I Sought Out the Tragedy's Scheming Mastermind

Chapter 55

A day before reviving Verkley’s eyesight.

Hera requested Verkley for a private meeting.

Verkley’s thoughts roamed as he moved along with Sophia’s guidance.

It’s been a long time since he’s faced Hera alone.

This is because, after the deaths of the emperor and empress, they were surrounded by people more often than they were alone.

It was already interesting because they wanted to put so much effort into preparing something else.

The imperial family was as calm as a night before a storm.

No one knew what would happen.

It was just hidden behind a veil, and the sun rose and set repeatedly.

As much as Verkley was pouring his heart and soul into the ceremony, Hera would also be fully prepared.

‘This request for a private meeting is her plan to get a grasp on my intentions.’

Coincidentally, Verkley was also looking for a way to meet with Hera, so this worked perfectly.

Hera was the first to arrive.

As soon as Verkley entered the room, Hera jumped up and greeted him.

Sophia slightly bowed by the threshold, not stepping into the room.

Hera led Verkley into a seat.

Hera sat across from him and spoke in a pleasant tone.

“I called since it feels as though we have not seen each other in a while. You must be very nervous with the ceremony being just around the corner.”

“Is there anything I should be nervous about?”

“The thought of Your Majesty being able to see once more so soon makes this mother very happy.”

“It also makes me happy to think I’ll be able to see you again, Mother.” Verkley smiled gracefully into the air, beaming.

Hera shrewdly studied Verkley.

Verkley also focused all his senses on Hera, although pretending not to.

He intended to regain the initiative that she had stolen from him, starting with the ceremony.

Verkley tried to soothe the revenge boiling up inside.

He felt unbearable anger when he was alone with her like this.

The urge to kill her instantly did not diminish over time.

He wanted to tear off her smile and stab her gleaming eyes.

He wanted to cut out her three-inch-long tongue[1], pretending to be elegant and merciful, so she could no longer speak.

Every time he saw her acting like his own mother, he felt sick to his stomach.

It disgusted him every time this woman, who was anything but benevolent, smiled kindly as if she’d become the mother of the whole world.

But Verkley held it all in. Very tightly.

He refrained from giving in to the demon’s whispering urges.

Because he knew that the demon would try and take over his body if his emotions intensified.

What’s more, he couldn’t waste the time he had spent preparing just for a moment’s desire.

Verkley desperately wanted to bring her down.

Verkley painted on a light smile, and Hera asked, “Do you like Eliana?”

“I can’t help but like her when you chose her for me, Mother,” Verkley responded lightly, deeming she was asking all sorts of questions.

Then, Hera’s expression turned sad. 

“But what can I do?”

“About what?”

“Eliana may be leaving the Imperial Capital soon.”

“What are you…”

Verkley felt a lump in his throat as he considered who may dare to try and steal away Eliana, but he instantly suppressed his emotions.

Then, Hera clarified, smiling beautifully, “Eliana has received a great marriage proposal. It seems they already have feelings for each other.”

Verkley froze.

Marriage proposal?

It was his first time hearing this.

He had no intention of returning Eliana, even if Hera asked for her back.

So it was ridiculous to discuss a sudden marriage proposal.

Furthermore, it was her final comment that caused his emotions to sink further.

“They have feelings for each other?”

As Verkley echoed Hera’s words with agitation, she cast him a pitiful glance and lowered her gaze.

You never knew, poor thing.

She practically seemed to be saying, so he wasn’t exactly feeling good.

Hera opened her mouth. “It seems she hasn’t explained it yet. Eliana has already agreed to the engagement.”

“…And to whom?”

It struck Verkley’s nerve that there might be something about Eliana he was unaware of.

Of course, he never told her that she had to inform him of all of her choices.

So it was Eliana’s freedom whether she spoke or not.

Besides, Verkley had no intention of tying Eliana up.

She just had to stay by his side. He didn’t want anything more than that.

After all, his soul will belong to the demon once he gets his revenge.

There was no need to leave any lingering attachments here.

He had no lingering attachments to this life. No, he knew he didn’t.

But when he thought of Eliana marrying another man his mind went blank.

For some reason, Verkley felt a strange twisting in his gut and something seething up inside.

Hera smiled gently as Verkley remained silent.

