IBACM Chapter 126

Chapter 126

Axel was at a restaurant near the village where Somerset was living as a wanderer. Somerset sat across from him, eating hastily with his hands. Axel looked at him with disdain but quickly hid it when Somerset glanced up.

“Take your time, brother. If you want more, I’ll order it for you.”

“Is there more?”

“Of course.” Axel motioned, and more food was brought.

“Sorry, I can only do this much. Father strictly forbids helping you, so I can’t even offer you a place to stay.”

Somerset, mouth full of food, said, “Try harder. What good is having a good mind if you don’t use it?”

Since that day, Somerset had barely survived. Axel was like a lifeline to him. No one could understand how it felt to have your own flesh seem like an enemy.

“I want to do something too…” Axel muttered.

“My mother told me not to bother about you…” 

Somerset paused.

“What?”

“Ah, nothing.”

Axel shook his head, but Somerset pressed.

“Tell me! What did Mother say?”

“She probably gave up on you. That’s the easiest for her.”

“I knew it! Damn it!”

Somerset yelled, and Axel calmed him, lowering his voice.

“So, I’m thinking of asking Dedrick for help.”

Somerset’s face turned pale.

“What?!”

“If you’re too proud to ask…”

“Is pride the problem now?”

Somerset’s face brightened immediately. Having never experienced such poverty before, pride was a luxury he could no longer afford. He was so miserable living as an outcast that even shouting ‘I’m Dedrick’s dog!’ while walking the square wouldn’t bother him.

He wiped sauce off his hands and grabbed Axel’s hand, begging, “Please… tell him well!”

Axel smiled awkwardly and pulled his hand away.

“I’ll try. And… Mother might come to see you soon.”

“What?”

“Mother plans to use you to get rid of Dedrick. Since you have no backing, if things go wrong, they can just pin it on you…”

Axel’s voice trailed off, troubled. Somerset slammed the table and gritted his teeth.

“They want to use me again when I’m already in this state…”

Axel looked down quietly.

“Be careful, brother.”

His lips curled slightly, hidden by shadow.

‘Don’t think this will end so easily, brother.’

This was already a merciful act compared to what he deserved.

***

A few days later, as Axel predicted, Delani came to see Somerset. Somerset clenched his teeth.

‘Just as Axel said.’

Delani hadn’t shown her face until now, but suddenly appeared, holding Somerset’s face tenderly.

“Who did this to you? Who?”

“Who else!?”

Somerset pushed her hand away, shouting with a face full of hatred.

“You did this to me!”

“Somerset…?”

“If you hadn’t provoked him, I wouldn’t be like this…”

He looked at his trembling hands and legs, crying out.

“How can I face Joanna like this?”

“I’ll fix you, no matter what! Just pull yourself together!”

Hearing a hope of healing, Somerset calmed down a little.

“When will you fix me? Or just take me to the duchy castle where I can be treated comfortably!”

Delani scolded, showing her frustration.

“Not now! Why did you run off without telling your mother? Now the guards are tighter, and there’s nothing we can do to that monster!”

But Axel hadn’t come since then because of the strict watch. After tasting proper food when he was near death, Somerset longed more for his old life.

Holding onto Delani’s dress, he pleaded.

“I don’t want to stay here anymore! Please…”

It wasn’t that Delani didn’t want to take him away. She wanted to secretly bring him back, but he had damaged a sacred relic of the goddess.

“If not that, then maybe put me in… a hotel or something…”

“Your fate is now entirely under Dedrick’s hands. I’m bound and can’t help you secretly…”

At the mention of Dedrick, Somerset shuddered.

His miserable state was Dedrick’s doing. Delani bit her lip.

“So am I just going to die like this? I don’t want to die!”

Somerset’s emotions flipped suddenly, and Delani grabbed his collar, shaking him.

“You’re not going to die! I’ll get you back to the castle somehow. So hang in there!”

“Hang in there…?”

He hadn’t slept peacefully since his injury. Every step was painful. His skills were useless with these broken limbs, and he was beaten every day.

His patience was at its limit. Fear too.

“How can I hang in here! Not while that bastard’s still around!”

Seeing him lose control, Delani held him tightly. Losing Somerset would mean the end of everything.

That would mean the end for her too.

Dedrick would never leave the woman who ruined him alone.

Either Dedrick dies, or Somerset does.

One of them had to die. This was survival.

“It won’t take long! So keep your head straight! I have a way to bring you back!”

Suddenly, Axel’s voice echoed in Somerset’s mind.

‘They’ll use you to get rid of Dedrick. Since you have no backing, if things go wrong, they’ll blame you…’

Delani opened her lips.

“We’re going to accuse Dedrick of treason and have him executed. Without other heirs, they’ll have no choice but to call you back.”

If Dedrick was executed for treason, only Somerset would remain. Axel, doubted by many, was out of the question.

No matter how broken Somerset was now, the Blackwood retainers would never let the family line die out.

“If we drive him out, everything will be resolved.”

“Hah… Is it really that easy?”

Somerset’s doubtful eyes didn’t shake Delani’s calmness.

“I have a plan to accuse Dedrick of selling his title to the enemy. If the plan succeeds, he’ll never recover.”

She squeezed Somerset’s hand tightly.

“For that, you must do one thing. Soon, I’ll send someone to give you a letter. Bring that letter to the duchy castle. It will be proof of Dedrick’s secret deals.”

Delani’s eyes flashed brightly for the first time in a while.

“If you say you found that evidence, the punishment for damaging the relic will die down.”

“That sounds crazy! Who would believe it?”

“With proof, who wouldn’t?”

“Can one letter be proof?”

“Don’t worry.”

Delani smiled and showed something to him— Dedrick’s seal.

“The castle staff are still in my hands.”

If Dedrick was executed for treason, no more headaches from that bastard.

They had to be careful since there was a traitor inside Blackwood, but if Delani and Somerset worked together, the family’s innocence could be proven.

Catching Dedrick would also secure their credit.

“What if it fails?”

“It won’t fail.”

Delani was confident. With proof, Dedrick would be arrested in the palace.

They just needed to sneak in, while he was gone, to retrieve the closet. Once they had it back, he would have to kneel again.

To save the monster, he had to admit treason.

Delani’s smile deepened.