Chapter 46 Long Night

  Now, they found themselves inside the lavish chamber of the fat count, Aqua standing beside them in her transformed state. The air was thick with the lingering scent of excess and indulgence, the remnants of debauchery still evident in the room.

  “This is a mess,” Agnes muttered, pressing her fingers to her temple in frustration. She turned to Iryoku, her gaze sharp. “Are you absolutely sure no one saw you, Lord Iryoku?”

  Iryoku, still giving her the cold shoulder, replied coolly, “I said what I said. It’s up to you whether you believe me or not.”

  Their attention shifted to the four dead, naked bodies sprawled across the floor—remnants of the count’s indulgent.

  “Mmm, what’s going on?” Yumi pouted, trying to peek past Iryoku’s hands, which were firmly covering her eyes.

  “You don’t need to trouble your pretty eyes with this filth,” Iryoku said dismissively, standing behind her, shielding her from the sight.

  Agnes sighed, looking over the scene.

  “I found this fat bastard in the middle of an orgy with these two women and the two giant men,” Iryoku explained. “I’m guessing these are the personal guards you mentioned.”

  He paused before continuing, his expression unreadable. “I waited for the right moment and struck when they least expected it. During the fight, I remember feeling a sharp sting—like a mosquito bite, just for a moment. My guess? That’s when they poisoned me.”

  His gaze flicked toward Agnes. “Cover the men’s bodies so Yumi can see,” he ordered, his tone cold and commanding.

  Agnes, unwilling to argue, complied without protest. And what about me? she thought bitterly as she grabbed a sheet from the bed. I’m a lady too—I don’t want to see this either.

  She forced herself to avoid looking directly at the naked corpses, but as she pulled the fabric over them, her eyes briefly caught a glimpse of one of the men’s exposed genitals. Her breath hitched, and she immediately squeezed her eyes shut, a flush creeping onto her face.

  Iryoku, watching Agnes’s reaction with keen amusement, smirked. “Mine’s better, right?” he remarked, as if he had read her thoughts exactly.

  Finally, Yumi was allowed to look. She cast a quick glance at the lifeless bodies before turning to Iryoku, trying to focus on the situation at hand rather than the unsettling scene before her.

  “So… what now?” she asked, her voice steady despite the tension in the air.

  Iryoku met her gaze and answered without hesitation. “We’ll use Aqua to issue orders to Maxwell’s men, sending them to search the surrounding area for any clues about Reika and Alessandra. The princess will control the flow of information, ensuring the knights remain under her command so that the Death Tree bastard doesn’t realize his son is dead.”

  His smirk widened as he slowly dragged a finger across his throat in a deliberate motion. “And once we find Reika and Alessandra… we take them out—one by one. Lure the knights here under the guise of private meetings with Maxwell, and bam—gone without a trace.”

  Both Agnes and Yumi exchanged uneasy glances, visibly disturbed by his callous approach to taking lives.

  Agnes hesitated before speaking, her voice uncertain. “L-Lord Iryoku… not everyone is evil…”

  Iryoku’s piercing gaze locked onto hers. “I’m not finished,” he said coldly.

  He stepped forward, closing the distance between them until his face was mere inches from hers. His voice dropped, chilling and merciless.

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  “If anything happens to Reika… to Alessandra… or to Yumi,” he whispered, his breath ghosting against her skin, “I will personally wipe out everyone. Your knights. Your people. Your so-called citizens. Even your family.”

  Agnes stiffened, her body trembling under the weight of his words. Her breath came in shallow gasps as she struggled to find her voice.

  “I… I… but they’re innocent…” she stammered, her hands clenching at her sides. Then, in a desperate attempt to redirect his fury, she swallowed her fear and whispered, “If you need to vent your anger…”

  Iryoku cut her off. "You told me before, you summoned us here because of your people... so here's the deal: either you do what I say, or we're going to have a problem."

  Yumi, her face pale, quickly stepped between them, placing a gentle but firm hand on Iryoku’s chest. Her voice, though soft, held a pleading edge.

  “Please, Iryoku… thats enough.” she murmured, her worried eyes searching his.

