147. drape (2)

Even while holding the sword and swinging it, since when had he been doing this, and why he was doing this.

Like most of the ‘puppet’ created by Leon Benning, Bernardo Lennon was completely unaware of, and did not let him know. However, the other puppets and Bernardo Lennon showed a difference in a crucial part.

The puppets were aware of the fact that they were empty, albeit subconsciously. The fact that there is a big hole in my heart or in my head. However, since they prioritized the count’s order and comfort unconditionally, such a vacancy did not become important.

However, Bernardo Lennon was not aware of the fact that there was such a hole in his heart. To be precise, it seemed to him that such a hole did not exist from the beginning. As if he had lived for the Count since he was really born, he was complete without any gaps.

There is no question. Rather than brainwashing the Count, his ‘will’ took precedence and followed the Count’s orders.

Self-suggestion, like the compulsion to follow the Count’s words. The earl’s brainwashing was at the base, but basically his actions followed his will.

multiple, multiple.

The hooves of horses galloping outside the capital echoed. As if several wagons were running, the reverberant and echoing sound overlapped. Bernardo took in a long breath, then exhaled slowly. Perhaps his blood had frozen, and even though it was a cold winter night, there was no trace of breathing at the corners of his mouth as he exhaled.

Bernardo gripped the hilt, then opened it. The knife cried in a low, heavy voice, but Bernardo’s hand was heartless and did not intend to return to the hilt.

Is there no need to use a sword?

If you wait a minute, no, 30 seconds, the target will appear. The eyes that killed the spirit and glared at the darkness flashed. multiple, multiple. The target is getting closer. Bernardo Lennon takes a deep breath. There was no sword in the hand he was holding, but the momentum was no less than that.

Bernardo closed his eyes. An indescribable murderous feeling rises from loosely clenched fists.

multiple, multiple.

A four-wheeled carriage in which a nobleman, presumed to be a baron, was riding on the outskirts. Among the court aristocrats, he was once at the center of power, but now he has been pushed by the power of Leon Benning and has to keep an eye on it. The baron leaned his arm against the carriage window, brooding over what had happened at the ball.

‘Someone from the royal family to change the line… I’ve been in contact with the escorts, but I’m nervous.’

Taking advantage of the absence of Count Leon Benning, the royal family absorbed many of the aristocratic powers that had fallen away. Wanga and Beninga. The fierce, invisible fight between the two forces was supposed to end with Beninga’s victory over the royal palace, but a new phase took place after the martial arts competition.

‘I need to be sure. The confidence that the rope I hold is really safe.’

The Baron swallowed. It was not that the royal family did not show their potential, but it was also necessary to know that it was the result of relying on external forces to the end.

Marquis and Count Agon. If they were, they would certainly be able to compete with Count Benning’s forces to some extent, but the influence they could exercise within the capital was bound to be limited. Besides, do you really support the first princess and the first prince as a servant who is loyal to the royal family, or is he trying to emerge as another core of power by taking advantage of the chaotic political situation? No one knew yet.

‘In the first place, if His Majesty had made the choice to call them all to the capital, I wouldn’t have risked changing routes to the royal palace.’

The baron let out a deep sigh. The wrinkles on his forehead increased with each passing day. what is that power? However, the baron’s body and mind already intensely remembered the taste of power, and was longing for it.

That’s right, since you’ve decided on a route, you need to make sure. How many years have you been rolling in the palace? I hoped it would be of great help to the royal family, but would not be a hindrance.

rattle!

“Quack!”

The carriage suddenly rocked and came to a halt. Thanks to that, the baron, who was resting his chin on his arms against the spears, was punched in the face with his own fist. The servant sitting opposite opened the window leading to the coachman’s seat in a panic.

“What’s going on?”

“Sorry for the sudden stop, sir. There is a person standing in the way right now… .”

Who is blocking the road?

The baron’s face contorted unpleasantly as he rubbed his tingling cheekbones. After all, there must be some drunkards who drink heavily and get drunk in the heat of the new year. Even if it’s not, when you enter the outskirts of the capital, there are always one or two drunk people walking around. The Baron clicked his tongue.

Sensing that the baron was uncomfortable, the coachman quickly shouted at the top of his voice. It was half to drive the drunk, half to show the baron that he was doing his best to drive the drunk.

“There, come out! Can’t you see the carriage passing by?”

The man in the coachman’s eyes did not budge. The way he stood still without saying anything seemed more like a madman than a drunk. The baron could not stand the bird and poked his face out the window. In front of the horse pulling the wagon, I saw a man wearing a hood. I couldn’t see properly because it was covered in darkness, but judging by his shabby appearance, he seemed to be a vagabond.

“Tsk. Are you a beggar?”

to be anxious. I heard that sometimes there are vagabonds blocking the carriages passing through the alleys that are rare. The baron clicked his tongue again several times before opening the carriage door and trying to get out. and then,

jerk, jerk.

The hooded man approached. It was too confident and straight to be a madman’s step, and there was not a single point of disorder to be a drunk man’s step. To be called a vagabond, he did not exude the characteristic servile atmosphere. The baron frowned. An ominous feeling began to creep up his spine.

“Geez, if you’re going to pass there quickly, pass by! Do you want to get run over by a carriage?”

The coachman’s voice sounded terrified even when he heard it. The baron continued to stick his head out the window and watch the approaching man. Moonlight fell down the alley. Only then did the baron see the sword tied around the waist of the approaching man. The baron’s body froze. The stiffness did not last long. The baron opened the carriage door.

crazy, crazy

The baron’s head burned white. A servant shouted something through the back of the baron’s head, but the baron couldn’t hear him. With a face that was just blue with fear, I did my best to move my legs.

