Chapter 48: The Heart Speaks Through Words

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In the dim cellar, the firelight flickered.

Duke Scalliger’s face was gloomy.

He stared at the man chained to the wall before him, who had to stand on tiptoes just to reach the ground, and remained silent for a while.

The man was covered in blood, large patches of his hair stained dark brown, hanging his head motionless at this moment.

The Duke gave a slight gesture, and a hunter came over, throwing a bucket of water on the man. The cold shock made him shudder and slowly raise his head.

The dim light made his expression unclear.

“…Your Grace, what… can I do for you… hehe hehe…”

A weird laugh came from his bruised and festering mouth.

Anger flashed in the Duke’s eyes as he slapped the man’s face.

Slap!

The hit was very heavy, causing the man’s feet to leave the ground. His body instantly lost balance and fell to one side, pulling the chains with a “clang” sound. But unable to fall to the ground due to his bound hands, he was left half-hanging on the wall.

He struggled constantly, trembling legs taking quite a while to stand steady again.

Just as he raised his head——

Slap!

Another slap landed on the same spot.

The man fell again, taking even longer to stand back up.

His feet were shaking.

The Duke grabbed his hair and raised his right hand high, striking the man’s face again.

Slap!

“Is it funny?”

“Cough cough… ptui!” The man spat out two teeth, glaring at the Duke with bloodshot eyes.

“Scalliger! I’ll f—”

Bang!

A straight punch.

It crushed the man’s nose, blood and tears streaming down his face.

“…heh heh… Scalliger, I… I regret—”

The Duke’s face remained cold, waiting for his next words.

“I… I regret that night I couldn’t… couldn’t kill that little bitch, and then… hehe… and then… haha— cough cough!”

“Three years ago, did you have anything to do with my daughter’s disappearance.”

Hearing the Duke’s question, the man grinned like a maniac.

“…you want to… know? I’ll tell you a… secret… hehe. That little bitch, three years ago she… was already dead, I… I saw it myself… fell from the… cliff… hehe, such a terrible fall—”

The Duke frowned.

He remembered his daughter asking about a cliff the day after she returned.

“Which cliff?”

“Hehe, you want to… confirm the remains? Impossible… that place… was completely… devoured by the Gluttony Abyss… two years ago… not even ashes remained…”

“Are you sure she’s dead? Did you see the body.”

“…falling from such… height, probably… turned to mush, hehe, hehe…”

“But my daughter is still alive.”

“You mean… the one in the castle… that… impossible, is your daughter… she’s dead… that’s… a demon wearing Peylo’s… skin… she must not be… human… haha! Your daughter is dead, haha—”

Zing——

The Duke raised his left metal arm, a black blade extending from his fingertip.

He held the blade before the man’s eyes, giving it a slight wave.

“Valarr. From now on, you answer what I ask, understand?”

“No way… you won’t get anything… from me… if you’ve got… the guts, just kill me…”

The Duke stared at Valarr expressionlessly for a moment, slowly pushing the blade toward his right eye.

“When did you join that assassin organization.”

“…What? Don’t even know… when your subordinates betrayed… you… won’t you, reflect on yourself…”

The Duke released his hair and quickly punched him in the abdomen.

“Ugh——”

Valarr’s legs weakened as he began to retch. Having not eaten for two days, he could only throw up stomach acid.

“Stand properly.”

The Duke just coldly watched him, waiting for him to stand up before questioning again.

“Now, answer my questions properly.”

“Cough cough, ha… too… too long ago, can’t remember… probably, since you made me guard this damn warehouse… I guess…”

“…Were you unwilling?”

“Unwilling? When did you ever… ask for my… opinion… heh, I know… your most trusted people… were always Bella… and Hoover, what was I… to you…”

The Duke’s frown deepened.

This question was clearly meaningless, and he didn’t want to dwell on it further.

“Why try to assassinate my daughter, you… or rather your true master, what is he afraid of, afraid she’ll reveal what happened three years ago?”

“…You know, I… won’t tell.”

The Duke pressed Valarr’s head against the wall behind him, roughly forcing his right eyelid open.

The sharp blade tip was now stopped in front of his eyeball.

“Answer… the question.”

Valarr’s Adam’s apple moved slightly.

“…That question, go… go ask… Count Lafayette, it was him… who made me do it… hahaha——!!!”

Crimson blood sprayed out, splattering on the Duke’s face.

The blade plunged into the eyeball without hesitation, and Valarr let out a bestial howl.

“Ahhh——!!”

He twisted his limbs desperately, but his head was firmly held in place, unable to move.

“Don’t test my patience, you still have one eye left.”

Blood dripped down his face onto the ground as the Duke gently withdrew the blade.

“Scalliger!! If you’ve got the guts, kill me! Kill me!!!”

The Duke was silent for a moment.

“…Valarr, you’ve followed me for so many years, and I believe I’ve never mistreated you. Whether it was you, Bella, or Hoover, I’ve always trained you three as my confidants, never showing favoritism, yet you still harbor dissatisfaction. Fine, that’s not a problem, it’s not wrong for a man to have ambition, if you have grievances you should come at me.”

At this point, a cold glint flashed in the Duke’s eyes. He grabbed Valarr’s collar and yanked him close.

“Valarr, come at me. If you really have the ability, hold up a knife and cut off my head, see if I’ll even blink! You’re a man, if you have the guts then solve it like a man, why harm my daughter!?”

“Peipei is still young, she doesn’t understand anything, just an innocent and pure child, what did she do wrong! You f**king bastard, why did you hurt her!!!”

Looking at the Duke who had lost his composure in anger, Valarr laughed like a madman.

“…Hahaha! What a pity… she died… such a pretty… face, those alluring little eyes… tsk tsk…”

The Duke was enraged.

Three years of pent-up emotions transformed into rock-hard iron fists, pounding Valarr’s face again and again.

“Why! Why hurt her! F**k, why hurt her!”

Valarr was barely breathing, his face deformed.

Yet he still had to finish what he wanted to say.

“Ugh… I should’ve… enjoyed first… f**k her to death… puh, then thrown her… down… we have… many, hahaha… we… have many people…”

“You bastard!”

Bang! Bang——

Suddenly, the fist was firmly grabbed by a slender arm.

The Duke turned his head, panting heavily, to see a woman in leather coat with delicate features, her face now emotionless.

“Let go.”

The woman shook her head.

“I’ll say it again, let go.”

The woman parted her vermillion lips, speaking in a slightly androgynous voice.

“…He can’t die yet.”

“…”

Those words were like a sedative. The Duke looked at the woman’s face, his clenched fist gradually relaxing.

Valarr collapsed limply, then was caught by the chains.

He had lost consciousness.

“Huff——”

The Duke caught his breath, wiped the blood from his face, and said to the woman: “Let’s go.”

The woman nodded, then instructed the surrounding hunters: “Watch him carefully.”

“Yes.”

She stepped forward to catch up with the Duke’s pace.

Leaving the cellar, looking at the towering chimneys of the Central Workshop, the Duke’s expression gradually became calm.

“Your Grace, are you alright?”

The woman swept her silver hair behind her head, her gaze carrying a hint of concern as she looked at the Duke.

“I’m fine… Bella, you haven’t seen Peipei since she came back, have you?”

“Mm… haven’t.”

“She doesn’t remember anything now, we should find a chance for you two to get reacquainted.”

“…Do you believe Valarr’s words?”

“Hm?”

“That Peipei is… gone.”

“Isn’t she doing fine? What, you think I’m getting senile and can’t even recognize my own daughter?”

The woman called Bella smiled faintly at his words.

“…Go wash your face, then let’s head back.”

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