Sitana, who had escaped to the outside, was completely oblivious to the passionate affair between her own sister and the scoundrel she loathed the most.
She hastily wiped away her tears and walked head down on the streets of Scarletfrost City, feeling out of place amidst the laughter of passersby and the bustling noise of carriages and horses.
Although it was the capital of Scarletfrost territory, Scarletfrost City was not always this prosperous.
Regarding this, Anselm had explained in detail to Malena during his guidance, touching on the unique aspects of Scarletfrost, the strategic maneuvering between the two dukes due to these peculiarities, and the reason why the Scarletfrost Earl, who was brought to the forefront as a result, acted so recklessly and without any moral boundaries.
Anselm's explanation was very thorough, and Malena had a comprehensive understanding of the entire Scarletfrost territory's situation. However, Sitana, who was also recognized by Anselm as "having talent," was irritable and helpless, kicking pebbles on the side of the street.
" 'He is our great benefactor, don't make any more mistakes' ... What a joke!" The girl mimicked her sister's voice in a strange tone, "That jerk almost had me killed! And he had the nerve to call it 'just a simple after-class test,' like people's lives are nothing, that son of a whore!"
She gritted her teeth and muttered to herself, "Sooner or later, I'll make you taste what it feels like to be half dead!"
Sitana angrily kicked the stone with such force that it flew off like a bullet being fired, directly creating a hole in the carriage of a horse-drawn cart more than ten meters away.
Immediately, a scream came from inside, and a gentleman dressed in fine clothes pushed open the carriage door, looking around in fury: "Who did this! Which ruffian dared to harm people in the open street!"
The gazes of the surrounding passersby all converged on the strikingly beautiful yet somehow off-putting girl with snow-white hair.
"..." Sitana's expression stiffened. Through the open carriage door, she could see an injured woman inside, her head bleeding profusely with a frightening injury. Realizing she had caused trouble, she clenched her teeth, swallowed the anger in her chest, and tried her best not to have a murderous look as she walked over.
"I did it, I'm sorry," she said.
She looked away, her voice tightened: "What's the damage? How much do I owe?"
"I don't need a single penny from you!" The gentleman glared at Sitana, "First, apologize to my companion, and then we'll proceed with a trial according to the laws of Scarletfrost!"
"I —"
Sitana's mind was a bit muddled. In all the trouble she had caused, there were only ever two outcomes—either the other party was convinced by her fists, or a false reconciliation was reached through means unrelated to any formal process.
Laws, trials? She had never believed in the effectiveness of such things. Otherwise, how could there still be so many nobles lording it over her?
The girl fell silent for a moment, feeling a sense of justified panic.
But even so, she gritted her teeth and responded without any attempt to evade, "Fine, to the lady inside, I am very sorry, I apologize!"
Sitana immediately drew the hunting dagger at her waist and without hesitation, slashed a deep gash across her forehead, the wound so severe it was alarming. With even more blood streaming down her face, she declared firmly, "I don't know how a court would judge this, but this is my sincerity."
The gentleman was startled by Sitana's action, and much of the anger on his face dissipated. He hesitated, wanting to say something, but upon seeing his companion genuinely sobbing, he spoke coldly, "I respect your sincerity, but I will not withdraw any charges against you, miss. When the guards arrive, we will meet in court."
Sitana sheathed the hunting knife back at her waist, wiped the blood from her forehead, and stood there, showing no intention of fleeing.
However, neither the gentleman nor Sitana were met by guards; instead, another carriage, seemingly very expensive, arrived.
The carriage quickly approached, and the owner of the carriage stuck their head out the window, not looking at the gentleman, but instead greeting Sitana: "Your sincerity is admirable, Miss Rancemalos."
"...… You know me?"
"How could the people of Scarletfrost City not know you?" The middle-aged man, who could be either a merchant or a noble, smiled, "Everyone knows that the beautiful young lady with hair as white as the pure snow on mountain peaks is the formidable bodyguard of Lord Hydra, isn't that right?"