“Where are you going! master!”

The servant called out to his master, who in an instant turned into a dot and disappeared into the darkness, but the master did not look back. The servant could only stare in dismay at the seat across from the empty carriage.

“W-what are you doing… You, this.”

The coachman’s voice, which had been violently protesting before he knew it, had changed to an honorific, and his voice, which had been screaming with the force of waking everyone in the capital, was creeping in. A premonition that he should not look out the window dominated the servant’s mind, but the servant’s body, on the contrary, abruptly looked out to see what was happening.

“If you are to blame, blame your guest.”

a low voice. Before the servant’s head could interpret what that meant, another sound came.

Pudeuk.

A sound never heard before. No, I’ve only heard something similar once. The sound of the maids breaking pig bones in the baron’s mansion’s kitchen. It sounds like you’re forcing and breaking very hard wood.

And silence comes. The servant was frozen on the spot and unable to say anything. After putting my head through the window again, I couldn’t even breathe. It was just an illusion, the servant hoped that sooner or later he would hear the news that the man had passed by and go find his master who had run away in fear.

jerk, jerk.

The footsteps were strangely audible. In front of the open wagon door, a hooded man was seen.

bang.

I have to run away, I have to run away

I don’t think I’ve been able to run much, but my damn body is complaining of lack of oxygen. The breath that came out of the lungs scratched like a rough sand wind. Why are you like this? The frozen snow makes the slippery, damp streets muddy.

Kudang.

The baron, who was running, fell down in a funny way. Is your wrist broken? He fell and landed on the ground, complaining of excruciating pain.

“Ouch… .”

It’s okay, it’s not a broken leg. Get up and run away again. I have to go somewhere that can protect me somehow.

“I don’t think it makes sense.”

Bernardo appeared in front of the baron who was about to get up. You can see the dark liquid protruding from the hem of that hood. I never wanted to know what was going on behind the scenes. Bernardo grabbed the baron’s wrist as he staggered in the air. Bernardo dragged the baron along. The baron, clutched by a broken wrist, screamed incessantly in pain.

Even that scream stopped after reaching the completely smashed wagon. A foot, believed to be that of the coachman, was poking through the wreckage of the wagon. His own servant, although he did not know what had happened, never thought that he would have returned safely.

“this… This.”

“By example, Baron. You were approaching the first prince’s aide at this New Year’s ball, right?”

I heard Bernardo’s blunt voice. The baron was still holding on to Bernardo and screaming.

“Oh, do you know how to do something like this calmly and get over it safely!”

“It’s not up to you, Baron, to decide whether you can get over safely or not. It’s up to the Count to decide.”

chin.

Letting go of the baron’s arm, Bernardo grabbed the baron’s head. The terrifying grip tightens with such force as to crush the head. The tilted head stared at Bernardo’s face. Those eyes that shone terrifyingly against the moonlight were shining blue.

“Oh! Ugh!”

“The Count will never forgive traitors. Even if you run away to the edge of the no-man’s land, they will catch you and make sure you pay for it.”

“These guys… Did you really intend to wage an all-out war with the royal family? !”

“The one who wanted to avoid an all-out war was Wang Gaji, not us. You chose the wrong transfer line.”

Bernardo led the struggling Baron to the carriage. The baron realized that his end was imminent.

“Know that everything is for his cause, Baron.”

“To the royal family… God bless you.”

puck.

Bernardo looked down at the corpse of the baron. Yes, everything according to his will. Bernardo turned his head and disappeared into the darkness of the royal road alley again.

—

“Are you saying that the Count treats him specially?”

Adeline’s reaction to Maxim’s question was subtle. It seemed to be neither positive nor negative.

“If I had to say it, it would be right to say that it was treated specially. I don’t know if it’s purely because of Bernardo Lennon’s outstanding skills, or if it’s because of other circumstances.”

Maxim frowned. A ‘puppet’, but a puppet with special treatment.

“… Okay. Thanks for your efforts.”

Adeline nodded as if this was nothing.

“Is there anything else you would like to say?”

“There was no further word from the king. How are your eyes?”

When Maxim asked while staring into Adeline’s eyes, Adeline’s face flushed slightly. Maxim could really feel that Adeline had regained her eyesight.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. I was blind, but when I suddenly regained my sight, I felt strange. It was quite confusing because I hadn’t embraced such a variety of sensations in a long time.”

Adeline told the story like that, then kept her mouth shut and looked at Maxim. She seemed to want to ask what to say, but Maxim did not urge her to do so. Adeline, as if she wanted Maxim to ask first, continued with a slightly downcast voice.

“What I could feel when I couldn’t see is gradually fading. Perhaps if I fully adapt to this state, I won’t be able to detect mana as sensitively as before or contain my feelings.”

Adeline laughed as if she was embarrassed.

“I never found the fact that I was blind to be uncomfortable, but seeing you like this, I don’t want to go back to that darkness again.”

Maxim laughed bitterly along with Adeline. To think that such a person had been living as a ‘puppet’, captivated by the Count’s curse and brainwashing.

“Is that so.”

The air in the royal capital shook uneasy like an egg basket on a wall. Still, for now, it seemed to give them room for a smile on their faces.

“-emergency! Urgent news!”

Until an adventurer opened the front door of the guild and came in.

“what’s the matter?”

“Why are you rushing in so quickly?”

The guild hums again. The adventurer who was monopolizing the eyes of all the adventurers in the headquarters spoke out without even taking a breath.

“His Highness, the 1st Prince, such a visit to the 1st Prince… !”

Maxim jumped up from his seat. On the tattered piece of paper in the hand of the adventurer, this was written in large letters.

[1st Prince, Louis Loir, is not a legitimate bloodline of the royal family!]