I’m Hunting My Enemy - Chapter 77

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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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77. Catastrophe (1)

“Catsy!”

Crash!

As soon as Ryuie’s command fell, the prayer hall door burst open violently again.

There stood maids holding guns and Catsy commanding them.

“If you don’t want to get hurt, everyone step back.”

“Duke’s daughter!”

“That dangerous thing!”

Catsy skillfully divided the maids into two groups.

Their target wasn’t just Glem.

Since all the nobles beside Glem were also targets for gunfire, they erupted in collective fury.

“Do you think you can be forgiven for doing such things!”

“Even for a ducal house, to threaten other nobles so barbarously!”

“Even toward His Highness the Crown Prince!”

“If you follow the young lady’s orders, you won’t be shot.”

“I’ll give you time to count to three.”

Catsy and Ryuie spoke matter-of-factly.

Glem still didn’t move an inch.

“Three.”

“…I understand.”

“Two.”

“I can no longer seek forgiveness now.”

“One.”

“But I will still protect you.”

Glem’s gaze passed indifferently over the maids with fingers on triggers, regaining its original brilliance.

“Reclaim Yosua’s body.”

“!”

“This is an order as Crown Prince!”

“Your Highness!”

While the panicked nobles cried out, Glem leaped up the stairs, and Ryuie raised the sword she had put down.

‘To protect you, I must point my sword at you.’

Though feeling sadness toward Ryuie who took an attacking stance without a moment’s hesitation, Glem had no choice but to raise his sword upward as well.

Clang!

A fierce charge collided, and the sound of exploding ammunition began to fill the prayer hall.

As if sensing death, old memories enveloped them like a revolving lantern.

* * *

In the Imperial Greenhouse, they raised not only plants but also birds.

Under glass windows where drowsily warm sunlight poured down, birds of various colors freely moved between perches and branches.

It was a scene softer and more vibrant than flowers.

When he slightly curved his finger, the bird’s toes that perched on it touched. Young Yosua smiled softly.

“Are you all ready to go?”

“Yes, Mother.”

The Crown Prince in neat attire had an impeccable and outstanding appearance.

The dignity felt even at just ten years old, his gentle eyes always gave the Empress infinite satisfaction.

“I didn’t expect you to say you’d go to the ducal house yourself.”

“There’s nothing better than meeting someone in person to clear up misunderstandings about someone you’ve never even met.”

News of a minor misunderstanding at the Duke of Greatone’s house mostly just induced smiles.

No one had even pursued marriage yet, but Ryuie had turned the entire household upside down, asking who decided her future on their own.

The Duke of Greatone’s answer to why half his eyebrow had disappeared was quite a sight.

Ryuie had climbed onto the Duke’s shoulders and shook his head around, causing the swaying Duke to burn off all his eyebrows in a candle flame.

Even though it was the middle of a meeting, everyone burst into boisterous laughter.

Since even the priests’ prayers couldn’t cure baldness, they’d have to quickly create magic for growing hair.

Even after hearing all those stories, Yosua, who had been standing maturely, showed just a hint of petulance only in front of the Empress.

“Besides, I’m honestly curious since she dislikes me so much.”

“Ahaha!”

The Empress laughed and lifted Yosua up.

“Don’t worry needlessly, Yosua. It must be because she hasn’t met you yet. Once she meets you, anyone will surely come to love you.”

“…That would be troublesome too. I’m going to clear up the misunderstanding that it wasn’t an engagement.”

“Right. Then you really should learn how to refuse politely too. If you end up disliking the Duke’s daughter.”

Yosua was only shy at those words, secretly believing all misunderstandings could be smoothly resolved.

Little did he know he would create even more misunderstandings and even face punishment.

“Ah! It hurts!”

“You! I’ll tear it all out!”

Feeling tightly clenched fists pulling at his scalp, Yosua had to scream for the first time in his life.

* * *

Yosua, who visited the Duke of Greatone’s house, received gracious treatment.

Yosua, who had worried there might be a hostile atmosphere, was relieved.

