No Dark Secrets In This Book

Episode 94

After Dick Baskerville said he would follow my words, Ivan Karpin resumed his attempt to sort out the situation. I waited anxiously, worrying about what would happen if he tried wordplay one more time, but Dick Baskerville’s name was not mentioned until he finished all his words. It seemed he completely avoided the risky pronunciation.

‘I don’t know if I should feel disappointed or relieved about this…’

Anyway, perhaps strongly aware that the mood had seriously gone to hell, Ivan Karpin decided not to schedule the meeting right away. Instead, he said he would gather all the conquerors by tomorrow and devise a raid strategy. I quietly observed his solemn and serious face and nodded. Indeed, it seems it’s best to leave such bothersome tasks like commanding to others. Even if he orders to summon everyone, there’s no way everyone will properly listen, but saying it in such a cool way makes it seem realistic, right? Indeed, it seems okay for men to look like that, chiseled like a glacier. With a thick chest too. Hmm. Good man. Good indeed.

‘Now, wait a moment. Forget it. It’s not like I’m always like this. It’s just because I’m in a good mood from seeing a handsome hunk.’

…Bringing the topic back, summoning everyone. I can’t do that. I can’t even struggle in the field either. How can you have the confidence that work will be properly done just because you ordered others? No, maybe it’s because I’m used to not having proper authority, but I think it’s more comfortable to handle important work myself. In that sense, commanding and leading such a large group of people is indeed better left to others.

Upon reaching this conclusion, I seriously leaned towards skipping group projects.

‘Why should I do group projects if I’m not going to learn how to command?’

Right. I should skip all group projects when I return to the academy too. With that firm resolution, I looked at the spacious area inside the tent. This cozy 24-pyeong house interior with a fireplace warmly heating the air couldn’t possibly be seen as a tent from the outside. If the skills of a master in space expansion magic and an absurd amount of money are invested together, such an awesome tent interior space can be created. It means a house with three rooms and a large living room can be recreated.

Did I do it? No, I bought it. Cassice Demillang’s bank account was like an inexhaustible spring.

‘Why the fuck are there so many 0s…’

Let’s skip the rest since it’s privacy. What’s clear is that even Jeong Ian, who was the youngest son of a chaebol family, had never seen a bank account like Cassice Demillang’s. Of course, I quickly surrendered in the succession fight and enjoyed a free and wanton life with 1000% satisfaction, but naturally, the bank account amount becomes modest if you lose in the succession fight. Even I easily entered the top 1% of Korean youth. But the real Cassice Demillang might scoff at my bank account. That was the level of gap.

‘Ah, thinking about the bank account makes me full again.’

With a leisurely smile on my lips like a full cat, I softly stepped on the warm wooden floor and went to the living room with a rug, throwing myself on the sofa.

The natural leather sofa was moderately soft and firm, allowing even those with back pain to enjoy it comfortably.

‘What does that mean? It means sex is possible too.’

I pity Ryuseong who pities a guy who only thinks such thoughts. I send sincere words of apology in my mind today as well. Anyway, it’s mealtime. Should I try ordering Ryuseong around a bit?

‘Ah, thinking about the bank account does make me full, but.’

That’s one thing, this is another. No, before that, shouldn’t you be grateful if I say I’ll keep the mealtime for you? The me who said I didn’t want to eat is even commanding you to bring food. This is almost a level of change seen in parenting programs. I felt I had to immediately share this amazing discovery with Ryuseong.

Then Ryuseong finally lifted the solemn and serious face he had been stiffly maintaining. He looked a bit sad somehow, but it was still a smiling face.

This much is satisfactory. Pass.

“I already know well that you’re not in your right mind, so you don’t have to be so amazed.”

…Unsatisfactory. Fail.

I quickly revised the score sheet in my mind and glared at him with a quite nasty expression, and Ryuseong snickered and went outside to prepare the meal, gathering ingredients. There’s a small kitchen inside too, but he insisted on going out. Saying it’s not good for the body to inhale a lot of smoke when cooking. When I calmly asked if he was determined to freeze to death by crawling out bare-bodied in minus 27 degrees Celsius, he looked down at me as if dumbfounded though.

“…What am I wearing if not clothes?”

When he made such a stupid remark, I aimed at his head and threw the temperature-regulating robe I was wearing. Unfortunately, Ryuseong didn’t seem to want to lose his cool and snatched the robe in midair. When I immediately made an obviously disappointed expression, Ryuseong’s smile brightened even more. That bastard seems to like it when I act crazy.

Anyway, Ryuseong left the door slightly open and went out, and I spent some time half-lying on the sofa, recalling his expressions. I turned on some hollow-style jazz music softly and reminisced about the moments he laughed while tapping my toes. Huh? Hmm. No, really. Come to think of it, that bastard liked it whenever I got angry…?

‘Fuck, he must be really crazy.’

Suddenly, goosebumps rose all over, and I felt a chill below my dantian as my chest fluttered. A strange feeling. I was about to frown and gesture to turn off the speaker when it happened.

