Chapter 235 Part 2: The Past That Drifted Away with the Wind
“What’s going—”
—Thud!!!
Before Viscount Scassia could understand what was happening, a hand suddenly reached out from behind the big man, grabbed his head, and slammed it hard against the wall.
The old wall cracked with a spray of blood, and flesh stuck to the peeling paint, bloody and disgusting.
“You—You’re!!!”
Viscount Scassia looked in horror at the man walking in through the doorway, so scared that he bit his own lip.
Because he had once met Armand in the Knight Order, he immediately recognized who the man was, and in the very next second, his panicked brain realized why Armand had come here.
“Viscount! Run!!”
Just as Armand turned his gaze toward the viscount, another man suddenly jumped out from behind him. That man was already covered in blood, but he still tried with all his strength to wrap his arms around Armand’s neck.
His loyalty was so intense, even Armand was a little surprised. If there were medals for loyal dogs, Armand would’ve gladly awarded this guy a gold one labeled “Good Dog.”
“Raaaghhh!!!”
But in Viscount Scassia’s mind, there was only one thought, escape. He didn’t even see the man’s face. He didn’t care who that man was, even if he was the most loyal “dog,” it didn’t matter to the viscount.
He just used the chance to crawl and scream as he ran away, leaving the bloody man behind to try to stop Armand.
Actually, Armand should thank that man for showing up covered in blood. Otherwise, there might’ve been one survivor left to deal with later.
“You—!”
Squelch.
The man’s voice was cut off in an instant.
Armand raised his arm and, in one swift motion, stabbed a dagger straight into the top of the man’s skull. The man fell to the floor with a dull thud, lifeless.
Then Armand kicked the body aside and stepped over corpse after corpse as he followed closely behind the fleeing Viscount Scassia.
“Ah—Ahhh! You—You—!!”
The moment Viscount Scassia opened the door, he was shocked by the horrifying scene outside.
His legs went weak. He had been forcing himself to stay calm and run for his life, but the first time he tripped over a body and his hands were covered in blood and bits of flesh. His trembling legs simply couldn’t stand up again.
Judging by the trail of bodies and bloody footprints, Armand really had walked in through the front door.
The bodies of the guards formed a path, leading him all the way to the viscount’s bedroom.
Viscount Scassia crawled helplessly over the corpses. It felt like the bodies were increasing the more he tried to move forward. The closer he got to the staircase that led to the main hall, the more blood and flesh blocked his way.
“Ahhh! No—Don’t! What—What do you want?!”
The viscount stopped in the middle of the second floor. The staircase was right beside him, but it was also stacked with bodies. All horribly mutilated, as if someone had taken cruel revenge. Every one of them had their organs torn out and thrown all over the place.
As the viscount turned to face Armand, his trembling hand accidentally touched half a human heart lying on the floor.
Armand stood before him, his entire body soaked in blood. His black clothes hid most of it, but the red mark on his cheek stood out sharply.
“Your legs are worth five seconds,” Armand said coldly. “Tell me where they are.”
His tone was terrifyingly calm, so calm it sent chills down the spine.
He raised his plain iron sword and pressed it against the viscount’s thigh, his voice starting a countdown.
“Five.”
“W-Wait! Commander—!”
“Four.”
“I—I’ll give you anything! Anything you want! Please, what are you doing?!”
“Three.”
“I—I really don’t know anything about that!”
“Two.”
“I swear I don’t know! Please—!”
“One.”
“Aaaaahhhhhhh!!!”
As the final number fell from Armand’s lips, Viscount Scassia lost his right leg forever. If he managed to survive, he would probably spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
“Your left arm. Three seconds.”
Right after that, Armand began another countdown, giving the viscount no time to catch his breath from the pain.
Before he could even cry for the leg that was now gone, Armand’s cold voice stabbed into his ears again.
“Two.”
“Commander! Please! I’ll give you everything! But that one thing—!”
“One.”
“Aaaaarrrghhhhhh!!!”
