Chapter 99
99
From the moment he was born, Viktor Dumpeldt had been given only one direction.
Having let go of what he wanted to hold onto, he stopped and realized it had long since veered off course. After noticing that, he stood in place, contemplating his next move. After some time, Blight's voice came from outside the door.
"Young master. Shall I prepare a meal?"
Viktor glanced toward the door but neither replied nor moved.
The servants, who never went against him, stopped calling when he didn't respond. In this world, Scarlett was the only one who had ever opened that door without his answer.
Realizing that, his next task came to mind. Viktor spoke to the servant outside in an impartial voice.
"Inform Crown Prince Yuli Eren that I accept the invitation."
"Yes, young master."
*
Once she took the antidote, Scarlett began sequentially recalling everything that had happened while she had lost her memory.
"I've come to propose."
"Propose...?"
"Yes. To propose."
The memories were so painful that she wiped away bursting tears with the back of her hand and ran toward the tram station.
"I'd like you to accept."
Hoping his voice would fly away into the wind and vanish, Scarlett ran frantically.
"Forget it. I have to forget. I must forget."
She repeated it endlessly to herself.
Fortunately, a tram arrived right away. She collapsed into an empty seat on the tram, deserted because the capital's residents were either evacuating or staying indoors, and sobbed.
"Your husband."
Her chest felt like it was shattering.
Only now did she realize she had never properly faced sadness in her life. Even after her parents died, she had forcibly hidden her grief, but now, here, she confronted it. Then all the suppressed sadness came pouring out.
What did that man know. Why did that bastard make her this sad.
Why had he waited until a moment unforgivable to propose when she couldn't remember.
'Why on earth.'
Right there, she vomited out the tears she had swallowed since age twelve.
Amid it all, as she tried to pull herself together thinking the Crimson Mansion was coming up soon, even more memories surfaced. Every time she had gone to Viktor forgetting their divorce, how he had treated her, and even the memories from the Royal Police headquarters she had forgotten—all flowed into her mind.
"Don't you want to know why Viktor Dumpeldt isn't coming?"
"A noble man like him will never fall for someone like you. The two of you aren't equals. You should know that much."
"He's not coming today either."
"Not today either."
"At this rate, I wonder if Viktor Dumpeldt will forget about you and remarry."
I miss you.
I'm here because of you. Why don't you come. Even if you're busy, you could worry about your wife who hasn't returned for seven nights.
You could have loved me at least once. Just once. Seen me as your equal, as your wife.
You never worried about me even once, so why do I worry about you hating me.
Sometimes I pitied you. You seemed lonely for never being loved. You seemed exiled to the hill where we lived.
So I gave you all the love I had, but it must have meant nothing to you.
Viktor Dumpeldt.
If you don't come today, I'll leave you.
If you don't come today, I'll forget you.
If you don't come after seven nights. I won't love you anymore.
I'll forget you now.
The tram racing through the deep night across the capital stopped at the station near the Crimson Mansion.
Isaac, who had been waiting there, spotted the crying Scarlett and boarded the tram in surprise to help her down.
Scarlett looked at his face and forced out a voice.
"How did you know to come out?"
At her question, Isaac replied in a gentle voice.
"Dumpeldt Mansion called. Said you were leaving."
"Mm."
As Scarlett nodded, Isaac leaned his head closer and said,
"You're not smiling today."
"Ah."
Scarlett tried to smile like always, but it wouldn't come. Smiling was what she did best, but today it just burst into tears again.
As tears fell drop by drop, Scarlett opened her mouth.
"It's weird. I'm not sad."
"......"
"Smiling feels like it would kill me. I can't smile. My chest is so tight......"
Isaac carefully pulled Scarlett into his arms and patted her back. Burying her face in his chest, Scarlett cried and spoke in a halting voice.
"Why didn't he ever love me, even once. Why not even for a moment...... Why didn't he ever love me. I loved him so much, why didn't he...... Why on earth......"
Abandoning her, deceiving her, and now proposing.
After weeping bitterly while resenting her ex-husband, Scarlett pulled away from him a bit. After crying her fill and feeling a little relieved, she felt sorry for bursting into tears the moment she saw Isaac without explaining the situation.
As she lifted her head, Isaac smiled brightly and said,
"Why do you keep stopping midway through crying."
"......"
"I'm glad you're sad and hating him. It puts my mind at ease as your brother. Cry it all out. When you're tired from crying, I'll carry you home. It's okay. Cry as much as you want."
