40: The Truth

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While it mattered little in the grand scheme of things, the truth about that night in the academy was never revealed to the public, and only Edmond Black and two other people may have known the majority of it.

When Edmond Black convinced Professor Cornelius to let him go in order to bring an investigative force from House Black to round up the matter and prevent a scandal from erupting, he did not call them right away and instead moved based on what he knew beforehand.

After all, he went to cover up the murder committed by Richard Marshall on Prince Liam's order. The Prince was busy at the time but according to his previous orders, Edmond was to assist the Prince's loyalists the best he could, regardless of what they did.

To someone as capable as Edmond, it was an unbelievably easy task, but for an unexpected trio to suddenly hinder his work was something out of his calculations.

Vivian Moore, Edith Black, and Matilda Ambrose. Among the many instances of unexpectedness that came to mind, those three in one room are considered the most fitting personifications. Vivian, the prince's ex-fiancee; Edith, Edmond's sister; and Matilda, the prince's current sweetheart.

On top of all that, Reginald seemed to have survived but was in a very critical condition. This headache was never going to end, and Edmond was already too tired.

And so he went for Richard and told him the new complications.

Richard swore on everything sacred and holy that he had nothing to do with that girl, Isadora, and he didn't even know she was there to begin with. Killing Reginald was his sin to bear, but assaulting Isadora wasn't something he was willing to take accountability for.

Even when Edmond almost went for the intimidation tactic, Richard didn't admit it. Edmond realized that this was more complicated than ever before. It seemed that another scumbag was acting wild tonight.

Still, Edmond kept Richard thinking that he didn't believe him, and for the time being, he hatched the perfect plan.

Isadora had a sweetheart called Johann, who performed with her in her musical performance, and their relationship was intimate. When Edmond found him, he realized that Johann was looking left and right for Isadora who disappeared right after they got to the garden.

Edmond then had to face Johann and convince him of the truth he just fabricated.

He told Johann that Isadora had faced a terrible accident and was assaulted by Reginald. As Johann was about to throw a fit, Edmond reminded him that Isadora's honor was tarnished and Reginald was already dealt with. According to Edmond, someone very important arrived at the scene, but he was a bit too late to save Isadora, and all he did was punish Reginald severely, which ended in having him beaten to death. And since that very important person doesn't want to get involved due to political reasons, Johann was asked to bear the responsibility.

Knowing that he was going to go after Reginald's neck anyway, Johann accepted the offer to protect the secret identity of Isadora's savior and rushed for her.

In the end, no one would figure out it was Richard unless Edmond spoke. This was powerful leverage for Prince Liam to have over the future heir of House Marshall.

But as Vivian and Richard confronted one another after the investigation result was announced, it seemed that Vivian figured something out, and it made Edmond question his skills. He couldn't believe that he had made a mistake and kept thinking and thinking before bolting after Richard.

Something that fucker must have kept from him. Edmond dragged Richard to the garden they met earlier and started beating him to find what he was hiding.

"Make this easy for yourself, you idiot." Edmond delivered a merciless punch to Richard's guts, causing the latter to rise in the air and land on his knees.

"Bas… bastard!" Richard cursed at Edmond and tried to retort, but Edmond kicked him in the face.

"A fucking animal like you is my sister's fiancee?" Edmond spat at him, "You fucking animal! Don't ever think that engagement of yours would last now."

"F-Fine!" Richard struggled to speak and attempted to stand up, his eyes bloodshot with anger, "Fuck you… and fuck your sis…"

"Wrong answer!"

Another kick landed on Richard's head and knocked him down cold. Edmond breathed heavily and skipped back and forth while racking his brain for an answer.

What did he miss?

What can't he figure out?

How could Vivian see through his perfect plan?

He was tired, but not too tired to screw up his job.

He quietened his mind and started to think steadily and carefully.

Unless she did something like witchcraft, there is no way for her to be so sure that Richard killed Reginald.

Knowing Vivian's attitude, she would have certainly presented proof as soon as she had one.

As soon as Edmond's breathing became stable and his thoughts raced less and less, he could finally think clearly and realized that he might have rushed thinking about things. He always does a job well done when it comes to fixing problems.

And on top of his skills, he had good senses—so good that he could tell that he was being watched by Magic just now.

"Reveal yourself, or I will make your day much worse than his." Edmond spoke and looked in a certain direction.

"Oh! I was found out?"

A lazy and weak voice of a young man was heard as he stepped out of the shadow of a tree, and the magic that was hiding him started to slowly disperse.

"Ronald Morgan." Edmond spoke.

"Edmond Black." Ronald faced Edmond confidently as he started rubbing an apple he had just picked from a tree against his robe.

"I was slow to figure that one out. It seems that I lost some edge." Edmond said and cracked his neck, "That girl, Isadora… it was your doing?"

"Oh, Senior Isadora? What about her? Something wrong?" Ronald widened his eyes and had a shocked look on his baby face.

