~Chapter 116~
I Hate You So Much
They pushed through the dense underbrush, heading toward the eastern part of Adrey Forest, a remote area with no clear path.
After about five minutes of riding through thick trees, Eleanor’s horse suddenly stopped with a sharp sound.
The trail had become too rugged, and it was impossible to continue. Eleanor tied her horse to a sturdy tree and began walking on foot.
“This way,” she said.
The Duke of Astria frowned as he watched Eleanor’s swift movements, not once looking back. Was it the dim, gloomy atmosphere caused by the lack of sunlight? There was something eerie about it, and he had the unsettling feeling that Eleanor, who had been so familiar to him, was now a stranger.
“That way, toward the tree cave,” Eleanor pointed, indicating a large tree with a hollow.
It looked as though the location had been carefully planned, and suspicion grew in the Duke’s mind.
‘To call me to such a remote place… even if the story about the Emperor being behind the Damian incident is true, this is still too suspicious.’
The Duke rested his hand on the two swords at his waist, ready for anything.
Crunch, crunch. Eleanor walked across the leaves and stepped into the cave, but then suddenly stopped.
The Duke, following her, quickly scanned the area. There was no one in sight, not even the Royster Duke, not even an ant.
“Father,” Eleanor spoke up, her voice low.
The Duke, already tense, narrowed his eyes and glared at the back of her head. At that moment, Eleanor turned around and faced him.
Her lips curled into a soft smile, and she spoke in a calm voice, which felt oddly inappropriate for the situation.
“Actually, the Duke didn’t call for you,” she said. “He won’t be coming.”
Her expression was serene, as if she were simply following her father’s teachings to always maintain grace and composure.
The Duke didn’t react with surprise or rage. Instead, he stood still, coldly gazing at her. Only his golden eyebrows slightly furrowed, revealing a trace of quiet anger.
“So what are you trying to do now?” he asked in a controlled voice.
He reached for his whip, which had been hanging from his belt, ready to act.
But Eleanor, with a calm expression, continued.
“However, it’s not a lie that Griffiths Baron isn’t the criminal. It’s true that there’s another person behind it all, and that person is here at the hunting event. Father, I know who the real criminal is.”
Although it was shocking news, the Duke didn’t show any immediate reaction.
What he really wanted to know wasn’t who the real culprit was. He had already accepted that what had happened to Damian was irreversible. Instead, what troubled him now was the sudden change in Eleanor. He had always thought he had educated her well, so why was she rebelling now? He was more curious about the purpose and reason behind her actions.
Eleanor gave him an answer right away.
“I did it. I’m the one who did it.”
For a brief moment, the Duke’s harsh gaze wavered. He stood frozen, dumbfounded by her words.
“…What?”
His voice trembled with disbelief.
Eleanor smiled slightly, enjoying the reaction.
“I’m the one who turned Damian into what he is now.”
The Duke’s grip on the whip tightened, his hand trembling. The skin around his knuckles became pale, and his eyes reddened with anger.
Eleanor could already guess what would come next. Her father would raise the whip and strike her, but she was ready.
However, to her surprise, the Duke didn’t act in the way she expected.
“Hahaha!” he suddenly burst out laughing. It was a laugh as though he had heard the best joke ever. He laughed so hard that he clutched his stomach.
Eleanor, stunned, furrowed her brow for the first time since this conversation began.
“Ha, Eleanor, you foolish girl,” the Duke said, finally catching his breath. He clicked his tongue and looked down at her.
“I’ve told you before, haven’t I? Whatever you do, make sure you do it thoroughly. If you keep glancing at me like that, even a fool will figure out what you’re up to.”
“…”
Eleanor was silent, but the Duke was quick to notice.
“You think I don’t know you’re trying to provoke me on purpose?” he sneered.
“You’re so sharp,” Eleanor thought bitterly, releasing a quiet sigh.
The Duke continued with disdain in his voice.
