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Chapter 08
Roberic extended his hand toward me.
I ground my teeth in disgust, but I had no choice but to take it.
I needed to confirm my grandfather’s safety.
“…Idis!!”
“Grandfather!”
Through the knights who seemed to be from the Grand Duke’s forces, I saw my grandfather kneeling on the ground.
“Roberic Arne Heilian! You’re taking my granddaughter from me after all!”
My grandfather’s face was filled with desperate hatred.
Roberic, holding my hand gently, walked forward and replied.
“You should choose your words more carefully.”
He walked to my grandfather’s side and released my hand.
Without even understanding why he did it, I rushed forward and hugged my grandfather tightly.
“I am Idis’s biological father. As long as Idis can be safe and happy, I will not hesitate to do anything.”
“…You bastard.”
My grandfather hugged me back, growling like a beast scratching its throat.
Still confused and desperate, I held onto him tightly, then opened my eyes and looked around.
“…!”
And I saw him—the innkeeper, standing nervously behind the knights.
It was him.
I instinctively understood.
The one who informed Roberic of our location.
I gritted my teeth.
I had no intention of playing along with this well-prepared play.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Idis!”
I let go of my grandfather and turned around.
Roberic stood there with his sword resting on its sheath, looking down at me.
“What?” he asked gently.
Barely holding back my disgust, I shouted.
“I already said I won’t go with you! So what is this? Why are you holding me and my grandfather here?!”
I knew it wouldn’t change anything.
But I was too angry to just stand there and obey.
I needed to scream like this just to endure it.
“…Si-on Archaith Bastavan.”
But Roberic’s gaze and voice shifted—not to me, but to my grandfather.
He spoke calmly.
“How exactly did you raise Idis?”
…What?
I looked up at him, stunned.
“You must have brainwashed her into harboring hostility toward me. It’s obvious without even seeing it.”
In the world, when someone jumps to conclusions and interrogates others based on their own delusions, they are called insane.
So Roberic was truly insane.
“No! I’ve never heard anything about my father until you showed up!”
I screamed in protest.
My grandfather’s hand gripping my arm trembled slightly.
“Idis.”
Roberic called me.
I didn’t stop. I glared at him clearly.
“I will never go with you. I’ll stay with my grandfather until I die!”
“Idis…”
My grandfather’s voice came softly.
I held back tears of anger and frustration as I stared at Roberic.
“Ha.”
Roberic let out a faint laugh.
Then he slowly drew his silver sword.
“!”
A breeze lifted my hair.
“Grandfather!”
Roberic’s sword tip passed me—
And pointed directly at my grandfather’s neck.
“Not only did you hide the existence of my child, you even tried to take her away.”
My mind went completely blank.
Roberic twisted the blade slightly.
“What do you intend to do to pay for that?”
It was an expression I had never seen before.
‘Idis!’
‘Finally, you’re willing to talk to your father!’
‘Idis… please… why are you doing this…’
He had always smiled brightly or cried pitifully.
A man with a head full of flowers—completely insane.
That’s what I thought…
“Speak. What do you want?”
I looked up at him.
I couldn’t even blink.
Under all his masks, this was what he truly was.
Cold. Horrifying.
Had he always been like this?
“……What do you want?”
My grandfather asked weakly.
No—that wasn’t weakness. That was controlled rage.
“You took my honor, my family name, my title, and even my daughter.”
“I will now claim something as well. I cannot give Idis to you. I raised this child from the moment she was born, until now. Do not speak of blood or rights. To me, Idis is the only remaining bloodline of Mariette.”
His hand tightened around my shoulder.
“…What will you do?”
Roberic replied calmly.
“The very thing I want is that child.”
“….”
“What will you offer in exchange? Or is there even anything left for you to offer?”
It was horrible.
Truly, horribly so.
“Oh, I misspoke. You do have one thing left.”
What did that blade circling my grandfather’s neck mean?
I hated Roberic.
No—it was more than hate now. It was disgust.
He had ruined my grandfather and mocked the very person who had once saved and taught him.
But he had power.
Power that allowed him to act like this without consequence.
And that power…
“…Stop.”
I spoke.
“I’ll go with you.”
“Idis!!”
My grandfather’s voice pierced my ears.
Roberic looked at me.
“…That is…”
I finally met his eyes.
The same red eyes as mine.
“I’ll go to the Grand Duke’s house. As you wish… Father.”
His eyes widened.
I stared at him quietly.
Between us, the bond of blood was undeniable.
So in the future, the power you built will become mine.
When that time comes, I will achieve it.
I will restore my grandfather’s honor.
“Idis…!”
And punish you for everything you’ve done.
A beautiful smile spread across Roberic’s face like flowers on a lake.
It was a smile that made my skin crawl, especially because I remembered what lay beneath it.
He collapsed slightly and pulled me into his arms.
“Thank you… thank you for accepting your father. I’ll do anything to give you what you want… I will protect you no matter what…”
Whispers filled my ear.
But none of it meant anything.
My eyes were only on my grandfather behind him.
I closed my eyes.
The peace that had wrapped my life until now was ending.
From afar, Perion clenched his jaw.
He had tried everything to avoid walking the path of a beast.
But in the end, it came to this.
If asked who he hated most, Perion would answer without hesitation.
Mariette.
And now that she was gone, his hatred had shifted to Si-on Archaith Bastavan and her daughter.
Idis Ronen Bastavan.
Especially Mariette’s daughter—she was like a thorn stuck in his throat.
On the surface, Shastia and Alea seemed perfect.
But that was only inside the Grand Duke’s estate.
Outside it—
“Those low-born women…”
“Does the Grand Duke truly intend to pass the title to that unrelated stepdaughter?”
“The former Bastavan lady may have been aggressive, but at least she was noble…”
“Who could surpass the daughter of a hero?”
“It’s disgusting how commoners pretend to be Duchess and young lady…”
“The noble Heilian bloodline will end because of one widow!”
Such words could be heard just outside the estate.
Common people admired Shastia, but nobles openly despised her and Alea.
Even hearing someone praise Mariette as far superior to Shastia made Perion want to draw his sword and cut them down.
And now—
If Roberic’s only biological child, Mariette’s daughter, appeared…
The nobles would celebrate her.
They would support her as the next Grand Duke.
“That must not happen…”
No matter what.
If things went that way, Shastia and Alea would fall into ruin.
That child—so much like her mother—would never leave them alone.
“…Thank you, Perion.”
Shastia had finally found happiness.
Imagining her losing everything made Perion feel like vomiting blood.
He fixed his gaze on Idis, filled with hatred.
Even though she was Mariette’s daughter, he did not want to stain his hands with her blood.
But now there was no other choice.
The final measure for when Idis and Si-on were captured by Roberic—
Perion decided.
He would kill Idis Ronen Bastavan.
