TSMMT Ch 118

Save Me

Guiscard received the report. Because Alexa had tipped him off upon entering the palace, he kept a cautious eye on a certain guest who had entered.

[Logaple] "Attacking Her Majesty?! I will kill him myself!"

Logaple shouted, grinding his teeth. The Vargrhati Order shared his outrage. Guiscard pinched the bridge of his nose.

Emil and Dianna were hardly on good terms. In fact, he had once instigated Guiscard to harm her. Yet, Dianna had let it slide even while knowing the truth. Simply because he was family. That was the sole reason.

So framing him as an assassin and locking him in the dungeon meant something deeper was at play.

Why had Alexa aided in this? Why did Dianna not hesitate? This was Dianna Brienne, the woman who cherished her family above all else.

Yet, something was off. Even when kidnapped by Mirva, she had acted strangely, suffering at the mere mention of her father.

Back then, Guiscard realized he hadn't seen the whole truth. He wanted to uncover that abyss. That was why he had invited the Panborough nobility. And yet, once again, he did nothing.

Should I interfere? Or should I stand aside?

He had made a clear mistake in the past. This was her choice, and he could respect it.

Emil was merely an assassin. That bastard was just an assassin.

Taking advice to stay still if he didn't want to be hated, he remained passive enough.

He knew bringing Levian here had been foolish. His words wounded Dianna. His actions failed to fully support her. Most of his choices were foolish.

Therefore, he chose to observe quietly, following everyone's advice. Instead, he did what he could.

Disliking how the arrogant Duke Islag wielded steel to manipulate the kingdom, he had ventured into the elven forest to mine orichalcum. To keep Duke Levian's maritime trade in check, he funded a port on Duke Kragel's island.

Yet, he kept returning to square one. Dianna had captured Emil, that bastard.

Despite the commotion, the banquet proceeded, and Dianna attended as if nothing had happened. Guiscard watched her sitting demurely at the banquet. Seeing her pale face, he wanted to say something, but held his tongue.

Having already crossed the line once, he couldn't cross it again. Thus, he intended to let even 'that night' pass quietly.

[Knight] "Her Majesty the Queen has descended into the dungeon."

Yes. He had intended to respect her revenge.

[Alexa] "Even if she ends up hurting herself, step in quietly and heal her."

Her voice echoed in his mind, scrambling his thoughts. He clutched his head, bowing low, before his eyes flashed as he strode forward.

After all, he was no longer her slave.

If Dianna wanted him to keep his distance, she should never have freed him in the first place. He worried for her, and he detested seeing her hurt herself. If she attempted to self-destruct, he would stop her, even by force.

Even if that meant crossing the line. That was why.

That was why he descended into the unlit dungeon. Silencing his presence came too naturally to him, and because of it, he overheard their conversation.

At first, he didn't comprehend what they were discussing. But the moment he understood every word, his vision went dark with crimson rage.

---

Dianna stood frozen.

How long has he been here? Did he listen while hiding his presence? Does he know now?

She clutched her hair, wanting to scream.

Why, why did he have to find out?! Why?!

Guiscard seized Emil by the collar. Lifted into the air along with the chair, he gagged for breath. Simultaneously, a massive fist the size of his face slammed into his features. A sickening crack echoed.

[Emil] "A-Ahhh, s-stop!"

Thud, thud, thud, thud.

Wet, heavy blows reverberated through the cell. Dianna watched something clatter to the ground: Emil's teeth.

[Guiscard] "AAARRRGH!"

He roared. Snapping the ropes with his bare hands, he hurled Emil to the stone floor. He looked up at him with terrified eyes.

[Guiscard] "Say that again."

He spoke through gritted teeth. But Emil had lost his mind. Wetting his pants in sheer terror, he scrambled backward on his hands and knees.

[Guiscard] "Say it again! What did you say?!"

Tears spilled from Guiscard's eyes, while his suffocating murderous intent crushed the air around them.

Realizing he would beat Emil to death at this rate, Dianna forced herself to maintain composure.

[Dianna] "Stop it."

He flinched.

[Dianna] "Stop it, Guiscard."

His quivering gaze shifted toward Dianna. Drenched in Emil's blood, he turned to face her. Forcing a facade of calm, she spoke.

[Dianna] "Go back. This is my—"

[Guiscard] "Shut your mouth, Dianna Brienne."

[Dianna] "I told you to stop!"

She shrieked. She wanted him to stop interfering. She wanted him to say nothing, absolutely nothing.

[Guiscard] "Dammit... That insidious bastard would never have stayed quiet."

Cursing under his breath, he fixed a smoldering gaze on her, paralyzing her on the spot. Forcing the corners of his lips upward, he spoke.

[Guiscard] "Is this... is this all it was?!"

[Dianna] "..."

[Guiscard] "You abandoned me like that... just for this?!"

[Dianna] "..."

[Guiscard] "You claimed you would become queen, yet you followed me into becoming a slave?!"

A hollow chuckle escaped him, yet the underlying rage remained undiminished. His face contorted like a wild beast before he exhaled sharply.

