How the Villainous Consort Avoids His Death Ending - Chapter 120.2
Something rustled, and the sound of something crawling permeated the damp air. Beneath Ruellin’s feet, black shadows the size of forearms could be seen wriggling and gathering together. Large rats, their bodies covered entirely in jet-black fur and their pupils gleaming, lunged toward Ruellin.
“Argh…… Aaaack!”
A piercing, shrieking scream echoed desperately. Ruellin, driven into a corner of the basement, sat curled up with eyes squeezed shut, wrapping both arms around his head. The dim light of the lamp placed near the entrance cast a blurry reflection on Ruellin’s shoulders, which were trembling uncontrollably with terror. His white face must have been pale and deathly, covered in tears. Valerian felt a deep sense of regret that he could not see that sight clearly.
However, the sight of him thrashing and struggling, his fingertips trembling violently as he let out continuous, moan-like screams, was more than enough to satisfy him. Looking down at the scene from above the basement, Valerian slowly curled up the corners of his mouth.
“Haha…… Ha, hahahahaha……!”
A bizarre, grotesque laugh erupted. Soon after, Valerian knelt on one knee in front of the basement entrance and began to whisper toward Ruellin as if singing a gentle song.
“They say His Excellency the Grand Duke is extremely affectionate toward you, Grand Consort. I never imagined he would be that kind of person.”
“What…… what are you doing, Valerian……”
Ruellin’s voice, shaking uncontrollably, leaked out from inside the basement. Without paying any heed, Valerian stared into the empty air and grinned.
“If a child had been conceived, he would have been the finest of fathers. Unfortunately, that will not happen now…… but in any case, it is a good thing. He is not the type of person to abandon his family while offering loyalty that will never be repaid by anyone, is he?”
“……What is that supposed to mean?”
“It is a common story. Baronet Aubepin lost one leg and one arm in exchange for his loyalty to the Grand Ducal House, the Grand Ducal House had no money left to provide compensation, and the Grand Duke who should have compensated him was already dead. Not wanting to burden the young Grand Duke, the Baronet led his household to a remote estate…… but the plague caused by the black rat swarms raged there, and they all died. As luck would have it, leaving only one young child behind.”
“Baronet” was a hollow title that could not even be called a formal rank. To a child who had lost both parents and siblings, it became nothing more than a heavy shackle. Fraudsters swarming to claim the measly estate remaining to the family flooded the Aubepin mansion, and in the end, Valerian lost everything and was thrown out onto the street.
“As for what happened after that, I do not even want to look back.”
Valerian dropped his head with a bitter snort.
“……Is that why you came to the Grand Ducal Castle? Because you wanted to take revenge on Tristan?”
“Haha…… Revenge, you say, Your Highness. You speak with a naivety befitting someone of your noble standing. In the first place, was the misfortune that befell me even the Grand Duke’s fault?”
Valerian waved his hand and burst into a light laugh.
“Then why did you commit such an act?”
“Money and power. His Highness Everett promised to give me everything. Oh, I do not dare hope to be an Imperial Consort. I would be satisfied just to secure a proper position as his mistress.”
“Are you saying you would harm people for a mere pittance like that?”
“A mere pittance, you say? In this world, there are plenty of people who would commit even worse acts for far less money without a second thought. That is likely why I have ended up in such a shambles.”
Valerian’s voice sank even lower. Instead of the laughter that had vanished, dark hatred was filling his eyes.
Because he was so engrossed in this, Valerian did not notice in the slightest that Ruellin’s voice had slowly become calm.
“In the world I have lived in, I am a person with quite a bit of conscience by those standards. At the very least, am I not showing the consideration to let the two of you go together?”
Valerian smiled again, leaning his body forward. He added as if whispering:
“I am truly looking forward to seeing the sight of a loving couple with their entire bodies rotting away from being bitten by black rats.”
That was the moment.
“How unfortunate. That will not happen.”
A chilling and resolute voice fell sharply from behind Valerian.
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