I Became the Substitute for the Runaway Heroine - Chapter 84

‘How could this happen?!’

Leorahil tore at his hair in agony. His father had always been a man who liked people and was easily swayed. He had been swindled before, leading to the family’s decline, but that was a failure of capability, not a criminal act or so Leorahil had thought.

But the man Maxcallion described was unrecognizable.

‘Human trafficking, gambling, and a man who was executed by beheading.’

Worse, Maxcallion actually sounded relieved that their father’s crimes would be buried. This side of Maxcallion felt terrifyingly foreign.

“Listen carefully, Leo. We have to prepare Father’s funeral. The cause of death is an accidental fall. The location: the South, where he was visiting for business.”

“…Ugh! I don’t understand what you’re saying!” Leorahil sobbed, overwhelmed by shock.

“Get it together, Leo! You and I have to get our stories straight. Do you have any idea how hard I worked to get Father’s name removed from Princess Trisha’s report?”

“No, I don’t! And what I want to know is the truth about his crimes. And who… who beheaded him?”

Maxcallion grabbed Leorahil’s head firmly with both hands.

“Remember only this: if you want to keep your position in the Imperial Guard, our father died in a tragic accident while traveling for business. I have to do the same to keep my position. Do you understand?”

“…The children? The ones Father tried to kidnap?”

“They’re gone. Every single one. They all escaped.”

So, he wasn’t a human trafficker, but an attempted one? Even so, the weight of the loss hit him. The sorrow of never seeing his father again flooded over him.

‘I wish Odette were here.’

Leorahil missed Odette desperately. She had always been his emotional pillar, filling the void left by his parents who were constantly away on business.

To Odette,

Caesar didn’t wake up until the day after you left. Just how hard did you hit him? In all my life, I’ve never seen anyone knock Caesar out with a physical blow.

The messenger bird sent by Trisha had somehow located the carriage. Thanks to that, Odette was able to exchange messages with Trisha during her journey across the South.

Caesar has returned to the capital. He won’t be chasing you anymore. If it got out that the Empire’s greatest hero was laid low by your fist, the embarrassment would be unbearable.

Odette felt a strange mix of relief and emptiness at the news that Caesar had finally given up on her.

‘See? I told you that you didn’t love me.’

She shuddered at her own conflicting emotions, wondering what she had actually expected. It wasn’t like she wanted him to chase her to the bitter end and catch her. If she were caught again, he would treat her more harshly than ever—he was a man who always returned more than he received.

‘But why didn’t he kill Viscount Sachsen?’

On the day of the festival, the Viscount had led the traffickers into the South. They were caught red-handed trying to kidnap children. Caesar had cut off the traffickers’ heads and hung them at the gates, but the Viscount was not among them.

‘Is he keeping him alive to inflict more extreme pain?’

Or perhaps he was holding the Viscount’s leash to root out Count Anderson’s remaining spies.

“Lady Odette, I think we’ll reach Napolitan by tomorrow.”

“Really?”

Odette watched the scenery passing through the window. She had heard that security worsened as they approached the Southern coast, but it seemed like a groundless rumor. The villages that were supposedly infested with bandits were impeccably clean, and the merchants were exceptionally kind. Even the checkpoint at the entrance to Napolitan, which was rumored to demand bribes, was smooth and professional.

“If you’re tired, why don’t you sleep? I’m worried because you haven’t slept much.”

“I’m fine.”

“Your face looks quite haggard.”

“Does it?”

Odette rubbed her face and subtly looked away. In truth, she was trying her best to stay awake. She was terrified of meeting Caesar in a dream—whether it was his subconscious or him appearing in her own dreams. Seeing him would simply be too painful.

“My Lord, uh… when are we leaving for the capital?”

Since the day he was knocked out by Odette, Caesar had not stepped foot out of his hotel room. A purple bruise had formed on the left side of his crown.

While the fact that the Empire’s hero was knocked out was a secret to be kept, the bruise wouldn’t fade, and the subordinates couldn’t even meet Caesar’s eyes for a long time. They began pressuring Aden, the chief aide, to give Caesar some “sincere advice.”

The news that Viscount Sachsen had been caught and beheaded in the South was being suppressed. Even though Princess Trisha had met the victims’ parents and submitted a report, it hadn’t changed anything. There was no massive sweep for traffickers, and no efforts were made to find children who had already been sold.

‘The bruise has faded now. Moving on would be a good change of pace,’ Aden thought.

Just as he decided to offer his advice even at the risk of his neck, Caesar suddenly began to chuckle.

“Aden, prepare my horse.”

“…Are we finally going to the capital? Should I tell everyone to get ready?”

“Why go to the capital when I’m so weak? I couldn’t even hold onto one Odette.”

“Th-then? Where are we going?”

He had sent some knights ahead to clear out bandits along Odette’s path and ensure she wasn’t harassed at checkpoints. But wasn’t that meant to be a safe farewell? Surely he wasn’t planning to stalk her and set another trap?

“I’m going to see the Grand Dowager.”

Aden looked worried. “…Do you think she’ll permit a visit?”

Last time, she had been cold enough to suggest she would never see him again.

But Caesar didn’t seem to care about rejection. “If I tell her I’ll inherit the Marquis title, she probably will.”

“Then what about the Dukedom?”

“I’ll take that too. Odette has a lot of ambition for power.”

“So… you really haven’t given up on Lady Odette?”

Please just let her go. Aden hung his head in pity.

“She gave me the obsession to become even stronger. How can I give up?”

Seeing the burning obsession in Caesar’s eyes, Aden let out a silent sigh.

‘I think Lady Odette made a big mistake poke-ing that bear.’

“You want to inherit the Marquis title? I will not allow it.”

The Grand Dowager had allowed the visit, but she still radiated a bone-chilling coldness.

“You’ll have to allow it. For the sake of Belmonte.”

“You are the master of the Hero’s Sword. But the moment you grip that blade, you are bound by the duty to protect Belmonte. Your mother, Grace, never wanted you to sacrifice yourself.”

Grace had known Caesar was the master of the sword, but she never returned to Belmonte. She wanted him to live as a normal Imperial citizen, unaware that the price of defying fate would return as a curse.

“I will accept the duty of protecting Belmonte.”

“Why the sudden change of heart? Last time you were here, you only intended to enter Obelon, pull the sword, and leave.”

If she was pointing out his lack of interest in divine calling or Belmonte’s glory—fine! He felt he deserved the criticism. Honestly, until now, Caesar had cared for nothing but survival and revenge.

But now, he had something far more important. Caesar took a deep breath, stepped off his chair, and knelt.

“I want Odette. To have her, I must become the strongest being under the gods. Please, do not reject your grandson’s earnest plea.”

After a long journey, Odette’s party finally arrived safely in Napolitan.

“Wow! It’s so beautiful!”

“It really is.”

They were inside an inn on a coastal cliff, a famous spot in Napolitan. The sea view from the room was as breathtaking as rumored.

“Since we arrived a day early for the ferry, what should we do?”

“They say Napolitan is in the middle of a festival too. The South usually celebrates for nearly half a month.”

Odette, listening quietly to Emma and Jacques, spoke softly.

“I still can’t believe I actually made it to Napolitan.”

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