Please Kill Me - Chapter 106

From the beginning, Leonid had been leaving traces intentionally to ensure Sergei could follow them through the forest. It was only a matter of time before Sergei caught up.

‘I thought he’d keep some distance.’

He noticed how close Sergei was trailing, close enough for anyone even slightly sensitive to notice. Sergei wasn’t even trying to conceal his pursuit.

‘He probably doesn’t think he could fail to escape from any situation.’

If something were to happen while he stalked them, Sergei was confident he could escape it leisurely.

It was a blatant overconfidence.

But his arrogance was born from his considerable skills and experience which even Leonid couldn’t underestimate. If someone else had been this arrogant, Leonid would have laughed at their pettiness.

‘The problem is, he thinks he’s a strategist.’

To be fair, Sergei wasn’t a strategist in the true sense. He seemed like one because he liked to manipulate situations with his quick judgment and decisive actions. He would create a controlled environment where he could reign supreme. That was Sergei.

‘That, too, is a skill, I suppose.’

Take the sudden appearance of monsters in the imperial hunting grounds, for example. Before Leonid could grasp what was happening, Sergei had already taken control of the situation, drawing Leonid into his web.

Leonid had been caught in Sergei’s schemes more than once.

However, if there’s one flaw, it’s that Sergei becomes powerless in situations beyond his control. Having ruled for so long, he is deluded into thinking he can always control the circumstances. Leading him to reckless overconfidence even when caution is needed.

This arrogance only drives him into more traps.

A person with blind conviction is often more reckless than an ignorant one. How easy is it to lure someone charging ahead that was convinced of their illusory victory?

But getting caught now would be problematic, so Leonid thought to play along for now.

So Leonid pretended to be completely engrossed in the hunt, aiming to lure Sergei deeper into the forest.

Moving slightly out of sight, Leonid turned and signaled silently to his companion, no words needed.

They continued to shoot arrows and throw knives into the bushes, making it look like a genuine hunt, and gradually moved deeper into the forest.

Finally, they reached a part of the forest so deep that human footprints were scarce. At that point, Leonid reined in his horse, turned around, and called out loudly.

“Why don’t you come out now? It looks like there’s nowhere else to go.”

With that, two horses emerged from the bushes, revealing Sergei Offenbach and his attendant. Neither Leonid nor Sergei, nor their companions, showed any surprise—they had all been aware of each other.

Leonid smirked.

“I didn’t know Offenbach had taken up the hobby of following others. Or perhaps your family has always had such inclinations?”

“You talk too much, Leonid Rostislav. I came to talk to you.”

Sergei growled, not bothering to hide his anger for a second. Leonid casually taunted back.

“If you wanted to talk, you should have sent a proper request to Rostislav Manor, instead of ambushing me in the woods.”

“Neither of us is the type to sit and drink tea together. We didn’t want to talk for so long. Let’s cut to the chase.”

Sergei Offenbach snarled, gripping his reins tightly, his teeth clenched. He spoke with barely restrained fury and called the name.

“Yekaterina Offenbach.”

The mention of her name caused the robed figure behind Leonid to flinch, a movement so slight yet noticeable to all present. Sergei’s eyes narrowed even further.

“Do you have her?”

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about. If anyone should know the whereabouts of Yekaterina Offenbach, it should be you.”

“If you don’t answer me properly, I’ll resort to Offenbach’s methods. Yekaterina Offenbach—”

“Hold on.”

Leonid interrupted with a sneer.

“Are you seriously suggesting that your daughter, Yekaterina Offenbach, ran away from home and sought refuge with someone she’s never met, like me, from Rostislav? What kind of convoluted logic leads you to that conclusion?”

“Stop dodging and just answer the question!”

“I’m asking out of genuine curiosity. Your anger makes me even more puzzled. I truly don’t understand this situation. And more importantly, do you even realize how you’re addressing her? I wouldn’t even call someone who stabbed me and ran away like that.”

How could he speak of his lost daughter in such a manner? How could any father do that?