ERTHMB Chapter 91

Punishment

 

Garta shoved away the woman who was brazenly licking the wine from her fingers.

 

“How dare you in a place like this…!”

 

“Eh, I said I was sorry. Look, I apologize quickly too.”

 

Before anyone knew it, Vivian’s incident had become insignificant compared to everything else. With a flushed face, Garta erupted in fury.

 

“Gelda Spencer!”

 

Gelda shot back without backing down.

 

“What, you good-for-nothing brother!”

 

The face that had returned from being a reckless vagrant to the head of a guild was dignified. Gelda jabbed at Garta’s chest with each breath as she shouted.

 

“The clothes you wear, the food you eat, the place where you lay your heavy body – all of it! Have you forgotten it’s all thanks to me? I’m not unable to take it away, I’m just choosing not to!”

 

“What makes you so bold to defy me like this, Gelda! That damn old man who used to favor you has already disappeared without even bone dust remaining!”

 

“Ha.”

 

Gelda snorted.

 

“You seem to be under some misunderstanding.”

 

She instantly suppressed her anger and growled low.

 

“Even without that old man, you were never a match for me from the beginning.”

 

Gelda turned away with derision and this time pointed at Vivian.

 

“And you!”

 

Vivian flinched, suddenly being harshly singled out. Gelda strode toward her without hesitation. When she got close, she pointed at Vivian with sky-piercing intensity.

 

“If you don’t want your head shaved bald, watch your step at night, got it? If you dare touch my child carelessly, then you’ll die by my hands!”

 

As soon as Gelda’s roar ended, Lily stretched out her arms as if she had been waiting. Gelda lightly lifted her like a doll and suddenly left the scene.

 

Helena also took advantage of the chaotic atmosphere to slip out of the hall.

 

****

 

‘So Gelda was from the Spencer family.’

 

The sense of déjà vu she had felt when looking at her finally made sense.

 

Gelda often used aristocratic intonation and etiquette in her daily life. It didn’t seem forced. It appeared to be the unconscious behavior that only someone who had lived that way could possess.

 

There were still many things she was curious about, but Helena decided to wait until Gelda told her directly.

 

‘Spencer or not, Gelda has been Gelda to me from the beginning.’

 

The place Helena had arranged to meet Ian was in the town’s commercial district. The festival was a blessing given fairly to everyone, and there was no law saying only Garta’s splendid castle should be enjoyable.

 

The blessings that the townspeople scattered on the streets in their own ways were also part of the festival. Helena wanted to enjoy that.

 

‘Lily will be looked after by Gelda and Flam… Was the path to the square this way?’

 

Helena gradually slowed her walking pace. It seemed she had taken the wrong direction at the first fork in the road. The number of people coming and going decreased, and only shrubs grew thickly.

 

Still, the structure was such that an exit would appear no matter which direction she went. It would just be a slight detour, so Helena picked up her pace again.

 

At some point, people completely disappeared. Then Helena heard footsteps following her. When she walked slowly, they shortened their stride accordingly, and when she walked quickly, they lengthened their stride just the same.

 

Helena quietly prepared her guard and turned around. The footsteps that had been following at an appropriate distance stopped abruptly.

 

“…Lord Borneu?”

 

MacBurden Borneu bowed his head in greeting with an awkward expression. He approached a few steps and properly acknowledged her.

 

“I heard you’ve been absent from social circles for a while. I never expected to see you in a place like this, Your Grace.”

 

Helena’s guard intensified. He was a trustworthy person, but that didn’t mean it would work in her favor.

 

“Am I not supposed to be in a place like this?”

 

“Well, this isn’t Evergale.”

 

MacBurden answered as if it were obvious. It wasn’t the expected response about behavior unbecoming of a Grand Duchess’s dignity, or why she wasn’t with Eugene. Because of this, it was Helena who was caught off guard instead.

 

Then MacBurden did something even more bewildering.

 

“I would be grateful if you could pass this on to that little lady.”

 

What he held out was a box prettily wrapped in pink paper. Instead of accepting it, Helena quickly scanned the paper bag containing the box. From the logo, it appeared to be children’s toys.

 

With MacBurden’s hand still awkwardly extended, Helena asked.

 

“Is this courtesy you’re showing because I was Eugene’s wife?”

 

“You speak as if you’re not now.”

 

“…”

 

Troublesomely, he was perceptive. And thankfully, he was perceptive.

 

Perhaps reading her unwelcoming expression, MacBurden didn’t dwell on the lack of response and changed the subject.

 

“It’s a gift for that child. There’s no other meaning.”

 

Only then did Helena lower her guard. MacBurden Borneu, experienced directly rather than heard about through rumors, was a much more gentlemanly man.

 

After handing over the gift, he really seemed as if that was all his business and tried to withdraw. This time Helena stepped forward.

 

“May I ask you something?”

