Clench!
Yuriel gripped the hem of her dress, wrinkling its beautiful fabric.
There was nothing more painful to the young woman than to relive the events of that faithful day, 10 years ago.
No, this time it was different.
At least on that day, ten years ago, she met him face to face.
This train of thoughts made her stomach twist.
Yuriel feared that Ferzen had made some sort of deal with Lord Asran.
Since the whole point of Ferzen's involvement with her marriage with Geralt was to prevent the Asrans from gaining more power and influence.
So wouldn't it be more reasonable to strike some sort of deal, than to provoke the Asran family?
Also, Ferzen was the second son of Brutein.
Why would he take someone with Alfred's blood as his mistress?
"..."
The logical response to that reasoning was undoubtedly a negative one.
And Yuriel wasn't the only one having such doubts, as Corleone's expression was getting darker and darker with each passing minute.
"In addition to that..."
And in such an atmosphere, Geralt's proposal was becoming more and more appealing by the second.
It was almost as if Geralt was paying an inflated amount for the prize of this auction as a form of reparations for messing up Corleone's plan.
Otherwise, could there be another reason for such generous terms?
The more Yuriel tried to reassure herself in the hope that he wouldn't abandon her, the more her hand lost its strength, as her worries clouded her mind.
"..."
「Yuriel...This is the proof that I see you as a woman.」
「 Yuriel. Next time we meet, I'll be taking you with me.」
She could almost hear Ferzen's voice whispering those words in her ear.
Yuriel bit her lips as she traced the marks he had left on her body, which by now had almost faded.
Her current feelings were akin to an abandoned child, left to rot in some dreary orphanage.
A child who waits for her parents at the doors of the orphanage every day, firmly believing in the promise that they would come back for her when they make more money....
But eventually, the child realizes the truth.
That she had been completely abandoned. And that no one would ever come for her.
'It's okay if you don't care about me...'
The door remained closed.
And looking at it, Yuriel continued to think.
'Just....let me be with you....'
It was now 8 P.M.
And the auction continued even when there was only one bidder.
* * * * *
As if announcing that the dinner was over, the maids entered the room and took the food off the table.
Leaving only the wine and fruits.
Geralt took a sip of his wine, as he calmly looked at Corleone.
Since he had already laid his terms, he just had to wait for the organizer of the auction to finalize his decision.
An auction with only one bidder.
The outcome was already a foregone conclusion.
"Excuse me..."
"Where are you going?"
"..."
Geralt smiled as Yuriel rose from her seat.
He was already aware that, when a woman excuses herself from the table, she usually will use the restroom, but even then he questioned her.
He wanted to humiliate her, and as Corleone remained silent, Yuriel clenched her teeth and turned the doorknob, leaving the room.
Truthfully, Geralt still wished to push her a bit more, however, he restrained himself thinking that he would have all the time in the world to do so in the future.
In the dark hallway barely lit by the moonlight.
Yuriel leaned against the wall after wandering for a while.
"Ah..."
But when she looked at the windows.
Yuriel's purple eyes widened at the sight of two carriages parked in front of the Alfred state.
The carriage on the left carried the crest of a blue hawk.
And on the right...Stood a carriage emblazoned with...
A scale.
Yes, the symbol of balance.
The crest of Brutein.
Stomp.
At the same time, footsteps echoed through the once-silent hallway.
Although the hallway was dark, Yuriel could see the faint outlines of a person walking toward her, with unmatched elegance.
Uniformly and regularly.
Without missing a single step.
With grace and dignity.
And the owner of those bright, gemlike crimson eyes that shone through the darkness called out to her with an even tone.
"Yuriel."
The corridor was now fully bathed by the moonlight.
"..."
But Yuriel couldn't answer him.
In truth, she had so many words to say to him, but she couldn't voice any of them.
"Why are you standing here?"
She wanted to curse him, to scream every single profane thing her mind was capable of conjuring.
She wanted to interrogate him about why he was so late.
"Why are your lips trembling so much—"
But in the end, Yuriel's choice was...
Bite!
