Chapter 102

Chapter 102: Chapter 102

[ WARNING: Mentions of Violence. Read at your Discretion ]

If only I could erase from the roots these despairing memories...

But... Even if I could... Why is it that a part of me doesn’t want them to completely disappear?...

I don’t really... Think... They are useless. They are certainly painful and disheartening.

Even though my soul feels like it’s being crushed under his hands...

Heh... As if their weight was as heavy as a hundred tons... I feel myself going back to those days when I was only seventeen...

So young and naive... Thinking that people were nasty to some extent... Never thinking it could go to those extremes he took them. An evil human. One filled with desires to commit any violent sin he could devise...

Ah~ that guy was the devil himself... Hahaha..... I met the devil in my past life~

And now... I’m confronting one of his subordinates...

Only a low subordinate... So I will be fine...

I only have to... Be careful not to invoke more of his wicked nature... If I do... Everything will be...

’Fine... We will be fine...’

Opening my eyes to see the orange lighting from the candles in our bedroom, I regained my confidence.

There is no use staying in the dark... The light is much more fun as it shows new things besides little shadows... those that crowd the murky darkness...

’Oh~ that was a nice one~ maybe the Duke’s poetry is contagious~.... Hahah...

"..."

’Anne... He’s coming.’

If something enhances when I’m this slightly vulnerable... Is my instinct for danger.

The nervous turmoil in the flow of my blood... This halted kind of breathing... I know this feeling is the signal.

Marianne must be prepared. If she finds out too late... Her fright will jump and make our body weaker. I don’t need that. It won’t help me at all.

’I know you are afraid... But nothing bad will happen..... Nothing as bad as it could be. Trust me. I’ll handle it and... Protect you–’

Bang!

Not even a knock at the door this time... He’s certainly... Mad.

*******

Paul gave long strides in my direction. The noise of the banging door as he bursts it open and throws it to lock wouldn’t reach anyone.

He knew that at this time of the night... No one would hear in a castle as big as this was. Paige never stayed past this time at my door since Marianne never was a claimant Master... Paige would never be needed at these hours...

But, most likely... Marianne acted this way because Paul made her to...

Not even a second passed and he had jumped from the door to my side.

He didn’t speak at all and went right for it.

My hair... As he grabbed hold of it, clenching it so strongly that it felt more like he was clutching my scalp...

Even my crane felt hit by his fingers as he stabbed them on my head to lift me in the air.

My hand managed to hold onto his arm and as it did... I felt strands of our long hair brushing our side, falling to quickly meet the floor my feet couldn’t reach.

’D*mn it... Not our pretty hair, you dumba*s–!’

His other arm went for my throat and began to strangle it with an overwhelming force.

’Kuhghck! Uh– ck... D..on...’t..... mar–k..s...!’

He’s not controlling himself this time! If he leaves marks!!..... Marianne’s Father! He will notice!!!!

Mad at the troubles his excessive force might cause... I urged our body’s trembling hands to hold his. That one he had placed on my throat.

His skin felt disgustingly disfigured with the strained veins covering them.

It felt horrible to the touch.

His hand was burning but... Covered in a cold sweat its texture was one that brought goosebumps all over my body.

Although the mere idea to be touching him on my own accord was already... terribly... Nauseating... My endeavour helped.

His eyes widened and the pupils dilated chaotically, shaken by the unexpected intervention.

The golden eyes flickered for a moment.

I was attentive at any sign of his lost consciousness surfacing again that he could demonstrate.

If I could make him conscious... That would lessen his desire to follow his violent psychopathic instincts...

"....."

Thanks to the little and weak brush of my shivering fingers, he spoke for the first time... With a horribly... Wretched hoarse voice... Filled with rage, confusion... Longing... Maybe even pain was mixed in the sounds that must have ripped his throat as they crawled out of it.

".... M–arianne.... Why... My.. M..... My side..... Why won’t you stay by my side....."

Slowly as he spoke, Paul brought my body closer to his, lowering the height between my feet and the floor.

Almost as if he was cuddling in my neck... The man said the last sentence burying his face under my ear, trying his best to sound affectionate even with the clear fury his hand on my hair displayed as it clenched tighter, cutting more of my hair with its hold as his forehead rubbed against my jaw.

