CHAPTER 38……..
Watching all that, what did Arpad do, you ask?
Of course, he eagerly played along.
“Our mistress is so merciful, I’m worried. To forgive something like this…”
“A sinner who wouldn’t deserve mercy even if his head were cut off… but at least that tongue might be useful once.”
“Truly wise.”
I can guarantee that thanks to Arpad seeing the servant’s blood, my threat was even more effective.
But that doesn’t mean I have any reason to be thankful to him.
‘Right now, he’s not the crown prince, he’s a mercenary.’
He only did what he was supposed to do for his employer—me.
Yes, nothing more.
Arpad tilted his head and asked again.
“I’m just curious… A magic tool with a curse that cuts off tongues—was that real?”
He looked doubtful.
“And with such specific conditions for activation, no less… that shouldn’t be easy.”
His gaze was fixed on the little crystal bird resting on my desk.
I curled my lips into a sly smile.
“Why, of course…”
“Of course?”
I deliberately dragged out my answer, letting his curiosity ripen.
And then I declared proudly:
“…A blatant lie.”
At that, a subtle gleam of admiration lit up Arpad’s eyes. At the same time, I could see his interest growing.
Holding the crystal bird, I spoke the activation word.
The crystal bird began to sparkle. Its wings even fluttered.
It was adorable.
As a side note, when the bird’s wings had flapped inside the servant’s mouth earlier, he had been absolutely terrified.
“It’s just a toy. Say the word, and it shines and flaps its wings.”
I showed him how it blinked prettily with white light, then changed the activation word.
This time, its colors shifted—blue, yellow, orange, violet, and finally red.
Earlier, I had purposely used the command for red light, set to its brightest intensity.
‘That way, it looked as threatening as possible.’
Not a child’s toy, but a dangerous magical heirloom.
In other words…
‘I scammed them.’
No—in this case, “delivering justice” would be a better phrase.
That good-for-nothing Ludwig, sprawled drunk in my ex-fiancé’s house…
All the while, he had been siphoning off Delphine’s land and wealth.
Uncovering that was nothing less than justice itself.
Chuckling, I stroked the crystal bird’s head.
“This was the last gift my mother gave me. My favorite toy when I was little.”
To be fair, for a toy, it was incredibly precious.
That’s why it had been displayed on the wall like a treasure.
Arpad touched his chin with his long fingers, his eyes glittering.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
The sharpness in my words probably came from my own foul mood.
“Disappointed that I’m a scammer who uses even my mother’s keepsakes for threats?”
Arpad shook his head easily.
“No, rather—I’m impressed.”
His answer was entirely positive.
So much enjoyment and admiration shone through that it made me flustered.
“By that logic, I’m your accomplice already. Didn’t I use my own mother’s keepsakes to help you pull off a scam, too?”
Ah, right.
‘When we went to see the Emperor, I borrowed clothes and jewelry from the late Empress…’
What came next, I hadn’t expected in the slightest. It hit me like a blow to the head.
“And I think your mother would be glad.”
“…Excuse me?”
“What does it matter how? If you used it to your advantage, she would’ve been pleased.”
Honestly, it was twisted logic.
My mother had long passed, so I couldn’t possibly know what she would’ve wanted.
But strangely enough, Arpad’s words were a real comfort.
Enough to make me forget to hide my expression and look at him openly.
And then his muttered follow-up shattered the moment instantly.
“Since you were the one who blackmailed me, I should strip that little worm down to the bone—otherwise, wouldn’t it feel unfair that I got forced into a blackmail-marriage?”
“…Anyone listening would think you were the victim of a forced marriage raid.”
“Isn’t that exactly what happened?”
…What the hell is wrong with this man. He must be insane.
Overnight, the Delphine estate had been overturned.
And by dawn, everyone around already knew.
As the first light of day broke, Belma Street—the neighborhood where many of the capital’s noble estates stood—was bustling.
That was when servants usually began work.
Thanks to that, many witnesses saw what unfolded at the Delphine gates that morning.
“Out of my way, you bastard—!”
Slurring drunkenly even though dawn had come, Ludwig staggered forward, his tongue still twisted with liquor.
He charged at a mercenary in shabby clothes.
