The Prince’s Taste - Chapter 7.22

“Ah! My hand! Ugh!”

An ear-splitting scream pierced the air. Judy Esther peeked through her tightly closed eyes. Count T was sprawled on the floor. Richard’s back was visible, sword in hand, crimson blood dripping from its tip.

“From here on, leave it to me..”

Richard’s voice was low and calm, freezing everything in its track.

He held her with his other arm, the one that wasn’t holding the sword. She buried her face in his chest. The cool, sweet scent of his body lingered on the tip of her nose. Her heart, which had trembled with fear, began to settle.

“Judy, close your eyes.”

She obeyed, shutting her eyes as he instructed. Richard’s cold voice echoed, so icy it felt like her blood was freezing.

“Count T, not only did you smuggle a weapon into the palace, but you also attempted to kill the future crown princess.”

“…Your Highness… ugh.”

“I could execute you on the spot.”

Before Richard had even finished speaking, Count T’s eyes rolled back and foam bubbled on his lips.

‘I won’t let you die that easily.’

Richard’s low voice sounded out again. Despite the calm tone, he looked down on the man like an insect. Blue veins bulged on his neck as he suppressed his anger.

This was the true Richard Adrian. Infinitely gentle to Judy Esther, yet a ruthless ruler by nature. Judy Esther peeked open her eyes. The count was curled up on the floor, clutching his severed hand with his other hand, groaning. The cleanly severed hand, still gripping the dagger, lay on the floor. Before she knew it, the palace knights had their swords pressed to the necks of the stepmother’s gang and Count T.

“Count T, you are hereby arrested for regicide. His accomplices are to be imprisoned in the dungeons with him.”

“Your Highness, I… I’m innocent…”

The stepmother crawled over, grabbing at Richard’s pant leg in desperation.

“Innocent? Ha.”

Richard gave a dry, bitter laugh as he looked down at the stepmother. The look in his eyes made her whole body tremble. Her two daughters dropped to their knees and began to plead.

“Your Highness, we’ve done nothing wrong.”

“We have no connection with Count T.”

If they really wanted to live, they should have chosen their words more carefully.

“You misunderstand, Your Highness. I was merely… reprimanding Lady Emers for her lack of manners. What’s wrong with a count scolding a noble lady?”

Count T clutched his injured arm and started justifying himself.

“She is the future crown princess. She is not someone a mere count can presume to scold.”

“She’s not royalty yet, since she hasn’t married Your Highness.”

His face contorted with pain as he gritted out the words. For a psychopath, his patience was remarkable.

“Count, Judy is carrying the crown prince’s child. To harm her is regicide.”

Judy Esther gasped sharply. It hadn’t been long since they had been together.

“You’re being unreasonable, Your Highness.”

“Have you forgotten that your elder sister became royalty the moment she conceived the king’s child?”

Count T sensed the noose tightening around his neck. His sister had entered the palace as the queen’s maid, secretly spent a night in the king’s chambers, conceived the crown prince, and became a royal consort.

“You yourself cut off the foot of the maid who trampled on your sister’s feet. That was the charge—inflicting injury on a royal body. So cutting off the hand that drew a blade was only just punishment. I merely did to you what you did to her.”

Richard’s expression was dry and merciless. From the start, he had been waiting for the right moment to deal with Count T. Realizing he was trapped, Count T let out a rough breath.

The stepsisters bowed their heads to the floor. Richard extended his sword toward Stepsister 1.

“The necklace.”

“Your Highness, we’re innocent.”

“How many times must I say it? The necklace.”

Richard’s golden eyes darkened to a deep amber. He glared at Stepsister 1 with a look full of disdain.

Stepsister 1 trembled as she extended the necklace toward Richard. He seemed disgusted even to touch it, so he hooked the necklace with the tip of his sword and lifted it.

Then, with a strong flick, he flung it into the pond. With a plop, the necklace disappeared beneath the water’s surface.

“…Why did you throw it away?”

“It was filthy.”

Richard’s gaze was cold and indifferent, as if he were casually discarding something vile.

Wasn’t that necklace incredibly expensive? Judy Esther frowned as she stared at the pond.

“It’s mine. Why do you throw it away without permission?”

“I’ll give you the pond as a wedding gift. Then the necklace will be yours too.”