20

"Do you want me to forgive you?"

"Please, mercy…"

"Say it after me. My uncle is a son of a bitch."

"What? Y-your uncle is a son of a bitch."

The ladies were not in a state of limbo. When he said he would forgive them, they just did as they were told, not knowing why. The man clapped his hands with a contented smile.

"That's great. The lower ones have been learning very fast these days. Go."

"Thank you!"

It was time for the women to leave in a hurry, relieved that they had survived a narrow escape.

"Oh! You don't know who my uncle is, do you?"

"Yes?"

The maids stopped and looked back. The man smiled wickedly and spoke in a small voice, but he spoke clearly enough for the maids to understand.

"My uncle is the owner of this mansion. In other words, you're cursing your master. That's it. That's the son of a bitch. Can you handle it?"

"…!"

The maids' faces turned white like a blank paper. This is because the only owner of the maids is Grand Duke Frances.

"See you again."

The man, who enjoyed the reactions of the grieving women, walked through the hall waving his hands. The man, who had the structure of the mansion as if it were his own house, loitered toward the door decorated with top-notch marble.

It was when the man was about to hold the door by ignoring the knight who guarded the entrance like an ironclad.

"Excuse me, you cannot enter. Please identify yourself first."

The knight, Hurelbard, blocked the man's way and politely demanded. Of course, it was a common practice, but the man seemed unwilling to follow the procedure.

"Me? You shouldn't talk to me so carelessly."

"I'll repeat for you again. First, you…"

Hurelbard's words did not continue any longer. His head snapped back as he was hit in the face by the fist of the man who had rushed in to surprise him. The man grinned at Hurelbard, whose cheek was red and swollen.

"Why are you buying a fight?"

It was when the man grabbed the door handle and was just opening the door.

"I will restate myself. Please identify yourself."

Hurelbard kept the man from ever opening the door.

"Hey, why risk your life for nothing? It's annoying."

The man put his hair down to his eyebrows over his forehead.

"I will repeat. Please identify yourself…"

The man's fist flew faster than Hurelbard thought. The swinging motion toward the opposite cheek that he had previously struck was agile.

Pok! The dull throbbing sound spread violently.

"Hoo."

Surprisingly, however, the man's fist did not touch the face of Hurelbard. This is because Hurelbard's right hand grasped the man's fist tightly.

The man's fist and Hurelbard's hand that grasped it gave him the upper hand without a single inch of concession. But neither could gain the upper hand, and they were sharply opposed. From the man's eyes, there was a beastliness that could not be tamed.

"You asked me who I am, didn't you? Knock me down. Then I'll let you know."

"…"

"Why, you don't like it? Oh! Is it because you got hit before? Then let's start with a fair blow to me too. What do you think?"

The man didn't stop interrupting as if he was enjoying the moment. He seemed to have forgotten that today was a major event for Grand Duke Friedrich and seemed to be someone who was only thinking about how to destroy the Hurelbard.

"Sir, step back."

It was a voice with soft but irresistible authority that relieved the tension like a well-defined sword at one moment. Elena walked out of the marble door, which had been tightly closed. Her neat but elegant hair and simple but elegant-looking dress created a sense of beauty.

"You're still rude, brother Ren."

Elena's words held thorns, and the venom in her glare was palpable. When he heard the man's name, Hurelbard's eyebrows twitched. He had been informed by Elena, so he vaguely assumed that this was Ren Bastasche. Apart from that, however, the knight could not bring in those who were not even identified. So this was the result.

"Hey, I'm crying because I'm so happy to see you. How long has it been? Have you thought a lot about your brother?"

"What should I do? Every time we meet, you make this good impression."

Elena gave a wink, responding coldly. Hurelbard understood what she meant and pulled back. Then, he apologized for causing this situation.

"I'm sorry, it's enough to just identify himself…"

"I know. Ren must have been rude."

She hoped he wouldn't get involved with Ren, but it's already spilled. Elena said she didn't want Ren to notice anything.

"Should we keep standing here or go inside?"

"That's what I'm saying. Let's sit down."

Ren followed Elena and entered the room. He patted Hurelbard's shoulder guarding the door and scratched his stomach.

"Yes, the lady is very angry. Yeah, you should've done better earlier."

"…"

Despite the provocation, Hurelbard did not change his face and ignored him. With that kind of composure, Ren came into the room with a small exclamation saying 'Hoh-oh'.

Elena and Ren sat face to face on the sofa with the table between them.

"Why don't you look at me sweetly? Since we're cousins."

"Won't you misunderstand if I look at you more affectionately? Since we're cousins."