  Then, clapping his hands together as if he hadn't just plotted cold-blooded murder, Iryoku shifted gears. “Alright, Princess, get to work. Clean up the bodies and make sure this place is spotless—so no one suspects a thing,” he ordered, his tone disturbingly casual.

  Agnes stiffened, a deep worry flickering across her face. She had initially thought the poison had influenced Iryoku’s behavior, but now she wasn’t so sure. This wasn’t just the poison—this was him.

  “And while you’re at it,” he continued, waving a hand lazily in a shoo-shoo motion, “find a place for Yumi and me to sleep—we’re exhausted. After that, you can get back to your job, Cinderella.”

  Agnes let out a weary sigh, frustration and resignation settling in her chest. Somehow, the person trying to control me just changed... She narrowed her eyes slightly, another thought crossing her mind. And who even is this Cinderella…?

  Yumi, not wanting to get caught up in Iryoku’s antics, simply shook her head and proceeded to help Agnes despite Iryoku’s protests.

  Once everything was cleaned, both Iryoku and Yumi were ushered to their old rooms by one of Agnes’s most trusted maids, Diana.

  “Here, Lord Iryoku, Lady Yumi. These are your rooms,” Diana announced politely.

  “Thanks,” Yumi said with a small smile.

  Iryoku, however, studied the maid for a moment before smirking. “You were one of the people present when we first got transported here—when we saved the princess.”

  Diana bowed deeply. “Yes, and for that, I thank you. You saved not only the princess but all of us, honored champions.” She straightened and offered a small, respectful nod. “Sleep well.” With that, she turned and left.

  Yumi stepped into her old room, stretching slightly. “I’ll see you in the morning, Iryoku,” she said as she reached for the door to close it.

  Before she could shut it completely, Iryoku slipped inside after her.

  “What—? Go away! This is my room!” Yumi’s face flushed with indignation.

  Iryoku leaned casually against the door, arms crossed. “I’m sleeping here with you.”

  Her blush deepened. “W-What?! No! And don’t get any funny ideas!” she sputtered, growing more flustered by the second.

  With an exaggerated, high-pitched voice, Iryoku whined, “But I’m scared.”

  Yumi shot him a deadpan look. “No.”

  At that, Iryoku dropped the act, his expression turning serious. Without another word, he walked over to the bed and sat down.

  “I don’t want to lose you too. I feel like if we separate, you’ll disappear,” he murmured, his voice steady yet laced with unmistakable vulnerability. “I promise I won’t do anything… I just want to be close to you.”

  Yumi felt something tug at her heartstrings. She swallowed, her face still burning, before turning away. “Agh, fine… but no groping, and no dirty jokes!” she huffed, crossing her arms over her large breast.

  Though her tone was firm, the nervous flush on her face betrayed her.

  Avoiding his gaze, she quickly rushed to the bathroom, her heart hammering in her chest. What is wrong with me? she thought, shaking her head.

  Inside, she took a deep breath, focusing on the simple task of washing up. The castle’s rudimentary plumbing provided running water, though there was no heating. The icy chill sent shivers through her body as she scrubbed herself thoroughly, trying to ignore the thoughts swirling in her mind.

  Why is my face getting redder? she groaned inwardly, splashing water on her cheeks.

  After what felt like an eternity, she finally finished and slipped into a silky blue nightgown provided by the maid. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she stepped back into the bedroom, her heartbeat quickening with every step.

  As soon as she emerged, she saw Iryoku seated on the bed, his piercing gaze locking onto her.

  She hesitated for a moment before walking up to him, feeling unusually self-conscious under his stare.

  Her curves were undeniably visible through her sleepwear.

  Then, without warning, he reached a hand toward her. Instinctively, she squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself—

  “Alright, my turn to wash up,” he said casually, stepping past her and heading into the bathroom.

  Yumi’s body went rigid. Her brain short-circuited.

  Realizing how ridiculous she was being, she nearly collapsed onto the bed, yanking the blankets over herself in a desperate attempt to hide.

  This was going to be a long night. Her thoughts began to wander—to her past. Grandma, what should I do?