Just like his leg, the arm Viscount Scassia raised was chopped off and flew through the air. He collapsed on the floor, clutching his bloody shoulder, unable to stay upright without his limbs.
He knew the truth. He knew where those people were.
But he didn’t dare say it.
He had only found out the location by accident. If he said it out loud, the House of Nightingales would definitely come for his life.
He had hoped to make a deal with Armand, maybe buy himself some time. He thought if he stalled a little, he could figure out how to handle the Nightingale side later. But it was now clear, Armand had no plans to negotiate.
What grudge is this deep?!
Viscount Scassia didn’t understand. All he did was help that woman cover up a few things, why did Armand come all this way just to kill him?!
And how did Armand even know where to find him? With the city’s new zoning plan, this place was already considered part of the “outskirts”!
“Next is your life.”
Armand lowered the bloody black sword. The blade’s tip was still dripping, and blood fell onto Viscount Scassia’s chest, soaking his already blood-soaked white shirt.
“Three.”
“Ahhhh!! No—Commander, please!!”
Viscount Scassia desperately wanted to play both sides, but clearly, there was no convincing Armand to show mercy.
“Two—”
“It’s in the north!!!”
Viscount Scassia screamed the answer at the top of his lungs, his voice cracking from fear.
“Keep going.”
Armand stopped the countdown and looked down at the broken, blood-covered man.
“North... it’s just north of here. Just keep going that way. If—if you see a gray house, that’s it, that’s the place—!!”
Seeing that Armand had paused, the viscount quickly spilled the secret in hopes of saving his own life. He was crying, terrified, and mumbling as he bit his tongue and forced out the words.
This should do it, right? He had revealed a deadly secret, one that could get him killed. But if he could just survive today, even for a few more days, that was good enough.
At least he was still breathing, still alive—
“......”
But Armand didn’t put his sword away.
Even though Viscount Scassia had already told Armand what he wanted to hear, the sword still didn't move away.
“—W-What do you mean by this?” Viscount Scassia looked up in fear at the blade still hanging over him.
“……”
Armand didn’t reply. He just quietly stared at him.
“Commander…?”
For some reason, at that moment, Viscount Scassia felt a killing intent colder and stronger than before.
“Sir, d-do you still want something else?”
But he had already said it, hadn’t he? The secret about that place, he had already revealed it!
So why was this still happening? Was it because of that child? Or that woman?
All he had done was follow orders to search for a woman with pink hair. He was only told to take care of her body, that’s all! He didn’t actually do anything!
And toward this Knight Commander. All he did was visit the Knight Order and delay things a bit. Was that really enough reason to silence him forever?
What kind of grudge is this?!
Driven by the will to survive, Scassia squirmed backward like a worm, while Armand followed step by step, slowly closing the distance.
“Comm—”
When his eyes nervously glanced to the side, Viscount Scassia saw the painting hanging in the center of the hall.
In the painting, a black-haired man in a knight’s uniform smiled and rested his hand on a chair. Sitting in that chair was a woman with long red hair, his wife. In her arms sat a young boy with blue eyes, just like hers.
Viscount Scassia looked at Armand again, straight into his eyes. Those same blue eyes from the painting.
In that instant, everything became clear.
He understood now how the Knight Commander had found this place so easily.
“You… You’re…”
He trembled, struggling to remember the name.
“No—No way! You—How could you become the Knight Commander?!”
You should have died back then!
He was just a child, how could he have survived?!
He was supposed to be nothing more than a test subject!
How could he possibly become the leader of the Royal Knights now?!
Scassia had never cared about that child, not even though the boy was technically his grandson. All he cared about was his noble title. He had never once looked at the boy seriously.
After all that happened, he had long forgotten what the boy even looked like. Only now, only when fear forced his brain to connect the dots, did he realize why Armand’s face looked so familiar.
“You… You’re… Aeg—”
Slash.
The black sword came down.
Silence.
Armand’s goal was simple. He wanted the man to remember who killed him, at the very last moment.
As for his name…
It seemed Armand didn’t want that man to speak it aloud.