Chapter 90
Blue-din’s mouth fell open when he heard Ash’s whisper.
“What are you so scared of? This is only the beginning. You’ll have to pay the price for daring to lay a hand on my Violet. Ah, right. Before that.”
Ash pulled a note from his coat.
In the meantime, when Blue-din tried to run away, Ash casually flung the sword at his waist.
“Eek, hik!”
Seeing the sword embedded right beside his face, Blue-din was almost on the verge of wetting himself.
“To Blue-din.”
With an indifferent expression, Ash began to read the note.
<I’m sure you expected it, but this is Violet.
I understand very well your intention of even attempting a crime because you wanted to marry me belatedly.
At this moment when your expectations have collapsed and your family might be completely ruined this time.
I figured this moment would more or less be the worst moment of your life, so I’ll leave you a word now.
Being engaged to you was the most shameful thing in my life.
Still, there is one thing I gained. I had the opportunity to observe, right before my eyes, the greatest idiot and fool of my life.
You gave me the wisdom that in the future, I only need to avoid people who share traits similar to yours.
Goodbye, and I hope your life is ruined from now on. If your family falls, you’ll probably go to prison, but I’ll continue to live well.>
Ash continued leisurely.
He cleared his throat, flipped the paper over, and began reading again.
<…Let me say it once more: you are human scum, trash, a vermin worse than dirt. Even if you go to prison, you’ll just live a miserable life there. I almost think it would be a grateful act for the world if you threw your own life away instead. If you need help, Ash will personally assist you…….>
Ash shrugged and carefully tucked the note back into his coat.
“One sharp-tongued remark, delivered on her behalf. That concludes it.”
“You damned bastard, you made up that last part and added it yourself!”
Blue-din ground his teeth as he spoke. Tears had gathered at the corners of his eyes.
“For someone with below-average intelligence, you’re quite quick-witted. Even a rock has a talent for rolling.”
Ash said, pretending to be impressed.
“You son of a bitch!! Violet is my woman! You think I’ll let someone like you take her from me!”
Blue-din shouted with defiant eyes. Ash nodded.
“Then you should have treated her well when she was by your side. Of course, even if you had, someone like you was never worthy of Violet to begin with. Still, that’s a good attitude.”
“…….”
“Well then, let’s see if you can still say that in a moment. I don’t like livestock speaking like people.”
In the nearly empty hotel, Blue-din’s screams began to echo.
They were followed by screams like an animal being slaughtered.
The only ones in this hotel who could be called real guests were the two men tightly bound and forced to kneel on the first floor.
They were members of the Shatra Holy Knights who had come today under Bella’s orders to monitor Violet.
“Whew, Lord Ash should at least leave one of his hands intact. It’ll make obtaining a written confession easier.”
Gran muttered.
The inquisitors were scattered throughout the first-floor hall.
Gran gestured to one of them.
“Oh right, I should ask in advance. Tomorrow morning, go to the Camelain family and say you’re a hotel employee and deliver the note. Tell them the newlyweds plan to sleep in very late tomorrow, so they needn’t worry and should attend the temple event. Say the wedding can be held in the evening. Of course, the person who should receive the note is Marlon Camelain. If you say you’re someone sent by his son, he’ll understand.”
The previous night, Bella had left the carefully dressed Violet in the hotel room.
She told two people—members of the Shatra Holy Knights and, like herself, members of Night Shadow—to monitor the situation.
‘By tomorrow, we’ll be able to announce the marriage right away. Even a fool like Blue-din is getting married. What luck.’
And Bella herself woke early in the morning and departed for the outskirts.
It was to attend an event at the Grand Temple.
The carriage moved smoothly. Seated comfortably in the back, Bella felt extremely pleased.
‘The Capital Grand Temple asked that Violet absolutely attend this event, but it can’t be helped. Violet has something more important to do.’
Bella had been active in Kaiserian for several years and had only recently been appointed commander.
Normally, she should have received attention the moment she took office.
After all, she was a beautiful and capable knight.
But because Violet had been so popular recently, Bella received little attention.
The Order hoped Bella would become famous. They had selected and carefully raised a child like Bella from a young age because they wanted them to rise to key positions later.
And so, converting as many people as possible—that was the ultimate goal.
‘Once Violet gets married, people will be disappointed. They believed she would continue to shine as a knight, but instead she’ll suddenly be marrying into a powerful family.’
It was entirely different from marrying the Grand Duke of Ravens.
The Grand Duke of Ravens and Violet were a couple supported by the people.
But Blue-din’s family had recently been plagued by scandals.
The public would feel betrayed by Violet’s unexpected course of action. Then gradually, their interest in her would fade.
‘Finally, it’s time for me to receive attention.’
Today, Bella’s schedule was to attend the Grand Temple’s event.
She wore a sophisticated black-toned dress and placed a black flower in her hair.
Moreover, there was something else she was looking forward to today.
‘It seems the Grand Duke of Ravens missed me.’
For some time, Bella had not gone to the Shatra Holy Knights under the pretext of helping Violet with training.
Naturally, she hadn’t seen Ash for several days. Yet Ash had apparently missed her enough to send a note.
It said he absolutely wanted to meet her at today’s Grand Temple event.
‘Don’t forget the most important thing. Making Ash Ravens mine is important, but what’s most important is seducing Ash Ravens and obtaining information.’
Ash had been delaying sharing information about the Seven Deadly Sins, using Kaiserian’s authorization as a pretext.
But their greatest objective was precisely to seize the Seven Deadly Sins.
The calamities installed in the capital by the demon race.
They were calamities to the Empire’s citizens, but conversely, whoever obtained them would gain immense power.
There were two groups in this world who possessed the most information about the Seven Deadly Sins.
Those belonging to the main temple of Kaiserian.
And the heretical cults that coveted the Seven Deadly Sins.
At that moment, the carriage stopped.
Today’s Grand Temple event was being held at the Colosseum on the outskirts of the capital.
Long ago, it was a place where the demon race captured humans and forced them to fight each other.
Today’s event commemorated the saints who had fallen while driving out the remaining demon forces in the capital.
When Bella stepped down from the carriage, knights who were her close aides approached her.
Under their escort, Bella began walking like a princess.
Clad in the pure white uniforms of the Shatra Holy Knights, they drew reverent gazes from the people.
“The Shatra Holy Knights have arrived.”
“Just as we heard, they’re all refined and handsome.”
People cast admiring looks at them.
During the years Bella spent beneath Kaiserian, she had longed desperately for such gazes.
‘Where is the Grand Duke of Ravens? I need to meet him.’
But Ash did not appear even after the rite had begun.
As Bella looked around, she noticed a group of people gathered together.
For today’s event, the temple had arranged chairs for attendees on the central stage of the Colosseum.
In front of it was a podium. On the podium, the organizers from the Capital Grand Temple were making final preparations for the event.
And there was another group—neither attendees nor organizers.
They were inquisitors standing far apart from the crowd.
Wearing long black cloaks with their faces hidden beneath hoods, they stood quietly, merely fingering the swords at their waists.
‘Inquisitors? Why are those people here.’
Those whom demon-worshipping cult members detested the most were precisely those inquisitors.
