Chapter 20
He couldn’t figure out why the man had suddenly appeared at Count Rudin’s residence.
Cheshire clutched the fabric of the sofa tightly, watching Kierne intently.
The clouds that had been obscuring the moon cleared away.
Moonlight stretched long through the study window.
Kierne was dressed in a well-fitted frock coat, with a deep green suit underneath.
His impeccable attire would have fit right in at any ballroom without drawing undue attention.
In fact, it seemed as though he might have just come from one.
A faint scent of perfume mingled with the strong aroma of alcohol emanated from him.
‘What on earth has he been up to?’
While Cheshire puzzled over this, Kierne lightly bit one leather glove with his teeth and pulled it off.
With his other hand, he retrieved a pocket watch from his pocket.
His red eyes gazed down at the silver timepiece.
Tick, tock—the sound of the second hand echoed unusually clearly.
After checking the time with an indifferent gaze, Kierne soon tucked the pocket watch away and turned his attention to Count Rudin.
Count Rudin blinked dumbly.
He was the one who had just been trapped in Cheshire’s illusion.
Because of that, he still seemed unable to grasp the situation properly.
He stood there with his mouth hanging open like a fool.
Kierne snapped his fingers lightly with the hand now free of the glove.
A crisp snap rang out, and Count Rudin bolted up from the sofa.
He shuddered belatedly, glancing around wildly.
Count Rudin realized he was not in the demoness’s illusion but back in his study.
Seeing the tall, handsome man before him, he stammered in bewilderment.
“C-Count Basilian?”
Count Rudin straightened his staggering body.
He had become aware of his own disgraceful state, sprawled on the sofa and trembling pathetically.
Kierne waited patiently as Count Rudin adjusted his clothing, pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away the sweat pouring like rain, cleared his throat, and regained his haughty expression.
Finally, Count Rudin spoke.
“Well… what brings you here at this late hour? And how did you even get in?”
Kierne let out a soft chuckle.
He curved his lips smoothly into a smile and met Count Rudin’s gaze steadily.
In the darkness, an eerie gleam flickered over his crimson pupils.
The moment Count Rudin sensed the strangeness and drew in a sharp breath.
“Urk…!”
He immediately dropped to all fours like a dog.
Then, with a thud, he slammed his head against the floor.
He bashed it so hard it sounded like a watermelon cracking.
Having smashed his head against the hard marble floor, Count Rudin convulsed violently all over.
Yet he couldn’t even let out a proper scream.
It was as if he had lost control of his own body.
A sleek boot pressed down firmly on the back of Count Rudin’s head.
A smooth voice fell like a feather.
“Count Rudin.”
Kierne, trampling the man’s skull, whispered with a languid smile.
“I’ve come to offer my apologies.”
For a moment, Count Rudin couldn’t comprehend the situation.
Why was he slamming his head against the floor?
Why wouldn’t his body obey him, forcing these bizarre actions?
Frozen in stupidity, he gasped sharply.
“Y-You vile…!”
Count Rudin croaked out in rage.
“A black mage! As a noble of the great empire, aren’t you ashamed? The gods will punish you!”
Spittle dribbling down as he bellowed, Kierne clicked his tongue lightly in disapproval.
Naturally, Kierne wasn’t the type to respond kindly.
He removed his foot from the man’s head and stepped back.
From that point, Count Rudin began repeatedly bashing his forehead against the marble floor.
Thud, thud—the cracking sounds continued for quite some time.
It only stopped when Count Rudin had reflected more than enough, reduced to sobbing and sniffling.
Kierne asked lazily.
“Are you now prepared to receive my apology?”
Through this bit of education, Count Rudin seemed to have fully realized.
That his life now hung in Kierne’s hands.
Count Rudin spoke obsequiously.
“Uh, well, there must be some misunderstanding.”
“And just which part do you claim is misunderstood?”
Kierne listed them one by one, as if singing.
“Arbitrarily replacing the tutor I hired in my absence and sneaking into my home?”
“T-That was…”
“Or insulting my child by calling her an orphanage brat and scorning her for growing up without a mother?”
“Count, that…”
“Or perhaps… demanding that I come to you in person to apologize?”
Count Rudin panted for breath.
Blood mixed with saliva dripped down his chin.
Kierne smirked at the wretched sight.
“Which of these is the misunderstanding, Count?”
Count Rudin could no longer afford to act arrogantly.
He begged with a servility that bordered on groveling.