"Only a fucking animal like you would be behind this." Edmond said.

"Hey! Manners!" Ronald seemed upset and looked at Edmond aggressively, "Why are you calling me names now? You don't see me calling you a dirty pig who picks up everyone's shit, do I?"

"Oh, yeah! Want to call me that?" Edmond's lazy eyes flickered with a dangerous light as a Silver Aura Star was ignited over his chest.

"Oh! Scary!" Ronald didn't seem to care, as he acted scared before stopping the act and laughing it off, "Is that how you wanted me to respond?"

"Careful! After you failed to hinder Vivian Moore's finals, His Highness needs no more reasons to be upset with you. You know what he is like when he takes matters into his own hands." Edmond said.

"Fine! I'm scared now." Ronald cut off his act and backed off.

Edmond also backed off his aura and approached Ronald.

"So it was you who messed with Isadora's memories." He said.

"Nothing is wrong with her then." Ronald replied and smiled, "Man! I was so worried just now."

"Can't believe you take shit where your family eats." Edmond said.

"They are used to it by now." Ronald replied and shrugged, "It is your boy right there who really messed up, you know. Beating up his friend to death is… tsk tsk tsk, not stylish at all."

"So you witnessed it." Edmond said.

"Haha! Yeah." Ronald laughed and pointed, "I kept senior Isadora over there as a surprise; imagine if he was caught with murder. It would be murder and an assault on his hand. That would fuck him up for good."

"You're really the little freak they say you are." Edmond looked at Ronald with disgust.

"I would take "little freak" any day of the week rather than being reduced to a mere pig." Ronald said, smiled, and flipped the bird to Edmond.

"Watch your back, Morgan." Edmond said and turned to leave. 

Seeing him about to walk away, Ronald seemed more amused than ever. 

"You know… that guy was arguing about Vivian Moore with his friend. He really hates her guts. The Prince doesn't like her either; you don't like her, and a lot of people don't like her. All that they have in common is Lady Matilda."

Ronald kept speaking, but in a split second, Edmond was right in front of him, reaching for his neck and holding him tight.

"You keep her name out of your filthy mouth." Edmond said as he squeezed Ronald's neck harder.

"Easy, man!"

Ronald's voice came from the side as the image in Edmond's hand dissolved like water on the ground.

"Hmph!" Edmond snorted.

"You don't really plan on fighting a Morgan into their domain." Ronald said.

"So a scumbag like you has access to the Academy's Magic Formation. Perks of being the provost's son, I guess." Edmond concluded.

"Let's not be enemies, Black. You wiped my ass, and at least I am grateful. I won't tell anyone about your feelings for Lady Matilda. Wouldn't want anyone to think you like your lord's sweetheart."

"Fuck off!" Edmond was bothered by Ronald to no end but chose not to get involved with this kind of troublemaker.

Seeing Edmond disappear.

"We're not so different, you and I, Edmond. We do things for love." Ronald said and then glanced at Richard, who was still fallen on his face, "Unlike someone who just killed his own lover out of jealousy."

As Ronald said that, he activated the formation's magic and disappeared from the premises. 

Back on the ground, Richard opened his eyes, and his gaze was brimming with rage. He grasped the grass and tore it as he stood up and staggered at a tree.

"Edmond! Ronald! I'll kill you two, you fucking bastards! I swear, I'll rip you all to pieces."

How did it turn like this?

Everything was perfect until she came along—that abhorrent Vivian.

She defied everything and everyone and at the end, she even charmed Reginald, who stood defending her against Richard.

"I told you no. She is not a bad person, Richard. Look into her situation and you'll know she isn't out there to ruin anything."

"You know nothing! That woman is evil. Pure evil! How can you not see this? How could she blind you this way?"

"Richard, please. I've always heard you speak about her like that, but I haven't seen anything from her to hate. I am sorry, but I am being rational here; why don't you understand my point?"

"You don't even see it, do you? She has got to you. She has you under her spell."

"I can't believe you are saying this. If anyone here has me under their spell, it is you, Richard. We have always been together, watching over one another, you know I love…"

"BACK OFF!"

"I can't… I never knew you were this cruel."

"SHUT UP!"

"SHUT UP!"

"SHUT UP!"

"SHUT UP!"

"SHUT UP!"

"SHUT UP!"

Richard kept punching over and over and over!

He couldn't stop!

Wrath blinded his senses and clouded his reason. When he came back to his senses, Reginald was no longer able to lift his arms to stop him.

He had to kill him, the boy he secretly loved away from all the noise and buzzing of this world.

On his knees, Richard's eyes were reddened with anger and sadness, something he didn't feel until now when he felt the gravity of what he did. There is no salvation for those who don't feel sorry for their wrongs, but in a twisted manner of thinking, whom he blamed was not himself but rather Vivian, the vixen who ruined everything.

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