# 36
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Joseph moved away from Walter step by step as he walked. From the outside, it might not seem different, but Joseph, who lived with him and shared everything with him, was keenly aware that Walter's mood was at rock bottom. Not just low, it's very bad.
Next to Walter was Grace.
A little girl who, compared to his sturdy body, only reached about the level of his chest. However, Joseph realized that the balance of power between these two was, at this particular moment, tilted in Grace's favor.
That is, it is…
“A wolf rushes, wrapped in a fox’s tail...”
He muttered it unconsciously. Walter immediately turned to him with a sullen look. Then Joseph deliberately widened his eyes and shook his head.
“I didn't say anything?”
In fact, as Joseph guessed, Walter was not in a good mood at all. However, here he moves and continues walking, prompted by Grace's quiet, monotonous words, even though she is not half his height. So the analogy of “a wolf being led by a fox’s tail” was not entirely wrong.
But Walter's annoyance was not solely caused by his inability to refute her words.
He is also someone who has waited and prepared for more than ten years. He had knights who became the most powerful in the empire, and Richmond's rusty swords would not be able to stop them. And when he had thus recovered Richmond, he intended to restore the whole castle to Eliza's bosom.
Of course, in his plan, Eliza did not stand up in the end, nor did she face him face to face. She, after narrowly ecting an heir, would finally fall asleep in her eternal slumber.
The last thing Walter planned as a form of loyalty to Eliza was for her grandson to be buried next to her.
But Eliza in Grace's plan... was different.
In Grace's imagination, Eliza was the queen she had once been, the woman who ruled Richmond with an unyielding fist.
Didn't Walter ever imagine this scene?
During the three years he spent with her, Eliza maintained the prestige of the queen even while residing in the annex. He saw her crying secretly once or twice, but even that did not make her lose her composure. She was the one who taught him a secret, and she was the one who told him that he must go to the Wall of Death to win the knights to his side.
“Since you have escaped at the cost of the lives of my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, you have no right to ever die, Your Highness. “Live at all costs, gain strength, and ascend to the imperial throne in defiance of all.”
She said that in an ice cold voice.
But during the long years that Walter spent wandering at the Wall of Death, Eliza had not answered his call once. She said that she would not leave the annex, and that even if her limbs were amputated, she would not know. And so she collapsed alone, while he survived and gained strength by any means possible.
Is it possible for Eliza Richmond to return to what she was?
And if that happened...will he finally be able to remove this stifling shackle of guilt that is pressing on his shoulders as if he were carrying the entire world?
While he was deep in thought, he found himf reaching the annex.
As if they were waiting for him, the door opened, and Mrs. Isaacs appeared and bowed respectfully.
Walter did not wait for her guidance, but rushed inside with long strides.
“Joseph, make sure no one is eavesdropping.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The air inside was colder than outside, and a stinging cold crept into his body. Unlike yesterday's corridor, which was obscured by the darkness of dusk, today's corridor seemed desolately barren.
No decorations, not even a single decent painting hanging on the walls.
Walter couldn't hold back his laughter.
If Eliza's laughter was like black blood stagnating in a dried-up intestine, Walter's laughter was like bright red blood rushing from a beating heart.
“I will come back alive and give you your name back, so do not die and wait for me.”
He had told her that the day he left for the Wall of Death.
Grace's insight was accurate; Walter is already a clear target capable of waking up Eliza. And the reason why, despite her near-death appearance, she was still alive today... was him.
His chest boiled. Her grandson, whom she cherished, had long since died, yet she had been rotting for ten years, waiting for remains bearing nothing but a hollow name and empty wealth. How foolish that was.
“You may never, never, ever give up.”
She said it as if she would pursue him to the ends of hell to kill him if he surrendered, and then here she is today in this state.
- "my brother! Oh, no... I mean His Highness the Crown Prince!
Who killed that child?
BANG!!
“Your Highness!”
The door opened violently without knocking, and Mrs. Isaacs screamed and ran over, but Walter did not stop.
The only warm room in this miserable annex. Next to Eliza, who lay like a corpse, lay an untouched plate of soup.
