You Think I Won't Talk?-Chapter 49

Everything was black.

The rag covering my eyes made it pitch black.

Just like it was at that time. The smell of dirty clothes and the thick humidity of wood... felt as vivid as back then. The sound of a tree’s branches hitting the wall, swaying because of the strong wind we had that season, repeated, over... and over again.

That da*n sound...

I would hush the sound, muffling it as it entered my ears because of how anxiously made me.

"Shhhh..."

Just like this...

"Heh..."

The man who had ruined my life would watch me do that and laugh at me hours later.

"Elizabeth... I see you still have fun with the trees."

A voice that makes my organs twist in disgust, was clearly heard. So clearly it was maddening.

"...Hello..."

I would answer, feigning a smile.

During my stay there, I managed to placate his volatile temperament, thanks to the results of the try and error from the first days... No... Were they weeks...?

This memory... I don’t know when this was... How much time did I spend there?

’They said it was around seven months...’

It felt like years to me, though.

Ah... this is not a memory from when I was about to escape...

The strong kicks in my stomach... my swollen face... yeah... this must have been around a week or more after he caught me.

’F*ck... then the wet towel is to come next...’

A soaked towel he would leave for hours on top of my face, pouring more water on top of it... slowly, always so slowly...while laying on the cold woody floor. My ankle was still swollen chained to a... what was it again.......

Clank...

Yeah... it was the floor hatch... the one that would lead me to freedom months later.

At least... I’m not seeing his face yet... even though I know who he is...

"Elizabeth ~ Elizabeth ~ don’t stop breathing my love~ you should know the rules of the game by now~"

’... yeah... I know... I know them very well you bastard... my feet are next now...’

Let’s... hang in there until I wake up... This is not happening right now... I already lived this.

Just don’t... fall again, Eli.

Even though it hurts as much or even more than then... I have to hang in there.

Thankfully... Marianne is not here to see this...

*******

I opened my eyes with difficulty.

The light of a candle allowed me to see that the nightmare had ended.

I was in Anne’s room.

My numb body felt heavy. It felt stuffing... But, compared to the pain I revived in my dream... this was a million times more bearable.

’Haaaah... and I had barely managed to forget those times... now I remember them perfectly...’

"..."

’My hand is sweaty...’

"...Marianne...?"

’Ah... this voice...’

"... Dear you woke up... how are you feeling?"

"..."

’...Marianne... your father is here....that’s so nice........ But... I’m sorry...I’m so sorry Anne, but...... can I... cry...?... I– I really need to cry....’

Tears began falling from my eyes, just as I finished asking for Anne’s permission. Like a flood, the tears overflowed my eyes, falling indiscriminately.

These tears were solely mine. These were the tears I didn’t let out in my dream.

’Only now can I cry... and I can’t hold them in anymore... if I close them inside... well........ I don’t want to go back to my past self...so..... let me cry for a bit.’

"Sweetie, where does it hurt? Your fever is down now... what is it...?"

I felt fogged between my heartache and my thoughts... Failing to recognize the presence of the Duke.

Marianne’s father was caressing my forehead and then, I felt a squeeze in my sweaty hand.

’Ah... he was... He was holding it... I see... how nice...’

I continued pouring tears, not answering the Duke’s questions.

His hand felt nice as he stroked my face... and his hand holding mine was insanely heartwarming.

’... when I woke up in the hospital then... I was all alone... this is nice... really, really nice...’

"... I’ll call the physician... wait for a m–"

’...Don’t you dare... Sir...’

Before he could let go of my hand, I held his with all the strength I could muster. Locking eyes with him, fighting my heavy eyelids, I shook my head. My words were blunt in my head and, I think, my gestures delivered them quite well.

’Don’t go.’

Taking his body back on the chair placed by the side of my bed, he surrendered to my request. With both of his hands, he wrapped mine in their warmth. Slowly lifting it, he kissed my bony knuckles softly and followed to stroke them sweetly, preciously, with his big hands.

With a worried but loving gaze, he tried to show a carefree smile.

"Alright, dear... I won’t leave..."

My tears were yet to dissipate. However, having him by my side, made me extremely happy... in all my misery. I closed my eyes... All I want right now is to let the tears flow out with my suffering.

"..."

"My child... what is it?... what pains your heart?... no matter what it is... your father is here for you, my baby........ You can always come to me, my lovely bird..."

’Ah... d*mn... don’t make me cry more, Sir.... I’m not even your real daughter..... I’m so sorry, Sir... I’m sorry....’

