Chapter 89: Past
2PHslG“Stephan.”LUDyYZM
jx2Merchit’s voice carried emotion.QdAh
Ypj5But only for an instant.o7gA
viBak“I understand that you are in a difficult situation, so as your brother I will be understanding. Later on, you should calm down and apologize for treating me like a murderer.”ErW
TEQ6uHe spoke as if trying to reason with him kindly, but to Stephan it felt like nothing more than treating him like a child.PORvp7
Pz4T“Don’t make me laugh. Are you saying…… that I’m wrong?”0rC4e
6Y1xLNC“Do you really think it was me?”QVnBcTJ
KTl“¡I already have proof! Look at this!”ydnI0Qz
ifVO0DiStephan pulled out the handkerchief he was holding.Egsc1Ao
Z7uyyThe emblem of the Pascal mercenary company also entered Merchit’s sight.qVj7df
8hBSu“I already know your methods! That filthy method of creating demand where there is none! All of this happened after I said I would monopolize that trade route.”kJ27Z
9nPVS“Are you really going to believe the nonsense of those merchants?”9Xvqv
LftVe“It wasn’t just one. Everyone who had contracts with you said the same thing! How do you expect me not to be suspicious?!”wHS
JZGiMerchit listened to that and thought for a moment.OiVl
7ZSG“Yes, perhaps what happened to those people really was this brother’s doing.”TkW0t3R
vrzrBZ0His tone sounded as if he admitted it without issue, but then he tilted his head.HTWoWEU
9odA“But where is the proof that I involved myself in your affairs?”WuMSU00
Mpv2JI“Right here!”5DwC
KiMDnUh“You mean this wonderful handkerchief? Things like this can be made as many times as anyone wants.”deDRfS
uZO7uyHe waved the handkerchief and then tossed it onto the table.tJJpdk
P5hU“Our company alone has ten thousand registered mercenaries, and more than two thousand handkerchiefs in inventory. Anyone could steal one and make it look like it was the work of our mercenaries. You’re smarter than me, and you couldn’t even think of that?”z67Fd
5oqS“Could you say that same thing in front of an imperial court?!”AJk
MQx6nA5“You want to take this all the way to court? You want to start a full-scale war? Bastard, you really are furious. To think you want to drag your own family into court.”xFuneX
BAA3LW“Stop talking about family! You only talk about family when it suits you, but when there are profits involved you treat us like strangers!”ERq7Nma
K4Wm“Are you saying I wanted to keep everything for myself? Hey, Stephan. I also helped you a lot when you were struggling. I made things easier for you, I did everything I could for you, so what the hell bothers you so much?”9vCvBR
ErXR3MS“I already told you earlier! The problem is that those damned bandits you command killed my employees!”CNgY
BuGSDt1“This bastard keeps treating my men like third-rate trash—.”olRa3
xTxj1ry“Merchit Pascal.”OwyLW8
IvrMerchit, with the veins on his neck bulging, tried to stand up.YJ2FAh
OYsvVYBut when Perda spoke his name, he realized he had been watching and lowered his head toward him.vEQDv
MUh“My apologies, Regent. I have shown you the shameful spectacle of family matters.”J5ihzD
7vFlfm“It doesn’t bother me. But I’m sorry to say this, could you leave us alone for a moment? I have something to discuss with Stephan.”QvNcFTe
qpY3q“Of course. I will excuse myself for a moment.”Fc4
g7sMerchit obediently said goodbye and left the room.rZ8UVEH
WXmVZugAs soon as he left, Stephan pointed toward where he had been and shouted.UzfNiqF
I6SXoEZ“There’s no need to see any more. It was that bastard.”aRAgd
suaHis face was completely red.pNOoo
mcMxqTQ“Stephan.”mJ4
3Gl66C“We must catch him right now and interrogate him! Ask him if he felt satisfied after killing thirty-three people!”hxbIJGd
K6RGK“I wanted to do that, but seeing your condition made me realize it was impossible.”ptJjQw
uCB3“My condition? What’s wrong with my condition?”ALMJxs
NriPPerda looked at him with cold eyes before answering.Huzom23
Myh“You look little more than a ghost thirsty for blood and vengeance.”KChO
7WLTXst“Vengeance? It’s precisely because of that vengeance that I’m doing all of this!”6Lts62