’F***... He’s... He’s too shaken..... I... Cough... Have to be careful...’

"....."

"..... Marianne... Your skin..... Is cold." — He said, grasping hold of my face with the hand once on my neck as he stroked with force my cheeks... Stretching them in apparent desperation.

"Why?"

’... You really don’t know?’

"..." — He stayed silent, staring with fully open eyes at mine for a moment as I answered in my mind, and then... He came closer again. — "Yet... Your scent.... Is so warm... Marianne..Marian.ne. Mar...ianne!!!"

His nails were stabbing my crane as he roughly jostled me, screaming our name with fury, shoving his face into mine, not letting me lose sight of his blurred eyes overflowing with resentment.

"Marianne!!! Ckkkh..... To that man... Why go to that MAN!!!"

As easy as it is to throw a mere pencil... He threw me on the hard floor. And to my disgrace, my lower body received the impact, sending a painful stab from the place it battered to the deepest of my tum.

A painful strike of burning electricity, one that could make me faint from its destructive force pierced me.

If I could scream because of the pain... I would.

Even letting my pride aside, I would cry out how much it hurts to the responsible for this pain, and let him win this time for how overwhelming it is.

’Uckh! Guhhhhgk!!! F– Hng!!!!.... Kh...’ — My inner self was at least able to let out the painful groans I couldn’t let out from my mouth. — ’F*****g beast! I... Hng..... I’m so happy... You can’t see this pain I feel.....’

My eyes felt tearing up, but taking advantage of our disability, I forced them to stay and not leave my eyes. This much help our body was giving me to grip on the reins of my pride... The pride that was crucial for me to stay strong to endure anything...

I appreciate it greatly.

Because..... If I show my weakness once..... It’s all over.

He will become worse. And..... He will never go back to his current... "misericordia".

’Thankfully... Hah... I won’t have misericordia Paul.’ — I told him in my head lifting my pulsing head to watch him approach in one stride to me.

His foot made the floor resonate and sent a tremor through my body that barely could keep itself seated on it.

"With that man, Marianne!! Why with that man!? Huh?! Tell me!!" — Grabbing the hair above my forehead, Paul forced my head to tilt to look at him. Taking my left elbow, seemingly pulling me to stand up, he shouted with a clearer voice.

’You fuc*** I would even go for a girl!!!! D*mn it!!! Don’t f*** with me!! You detrimental loser!!! I would even go if it were a freaking titan only to get Marianne away from you dip***t!!!’

It’s such a good thing he won’t listen to these thoughts... And also a shame...

But... It was his next unexpected actions that made it clear...

He had gone from violence..... To delusional and.... This delusion... whether it’s good for me right now or not... I’m not sure.

Maybe..... It would be better if he continued to hit me... Because now...

"... Ah..... My little sister, I know.... I know... You were forced, right?..." — He said.

Paul must have tricked himself with help of his unstable mind. If not... Why taint my forehead with his gross lips? Why... Trace all of my temples to my cheeks with those disgusting pair of flesh he has for a mouth?

’Just hit me..... Bloody Pervert...’ — I thought, disgusted at how revolting the graze felt... As if insects had been put under my skin..... The traces where his face touched felt sickeningly itchy.

"It is alright..... Oh lovely... Oh, my lovely Marianne... Fuuu... Marianne... You must be strong..."

’... What the f*** is he saying now...?’

"I will miss you so much....." — Paul said in great sorrow. Inhaling with some kind of bliss my scent... To then kiss my eye, pressing strongly, to the point of sending a twinge to my crushed eyeball.

And lastly... Wrapping an arm around my back, he hugged me as if he were a kid hugging a teddy bear with innocent delight... And said in a hushed cheery voice.

"Don’t worry... I will make it... So this won’t happen again."

Slowly, he separated from the hug to look me in the eye once again. This time, a beaming smile was on his previously deformed expression.

I held his gaze with the same firmness I’ve been doing it until now... Not even trying to interpret what his words meant, I continued to look him directly in the eye.

"..."

After a dreadful silence, he took my chin with care and lifted it to say...

"... I adore you, Sister..."

... In a breathless sigh, sealing it with a kiss on my stiff chin.