Chapter 95
95
"How did this happen......"
"I-It's okay, it's water-soluble so you can wash it off with water."
At Aisha's words, Scarlett rushed to the bathroom and rinsed her mouth several times. As she said, the black color soon washed away completely.
When Scarlett came out of the bathroom, Aisha asked as if she couldn't understand,
"When did you take it?"
"Over a year ago."
"No. This can't be from a year ago. Within three months, I'd say?"
"That can't be......"
Scarlett racked her brains trying to remember if she'd gone anywhere near the Royal Police in the meantime, but nothing came to mind.
Frustrated, she asked Aisha,
"Aisha, do you know who they sold that drug to?"
"Sorry, but only Harold knows that. He handles all the sales and keeps the ledger."
"I see."
As Scarlett nodded, Aisha said,
"Ah, Viktor Dumpeldt might know."
Scarlett nodded at her words. She figured he'd gone to ask after she told him about Shirley last month.
Then Aisha continued,
"He came and asked in detail about the drug's effects, and demanded the ledger of who it was sold to. Harold said he wouldn't give it even if Viktor killed him, but who knows. It's the captain of the Rubid, after all."
"I see......"
"Anyway, last year when Viktor showed up, everyone was in an uproar."
"Last year?"
"Yeah?"
Scarlett made an awkward face before asking back,
"Last year? Viktor knew about that drug last year too?"
"Knew? He came himself to ask. Said he wanted to try it out because there are so many spies."
Scarlett nodded with a face even paler than before.
Her expression was so deathly pale that Aisha asked awkwardly,
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing......"
Scarlett fiddled with her lips. She felt confused.
"Viktor couldn't have known about that drug before me......"
"Recently, Harold said he could get an antidote. Because of the memory coming and going. But Viktor said it's fine."
"He said... it's okay?"
At Scarlett's words, Aisha blinked before frowning and asking,
"Even after the kidnapping, Harold felt sorry and got the antidote for the vice-captain. Didn't you receive it?"
Scarlett shook her head stiffly.
*
They couldn't stay holed up in the Naval Residence just to build the airplane. They needed their individual research and more consultations.
Above all, Scarlett planned to decode the encrypted materials left by her parents with Isaac. Isaac, who had spent a year longer with their parents than she had, might recall memories helpful for the cipher.
About half a month after arriving at Lüse Falls, Scarlett headed to the Capital to retrieve the materials.
Victor had also returned to the Capital, as he had much to handle as a navy officer. After spending half a month at the warm southern end, the Capital still had cold winds blowing upon arrival.
Escorting Scarlett, Victor asked,
"Do you have something to say to me?"
She nodded at his question. Strangely, a venomous glint flickered in her eyes.
"I have something to ask you."
"Can't you ask here?"
"No. It's not something to ask here."
At Scarlett's firm words, Victor looked at her briefly before nodding.
"Then let's go."
He had somewhat realized over the past half month that Scarlett was avoiding him. And he could guess why. He should have predicted it when Aisha appeared before her—that she might learn about the drug.
Soon after entering Victor's office in the Naval Residence, Scarlett locked the door. Then she looked at Victor and asked,
"How long have you known? That the Royal Police drugged me."
"......"
"You know. I'm busy. Tell me quickly."
"From when we caught the Royal Police spy."
"Andrey?"
"Yeah."
"You knew then, and still... still didn't tell me? When were you planning to?"
"......"
"You weren't going to tell me at all?"
At her question, Victor answered with his usual utterly rational expression.
"If that were possible."
At his calm reply, Scarlett asked with a dazed face,
"Even knowing I felt sorry to you... it never occurred to you to tell me?"
"If you forgave me and came back to my house, I would've told you long ago."
"In this situation... it's my fault?"
Even at Scarlett's anger-laced voice, Victor simply stood still.
Scarlett felt Victor, standing with hands behind his back and expressionless, like an immovable mountain. Thinking how ridiculous she must have seemed to him made her burn with shame.
"You thought it was okay to treat me like this. Right? Because I was so laughable."
"......"
"Now that I think about it, it's natural."
Scarlett continued with a hollow expression,
"Why tell the truth to someone like me? A great man like you wouldn't need to apologize for your own misunderstanding. Right?"
"......"
"Will you answer?"
"Yeah."
"......"
"That's right."
Scarlett turned with a dejected laugh.
"It is?"
"Yeah. Exactly."
Victor continued flatly,
"There was no reason to tell you."
"......"
"It's obvious you'd react so emotionally like this, and that'd be tiring."
At Victor's words, Scarlett found herself speechless, her breathing growing ragged as she couldn't even breathe properly. Trying to calm herself upon realizing he saw her as overly emotional only made it worse.
Desperately trying to breathe evenly, Scarlett opened her mouth.
"You got the antidote, right? You have it?"
"Yes."
"Then give it to me."
Scarlett held out her hand.
Victor replied,
"Later."
"Later when?"
"When you're pregnant."
"......What?"
"When you lose your memory and come to my side, begging to be held like you always did during our married life. When you bear my child, then I'll give it."
Speechless, Scarlett glared at him.
Hearing his words, she pitied herself for believing he had acted gentlemanly even when she lost her memory.
Staggering, Scarlett grabbed Victor's desk with both hands. Even as she looked about to collapse, Victor didn't twitch.
With a trembling hand, Scarlett picked up the paper knife from his desk.
She had heard Isaac cut off his uncle's finger with this. His heart would never be wounded. It was unclear if such a thing even existed for Viktor Dumpeldt.
At least a physical wound, even the tiniest speck—she wanted to leave one on him. Gripping it, she walked toward Victor.
Then Victor spoke again,
"With your strength, even stabbing with that won't kill me. It's dull."
"......"
She felt dizzy.
Scarlett stood motionless in place for a long while. After a long time, she set the knife down on the table.
"Now I know for sure. There's no hope for you."
She looked straight at Victor's face. As her anger swelled too much, the trembling faded.
"It's good. I won't get angrier since it's for the best. Pouring emotions into you is meaningless. You'll never know love until the day you die. You can't live as a normal human."
At Scarlett's words, Victor remained expressionless and silent for a while.
Scarlett continued,
"And... even if I get pregnant with your child, I won't have it. Do you think I could love a child that resembles trash like you? I'd hate it as much as I hate you."
Anger toward him, who showed no change in expression, made her feel—as always—like she was the crazy one alone. But the truly insane one was that man.
Scarlett turned and left the Naval Residence.