It was the noise that reached his ears that made him realize how serious the situation was.
Clint was uncontrollably angry. He felt like he could kill the Crown Prince or Rachel before his eyes.
“…”
He paused for a moment, his hand holding the sword.
It was as if his rational function throughout his body had been paralyzed.
In an instant, different thoughts passed through his mind.
Suddenly, Clint found himself unable to understand why he was so angry.
Wasn't he someone with exceptional self-control?
He never lost control or acted like a monster for any reason.
Was it because of anxiety about losing his child?
Was that just it?
Was it really because of that?
He kept asking himself but couldn't find a clear answer. This was the first time he couldn't understand himself.
It was only later that Clint realized that there was something more, something that had pushed him to this extreme state.
“Something... as if I lost something...”
Maybe it was because of the baby.
Thinking of the child naturally led him to think of Saiki.
Seeing Saiki running away from him made a deep impression.
Why? Why are you running away?
He couldn't understand her behavior.
At the same time, he felt anger building up inside him.
Although he wasn't necessarily the most affectionate husband, he was proud to give her the best.
He promised a comfortable life, and he kept his promise.
But why?
It was a contractual marital relationship, and he didn't expect much from Saeki.
When he first met her, all he wanted was for a woman other than Rachel to become his wife. That's it.
Rumors have already spread that Rachel will become the next Duchess. Actually, this wasn't what he wanted, but he was in a relationship with Rachel.
Rachel was a woman known for her exceptional beauty among the aristocrats, and was noted for her distinction even among the nobility.
So, although he might not have chosen to marry her himself, he could not find a woman willing to stand against him willingly and become his wife. At that time, the position of duchess did not have much appeal because the duchy had not yet been established.
That's why he took the risk of abandoning his engagement to Rachel and pretending to be in love with another woman. At that time, the position of duchess was not attractive to society. So perhaps Psyche, who did not know the atmosphere of capital at that time, was the ideal husband for Clint.
She had noble status but had never participated in the royal court in the capital, and more importantly, she did not appear to have any ambitions.
“Unsophisticated” would be an apt description.
But this does not mean that he hated ambitious women. On the contrary, he found Saiki's simple and naive attitude towards the world very attractive.
What was even more strange was that he had no problem communicating with Saiki, a woman who had never been in contact with people before. He felt as if his severe social phobia had suddenly disappeared.
However, he felt that this was not something to be thankful for, but rather was merely a heavenly arrangement for himself.
Moreover, as long as Psyche was the Duchess, he believed he had done the best for her.
So maybe he could have been angrier.
The woman who gave birth to his child ran away from him.
He couldn't bear this fact.
"Why did she leave me? What didn't I do for her?"
Instead of calming down in the face of an incomprehensible situation, his anger exploded like a volcano, and showed no signs of abating.
Suddenly an image of Psyche running away, avoiding his eyes, appeared in his mind, and he felt indescribable feelings pressing down his throat.
There was no reason for her to leave him.
With their own child…
Didn't she say she hates killing people?
They had a talk about this before marriage, didn't they? That's probably why he didn't explain his plans to kill Rachel.
Clint wasn't the type to worry about such things, and he thought that if Saiki gave birth to a healthy baby, everything would be perfect by dealing with Rachel secretly.
He thought that they would not need to consult and come to an agreement on the various matters he was dealing with, or perhaps he had abandoned this need.
Maybe Psyche is wrong, thinking Clint is going to kill her, and maybe she doesn't dare ask him if he's really going to kill her.
As a result, their misunderstanding led to a dead end.
Clint was stuck in place without properly facing his feelings.
Again, he was angry.
It never occurred to him that he had some feelings that he couldn't even admit.
He didn't know that some unknown remnant could make him so angry.
So he decided to regulate this situation for now.
Stop for a very short time.
There was nothing but trouble going deeper.
According to the plan…
He had a plan.
He expressed his thoughts.
“As planned, it's over.”
He was raised this way since he was a child.
It was his father's teachings.
Doing what you planned, and achieving what you aimed for, was the duke's greatest virtue.
His words surprised the guards around him.
Everyone pointed their swords at each other, and the Duke and the guards froze for a moment.
However, Clint decided not to think about this anymore.
As he thought.
Kill Rachel here and bring back Psyche.
After I returned it...
What should he tell her?
He felt like he had reached another dead end.
He decided to cut off the thoughts that were confusing him.
Clint sighed slowly. When he seemed ready to move again, the knights surrounding the Duke had to be on high alert. They knew that any simple lapse would turn them into lifeless corpses under the Duke's blade.
The knights gripped their swords tightly and focused on the Duke's movements, preparing to strike back at any moment. Even the slightest hesitation could lead to a fatal outcome.
Suddenly Clint changed his posture, raised his sword and spoke in a warning tone.
"It would be wise for everyone to stand aside. I don't plan on killing any of you."
The knights, who glanced at the prince upon hearing Clint's words, seemed eager to make way for him immediately.
“…”
“I have no intention of killing any of you, but if you don’t move, I will have no choice but to strike.”
It was a final, chilling warning.
Once Clint finished speaking, he quickly adjusted his sword.
He jumped forward briskly and effortlessly managed to subdue the two knights who were standing near him. He didn't even use his sword; Instead, he struck their stomachs with the hilt of his sword.
When Clint tried to move again, the guards around him hesitated and were unable to react.
When the prince saw this chaotic situation, he shouted in frustration: “What are you doing? Can’t you handle this matter properly?”
He slapped the thigh of the guard who was standing next to him in annoyance.
“…”
Without waiting for a response, Clint continued to deal with those around him one by one.
They were already afraid of the prospect of facing the Duke, and they were just guards, not elite troops or royal guards. They had no chance against Clint.
“Oh…ah!”
“…”
Like leaves falling from a tree, the knights gradually fell to the ground, losing their vitality.
In a short time, there were only a few people left in front of him.
Clint approached the prince and Rachel, an evil smile on his face. Clint, who was known for his elegance, seemed like a crazy person. He seemed different from his usual self.
This was the first time they had seen him in such a state, and no one knew how to react.
"Stop this! What are you doing?"
“…”
Although the prince tried to intervene, it seemed as if Clint couldn't hear his voice.
“Duke Valentine!”
The prince called him again in a loud voice.
Only then did Clint's lifeless eyes turn towards him, shooting a frightening look.
It was as if his gaze asked him why he was interrupting.
“I'm just doing my job. Your Highness, if you want to keep your life, you'd better stop protecting Rachel.”
'What...what are you saying?'
Another step, and Clint got closer.
“Does Your Highness wish to die as well?”