ERTHMB Chapter 175

Let’s Get Married Again

Walter’s role should have been limited to diverting Eugene’s attention and getting Helena into the prepared carriage to send her to Ian. Although he did end up becoming an excellent hostage.

Even if his assistance was minimal, the crime of trying to help Helena escape was severe.

Helena, who had lost consciousness, disappeared before his eyes, and Walter had to pay the full price for Eugene’s fury.

To Eugene, Walter was no longer a trustworthy knight. He was merely an obstacle blocking his desires.

And Eugene was not the type to simply leave potential problems unattended.

“If there is a next time, I hope you’ll know your place better then. You’ve worked hard, Sir.”

Eugene departed with promises of a future. However, Walter had a premonition.

Walter Agyle was fated to end his life here.

“Hup, huff…!”

Walter clutched the area where Eugene had thrust his sword and gasped for breath. No matter how much he tried to catch air in his lungs, only deflating wheezing sounds came out.

His head, which had struck the wall hard, was dazed. Judging by the slick sensation flowing down his eye sockets, his skin appeared to be torn.

Walter looked at the door through which Helena had departed with his gradually dimming vision. It was a door shining white, as if the stairs to heaven he would soon tread had been laid out beyond it.

That is, if someone like me who failed to protect my wife and daughter, and even lost my lady, has such an opportunity.

His vision blurred even more white. Shamelessly, Walter blinked his eyes, waiting for his daughter to come greet him. He could hear some footsteps getting closer.

However, the one who appeared beyond the door with the light was someone who would make him witness cruel reality even more clearly.

Ian, who rushed over as soon as he discovered him, firmly murmured while stanching his wound.

“Keep your wits about you. You’ll be fine.”

Then, after looking around, he gave some instructions to the accompanying knight before asking as if confirming an already assumed answer.

“What happened to Helena?”

Walter’s head drooped low.

“…I failed to protect her. The Grand Duke forcibly took her.”

Walter saw the blue veins rise on the back of Ian’s hand. The aura that leaked out, not fully contained, was sharp. His fury was justified and deep.

When Walter swallowed a labored breath, Ian withdrew his killing intent and gently consoled him.

“You’ll soon be moved to the hospital. You need to meet Helena again, so take good care of yourself. The face of her sadness is what I least want to see.”

And Walter’s barely outstretched hand caught him as he tried to leave.

“Why… why don’t you kill me?”

Walter pleaded without being able to raise his head.

“A knight who failed to fulfill his duty cannot live. Please kill me along with my shame.”

But Ian didn’t turn back to him.

“It would be more shameful for you to throw away your life because of duty.”

The knight who had returned with a stretcher sat beside Walter and supported him. Ian glanced at him once before heading outside.

Dion urgently blocked his path as he strode forward with long steps.

“Where are you going!”

Ian pushed him aside and hurried his steps again.

“Move. I need to stick a blade in that bastard’s throat right now and bring Helen back.”

His breathing and the end of his words trembled. Even beyond his roughened speech, Dion could fully sense his rage.

Stopping Ian in this state was what Dion wanted to avoid most in his life. But this moment was also when it was necessary.

Dion jumped in front of Ian again.

“The great undertaking is right before us. You mustn’t fall for crude tricks, my lord.”

“—Dion.”

Indeed as expected, or perhaps as if he had known from the beginning that he couldn’t stop him.

Ian’s coldly boiling eyes penetrated Dion.

“The person I’ve barely found right now isn’t Beelzebuth but Helen, and the person I’m afraid of losing is also Helen.”

The moment he faced those deep eyes, Dion realized that what Ian was seeking wasn’t simply the one person Helena. He was now, finally, trying to reclaim the long happiness he had been forced to give up for the past 13 years.

Dion also felt with his whole body that he was his vassal. And therefore, that he had no choice but to follow his orders.

“Move, Dion.”

Ian growled lowly. There was no longer any hand pushing him away, but Dion bowed his head and stepped back.

****

Helena opened her eyes, feeling a dull headache. Her vision spun dizzily, but as she slowly repeated closing and opening her eyes, it gradually subsided.

‘Where is this?’

Before she could look around, a damp smell stabbed her nose. When she fumbled with her hand, she felt a damp floor. There was only one lamp hanging on the stone wall to illuminate the space, so it took some time for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.

Helena realized where she was from the familiar scenery visible through the small window and the carriage curtain abandoned in one corner.

‘I’ve returned to Evergale.’

However, there was no soft bedding or warm fireplace. This place was the basement of the mansion.

Helena suddenly got up. At the same time, there was a light rattling metallic sound. Helena immediately realized that it started from the back wall and ended at her nape.

Over the thin bandage, there was a thick leather collar with a chain attached.

‘Eugene…!’

As soon as she gritted her teeth, footsteps came down the stairs. When she opened her eyes that had squinted at the sudden flood of light, Eugene was standing there.