3eccvd“The problem is that this vengeance does not belong to the present. What you seek now is also bringing your resentments from the past to the surface, isn’t it?”m8i
WbF“I…….”CSver
W9ZhLX1He wanted to deny it, but Perda’s words managed to calm him somewhat.URL0
4H8“I think you’re right. If I’m honest, I suffered a lot because of my brother when I was a child.”oAu0lNW
erbpC“Tell me.”tCE
Pray7a“When I came back beaten up from somewhere, he would say he disliked my lack of backbone and beat me nearly to death while claiming he was training me with a wooden sword.”TVwS
cSHyPerda could imagine a little how he felt.OL4eC7v
AMJAfter his mother’s death, he too had been treated like a bastard and had suffered similar situations countless times.jxjfjq
KZHKj“And besides, I…… no, forget it. Let’s stop this conversation.”GPs
RBLc61“No. Continue.”JDp2
JaaPerda prevented him from stopping.8wpW
wKT“You must let out all the anger you hold toward Merchit.”Rom
cjvf3“Huh? Why would I do something like that?”dmsQZ
HRfP“Because it will help you.”vcO4
fG0oh“I don’t think it will help much…….”MLT85
7KTVmR“Then consider it an order. Curse him and shout everything you want.”QzpD4eD
V5QTbStephan was bewildered by that demand.QG8
23MLBut forced by the situation, he ended up saying the name through gritted teeth.WJfp2j
XdUW5“Merchit…… you…… damned…… bastard…….”qfQ7DIk
Mikd6feHe started with difficulty.1h7v2w
xp0UBut it did not matter.STsMsE
vDjvHu“You……!”bD8tj8M
fGgS3sLike a broken dam, his emotions exploded violently.WQryVc
KTW5t“You motherfucking bastard!!!”EtqXo
QYjStephan began screaming like a madman.3J0P
9yFP“You damned bastard! After praying for my ruin you come at me with this bullshit!? Do I look that easy to trample on?! HUH?!”Gyn
eNl1“…….”LQ90EQb
gOiVEx“I’m going to leave you the same way! Just like you shattered my bones when I was a child, I’m going to break yours too!”cmC
ZMncAfter that, he continued venting all the accumulated resentments of the past while shouting and losing control.tOR
XRGUHYTen minutes later, Stephan could no longer get any voice out.BN2lXS
FVA“Cough! Cough!”rGu
XgdAf“Drink this.”5XKXvRB
mGGELOg“Cough cough…… thank you…….”jzT8Hj
EGvzStephan sat down and drank the tea.tHF
E4w6He looked like a person completely drained of energy.5rqTMM
jc7JEYi“Do you feel better?”ySr
22JXJX6“Yes, thanks to the Regent…… I think at least I’ll avoid dying from bottled-up rage.”KbK
wGnUg“Then now you’ll be able to see things more clearly. Let us continue the conversation.”dFmtsE
mE1rnSStephan sat back down, and Perda spoke.6YVY
LcXc“To get straight to the point, it does not seem to be the work of Merchit Pascal.”k4m6HN9
H1xiUi“……What?”UA27C5
iTDHadn’t he said just a moment ago that the culprit seemed to be Merchit because of the mercenary company handkerchief?AJa0hQp
zwMOBmyAnd now he was saying it was not?TvwgG
VUL“Then why did you make me curse my brother?”2Kv
a1V“Because I didn’t want you to let yourself be consumed by those grudges. You kept filling your head with things that clouded your judgment, didn’t you?”Hbx0OKW
VqrLsyoPerda’s words sounded absurd, but at the same time they were true.iVjGCU
yjPIjeCWhen was the last time he had shouted and cursed like that?4jeG
T6oZxWhen he was a child, all he ever did was cry while biting his fist.1Kl
nDpXBCAnd as an adult, at most he would drink alcohol hidden in a corner of his office while crying alone.TcsO
N3hNPSBut now he had been able to let it all out by screaming.fzd
QY2“You said that making deals with the Pascal mercenary company was like making deals with demons, correct?”KO0
asQz“Yes.”cLZlzcV
DtuqMR“Then you always knew what they were like.”DqZ
Vzg4Nc“That’s right.”qZnuw
gJI“In that case, you could have suspected your brother, Merchit Pascal, from the very beginning. But you never showed me that suspicion.”RXB3ob
jQOPerda asked calmly.6R4S
NwAZy“And why didn’t you?”PnYOmLE
lvc“The reason I didn’t was because at that moment I was too agitated…….”nHdl5G7
i2JaA“That’s all? You simply didn’t think about it?”jIUbOXU