I continued to cry, unwilling to open my eyes... I can’t look at his face.

"...Are you going back to sleep?" 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

I shook my head quickly in response.

’I want to do anything but sleep right now, Sir.’

"....."

A short silence reigned before he spoke again.

"... Hmm... then, should we talk for a bit?"

Nodding to his suggestion I opened my eyes to look at him. If we are going to talk, it’s bad manners to not look at the person. More so if he’s the only one doing the talking as I just cry while listening.

"Alright. Then... it’s been a while since I came to your bedroom... but it doesn’t seem like you can do much here... What do you do here all day? You never leave your room, so..."

’Oh... Sir, you chose a difficult topic from the start...’

Thankfully, the book about legends was laying on my bedside table, so, rolling my eyes in its direction, I showed the duke what I had been doing lately.

"Hm? This... So you have been reading?... ’Legends of our Lands and Empire.’... a children’s book?"

’...children’s...?............ That f**king four eyes...’

"... Did you get to read our household’s legend?"

"..."

’...Your house has a legend, Anne?’

I stared incredulously at such unexpected information. The novel never said anything about the Villainess having a legend to her family name!

Now that I think about it... It’s been a while since I thought about the original story of this world’s novel.

’That horny author just dedicated themselves to writing sexy and 19+ rated scenes... there was so much going on in the background... unbelievable... really unbelievable... Some authors really are idiots...’

I shook my head in disapproval of the author’s judgment, and also, to reply to the fact I had yet to learn about Sylfinnier’s legend. Keeping my eyes on Marianne’s father, I implied my desire to know.

"... Then... alright I will tell you about it. It is quite different to how this book shows it."

Closing the book, which never left the table with one hand, he brought it back to wrap mine again. My hand was laying comfortably on his, placed on top of his lap. Giving it a few gentle pats and strokes, he took a few seconds to organise the story he was to tell.

"... Alright... When the First Emperor began his journey of massive conquests, he met a wandering knight who had no nationality and no Master to pledge his immeasurable loyalty, in a bordering village on the outskirts of......"

Seeing my stare at what he had told me so far, he immediately corrected my thoughts.

"Oh don’t worry, he didn’t pledge his loyalty to the First Emperor..."

With a soft chuckle, he proceeded to continue telling the story.

"Ahem... as I was saying... He met with this wandering knight during his journey, in a village pertaining to one of the countries to be conquest. This knight possessed great abilities; his swordsman skills were in pair with the First Emperor’s and his intelligence was an asset that the Emperor could not let go unnoticed. Forging a great camaraderie while in the battle, both became comrades in the bloodbath..."

He seemed to regret saying that last word since he showed a conflicted look, but then, he continued his story after clearing his throat.

"Ahem... They kept battling together all through the conquest, and at some point, the Emperor’s sword broke in the midst of fervent and agonizing crusades. The wandering knight saw this, and, in unison with Fenrir, he risked his life to protect the man he considered his comrade, from the enemy’s soldiers."

’Oho~ such a cool man~’

"After the arduous combat, the knight came to the Emperor, who had been seriously injured. The wound had traversed through his armour and the flesh was noticeable through the torn mesh. Seeing the Emperor’s situation he helped him retreat, and then, gifted his Silvery Sword to him...

This sword was one of the first archaic weapons built by unknown crafters. Such weapons were known for their great amount of power and also for the danger it meant to yield them. The knight, one who barely had anything to eat and nowhere to fall asleep... gave him a weapon as precious as a god’s treasure...

Why do you think he did that?"

’...Why?.... Was he actually stupid...?’

Blinking in ignorance I answered his question rudely in my head.

"... This is something that is not said in the books... when the knight handed the sword to the Emperor, he said the following words. ’You will finish this conquest one day. When that day comes, I will not be alive to see it... take this sword and finish this conquest, so that my offspring can live in a peaceful Empire... and will not lose the place they belong to."

"..."

"...This knight wanted to secure his descendant’s future in a prosperous and peaceful land... nothing more was asked in exchange... the knight died in the following battle and after a few years, the conquest was over. The knight had no surname, yet, the Emperor found his offspring and kept an eye on them through the rest of the conquest until he was finally able to fulfil his mission.

He brought the descendants of the Knight to the Capital and bestowed the child, who was now a grown man, the name Sylfinnier. In honour to the Silvery Sword, that helped him achieve victory, and the finest virtue of the knight who gave it... That is how our household was born."