A Marriage Alliance for Revenge - Chapter 26

BOOM!

 

The sky flashed with great noise.

 

Briella’s countenance, soaked in an instant, had turned a bluish hue.

 

Gusto’s gaze lingered on Briella’s lips, now transformed into a violet shade.

 

Unbeknownst to herself, her hand hesitated at the trembling tip of her chin.

 

“You speak of the obvious.”

 

“The obvious?”

 

Her pallid lips unfolded like a withering flower, then sealed shut again.

 

Words that flowed from the purple blossoms lips became a small dagger piercing Gusto’s heart.

 

However, Gusto, the owner of that heart, seemed oblivious to the dagger’s very existence.

 

The wounds left by the small, delicate dagger were nothing more than common, minor scratches.

 

“Yes. Didn’t I travel all this way to follow the Duke, abandoning my parents and siblings solely for the Duke’s sake?”

 

Droplets of water clung to my lowered eyebrows. Gusto’s lips contorted as his cheeks became flushed instead of his colorless lips.

 

Briella Viterpan’s countenance undoubtedly resembled that of a woman ensnared by love.

 

“I see.”

 

Gusto’s head slowly lowered.

 

Briella suppressed her trembling heart and wished for the current moment to pass swiftly.

 

She overlooked.

 

She had been arrogant.

 

She presumed she could endure facing Gusto alone, consumed by the vengeful emotions in her. 

 

Yet, the price of presumption was great.

 

The memories of tea containing venom meant for her remained undiminished, and the sensation of the dagger piercing my heart remained vivid.

 

Licking her quivering lips, Briella tightened her clutch on her dress.

 

Otherwise, it felt as though she would collapse once again.

 

That was when it occurred.

 

An elusive black shadow approached her, enveloping her shoulders with a deep crimson cloak.

 

The cloak, adorned with golden threads, bore the emblem of the emperor.

 

Briella, frozen in place, glanced at Gusto with eyes wide open.

 

“You appear cold.”

 

The sudden action by Gusto caused the steward to gape and regard them with a foolish expression.

 

Briella’s reaction was no different from that of the steward.

 

It was an action that Gusto had never shown, not even to Eve Ferena, whom Gusto cherished so dearly.

 

To that extent, Gusto’s actions were unconventional.

 

“…Your Majesty.”

 

Briella’s earnest voice caught Gusto’s gaze, and his eyes flickered within Briella’s irises, which changed with the light.

 

Familiar, yet unfamiliar.

 

It resembled something that had been known for a long time.

 

However, Gusto’s thoughts did not linger.

 

“Return the cloak when we meet again.”

 

Without waiting for Briella’s response, Gusto turned and exited the room.

 

Only after he disappeared did Briella finally lower her head.

 

The attendants guarding the room followed his footsteps in a tumultuous manner.

 

At last, the silence that Briella had yearned for so long had arrived.

 

‘Have I ruined everything again?’

 

Slowly straightening her previously bowed back, Briella bit her lip. Gusto’s cloak draped over her shoulders felt unusually heavy.

 

She firmly grasped the cloak that pressed against her shoulders.

 

The weight of the cloak in her hand pressed upon her heart.

 

“Next time… I will…”

 

Since the Emperor had commanded her, she couldn’t leave the cloak behind.

 

“Shall I prepare the carriage now?”

 

While Briella pondered, a maid approached cautiously and asked.

 

She answered with a nod of her head.

 

The Emperor himself had bestowed the cloak. It was evident that leaving it behind would lead to regret later on.

 

Briella, clad in the cloak that weighed upon her, followed suit with measured steps.

 

To be a duchess adorned in the Emperor’s cloak—how easily one could be ensnared in suspicion.

 

Such thoughts hastened Briella’s pace. She wished to return to the mansion before catching anyone’s attention.

 

“Madam!”

 

The steward rushed towards Briella, who was soaked in water from head to toe. 

 

“Let us return to the manor.”

 

The steward examined Briella’s face, pushed the umbrella aside, and held it above her.

 

He shielded her from the pouring rain with his own body, unperturbed by the ever-dampening sensation. 

 

If one worked on the Viterpan estate, one would know how much the butler, Vinter, cared for Briella’s well-being.

 

It was obvious that returning to the mansion would be the prudent choice if one were to face even more rain.

 

The steward’s face became tinged with anxiety as he surveyed Briella’s pale countenance.