“P-Please, just spare my life… Count Basilian, think about it. If you kill me, you’ll be in trouble too. If you let me live, I-I won’t breathe a word…”
Cheshire, hidden behind the sofa, shouted inwardly.
‘Just kill him!’
It would be troublesome if rumors spread about the demoness Lichesia wandering around.
Death was the perfect way to erase all evidence.
Today, she had planned to torment Count Rudin thoroughly with her illusions, then present him as a gift to her pet plant.
But then Kierne had suddenly shown up, forcing her to shatter the illusion.
‘Of course, Kierne will definitely kill him.’
The red eyes, openly revealing a cruel nature, sent chills down even Cheshire’s spine.
The gaze, sharp with malice and murderous intent, was more ferocious than any being she had encountered in the underworld.
It was merely veiled with a layer of elegance.
“Hmm. I’m not really inclined to let you live.”
Kierne tilted his head back.
His black hair cascaded smoothly, and he arched his neck enough to expose the line of his Adam’s apple, gazing up at the ceiling.
His eyes fixed on the chandelier hanging from the study ceiling.
Though unlit, its crystals caught the moonlight and shimmered softly.
Kierne regarded its radiant form with interest.
“Hmm.”
The chandelier, securely fastened with iron chains, seemed sturdy enough to bear the weight of an adult man with ease.
“Shall we use that? What do you think?”
Kierne casually sought his opinion.
Count Rudin bulged his bloodshot eyes wide.
His lips moved, but no sound emerged.
As if gripped and shaken by an enormous hand, Count Rudin nodded up and down.
He must have wanted to shake his head no, but there was nothing he could do of his own will.
Watching the ridiculous spectacle, Kierne chuckled low.
“I’m glad you like it too, Count. Shall we get started then? I’m starting to feel tired and want to head home…”
His voice was languid, his eyes half-lidded in a smile.
“My little daughter is waiting for me at home, after all.”
Though said little daughter was currently watching Kierne’s actions from behind the sofa.
As Cheshire swallowed dryly, Count Rudin began preparing the spot for his own death.
He pushed the desk beneath the chandelier and placed a chair on top of it.
From atop the chair, he looped a rope over the chandelier, fashioned a noose, and slipped it around his neck.
Kierne did nothing at all.
He simply sat on the opposite sofa with his legs crossed, observing the count’s antics.
Once all preparations were complete, Kierne commanded leisurely.
“Smile, Count.”
At the order, Count Rudin’s lips curved upward to their fullest.
Grinning like a clown with his mouth stretched wide, the count placed the rope around his own neck.
It was a horrific scene, but Cheshire couldn’t watch Count Rudin’s death to the end.
‘Kyaang!’
While spectating Kierne wielding black magic and committing utterly depraved acts, she suddenly realized something.
It was time for him to finish his business and return home.
Whenever he came to Cheshire’s room, there was always one thing in common.
He always carried a faint scent of blood.
‘So today, he’s definitely coming too!’
Cheshire swiftly slipped out of the study and returned to the Basilian residence.
She hurriedly changed her clothes, pressed down her pounding heart, and lay in bed for a short while.
The sound of the door opening reached her ears.
Sure enough, Kierne appeared.
“Daddy…?”
Cheshire pretended to have just woken up, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
Seeing her hair sticking up wildly from rubbing against the blanket, Kierne smiled.
He approached the bedside and smoothed down the unruly strands.
“Did I wake you? Sorry.”
The red eyes meeting hers were relaxed.
There was no trace of the cruel malice that had gleamed as he drove Count Rudin to his death.
Kierne let out a low, long sigh, then scooped Cheshire up.
Black shadows enveloped them from all sides.
When the shadows dissipated, they were in Kierne’s bedroom.
Kierne stood there motionless for a moment, holding Cheshire.
He suddenly chuckled, then nuzzled his face against her cheek.
“Cheshaaa.”
“…”
Something seemed a bit off about him.
Normally, even when entering Cheshire’s bedroom, he came in almost silently.
But today, he had bustled in noisily and blatantly woken her.
‘And what’s with “Chesha”?’
As Cheshire puzzled over this, she wrinkled the bridge of her nose.
It was due to the strong smell of alcohol emanating from him.
She had noticed the booze scent back at Count Rudin’s residence, but now, held close, it was even more intense.
A sudden thought flashed through her mind.
‘Could it be…’
Is he drunk?
