Chapter 76 …
It stung, but it was nothing more than a prank-level injury, so he casually wiped the blood with his sleeve. The calmness with which he cleaned it—like wiping off paint—instantly soured Kal’s expression.
“Like I said, your reactions are boring.”
“That’s how you survive longer.”
“Even if you don’t react, your face is still worth looking at. Makes it fun to bother you.”
“So you’re saying it’d be a waste to kill me?”
Kal clicked his tongue. Normally he pretended to be so well-mannered, yet in moments like this he never lost. With a tch, he tossed a handkerchief at Helion’s face. Helion caught it effortlessly and used it to stop the bleeding as he asked,
“So you came all the way here just to say nothing’s changed?”
“Yeah. I want to kill you so badly.”
Before Kal even finished speaking, Helion’s expression changed. In a flash he snatched the dagger and held it to Kal’s throat. His golden eyes narrowed, and his cold gaze wrapped around Kal’s entire body.
“Are you serious?”
“Wouldn’t it be stranger if I were lying?”
Kal shrugged, forcing down his instinctive fear. This was the only time Helion—who was usually all pretense—became completely sincere.
“Did you come here asking to be killed?”
“I do want to kill you… but I’m not sure.”
A cold sensation lingered at his neck, but Kal stepped forward anyway. The blade grazed his skin and blood trickled down, yet his gaze stayed fixed on Helion.
“What exactly is that woman?”
“…You already know.”
“No. What I know is Merdin. And Merdin cherished her blood relatives.”
Perhaps because they were the same kind, she had raised her children like treasures. Even back when Kal lived in the Merdin territory, her love for her daughter had been famous.
But Merdin had changed.
She vented anger at her child and used violence.
She treated her child as nothing but a way to make money.
That wasn’t the Merdin he knew.
His blue eyes demanded an answer from Helion.
“So Laila isn’t Merdin?”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to kill them all?”
“Yeah. Merdin should remain a disgusting breed until the end. But that woman keeps bothering me.”
Merdin should’ve raged and denied being hit. Yet Laila stayed calm. She watched the situation as if she were used to it.
It was clearly her own situation, yet she stood a step away like a spectator. Kal found it bizarre.
And he didn’t like how Laila silently endured the abuse.
“…Is that woman really Merdin?”
The corner of Kal’s mouth trembled slightly.
That Merdin would never respect servants.
That Merdin would never protect someone.
Yet reality betrayed the Merdin he had believed in. And so Kal chose to doubt Laila’s identity instead.
“Even if she regained her memories, she couldn’t change that much.”
“If she’s not Merdin, you won’t kill Laila?”
Helion stared quietly at Kal, the dagger still at his throat.
“It’s not because of her. I just want to feel at ease.”
It was entirely for himself.
He just wanted to escape this irritating feeling.
But if he had to answer honestly…
“Well… I probably wouldn’t want to tear her apart like before.”
“But everyone already remembers her as Merdin.”
“So what? If I say she isn’t, then she isn’t.”
People were selfish anyway. So no matter what others said, your judgment had to be your own—unless you wanted to be dragged around and die like an idiot.
Helion burst into laughter at Kal’s honest answer. The strength left the hand holding the blade.
So he’s not killing me.
Helion usually went insane whenever it involved Laila, so Kal had expected to die. Not that he planned to die quietly—but Helion backing down so easily felt suspicious. Kal rubbed his perfectly intact neck awkwardly.
“Yeah… that does sound like you.”
“Enough with that. So what’s her real identity?”
“She’s Merdin—but not the Merdin you know.”
“So she changed? Did the previous Merdin die?”
“…Who knows. All I know is that Laila suddenly became Merdin.”
Helion had never asked for details, so that was all he knew. Kal found that strange.
“You seem close. Why don’t you know anything?”
“Because Laila wants it that way.”
So he intended to do as she wished.
At that answer, Kal frowned deeply. His eyes looked as if he were staring at a complete idiot.
“…Are you stupid? Were you always like this? Why did you suddenly become an idiot?”
“I’m perfectly normal.”
“If you only do what that woman wants, that’s not a person—that’s a puppet.”
“I decided to live for Laila.”
Helion blinked as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Kal grabbed his throbbing head.
I’ve known a guy like this for ten years…
Even his past self felt impressive for enduring it. Kal sighed in disbelief.
“Did she say that? That you should only listen to her?”
“…No, Laila didn’t say that.”
“Then why are you deciding things on your own? I’m sure she’d love that.”
Helion frowned, never having considered that she might dislike it.
