Chapter 190

"Y-Your Highness the Crown Prince, what brings you to such a humble place!"

"I'm familiar with this humble scene since I've seen it once before."

Yurik, who had been surveying the courtyard where weeds still grew through cracks in broken stones and charred marks remained, confirmed there was no danger and removed the cloak he had been wearing.

As the drab-colored cloth fell away, platinum hair that shone in the cold winter sunlight and intelligent ruby eyes appeared brilliantly.

Arndt was bowing his head as if he dared not raise it, but inside he was boiling with rage.

The demon who had driven the Hartmann family to treason charges and sent those who claimed innocence to the execution block,

The very person who had driven Arenheit to madness.

If he could have his way, he wanted to take a bundle of sturdy apple wood switches and beat this bastard's back and legs indiscriminately, then pour a bucket of hot water on him to drive him away.

But if he did that, there would likely be bloodshed at Hartmann for secondary treason charges.

Of course, he would be the victim of that bloodshed.

"Coming without notice like this has caused Hartmann to unintentionally commit rudeness."

"When you put it that way, I can hardly continue to find fault. Where is Sir Leandros?"

"Well, that is..."

Arndt squeezed his eyes shut.

Should he say this or not? But it was too shameful to say, and if he didn't say it, it would amount to defying the Crown Prince's command.

Yurik pressed the conflicted Arndt again.

"Sir?"

"He's temporarily gone hunting in this area..."

"Hunting? Sir Leandros? It sounds like you're saying he's enjoying some hunting."

"He's not enjoying it like the nobles of the capital who participate in Schützenfest, Your Highness."

"Then?"

"...He's trying to procure daily sustenance for the castle's household."

Arndt felt he had received all the shame he would experience in his lifetime at this moment.

To confess before none other than the person who had brought down the Hartmann ducal family that the family's knight had to hunt to survive - such disgrace.

Watching Arndt's neck and forehead turn red, Yurik said lightly.

"Good. Where is the Duke?"

"He is inside, but his condition is not very good. He's awake for only a few minutes each day."

It was a lie. Arenheit slept for 10 minutes a day and was awake for the rest of the time.

"Then go wake him now. A very important guest has arrived."

"I'm worried that our master might make a slip of the tongue to Your Highness with his confused mind."

"I'll overlook any nonsense up to ten times. Generous, isn't it? Tell him I've come."

"Small sun of the kingdom, though I dare to presumptuously offer counsel."

"You know your behavior is overstepping, don't you? If you didn't know, I would have nearly separated that head from your body."

"Your Highness!"

Arndt prostrated himself flat on the spot.

The sight of pressing his head to the ground might look ugly, but even so, he couldn't let the Duke and Crown Prince meet.

How could he buy even a little time? If he brought Crown Prince Yurik before the already unstable Arenheit, he would surely have a seizure.

If that happened, he didn't know what kind of influence Crown Prince Yurik might try to exert on the ducal family under the pretext of Arenheit's mental instability.

He might try to completely erase the ducal family from the map, or conversely, he might put Arenheit in debt to prevent him from defying the royal family.

Even Arndt couldn't predict what kind of scheme might form in Yurik's mind.

Therefore, all he could do right now was dirty his clothes and bow his head like this.

But Yurik only cast a cold gaze down at the prostrated Arndt.

"Guide me, I said. Am I in a position to squabble with a mere servant outside? If I had known this would happen, I should have brought my direct knight order."

Bringing the direct knight order to do what more! Cold sweat ran down Arndt's back at the Crown Prince's words.

If only Sir Leandros were here, he could have maneuvered the Duke away.

It was when Arndt could neither do this nor that and was just kneeling on the ground with his head pressed down.

"I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince. I am overwhelmed that you have personally graced this humble place with your steps."

The footsteps had barely been audible, but the owner of the young, thin voice was already standing before Arndt.

Arndt unconsciously raised his head and opened his mouth slightly.

Duke Arenheit Hartmann, the person he served, was standing before Yurik and Arndt.

He wasn't in his usual state of madness, rampaging like a wild colt. Rather, he was calm, with a subdued and cold attitude.

At a glance, one might believe he was in his right mind.

...But why had he come outside wrapped in a blanket like a cloak?

* * *

It had been a mistake to enter the courtyard lost in thought about how to spend another day without any particular plan.

He really needed to stop these impulsive actions.

Otherwise, he might encounter Yurik, which he had completely forgotten was possible in this horror story.

"Unfortunately, the castle's restoration is delayed. This is the only place where water leaks less. Please forgive us."

"It seems water is already pooling on the floor."

"It's a place where it leaks less. Not a place where it doesn't leak at all."

The reception room was utterly shabby. Last time there had been money, so Arndt would have somehow managed repairs, but now the circumstances were completely different.

When he pushed the chair with broken legs toward Yurik, Yurik seemed reluctant and remained standing.

Would he perhaps not sit?

