Chapter 61

Chapter 61

* * *

“Um... P-Pardon me. Are you the young Lady Roxana Agrece?”

A man had approached Roxana on her way back to the sleeping quarters.

She was taken aback for a moment as she had mistaken his hair to be silver in color, but soon realized it was actually white.

“You see, miss, my master... Well, he... He sent me to deliver this gift to you on his behalf,” the man said.

“Oh, thank you,” she responded faintly, then resumed walking while now holding a bouquet of flowers.

The man attempted to follow her, albeit with trepidation, but eventually abandoned his pursuit.

All the while, Roxana had simply ignored him. Her mind was busy with far too many other thoughts. The fact that Cassis had finally made a public appearance meant that the time she had been anticipating had arrived.

“Yes... It’s about time to stir things up.”

There was a sort of lethal glint in her self-satisfied smile. After whispering to herself, she dropped the rose bouquet to the floor where it burst into a thousand fluttering red pieces.

She didn’t bother to stop as she continued straight ahead and left the ruby petals to scatter this way and that in her wake.

* * *

Roxana had not been heading to her room, but to her father’s. As she had expected, he was anxiously pacing back and forth after failing to make contact with Noel Vertium.

“Father, I think it best if we head back to the compound right away.”

Lante halted to look over at her with raised eyebrows.

“And why’s that?” he asked.

“I just saw Deon and he informed me that while we’ve been away, Fontaine has decided to stage a coup.”

In that moment, Roxana watched as her father’s face twisted into the ugliest frown she had ever seen.

* * *

Without wasting any time, the three Agreces set out from Yggdrasil castle. Thanks to Jeremy leaving the banquet hall ahead of Roxana to inform the servants to prepare for their departure, they were able to head home almost immediately with all their belongings already packed and loaded into their carriage.

“Lante Agrece just left the castle.”

An informant quietly announced the news of the Agreces’ departure to Cassis. He had already changed from his banquet attire into traveling garb.

“Is everything ready?”

“Yes, Master Cassis. Just as you ordered.”

“Then let’s go.”

Instead of formal shoes, dark boots trudged over the red carpet in the castle’s main hallway. The dark blue cloak draped over his shoulders billowed with his every step. In his travel garments, Cassis resembled a hunter or a knight far more than he did the precious heir to the Blue clan’s throne.

As it was the last night of the goodwill gathering’s revelry, the banquet was still in full swing thus there were hardly any spectators outside of the castle. On his way out, Cassis met Sylvia as she was going in the opposite direction. Like her brother, she had also changed into her traveling garments.

“Please be careful, brother,” she said.

She resembled him in many ways, but her golden eyes had a much warmer and softer cast to them. Although, at that moment, they appeared clouded with worry.

Cassis mussed his younger sister’s hair before responding.

“Hurry home with Father. I shall return as soon as I have dealt with the matter.”

Since they had already discussed everything at length beforehand, there was no need for him to bid farewell to his father before departing. And so, just as he had arrived at Yggdrasil castle, the Blue Heir departed entirely unannounced.

His destination was the Agrece compound where fate awaited him.

* * *

Before long, the scorching sun dropped beyond the horizon leaving a haze of red in its wake. An ominous air seemed to pervade from the Agrece compound, and even clung to its walls.

“Bring him to me now!” Lante roared the moment he set foot in the mansion.

He was still seething over the news that his firstborn had attempted to rise against him. He immediately ordered that Fontaine be taken to the judgment room to receive his punishment. The entire compound was in a bit of disarray.

Some of the siblings, as well as a few of Lante’s wives, shuffled out of their rooms in order to see what the commotion was about. Among them was Roxana’s older half-sister, Grizelda. Upon spotting her amongst the throng, Roxana slowed her pace slightly. Grizelda took the opportunity to step over and walk behind her.

With Lante still in sight, Roxana whispered over her shoulder to her sister.

“Is everything ready?”

“Yes, it’s all set.”

Roxana received the information with a calm expression that betrayed nothing. Having relayed the pertinent detail, Grizelda melted back into the crowd.

In the midst of the bedlam, a crimson butterfly departed from Roxana, then disappeared into a nearby wall.

“Jeremy, go and take care of everything outside.”

“On it, sis.”

With all her orders given, Roxana entered the judgment room directly in step behind her father.

* * *

Before long guards were dragging a bound Fontaine into the room.

“Fontaine, you ingrate! How could you do this?!” Lante roared, grinding his teeth as he lunged at his eldest son. The alleged perpetrator of the attempted coup was already heavily injured.

Suddenly, the wound Deon had suffered on his arm came to Roxana’s mind. He had been assigned to keep tabs on Fontaine, so the eldest Agrece child’s rough shape was to be expected.

Despite his sorry state, Fontaine attempted to appeal to his father.

“P-Please, Father! This is all a misun—unf!”

Before he could finish, Lante had driven his metal-tipped cane into Fontaine’s torso. The judgment room was where Lante passed his verdicts on the various sins and errors he deemed warranted punishment. It was also where he would sometimes serve as the punisher-in-chief.

It was also there that he determined which of his children should be disposed of.

Pow!

Wham!

Lante struck viciously as if he intended to kill his own son then and there. And with each swing, fresh blood spilled onto the sparkling porcelain tile. The blows seemed to rain down without mercy for ages before he finally spoke again.

“Who the hell do you think you are?!”

Wham!

Pow!

“Stab me in the back will you?!”

Pow!

Lante’s eyes burned with rage as if he were aiming to murder his firstborn. He was far from the vigor of his youth, but as far as stature and strength went, Lante Agrece could hold his own against any opponent. On top of that, his current target was tied up from head to toe and severely injured. Given his pathetic condition, Fontaine had had no hope of avoiding punishment.

Wham!

In the end, their father’s cane broke first. It was only then that Lante ceased his assault.

“You are a scum. I can’t believe you’re my own flesh and blood, you treacherous snake!” As he glowered at the bloodied mass crumpled on the floor at his feet, Lante tossed the broken cane away without looking away. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out that you’ve been scheming behind my back? I had even hoped it was some sort of misunderstanding, but you... You insufferable ingrate! You loathsome worm!”

As Lante continued to dole out his unholy wrath, Fontaine lay cowering in a puddle of his own blood. However, even through all his pain, his eyes held a flame of pure rage.

How did he find out? I planned everything down to the most insignificant detail. If that bastard Deon hadn’t gotten in the way, I would have...! Fontaine thought.

He turned his gaze towards his half-brother and stared at him with all the hatred he could muster in his pulverized body.

“Father, this... this is all Deon’s doing! He’s trying to frame me! I’m inno—”

“So instead of remorse, you’ve decided to point fingers? You’re no better than swine,” Lante spat.

It was starting to occur to Fontaine that no amount of pleading would sway his father.

“Do you think I don’t know all about your little plan? It was I who ordered Deon to spy on you when I realized you were secretly enlisting mercenaries!”

Upon hearing this revelation, Fontaine could not hide his shock and let out a condemning gasp.