“Laila would hate it?”
“You said she didn’t ask for it. Of course it’d be annoying.”
“Laila’s not like that.”
“So she was happy about it?”
Helion’s mouth, which had opened unconsciously, closed again.
He couldn’t deny it.
In fact, Laila had told him to keep his distance. He’d never asked her about it in detail, but she certainly hadn’t seemed happy.
Seeing him silent, Kal sneered.
“See? Even if you say you’re doing it for her, you’re just doing what you want.”
“….”
“Do whatever you want. Just remember—it’s not for her.”
Helion had believed living for Laila was the best way to atone, even if only a little.
But Kal said that belief was wrong.
Countless thoughts weighed down Helion’s head.
But Kal wasn’t finished.
“Oh, did I mention Laila got hurt?”
“…Hurt?”
“Her parents hit her.”
All the tangled thoughts vanished instantly.
Helion snapped his head up in alarm. Kal grinned, clearly enjoying the unusual reaction.
“Shouldn’t you hurry and go?”
“And you?”
“I still need to keep suspecting her.”
After all, she was still Merdin.
For now, he needed to keep watching.
Kal waved jokingly, as if asking why he was still standing there. But Helion didn’t even see the gesture—he had already rushed off toward Laila.
And after that, Kal didn’t see him again.
“He’ll come back later.”
“…Kal’s matured a lot.”
“I thought he’d go kill that man.”
After hearing the story, Hennel and Noah honestly couldn’t believe it.
Kal had always been like a mad dog. His emotions often overpowered his reason, and fights were common. So it wouldn’t have been surprising if he’d tried to assassinate Laila.
But he had changed.
Did something happen?
Or maybe he simply couldn’t give up on Helion.
Kal had always been weak when it came to him.
Either way, the change in Kal was something Hennel welcomed. He didn’t want to lose someone he could call a comrade.
“So when’s he coming back? We can’t stay here forever.”
“It’s getting a bit boring too. And this place isn’t exactly safe.”
“We’ll have to leave soon. Kal will… probably follow.”
Everyone knew they couldn’t stay forever. Even if they tried to handle things carefully, there were limits.
It’s time to break free.
But before that, Helion had something he wanted to ask.
Was he really wrong?
He wanted to hear the answer from Laila herself.
Meanwhile
No matter how much she tried, there was no progress.
She wasn’t even sure if she could become the kind of Merdin that suited Helion.
Should I go to a ball or something…
Staying in the mansion and fiddling around like this probably wouldn’t have much effect.
BANG—!
Well… it wasn’t like nothing had changed.
The proof was Katie, who now burst through the door without knocking.
“Miss! The mansion restoration work has stopped!”
“Why, did they run out of money?”
“They used up all the money needed for the work…!”
Katie shouted tearfully.
“So they’re giving up?”
“Jamie said they could start again later, but that…”
“Later? Do they have some way to cover the money they’ve already spent?”
The baron family’s fortune was nearly exhausted. Even if they were addicted to gambling, they probably didn’t want to starve.
They couldn’t get money through taxes or loans, and no one would invest in a ruined business.
So only one option remained.
“Has the partner been decided?”
“…Yes. They seemed very happy.”
Katie nodded gloomily.
If the family—who had been trying to sell Reina for the highest price—were satisfied, then the other party must be a very powerful figure.
“Do you know who it is?”
“No, but apparently the proposal letter already arrived.”
Faster than expected.
Reina had learned etiquette, but only superficially. She was still far from being ready to become a noble lady.
If they waited longer, they might have caught an even bigger fish.
Or maybe the partner is someone they don’t need to wait for.
If so, at the very least it would be a marquis.
Yet such a person had proposed to Reina, who had only recently been adopted into a baron’s family.
“Wait outside for a moment.”
“Y-Yes, miss!”
Katie hurried out.
After confirming the door had closed, I walked toward the balcony.
The sturdy tree blocked the blazing sunlight. The shadows of its leaves spread over me. The scenery looked no different than usual.
“Why don’t we talk for a moment?”
At my words, the leaves that had been still began to tremble slightly.
“I already know you’re there. Come out.”
“You’re not even using honorifics anymore?”
A stranger’s voice filled the space where I had been alone.
Bright red hair made his presence unmistakable.
Kal, sitting casually on a tree branch, frowned.
“How did you know?”
“Helion is the one who tails people. And that’s the only place you could hide.”
Using the tree had practically become a rule by now.
If Kal was still following me, that was the only possible place.
Kal clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed that I had noticed.