“You’re awake.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

When she shook the chain and asked, Eugene approached with an unwavering expression.

“Just as you said, I’m a goddamn bastard. So if you’re in the same situation, I thought maybe you’d understand me a bit more.”

He smirked and jerked his chin downward.

“Do you like the other gift too?”

Following Eugene’s gaze, Helena lowered her head. It didn’t take long for Helena to discover what was sparkling on her ring finger. It was a ring with a diamond set in a thin metal band.

As she suddenly raised her head, Eugene, meeting her eyes, calmly spoke.

“Where shall we hold the ceremony, Helen? The villa in Zerden overlooking the sea? Sorbet Temple? Oh right, you hated commotion. Then it’s fine if we do it quietly, just the two of us.”

“Are you insane? What nonsense are you spouting after we’re divorced?”

Helena ground her teeth and pulled off the ring to throw it.

Eugene’s languid expression turned cold in an instant.

“Right, we did. Divorce.”

Eugene spoke as if resigned and picked up the ring, then knelt on one knee before Helena.

He forcibly grabbed Helena’s refusing hand, pulled it over, and stubbornly put the ring back on.

The warmth rubbing the back of her hand and the posture resembling someone proposing to a lover were sweet, but what came from his mouth was—

“So let’s get married again.”

Proper insanity.

“What exactly can you gain from doing this? Whatever you do, I’ll ignore you for the rest of my life, and my heart will never leave Ian. Is lying in the same bed with a woman who hates you really what you want?”

Helena asked with a heart spitting blood. Even in the midst of this, she struggled to pull her hand from his grasp.

Eugene twisted his lips as if finding Helena’s efforts to escape from him admirable.

“Yes. If you want to hold a knife to my throat while I sleep, do it. If you want to push me off a cliff while walking with me, do as you please. If Ian comes to mind even when looking at me, keep thinking about him.”

Eugene, who had murmured as if granting great mercy, suddenly lowered the temperature.

“None of it matters. Whether you cry yourself dry with exhaustion, or long for him desperately, as long as I can be by your side. That bastard can’t have you instead of me. I won’t let that happen.”

Eugene pressed down on Helena’s lower lip as she bit it until it bled. Helena roughly turned her head to shake him off, then raised her hand.

Smack!

A sharper crack than usual erupted. Eugene let out a hollow laugh while keeping his turned head in place.

“I’ll return to Ian no matter what. That’s my fate. Not rotting with you in this godforsaken Evergale!”

Eugene’s laughter deepened. Even in the darkness, she could see his golden eyes emit a vivid light. The moment she sensed something was turning dangerous, Eugene reached out his arm.

Helena quickly pulled her body back to escape his radius. Eugene grabbed her collar with an obstinate grip and pulled.

Helena was helplessly dragged by the fierce force. Eugene’s lips crashed violently. Eugene cupped the back of Helena’s head with his large hand and pushed so she couldn’t pull away again.

It was closer to a collision than a kiss. A rough kiss where tender skin was crushed and lips were torn between biting teeth.

Eugene invaded, changing angles several times, not caring about the fists pounding his chest. He only released Helena when he became breathless himself.

Into the space filled only with rough breathing from both, Eugene ground out.

“Say that bastard’s name one more time. I’ll make you call only my name until you can’t make a sound anymore.”

Eugene was still gripping and pulling Helena’s collar. So Helena could read his eyes in detail. Everything he had done was sincere.

Then, ridiculously, laughter came.

“You’re really pitiful, you know?”

Helena withdrew her hand that had been placed on his wrist to push Eugene away.

“Do as you please. I’ll stay still. Pitifully, I’ll just think of it as a starving stray dog licking me.”

Eugene’s pupils wavered for a moment. He released the collar and stood up with restrained movements, but Helena felt some part of him breaking.

“Eat. Until you change your mind, you’ll be staying here.”

Before leaving, Eugene set down the tray he had brought in.

Helena threw a plate at Eugene’s turning back. He briefly looked down at his shoes soaked with thin soup and moved on.

Third day of refusing meals in protest. Helena realized Eugene wasn’t coming with food past breakfast and through lunch.

It was Madam Tara who brought dinner. Since she needed strength to escape somehow, Helena touched the plate when Eugene’s gaze was absent.

After slowly finishing her meal, Helena waited for Madam Tara to return to collect the plate.

However, the one who appeared around sunset wasn’t her.

“Long time no see, Helena. Was the food to your liking? I prepared it specially.”

It was Natasha. Natasha, who had been kicked out of the mansion and disappeared a year ago.

She approached with her characteristically clear smiling face, as if she had never left the mansion in the first place.

“Nata…!”

Helena tried to stand up immediately, but her head spun.

The moment she realized it was food prepared by Natasha, all strength drained from her body.

Her body swayed uncontrollably and collapsed, and her vision was dyed black.