CH 4.2

He said he would practice archery but shot an arrow in Cade’s shoulder instead.

He even aimed at his eye, but he missed.

Later, a terrible war broke out between Cade–who had returned to the border where his fellow ‘wildlings’ were–and his stepfather, the Duke.

Cade’s army consisted of savage barbarians.

Meanwhile, the duke’s militia continued engaging in endless fights with them under the order and support of the royal family.

After a repeated struggle with the ‘ killed-or-be-killed ‘ mentality, Cade had completely lost his ability to feel after a repeated battle ‘killed-or-be-killed’ psyche that he began to regard the importance of human lives akin to flies.

He had killed so many people that he even got the moniker of ‘The Twisted Killer’.

It meant he wouldn’t hesitate to kill if he had been wronged or even in the wrong.

The stupid novel ended with Cade committing suicide the day after his victory in the war was announced.

‘I want a refund.’

She read the sixty-nine chapters of volume 4 until it was worn out, and she was exhausted from reading the entire thing.

Marquis Milose, the family where Cherryl had reincarnated, was roughly described as a nobleman who used to beg the royal family for favors’.

Therefore, her biological father should be one of the aristocrats who should consider Cade their enemy, but it turned out he was just a minor role that wasn’t even mentioned.

There must be something wrong.’

Instead of being on the battlefield, Cade would appear in front of Cherryl today, carrying the title of the Archduke of the North since all of the fake Blankanovs who were at war with him were all dead, according to the novel’s original plot.

His family history had been altered because the dukedom had been given to a member of the royal family instead of him.

As she looked back on what Cherryl’s father had said,  a big accident must have occured.’

For her, this was a better development than continuing an endless war in this world.

Nevertheless, Cade wouldn’t have done it if he didn’t know the secret of his birth that only Cherryl knew.

Which part did the original novel get suddenly twisted?

Calm down.

She should calm down.

Cherryl took a deep breath as she shook off the blood-colored feast Marquis Milose held.

***

The mealtime was uncomfortable–the steak she had stuffed down her throat and the glass of wine she swallowed every time her father said something idiotic.

She felt sick and dizzy after drinking so much alcohol.

Cherryl’s father sent the women upstairs to discuss business with Cade.

She was nervous and out of breath because she had no idea where this story would go.

After changing into comfortable clothes, she moistened her throat with the tea Lucy had brought.

Mixing it with milk and sugar calmed her down a little.

“I’m sorry, miss. I used the lamp light to aid my sight as I scoured the floor but couldn’t find the ring.” Lucy spoke sullenly.

“Don’t be sorry. It’s my fault that I dropped it when I saw the Archduke. I guess I’ll have to search for it in the morning.”

Even if she said so, Cherryl still felt ashamed and depressed because it was a relic that her biological mother had left her.

Lucy frowned as she brushed Cherryl’s wavy hair.

Well , she shouldn’t be sad that the maid diverted her attention to something else.

“By the way, I never imagined that the men Oliver had told me had anything to do with you.”

“So do I.”

“It was a little strange for the Duke to have such men looking like wild bandits as escorts, but somehow they suit each other in terms of appearance, My Lady. Was I rude to say this?”

“He’s a bandit as well.” Cherryl swallowed an insufferable cry.

“The servants and the townspeople are in a mess, too. Everyone was whispering that he looked like a walking statue.” Lucy lowered her voice as if she just told her a secret. “—but you know what? There’s a strange rumor going around about him, My Lady.”

Cherryl gulped.

What could it be?

Was the man rumored to kill anyone he felt like because he was a twisted madman similar to the nickname he got from the novel she had read?

Or was it because he destroyed all of his family members with his own hands to take the throne?

“A line of women must have been fascinated by his glorious appearance.”

“So?”

“The only ones I know are Marquis Moldin’s fiance, the second daughter of the Belde family, and the queen.”

“Can you get to the point, Lucy?”

“I’ve heard many ladies were interested in him, but he hadn’t killed anyone yet.”

Cherryl gave Lucy a vacant stare before she got angry.

“No. What kind of rumor is that? Of course, he can’t kill people just like  that!”

“Well, it certainly contrasted the ugly rumors of where he truly came from. There’s also a strange story that he liked to walk in the garden with animals.”

Cherryl had enough of this nonsense and grabbed the scruff of Lucy’s neck until she heard Marquis Milose laughing downstairs.

Her father, who never smiled at her even once in her life and never gave her a gift, had done the same tricks to sell her as dessert.

“It’s also true that the Duke had wiped out the long-suffering northern barbarians.”

Lucy continued, looking over the mirror at Cherryl.

“The Emperor had honored him and bestowed him with the title of the Grand Duke. He was granted independent autonomy from Carlsvik, Grand Duke of Blkanov.”

There were many barbarians in the North other than the Balkans, which Cade led.

Among them was a dangerous race that was killed for fun.

It’s an outstanding achievement.

Cade must have cleaned them right.

In the original novel, he was a man who could make everyone join his army.

He couldn’t afford to divide the race to win a war.

What made him change his heart and mind?

He was a man who knew nothing but to kill.

She didn’t think he had driven out the barbarians to make the North a better place to live.

Then the door burst open.

It was Natasha, who had already invaded Cherryl’s space twice today.

Cherryl looked at her stepmother with an expression of “Is it you again?”

“When did you forget how to knock, mother?”

The Grand Duke and his party decided to stay in our mansion for the time being. It’s the Marquis’ order. Go and take the Archduke to the guest room.”