Elena's way of speaking had changed. The honor vanished from nowhere and met with informal language.

"Oh, you're talking down?"

"There's no reason I can't let go, right?"

The sharp conversation went back and forth. They were tied through the bond of cousins, and they were in one space, but they seemed anxious because they couldn't eat each other.

'I don't need to be frustrated. I'm officially Princess Veronica. And I know the habits of the motherfucker, right?'

When a bully recognizes that his opponent is weaker than him, he torments him until he kills him by drying his blood. That's the habit of a bully that never changes. Elena knew Ren better than anyone else.

'Because I suffered so much that my teeth trembled.'

Ren persistently bullied Elena from the moment he noticed that she was a substitute. He did not hesitate to threaten to reveal the identity unless she told him about the main information or plans of the Grand Duke.

'I'm not swayed by you anymore. I'll use you from now on.'

Ren was obviously hostile to the Great House. It was of course an old feeling for the heir of the Bastache family, who had no choice but to live like a servant of the Grand Duke due to the Hundred Years' Treaty. Elena was about to use the hostility cleverly. It was still early, but over time, Ren will be a useful card.

"Wow, applause!"

Ren clapped his hands.

"Hey, how can I not celebrate when my cousin has grown up so well?"

"You're just going to say what you want, aren't you?"

"Has it been three minutes since we sat face to face?"

"That three, and you can't stand it either?"

Elena responded without losing a single word. Ren scattered Elena from head to toe with a mocking smile. It was a creepy look.

"I heard you were very sick. Are you pretty well?"

"I'm all better."

Elena answered briefly and firmly. Then Ren smiled a strange smile.

"You're completely cured in time for the birthday? Just like putting together puzzles."

"You're picking on everything. Since when have you been so interested in me?"

Although she felt a significant nuance in Ren's way of speaking, Elena passed it without much importance. If she paid attention to everything, she might lose her pace and be swayed.

"You don't think I'm interested? You, your friend out there."

"…!"

Elena's expression hardened in an instant as he pointed his chin to Hurelbard outside the door.

"You said you chose him because he was handsome. I just found out about my cousin's taste."

"If you know, you want to add something?"

"Oh, I'll add on. I took it."

"What?"

Ren showed his swollen hands as if he were bleeding.

"Still tingling."

"So? You want to complain?"

"Hey, hey. You're acting silly."

Ren's eyes sank strangely. At first glance, he looked drowsy and bored, but inside he felt the tenacity of a beast who smelled a game.

"Why don't you stop playing with words? I understand, but this brother of yours is not very patient."

"…!"

Ren, who slowly got up from the sofa, blew his murderous intent outright. Elena's hair stood on end, and she felt choked up. A cold sweat ran down her spine.

'I have to endure.'

Ren, who stood right in front of Elena, reached out and lightly held Elena's chin.

"Is it because I haven't seen my beloved sister in a long time? Aren't you very unfamiliar?"

"When were we supposed to talk and laugh?"

"I can't argue with that."

"Then remove your hand, won't you?"

Unlike the warning, Elena's voice was shaking slightly.

"If I don't want to?"

Ren bent down, grinning. Right in front of Elena's eyes. They were close that they could hear each other's breath. Elena fought down the urge to scream. No matter how hard Ren tried, he couldn't do anything to Elena. The only thing he could do was to threaten her.

Slowly.

Ren's hand passed over her chin and grazed her cheek. The hand that touched the back of the couch turned and snaked its way around Elena's neck.

"… Get your hands off me."

Either way or not, Ren was closer to Elena. He took her face as if he were touching Elena's cheek and hugged her tightly with his hand wrapped around her neck. Elena reluctantly put her face on Ren's shoulder. On the other hand, Ren's head passed Elena's cheek and was facing behind her earpiece.

"…!"

Ren's eyes narrowed as he looked behind her ears. Elena was convinced by the momentary hesitation.

'As expected, it's a good thing I've made a scar in advance.'

Elena already expected a day like today to come. This was the reason why she intentionally made a scar on the back of her ear during her education at the safe house.

'This avoids the suspicion of being fake.'

It was safe to say that Elena had won the outcome she had hoped for. The elimination of Ren's suspicion alone was seen as a step closer to the completion of revenge. He was now forced to believe that she was the real Princess Veronica and not a substitute, which meant that Ren's abnormal behavior would be restricted.

"Did you not hear me!"

When Elena roughly pushed him away, Ren straightened up and stepped back. He looked unexpectedly confused, but Ren was not so careless as to reveal his inner thoughts.