DCEB | CH 04

Chapter 4: For Revenge

The air smelled like smoke.

By now, Kylus was probably leading his knights to arrest Eleanor at the Duke’s mansion.

But Eleanor had used that moment to slip away and come here—back to the Grace family estate—to face her father.

He used to look like a monster to her. Now, he looked small and pathetic.

His whole body was covered in blood. When he glared at her, his eyes seemed to understand exactly who had caused his downfall.

Eleanor smiled brightly.

“How do you like my gift, Father?”

“You… cough… you dare betray me? I was the one who took you in, and you brought me fake information?!”

He stared at her with bloodshot eyes.

Eleanor laughed.

Wasn’t it funny?

He truly believed he had saved her.

So shameless.

Her green eyes filled with madness.

“You need to say it right. You didn’t take me in. You kidnapped me and killed my family because you wanted my power.”

She had a cursed memory—she could remember everything, perfectly, since birth.

Her parents had once been proud of how smart she was. They had no idea it would bring disaster.

“This is more than just memory, isn’t it?”

Because of that memory, Eleanor was kidnapped.

And after that… life became hell.

She fought back, got caught, was forced to obey, ran away again, and was trained and beaten until she became the “daughter” of the Grace family.

She had lived ever since, pretending to be his daughter, seeing the world through her “father’s” eyes.

“You were so greedy for people. And in the end, I’m the only one left at your side.”

“Shut… up!”

Now that all the proof of his betrayal had been revealed, none of his loyal followers were left.

Even the servants had looted the mansion and run.

The grand house looked like a ghost town.

Eleanor looked down at her fake father and pretended to look sad.

“Aww, does the truth hurt?”

Cough!

He spat up black blood.

So did Eleanor.

Cough…

Blood dripped from her mouth, too.

Both of them—fake father and daughter—stared at each other, covered in blood.

Eleanor casually wiped her lips and whispered sweetly.

“What made you think I’d be the only one drinking poison? Did you think you were safe?”

“…You knew from the beginning, didn’t you? You wicked girl. I trusted you, and this is how you repay me?”

Eleanor almost laughed to death.

“I wish I had known earlier. But no, I realized it too late. The ‘antidote’ you gave me… turned out to be another poison. So I gave it back to you. And here we are. How does it feel, your flesh burning from the inside?”

“Fool. When I die… do you think your precious husband will save you? You’re going to hell too!”

She shrugged.

“That’s fine. That’s what I want.”

“…What?”

The Count froze.

“I wanted revenge. I couldn’t dare hope for his love. But I could at least destroy you for what you did to him and me.”

“Y-You witch!”

But the man couldn’t even stand up anymore.

Eleanor calmly knelt down in front of him.

“Don’t worry, Father. You won’t die here.”

She didn’t care about her fine dress getting stained by his dirty blood.

She took a small bottle out of her pocket.

Then, with force, she poured it into his mouth.

He choked and coughed as the liquid went down.

It would slow his death, just a bit.

“You can’t die now. You need to die on the guillotine. My husband is on his way here with a sword, just for you.”

“You demon…!”

Eleanor watched him faint from rage.

Then she listened carefully.

She heard the crash of armor.

Shouting voices.

And finally—footsteps. Heavy, familiar footsteps.

The door slowly opened with force.

Eleanor had waited for this moment.

The bitter, hollow end.

“You’re here, darling?”

“……”

The people who had stormed in stopped at her calm greeting.

And then, from behind them, a man walked forward through the crowd.

His sword was already stained with blood—he had come straight from battle.

Maybe I’ll die by that sword too, Eleanor thought. That wouldn’t be so bad.

She blinked.

He came closer, wearing dark black armor.

What kind of face is he making now?

Did he finally smile after watching his enemy fall?

But when their eyes met, Eleanor’s expression changed.

Why… why that look?

He wasn’t smiling.

His mouth was set in a heavy line, his brows drawn together in pain.

Why?

Shouldn’t he be happy?

He was destroying both his enemy and the enemy’s daughter.

Shouldn’t he be as excited as the knights standing behind him, burning with rage?

