Transmigrated Into A Tragic Romance Fantasy – Chapter 18

༺ How to turn the worst into the best(2) ༻

  “Ugh. Damn it. That disgusting taste still hasn’t gone away.”

  “Tell me about it. Monster cuisine is a first for me, truly something only the lowliest would eat.”

  “The Grand Duchess must have a bizarre taste. But Elden, that guy, he seemed to enjoy it just fine.”

  After their first meeting with the Grand Duchess, they gathered in a corner outside the arena, trying to suppress the lingering sense of disgust.

  As Kyle spoke to Blund and Deron, he initiated the conversation.

  “Did you see? The Grand Duchess only smiled at that guy, Elden.”

  “She did more than smile. She said she was ‘glad’ to see him again. She barely glanced at us.”

  Fuelled by righteous indignation, Kyle’s voice grew more impassioned.

  It was a typical tactic of villains to bond over a common enemy.

  “That’s not all. While she said we withdrew, behind the scenes, she had a private meeting with him.”

  “Not just that. Did you see him scoffing down that trashy meal while mocking us?”

  “And on top of that, after claiming to withdraw, did you see how he pretended to enjoy that garbage meal? Clearly, it was all to impress the Grand Duchess.”

  “We were humiliated. By announcing his withdrawal, he made us lower our guard, then schemed to win the Grand Duchess’s favor behind our backs.”

  Kyle and Blund vented their humiliation towards Elden, their gaze turning to Deron, who had remained silent.

  Their eyes were those of minions waiting for an order from their boss.

  Though the engagement battle was supposed to strip away ranks, the hierarchical relationship formed since the academy naturally created an organizational structure.

  Of course.

It was a relationship as fragile as glass, ready to shatter at the slightest crack.

  Crossing his arms, Deron, who had been lost in thought, finally spoke.

  “It’s unlikely that such a simpleton could concoct such a cunning plan. He must have a rather capable butler.”

  “As you say, Lord Deron. Without your grace, he wouldn’t have dreamed of graduating at the top of his class.”

  “Thus, Lord Deron must be even more furious. Even beasts recognize the hand that feeds them. That ingrate is no different.”

  Spit, ptui.

  Blund spat a lump of phlegm on the ground.

  Without the evaluators around, their actions were unrestrained.

  Yet, the unease and discomfort in their mouths persisted, caused by both the grotesque meal and the  anomaly named Elden. They felt an urgent need to extinguish this raging fire.

  Pretending to be concerned for Deron, they continued their discussion, but Blund was also greatly annoyed by Elden’s solo act.

  Leaning closer to Deron, Blund inquired.

  “We can’t just let this slide, can we?”

  “Indeed, Lord Deron. A cur who doesn’t know his place needs to be taught where he belongs.”

  “……”

  Deron held his tongue.

  Rash actions could invite disaster.

  And in incomprehensible situations, there’s usually a hidden reason.

  Elden’s withdrawal was puzzling, as was the Winterfell ducal family’s decision to delay their judgment.

  Whether the Duke or the Duchess delayed it, confronting the situation head-on was the only way to uncover the truth.

  “Hmm……”

  Especially since Elden Rapellion had been acting like a changed man since declaring his withdrawal.

  With his unbecoming self-reflection and words that seemed to condemn their past, he had become an eyesore. Now that the shackles of the evaluators were gone, meeting him seemed necessary.

  Elden Rapellion.

  He might have noticed something and acted preemptively.

  It was odd that out of many applicants, four classmates from the royal academy were the final candidates.

  Moreover, the Duchess’s voice felt familiar, and the insistence on the monstrous cuisine seemed forced.

  To determine whether Elden’s withdrawal was a strategic retreat or a ploy for a lead, they had to confront him.

  Deron, unfolding his arms, began to move.

  “Let’s see him then. Follow me.”

  To their eyes, Elden Rapellion, wandering alone in the enclosed space, was perfect prey.

  “The three esteemed gentlemen have graced us with their presence. What brings you here?”

  Deron approached Elden, who jestingly responded as he entered the training ground.

  It seemed the animal was too comfortable, even leisurely, after being laid out.

  The disdain was palpable, and Deron, barely holding back his urge to punish, replied sarcastically.

  “Reading and training… Elden, you seem to be at peace?”

  Of course, his patience ran thin after just two exchanges, thanks to Elden’s provoking smile.

  “Since I’m a withdrawer.”

   **

  In a 3 against 1 standoff.

  Of course, ‘standoff’ implies a tension between equals, but Elden’s presence didn’t seem overshadowed by the three.

  “Do you all have business with this withdrawer?”

  Deron scoffed and stepped forward at Elden’s remark.

  “You keep mentioning withdrawal. But for someone who eagerly ate that grotesque meal to curry favor with the Grand Duchess, can you really call yourself a withdrawer?”

