CH 181

Not Easy (2)

His clenched fists trembled. Had it not been for the wall, he would have grabbed the old man’s hair and smashed the bones of his face.

“You have no way of knowing what’s going on in a woman’s head. Women are inherently weak from birth, so they can only live by begging men. This bullshit you’re spouting is really…”

“Hehe…  that’s right. Isles. It’s a monster that will eat. Monster… Devil! Vladislav de Winter!”

Rocus paused. He should have been consistent with ignoring bullshit in the first place.

A situation where nothing went the way he wanted it to. He couldn’t get used to it at all. He was the one who made such a problem.

He instinctively shuddered at the shape he had seen in Cadiz Prison.

The old man, who was only breathing heavily, whispered into the hole, “The devil… The first time I saw a woman with a strong curse, I was mesmerized. The ominous thing is that they are attracted to each other.”

“Who keeps calling this rip-and-kill bastard…”

“I know everything. You too are ominous. Your sister is scary. You can be honest. Because…  because it’s true about your sister.”

“What do you know?”

“I am afraid that you will die too. The curse was passed on to your sister. Yes?”

“…”

“Isn’t it your sister’s fault again this time?”

Rocus couldn’t help but sigh.

He had been reacting to the talk of his sister because he was bored. But actually, after the death of his sister’s second husband, doubts turned a little more towards certainty.

His sister. Lily Isles was an ominous woman.

He agreed with the proposition but wanted to deny it. But, oddly enough, he didn’t speak up.

“So, a woman possessed by the devil.”

“This bastard, really!”

“You can live, Crocus Isles.”

Rocus, who was about to respond with swear words, shut his mouth. The old man made fun of him again.

“Hehe. Yes. Your sister… Your neck’s not in the devil’s hands, it’s in your sister’s hands. She’s controlling demons… Your sister’s words… Hehe.”

He didn’t mean to do anything so pathetic as to choke on the babbling of one mad man.

He suddenly became aware of where his wandering thoughts had reached. He grabbed hold of the thought again and crumpled it.

Rocus covered his eyes again, clenched his teeth, and muttered, “The case is different. Only talk nonsense to the duke you hate. Just don’t drag me in it.”

Imperial contempt. Even though she was a duchess, it was a sin that would result in nothing happening just because she was a mere woman.

Even if the madman’s words were true, the duke will risk throwing away everything because of one woman.

There was no such man in the world.

“Oh, no. Isles. Listen. Yes?” The old man became urgent. He began to wiggle his arms around the wall like an ant caught in a spider’s web.

Crocus ground his teeth at the gruesome noise of nails and stone walls grinding.

The moment he jumped up and made up his mind to kick in the corner, the old man mumbled, almost begging, “You must not give up. Only you can do it. Only you and your father can do it.”

“…What?”

“He must die. The devil. Not you, not your sister.”

Rocus, who was approaching the wall as the old man, stood still.

It was because he chose only fascinating words to ignore and put them in his mouth.

“I heard that too. The day you first came here… Hehe. You were thrown away. Your sister abandoned you. She’s possessed by the devil.”

“…”

“It’s not your fault. Think carefully.”

Rocus’s thick chest trembled with heavy breathing.

His sister did everything she could to cut off her relationship with him. For the past few days, he had been thinking about his memories and resenting his sister.

A scene he had forgotten because he was drunk with a sense of loss like a tsunami suddenly came to mind.

Vladislav de Winter.

Every time her sister cut herself off relentlessly, he was behind her back.

It seemed as if the ceiling over his head had collapsed and a ray of light leaked in. It was such a realization.

The way the green eyes glowed in the dark prison was hideous. The stubbornness fell apart from the inside as if stabbed by a small stinger.

“…What’s your request? Wherever you are, say something.”

The old man giggled as if waiting. It was as if he could see yellow teeth within a creepy smile.

“You just need to get rid of the devil. Then I and my comrades will release them all. The curse. Then your sister… will be saved. Yes.”

Rocus closed his gaping mouth.

“When the devil dies, I will purify the things that God has forsaken. The devil has gathered them all here, so it’s time. Then your sister can be salvaged too.”

Rocus shook.

He was going to kill the Duke of de Winter, even if he had only a few chances anyway.

Just as he was about to answer through the crack, someone from outside creaked the iron door lock.

As he turned around, the door opened. The guards came in.

“Crocus Isles. You’re going.”

Soldiers who approached bound him and put his hood over his head.

His eyes darkened.