She bit down on his finger, the finger that Ferzen had pressed against her lips as the tears she had been holding back for all this time slipped from her eyes.
"..."
However, even though she had bitten his finger hard enough to draw blood, Ferzen looked at her without as much as flinching.
Bite!
Then as if he was simply feeding a baby a bottle, he brought the index finger of his other hand to her lips.
With only enraged Yuriel even more, as she bit it too.
Although she truly wished to bite off those fingers, Yuriel ultimately wrapped her soft lips around them.
"Heuk….!"
And Ferzen, who simply watched this with a faint smile on his face, wiped her tears and hugged her slender waist, soothing her trembling body.
"Ah..."
Only then Yuriel noticed the previous Heads of Brutein who were lined up behind Ferzen.
"Let us go."
As Ferzen resumed his pace, his hand wrapped around Yuriel's waist continued to give her strength.
And naturally, the corpses followed him.
It was now 9 P.M.
Bam!
The doors were opened.
Ferzen had joined the auction.
* * * * *
Stomp.
Ferzen entered the room, dressed in his iconic black suit, with his only adornment being a brooch on his tie, marking him as an Apollyon class Warlock.
Geralt couldn't help but grit his teeth at this sight.
He had already grown comfortable around Corleone's presence, but Ferzen's presence hit him like a hammer.
Even the maids and servants around the room bowed their heads, and they looked as if they couldn't even breathe near him.
A forceful silence wormed its way into the room.
As if the world itself had gone silent.
Telling the mortals around to listen to this man's words.
But there was only one person in this room who didn't look uncomfortable under such pressure.
Yes, Corleone....
"Oh.....OH..."
His eyes were bulging out of their sockets.
The madness within them was visible for anyone to see.
The six previous Heads of Brutein followed Ferzen.
He knew them all.
There was no way that he didn't.
Except for Brutein itself, the only other individual who knew their story the best....
Was Corleone Wayne Barreta Alfred.
10th Head of Brutein, Remyel Von Grielle Brutein.
13th Head of Brutein, Damian Von Mark Brutein.
17th Head of Brutein, Lothar Von Senfels Brutein.
22th Head of Brutein, Belger Von Lüfenheim Brutein.
25th Head of Brutein, Javelin Von Molit Brutein.
27th Head of Brutein, Bavaria Von Grielle Brutein.
Corleone's heart fluttered like a young maiden in love, just by seeing a piece of Brutein's long history in front of his very eyes, something that he could only see through portraits.
And that was exactly the reaction Ferzen wanted to cause.
That was his ploy.
...To engrave in his mind, that the mighty Brutein would be accepting Alfred's blood on this night.
And because of this statement alone, it didn't even matter if Geralt offered Corleone the whole Ernes Empire, for the old snake would reject it.
And at the same time, no matter what ridiculous condition Ferzen made, Corleone would simply bow his head and gleefully accept it.
Truly this was something already set in stone.
The House of Alfred itself was such a paradoxical existence.
They had a long history of an inferiority complex towards the Brutein.
But in Corleone's case, it was already an obsession.
So much so, that he had taken a woman who was almost an exact copy of the 42th Head of Brutein's sister and married her.
Just so he could placate his desire to mix their bloodlines.
And now, the snake had been stirred by Ferzen's little show.
"Have a seat, my boy."
"Yes."
Ferzen walked towards the head seat of the table and casually stayed there next to Yuriel.
"...Your shamelessness knows no bounds."
Geralt couldn't help but voice his complaints at Ferzen.
His tone which was akin to gravel seeped into Ferzen's ears.
"Don't you know how to arrive on time?"
"You seem to misunderstand something. I did arrive right on time."
Ferzen simply laughed at Geralt.
"Because my purpose wasn't to eat."
"..."
"I have no need to play this game."
His words weren't for a single individual.
He was speaking to Geralt.
But his words were also meant for Corleone.
However, unlike Geralt who felt insulted by such words, Corleone simply laughed.
In fact, each word that left Ferzen's mouth was music to his old ears.
After all, water and oil don't mix.
So if one tried to forcefully mix them, of course, some backlash would occur.
