Chapter 22: A stupid decision to certain death

Running breathless, I didn't know where I was heading, but I knew I would be risking my life this time. I didn't have any strength to confront the strongest man in the Empire, yet my legs didn't show any sign of stopping.

Whatever would be coming next, I was sure that I wouldn't be returning in one piece if I lived.

(Flashback)

I was performing my duty by setting up Anastasia's room when I started feeling something odd. It was cold and something I should look for. It was the same feeling when Anastasia was in danger, but it was different this time.

Just as I was about to step outside, Lady Alexi, Anastasia's mommy, entered the room.

I was about to greet her formally when I saw a sense of tension on her face.

"Ivan…!"

"Lady Alexi, please calm down and take a breath," I called her named and walked toward her to see her status.

"No…time… Please go and… look for Anastasia…."

"…on it."

I nodded and left the room. There was something wrong with villainess. I didn't think twice before leaving for her.

(Flashback ends)

[Vivi: Ivan, I don't know what you are thinking right now, but you need to stop. You will die this time!]

It was then I saw Vivi's message.

"Shut the hell up and tell me the correct way to go to the basement!" I came to a halt as I didn't know where to go. I was following my gut feeling to find Anastasia

[Vivi: Hello?! I am not a guide. I can only answer the probability of your 'What If' questions only.]

"Then tell me what the chances of Anastasia being in the basement dungeon are."

[Vivi: Your chances of finding Anastasia is 96% in the underground basement dungeon of this castle.]

"…And what are the possibilities of me dying there."

[Vivi: 98%. If you survive here, I will doubt if someone in the dark is supporting your fate. Well, good luck with not dying.]

"…"

I didn't have words.

My destination was the underground dungeon where prisoners or criminals of the Duke were kept. It was situated 10 meters away from the main castle.

As I ran, the darkness grew further, and I came to a halt when I detected several life forms in front of me.

It was a spacious place for executing people as many types of equipment for execution like iron maiden and guillotine were present, but that wasn't important.

My main concern was the people. I saw Anastasia standing in the middle of the room, but with what she was holding in her hand and what her eyes were showing, I almost forgot to breathe when I saw it.

She was holding a short sharp sword and her point of rage was a family of three in baggy clothes, a man, a woman, and a six-year-old girl.

'No, I can't let this happen.' I gritted my teeth and ran towards her.

"Milady!!!" I screamed with all my might, attracting the attention of everyone.

Including Anastasia and the family of three people, the Duke of Flareottems and Shin and Kasumi were also present.

"Ivan?" Anastasia turned her head and looked at me. I now could see how enraged she was as I could understand where that was going.

"Milad-"

"No, you don't, little champ."

I was about to run towards Anastasia when Shin came forward and blocked my way.

However, I didn't stop there.

"Milady! Please stop what you are doing?! You are making a grief mistake!"

"Ivan…." She muttered in lost thoughts, but then, after looking at Duke, she shook her head and spoke, "Ivan, you have no idea what is going on, so leave this instant. You are not needed here. "

"He is the coachman who betrayed you, right?"

"…!" Her surprised expression answered me.

"Milady, I know you are angry, but you need to understand. They were being used. Please think!"

As I was speaking, Duke gestured at Shin, who released me. I didn't even look at Duke and walked towards the silver-haired girl.

"Milady, we both know that the real criminals are someone else. Your real enemies just used them. You will…"

"Enough, Ivanov. You are crossing your boundaries!" As I was speaking, Anastasia interrupted me. She continued, "I didn't challenge your decision not to kill those assassins since I wasn't in any position to oppose your decisions, but they are different! They tried to be nice to me but then betrayed me! Do you know how horrified I was?!"

I didn't have words to answer. We were promised to be proud US soldiers, but then we became a bunch of murderers for power-hungry politicians and weapon dealers. How could I tell Anastasia I had seen far worse betrayals in my previous life?

"I am not asking to spare them unpunished, but it is not the time to kill people. You have to understand the cost of blood and know your true enemy. Remember, your enemies will keep using these people if all you do is kill them instead of your true enemies. Please, Milady, you have to understand."

"I…I…" It was then she turned her head down and lowered her blade.

Sigh* Thank goodness she understood.

But for just a second, I forgot that there was one last boss in the room.

"Anastasia."

!!!

A cold and robust voice called Anastasia, freezing her in her position. Her arms began to shake, and her eyes twitched with fear.

Even I was shaken, but not like Anastasia.

It was Duke Tsar who spoke after being silent for the whole time.