Watching this, when he pulled the chair back and sat down himself, Yurik looked over his appearance with an incredulous gaze.

"Wasn't that the chair I was supposed to sit in?"

"But you didn't seem to be sitting. Since I'm not in good health, I can't remain standing even for a moment. Please be understanding."

"I heard the Duke was unwell, so that was true."

"Why do you pretend not to know when you know everything? Don't you also know that I'm not in my right mind?"

Yurik only smiled.

But he already knew the meaning of that smile.

Of course Yurik knew about his condition. He had probably been watching the ducal family continuously since 'Arenheit' received the ducal title and left the royal palace.

Why hadn't he noticed this fact earlier? He could have known if he had paid a little attention.

Well, even if he had, he wouldn't have been able to avoid Yurik's surveillance anyway.

"I heard the Duke was suffering from madness and came because I was worried. Is there a reason you're wrapped in a blanket? Is it intentional?"

"Because I'm cold."

"I heard you ran around the estate singing strange songs."

"I was just exercising. But did the people Your Highness posted for surveillance say they heard my singing?"

At that time, there seemed to be no one around, so he had sung a little on impulse.

What did the watchers who heard Alex Hepburn's 'Pain is' think? They probably thought he had really gone mad. Well, it might not matter.

"You have many wounds on your feet too."

"There was simply no medicine."

"Surely you're not without shoes either."

"I don't have shoes either. I think there were some, but the servant hid them telling me not to go outside. I've been walking barefoot since then."

Looking at the broken nails and scratched feet, Yurik asked.

"Is it intentional? Did you think I would stop surveillance of you if you pretended to be mad?"

"How could that be? Your Highness, there's one problem I've been thinking about and pondering all this time."

"What's that?"

"That people don't change. As an example, Your Highness came all the way here personally. To confirm whether I've gone mad or not, whether I'm pretending. Why did you bother to make this heavy journey? It's because Your Highness wants Sir Leandros of our family."

"It seems you picked up something from the former Duchess."

"No, my mother... didn't tell me anything. Even if she had, I don't think anything would have changed."

Those words were sincere.

Whatever the former Duchess had told 'Arenheit,' this body was now occupied by him.

Unable to die, unable to live.

He leaned back against the chair, out of breath, and asked.

"Will Your Highness take him away?"

"Did you give Sir Leandros an order to kill me if an opportunity arose?"

"Please stop that damned suspicion. Do you know how much Your Highness has kept me in check? I'm sick of it now."

Yurik, who had never properly met Arenheit before, frowned as if confused.

"You are..."

"Tired."

"Of what exactly?"

"Everything. But don't misunderstand. That Your Highness smashed our family to pieces, that you're surveilling me like this, that you came all this way from the distant capital just to tear Arenheit's mind to shreds with a few words - it's all fine. I'm not angry anymore. It's in the past."

What he felt in this worldline was despair and terrible fatigue. He wanted to sleep but couldn't, which felt like it would drive him mad. That was all.

After Leandros made him drink something like bitter water, it got a bit better because he could lie there blankly without any thoughts even while awake.

Still, his desire to rest was desperate.

"Take him if you want. If he agrees, you can even take the servant who knelt before Your Highness earlier. But that won't happen. Because they have me."

"Do you dare mock me?"

"That's exactly why Your Highness only thinks of killing me. You need Sir Leandros. For Your Highness's... grand purpose."

This was the first time he had seen Yurik freeze so rigidly.

Like a child whose carefully hidden shame had been discovered, he hardened his expression frighteningly and glared at him.

The gaze made him feel like sneezing, so he wrapped the blanket more tightly.

"Or do you still need Hartmann blood?"

"Who are you? Just who is wearing that body?"

"Hahaha."

Indeed. Who was he exactly?

He had already told him the answer many times, and Yurik had also speculated while killing him multiple times.

But the current Yurik had far less information than what he had obtained, yet was struggling to guess his identity from within that limited knowledge.

He suddenly thought this was exactly what regression was.

The memories of everyone except him disappeared, and he had to watch the memories they had built together become sand castles - that was what it meant to be a regressor.

At the dry laughter, Yurik's complexion visibly darkened.

Even when he silently drew the sword at his side, he sat still.

There was no need to run. Since he had built nothing, even if he regressed from this round, he would just return to the starting point.

So he wasn't afraid either.

From Yurik's perspective, it would be wise to kill someone who knew too much in advance.

Understanding this well, even when Yurik approached with large strides, he just watched the sword aimed at him without much thought.

When Yurik's shadow fell over him and his sword was raised high.

The reception room door was blown away entirely, and a black cloak instantly wrapped around him and carried him far away.

All he could do was sniffle at the violently heaving chest from running urgently, the arms holding his already aching body tightly as if to break it, and the body heat that had suddenly approached.

Leandros growled.

"Have you finally lost your mind completely, Your Highness the Crown Prince?"