 

Thud.

 

As the carriage door closed, creating a space for her solitude, Briella slumped onto the backseat of the carriage.

 

The dampness mingled with her exhaled breath. The blurred scenery before her eyes prompted her to shut them tightly.

 

“Haa… Haa…”

 

Amidst ragged breaths, intense emotions surged forth like a rushing tide.

 

Briella clasped her hands to her chest and lowered her waist.

 

Falling tears gently traced the corners of her lips.

 

Despite her attempts to dismiss it nonchalantly, she caught the sight of the familiar imperial landscape passing outside the carriage window.

 

It was Briella herself who had chosen to return.

 

She had to bear it alone.

 

Things that had once been familiar and taken for granted had become unfamiliar and awkward after spending a few months with Lucas.

 

Lucas’s image naturally came to mind, causing Briella to bite her lip.

 

It was regrettable that she had not bid farewell to Lucas within the confines of the room, as he had suggested.

 

It felt unjust that she had not captured his departing figure.

 

The recollection of the morning where she lingered in the spot Lucas had chosen for her, unable to be more audacious, resurfaced in her mind, causing an pang in her chest.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Your Majesty!”

 

Ignoring the house steward’s call that followed, Gusto strode along the corridor paved with red tiles.

 

With each step he took, tiny droplets of water left their marks.

 

Those who followed Gusto, who had not been seen for some time, grew tense.

 

The house steward was no exception.

 

“Your Majesty!”

 

The steward called out to Gusto again, his voice filled with unease.

 

However, Gusto continued walking as if he could not hear the steward’s words.

 

The steward hastened his steps to keep up with Gusto’s pace.

 

Where Gusto’s steps came to a halt was neither his own office, nor the room where he resided, nor the reception room where Eve was present.

 

When Gusto stopped walking, those who followed him also abruptly ceased their steps.

 

He stared at the firmly closed door as if contemplating breaking it down.

 

“Nobody… should enter.”

 

The house steward bowed at the voice that echoed through the hallway.

 

His demeanor resembled that of an herbivorous animal bowing down before a carnivorous beast.

 

Snap.

 

As he opened the door and stepped inside alone, a dense darkness enveloped Gusto.

 

In the study, still fresh from losing its master, Gusto’s pupils gleamed chillingly in the cold air.

 

Step by step.

 

With each stride, white dust rose from the floor and settled again.

 

Gusto approached the window with quick steps and dampened the thick curtains.

 

The path leading to the palace’s main gate lay clearly before him.

 

Gusto couldn’t fathom why he had entered this room, leaving his own adjacent study behind.

 

“The weather drives people mad.”

 

Gusto murmured to himself while gazing silently at the departing carriage outside the palace.

 

He thought of the woman inside the departing carriage.

 

Eyes cast down, trembling, yet mustering the words to speak.

 

Gusto wet his head and roughly brushed back his hair.

 

He himself did not know the nature of the anger that roared within him.

 

Having confirmed that Briella’s carriage had completely left the palace, Gusto turned away and pulled the curtain shut once more.

 

As he stepped outside, the house steward quickly examined his face.

 

The fierce appearance he had when entering had faded, albeit slightly.

 

“Your Majesty.”

 

“What is it?”

 

Gusto inquired as he left Olivia’s study and entered his own.

 

In stark contrast to Olivia’s dimly lit study, Gusto’s was resplendent.

 

A red carpet and flowers sent by Eve adorned the table regardless of the season.

 

A stuffed head of a black wolf, which had disgusted Olivia, hung on the wall, overlooking the study.

 

“Marquess Hailey is here to see you.”

 

They had departed at early dawn.

 

Moreover, with the rain pouring down like this, it was impossible for any birds to fly.

 

The steward gulped loudly at Gusto’s unsettling voice.

 

“Hurry.”

 

Gusto sank onto the sofa, his head slumping down. He gazed out at the pouring rain. It was an unexpected downpour.

 

While a single bell rang, the steward busily attended to Gusto’s request.

 

“Your Majesty, I have prepared the clothes for you to change into.”

 

At the steward’s words, Gusto looked down at his own appearance.

 

Recalling the time when he stood in the rain without seeking shelter, a hollow laugh escaped his lips.

 

It was ridiculous that he had stubbornly remained in place, refusing to step back even a few paces.