  Elden chuckled incredulously.

  “Ha, well… It’s disappointing if enjoying a meal is seen as pandering. Lord Deron.”

  “Don’t play games. You think we’re unaware that your withdrawal was a ruse to catch us off guard? There’s a limit to how much we’ll tolerate your antics.”

  While Deron berated him, Kyle and Blund stood behind, ready to join the fray at any moment, prepared to crush their common enemy.

  The focus of their attention, Elden, instead stepped closer to Deron.

  Deron hesitated at the unexpected advance, and Elden, looking him directly in the eye, intensified his gaze.

  This was the start of a premeditated strategy, a brief return to the madman Elden had once been.

  As mentioned before, infamy does have its uses.

  “Look into these honest eyes. Do they seem like the eyes of someone scheming?”

  “……!”

  It was a clear mockery.

  The sole heir of a declining barony dared to taunt the second son of a flourishing ducal family.

  Deron felt a tremor of rage.

  The insolence of a once-controllable beast stung deeply, igniting an uncontrollable fury within him.

  Especially since Elden was just one of the many beasts he had tamed.

  Being bitten by a tamed beast warranted a response, a wound that wouldn’t heal even if repaid twice over.

  If a tamed beast dared bare its fangs, it deserved a beating.

  Yet, Deron tried to maintain his composure.

  There must be a reason for such brazenness.

  “Stop joking. That repulsive meal was tasty? Even passing beasts wouldn’t glance at it.”

  “It seems my taste differs from yours.”

  “What’s more, why is the ducal family delaying the decision on your withdrawal?”

  “I wouldn’t know. If you’re that curious, why not ask the Duke directly?”

  “Are you ordering me?”

  “I’m merely suggesting an easy way to find answers.”

  The defiant stance of a beast unwilling to back down.

  The more the confrontation escalated, the more Deron felt pushed into a corner, and he glanced back at Kyle and Blund.

  His subordinates were watching.

  Backing down would damage his pride.

  “I’ll ask you just one thing. Think carefully before answering. Depending on your response, your future could change.”

  A chilling warning, a threat.

  Elden readily, and calmly, accepted.

  “What’s the question?”

  “Did you have a hidden motive for your withdrawal? Are you truly bowing out, or was it a ruse to deceive us? There are no evaluators here, so speak frankly.”

  “I’ve said it several times. I’ve only now realized my place and chose to withdraw…”

  Deron cut him off.

  “No. Your answer is incorrect. You’re the one failing to grasp the situation.”

  Then, he continued with venom.

  “You should have confessed everything to me and apologized for deceiving us, bowing your head as before. That’s your place.”

  But to Elden, now a cunning fox, even direct threats couldn’t inflict indirect harm.

  “I’ve neither deceived nor owe an apology, hence I haven’t offered one. Contrary to appearances, I understand my position quite well.”

  Deron’s forehead furrowed deeply.

  The vile utterances of a traitor.

  As revolting as the monster cuisine.

  Fists clenched involuntarily.

  To be humiliated by a creature from a declining family, an orphan with no lineage to defend him, was an insult too great to bear.

  Deron’s blue eyes sharpened with resolve.

  “I’ve tolerated you until the final evaluation. If you dare to disrespect me again, be prepared. There are no eyes to see or ears to hear here.”

  “There are one, two, three, four pairs right here, though.”

  Yet, Elden’s jesting didn’t cease, and Deron, his eyes blazing with fury, rolled up his sleeves and approached Elden.

  The shaking breath suggested Elden had successfully provoked the extreme anger he desired.

  The kind of extreme anger that clouds judgment, urging immediate action over future planning.

  The kind of extreme anger that prioritizes instinct over reason.

  The kind of extreme anger that could flip the worst situation into the best.

  As planned, Deron Kelid exhibited that extreme anger.

  And.

  Elden chose this deserted training ground for that very reason.

  He lured them here for that reason.

  He provoked them for that reason.

  And for that reason, he had specifically asked the old butler on his first night of possession for something.

  The same [Mana Record] that Deron Kelid from the original story always carried, retrieved from the shadows of Winterfell’s Northern Territory.

  Villains always have something to hide.

  And he had no doubt they would respond to the provocation.

  The situation had changed drastically from the academy days.

  Fortunately, Lee Jun-woo had the intellect to use it to his advantage.

  “Hmm… It seems you’ve completely forgotten your memories from the academy.”

  Whoosh!

  Deron’s fist flew towards Elden’s face in an instant.

Thwack!

  Just before it could hit, Elden caught it in his hand, and the meaningful words he uttered then made Deron realize why the beast had dared to defy him.

  And only then did Deron realize he had been played by the very creature he had looked down upon.

 “Did you think I’d just take it as I used to?”

  Elden smirked.

  A truly ferocious smile fitting for a battle-crazed, notorious delinquent.