Hellbents
Chapter 196: Before that ...

Ellijah sat staring at the bar from this afternoon. His body bowed with his head bowed, if only the previous Duke was still alive he would have been slapped for not behaving like a noble.

Nobles who always sit upright with their chins raised.

Nobles who will never regret because they are always sure whatever they do is the right thing.

Nobles who continue to prioritize their own interests despite having to hurt their families.

The selfish noble.

The nobleman .. evil.

Ellijah sighed, her throat feeling hot from the dozens of alcohol she had drunk. The glass he was holding also looked blurry and swinging, or his body was even staggering?

Argh, Elli doesn't know.

He never liked being born among nobles.

If the price he had to pay for his noble status was to be locked up for three days without food when he was wrongly holding a teacup, then he would not.

At first Ellijah did not know what she was experiencing called persecution. As far as the memory he could recall, the late Duke had always been that hard when teaching him. Other adults also let the atrocities happen.

The butlers and servants always said, "This is what he should live as the authoritative heir of the Frost family."

Even his mother, "A Duke should be strong, just hang on."

Come to think of it, the Duchess seemed to know something was wrong with the way education in the Dukedom Frost was given.

Because he asked Ellijah to "survive".

He knew but did nothing to reduce his burden.

Maybe because Ellijah's fate with her mother is almost the same?

Often he hears a grievous howl when he wants to put together his completed task. The first thing Elli thought of was Duke adopting a guard dog, and he was taming it.

Never did he expect the roar of pain he heard to come from a human.

Because their cries were too primitive.

The primal fear that even made Ellijah break out in cold sweat as well as her heart racing just by hearing it.

But what he saw behind the door was not a dog, but rather the battered Duchess Frost on the floor. Her favorite green dress was torn and stained with blood. Her beautiful makeup is no longer visible due to purple bruises and tears.

Ellijah remembered that moment she put down her answer sheet with trembling hands, but she desperately kept eye contact with the cold glare of Duke Frost.

He remembered that he was afraid to make mistakes, and he did not hesitate to breathe, convinced that he would only smell the smell of carnation and misery.

So, he did not blame his mother for his childhood suffering.

They are both victims.

But his weak and narrow perspective is instantly shattered when he meets the princess, Eve.

How the girl confidently joined the conversation between the king and Duke Frost, contrasted with Ellijah who tried hard not to make the slightest sound. How Eve courageously asked permission from the two men to take her out of the stifling room.

Ellijah had always thought that Duke Frost had a large, sturdy figure. But for the first time, as Eve clasped her hand towards the door, the silhouette she had feared seemed small compared to the throne of the king who was on the higher floor, compared also to the two gallant bodyguards on the right-left of the podium, compared to the magnificent room he had just seen around him.

Eve also gave him some breathing room.

Duke Frost was very excited about setting her up with the princess. And for the first time again, he was pleased with the task he was burdened with.

Eve released him.

Not long after their engagement was official, Duke Frost had an accident. Ellijah was convinced this was what Eve was planning.

To lead him to the exit.

To let him breathe fresh air.

To give him happiness.

As all the relative and waitresses held back tears at the Frost couple's funeral, Ellijah held back a smile.

That's why he hates nobility.

All the values and ways he learned as a status heir were all wrong.

Everything was wrong except Eve.

Because he felt like he was throwing away everything embedded in his brain except selfishness.

Ellijah is fully aware that the mission they are currently on is story-based in gate, in other words fake.

But he hated imagining others, even if only imaginary characters were even dead, marrying Eve.

Elli doesn't want to share her fiance with anyone.

Outside the gate, he had already desperately refrained from freezing every pair of eyes that he dared to look towards Eve.

And when the girl called her imaginary marriage to a man who was just a corpse, something cracked inside her.

"Woah, relax. I don't bite~"

His sudden movements carried a pulse in Ellijah's head, but now he was able to capture the silhouette of the person who asked him to speak. Although his vision is still blurry, he can still recognize the two sharp irises on both eyeballs.

Uh.

The demon woman.

"Go."

"Well, not~ By the way, you better check your hands to the healer, hm, even if there is sih~"

It was only then that he realized that the clutch glass had broken, that the glass splinter pierced Ellijah's palm.

But he didn't feel any pain at all.

The heat in his chest and mind weighed more heavily on him.

"Outside the gate, you're the princess' fiancee huh?"

"true." Ellijah answered immediately, even though he did not like the premise of the first sentence. "Outside the gate", it was as if his status here was different just because of the stupid story that went along.

He knew that he should not listen to anything a demon said.

The devil will only wreak havoc on their surroundings.

"Unfortunately, that spoiled princess dumped you for her role here, huh?"

However, a demon was also the most skilled at shaking the hearts of humans.

... Eve threw it?

She ... was dumped?

"Empress, right? I heard in the human world, women whose husbands died can be claimed again by their family of origin~ Maybe soon the empress will be remarried to someone else~"

Asmo smirked behind his hand. Looking at Duke Frost who was just sculpting despite hearing every word of his, he already knew his plan was working.

Humans are creatures who move according to their desires.

Especially when drunk, ugly or dirty desires that are buried as deep as anything, can come out with just a few provocative sentences.

Man is a creature that puts emotion ahead of rationality.

Ellijah got up suddenly, the chair she was sitting on fell horribly on the floor. The man immediately walked in a hurry, staggering yet determined, aiming.

Asmo could no longer hold back the laughter.

Ah~

Humans are stupid.

***

Ava almost jumped out of her seat when the door to her room broke open.

Ellijah, red-faced and smelling of alcohol, greeted the girl with wide, though not straight, steps.

"Are you ... drunk?"

Ava glanced at the window, the sun was still high, at the latest it was almost late in the afternoon.

But before he thought further, Elli's face was already right in front of him. Their noses almost touched.

Ava's body is sandwiched between a magnificent chair and Elli who fully intends to lock her up with her burly body.