SKH5wY2Faced with Perda’s question, Stephan also shook his head.uxzP
KVJ5qPIt wasn’t only because of that.pY8
OC0DIStephan began to think.q3oj
YBL2Why, when all this happened, he did not suspect Merchit first.KtNI
PG00jPg‘Merchit Pascal.’b0ryru
jL5Family and enemy.8mNgo3s
xlfSince childhood, he had never been able to control his overflowing temper.ytt
97QFEvMerchit took advantage of that personality to become a mercenary captain.UoswKz
jtLgTgEHe had charisma and leadership.B1HQt
VyODCrvAnd having leadership meant understanding the weight of an important position, something simple street thugs would never possess.UbdL
h3KLike a merchant analyzing another businessman, he tried to judge everything about him solely through objective facts and data.3VTQI
9hLu1And then the answer appeared with surprising clarity.qvL
P3uK“……The probabilities were low.”meH
AgIlS5“Why?”9stV
4pE“That thing about my brother taking revenge against those who don’t hire him…… honestly, it’s little more than a superstition. Most of the time, those people were digging their own graves. Almost all of them hired cheap mercenaries and ended up suffering misfortunes when entering dangerous areas. They simply bought cheap trash and then blamed others.”AL9yD
Vd86PPeople only see what they want to see and believe only what they want to believe.EmG
5oYStephan had been so dominated by his emotions that he had even forgotten something so basic.ZyzufU2
fdA“That’s why…… right now I think a single handkerchief is not enough to confirm that suspicion.”nDQy9
IQsOINot even Stephan himself could believe the conclusion he had reached.wq3
imjwJust a few minutes ago he had been convinced that everything was Merchit’s doing and wanted brutal revenge.KIX
vx1Ouw0He had judged with emotion and not reason, and those emotions had blinded him.xbL
g5MwIf Perda had not managed to bring him back to his senses, he would have ended up fighting Merchit.pF1zm
7HrKFTWhile Stephan swallowed his emotional emptiness, Perda listened to the answer and spoke to Ruri.GllgCo
1pyIu“Bring Merchit Pascal back in.”Y6DU
oavSuMerchit, who had been waiting outside, sat down once again, and the three of them faced each other again.QQdnxo
6f4gUnlike before, when emotions had been on the verge of exploding, now there was a calm atmosphere.6i2KUO8
dWZ5“Merchit Pascal. I already finished speaking with Stephan, but I want you to make it clear one last time.”mKy
ow69P“Speak, Regent.”dh2
8LKkNt“Can you swear that you are not involved in the attack Stephan suffered this time?”OYo
F3EGGRPerda asked with a coldness that could freeze blood.JYh6KX
szS5pMerchit raised an index finger and answered.92tm
zaT83i“I have a principle. Just as my family is important to me, the families of others are as well. My men and I wield the sword in exchange for money in order to protect people. If someone raises the sword for money to attack others, then he is nothing more than a third-rate thug or a bandit.”6MykR
pOGUK“Good. Thank you.”lacAYS
IOoPeCfAfter hearing Merchit, Perda pointed at the handkerchief on the table with his chin.sM0o7Z
0P5Yko5“If this handkerchief has no relation to the mercenary company, then it means someone tried to sow discord between the two of you.”EMCH
wzRp“Between my brother and me?”dLZD
eMDutMerchit opened his eyes.kEDJH8j
yK53From his expression it was obvious that he was speaking completely seriously.jqls28
x4mnMJB“What bastard dared to touch my family?”WvxML
dJOGPNi“I think I know who it was.”Avb07
7ZI5AStephan answered, now much calmer.ZLII
arNsm8“Who?”0JYQ
lNWG5Z“My sister, Tilda.”q7665
5lUjzquThe name that left his lips was that of another member of the family.KMsA
XhM“On the surface she acts as if the Dandollo company is enough for her, but in reality she wants to take over the Pascal company more than anyone. She has always been interfering in persistent and discreet ways. Besides, if my brother and I ended up fighting each other, the only one who would benefit would be her.”F7hq
