I Just Wanted Revenge, But Everyone Loves Me - Chapter 79

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 79
‘I wonder if he’ll be all right.’
He said he’d handle it well.
After finding the evidence in the Underground, Hyacinth and I moved to somewhere safe.
The Rooftop, of all places!
I thought I’d be frightened by the height, but it turned out not to be so bad at all.
If anything, I rather liked the sweeping view.
In any case, I waited for the three of them with an anxious heart.
But unlike me, Hyacinth seemed utterly carefree.
“At last I can rest easy today. Though starting tomorrow, the work will be endless.”
“Work?”
“Ducal House business. Now that the false accusation has been cleared, I’ll start with the backlog and then all the new matters piling up will be simply…… dreadfully numerous.”
For just a moment, I caught sight of transparent liquid in Hyacinth’s eyes.
“Sometimes I think I should run away with you right now—.”
“You’ll have me!”
“That’s true. So I’ve decided to stay. Do the work, and see something cute too.”
Even so, Hyacinth laughed softly, confident that she could work more joyfully than before.
“So we’ll be living in the Capital now?”
“That’s right. For the time being, we’ll probably stay in the Capital for good, if only to keep the Imperial Court in check. And truthfully, one reason Bancadium was so easily defeated was his long years of Seclusion.”
Bancadium, who had cut himself off from people for so long. In contrast, the Emperor, whose sociable nature drew the nobles into his circle.
Of course it was the latter who found it easy to control the mood and take the lead.
By the time any response came, the nobles already believed Bancadium had murdered the Crown Prince.
And because it was such a well-trusted person, even crude evidence was accepted without question.
I nodded in understanding, and Hyacinth grinned.
“Next time, want to go out and have some fun with me? There’s tons to do in the Capital.”
“I don’t think the Duke and you will give us permission…….”
Shouldn’t I try to convince those two first, rather than worry about myself?
“After today, they’ll trust me absolutely. I’ve protected you so splendidly, after all.”
“You did blow up a building.”
“That wasn’t—”
“And you just knocked people—”
“Knocked them out, not killed them!”
Hyacinth’s voice turned sharp with sudden protest.
“We’ve been working together this whole time, haven’t we? When you put your life on the line like this and rely on each other—that makes us Comrades-in-Arms.”
“Mm……”
Is that so?
Come to think of it, earlier too—Hyacinth had blocked things perfectly and given us a way to escape, which is why I’m safe now.
“Now that you mention it, I suppose that’s true……”
“It certainly is.”
“?!”
I ducked my head reflexively.
A single figure standing beneath the Rooftop. It was the Duke, who had just emerged from the palace, looking straight up at us!
“Your Grace!”
Hearing his voice, Hyacinth threw herself down from the roof as well.
At the dizzy height, I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment, then opened them—
“You’ll kick up dust.”
Though I’d only been apart from him for a few hours, that beloved face was right before me.
‘Thank goodness.’
He really wasn’t hurt.
The Duke approached with measured steps, perfectly unscathed, putting all my worry to shame.
“You’ve been through a great deal, Your Grace. Is everything settled now?”
“For the most part, yes.”
“Where are Miss Hyacinth and the servant?”
“Gone to fetch a carriage. The one we came in must be destroyed by now. The Emperor sent a new one, apparently.”
“Ugh. I doubt it’ll be safe to ride in. We might die before we even get anywhere.”
Hyacinth grimaced and turned away. In the meantime, the Duke turned his gaze toward me.
“You must have had your hands full watching me cause all that trouble.”
“Trouble, my lord? It was an unavoidable choice to protect the child.”
“Yes, you did send that building to the heavens quite prettily.”
Hyacinth let out a deliberate cough.
“Surely the Emperor didn’t demand repair costs?”
“If he had, I’d have questioned his conscience.”
“Whew.”
Hyacinth pressed a hand to her chest.
Listening to the two of them talk, I fidgeted with my hands nervously.
“I’m just grateful you weren’t hurt, and that you came back safely. Truly.”
“She was very worried about you, Your Grace. She kept fretting about what might happen to you and Miss Hyacinth.”
“Th-that is—!”
No, why would you say that?
If he finds it burdensome……!
I scrambled to speak, opening and closing my mouth.
But before I could make any excuse—
“…… Needless worry.”
The Duke murmured quietly.
‘Does he think it’s a bit annoying?’
He might well think the worry was excessive, even uncalled for.
‘But I really was worried……’
My shoulders sagged dejectedly. Just then, two large hands appeared before my eyes.
Startled, I lifted my head, and the Duke let out a soft cough.
“Come here.”
“…… Me?”
“Then who else—that idiot?”
“I don’t want to either.”
Hyacinth shuddered openly. The Duke brushed this aside.
“You said you were worried.”
“!”
“Come and check for yourself that I’m all right.”
“No, just come if you want to see me—that’s how you should put it. Why make it so—wait, no!”
In that instant, the arm holding me suddenly loosened.
At the same time, the Duke swiftly caught me as I nearly fell, then laughed darkly.
Shocked by the sudden turn of events, I looked toward Hyacinth, who was gripping my one leg.
“Are you—are you all right, sir?”
“No! I’m not all right!”
Hyacinth did her best to emphasize her pain, looking up at the Duke with an expression of grievance.
“How can you use physical violence like this!”
“You should have kept your unnecessary remarks to yourself.”
The Duke shot back smoothly and adjusted his hold on me. While Hyacinth whimpered, the Duke met my eyes.
“This way I can see better. Whether you’re all right or not.”
That’s—that is true, but……
‘I never expected him to prove it like this.’
Still, having seized the opportunity—
I examined the Duke’s face carefully, looking this way and that. Just as he’d claimed, fortunately there didn’t seem to be a single injury anywhere.
“You’re certainly thorough about it.”
“Because you told me to look.”
“Well, I suppose I did.”
Hearing my answer, the Duke laughed softly.
It wasn’t mockery, exactly. His eyes held something slightly exasperated. Just then, Hyacinth—having barely managed to contain her pain—spoke to me.
“You’re really brave. I think you’re probably the only person in the world who can survive looking at the Duke’s face like that…… ow!”
“Oh no……”
Goodness.
I looked at Hyacinth, who had collapsed again, with concern.
“Then shall we head straight to the Capital Residence?”
“Yes.”
“But—”
Doesn’t that require some preparation time? Since we haven’t been there in a while, we might need to clean.
“Use that one for it.”
“Ah, I see.”
And here you were looking forward to resting today.
I looked at Hyacinth again, who was swallowing back tears, with renewed sympathy.
“So now we’ll head back……”
“Duke Bancadium?”
“!”
My body reacted to that familiar voice with a tremor—not one of surprise, but of fear. In an instant, my whole frame went rigid, hidden away inside the robe.
Step by step.
The sound of approaching footsteps rang unnaturally loud.
“It has been a long time, Your Grace!”
The presence stopped right before me. My instinctively withdrawn body trembled as though emerging from icy water.
“As with years ago, I saw you briefly in the Banquet Hall earlier……”
“And you are?”
“Franklin Amelot, Your Grace.”
Franklin Amelot.
As I turned the name over in my mind, my lips pressed tight. That smooth voice, and the name Amelot.
‘It’s him.’
The man who tormented me to the very end. My father.

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