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Chapter 93
Six Piranhas. Going Mad from Withdrawal (1)
“Ha.”
The bed where Ellie had been lying was empty.
Not long after putting the crying Ellie to sleep, the room had already lost all warmth.
The bed, perfectly undisturbed, paradoxically proved that Ellie was safe.
At dawn, it was nearly impossible to get a rented carriage, and finding a means to travel between cities was even harder. If Ellie had intended to leave alone, she would have chosen a safe daytime departure, not the predawn hours.
On the neatly made bed lay a stiff piece of paper.
It felt as if Demian’s emblem itself was mocking him. Maurice crumpled the paper in his hand.
“She left without a single word to me.”
Only now did Maurice understand the complexity in Ellie’s eyes—and Demian’s statement that a person had to be fully in one’s grasp.
Demian wasn’t the type to wait for something to fall into his hands.
He wouldn’t wait a year to play with a toy he wanted immediately.
Maurice had suspected that Demian’s seemingly casual statements were harmless, yet he never doubted him.
Demian had used Duke McClure to corner him, turned two rookies into weaknesses, and made Maurice the fool.
He had been completely toyed with by Demian. It was a feeling of defeat Maurice hadn’t experienced in a long time.
On the bedside table were three more letters.
“Luckily, she left one addressed to me.”
She had been in his arms crying only a few hours ago—and yet she left behind only a single letter?
‘That stubborn little brat.’
A coward who only knew how to show off.
Ellie was extremely afraid of letting anyone influence her.
It seemed to be in her nature. She was wary of the unfamiliar, careful, and cautious. Maurice had always thought of her as a wild animal walking on thin ice.
But it wasn’t that she feared someone might harm her—she was afraid of getting close to others altogether.
Ellie didn’t know how to rely on anyone or accept kindness.
And yet, she felt twice as lonely as others.
Perhaps fearing she might harm someone, she curled up in herself, unwilling to endure her own losses, making the observer’s heart ache.
She thought no one knew of her struggles, quietly suffering alone.
The first to feel pity for Ellie was Malina.
From shortly after meeting her, Malina had been driven nearly insane by concern for Ellie.
Why was this child alone? Didn’t she have a guardian? Was it you, her supposed protector? Was there no proper adult? Was it really you? Say no! Why was she so scared? Did you hit her? If you don’t say no, I’ll shove my fist in that mouth…
Yet in front of Ellie, she showed no sign of it.
Quick-witted Malina had realized that Ellie was burdened by receiving even simple kindness. Consequently, for a while, Maurice became the one to listen to Malina’s complaints.
Ellie believed she had to do everything alone, that no one would ever help, and felt excessively grateful for even the smallest kindness, unsure how to deal with any trouble caused by herself.
It showed how isolated she had lived.
Proof that no one had helped her until she left the mansion at nineteen.
Maurice let out a bitter laugh.
‘After all that, what nerve did she have asking me for help, that girl?’
An audacious, arrogant girl. Just like her father. The only person who could believe that she had never been helped until she was nineteen was Ellie herself.
Maurice already knew what she must have been thinking.
She must have thought that since the trouble came from him, she had to handle it herself. It was only natural; receiving help was not justified. Someone else bearing the cost would be unfair, and no one would willingly do it.
Hence, she obediently went wherever Elaine McClure summoned her. She didn’t know how to ask for guidance, and would scold for even minor advice…
‘She must have been terrified.’
Since Ellie had already relied on Demian, she could have spoken to Maurice honestly.
Maurice couldn’t deny that, deep down, he had viewed this as an opportunity. Edmund and Van were restrained, and he was an expert when it came to business.
It was a situation where only he could truly help Ellie.
He felt confident, relaxed. The solution was clear in his mind.
Maurice sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Demian, Duke McClure, Elaine—they were all irritating, but the dumbest of all was himself.
Maurice’s words failed to convey trust.
They didn’t reach Ellie.
Perhaps he had been caught up in superficial cleverness, acting smugly while perched above others.
The letter contained only a single apology. No excuses.
“Running away yet having the audacity not to make excuses… unpredictable.”
Maurice laughed hollowly. Perhaps Ellie would rather be hated.
‘She’d better not mistake this for giving up.’
