Chapter 60
Cruel Deception
Ernant chuckled when he heard my answer.
“—Don’t be so prickly. That’s why I warned you beforehand. You’d regret it if you didn’t accept my offer.”
“…….”
Did he contact me using such an expensive item just to tease me?
For a moment, I felt the urge to throw the crystal orb to the floor, but I held back.
There were still many things I wanted to ask Ernant.
“When did you start using Karl?”
“—Quite a while ago. From shortly after I began my research, I was receiving monsters through him.”
“So from long ago…? Then, have you been researching a way to cure Karl’s sister all that time? When will you find it?”
When Karl had said he would heal his sister using monsters, I had dismissed it as nonsense, but deep down, I was curious.
Could Ernant’s research really lead to a cure?
If so, shouldn’t I support his research for the sake of those suffering and dying?
I asked after careful thought, but Ernant’s reaction was strange.
“—Huh? A way to cure his sister…?”
He must have promised Karl directly that he would heal her. Yet Ernant looked completely baffled, as if hearing about it for the first time.
Then, suddenly:
“—Ahahahahaha!!”
Ernant erupted into laughter. Hearing it through the orb, I felt a sense of foreboding.
After a long time, he finally stopped laughing and spoke in a teasingly smooth voice.
“—You’re really naive, Julia. I could forgive Karl, that fool, but you actually believed those words?”
“Eh…?”
“—His sister’s illness… do you think it’s called an incurable disease for no reason? It’s called incurable because it cannot be healed.”
As my heart froze cold, the orb continued to emit dreadful words.
“—Even if you implant monsters, the disease cannot be cured. From the start, I wasn’t interested in treatment; I was looking for a way to awaken abilities, not to heal.”
My fingertips trembled.
Even with monster implantation, the disease couldn’t be cured.
He wasn’t interested in that at all.
Hoping I had misheard, I said to Ernant:
“But… Karl believed it. He thought that if we implanted the chimera made by Your Majesty into his sister’s body, the disease would be cured…”
“—Exactly why I said it’s impossible. Maybe a method could be discovered with continuous research, but I have no intention of doing that right now.”
“……Then you lied to Karl? To use him?”
Even though I asked in a trembling voice, there was no answer.
I pressed him for a response through the silence beyond the crystal orb.
“Tell me. Did you mock his desperate feelings with a lie just to use him?”
“—Don’t put it in such a harsh way. I couldn’t help it either.”
It truly was a lie.
Karl had betrayed the regiment, the knights, and even me to save his sister. Yet Ernant never intended to find a cure.
“Karl… betrayed me trusting only your words.”
“—……”
“Do you know how much resolve someone with the pride of a knight needs to betray their comrades? He had to kill his own heart over and over just to make that decision. He wanted to save his sister so desperately that he destroyed himself. And… it was all a lie…?”
Even after hearing me, Ernant remained silent.
It took a long time before his voice came again through the orb.
“—Yes, Julia. To someone as pure as a white sword, my methods must seem disgusting. But for someone desperate like me, there’s no luxury to pick and choose the methods.”
“…….”
“—To get what I want, I cannot hesitate to engage in dirty struggles. Think about it—if I hadn’t deceived Karl, could I have continued my monster research? If I hadn’t grovelled before my father, if I hadn’t killed all my other brothers except Martin with my own hands… could I have truly ascended the throne?”
“…….”
“—You can blame me if you want. Call me disgusting, call me horrible. If you, pure as you are, spit on me, it will be a unique pleasure for me. But Julia—”
Ernant paused to catch his breath, then whispered:
“—No matter what you do, my nature will never change. Better to give up early and accept me as I am.”
“……What if I refuse to accept it?”
“—Hmm?”
“I refuse to be entangled with a terrible human like you. I will never see you again. Even if I must tear out my ears and gouge my eyes, I will neither see nor hear you.”
Ernant no longer even felt human.
Such a horrifying man.
I wanted to rip out my ears just to avoid hearing his voice.
Yet unfortunately, Ernant’s horrific nonsense was not finished.
“—Julia… what have you heard until now…? I told you just a minute ago. I am a filthy man who doesn’t care about means.”
“……?”
“—I’m heading to the island now. When I arrive, I will have you. Forcibly, regardless of your will.”
I realized for the first time that hearing something so shocking and terrible could make the neck stiffen.
My neck tightened, my vision blurred white.
What had I just heard? What is this?
Hundreds of questions swarmed my mind as I stammered:
“Wait… what do you mean by that? Do you… mean what I think you mean?”
“—Yes, that’s exactly what you think.”
“…….”
He was saying he would forcibly take me.
It clearly wasn’t merely about confining me.
The moment I understood that, I lost control and threw the crystal orb to the floor with all my strength.
Thunk!
The heavy orb shattered violently.
Shards scattered everywhere, but I didn’t care.
My mind was filled with only one thought.
I had to escape before that bastard arrived.
With no time for anything else, I stepped on the glass shards and approached the window.
I was in a bedroom on the third floor of the villa.
Though three floors high, a careful landing could prevent injury.
Just as I opened the window to jump—
“Stop. If you take another step, I will fire.”
Turning around, I saw Willich and soldiers aiming crossbows at me.
Even with abilities, I could have used ice barriers to block crossbows or deflected them with a sword.
But right now, I had neither ability nor weapon.
“If you attempt escape, Your Majesty has ordered that you be confined even if it means cutting off your limbs.”
Willich said coldly.
Suppressing a bitter laugh, I replied:
“Fine, just shoot. I’d rather die here than be forced into the arms of a man I do not want.”
“—You won’t die. As I said, you will merely be disabled and confined to the room.”
“…….”
“—Make a wise choice and preserve your body.”
I was speechless.
These men spoke words more horrifying and disgusting than I could even imagine.
Feeling my head go blank again, I sighed.
“—I won’t attempt to escape, so leave.”
“—Yes, we will clear the glass shards shortly. Sit quietly on the bed. And—”
Willich’s gaze turned even colder as he emphasized:
“—Do not attempt escape under any circumstances. With your abilities sealed, there is no way out of this deserted island.”
“Just leave.”
“—Very well, we will withdraw.”
Willich bowed deeply and left the room, followed by the other soldiers.
Since they promised to clear the glass, someone would soon come back.
Alone, I buried my head in the pillow.
Then:
“AAAAAH!! You bastard!!”
I screamed with all my might.
Yet my pent-up rage was far from relieved, and I clenched my fists.
I swung the pillow as if it were Ernant’s face, over and over, again and again.
“Huff, huff…”
Feathers from the ruined pillow obscured my vision.
I roughly brushed them off my face, silently vowing:
I would do whatever it takes to avoid becoming Ernant’s toy.