"Kill them now. You are wasting everyone's time." Duke said to Anastasia and didn't even bother to look at me.

She turned her eyes towards me, but I shook my head, pleading for her to stop.

Only I knew how cruel she would become in the future and become a true villainess. She hadn't spilled any blood yet, so I could still save her.

She took some long breaths before speaking with her head still lower, "F-father…. I-I think we should listen… to Ivan… we…."

"Are you defying my orders?"

"N-no…! I…"

"Very well," Duke said and looked at me with his usual cold eyes that could petrify any average person.

However, I was different. I was a veteran soldier in my previous life, so I was used to facing such an intimidating aura from my superior.

"Give the blade to this brat. Let's see what kind of judgment his righteousness would pass."

Anastasia was still frozen, but she nodded and handed me the blade after seeing my calm smile. If I began to show my fear, she would hesitate more.

I then walked toward the coachman and his family. He had a motionless face, someone who had given up on his life. His wife was still sane but shaking with fear while keeping her daughter in her embrace. The little girl was also frightened and couldn't utter a word.

However, their fear wasn't of any use. I have to pass a judgment, and Flareottems' punishment is just death.

I raised my sword to behead the man. The coachman didn't even flinch when he was on the verge of losing his head.

However, when I was about to cut his head, my hands started to shake. My breathing also turned fast, and I started hallucinating again.

Several people started to appear in front of me, right around the coachman. Children, women, men, elderly were all the people I had killed. They had multiple open wounds on their bodies.

Their hollow eyes froze me to my position, and they kept staring at me as if asking me to take another life and become a murderer.

'No…'

They were the people I killed. I used to see them all the time in my previous life, but I had never expected to see them here. I didn't see them when I was about to kill the dark knight or when I confronted assassins. My trauma wasn't healed yet.

"Ivan…"

I was brought to reality when Anastasia called me with concern behind me.

I sighed and shook my head. After that, they all disappeared.

"I will ask some questions, and you need to answer correctly."

The coachman turned his head up and looked at me. He then nodded.

I started to ask him some questions to figure out who was behind the assassination. As I expected, he didn't know anything. He was just the decoy being played by those assassins.

It turned out that he was stupid. When Anastasia came to his house, she was accompanied by strong knights. If he had asked those knights' help, he could have avoided betraying Anastasia and Duke Tsar.

The assassins promised to keep their family safe and handed a big chunk of money to move out of the Flareottems. However, he refused the money and instead decided to flee from Flareottems with his wife and daughter.

I wanted to punch them for his sheer stupidity, but what's done is done. There was nothing I could do there. Instead, I was able to find the employer of those assassins from the description coachman gave me and the information about the game.

Lastly, I asked if they were willing to sacrifice themselves and spare their daughter, to which both of them agreed.

I then walked towards Duke and kneeled, "Milord, for their punishment, please spare their daughter. As for those assassins, they were employed by Marquess Sailcoat. I believe that…."

Crack!

Before I could speak any more, something hard hit me. I didn't even have time to see what caused me until I flew meters away and crashed into the wall.

I then slowly fell to the floor like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

My eyes kept twitching, but my body refused to respond.

[Normal Damage taken: -25 HP]

[You are bleeding: -1]

[Internal injuries damage: -1]

[HP: 6/34, MP: 18/18]

[You are paralyzed due to critical damage to your bones.]

Several red notifications kept popping out, but I still didn't know what hit me. No, I already knew who the assailant was.

"Ivanov Grayravens. Your new name wasn't enough to turn you into a loyal dog. Some nerve you have to spare lives of betrayers of Duke of Flareottems. Looks like you are not needed here. Time for your disposal." Duke Tsar was in front of me with his hand pointed at my position, ready to cast a spell.

I gritted my teeth and tried to move but couldn't.

'Guess this is my end.'

It was a short life, but I was glad that I could save one child from the bloody path.

I was a soldier who had once wished to die while saving someone with my life. I was sad that I couldn't live a good life, but I didn't regret my decision.

I knew what was coming when I tried to go against the Duke Tsar's ideology.

I closed my eyes and waited, but nothing happened. Instead, a cold air encircled me.

"I won't stay silent. You are my butler! Anastasia Silkia Flareottems' butler!"

Opening my eyes, I found Anastasia holding me in her embrace. Her crimson eyes were burning with a desire to stand for someone.

I didn't have words. Anastasia, the villainess, who couldn't even lift her eyes in Tsar's presence, did she stand against her father? For me?

My heart skipped a beat.

Gotta marry her in the future.