If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 218

‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.

“Well, even if he’s not from Pahel, there are plenty who hate the Count. There are hundreds who grit their teeth when they hear the name Count Schuck across the south.”

The Grand Duke, overhearing this unexpected information from commoners’ street talk, quickly pulled up the cloth covering his mouth in surprise as someone passed by him.

“Put that man in the carriage.”

“Huh?”

“That white-clad figure just now—definitely one of the Count’s servants.”

“Yes, I will do so.”

Cain Vernat had suddenly appeared here, and while the manor where he was supposed to be stayed was empty that night, the Count was executed. Could it all be a coincidence?

There’s no such thing as complete coincidence in this world.

Even seemingly unrelated events always have subtle connections if examined closely.

Especially in a small rural town, such a massive incident could never be random. The Grand Duke concluded that the large man who stirred up the merchants and incited the riot was Cain Vernat.

Then the empty manor and the sudden riot all made sense. But there was one thing he couldn’t understand.

“Why…?”

Why Cain Vernat go so far as to kill Count Schuck?

That was the one thing he just couldn’t understand, no matter how much he thought about it.

“There must be something more…”

“Grand Duke, you must leave this place.”

“Hush. I told you not to call me that.”

“My apologies. Please hurry.”

“Did you capture that servant from earlier?”

“Yes.”

“Lead the way.”

As more and more people gathered to witness the Count’s miserable state, the Grand Duke left with his escorting knights. It would have been disastrous if his mask came off in the crowd.

Of course, no one in Pahel would recognize the face of Grand Duke Norfolk who resided in the capital, but they had to be cautious, since Cain Vernat might be hiding somewhere nearby.

The Grand Duke quickly boarded the carriage.

Once the door closed and the windows were fully covered, he pulled down the cloth that concealed his face.

“Can’t you hurry up? Moving this slow is frustrating…”

“My apologies, Your Grace.”

“Drive as fast as possible, get far away from here.”

“Yes.”

At this point, staying longer in the south seemed pointless. The influential figure called the Emperor of the South and his loyal source of funds had perished overnight, so it was safer to return to the capital as soon as possible.

Even the Grand Duke, who had seen countless corpses on the battlefield, was chilled by the brutality of the Count’s death.

“…This isn’t the work of ordinary rage.”

“Excuse me?”

“The state the Count was found in — it wasn’t the result of ordinary anger.”

“Yes. I’ve seen cases of minor nobles being killed by their hired men in rebellion, but I have never seen a corpse so horrifically mutilated as this one. It’s more than just venting frustration…”

“Gruesome, indeed.”

The Grand Duke answered calmly. His focus was no longer on the Count’s death itself, but the cause behind it.

Why did Cain Vernat kill Count Schuck?

And why did he come all the way here personally…?

Was this the whole reason he came down here? Why then was Kristin’s daughter here with her husband?

The more he pondered, the more confused he became. Meanwhile, the carriage sped swiftly away from the Count’s domain.

After some time, the populated area thinned and vast forest roads stretched out. Judging it far enough, the Grand Duke ordered the carriage to stop and had the Count’s servant, pulled from the rear carriage, brought to him.

All the servants who witnessed Cain confront the Count left Pahel under the Vernat knights’ guidance, but one servant, greedy for the gold and silver left behind, had returned.

Although he should have had enough, greed compelled him to come back — only to be caught by the Grand Duke’s knights.

“Remove his covering.”

The Grand Duke’s tired face was heavy as he ordered the servant’s mask removed.

“Why… why are you doing this?”

The servant’s tear-streaked face revealed his fear. The horrible events of last night must have terrified him.

“He was a servant of the Count.”

“W-what are you saying…?”

“The clothes you wear — the insignia on your sleeves. Aren’t those the clothes worn by the Count’s servants? If you think you can lie to me carelessly, you’ll see your tongue ripped out.”

“Ah! I was wrong. Yes, I was a servant to Count Schuck.”

Bound with his arms behind his back, the servant bowed deeply, banging his head against the floor.

“Tell me everything you know about what happened last night.”

Pressing his forehead to the floor, the servant hurriedly racked his brain. Who exactly was this man? Was he one of those terrifying people who executed the Count last night?

No — if that were the case, he wouldn’t have been brought here to give a report.