The mercenary stood like a wall, unyielding.
“You cannot enter.”
That was all he did. But Ludwig stumbled and fell flat, rolling disgracefully across the ground.
At first, the onlookers chuckled at the spectacle—then gasped in shock.
“W-wait, isn’t that drunkard… no, isn’t that His Grace, Duke Ludwig?”
“Oh, it really is!”
Since Ludwig had practically lived at the Delphine estate, many people recognized his face.
Startled yet curious, they widened their eyes and pricked up their ears.
“Traitors! Filthy traitors!”
While Hilaria sorted out the betraying servants and reviewed their testimonies, Ludwig had been locked in a small room.
Her command had been simple:
“Keep him locked up—and give him plenty of alcohol.”
Of course, she knew his drinking habits well.
His habit was to keep drinking endlessly.
That way, Hilaria could take full control of the Delphine estate without interference.
And Ludwig stayed too busy drowning in bottles to notice.
By dawn, Hilaria gave a new order:
“Open his room door—and the front gates too.”
“You won’t throw him out yourself, my lady?”
“It looks better if it seems like he left of his own will.”
Drunk, Ludwig staggered out, searching for those who had insulted him the night before.
Cursing, crawling on all fours by the end, he finally dragged himself through the main gates.
The moment he stepped out, the gates slammed shut behind him.
Realizing belatedly what had happened, Ludwig clung to the doors like a wretch.
But the mercenary, ordered by Hilaria, barred him from reentering.
Meanwhile, Ludwig’s cronies—who had been staying with him—were arrested along with the embezzling servants and turned over to the city guard.
The testimonies Hilaria had gathered proved just how many leeches had been sucking at the Delphine estate.
At the very center, of course, were Ludwig’s close aides.
It was no surprise they all ended up in prison.
With them gone, no one could stop Ludwig’s drunken rampage.
Whispers spread quickly among the crowd.
“Wait—wasn’t the Duke and Lady Delphine’s engagement already broken? Their marriage fell through.”
“Right, there was an uproar about a marriage raid.”
“Then why is the Duke throwing a fit in front of Delphine’s house? …Oh, maybe he’s so bitter he can’t bear it.”
Gossipmongers eagerly whispered to anyone unaware.
“That’s not it. Just yesterday, His Grace was still living in the Delphine estate like it was his own home.”
“What? But wasn’t the engagement already broken?”
“Exactly. That’s why people were saying it was strange.”
“Some even claimed the Emperor was going to compensate him for the broken engagement by granting him Delphine’s estate… guess not.”
In truth, being a groom robbed of his bride in a forced marriage raid made Ludwig both a laughingstock and an object of pity.
So if he had handled things properly, he could’ve still earned some sympathy.
If only he’d been sober.
If only he could’ve set aside his precious pride.
But in his liquor-soaked brain, he had no such capacity.
He only disgraced himself further.
“Out of my way, you bastards—!”
The crowd grimaced.
“For royalty, he has no sense of dignity…”
“Honestly, this is…”
As Ludwig rolled around on the ground, his clothes became rags. That’s when people noticed something else.
“Wait, what’s that smell?”
“Ugh, it stings my nose.”
“Hold on—is that urine?”
“Look—on his trousers…”
One man pointed but couldn’t even finish speaking.
Everyone had already seen.
The unspeakable disgrace committed by a royal carrying the blood of dragons.
And everyone understood instantly:
This scandal would spread with lightning speed.
Ludwig’s drunken wail rang out again:
“Hilaria—! You’re mine! Hilaria!”
Just as he had lunged for her the night before, he cried her name in madness.
Now the rumors would only grow:
“He’s still pathetically pining for the bride who was stolen from him.”
Even when retainers from House Kielrn rushed over to drag Ludwig away, the damage was done.
Everyone who mattered had already seen.
From the second-floor window, I watched Ludwig’s disgraceful scene unfold with great satisfaction.
Naturally, Arpad was beside me, mask removed.
With a confident smile, I asked:
“Well then—your payment. I’ve handed you a scandal big enough to bury Ludwig. What do you think?”
This much, I could guarantee.
Even Arpad would have to be satisfied.
🤨 welll