Walter looked at her with a sarcastic look and sat on the edge of her bed.
“S…!”
Isaac almost screamed his name, but Grace grabbed her arm. Isaac turned in shock and froze in place. Grace's face as she watched the confrontation between Walter and the Grand Duchess was as stern as an army commander.
Then a voice came out that made goosebumps run through him.
“What is this impudence?”
Walter tilted his head, facing Eliza's black eyes.
“At least you're awake today.”
"What?"
“Didn't I tell you? “I will come back alive and return everything to you, so wait and do not die.”
“Don't you see me alive?”
“Oh, you're alive then?”
«……»
«In this way? Like a ar in a grave.”
Every word carried an icy needle.
A ar. tomb.
Who ever dared to utter those words to Eliza Richmond? Isaac lost consciousness from the horror of the scene.
They were a granddaughter and a grandfather, but they never got along. Both of them were as sharp as the points of a spear, and neither of them liked each other at all. However, Walter was young at the time, and he was hiding his nature, so a scene like this had never happened before.
But the man who came back… was different.
“Is this called life? To keep breathing without knowing if all your limbs have been amputated, Grandma?
Eliza stared at him for a long time, then burst out laughing. Her dark, heavy laugh made Isaac and Grace hold their breath, but Walter responded with a similar sarcastic smile.
After laughing for a long time, Eliza slowly got up. Between her silver hair, her eyes sparkled the same color as Walter's eyes.
“Is this what you are doing after I asked you to survive and gather strength? Bring an unmarried woman and turn the castle upside down?
It was clear that they were of the same blood; In features, and even in the tone of speech.
“When there is no way to know where corruption began and where it ended, all that remains is to turn everything upside down.”
“Even that must be done with dignity and in a manner appropriate!” Not with these dirty deeds that will be immortalized as a stain!
«Dignity? Oh, that's why you retired like that? For fear of opening the lid and seeing the rotting filth of Richmond?'
Isaac and Grace were impressed by the Decans' eloquence and harshness.
“How impatient you are.”
Eliza said while clenching her teeth, but Walter didn’t care.
“Our family's character is nothing new, is it?”
Then he took the plate of soup himf and brought it closer to her, feigning exaggerated kindness.
“Luckily, you can still hold the spoon. I was afraid I would have to feed you myf. “It's really good to see you so well, Grandma.”
"What did you say?"
All eyes turned to Eliza.
From a body that seemed to have no trace of life, a force tinged with anger emanated. A strange sparkle shone in her black, withered eyes, and the veins of her slender neck appeared, and then her voice came out mockingly, with a coldness no less cold.
"Get out."
«……»
“Why are you standing there, Arwen?!” His Highness the Duke is leaving! Say goodbye to him! "I won't take him far, Duke!"
With her resonant voice, Isaac's eyes filled with tears with emotion, while Walter seemed to have more to say.
At that moment, Grace finally realized her role, and jumped between two wolves baring their fangs. I remembered Isaac, a gentle being fearlessly rushing between two predatory beasts.
“Grand Madam, I am glad to see you risen. “His Highness the Duke was very worried about you.”
The two monsters turned together towards Grace.
What are you saying?!
But she didn't care, but first turned to Walter and blocked the way with a firm look.
“Isn't it?”
Then she turned to the old woman, and smiled with downcast eyes.
“I apologize for visiting again without asking permission. But I hope you understand my sincere desire to meet you, even in this way.”
Her manner was not like a stabbing arrow, but as warm and affectionate as a field of abundant wheat. It was like a ray of sunshine sneaking through a storm.
When Eliza was silent, Grace straightened up, grabbed the hem of her skirt with both hands, and then bent down deeply, until her head was lower than Eliza's eye level.
At that moment, time that was slowly moving around Eliza stopped.
“I am late in introducing myf, but I greet you now as appropriate. “I am Grace of House Taylor, I have the pleasure of meeting the Grand Lady of Richmond, Deccan Rock, possessor of the Tepex Mountains and the Oroto River, and protector of the Northwest.”
M.M.: 😭😭😭😭 She finally made me angry, she must stop on her feet again 🫡