“So, you’re trying to use this little clue to break our contract, huh? Is that it? You don’t want to be the Duke’s mistress, do you? How pathetic and arrogant… And you’ve gone this far to deceive me with these lies and hurt the Astria family. Are you out of your mind?”
The more he spoke, the angrier his voice became. His words reverberated loudly in the cave.
Eleanor waited until he finished speaking and then spoke up again.
“Why do you think it’s a lie? Why do you think I’m lying when I say I did it?”
She blinked her large eyes innocently.
“You know, don’t you, Father? There were so many odd things about Griffiths Baron being the culprit. You knew it, but you still brought him in and killed him just because you needed someone to vent your anger on.”
“Eleanor Astria,” the Duke growled, warning her.
But that warning was too weak to stop Eleanor.
“Damian was already like this when he left the mansion for Salisbury. I pushed him down the stairs, as you know, because he was getting too cocky. After he tumbled down, hitting his head and back, well, he ended up in the state he’s in now.”
“Shut your mouth,” the Duke snarled, but Eleanor wasn’t done.
“Then, I had his body thrown into a cart and dumped in Salisbury. Oh, and I also ordered the dogs to be released, because, as you remember, he killed one of my dogs. Do you recall that, Father?”
Eleanor tilted her head and smiled sweetly.
“How’s that? Isn’t it a pretty good revenge?”
The Duke’s face was turning beet red, and his veins were popping. He could barely hold himself together as he struggled to contain his rage.
Eleanor, now more relaxed, continued her speech.
“I don’t want to be the Duke’s mistress. What I hate is you, Father.”
This was the moment she had been waiting for, the words she had kept hidden for so long. As soon as she said them, she felt a sense of liberation she had never experienced before.
“You really don’t get it, do you? After all that I’ve done, you still don’t understand. If you can’t understand this, I’ll say it again, Father.”
With a sudden movement, Eleanor bent down and grabbed the fabric of her skirt. She fumbled around for something hidden within it, then quickly tore the fabric.
“Ugh!”
The skirt ripped easily, revealing her legs.
On her legs were the scars from Nora’s debutante ball, the marks from the beatings she had endured, the evidence of the pain she had suffered up until now.
“I don’t hate being a mistress, Father. I hate you.”
She finally released all the feelings she had buried for so long.
The Duke, completely enraged, lost all control and raised his fist.
“I told you to shut your mouth!”
Bam!
The blow hit her hard, and the pain immediately surged through her head, marking the beginning of her suffering.
***
After Eleanor left, the nobles under the tent resumed gossiping, but the mood soon grew quieter as they started to feel the heat of the sun and fatigue from the long wait.
“Look, the Duke is back!” one of the younger nobles shouted, jumping to his feet and pointing toward the woods.
“What? Already?”
“Impossible, he just left!”
The nobles all stood up, recognizing the man riding toward them. He was unmistakably Karsian Royster, the Duke of Royster, a man whose presence alone made him stand out.
When he dismounted and entered the tent, there were no impressive trophies or foxes in tow, only an empty-handed man.
“Your Grace, where are the hunting spoils?” the first noble to spot Karsian asked, curiously.
“None,” Karsian answered curtly.
He didn’t seem bothered at all by the gossip that would spread about him failing to catch even a fox. If he had wanted to catch one, he certainly could have.
The reason for his return was far more serious—Eleanor. He had no idea where she was or what was happening to her. But he had a sinking feeling that something was wrong. He clenched his fists, sweating, his heart racing, but there was nothing he could do. Not knowing where she was or what had happened, he was powerless.
Despite the murmurs of the nobles, Karsian stayed focused, not moving.
Then, suddenly, a commotion broke out near the Emperor.
Karsian looked over in alarm, and through the crowd, he heard a voice he recognized.
“Your Majesty! Ernst from the Pavel family asks for Your Majesty’s help! Please listen to me!”
The man kneeling and crying out was none other than Eleanor’s guard, the one who had shown jealousy toward Karsian.
