Chapter 48 : At Best

After pouring water on his head and wiping it with a cloth, Leopoldo’s well-defined face is gradually revealed.

“..well, well, well, what a beautiful man we have here.”

When Zacharias saw Leopold’s true face, he couldn’t help but let out an exclamation.

“Your hair.. did you cut it yourself? What a waste. If only it had been done beautifully, he would have sold for a princely sum.”

“..”

Zacharias shrugged his shoulders at Leopold, who remained silent with a firm glare at him, and continued his speech.

“I think it’s time for you to give up and start talking. You’re lying about not being able to talk anyway, aren’t you? Tell me, who hired you?”

As he said this, Zacharias slowly grabbed Leopold’s hair and shook his head wildly.

The chains which were attached to both Leopold’s wrists clanked in reaction.

“..”

But Leopold still did not utter a word. No, he tried not to.

The effects of the voice-eliminating drug had already worn off.

..it’ll be fine.

Leopold told himself.

Perhaps the shadow guards are already moving.

Once he becomes a suspect himself, they will not be able to continue the undercover investigation any further.

If so, they should move at this point.

A good amount of evidence had already been passed to the outside world.

All that’s left is.. well, that thing. If we can get that thing.

Zacharias released Leopoldo’s hair, this time, he slapped his cheeks, and then kicked him in the stomach.

Leopold gritted his teeth and held on.

Even if his hands were chains, and he was forced to stand, he would not fall down no matter what was done to him.

..I’m okay. Almost there.

This place is heavily guarded, but I’m sure the shadow guards will be able to find him now that they are stretched thin.

So just bear with it a little longer.

I am sure that news has gone out to the Marquise of Reinalpha. They will come soon. I am sure they will come.

So, until then.

That’s right.

You should take care of the mess you’ve created.

That’s what you said, Rembrandt.

“..!”

He almost jumps out of his consciousness again after being doused with cold water from his head.

Drops of water fell from his hair.

Leopold shook his head lightly and brushed off the water.

“..”

Leopold was pleased to find that he was able to analyze the situation more calmly than he had expected, even at a time like this.

Rembrandt called me an idiot and a fool for a long time. But I guess that means I’ve gotten out of it a little bit.

I hope so, he thought, and the corners of his mouth almost turned up, which really seemed out of place, so he hurriedly tightened his facial expression.

To begin with, this situation was also caused by his failure to hide his facial expression.

It would have been meaningless if all the previous plans had failed because of it. If that happened, he would really end up being just a fool like Rembrandt said.

— “Good luck with that.”

The words spoken by Rembrandt when they parted came to his mind.

He was his childhood friend who treated him like a fool, but still took care of him to the very end.

For Leopoldo, Rembrandt was a bit of a nuisance, troublesome, scary, and headstrong opponent.

If you ask me if I like him or not, I like him, but I don’t really like being with him.

There is no envy or jealousy at all, but we just don’t get along with each other, like water and oil.

So I didn’t bother approaching further, and it was also the same for Rembrandt.

How about that?

Even though Beatrice asked him to do it, and it was Marquise Reinapha who was in trouble, Rembrandt reached out to him.

He provided information to the Marquis of Reinalpha, made arrangements for Leopoldo, and told him what to do and how to do it.

And yet, Leopoldo was caught in the middle of a mess in about two months, and now they have to deal with this.

— “Good luck with that.”

Keep your back to me.

But Rembrandt did say so.

Leopold bite his lip.

..of course, Rembrandt. I’ll do my best.

At least I can get these guys’ attention here.

Yeah, I’m a decoy, too.

“..you’re pretty stubborn. Do you like to get hurt so much?”

“..”

Leopoldo replied in his mind, “That can’t be true,” and glared at Zacharias.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

With a clunking sound, a man peeked out from behind the door, saying, “Excuse me.”

“Zacharias, this is Barthe. Theus wants me to see if that slave has confessed to anything.”

“..oh, Barthe. No, this guy’s still saying nothing.”

Zacharias turned around to answer Barthe and showed his back to Leopoldo.

..Barthe..!

Suddenly, the corner of Leopold’s mouth goes up.

Finally, they came. They came.

Leopoldo gripped the chains connected to his wrists with great force, and then, putting all his strength into his legs, he swung as hard as he could toward Zacharias.

At the same time, as he kicked Zacharias against the wall, Barthe subdued the two servants in the room with his hidden weapon.