a bit in the end, though.'
Inadvertently I let out a bitter laugh. Well, I was alone at that time. Hmm, come to think of it, I'm also alone even now. What should I do, the escape route is still there so I can just directly escape whenever I want. For now, let's take a look at the situation more before I decide my next move. But before that, I should also prepare for the worst possible situation.