His Kindness Is A Lie

Did he say he would kill me? Of course, he would.

This man had only let her go for his amusement. She realized only after being caught again that he never had any intention of sparing her, not even an ounce.

Was it truly a coincidence that he appeared before her now?

“It seems you’ve had quite a tiring day. You look a mess.”

His tone was unnervingly calm, even as he stood before someone on the brink of death. His cold fingertips brushed her cheek, lightly tapping along her delicate jawline.

Every time his touch grazed her, she would momentarily regain consciousness, as if being pulled from a deep abyss.

Nothing worked in her favor when facing this man. Not even death.

“Beg for your life like last time.”

“…You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?”

“So, are you asking me to kill you?”

The once-bright eyes that had sparkled just yesterday were now lifeless. Belliard slightly furrowed his brow.

He had wanted to kill her so desperately just moments ago, but now that he saw her dying, an unsettling discomfort rose within him. Teetering on the edge of instinct and reason was far from pleasant.

He decided to wait for the right moment. But that moment was not now, and he had no intention of giving her an easy death. She had dared to step into his domain, after all.

As he let go of the hair he had been gripping, she collapsed weakly, her eyes peacefully closing. He watched her quietly, as if she would sink into the ground at any moment.

After a brief hesitation, he spoke the name that had been lingering in his mouth.

“…Bella.”

The softly whispered name was etched over her fallen figure. His mood plummeted sharply, and with a quiet curse, he lifted her and left the forest.

As soon as Eric returned to the castle, he organized his tasks. Though the knights may not have caught the witch, they wouldn’t leave the duke’s land without paying their respects. They would surely arrive here soon.

“Prepare the drawing room. And get a room ready as well.”

At his command, the servants scattered busily.

Soon, their master would return from his hunt. As he predicted, Belliard arrived at the castle before the knights, carrying a familiar woman in his arms.

It seemed a room would indeed be necessary.

“Welcome back.”

As Belliard approached, Eric could hear the faint sound of the woman breathing. It was so shallow that he had to strain to hear it, and even now, her life was slipping away.

Whether she was fated to die or he was confident she wouldn’t, his master remained as composed as ever.

“Luke Isolus, the captain of the knights, has requested an audience. The sun will set soon, so he’ll be here before then.”

“He’s quite bold, walking right in here.”

As the rumors suggested, the duke did not get along with the church. It was true that he had even demolished the temple in his territory simply because he didn’t like their behavior.

The Faith Knights, who served only the pope and the church, were fiercely loyal. Given that, they could hardly be friendly toward a duke who held no regard for faith or religion.

Bringing those troublesome knights into the castle again, Belliard openly displayed his annoyance.

“Should I tell them to leave?”

Still, letting them go without any further action was unsatisfactory. Belliard looked down at the woman who lay limp in his arms.

Though he had set the trap, the prey was rightfully his.

They had dared to invade his land and leave their filthy footprints. Letting them leave without consequence would be disappointing.

“No. They’re here to carry out their duties, so we should commend them. Prepare to receive the guests. And bring out a bottle of wine.”

Carrying Bella in his arms, he began walking again. Eric, who had been preparing to take her, was momentarily caught off guard.

He had assumed his master would hand her over and order her to be taken to a room. Late to react, Eric hurriedly followed him.

“I’ll take her.”

He felt that he should treat her with utmost care. Striving to be as respectful as possible, Eric was again thrown into confusion by his master’s next words.

“I’m going to the underground.”

Though he had said she would survive if they made it to the forest, he couldn’t guarantee it. If his master had brought her back alive, it was only because she had been chosen for something special. But even that, he couldn’t say for certain.

“Yes, understood.”

Perhaps her fate wouldn’t be much different from the servants of this castle. Her path had just been a little more unusual.

No one who had ever gone down to the dungeon had returned alive. Not in their right mind, and certainly not intact.

The sound of steady footsteps echoed through the deep darkness. The dungeon, lined with iron bars, was a place even Eric avoided due to its gloomy atmosphere. The stench of blood clung thickly, and the air was filled with endless screams.

Holding Bella, Belliard walked deeper into the dark, where not a single ray of light penetrated. It was a place untouched by any gaze, where only the darkness existed. He laid her down in that place.

Even in the darkness, her pale skin was strikingly visible. His eyes were drawn to the dark red blood trickling over her white flesh. As his hand traced over her, dark bruises began to emerge across her body.

His prized prey had suffered too many scars. If blood were to be shed, it should have been by his hand. The thought of someone else damaging what belonged to him filled him with disgust.

Leaving her alone, Belliard shut the heavy iron door. He was never merciful enough to let anyone who touched his possessions go unpunished.

His steps, fueled by anger, quickened as he neared the ground level.

***

A strange tension filled the drawing room where Duke Belliard and the knight captain sat across from one another. The duke clearly held the upper hand in that atmosphere.

“Your Grace, have you been well?”

In response to the knight captain’s inquiry, the duke let out an open sneer. If anything happened to the duke, the Faith Knights would be the first to be suspected.

“Did you come here out of genuine concern for my well-being?”

“It is only proper to pay our respects when visiting your domain, Your Grace. I apologize for arriving with knights in such a hurry without notifying you first. It was for the security of the empire, so I hope you will forgive me with your generous heart.”

Luke Isolus, the leader of the Faith Knights, was a man who understood the situation well.

Moreover, the Isolus family had a long-standing reputation as distinguished knights. He wasn’t someone who would be easily shaken by the duke’s mocking words.