Because of this, the more Ferzen expressed his displeasure and arrogance, the more pleased Corleone felt.
Especially since the previous Heads of Brutein, were being ministered with the autonomous control technic.
Because of this technic, the corpses all acted in accord with their personalities, and every single one of them was showing their disdain for the events unfolding now.
Nothing could make the old snake happier than this.
This was the way his ambition would be fulfilled.
A child with the blood of Brutein and Alfred would come to exist.
Forty-four generations of the Brutein Family — If one were to count Jeremiah.
It has been a long time indeed.
Clap!
As Corleone clapped his hands, a servant brought 2 sheets of paper to the table.
It wasn't difficult for Ferzen to guess his intentions.
This was the time when they would discuss the terms of their agreement.
"State your terms first. I shall listen to them."
Leaning back on his seat, Corloene closed his mouth.
Ferzen shared a look with Yuriel, before speaking about the first term of their agreement.
It was a necessary evil, in order to finalize the marriage contract.
"I take Yuriel Wayne Dayna Alfred, the Second Daughter of Alfred, as my mistress, and relinquish the custody of the first male child she bears and, will give the rights to raise him, solely to House Alfred."
Ah.
If the gods themselves whispered sweet things in Corleone's ears....Would it sound like this?
The old snake could feel a thrill running down his spine, as his shriveled member hardened.
Those were the powers of the words the Second Son of Brutein said, the words from a man with the Brutein blood and the talent to match it.
If there existed recorders in this world.
Then Corleone would surely have recorded Ferzen's words and he would listen to them again and again...
"However, the child will have the right to know who their parents are, and if the child expresses the desire of meeting the parents, then House Alfred cannot refuse the request."
"I accept those terms."
"Then we are finished with the first item."
Although this at first seemed like a heartless proposition from Ferzen, one would have to remember that the Alfreds concentrate their power on their sole leader or successor, and as such, there was no way a child born with both Brutein and Alfred's blood would be mistreated.
"Now onto the second item...Allow me to propose it."
"..."
"During childbirth, if both the mother and the child are in danger, then the child's life must be prioritized. Especially if the doctor determines that the mother will no longer be able to conceive even if she is saved."
Ferzen frowned as he listened to Corleone's terms.
To refer to his own granddaughter in such a way...
From the tone of his voice, Yuriel was nothing more than a pawn for him.
And as long as she bore a child of Brutein blood, it didn't matter if she died.
But Yuriel simply chuckled at his words.
Since this was something she was already used to.
After all, this was her 'duty' as a woman of the House of Alfred.
And if her duty meant dying for her child....
Yuriel was willing to do it.
"I wish to make amendments to this term."
"Ah..."
There was no way Ferzen could ever accept this.
Corleone's eyebrows twitched at his words.
But since Ferzen wanted to amend the term, Corleone waited for his next words.
"If such a case happens, then I shall open the third floor of the underworld and seek a deal to make sure that both, the mother and the child are safe, rather than prioritizing solely the child. This of course will be done under strict observation of the doctors and shall be stopped in the case they deem it unsafe."
"You drive a hard bargain since the time taken to form a deal with the third floor is not defined, and if we were to use the time taken to strike a deal like the last one, what would you do if both the mother and child were to die before the three minutes pass?"
"Then I will take full responsibility."
"Even if Alfred designates another woman for you to take as your new mistress?"
"If that is what you desire."
"Then, I have no objections."
Despite the heavy atmosphere and the dark terms being discussed, the process itself was so unnaturally smooth that Yuriel could hardly believe it.
But her confusion was understandable since even if he had to take another woman from the Alfred family, he would first do his best in order to save both her and her child.
"..."
This was something novel for Yuriel.
She couldn't place her feelings.
She felt strange.
So she absentmindedly reached out to his hand under the table.
She grasped Ferzen's left hand with her right.
And Ferzen accepted hers.
A warm sensation spread around her chest.
Her own right hand clasped tightly within his much bigger left hand.
Even when she was being treated like the means to an end by her family, like an object, a tool.
Yuriel at this moment...Was happy.