When Pride Fell At My Toes - Chapter 103



Only Noblemtl

#103. After you left
2024.04.12.

Enrico jumped forward without missing the gap. Fabio ran after Enrico with a terrified face. He

barely managed to grab hold of one arm, but his heart pounded even harder as the cabin quickly got closer.

“Duke! The fire hasn’t been completely put out yet. Please wait a moment.”

Fortunately, the knights had prevented the fire from spreading in all directions thanks to the water coming from the nearby lake, and in the meantime, the cabin had completely burned down, and the flames were gradually dying down.

Fabio tried to grab the other arm, but when he saw Enrico suddenly stop walking as if he had lost all will to fight, he withdrew his hand in surprise.

The person who had been screaming desperately as if he would jump into the fire at any moment was nowhere to be found, and Enrico’s expression had completely disappeared.

He stood there with his eyes empty and his face as gray as the ashes left behind after everything had burned out, without blinking.

“… …Duke.”

“It’s all burned down.”

“I’ll look for Miss Emilia right away. She might have evacuated before the fire, so calm down for a moment.”

“All… … Emilia is over there.”

All that could be seen of the burned-out cabin was the blackened remains of the hut. Fabio was at a loss as he watched Enrico, who was now muttering to himself as if he had difficulty thinking clearly. He was at a loss

as to what to do, as it was something he had never seen before and something he had never imagined.

“We should start searching the scene right away.”

The leader of the Crown Prince’s Shadow Squad said that Alessandro was tied up in this cabin, so it seemed like he couldn’t escape, but the problem was Emilia.

At least Emilia should have gotten out of here first, but if there were two bodies in here… …

“Understood. But before that, I have something to tell you.”

The search team leader glanced at Enrico, judged that it was not a situation to speak directly, and spoke to Fabio. Fabio nodded as if telling him to hurry up and speak.

“A body was found near the hut. It appears to be the leader of the Shadow Clan.”

“… … Is there only one?”

“Yes. I took a quick look and it seems like he committed suicide with a gun. However, the gun has been confirmed to belong to His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“His Highness the Crown Prince’s gun?”

Fabio frowned and looked at Enrico. Enrico was already looking at the leader of the search party.

“I think the leader may have taken the gun from His Highness the Crown Prince, but when I checked the bullets, it seems like he used two or three more.”

“Anything else?”

“Yes?”

“No trace of Emilia?”

Enrico asked in a hoarse voice as if he only needed to know one thing. Having watched Enrico’s unusual reaction from afar, the leader of the search party immediately lowered his head and reported cautiously.

“So far, we haven’t seen anything nearby. I’m sorry, but I think we should focus on investigating the hut.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Enrico walked towards the cabin. Enrico and the search party leader followed him urgently as he walked through the still burning remains.

The moment Enrico bent down to push through the burned trees, a loud shout came from one side.

“Please check here! A body has been found.”

Enrico paused, turned around, and quickly headed in that direction.

The knights quickly cleared the path so that Enrico could easily reach the location where the body was found. The search party leader who ran ahead checked the body and nodded to Fabio as if asking for confirmation.

“Doesn’t it look like His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Hmm, it looks like the body is similar and the royal ring on his hand makes me think it is.”

Enrico exhaled deeply. He realized belatedly that he had been holding his breath without realizing it because of the feeling of his heart pounding.

Fortunately, it was said to be Alessandro’s body, but he looked around, hoping that Emilia was not there. Even if it disappeared right before his eyes, as long as he was alive, there were plenty of opportunities.

‘Just come back. So… … .’

He had never prayed to a god. But at this moment, he wanted to bow down and pray to all the gods of this world.

In the hot remains, Enrico was barely able to catch his breath before he flinched at the noise he heard from afar and stopped all his actions.

“Please check here too!”

“There are two bodies… …?”

Fabio’s soft muttering pierced his ears. Unlike the active movement he had been making just a moment ago, Enrico was standing still.

Suddenly, the surroundings became as quiet as a mouse and he could hear a ringing in his ears.

His whole body froze to the point where he thought his heart would stop, and he just stared blankly at Fabio’s back as he approached the blackened corpse.

