Not Knowing The Betrayal Of That Day - Chapter 116
Translator and Editor: Effe and Yonnee
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Chapter 116
“Aahh, right… You’ve been aiming for that from the beginning. Will you negotiate with me?”
Beatrice, who had roughly understood Hert’s intentions, let out an unexpected laugh. Beatrice continued as she sat across Hert.
“…But do you know what I might do if you reject my offer?”
“At the very least, you can’t get rid of me easily. You were the one who ensured that. This brilliant plan of yours would be put in peril once I’m out of the picture, won’t it?”
Beatrice clicked her tongue at the reply and smiled again. Yes, that’s how it would be. When a dog about to lose its owner reveals it, it should not be provoked.
The Marquis took out the seal of Duchy Callias from her pocket and threw it to Hert. It was quite a rough handling for the seal of the only Duchy of the country.
“It is the seal of the Callias Duchy. I will give it to you.”
“…Tell me exactly what you want from me.”
“And I’m telling it to you now. Become the Duke of Callias.”
Beatrice continued, placing her clasped hands on her lap.
“Everything will rot if left stagnant for a long time, so you have to stir it once in a while. So, I intend to destroy everything in this country one by one and rebuild it.”
The Marquis’s words left Hert speechless. This was what Marquis Borwen intended now. ‘I’m going to reassemble the kingdom according to my will, so why don’t you become a duke and take my side?’
“If you become the rightful Duke Callias, wouldn’t it look good?”
“Even still, it’s no different than a ruse. Such a trick…”
“Do you think the world will be deceived? Well, that’s of course. They can’t be fooled, so they’ll welcome you with open arms. They might shower you with cheers and kisses.”
Beatrice was well aware of how important good cause and image management were to the public. She used it to push her brothers away, become Marquis Borwen, and raise her younger sister as queen, and now to stand here.
“You know what? Everything is only slightly different. Look here and look there. It’s all the same. No matter what’s inside, if you just change the packaging properly, people will fall into the illusion that it’s something else entirely. But in reality, nothing has changed.”
The world has never changed in essence. Even those who sometimes break the absurdity and step forward for a better life end up complacenting their lives within the big frame. Like this, the world was rolling in a round circle like a wheel. Turning and turning, someone replaces someone else’s place again and again, always repeating.
“When people gather, of course, someone who will try to control the group appears. That’s why power exists. Whether the form is physical or abstract, it works around us. You can’t deny it. How can we, as human beings, go against the law and providence of nature?”
“So… You want me to be a clown for your detestable farce?”
“Are you taking it like that? It’s up to you how you think of it… I just want to tell you. After all, if someone has no choice but to take that position, wouldn’t it be better to be me? And I will share it with you now.”
If she had to follow the order set in a limited place, Beatrice decided that she would become the ruler and change the world to her liking.
That’s what change is. The outcomes depend on who holds the power.
This world too was tailored to the taste of humans. It was made that way because humans first created civilization and seized power, otherwise it would have taken a different form.
A utopia where everyone could live happily ever after? Nothing like that can exist. It was unattainable so that’s why they craved it.
Some people may think to take their life for granted and enjoy what they have been given, but in the end, that life must have been created by squeezing someone else out. Not everyone could live with the same benefits. Even if they realized that, there was no way they could give up what they he had so easily gained.
So, in the end, it was a fight for position. A fight over who gets more benefits and gets to keep them.
The form and name of this fight have changed since humans appeared in the world, but its essence remains the same. Therefore, if the opportunity presented itself, it was wise to seize it.
“I told you, I’m giving you a chance.”
Hearing those words, he unconsciously looked down at the Duchy’s seal that was in his palm. Beatrice, noticing his gaze, continued her words gracefully.
“If there is something you want to protect, you must have the strength to protect it. If you want something, you have to seize the power to deserve it. You know very well that nothing comes when nothing is done. You’re still going to pretend you’re not involved like that?”
Beatrice had no intention of forcing Hert from the beginning. That’s why she created the situation and waited until now. Until this man would realize it himself—what exactly was it that he needed right now?
Her fine dog was unaware of it, but he had long since taken off the leash on his own. Even if she brought a new leash and put it on again, it would soon break and he would run away. The experience once learned will become a habit and will continue to accompany him in his life. Keeping such a dog was a very difficult and time-consuming task.
But what if it’s voluntary?
Dogs were not meant to protect their masters because someone commanded them to. It wholeheartedly believed that it had to protect its owner. Of its own volition, it would be faithful enough to sacrifice its life. There was no leash stronger than one’s own will. Of course, it didn’t matter if the owner of the leash wasn’t her.
What Beatrice needed now was a man, not a dog to support her on this.
“Hert, I created the perfect environment for you. The strength and power to protect what is precious to you. Even honor. Unless you’re an idiot, it would be beyond foolish to refuse this.”
Hert quietly closed and opened his eyes at Beatrice’s words. He knew that, too. In order to survive, he would have to take someone else’s place, and the opportunity that has come to him now was nothing to scoff about. The Marquis was able to come out to him with confidence because she knew that too.
In fact, he wasn’t surprised by the Marquis’s actions. He was expecting this too. While taking the collapsed Tessa into the temple and staying there, Hert received a full report through Lange of what Marquis Borwen had been doing outside.
The Marquis first brought down Duke Callias, and succeeded in turning him into a villain. Naturally, the public was angry with Duke Callias, and the King did not hide his disappointment in the Duke. Beatrice had created an excuse to throw out Duke Callias at any time.
However, it was because of Hert that the Duchy was not thrown out right away and was kept.
The only Duchy in the kingdom. The Callias Duchy had unrivaled value and significance in the kingdom. The Marquis thought it would be a waste to get rid of all this value and meaning. Thus, she was planning to introduce a new Duchy to the world with Hert wearing the image of a righteous hero.
If there was a villain, there must also be a hero to make people go crazy.
Even now, Hert was known to be seriously injured after fighting in the name of justice and was on the verge of death. If he overcomes his injury and goes out in front of people again, there would be no debut as gorgeous and perfect as this? Everyone would look up to Hert and praise him.
Once they thought and sympathized with him who was on the side of justice, they would not be able to turn around easily criticizing what he does afterwards. In this way, all the eyes of the world will be focused on Hert. So, building his own solid and unbreakable tower of power was what Beatrice wanted.
‘It will be completely far from the life I used to know.’
Hert’s gaze was still on the Duchy’s seal. In fact, there was one more option. Pretending to be dead and disappearing into the dark side of history. He and Tessa would just go on and live a simple life, exactly as they had wished a long, long time ago.
With each other without anyone’s interference…
“Even now, time continues to flow. At least I hope we finished everything before she wakes up.”
Beatrice, who had got up, looked at the door across the room that connects to the other room. Hert raised his head and looked at the Marquis then opened his mouth.
“I…”
—
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Join our discord to receive the latest updates as soon as possible!
Comments for chapter "Chapter 116"
MANGA DISCUSSION
What Are Pilot Novels?
Pilot novels are novels that will only have a few chapters released from our group. We hope that someone else can continue these novels for the enjoyment of everyone!