I Became the Keeper of a Suspicious Forest - Chapter 52

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 52

 

“What do you mean by that?”

 

“Exactly what I said. If you don’t die, Nia will die. And the reason is Duke Devonham.”

 

Chad slowly turned the hidden blade in his hand.

 

“Gideon Devonham already suspects Nia. He thinks that if you’re alive, you must have had help from the forest keeper.”

 

“….”

 

“Probably, if I hadn’t stepped in, Nia would already be under interrogation. Receiving rather unpleasant treatment.”

 

Seeing Sionel’s hands tense up, Chad continued speaking.

 

“I told him I dealt with you personally. And the Duke said he would verify your corpse himself.”

 

Chad glanced toward the cabin.

 

“He’ll be coming here soon.”

 

“So you came here to kill me.”

 

Chad answered with a smile. Sionel stared at his opponent.

 

If he escaped from this assassin here… Gideon would realize the assassin’s lie.

 

That man might have the ability to survive Gideon’s subordinates, but Ponia didn’t.

 

Ponia would be immediately captured and interrogated about my whereabouts.

 

Whether she knew or not wouldn’t matter, and even if she knew, they wouldn’t let her live.

 

Because there was no reason to keep alive Nia, a commoner forest keeper, not the noble lady Ponia Harbel.

 

The forest keepers here died every other day. For Gideon, it would be the perfect situation to dispose of someone.

 

The answer was already clear. He released the strength from his hands. The sound of the dagger clattering to the ground echoed.

 

“Kill me.”

 

“…You won’t even resist?”

 

“Weren’t you hoping I wouldn’t resist?”

 

“I was hoping you would.”

 

Even as he answered obediently, Chad frowned slightly. Sionel felt a question arise.

 

“Why did you lie? There’s nothing in it for you.”

 

From that answer just now, he had a strange premonition. The root of Chad Moreau’s troublesome actions.

 

“I want to stay by Nia’s side forever.”

 

“….”

 

“But Nia seems to only be looking at you. If you were someone who prioritized your own life, I thought there might be a crack in Nia’s heart.”

 

The face dripping with regret quickly changed. But Sionel knew that was sincere.

 

Before Chad could approach, Sionel acted first. He snatched the hidden blade from Chad’s hand.

 

He directed the sharp blade toward his own throat.

 

“Give up. I’ll take all of that child’s affection.”

 

The irritation she showed him, the anger, the rare bursts of laughter, the way she blushed and turned her gaze away—all of it was his.

 

“I won’t give it to anyone else.”

 

Thud.

 

There was no hesitation whatsoever in facing death.

 

A sharp pain started from his throat, and his body began to go numb. He collapsed. Nausea dominated his entire body.

 

Strength left his hands and his body went limp.

 

It was a familiar sensation. Feeling himself become powerless, he had always been busy with anger and resistance, but now he felt rather peaceful.

 

This was his choice and no one else’s. A choice made solely for Ponia.

 

At the same time, he could be certain of the things he had vaguely felt while looking at her. From the moment he learned her true identity… no, from the moment she saved him at the cliff.

 

That Ponia was the only person for him. That’s why he couldn’t bear to return to moments without her anymore.

 

For the first time, he peacefully accepted the darkness he had always feared.

 

Chad quietly looked down at him and sat down.

 

His face was as peaceful as if he were sleeping. Chad placed his finger under his nose.

 

All he could feel was the cool air of the cave. Not a breath of wind stirred. Leaving Sionel without the slightest movement, Chad left the cave.

 

Sionel Devonham met his death that way.

 

* * *

 

“Here it is.”

 

Following the assassin’s guidance, they arrived at a dark cave where one wouldn’t expect to find anyone.

 

Leaving his subordinates who tried to follow outside, Gideon entered the cave with Chad.

 

“….”

 

The nephew he had raised for twenty years was lying on the cold ground.

 

“…How did you handle it?”

 

“I used a poisoned needle. Within a short time, strength drains from the entire body, and they complain of dizziness as if suffering from a terrible fever, then die without realizing it.”

 

Gideon seemed not to be listening carefully even while hearing the explanation. He knelt down and gently placed his hand on Sionel’s neck.

 

First the neck, then the wrist, neck, nose in sequence, and only after finally placing his hand on the chest did he become certain.

 

Sionel Devonham’s heart was not beating.

 

His beloved nephew was dead.

 

Finally.

 

Gideon showed an expression that was hard to define. His cheek twitched and his mouth seemed to curl, but it also looked like he was suppressing grief and controlling his convulsing lips.

 

Soon any expression disappeared from his face. In an instant.

 

Chad, who had been watching this process, added words.

 

“There wasn’t much pain, but did you have a different method in mind?”

