If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 217

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

“Not being able to say what you want, not being able to go where you want. Living a life that’s neither living nor dying — you have to experience that once, too.”

These were the words left for all those who had taken their own lives to escape the Count’s exploitation, and those who lost their lives after being ravaged by him.

“And even in death… may you suffer eternal torment in hell.”

This was Cain’s final message on their behalf. Aleini and the knights sincerely wished the Count would burn forever in hell.

To humiliate him, they stripped all the clothes covering the Count’s body and dragged him outside the manor. Blindfolded and gagged, the Count made a last feeble resistance, but severely wounded, all he could manage was a faint protest.

The knights tied ropes to each of his arms and legs, hoisting him up onto the wall. Because of long slashes cut behind his ankles, blood streamed down the wall as he hung.

The Count was forced to endure extreme humiliation and shame in front of the people until every last drop of blood drained from his body.

Three hours later, drained of blood and unable to even close his eyes, the Count breathed his last.

Only then did the knights decapitate him and hang his head in the highest part of the manor.

Among the many people in Pahel and the surrounding towns, not a single soul mourned the Count’s death.

The night reeked of blood. It was a pitiful death.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The manor, ravaged by the angry mob, was in ruins. Nothing alive remained except the scent of bloodshed. The Grand Duke arrived after full daylight.

Outside the manor’s walls, constructed as firmly as a fortress, something that looked like a wild boar was tied up in a long line—only for the Grand Duke to realize soon that it was actually the stripped and hanged body of the Count.

“What… what is that? Why is he hanging there like that…?”

He had secretly taken the mercenaries to end Cain Vernat’s life. Yet strangely, neither the Kristin daughter nor Vernat himself was in the Borgia manor where they were supposed to be staying.

He had prepared the raid carefully, thinking no opportunity would arise except at dawn when everyone was off guard. But for some reason, neither Vernat nor Kristin’s daughter was there.

The Grand Duke guessed Vernat must have sensed something and fled quickly. Disappointed, he returned only to encounter the Count’s corpse.

After discovering the body, the Grand Duke immediately left the manor. He hadn’t even fully grasped what had happened overnight but knew his own life could be at risk.

Fortunately, the Grand Duke always wore a mask entering and leaving the manor, so aside from his retainers, no one in southern Pahel knew of his presence.

At least, that’s what the Grand Duke thought.

Who would have guessed that the Emperor’s half-brother would be in this small town?

Retreating quickly to hide, the Grand Duke strained to listen to the voices around the manor.

He caught the phrase ‘unexpected stranger’ as the masked figure passed by with mercenaries. The Grand Duke paused.

“There was a ruckus last night. Is that true? Isn’t that the Count hanging there?”

“I knew something like this would happen someday. The Count had to slip up eventually.”

“But why hang his corpse out there like that? Ugh, how horrible.”

“Horrible indeed. Considering what he’s done, this death might be too good for him. Kidnapping and exploiting both children and adults, dragging pretty women into his bedroom and ruining their lives, throwing fifty of his own children into the pond over the mountain to drown. They say he tied stones to the feet of every woman who came claiming to be carrying his child and threw them in the pond. Is that even human? He’s a demon.”

“Then why did the riot break out all of a sudden?”

“The people who’d been suffering finally exploded. No one who’s lived a wicked life like his can expect a good ending.”

“No, I mean… everyone knew the Count was a villain, so why did the riot happen just last night?”

“Well, now that you mention it, there were some strange noises.”

“Strange noises?”

“Big, huge men appeared, herded the merchants by the harbor, and marched into the manor.”

“I’ve never heard of that. Huge men?”

“They weren’t the usual types you see around Pahel… Anyway, this unexpected stranger showed up, accused the Count of his crimes, and told everyone enough was enough. Someone heard it firsthand.”

“An unexpected stranger means he’s not from Pahel.”

“Exactly. It’s odd that a stranger appeared and scolded the merchants.”