If words don’t reach her, actions will have to.
Maurice had always preferred showing through action rather than speech or writing. He wasn’t skilled at avoiding offense by gauging others’ reactions.
If offering help was so burdensome that it drove her to flee, it couldn’t be helped.
If he didn’t have to worry about being hated, it was freeing. Whatever happens, happens.
“Know this, Ellie: I won’t show you any more courtesy.”
Not only did she make a fool out of him, but she even abandoned him?
Maurice smiled bitterly.
For the first time in a while, he felt unburdened.
“How did you get here?”
“With skill.”
Edmund couldn’t hide his disbelief.
Was this really a place one could enter “with skill,” as Maurice said?
He had expected some inedible meal, but a savory aroma filled the air. When Edmund lifted his head, still with his eyes closed, Maurice stood there, slightly tilted, wearing his magician’s robe. Like feeding a dog tied in the yard, he carelessly placed a tray on the floor.
On the tray were three or four freshly made, steaming egg tarts. Edmund’s violet eyes brightened. Maurice smiled faintly at him, observing how he couldn’t take his eyes off the tray.
“Did Ellie make these?”
“They were made earlier.”
“All of Ellie’s egg tarts are mine. Why do you have them?”
“I stole them.”
“Thief.”
“Don’t like it? Should I put them away?”
“….”
Edmund couldn’t bring himself to say no, only frowning.
If he could just open the extra-dimensional space, he could retrieve the egg tarts preserved with status maintenance magic—but with his magic sealed, it was impossible.
Whether stolen or not, he would eat anything edible. Maurice asked:
“What have you been eating?”
“I shoved something in my mouth at every meal. Threw it all up though.”
Despite his confident tone, Edmund looked so thin that his bones were prominent.
Compared to before meeting Ellie, when he ate well and slept well, his body had filled out. The contrast was stark. Maurice clicked his tongue.
“Does the tower kitchen not even know the Tower Master’s preferences?”
“Maybe they know and are just tormenting me. Feed me instead. Can’t you see I’m bound?”
“I see. I do, but I thought I’d take a moment to enjoy seeing this sight—I may never see it again.”
“You bastard, why the hell did you come here all of a sudden?”
Edmund erupted in anger.
All living things are more sensitive when hungry. Edmund, sleepless and unfed, had no patience for Maurice’s inexplicable mischief.
“I couldn’t help sending Ellie back. How do you expect me to endure this?”
“Well, I understand that feeling…”
“Did Ellie send me to torment you?”
Edmund pouted. Maurice laughed at the childlike reaction.
Even after the elders of the Roso Tower chained his magic in triple and quadruple binding circles, this dangerous individual became a child in an instant.
Did Ellie know what she had tamed?
“Now you say you hate me? Complaining when I cling to you, then suddenly… what is it…?”
“Would that had been the case.”
“Hey, did something happen? Did you mess up even with me there? Explain properly.”
“She said she doesn’t want my help.”
“Is that what you call talking? What did you do, you useless bastard?!”
“Exactly.”
“Ellie chose you. Do it right, Maurice Herzog.”
“She says she’d rather live alone than rely on you, leaving everything behind. What am I supposed to do?”
“What…?”
“She vanished. Without a trace.”
Edmund froze. With a serious expression, he asked softly:
“Where?”
“Who knows.”
“Maurice Herzog. I’m not joking. Where is Ellie right now?”
“Neither am I.”
“……”
“Ellie’s gone. So you have no reason to be like this either.”
“……”
“She said she won’t meet anyone again. Sorry for being a burden.”
Edmund’s head dropped. Maurice hummed as if singing:
“Tough luck, Eddie. You were abandoned by your master.”
“……”
“Are you going to keep sulking like this?”
A heavy, metallic clang echoed as a piece of iron fell onto the stone floor.
“I was a fool to trust you.”
Maurice smiled faintly.
“Don’t think I’ll ever leave Ellie to you again.”
The once-solid chains crumbled as easily as if made of clay, broken by Edmund’s thin, malnourished fingers.
In an instant, he shattered the triple binding circles and magical restraints, his violet eyes blazing.
Just because one is tamed doesn’t mean their nature becomes gentle.
There was a reason everyone feared this man.