 

“…No. This is good. The method wasn’t important. He just needed to die cleanly and quietly.”

 

Gideon gently stroked Sionel’s cheek.

 

“That’s all I wanted from this child.”

 

His nephew, who had closed his eyes peacefully as if asleep, indeed resembled his older brother.

 

That’s why, unlike with Aren, he had tried to show more interest and love to this child.

 

Because he simply couldn’t bring himself to like this child who was the spitting image of his brother.

 

In childhood, he and his brother, with only a year’s difference in age, had always been equal competitors.

 

In appearance, studies, and manners, they were so alike they could be considered twins, and were the pride of the Ducal House.

 

The difference began to show around their teenage years.

 

He had fully utilized and honed his abilities to finally surpass his brother, yet the one who received praise was his brother, who showed compassion to those weaker than himself and supported those who couldn’t bloom their talents due to poverty.

 

Clearly, I was the superior one, so why? I chose the right path.

 

An exemplary son, a caring brother, a nobleman who knew his duties.

 

If such trivial things were the correct answer, then he could just go back to the choice of selecting the right answer again.

 

By eliminating his brother, he could make the correct answer nonexistent and start over. Like new.

 

“Now I can finally love you completely.”

 

Just as he could only truly surpass and love his brother after killing him.

 

“I love you, Sionel.”

 

Only now could he feel genuine emotion toward his nephew.

 

* * *

 

If asked to pick out hardships from her forest keeper life of just over two months, she would have been troubled choosing from among countless memories, but today she could sweep away that conflict.

 

Today was the day. Today!

 

“Hey, forest keeper. When do the monsters come out?”

 

“Unless it’s near their habitat, monsters rarely show themselves during the day.”

 

It was the second day with her unwelcome guest.

 

Ponia put all her effort into drawing a perfect smile with both her eyes and mouth while dealing with the Prince, but the person in question was looking at the forest with boredom.

 

“Hmm.”

 

He treated his red hair like his own toy, wrapping it around his finger.

 

When she turned her head again, her expression had instantly soured.

 

‘If I could just hit his forehead once, I’d have no regrets.’

 

However, behind them, Guards were lined up in formation to protect the Prince, watching.

 

From early morning, the Prince had mobilized all this manpower, saying he wanted to take a walk.

 

On top of that, he had specifically ordered Ponia to stay by his side and explain everything about the forest.

 

‘Does he think a forest keeper is a tour guide? That brat really does whatever he wants.’

 

There was also a reassuring point. Gideon hadn’t accompanied them, claiming he wasn’t feeling well since the night before. Aren had come in his place, which was good news for Ponia.

 

I hope he’s seriously ill and returns to the Ducal House immediately. It would be nice if he struggled between life and death on the way.

 

‘But where did Chad go?’

 

Whether he was still with Sionel or not, she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him all day.

 

Just in case, she was looking into the deeper parts of the forest when Nicolaus boldly stepped onto a different path from the one she was guiding them on.

 

“At this rate, it’s no different from the walks I take in the Imperial Palace. I want to see something different.”

 

“Your Highness!”

 

At his sudden action, Ponia immediately followed after him.

 

“You must not take any path other than the designated route. If you do, we won’t know where monsters might appear and attack.”

 

“Isn’t handling even that part of the forest keeper’s job?”

 

‘No, it’s not!’

 

“First, we need to go back…”

 

Huff. Huffff.

 

An unpleasant breathing sound could be heard. It was a wet, loud sound that couldn’t possibly be human.

 

“Is it a monster?”

 

The Prince, who had been speaking so casually, soon lost his composure.

 

Small figures leaped down from the thick trees above and surrounded them.

 

They were goblins.

 

The goblins all charged toward us at once, and our broken formation became chaos.

 

Ponia, who was closest to the Prince, naturally had to protect him, but.

 

“Aaah! Get away!”

 

“Aah!”

 

She was pushed away first. He had shoved her forward as bait for the approaching monster.

 

There was yet another reason why the Empire’s Prince needed to be dethroned.

 

As she got to her feet among the Guards protecting the Prince, her gaze caught someone standing alone and isolated.

 

Though his noble status meant he should rightfully be protected as well, he had been pushed aside in favor of the Prince, who was the top priority.

 

Perhaps he had been momentarily forgotten due to his shabby appearance, which was unthinkable for a scion of a Ducal House.

 

There was a goblin some distance away from Aren Devonham.

 

He was in a dangerous position where he would soon be attacked, but if he ran toward where she was, he would be safe.

 

“…What are you doing?”

 

However, the Aren Devonham she watched took completely different action. No, it would be more accurate to say he took no action at all.

 

Aren simply closed his eyes.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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