 

A slightly puzzled expression spread across MacBurden’s face. As soon as he agreed with “Of course,” Helena bluntly threw out the main point.

 

“Is there a reason you need to push marriage to this extent? With your level of ability, you should be able to rebuild sufficiently even if it takes some time.”

 

“I cannot wait that long. That would be too long a suffering.”

 

The corners of his mouth turned up bitterly. MacBurden then firmly declared.

 

“I want power.”

 

“For what purpose?”

 

“Because you need power to change things, and you need to change things to protect them.”

 

His green eyes briefly clouded as if reflecting on some time. But soon, without erasing his faint bitter smile, he confided.

 

“In the past, much collapsed due to my greed. My territory is currently cornered in many ways. It’s someone’s living land, but woefully insufficient to protect.”

 

“The Count doesn’t necessarily have to bear all the burden himself.”

 

“As I said, it’s what I want. Not what’s necessary. That’s why I absolutely cannot be without power. The words and actions of the powerless are nothing but vain ideals. To realize my beliefs, I must first sit in a position where I must abandon my beliefs.”

 

A brief silence settled. Helena gazed steadily at the man before her. It was no wonder Vivian had fallen so hard for him. It seemed like it would be fine to give anything to such a person.

 

Helena decided to repay him for Lily’s gift. And for the precious courtesy he had shown.

 

“In a few days, a letter will be sent to you, Count.”

 

“Will you be sending it, Madam?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Is it information I need?”

 

Helena answered with a faint smile.

 

“It will be one of the reasons you want to have power.”

 

MacBurden nodded slightly, just as when he had arrived.

 

“…I’ll wait.”

 

Now there was no further business. Both people turned toward their respective paths. However, after taking a few steps, Helena turned back.

 

“Count Borneu.”

 

Had she been making a distrustful expression? He seemed like someone who knew he would be called back. He was almost still in the same spot.

 

“…Yes, Madam. Do you have more to say?”

 

Helena opened her mouth after hesitating a little.

 

“Whatever way of life you choose is your freedom, but I hope you won’t live a life of cutting yourself away.”

 

MacBurden’s expression became strange. He stared intently at Helena as if trying to find the meaning of the question, then murmured.

 

“It doesn’t matter. I don’t love her.”

 

MacBurden was a truthful person. Appearance as rumored, character matching his appearance, honesty matching his character. Not a fragment of falsehood could be felt in his words. He truly did not love Vivian.

 

‘This too would be punishment, if it’s punishment.’

 

For the first time, Helena felt a little sympathy for Vivian.

 

****

 

‘Ah, there he is…’

 

When Helena spotted Ian, he was not alone. Women dressed elaborately were gathered around him in abundance.

 

Like a spider’s web, they had formed a camp and were tangled together in a jumbled mess. From their attire, they appeared to be dancers who would perform at Garta’s banquet.

 

‘He really is someone you can’t just pass by.’

 

Today he wore a clean, pure white formal suit. Perhaps because of the color, he displayed a particularly brilliant radiance even among the crowd.

 

Helena approached with unknowingly quickened steps. Ian was the first to spot her and waved his hand. Soon after, one of the dancers traced Ian’s tie with her fingertips and laughed playfully.

 

“Oh my, I didn’t know you already had a lover. And yet you were being so seductive… bad man.”

 

Helena felt an indescribable emotion. Her heart seemed to be pumping spilled ink instead of fresh blood. To compose herself, Helena decided to focus only on the facts.

 

“We’re not lovers-“

 

At that moment, a rigid arm wrapped around her waist. Ian pulled Helena to him just like that. And whispered like an intimate expression of affection between lovers.

 

“I’ve been waiting, darling.”

 

Ian blinked his long eyelashes like giving signals used in secret military operations. Helena, having roughly grasped the situation, shook her head slightly.

 

However, Ian tightened his arm around her waist and urged again. Finally, Helena reluctantly played along.

 

“…Were you bored while waiting?”

 

“Every minute and second is precious when you’re not by my side.”

 

Ian stroked Helena’s cheek as if caressing something precious. Helena shot daggers with her eyes, but he didn’t care and moved closer. Regardless of her displeasure, the effect was certain.

 

The dancers lost interest and left at the continued displays of affection, paying no heed to the surrounding gazes. The sound of metallic ornaments clinking and bumping against each other grew distant. Helena immediately escaped from his embrace.

 

Ian, who had obediently released her, opened the conversation as usual.

 

“I didn’t say much of anything.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Seduction, what nonsense.”

 

“You don’t need to make excuses.”

 

“Does it sound like excuses? Why?”

 

Ian smiled impishly. Helena didn’t answer and stepped toward the commercial district. Ian pulled her arm to rest it on his as he spoke.

 

“I told them I had an owner.”

 

“Owner?”

 

“That I had someone I loved. From a very long time ago.”

 

The air grew warm again, ridiculously so.