The End of Your Arrogance - Chapter 58

“When you first wear the ring, it spits out saliva like this and cleans your wound. The necklace does the same thing,” Evelyn muttered with a pale face.

“Dark magic is really terrifying,” she added.

“Human, your father is truly frightening.” The eagle sitting beside Evelyn shivered out of proportion to its size.

“So, when I put on the ring, it automatically cleaned my wound.” René nodded.

“Debbie and I don’t know the details. But there are two things we’re sure of. The ring’s owner is currently Lady Madam,” René explained.

“That can’t be right. It was my father’s ring,” Evelyn protested.

“Lord Odin may have been deprived of the ring even before he got to try it on. We can’t know the details, but it seems that Lady Madam is now the owner of the ring. And the necklace’s slaves include that fish and Odin Kyung. Well, if more blood is spilled on the necklace, more slaves could be created,” René suggested.

Although Evelyn’s blood stained the necklace, it didn’t matter since the ring’s owner was Evelyn herself. At first, Evelyn was bewildered and despondent. However, before long, a smile appeared on her face.

“Odin Father obeys my commands. This seems incredible, doesn’t it? Maybe this will be more helpful than opening the Black Forest,” she thought to herself.

Evelyn had another question.

“But Odin Father isn’t here. Will it work even from such a faraway place?” she asked.

René grinned and replied, “You’ll find out if you give it a try, my lady.”

Evelyn also smiled back at René and admitted, “You’re right. That was a foolish question.”

“It’s not me; it’s Odin Father who becomes the caretaker.” Evelyn smiled as she looked at the ring.

Then, René suddenly clapped his hand as if he had forgotten something.

“Madam, would you be so kind as to convey your intentions regarding the Thousand Blossoms Ring and Necklace to His Grace? I’ve been quite busy lately and haven’t had the time to see him.”

“Yes, of course. Don’t worry.”

After that night, for the first time, she thought about seeing his face, and her heart raced fiercely. She couldn’t tell if it was longing or fear.

****

The next night, Evelyn found herself in the Duke’s study, as promised. He looked worse for wear after ten days. His face was marked with bruises, and his eyes still showed signs of sleeplessness. His skin looked rough and worn from fatigue.

Evelyn spoke with concern in her voice, “You haven’t been sleeping, have you? You should come to the annex.”

Ilya, who had been buried deep in his chair, glanced at Evelyn with an impatient expression. “I’m busy, so get to the point.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Evelyn apologized.

She quickly took out the Thousand Blossoms Ring and Necklace from her pocket. Ilya glanced at them briefly and raised an eyebrow. Evelyn recounted the events and details surrounding the ring and necklace. When he remained silent, Evelyn rolled her eyes impatiently.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? If you can command Odin Father as a caretaker, it could be a great help when we march to Acrid Castle later.”

He reached out towards the necklace but withdrew his hand.

“What if I accidentally touch it and become your slave too?”

“What? No, that won’t happen.”

Ilya leaned back in his chair and teased, his voice hoarse from sleep deprivation. Evelyn had thought he would at least listen to her somewhat, but she was mistaken. From the moment she entered the study, he had maintained an uncooperative attitude.

“Originally, your counterpart was my brother, not me, and you know that, don’t you?”

Caught off guard by his sudden remark, Evelyn was bewildered, but to avoid further provoking him, she nodded her head.

Evelyn opened her eyes, sensing what he was trying to say. She muttered something she had said long ago, a phrase that had been buried deep within her chest as a painful memory.

“The line of wagons carrying supplies seemed endless behind me,” she whispered.

As if he found it commendable, he gently caressed Evelyn’s cheek with a hint of bitterness.

“Naz said the same thing- wheat, barley, oats, and rye to last through the winter, an endless procession of cattle and horses. He said he had never seen anything like it since he was born.”

A cruel whisper followed.

“Princess, our roles have reversed now. Your father went crazy, begging for your return. If we don’t send you back, is there any escape?”

Evelyn, who had been quietly listening to his words, asked, “Did my father… send a letter to you?”

‘That’s why he suddenly became so desperate,’ Evelyn realized only now why this man was begging so suddenly.

Her father was her original sin. As long as she was with this man, she had to endure this agonizing time forever.

“Yeah, he asked for your return. My dear father-in-law wanted to see his stepdaughter’s face on his birthday. He also said to send you to the Eastern Neutral Zone…”

Suddenly, overcome with sadness, Evelyn burst into laughter.

In this hostile place, she had survived day by day, selling her own mother to be a slave’s necklace. She had even sold herself to an old man who abused his wife, all for money. And it wasn’t enough…

Evelyn looked into her husband’s eyes and said, “I also… pity myself.”

Evelyn had rarely felt sorry for herself. It was perhaps the last trace of her self-esteem. If she considered herself pitiable, she couldn’t bear this hellish life any longer.

“Yes, for the pitiful Princess, I’m thinking of giving a gift to my father-in-law. Since I can’t send you away, I might as well spend some money.”

“No need for that.”

Evelyn’s voice became increasingly sinister.

“I’ll show you that gift, too.”

He seemed to have no intention of ending things today.

Overwhelmed by a wave of despair, Evelyn closed her eyes.

As Evelyn left her home office and returned to the guesthouse, Libe was already fast asleep. Evelyn quietly sat down at the edge of her son’s bed, tears she had held back from Ilya’s study now trickling down her cheeks. Her husband’s harsh words had been painful, but she could endure them. He had never starved her, beaten her, or abused her in any way.

What had truly torn Evelyn’s heart today was not his harsh words. It was the letter sent by Lord Maduse. “Father hasn’t given up on me yet. And if that necklace had worked correctly…” The mere thought sent shivers down her spine.

In the face of survival, love felt meaningless. Despite her lack of education and the life of subservience she had lived, Evelyn knew that much. She gazed at her sleeping child’s face, whispering, “Libe, Mommy could never bear to be apart from you.”

Trembling hands gently caressed her child’s soft cheek, and even in his slumber, Libe smiled contentedly. “My only family, my son. If I were to be sold to the East and meet my end, what would become of you?”

Dying at the hands of a cruel old man was terrifying, but leaving her child alone in this harsh world was even more frightening. No one would protect him. His grandfather, his uncles, and even his father… there was only one person in his world: his mother.

“Libe, I’m sorry I’m such a mother,” she murmured as she continued to cry silently, gently comforting her child.

“Libe, mommy want to live. I want to live a long, happy life with you. I don’t want to die.”

A figurine of an eagle, which had been resting on the wardrobe, suddenly soared onto the bed. With its bright yellow eyes, the eagle stared at Evelyn intently before spreading its wings and pulling her close.

“Grow, human,” Evelyn whispered as she held her child tightly and lay down. The eagle spread its large wings and wrapped its wings around them, providing a warm cocoon. The combined warmth of the large beast and the young child made the cold disappear.

That night, in Evelyn’s dreams, a fully grown Libby appeared before her. It was unclear if he had grown or if the eagle had shrunk, but the eagle perched on top of Libes head, urging Evelyn forward.

“Mom! Come over here quickly!” Libe called.

“Human, hurry up and come. Run!” the eagle urged.

Seeing the face of the man she missed so much, Evelyn burst into a wide smile.