Rather, he felt the Duke was being overly considerate of him.

“Is there anything uncomfortable?”

“Not at all. It’s very comfortable.”

“Ryuie will come soon. She needs a little time to prepare.”

The Duke of Greatone anxiously opened his pocket watch, looked outside the room, and acted busily.

‘It’s fine to wait long.’

Yosua thought so inwardly.

But the Duke seemed to feel it became rude as time went on, showing impatience.

“If it’s alright with you, may I excuse myself briefly? It would be faster to bring her directly.”

“Yes. By all means.”

The Duke left the room with footsteps that barely restrained running.

Yosua looked around the drawing room. Then he realized that although the furniture and decorations were well hidden, most were slightly broken.

Was there some fairy in the Duke’s house that broke things?

Creak.

Hearing the sound of a door opening, Yosua turned his head.

He thought the Duke had returned, but instead.

A girl with bright, clear eyes was staring at him so directly it made one uncomfortable.

‘Six… seven years old?’

She was a very short, young girl like a fairy. No, her features were too perfectly formed to call her a girl.

The girl’s beauty was violent enough to force one’s thoughts into a single direction.

‘Beautiful.’

An expression that revealed arrogance, not allowing any other thoughts.

It seemed like not even dust would settle on the girl’s face no matter how much time passed.

The girl’s resolute sense of distance suddenly reminded Yosua of a bird.

Even in the Imperial Greenhouse where all birds came and went, there was one precious bird that would never be tamed by human hands.

The tip of its sleek, glossy jet-black wings was bright red just like the girl’s pupils, and they said it would never have its wings clipped. So it could fly away anytime.

‘What if it never comes back for life?’

‘If you want someone to stay by your side, you shouldn’t change them but make yourself into a place they want to return to.’

A question asked in the past suddenly came back to life.

Along with impatience.

The girl approached Yosua as if reading his thoughts. A little too close.

“!”

Yosua’s eyes widened at the nose tip coming right up to his face.

‘Could this possibly be a kiss…?’

The girl who had firmly grabbed both of Yosua’s cheeks stared intently at his face.

Thanks to this, Yosua’s voice cracked slightly as his face nearly turned red in the shape of handprints.

“…Yeongae?”

“Pretty.”

“What?”

“Why are you so pretty.”

Her tone was as if she were examining a jewel rather than a person. At this close distance where even the iris was visible, he could see everything, including the light swirling and shining around her pupils.

Feeling like he was the only one getting anxious and breathless at this distance, Yosua turned his head away.

“No matter how young you are, this is rude behavior.”

“?”

At his lecturing tone, the girl’s eyes suddenly changed.

“What did you just say?”

“Too close, ow.”

Squeeze.

As strength entered Ryuie’s fingers, Yosua’s lips automatically puckered out and he panicked.

Just as he was wondering whether he should straighten his bent knees, the Duke who had left the room returned and immediately exclaimed.

“Ryuie! What are you doing again!”

“…You’re Ryuie Yeongae? Not Yeongae’s younger sister?”

Yosua’s eyes widened as well, opposite to Ryuie who was becoming fierce.

“I’m an only child!”

At that moment, Yosua’s hair stretched like it was greeting the morning sun and charged forward.

Like a horse that Ryuie had grabbed by the reins.

“Ouch!”

“Are you looking down on me because I’m short?!”

“I never said that! It hurts!”

“You brat who’ll ruin this family! Let go right now!”

“Who gave you permission to steal my age from our first meeting! My haaair!”

“Aaaaah!”

Ryuie’s attack, putting her foot on his shoulder and pulling with all her might, felt like dozens of birds plucking his hair.

‘I take back what I said about resembling a bird!’

There was no need to resemble one this much!

It took a full 10 minutes for Yosua, who had even secretly shed a few tears, to be freed from the hissing Ryuie.

The neat outfit he had prepared early in the morning had become a good comparison to rags.

“Truly, truly sorry, Your Highness. I have no words to offer.”

The Duke, who was restraining his daughter by practically pinning her down with his body, had been headbutted in the chin about three times.

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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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