Before Sitana could say anything, the gentleman was struck pale by the significant mention of "Lord Hydra" in the man's words.
"My friend," the middle-aged man addressed the gentleman with a gentle tone, "have you recently arrived in Scarletfrost City for business? Under the governance of Lord Hydra, the Scarletfrost territory has begun to exhibit signs of rejuvenation. It would be wise to keep in mind... when settling into a new environment, adopting a more forgiving attitude often leads to a wider circle of acquaintances and a reduction in potential complications."
He withdrew into his own carriage, instructed the coachman to drive, and left amidst the rumbling of wheels.
Sitana didn't understand what game this person was playing, but it didn't concern her. She had already decided to wait for the guards to arrive.
But what she didn't expect was that the gentleman, whose face had suddenly turned extremely pale, opened his mouth. He looked at Sitana, who had her arms crossed, her expression calm as she allowed the blood to flow. After several attempts to speak without success, he finally managed to say, with great difficulty and a dry voice:
"Miss Rance... Rancemalos. Let's just leave it at that. Please forgive my slight offense. I was too angry and lost control for a moment..."
"What? What is this 'let's just leave it at that'?"
Sitana was taken aback: "What do you mean by 'please forgive me'?"
"You see... you've already apologized, and even more, you've inflicted a more severe injury on yourself. I don't think I have any reason to continue pursuing this matter—"
Observing the gentleman's meek tone and evasive gaze, Sitana understood something in an instant.
"Hydra..."
"Because of... Hydra."
"Miss Rance, Rancemalos?"
"TELL ME!"
Approaching the carriage directly, Sitana forcibly pulled the gentleman out of the vehicle, grabbed his collar, and lifted him off the ground as she roared, "IS IT BECAUSE OF HYDRA? THAT'S WHY YOU'RE NOT PURSUING ME? SPEAK UP!"
"No, it's not! It's because, I—"
"ENOUGH!" The furious Sitana released the gentleman, whose limbs had gone limp, and spoke through clenched teeth.
"There is no 'let's just forget it,' no 'ending it because of Hydra'! There is only the trial that should be carried out!"
"I'm staying right here, and I won't go anywhere."
She coldly stared at the gentleman who had collapsed on the ground, completely indifferent to his desperate gaze.
"You too."
*
As Anselm enjoyed his lunch to the melodious music of Yura, Saville's figure suddenly appeared behind him.
The old butler's expression was slightly peculiar. He bent down and whispered into Anselm's ear.
The young Hydra listened to Saville's report while continuing to use his knife and fork, but as he listened, his movements gradually halted. The gleaming silver knife hung in mid-air, reflecting the slender waist and soft arms of the musician.
"Pfft... haha... hahaha—"
Anselm laughed joyfully and heartily, his slightly magnetic and melodious youthful voice harmonizing with the music, creating a particularly delightful sound.
"Should I say, as expected of Sitana?"
Anselm, who was nearly laughing to the point of tears, put down his knife and fork, sighed as he caught his breath, and shook his head with a smile on his lips.
"A young lady whose actions consistently defy my expectations, no matter how thoroughly I contemplate them."
"What do you plan to do? It seems that unless Miss Sitana is formally arrested, she won't let this go."
"Isn't the answer obvious? We'll handle it according to the laws."
Anselm held the dinner knife up to his eyes, gazing at his reflection on the blade, and chuckled softly, "She didn't bring any money with her when she left, and it's highly unlikely she'll return tonight. That means she'll have to endure hunger and find a place to sleep in the cold wind. I can't bear to let that happen."
"If we put her in a cell, wouldn't that solve the problem? Besides..."
"She has yet to receive the punishment I have in store for her."
The reflection of the sly serpent in the dinner knife's surface glinted with a mischievous light in its eyes.
Author's note:
Ps:
Wow, the prison part I love the most is coming up!
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