CHAPTER 99……………………..
Count Inferna was truly like an actor with a thousand faces.
I forced away my awkward expression and pretended to brighten as I nodded. My whole body felt itchy with irritation.
Still, there was at least one good thing: what I had to do was clear.
I had to save Zeros from this wretched situation. That was the only thing I needed to do right now.
Sophia trailed after me. Since I had to get to Zeros before he was beaten any further, I quickened my pace.
“Ah!”
My steps finally stopped only when Sophia tripped. Watching her groan while clutching at her skirt hem, I couldn’t help but sigh.
“I-I’m sorry.”
Hearing Sophia’s trembling voice made me realize belatedly that I had been a bit too harsh.
The image of Elporten gleefully striding away lingered in my mind, and I hadn’t been able to calm down. But still, it was true I had been rude to this girl.
“I only rushed because I was anxious. It wasn’t your fault.”
When I held out my hand, offering to help her up, Sophia just blinked and stared at me.
“Oh, maybe you don’t like holding hands?”
Feeling awkward about my thoughtless gesture, I started to withdraw my hand—only for Sophia to quickly grab it, smiling shyly.
“It’s not that. I was just so happy and surprised.”
“Happy?”
My face stiffened in confusion, but Sophia carefully stood up, still holding my hand, and nodded.
“I’ve always wanted to meet you. A jeweler who once visited House Inferna said something that became really famous among the young ladies.”
“A jeweler?”
I had never met a jeweler while I was at House Inferna.
Of course, since I’d transmigrated and mostly stayed in the Imperial Palace, I had seen jewelers there plenty of times.
“He said you’d become the most beautiful woman in the capital.”
“Ah.”
That was ridiculous. The title of the capital’s most beautiful woman belonged, naturally, to Roelin.
As long as the heroine was alive, such extravagant rumors had no business existing.
“Meeting someone I’d only heard about… it feels like seeing a book’s protagonist come to life.”
That was something I could easily sympathize with. I too had sparkled with joy when I first saw Roelin.
Of course, since I can’t tell which of this girl’s words are true and which are false, it would be dangerous to open my heart just because we seem alike.
“Then remember this well. The one destined to be the capital’s most beautiful woman isn’t me—it’s Her Highness the Princess.”
“What?”
“That jeweler must not have seen Her Highness. The one who will become the empire’s most beautiful woman is also Her Highness. So from today, you must spread the word that the most beautiful person in the empire is the princess.”
The young lady, seven centimeters shorter than me, lowered her gaze under my stare. Realizing her slip of the tongue, she fell silent. She seemed discouraged, and though I pitied her, I didn’t feel the urge to comfort her.
“This is the Imperial Palace, and you’re part of the noble faction. Watch your words and actions, or you’ll invite trouble. Understood?”
Sophia quickly nodded at my question. Tears welled in her eyes, but there was no resentment.
After all, I wasn’t really eleven years old, nor was I interested in making friends like ordinary girls.
I already have Kyle and Lismas, after all…
Dragged out without warning, Zeros was beaten by a masked man with tufts of red hair sticking out.
The man, with a build similar to Zeros’s deceased brothers, immediately began pummeling him. No one around intervened—clearly they were all afraid.
Thud, thud, thud.
The kicks grew harsher. Zeros covered his head with both hands, curling up like a pill bug.
His brothers had once taught him to respond this way if he were ever taken hostage on the battlefield.
Though they had all long since departed, cutting his ties to family completely…
Even in death, my brothers are protecting me.
His skin split, bruises bloomed, and his clothes grew ragged, but no one stepped in.
Yet Zeros felt neither anger nor resentment. The person who had risked their life to save him—that was the truly unusual one.
I want to see her again.
The one who had saved Zeros, who wanted to die after losing his family, was Ellufe Inferna.
House Inferna was infamous, a name even young Zeros knew well.
His late father had remained neutral and taught his children the same principle:
Never expect favors from others, but never disregard a favor received.
Zeros had hidden his strength for only one reason: from the moment he decided to live on, he swore to use his power solely for his benefactor.
“What the hell are you doing?”
A girl’s voice rang out suddenly, making Zeros flinch.
His brothers had told him never to lower his arms in such a situation—but his arms had already fallen limp.
He couldn’t suppress the desperate thought.
If only he could see Ellufe Inferna just once more…
“That person…”
Catching sight of the red hair, Zeros faintly smiled.
Someone who always rushed to him in times of danger.
Just having one such person in the world was enough to make life worth living again.
“What, you know that brat?”
The man, who seemed capable only of anger, suddenly pointed a finger at Ellufe. Jealousy and envy gleamed in his eyes, and Zeros frowned.
“That’s what I’d like to ask you.”
The Zeros who had been beaten so helplessly now spoke in a chilling tone, making the man scowl.
“You idiot, don’t you realize how dangerous this is? You’ve gone and made friends.”
His irritated voice now redirected its anger toward Ellufe.
Zeros couldn’t bear the thought of such a vile, wretched man laying a hand on his benefactor.
Nor did he want to see his benefactor turn away from him in disappointment.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Zeros grabbed the furious man’s ankle, smiling faintly.
“Elporten Inferna.”
“How do you know my name…?”
Elporten glared down, repulsed, as Zeros tightened his grip on his ankle.
Dragged helplessly into Zeros’s hold, Elporten’s leg moved as though kicking him again.
“You crazy bastard.”
Though he wasn’t the one doing it, it looked as though he were kicking Zeros. Elporten’s voice trembled.
Shuddering, he turned to the approaching Ellufe and shouted:
“How the hell do you know this bastard?”
“…What?”
Startled, my benefactor looked at him in confusion. All reds should have disgusted and infuriated me, for they reminded me of my family burned alive. And yet…
Beautiful.
Like the warm, reddish glow of the sun felt with closed eyes, every shade of my benefactor was so gentle.
Every time I wished for death, my benefactor held me back.
If I kept being saved like this, wouldn’t I one day want to live every day?
Such foolish hope takes root.
“Are you insane? Or has your brain rotted? How could you beat a child barely standing like this?”
Even if the Count ordered it, there has to be a limit, doesn’t there?
As I glared daggers at him, Elporten tore off his mask and swept back his sweat-damp hair.
Then he gave a hollow laugh—before grinning in a way that made my skin crawl.
“Wow, what a twist.”
“What do you mean?”
“You really don’t know how devious this bastard is?”
His sharp words pricked my heart like a needle.
Dating sims with reverse harems were built on obsession. In that sense, Zeros indeed had scheming and devious traits.
But he was nothing like Elporten’s vile cruelty. That much I could be sure of.
“The only devious one here is you, brother.”
At my words, Sophia quickly nodded beside me, eyes blazing with agreement.
Standing by my side, she looked determined never to let what she had just seen slide.
“This sly bastard grabbed my ankle the moment he saw you, making it look like I was beating him.”
Elporten, feeling cornered, tried to justify himself with a desperate excuse.
But it was obvious—he hadn’t been able to restrain his temper, even though the Count had only told him to intimidate.
“We need to bring a doctor. He could die like this.”
My worried words were met with Elporten’s click of the tongue. He drew close and whispered in a low voice:
“You know what you’re good at.”
“…What I’m good at?”
As I asked in confusion, Elporten pulled out a dagger.
To think that a man who’d draw a dagger at a funeral was my brother—so shameful I could barely lift my head.
Stab.
And absurdly enough, the one Elporten stabbed with that blade… was me.