“Eleanor.”

Slowly, Kylus bent down on one knee to match her level.

Their eyes locked.

He wasn’t smiling.

His face was serious, nervous, and tense.

He looked at her bloody, broken state—and his eyes twisted in pain.

Eleanor found it laughable.

Why that face? Why do you look like everything’s falling apart?

“Eleanor.”

“You only call my name at times like this.”

“What have you done?”

“This is what you wanted, isn’t it?”

“Me?”

“Yes. Smile, darling. You won. All your enemies have fallen. Including me.”

“……”

She could smell his cologne.

The same scent he wore only at night—now it was right in front of her.

“I wanted this…? Ha.”

He let out a sigh. And said,

“I can’t understand you.”

What a strange thing to say. As if he’d ever tried to understand her before.

But there was no point in talking anymore.

“No need to overthink it. Just do what you came here to do. Come on. Arrest me.”

“You…”

“Hurry.”

“You’re really going to the end like this.”

When she held out her hands, Kylus swallowed his words like they were poison.

He slowly reached out.

“Ugh—”

And grabbed her wrist.

But he didn’t pull her like a criminal.

“Should I really do what you want?”

“What…?”

“Wait.”

…What?

Thump.

Eleanor’s heart froze.

She looked up in a daze and saw her husband’s serious, determined face.

“Kylus… you…”

“I’ve done everything your way until now. From this point on, I’ll do things my way.”

Eleanor slowly raised her head. She didn’t understand what he meant.

But Kylus spoke again, this time through clenched teeth, like he was swallowing anger.

“Stop overthinking things. Don’t do anything stupid. Just stay still. Wait. Got it?”

His grip on her wrist tightened.

Eleanor couldn’t speak. She just stood there, stunned, watching his back as he walked away.

Wait? For who? Why?

Her face twisted.

My time is up…

Whether by illness or execution, her end was near.

Even as the knights gently guided her away—surprisingly gentle—she only stared at Kylus’s fading figure.

* * * 

“Wait for me.”

“I’ll come back for you. Don’t forget. Please wait.”

Eleanor opened her eyes slowly.

She must’ve passed out from pain. And while unconscious, she dreamed—a memory from long ago.

A desperate boy.

The moment she gave her heart to him.

She had nothing else to offer, so she gave him her handkerchief to wrap his injured wrist.

His violet eyes, shining like fire, even while covered in blood.

But that was all in the past. From a time before he forgot everything—even the promise he made.

Cough.

Eleanor quickly covered her mouth.

This cough was different. It was deeper, more painful. Dark blood spilled from her lips.

Can I really wait?

Her heart, which had already given up, was now beating with stupid hope.

She knew nothing could be changed.

But still… she found herself hoping.

Just once.

If he could recognize me—just once…

She felt like she could die in peace.

Suddenly…

Creaaak…

Footsteps echoed down the quiet prison hallway.

Is it him? Kylus?

But something felt wrong.

No…

This presence wasn’t his. It wasn’t from any of her loyal followers either.

She held her breath.

Bang! The prison door burst open.

“You are…”

Eleanor stopped breathing.

It was one of Kylus’s knights.

A man sworn to serve him with absolute loyalty. To never betray him.

For a brief moment, she hoped—Did Kylus send him to rescue me?

But no.

There was killing intent in the air.

Her heart sank.

That face… it wasn’t here to save her. It wasn’t a look of mercy.

She tried to speak, maybe stall for time.

But the knight moved like the wind.

Thud!

A sharp pain shot through her.

Eleanor looked down.

A dagger… was in her chest.

He told her to wait…

Her mind started to fade.

“The master wants you dead. But he said you’re not even worth dirtying his own hands.”

There was only one person that knight could be referring to—Kylus. Her husband.

The same boy who once told her to wait…

And now, the man who had sent a knife to kill her.

A bitter, bloody laugh escaped her lips.

What did I even expect?

“He said to give this back to you.”

Thump.

Something dropped to the floor.

Her blurry eyes looked down—and the moment she saw it, they went wide.