Hearing his words, Scarlett burst into tears again and nodded. Then she tightly hugged Isaac's neck as he bent down and cried profusely for a while longer.
*
Evan and Pallin entered the Dumpeldt Mansion again on the day of the meeting with the crown prince.
Having perfectly prepared their attire for entering the palace, Viktor came down the stairs in his uniform. After confirming he boarded his carriage first, the two got into another.
Going to the palace usually required extensive preparations. They brought many servants and often gifts. But today, nothing like a gift was in sight, so the anxious Pallin spoke up.
"Captain, are you planning to cause some issue today?"
"Who knows......"
Considering Viktor's usual personality, he wasn't the type to cause problems over something emotional.
But thinking back to the recent occupation of the Royal Police headquarters, it was clear he no longer cared about currying favor with the royals.
The carriage leaving the hill of the Dumpeldt Mansion and heading down the main road toward the Royal Palace slowed as the central district began.
Upon arriving at the Royal Palace, Viktor immediately headed to meet Crown Prince Yuli Eren. Thinking it wasn't a conversation for others to hear, Yuli summoned him to a small reception room on the way to his bedroom.
The corridor walls leading to that space depicted Salantier's history. Viktor, who always walked looking straight ahead, paused in the corridor. The attendant guiding him spoke.
"Captain, Crown Prince Yuli is waiting."
However, Viktor's gaze remained fixed on the painting in the corridor.
It depicted the first nomads to settle in Salantier. He stood there staring at the painting for a long time before following the attendant again.
As he entered the reception room, Yuli greeted him calmly.
"You're here?"
The attendant waited to take Viktor's weapon. But he held up the pistol bestowed by the king with the medal and said,
"His Majesty bestowed it, so can't I keep it?"
"Pardon?"
"It's ornamental, a sacred relic."
Viktor spoke and pocketed the pistol again as if no reply was needed, then sat down. Yuli frowned displeased but nodded to the troubled attendant. Soon, drinks were placed before the two facing each other.
Yuli spoke first.
"You know why I called you?"
"Who knows."
Viktor beckoned the attendant to fill his glass. Even for a crown prince's attendant, they were from noble families. The gesture was rude, but overwhelmed by the atmosphere, the attendant hurriedly filled it. As Viktor downed it, Yuli spoke.
"I heard you occupied the Royal Police headquarters and dragged off Hugen Hanter."
"I did."
"As you know, that could be seen as treason."
At Yuli's words, Viktor smiled and replied,
"I know."
"What?"
"I know. That it could be seen as treason."
Even without prioritizing honor like Viktor, anyone born and raised in a kingdom with a king would shrink at the word 'treason.'
As Yuli was speechless at his nonchalant reply, Viktor continued.
"But can you forgive men who dragged off and tortured my wife just because they're under the royals? Any sane man."
"......Surely you didn't intend to torture your wife too."
"Interrogate more thoroughly and report accurately. Hugen Hanter is still at the Naval Residence."
"I understand your feelings, but this can't be overlooked. If you keep refusing to release Hugen Hanter, even you will face trial."
Despite floating the threat of trial, Viktor showed no reaction. Yuli added,
"Your ex-wife is the same. She's been picking and doing things legally forbidden."
"Yuli."
Viktor set down his glass, sat straight, and looked at him.
"There's a painting of Salantier's founders outside."
"Why bring that up suddenly?"
"Read the history books, and you'll see. Crossing the Salian Mountains that divided Salantier and Bestina was a life-risking journey back then. But do you know what frightened them more than the mountains' dangers?"
"What."
"The belief that the world has an end. The religious conviction that beyond the mountains lay a cliff and hell below."
"......"
"Those nomads were heretics and scientists. By today's standards."
Viktor, who had been fidgeting unbearably, finally took out a cigarette and continued.
"If you want to put Scarlett Crimson on trial, start with your ancestors."
"That was a slip of the tongue, Viktor. Dare to insult the royals?"
"I don't think it was a mistake, so why is it a slip?"
At his flat, almost perfunctory reply, Yuli Eren rose abruptly, unable to contain his anger.
Yuli glared at Viktor and said,
"I must inform His Majesty right away."
"Good."
Viktor buttoned his jacket and stood. He nodded toward the door.
"Let's go together. I have plenty to report about you too."
"Report?"
"Yuli Eren."
Viktor walked toward him, hands behind his back, and spoke.
"Once free from war threats, I'll execute all collaborators with Bestina."
He tilted his head slightly and said pityingly,
"It'd be nice if my cousin weren't among them."