[Guiscard] "Answer me! Please... answer me!"

His roar echoed through the dungeon. Grasping her shoulders tightly, he leaned down to lock eyes with her, shouting in agonizing desperation.

[Guiscard] "Speak to me! Say something!"

Why is he so angry?

Amidst the escalating madness, Dianna suddenly viewed him from a detached, observer-like perspective. Her mind went numb. As the frantic panic subsided, she observed the world as a third party.

[Guiscard] "Ann, tell me! Is what that bastard rambled on about true?!"

Ah, if this continues, it will only get louder...

She nodded slowly. His eyes widened.

Why is he looking at me with that expression?

[Guiscard] "Dianna. You..."

Yes? What is it?

Dianna tilted her head. Unable to contain himself, Guiscard gripped her shoulders and shook her.

[Guiscard] "Pull yourself together, please!"

He shouted. His voice snapped her back to reality. Detaching herself from her surroundings had been a coping mechanism learned back in that dungeon, an escape mechanism from mind-shattering horror.

[Guiscard] "Look at me! Look at this situation right in front of you!"

Yet, he held her shoulders, dragging her back from evasion into cruel reality. The chaotic nightmare unfolded before her eyes.

An unbearable reality lay exposed before her. Gasping for breath through tear-filled eyes, she realized the truth. Guiscard Lodbrog knew everything!

[Guiscard] "Why... why didn't you tell me?!"

[Dianna] "..."

[Guiscard] "Why?! You could have told me!"

Seeing his pained expression, she spoke.

[Dianna] "Why should I?"

At her question, tears spilled from his eyes. Tears. The sight shocked her. He continued.

[Guiscard] "No, you should have told me! What happened to you because you freed me... what horrors you endured!"

[Dianna] "..."

[Guiscard] "If I had known, I wouldn't have forced this marriage on you! I wouldn't have stayed by your side!"

[Dianna] "..."

[Guiscard] "You would have been free from the start! I... I wouldn't have greedily claimed you!"

His voice resounded like an agonizing shriek. She stared blankly. Guiscard looked intensely anguished. He was suffering.

Dianna looked at the unconscious Emil and pondered.

Was escaping him... truly that simple? Had I disclosed my trauma, could I have avoided becoming his bride? Was it really that easy?

Yet, is this something to be so enraged about? Why...?

She looked at the man screaming at her, laying bare his raw emotions.

[Dianna] "So why come here...? Why not pretend not to know, as you always do?"

At her cold voice, Guiscard glared at her, and she met his gaze with equal sharpness.

[Dianna] "Why? Isn't it obvious? I didn't want to be exposed."

[Guiscard] "...What?"

[Dianna] "You heard everything, didn't you?! I didn't want anyone to know I ended up in such a wretched, miserable state. Guiscard Lodbrog, especially to you. I never wanted to reveal such a sight!"

[Guiscard] "..."

[Dianna] "Why should I tell you?! Why should I confess that after acting so high and mighty to save you, I ended up like this?!"

Tears welled in her eyes and spilled over. Acting as a savior, she had rescued this boy and freed him for his own future, arrogantly boasting that she would become queen. She had freed him while feigning composure and indifference. But this was different. This was pure personal pride.

[Dianna] "This was the price for loving my family, so why should I tell you?! Who are you to me?!"

She had never screamed with such raw venom, not even in her past life.

Why is he shouting?! I am the one who suffered!

It was my darkest shame, a humiliation I wished to keep buried. The mere thought of anyone knowing made me want to die of shame.

She had acted all-knowing and arrogant, only to suffer abuse worse than in her past life.

[Dianna] "What good would telling you do?! Should I blame you for causing my suffering?! Or beg for mercy as a fellow victim?! What could you possibly do for me?!"

She burst into a sharp, hysterical laugh. In truth, the one she wanted to resent was not Philip, but this boy.

[Dianna] "Or... or...! Or!"

She screamed at the top of her lungs.

[Dianna] "Should I confess that despite wanting to stop your revenge, I secretly waited for you to slaughter my brother and father?!"

She laughed like a demon. So this was what Guiscard wanted to know. He must have been desperate to witness her ugly side. Fine, then she would tell him. She would reveal her true thoughts, the exact hell in which she had awaited him.

[Dianna] "I waited for you... more than anything else in this world!"

She burst into frantic laughter. Enduring such horrors had driven her mad. What drove her even crazier was that she had secretly yearned for the destruction she had tried so hard to prevent.

She had prayed for the man who destroyed her past life to return and destroy everything again. Submerged in a hell worse than before, she had longed for that very ruin.

I wished the slave I freed would return quickly and kill my brother and father! Please, kill those beasts!

Please, please, kill them!

Hurry... come quickly and slaughter them, Guiscard.

Guiscard, why aren't you coming?

Guiscard, exact your bloody vengeance!

Destroy Panborough immediately! Kill my brother and father right now!

You said you didn't want to leave. Then shouldn't you come back?

Guiscard, I am waiting for you.

Guiscard, please.

Guiscard, please, please, I beg you...

Guiscard, save me.

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