 

In those winter forest-like eyes, it was regrettable to see his own reflection vanish.

 

‘Why?’

 

He couldn’t find a suitable answer to his own question.

 

It was an utterly perplexing situation.

 

“Hahaha.”

 

The sudden burst of laughter caused the color to drain from the steward’s face, who was holding a towel.

 

Today, Gusto exhibited an enigmatic countenance.

 

The steward approached cautiously and softly caressed Gusto’s damp hair.

 

Meanwhile, Gusto became immersed in his thoughts, as he often did.

 

It was no different from his usual demeanor.

 

A group of rebels, who still yearned for Lucas’s reinstatement, had managed to disturb Gusto’s tranquility.

 

And this rebellion was destined to fade into the hands of Lucas, whom they supported.

 

Yet, for some reason, it did not perturb Gusto as much as it should.

 

Only until he heard the news of Lucas’ departure with his knights this morning did everything seem to align with Gusto’s intentions.

 

“Damn it.”

 

With a bluish visage filled with weariness, the image of Briella collapsing like a withering flower came to Gusto’s mind, and he inadvertently uttered a curse.

 

The steward, who stood by his side, took a step back at his muttered words and looked towards the closed door, his mouth dry.

 

He yearned for Marquess Hailey to arrive as swiftly as possible.

 

At that moment.

 

A sharp knock.

 

Gusto’s head, slightly bowed in contemplation, perked up at the sound.

 

“Enter,” he commanded before the knocking had even ceased.

 

The steward hastened towards the source of Gusto’s voice, his steps brisk.

 

“Your Imperial Majesty…”

 

“No need for salutations. What has become of those who marched towards Pereta?”

 

Maruqess Hailey, unable to complete his greeting, found himself perspiring under Gusto’s question.

 

But he was a seasoned politician and knight.

 

Hailey ignored the cool sweat trickling down his back and swiftly examined Gusto’s countenance before responding.

 

“Due to an unexpected downpour, their march has temporarily ceased. They are resting in the final forest on route to Pereta.”

 

Tap, tap, tap.

 

Gusto drummed his fingers on the armrest of his chair in response to Hailey’s words.

 

Slightly lowering his head, he appeared deep in thought.

 

Hailey swallowed his dry saliva at Gusto’s expression.

 

“…Let us prolong the passage of time as much as possible.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

Taken aback by the unexpected words, Hailey raised his head.

 

Gusto’s resolute face, tinged with an air of sternness, was the first thing that caught his gaze.

 

When it came to manipulating knights, Gusto was more relentless than anyone else.

 

No, he was not merely relentless, but cruel.

 

Never before had Gusto deviated from the plans he had laid out.

 

He possessed a keen sense of the situation and strategically positioned the knights.

 

While he may have lacked prowess in physical combat, he excelled in strategy.

 

“Your Majesty?”

 

“Ensure the capture of Lucas Viterpan, the Duke, at all costs.”

 

“Understood?”

 

Perplexed by Gusto’s increasingly inscrutable words, Hailey looked towards the steward, his eyes seeking an answer.

 

Even the steward, who prided himself on knowing Gusto better than anyone else, could not comprehend him in this moment.

 

“Your Majesty, are there any matters you have thought about separately?”

 

Marquess Hailey asked cautiously.

 

“Well, do you desire something?”

 

It was not a question seeking an answer. It was as if Gusto was asking himself.

 

Marquess Hailey, with a frustrated expression at Gusto’s demeanor, stepped back.

 

There were too many lives at stake to simply call it a ploy to torment Lucas.

 

But Gusto seemed unwilling to retract the words he had said.

 

“I will comply with your instructions.”

 

Marquess Hailey bowed his head. As Gusto glanced down at him, he extended a hand.

 

Understanding his gesture, Marquess Hailey hastily withdrew.

 

The rain had not ceased. When it rained, messenger birds could not fly.

 

To convey Gusto’s words, it was not birds but people who had to sprint.

 

Amidst the sudden complexity of the situation, Marquess Hailey felt a throbbing headache.

 

Olivia, whom he had just managed to placate, was now gone. He couldn’t fathom what else was troubling Gusto.

 

“Damn unfortunate.”

 

Marquess Hailey looked up, watching the heavy rainfall, and thought of Lucas.

 

It had been 16 years since the Emperor’s seat had changed.

 

It was enough time for those who endured each day to be forgotten.