Time of the Blind Beast - Chapter 4

That man, Akenaus Valdemaira…

“Please, I beg for your forgiveness.”

It was the first time I saw him that day.

It was just as the crimson sunset bathed the sky. The man stood with his back to the large window, his silhouette nearly gray, almost colorless in the backlight. I remember my eyes stinging, causing me to squeeze them shut.

Beyond that, I don’t remember much. As soon as I entered the room, I fell to my knees.

“They may be poor and uneducated, but that doesn’t excuse the mistake they made.”

My haphazardly packed luggage tumbled over. I had rushed home the moment I stepped foot back in my homeland, without even stopping by my house. Not that there was anyone to greet me if I had gone. My parents had been caught stealing from their master and were taken away to some unknown place. Their wages alone weren’t enough to cover my ever-growing school fees.

It had been an education far beyond their means from the start. Still, my parents insisted on it. Unable to read or write themselves, they could only do menial tasks like cleaning, laundry, and cooking for their masters, but they believed that those with an education were placed in easier jobs with better pay. If I could read and write, I could recite books, sort mail, transcribe letters, or, with luck, be recommended for a position as a governess to teach wealthy young ladies. So, I had been enrolled in a boarding school far from home.

I enjoyed my studies. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn. But if I had known that my parents’ crime would pay for my education, my feelings might have been different.

When I heard the news about my parents, I packed my bags in a hurry. I rented a carriage and returned day and night, seeking out the eldest son of the Valdemaira family, my parents’ employer.

“Whether you spare me or kill me, please take my life in exchange. Show mercy to my foolish parents just this once.”

“And why would I? Why should I do that?”

His tone was so light that I briefly thought he was joking.

It wasn’t until I continued speaking that I realized—this was just how he naturally spoke. Now that I think about it, I had heard rumors that the eldest son of the Valdemaira family lacked the dignity of his war-hero younger brother. But back then, I hadn’t paid much attention, believing I had no connection to the Valdemaira family.

Still, Akenaus wasn’t wrong to question me. The decision was entirely in his hands. As the daughter of thieves, I could be punished along with them, depending on his will.

I was fully aware of how shameless my plea was, and it tormented me.

“Besides, taking two lives in exchange for one leaves me at a loss.”

“I… I’m young, and I’ve been to school. I can be of use to you in many ways. I’ll do anything.”

Even so, as their child, I couldn’t stand by and watch my parents die. And all the stolen money had gone toward paying for my education. That made my situation even more tragic. So, I kept my head bowed and begged.

“Just because you’ve been to school, you think you can do anything? You’re overconfident—arrogant even. What can you possibly offer?”

“I’ll try. I’ll do my best. Whatever you wish.”

“Hmm. But don’t you think the eldest son of the Valdemaira family can do far more than the daughter of a mere servant?”

“……”

He was right. I bit my lip hard. The education and manners I had learned were enough to work as a tutor for young boys and girls, but to someone like Akenaus, who had likely received far more schooling than I had, it was nothing. Why would the eldest son of the Valdemaira family ever need the help of someone who was barely qualified to be a tutor…?

Just as I was beginning to feel dizzy, he spoke again, “Well, if you’re so determined to help me…”

He opened a drawer with a grating sound and flicked a small bottle in my direction. The transparent glass bottle bounced twice off the floor before rolling to a stop at my knees.

For a moment, I didn’t understand what the bottle meant. I stared blankly down at it.

“In a week, that bastard will return to Claris.”

A week? What does that mean?

As I counted the days, the realization hit me like lightning.

In one week, the army that had achieved victory in the war was scheduled to hold a triumphant ceremony.

“Take this and use whatever means you can. Then maybe the story will change.”

There had been rumors that the eldest son of the Valdemaira family was bitterly jealous, fearing that the family would pass to his younger brother, who had returned victorious from the war.

There were many families that had entrusted their legacy to incompetent eldest sons, only to face disaster—or vanish without a trace. Even in royal history, there were cases where the natural order of succession had been overturned.