“Generous heart, you say… Yes, I suppose I must. You stirred up my lands in your hunt for a mere witch, and I should generously forgive you. So, did you catch the witch?”

“…I am sorry to say we did not.”

“His Holiness must be greatly worried. After all, isn’t she just a girl, merely labeled a witch? Despite your personal involvement, to have failed in capturing her… how disgraceful. It seems the Faith Knights’ reputation isn’t what it used to be.”

He was skilled at grabbing and shaking a person’s heart. Luke’s face flushed slightly with anger.

As he took a sip of tea and caught his breath, Duke Belliard quietly twisted the corners of his mouth. Such a display of loyalty and pride was indeed a good weakness, and easy prey.

“Since the witch entered the sanctuary, there wasn’t much I could do. So, may I ask if Your Grace happened to encounter the witch?”

The knight commander was asking if he had helped the witch hide in the sanctuary. The duke, knowing the obvious implication, laughed coldly.

Unlike other sanctuaries, the one in Bern did not have knights guarding its surroundings. This was because the duke had a firm stance that he would not allow the pope’s influence to extend into his territory.

When he pushed that hard, no one in the empire could resist him. However, one rumor began to spread because of this.

There was a witch asleep in Duke Belliard’s deep forest. When the witch awakens, as foretold, the empire will fall into ruin.

It was a dangerous rumor, almost as if the duke was planning a rebellion. However, Belliard only laughed upon hearing it, and even though the rumor reached the emperor’s ears, nothing happened.

A rumor spun by mere words did not have the power to topple his authority. Of course, if the prestige of the Belliard family wavered even a little, that rumor would become a sword to stab him.

“The sanctuary, which only God can touch—Sir, are you suggesting I’ve been frequenting that place? Should I take that as a compliment?”

“No ill intent was meant. However, in that case, please allow our knights to stay stationed in the territory for a while. If you give us a little time, we’ll surely capture the witch…”

Bang—

The teacup was placed down with a loud noise, reflecting his discomfort. This sudden act cut off the knight commander’s words, and Belliard, unconcerned, asked another question.

“Who was the one who pursued the witch to the end?”

Though his tone was calm, it somehow felt like requesting the knights to stay any longer would cost one’s life. However, upon glancing at the duke’s face, he didn’t seem particularly displeased.

There was no need to assert himself stubbornly in front of a man rumored to be insane, so Luke thought of Hans, who had been the most eager in pursuing the witch. Furthermore, Hans was also his most cherished subordinate.

“It was Sir Hans, Your Grace.”

“In the struggle to cut off the root of unrest, I should reward him. Let him in.”

Soon, a knight who was tense with anxiety entered the drawing room. Belliard picked up the wine bottle that had been sitting on the table for some time. The knight instinctively lowered his head upon seeing the exquisitely crafted glass bottle.

“Raise your glass.”

“I-It is an honor.”

The hand holding the glass trembled pitifully, a mix of tension and fear.

Whether he had just come from chasing the witch or not, there were traces of blood on his hand that he hadn’t had the chance to wash off. Seeing this, Belliard’s eyes turned cold.

“Is that blood from the witch?”

The knight knelt on one knee, raising his glass high while bowing his head. Unable to see the duke’s expression, he proudly answered.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

It was the mark of his earnest pursuit of the witch, and he could not help but feel proud.

Belliard slowly poured the wine into his glass. Even when it was half-filled, the bottle continued to tip, and it still didn’t stop even after the glass was full.

Hans remained silent, not realizing the situation with his glass, but Luke, watching from the side, grew increasingly uneasy.

Eventually, the precious wine overflowed from the glass. The bright red liquid spilled onto the floor like blood. Belliard sneered coldly as he harshly set the wine bottle down.

“Oh my. It seems your subordinate is so focused on training to catch the witch that he never learned proper manners. He dares to spill the wine I poured for him like this.”

Hans didn’t immediately grasp the situation. He raised his head with a bewildered expression, only to meet the deepening crimson gaze. Without realizing it, he staggered backward.

In that fleeting moment, another splash of red liquid spread across the floor. It was a moment so fast that no one could react.

Belliard had drawn the sword from Hans’ waist and severed his wrist in a single stroke.

Hans looked at his hand with a blank expression, not comprehending what had just happened. To be more precise, he was looking for the hand that had been attached just moments ago.

Seeing his hand lying a short distance away, Hans gasped in shock. His mind couldn’t fully process the situation, and he didn’t even feel pain yet.

“W-What have you done!” 

The knight commander was just as shocked. The movement had been so quick and clean that he hadn’t had time to intervene. Even if he had been in Hans’ place, he wouldn’t have been able to stop it.

Though he shouted belatedly, deep down, he felt relief that the severed hand wasn’t his.

Belliard, holding the blood-dripping sword, turned his body toward the knight commander.

“Sir Luke.”

The sword that had just severed Hans’ wrist was now pointed at Luke’s neck. The movement was so smooth and graceful that it almost seemed elegant. Belliard continued in a soft voice.

“I don’t like it when people bring knights into my territory and turn it into a mess without my permission.”

“But, Your Grace…”

Once again, Luke couldn’t finish his sentence. The sword pressed closely against his neck, coldly grazing his skin, making it impossible to move his tongue.

The blade tilted slightly, as if purposely to cause pain, leaving a shallow, messy cut. Belliard smiled in satisfaction as he watched Luke’s face contort in agony.

“Shall I hold you accountable and take your head this time? I feel like I could do that. What do you think, Sir?”