“Her fiancé is Rube Demeter. This marriage shall be very good for her.”

Verkley could no longer smile.

* * *

Eliana tilted her head when she saw a parcel in front of her.

Without a doubt, the recipient is listed as Eliana Mussieux, but the sender is not written.

Eliana recalled who would send her a gift.

‘Come to think of it, Mary said she would send a gift for Count Mussieux.’

Thinking it was the gift, Eliana opened the package without much thought.

Inside was a small case with a thread bracelet, but it was too coarse to be linked to Mary.

Eliana examined the bracelet in the air.

The bluish-green bracelet seemed to be made of nacre.

The beads in between looked like pearls.

“If this is for Count Mussieux, it won’t suit him at all… Was it sent to the wrong place?”

No matter how hard she thought about it, she never imagined Mary giving Count Mussieux jewelry as a gift.

Eliana tilted her head at the unknown gift, where both the recipient and the sender were no longer apparent.

‘I can’t just accept anything from the imperial family.’

Eliana tried putting the bracelet back in its case.

But then she found a note stuck to the top of the case.

Eliana opened the note.

[ I hope it’s to your liking.

-Verkley ]

Huh?

Eliana checked the note again.

The note clearly read Verkley’s name.

The only Verkley she knew was Emperor Verkley Owen, who was living in his foolish paradise as a villain.

“Huh. How strange.”

Eliana lifted the bracelet again and gave it a close look.

She briefly questioned what was with the gift, but when she learned that it had been arranged for her, she felt better. 

With excitement, Eliana snapped the bracelet around her wrist.

It fit perfectly like it was sized just for her. 

If you look at the parcel, it seems that the order was placed in advance and delivered.

Eliana chuckled at his unsuitable romantic behavior and tried to take off the bracelet to wash up.

“Hey, what’s wrong with this?”

But no matter how hard she tried to take it off, it wouldn’t budge.

No matter how many times she pressed the clasp, it seemed to be broken.

“Is it broken?”

Eliana was flustered and tried to pull it off while it was locked, but it was no use.

What happened next was even more strange.

Suddenly, the white pearls turned black, and her head began spinning.

A wave of nausea washed over her as if she were motion sick.

Eliana collapsed into her seat, unable to overcome the dizziness.

There was no energy left in her body.

Eliana fell to the ground face down, gasping for breath in agony, but then she caught a glimpse of a shoe’s toe.

Eliana tried so hard to raise her head.

But she couldn’t lift a muscle.

Her entire body was drained of strength, and everything was overwhelming her.

At that moment, the man in front of her crouched to meet Eliana at eye level.

Then, with a rough tug at her hair, he forced Eliana to raise her head.

‘Cou… nt Mussieux.’

Eliana gritted her teeth when she confirmed the presence in front of her.

The blond man made a sarcastic remark with a wicked gleam in his eye.

“You should have listened when your father told you to come back, daughter.”

“What did you…”

Eliana collapsed before she could finish.

The count gently lifted Eliana in his arms, leaving the royal villa without a care in the world.

It was only after the incident that Verkley returned.

* * * 

Verkley went out of his mind the moment he heard of Eliana’s engagement from Hera.

The back of his head tingled as if he’d been struck with something solid.

Verkley’s nerves were bristling with this new, strange emotion that he was experiencing for the first time.

Verkley’s pace grew faster and faster.

Returning to the bedroom in a hurry, Verkley headed straight to Eliana’s room.

“Lili!” 

The room was quiet.

Verkley scoured every corner of the bedroom.

But Eliana was nowhere to be found.

Verkley began to wait endlessly in a small chair, figuring that she’d been gone for a while.

At the same time, he searched for the source of his feelings.

What Verkley struggled to fathom the most was the fact that he felt betrayed by Eliana.

What the hell?

His conflicting emotions at not knowing her whereabouts left Verkley confused.

He wondered if she’d been with him for quite some time now.

Is that why he’s feeling low at the news of her engagement?

Verkley tried to calm his uncontrollable feelings.

Eliana still hadn’t shown up by the time he gathered his emotions together.

He was eager to ask Eliana what was happening right then, but he didn’t want to be a bother and see if somebody was holding her back.

Verkley waited patiently for her.

As his anger noticeably subsided, Verkley suddenly began to feel uneasy.