After that, some families began entrusting their legacy to the most capable child, regardless of age or gender, or openly created competition between siblings.

If the eldest son accepted the results and submitted, peace would follow. But if he didn’t, tragedy was sure to ensue.

I felt sick to my stomach. I didn’t need to ask to know what was inside the bottle Akenaus had tossed me. If I wanted to save my family, I would have to kill someone else instead. I wasn’t a soldier, nor had I ever taken a life—human or animal. It was only natural to feel pity for a stray dog or cat, wasn’t it?

This demand was too much. I couldn’t do it. I immediately prostrated myself on the floor and begged.

“How could I…? I’ll work for you without pay until I die. You can bind me to this debt for the rest of my life.”

“Didn’t you say you’d do anything just a moment ago?” Akenaus sneered. I shook my head a few times before letting it drop.

“Shall I offer you another option, then?”

“Pardon…?”

“Open the bottle, and drink its contents. Right here, right now. All of it.”

I could feel the blood draining from my face. I looked up at him, pale and trembling.

“If you really wanted to live, you shouldn’t have come to me. Then maybe only your parents would’ve lost their heads.”

Akenaus made a slicing motion across his neck. His tone was so playful, it almost seemed like a joke. But just because his attitude was light didn’t mean his intentions were. He had the power to easily have my parents killed without dirtying his own hands.

“Don’t you understand yet? After this conversation, you no longer have a choice. If you leave here and run to that bastard, I’ll be in trouble.”

Ah.

I finally understood. Akenaus’s offer wasn’t an offer at all.

It was an order from someone who held all the power.

“Choose.”

Akenaus walked over to where I sat frozen and crouched in front of me. Grabbing my arm tightly to keep me from escaping, he forced the bottle into my hand. I tried to shake him off, but it was no use.

“Will three people die, or will one person die? Don’t try any half-baked tricks. That basterd doesn’t know where I’ve locked up your parents anyway.”

To my surprise, Akenaus waited patiently for my answer. But as I thought about it, I realized he already knew what my decision would be. To him, I was nothing more than prey caught in a trap. A trapped animal can’t escape the hunter’s hands.

“…How can I trust that you’ll keep your promise?”

After a long silence, I finally looked up and asked. Akenaus was not someone to be trusted. What if this offer was just a trick? What if, after killing Ezekiel, he killed me and my parents to cover his tracks?

“At the very least, you’ll live. You won’t come running back to me immediately after it’s done, and once I confirm the result, I’ll have no choice but to release your parents alive to keep you quiet. After that, wherever you and your family run off to will be none of my business.”

For the first time, he gave me a sincere answer. He showed no concern about how to clean up afterward.

I see. It didn’t matter to him if people suspected he had killed his brother. The Valdemaira family only had two sons. He would be the last one left, and the family wouldn’t cast him out. So why should he worry about what came next?

“…What if I fail?”

“That’s why I gave you the poison. To make sure there’s no loose ends.”

“……”

“You asked to atone for your parents’ sins with your own life, didn’t you? I’ll take that into consideration.”

I clutched the bottle in my hands. Akenaus smirked at the clear meaning of my actions.

“Now that we’re partners in crime, why don’t we exchange names?”

I stayed silent.

“What’s your name?”

But my silence didn’t last long.

“My name is…”

After being forced to tell him my name, Akenaus let out a small laugh.

“That’s a rather fancy name for someone like you. I suppose your parents really did want to raise you well. They gave you a name far too grand for your station. It might stand out too much. How about we use something more common for now? What do you think of ‘Rose’? It’s a simple, ordinary name, and it kind of matches the first letter of your real name.”

Rose.

Rose…

I rolled the name Akenaus had given me around in my mouth. It was similar, but not quite the same. It felt foreign. But I kept repeating it to myself. I needed to get used to it, as familiar as my real name, so I wouldn’t flinch when someone called me Rose.

“Ro—”

At that moment, Akenaus suddenly grabbed my chin and lifted my face.