“Oh my, you shouldn’t do that.”

This voice is ‘not Ryuseong’. The moment I sensed that, I tried to swing my arm to burst the flesh. Because it’s easier to counterattack if I shed blood. Because it’s clearly an enemy. Because there’s no one on Cassice Demillang’s side in this world! But it was too late. My forearm was grabbed. And my neck was strangled, ack. Fuck-.

I shouldn’t have let my guard down. I shouldn’t have relaxed. The intruder is properly pressing on the carotid artery. This bastard is a pro. Is assassination the goal? My mouth opens and saliva flows. All attempts to somehow inhale fail. My vision blurs. If I lose consciousness now, I’ll die. I forcibly lowered my eyes that were rolling up and tried to look at the opponent. But nothing works properly, huk.

At that moment, the hand strangling my neck loosened a bit. Judging by easily giving up the chance to kill, he’s either a low-quality type seeking pleasure in killing or the goal is non-lethal abuse. My head was functioning coldly. But my body couldn’t.

“Ugh, huk…!”

I greedily crave air like someone who drowned and was rescued. Every time air enters, my trachea appeals with pain. Can Ryuseong outside notice the abnormal breathing sound? But the jazz music, the damn jazz, swallowed my wretchedly cracked, terrible breathing. I have to scream. The judgment was directly transmitted to the vocal cords through neurons. The moment strength entered my throat.

“Hic…!”

It sounded like a thud. But I don’t feel anything. No, the pain is too great, ignoring all other sensations. Where was I hit? I try to move my fingers to regain my senses, but I can’t get a grip as if sinking into water…

“You can’t lose consciousness just from getting hit this much, Young Master. Where are you trying to go after causing trouble to get beaten?”

Cheeks, is it? Is what’s being slapped with a smack right now really my cheeks? My vision shakes left and right. Right. I’m getting slapped in the face right now. Heuk, sob. A strange wail. I’m making it. It’s me. I’m crawling on the floor like a bug with only my head grabbed and lifted up. To be precise, I can’t even crawl and I’m curled up holding my stomach.

Stomach. The starting point of this terrible and excessive pain. Yes, I was strangled and then hit in the stomach, almost fainting. The moment I realized that, I was abruptly lifted up from the suspicious silence that felt like drowning, and my head turned a couple more times with slaps, slaps, finally feeling the pain, and I weakly collapsed before opening my eyes.

In front of my eyes, Dick Baskerville was smiling.

“Long time no see, Young Master?”

But hey you fucking bastard, my nose is bleeding.

‘You’re dead now.’

I don’t know if he’s slow to catch on or if he tried because I seemed easy, but now that I’m bleeding and regained my senses, the situation has changed. I can fight back. I don’t need to keep getting beaten up meaninglessly. That bastard is looking at me with a face full of rapture as if I’m a worthless thing, raising his hand, but ah, damn it. I’m saying I’m not an idiot.

‘I’m not a bug you can trample on as you please…’

I don’t know why, but tears fell. It seemed physiological, so I didn’t forcibly hold back and focused on constructing a magic circle in my mind.

“You, Cassice Demillang. You’re doing cute things. Even though you’re a bug that always gets beaten by me. Not even crawling on the floor. Huh?”

“Ugh…”

“Say it. Beg and say you were wrong. Hurry!”

With the determination to pour enough mana to destroy the surrounding area and kill him properly.

“Suck… it… you retard…”

“…You fucking bastard, you’re dead today.”

Instead, I’ll take a few more hits.

‘I need time to complete the magic circle.’

I just harbored murderous intent while being trampled like a bug. I openly sobbed and exposed my vulnerable insides. I fully revealed such weaknesses like where it hurts when hit and makes me cry. It was okay. Although miserable, I was used to this. The despair that others don’t have to experience was my daily life. This is the default of my life. Getting beaten. Getting trampled. Having my dignity covered in shit.

But I was different from others. I was used to being in this state, so I could handle it well. And now I even have magic as a means of attack!

So this fucking bastard.

‘I can kill him!’

The moment the magic circle was finally completed. I laughed emptily, drenched in brilliant and miserable joy…

And right after that.

‘Ah.’

I saw Ryuseong standing against the setting sun.

Dick Baskerville didn’t even lock the door, and Ryuseong seemed to have opened the door to the room I was in as if living an ordinary life and witnessed this moment.

I couldn’t help but laugh while sobbing. Dick Baskerville seemed to be blabbering something upon discovering Ryuseong at the sight of me, but I couldn’t hear anything. I just found it funny. This situation seemed like a joke… I felt a sense of dissonance. The moment Ryuseong, who was about to come to me with a plate full of warm stew, flinched and stopped, strangely shattered me to pieces. Even though I was fine while getting beaten. Why is that? Was it because I could feel the emotion in his blue eyes? He was purely heartbroken and only felt murderous intent.

“…”

At that moment, what I felt was shame.