Fabio, who was kneeling on one knee, examined the body. Unlike the body he had just assumed was Alessandro’s, he looked at it again and again with a surprised expression.

Then, Fabio turned his head like rusted scrap metal and looked up at Enrico.

“… … It has been confirmed to be a woman’s body.”

Thump, Enrico’s heart dropped to his toes.

***

Alessandro’s death was simply an accident.

However, the royal couple, who tried to reveal his evil identity but were strongly opposed to it, citing the honor of the royal family, quietly buried the serial murder of the blonde woman.

As the second prince began preparing for the successor training, they practically began treating him as the next crown prince, and Alessandro’s funeral was not held separately and was held quietly.

“How is your uncle?”

“… … He is still recovering.”

The second prince, Riccardo, who visited the Duke Michele residence today, sighed at the complicated face of Fabio.

When he heard the news of Alessandro’s death, Ricardo, who had been curious about how such a selfish and vicious person could die, was surprised to hear about the unexpected cabin fire.

He had become a crown prince, but he was shot and fell due to the betrayal of the leader of the Shadow Order, and died in the cabin that had caught fire. It was truly a pitiful end.

He despised everyone and was all about showing off. Ricardo did not want to honor the death of his only brother at all, so he did not mention his death at all.

He just waited anxiously for Enrico, who had been hiding in the ducal palace since the incident.

“Is it true that you can recover?”

He did not know exactly why he had disappeared, but he had a rough idea. The corpse of the woman found in the cabin with Alessandro on the day he died was probably the cause.

Enrico, who had been going to see ballet performances regularly and even making remarks that seemed to be conscious of someone, was so vivid. The sight of

a man who had no interest in what others thought, looking down at the cigarette he was smoking and thinking about consideration.

“… … “Tell him that the motion I made earlier to allow the woman I mentioned to inherit the family has been processed.”

He probably did this for her, so Ricardo said with a troubled expression.

“Yes. I will tell you.”

“Then, when you are better, contact me. I will come running right away.”

“I am sorry.”

Fabio lowered his head. As if he was grateful to Ricardo for simply stepping down, even though he always came back empty-handed.

Ricardo patted Fabio on the shoulder and smiled bitterly.

“What do I have to be sorry about? It’s just that a woman was unjustly killed because of my incompetent brother.”

“… … .”

“Oh, if you happen to be conducting Emilia Este’s funeral later, please let me know.”

“… … Maybe that day will be the day the Duke comes out of his room.”

Enrico, unable to accept Emilia Este’s death, simply stayed in his room, doing nothing. Fabio could not hide his complicated feelings at his reaction.

The sight of Enrico dying, barely breathing and losing his will, made his heart suffocate.

Riccardo, who had been holding his hand back, patted Fabio on the shoulder again as if he understood, and turned around. Just hoping that day would come soon.

However, Riccardo was unable to visit the tightly locked ducal residence again after that day, despite the hope. Three years had passed.

***

Pure white snowflakes were falling heavily from the sky. Yesterday, the whole world had been snowing so gently that it was almost white, but today, the snow was falling like crazy with strong winds.

“Ha… … . It’s really the perfect day to come here.”

Vivian got out of the carriage and carefully tied her white fur cloak. Her eyes slightly squinted as she looked around the place she had been visiting for a long time with eyes filled with emotion.

The mansion of the Duke Michele, which had boasted a famous view three years ago, was now a desolate and eerie place, as if it had become a different place.

Who would have thought that a place that always sparkled like the sunlight of a summer day would become such a desolate place that suited winter so well?

Even Enrico, who kept the front door firmly locked and refused to let anyone visit, would come to him for several days, pleading that it was really important.

“… … If it weren’t for the debt, I would have just pretended not to know.”

It would have been better if he had refused directly, but Enrico never answered anyone directly. He would only reply that Fabio was in trouble and would contact him later.

Vivian, who thought she couldn’t wait like this, came to visit anyway.

Fortunately, Fabio, who didn’t seem to intend to treat her coldly, opened the front door and was waiting for Vivian at the front door.