AkK“Yes, if it was that bitch, she absolutely could have done something like this.”jj0KIDK
u0JYpaVEven Merchit, who deeply valued his family, immediately agreed upon hearing his sister’s name.CYnpwwQ
FYkcIIt was something surprising.hZ3iR
qGZZPN“Isn’t Tilda Pascal also part of your family?”KXFJ
VnQ6xx3“Don’t even say it. That woman doesn’t even deserve to be called family.”EiL
LSvAlthough he was furious, Merchit restrained his anger and answered calmly.z4mx
XnQ“Do you know what she tried to do when my wife was pregnant with our first child? She sent poison as a supposed congratulatory gift for the pregnancy. Fortunately, I was the one who took it without knowing and suffered the consequences, but if my wife had drunk it, she undoubtedly would have lost the child. She was always an unbearable sister without a single lovable quality, but at that moment she completely crossed the line.”d2nX
wwM7kcThe one who was truly shocked was Stephan.buxn0g
Qbqy“That happened five years ago?”GqTct3i
6Ylk4“I wasn’t completely sure, so I didn’t tell anyone. Creating a scandal would only have satisfied her.”oaEK
DKEFor Stephan, who had always thought Merchit would react by causing chaos and wanting to kill someone, this was a completely unexpected side of him.jfS
VBVlk“Anyway, that woman never had ability, only ambition. Since she isn’t capable of building something herself, she seduced old bachelor Henri Dandollo to take over the Dandollo company and then try to devour our father’s business.”XGG
fgAq2Merchit clenched a fist as large as a pot lid.IhD
Cvvnm7The veins bulged violently.xr5s
mD5iuo“Then what do you intend to do, Regent?”9wWa9
dquMerchit asked.SOqN
c3Xo“We can storm in there right now and drag that woman here.”j6Hs
5gMbbM“And worsen the image of the mercenary company even more?”KrewTV
cAopk“You have nothing to worry about. If I can push that witch into the flames, I don’t care about becoming a demon. If she touched my family, she must pay the appropriate price.”fpl
nk1okA burning rage.boF0p
t1K6iAs a mercenary who had survived crawling through mud, he knew perfectly well how to use fury as fuel.R1bdO6
SNB“You must not resort directly to violence.”cidTELj
kSzPBThe one who said that was Stephan.7l4H
aja3“What? Stephan, are you an idiot?”OOD
pKn“Think about it carefully. Resorting to violence is not a good idea. If she started doing something this malicious, it means her plan is already in motion. In the worst-case scenario, the entire Pascal family could collapse.”XgzayxK
i2Im“That’s true…….”72XHcJL
xfvySince both of them knew perfectly well the kind of person Tilda was, long explanations were unnecessary to convince them.JyY
fco3edf“That woman’s malice is persistent. Until we have definitive proof that this was Tilda’s doing, we must not touch her recklessly.”AvoV
PmLbc“Then what do you propose?”AO8e
s3hoStephan forcibly calmed his agitated heart before answering.Uzs0p
ZPR“For now we should return pretending we did not resolve the misunderstanding. We must give her exactly what she wants. If we do that, she will surely continue with her plan exactly as she had intended.”Y5Lb
ps5X“That way we can catch her when she shows her tail, huh?”BKe
khwQYNMerchit struck his knee with his hand.q9B
uKs3W“Good. I agree. Let’s drag that bitch out of her hiding place once and for all.”iOUqM
aHF17fy“Understood.”3TEm
tsAThe two brothers, who had been on the verge of becoming mortal enemies, joined forces against a common enemy.FiTEPr
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Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationI had a little hunch it may be his sister now I guess my hunch was right she is really a bitch trying to kill a pregnant lady unacceptable truly disgrace for a woman.
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationFinally they are acting like real brothers.
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationCrazy bitch.
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationI was about to say the same thing.
Haimiya_cutie.
Body IntegrationWow what hypocrisy 😒.