Chapter 58: Playing Along
This voice, even if it turned to ash, I wouldn’t forget. Strictly speaking, this is still the first time I’ve seen him.
“Edward…”
Suddenly, a flurry of little stars darted across my vision, and a dull pain throbbed in my head. I couldn’t help but raise my hand to press against my forehead, suppressing the discomfort in my body, and looked in the direction of the voice.
Two figures in black robes emerged from across the way. The leading man had black hair and black eyes, with a face that resembled a jade crown. Compared to the face that sparked disdain in my memory, he appeared slightly more mature, but there was no doubt, he was Edward.
And half a step behind him trailed a certain masked individual. Like the others, he was shrouded in a loose black robe, and his silence made it impossible to gauge his age or gender. The reason I called him special was that his mask was golden.
The two of them stopped about ten meters away from me.
“Ha! You could have come out a bit later and let this little brat poke me a few more times!”
Valar pressed on a wound on his shoulder, his tone mocking, directing his barbs right at the grinning Edward.
The latter, however, seemed to have not heard him at all and turned to the golden mask. “Mr. Langman, your dog doesn’t seem to listen very well.”
Valar instantly boiled over.
“Kid, who do you think you’re calling a dog?!” He pointed at me. “You’ve seen this little girl’s strength; she’s far from the weakling she was three years ago. If I hadn’t risked my life to inform you, and you had gone through with your brainless plan, would you still be standing here making snide remarks?!”
His words were quite rude, and Edward’s expression darkened.
“Don’t you dare dictate how I should do things.”
“I’m dictating? Listen up, punk! I’m the one who provided you with intel. Then I got thrown into the cellar for two months without a single word from him! Where were you when I needed rescuing?”
“You think I only have you as my source of intel?”
“What about your other informants? Why don’t you call them out? Do you know what’s happening over at Shanter Castle, huh?! Do you even know what that old dog Skarlij wants to do? You missed your chance to k*ll him, and I nearly died in the cellar!”
“Who told you to k*ll him?! Who ordered you to assassinate Pepé?!”
“If I don’t k*ll her, should I just watch her spill the truth to Skarlij and d*e together?”
I silently observed this scene, gradually understanding what they were bickering about, feeling somewhat speechless.
I had originally thought Valar was following someone’s order to k*ll me. Now it seemed like he was just acting on his own to avoid being exposed when he saw me back.
And as for the real mastermind, Edward didn’t seem very eager…
Honestly… three years ago, I didn’t even remember Valar being in the group… even if I did, it probably wasn’t his business… though I have no idea whether the duke knows he’s an informant.
Suddenly, I found it somewhat amusing.
“Pfft—”
Oops, I let out a laugh, quickly covering my mouth.
Then, I was shocked.
Hey, that sense of powerlessness seemed to have faded away?
Feeling carefully, I realized the discomfort in my body was diminishing, and my vision was clearing. I quietly moved my wrist, when suddenly I heard the masked man speak.
“Taking action on your own has exposed everything about us at Central Workshop. Valar, do you even have the face to speak here?”
He had a rather steady male voice, and Valar immediately lost his earlier bravado, hurriedly explaining, “I-I just didn’t want her to come back and spill the truth from three years ago; I was just a bit anxious…”
“Shut up, just wait.”
“……”
Their relationship was certainly not amicable. Maybe I should seize the opportunity… but where was Lafael?
I quietly raised my hand, wanting to test if I could use the Power of Order properly. Just then, Edward suddenly turned his face towards me.
He caught my little movement, a look of mockery crossing his face.
“Pepé, stop struggling. You inhaled a lot of that anesthetic powder made from mandragora seed; it’s quite potent.”
…Anesthetic powder? When did I get hit with it… Valar’s black ball didn’t even hit me, did it? When exactly…
Right, the house. The dust in that house wasn’t ash… it was a trap they set for me.
As if to validate my guess, Edward spoke again.
“Wondering when you fell for our trap? Don’t torture yourself, let me tell you. The moment you opened that door, you walked right into our snare.” At this point, he suddenly became sentimental. “It’s nice. You’re just as unchanged as before, still so naive, so pure, so beautiful. I just… really like that about you.”
Um…
“Feeling your limbs getting numb and about to keel over yet?”
Eh?
Is… is that how it is?
“Your Frost Order isn’t working anymore, is it? Soon, your whole body will stiffen, and you won’t be able to move a muscle.”
Um… huh?
“You’ll collapse, feeling like your mind is awake but your body won’t cooperate.”
Eh, so that’s how it’s going to be?
But why do I feel like I’m getting better?
“And then you’ll helplessly watch me k*ll your older brother, hahaha! How’s that for a perfect performance?”
Um, now you’re finally getting to the point.
So, I stumbled, pretended to be weak, fiercely glaring at him with wide eyes, trying to look furious.
“Lafael… Lafael, where is he?!”
I must have been convincing enough, judging by the ever-broadening grin on his face.
“Don’t fret, my little treasure; your brother isn’t here. But I’m always very nice to you. Just beg me nicely, and I’ll take you to see him.”
“He’s in your hands…”
“Hmm… you’ll find out when you see him. But right now, shouldn’t you be worrying about yourself? Don’t you feel your body getting heavier?”
Um… what to do?
I rolled my eyes and came up with an idea.
“Ow—”
I slowly crouched down, hands gripping the edge of the Ice Pillar, clumsily climbing down, and as soon as my feet hit the ground, I collapsed.
Then I frowned tightly.
“I feel… terrible…”
Once I was down, I realized the ground was rather dirty, and my nose was filled with a pungent earthy smell mixed with something foul. This smell must have stuck to me, so this line was not just for show.
I really felt awful, regretting it a bit.
Probably seeing that I no longer had the strength to fight back, Valar boldly stepped forward.
“Ha! You finally going down, little brat? You hurt me bad earlier! I’m gonna make you pay for that!”
My heart tensed, but just then I heard Edward’s furious shout: “Valar! Step back!”
Valar halted in his tracks, turning to look at Edward. There was a coldness about the dark holes of his mask.
“Who do you think you are to order me around?”
“Because I am the Grand Prince of the Valen Empire! The first heir to the imperial throne! Do you dare ignore me?!”
Valar scoffed at that.
“Tch. Without your emperor daddy, you’re nothing. Just a little brat.”
“You…”
Edward’s expression changed dramatically, his face resembling someone who would swallow Valar whole. Sensing the tension rising, the golden mask spoke again, his tone icy.
“Valar.”
He didn’t say anything else, just calling out Valar’s name. Valar trembled all over, standing frozen in place, not daring to move a muscle.
Edward seemed pleased again.
“Hmph. When you’re a dog, you should act like one. A dog that bites its master will eventually be made into meat… Mr. Langman, don’t you think she looks thoroughly under the influence now?”
The golden mask nodded. “Exactly.”
“Then let’s make our move.”
Only now did Edward dare to advance.
I pretended to angrily curse, “Despicable! Underhanded!”
“Haha! Pepé, did you know you look cute when you curse? It’s so great. Three years have passed; I thought you were gone, and I was really heartbroken back then. Thankfully, destiny brought you back to me.”
