Cannot Escape the Devil - Chapter 14

Translated by Gigi

In life, sometimes people have to do things they don’t like. Edwin showed signs of disapproval as he checked the schedule. The displeasure was so stark that Marshall, who was standing next to him, slipped back and avoided his gaze, dreading that it would turn into fire dung. He had a meeting with Reibene Schrandel.

Edwin has meals with the church often in a simple lunchroom, but today’s schedule was particularly unpleasant.

“I have a headache. Go get some medicine.”

As soon as he gave the order to bring the medicine, Marshall hurried as if he was on fire. Edwin, who was left alone, scrunched the daily schedule and threw it into the trash can. Then he rubbed his temple and leaned back. It has been a while since he got agitated like this, and the appearance of the headache.

After Asaya came, the chronic pain and insomnia that gnawed his body disappeared, but it was only for a brief period in his life. Edwin quickly realized that humans are adaptable creatures. It had been a long time since he was free from his pain, and now he was debility reacting to a very mild headache. That means he got used to Asaya Lubedoa’s solace.

“I brought the medicine.”

Edwin took the medicine from Marshall and immediately swallowed it. His headache was neurological which is caused by his frail nature. It couldn’t be sustained with medication. However, it would be better if Asaya was next to him. Edwin laughed shortly at the name that came to his mind unconsciously. It was odd to see himself being dependent on someone. He rubbed his forehead and stood up from his seat, grabbed his coat.

“Let’s go.”

He eased the frown on his face from the headache. Then he walked casually toward an obnoxious dining spot with an unpleasant being.

Edwin arrived punctually for the appointment. Reibene, who had arrived about five minutes earlier, stood up from his seat. Contrary to the expectation that he would reveal his pique overtly, he headed toward Edwin with a polite look on his face but only greeting words passed by. The objective of this conversation was the progress of the tour, further necessary relief supplies, and status reports of patients quarantined in isolation treatment centers.

“I’ll pay the bills for the items at once on the day of your departure,” Edwin said.

“All right.” Reibene agreed.

Just like that, the business conversation was over. When Edwin was about to stand up because there was no reason to continue a private conversation with an unwelcome opponent.

“Congratulations on your engagement. When is your wedding?” Reibene asked.

It was a normal question. Unlike before, Edwin couldn’t find any crude and obscene emotions. It was a question that had no reason to answer, and he would have ignored it, but Edwin, thought for a moment, looked at Reibene with his legs crossed.

“Well, I’m thinking about choosing a suitable date .”

“Everyone is very interested in her, who will be the hostess of the eight provinces. Are you bringing her to the National Day celebration this year?”

“Of course, she’s going to be my wife.”

“Do you know she’s a sinner? I’m worried that people will recognize her at the event.”

Edwin laughed at Reibene’s leery words.

“It’s a fruitless worry. I don’t know what is there to worry about. Me getting a sinner who had already been ordered to deport and was thrown out of the wall and paid the penalty?”

“If the prestigious Kabelheider hostess was a sinner and an outcast. Everyone would be protesting.”

“You seem so mindful about my reputation.”

Reibene didn’t waver by Edwin’s sneer. Rather, he responded with laughter.

“Because I tend to care about others’ reputation around me. Whether it is a priest or a lord or an emperor… I think that obtaining the trust of an unspecified number of people is a necessary skill.  That way, I can be a remarkable leader.”

“That’s a great ambition. I hope you will be a good bishop, or even a cardinal or a pope, to be admired by all. So now that I have finished talking, can I get up?”

Reibene, who always kept a smiling face at Edwin, was furious and trembled slightly. The raised corner of his mouth was also abnormal. Edwin was far superior at berating opponents than Reibene.

“You will regret it.”

“Regret?” Edwin asked.

“Asaya is beautiful, but her mind is unstable. She’s a sick, delusional woman.”

“Are you saying that Asaya is a madwoman?”

“‘I am telling you that I’ve known Asaya for a long time. She is a woman who needs mental treatment. Everyone knows. Have you ever heard of schizophrenia? She lives in delusion. She thinks that the crime was unjustly framed. And that she will get revenge. It seems to be more severe than before. You should be careful. It’s dangerous to be swayed by her.”

Edwin quietly listened to Reibene’s story and curled up his mouth. Then, with his long fingers, he reached the cup in front of him and asked.

“So?”

“I am not joking.”

“So is that your advice? You don’t know your place. In what position are you to give me advice?”

“I’m sorry if you were uncomfortable. I was just worried.”

“Enough of that. I know you and Asaya used to be lovers. But you shouldn’t be presumptuous. Did you not see the manuscripts scattered in the streets? There is a story about me and Asaya as the lovers of the century.”

“That’s… Isn’t it just a rumor?”

“No, that’s true. Even if Asaya is a real psychopath, it doesn’t matter to me.”

Edwin stood up.

“The remarks that sullied my wife’s honor in front of me. I will let it go this time, but I won’t do it next time. You truly have no fear.”

With the final warning, Edwin left without looking back. Reibene, who was left alone, his face crumpled nervously. He barely reined his frustration as he hit the table with his fists clenched.

“You’re serious about Asaya? Do you want me to believe that?”

Reibene was annoyed. From Edwin’s arrogant attitude to his expression revealed that he loved Asaya more than anyone else was annoying. As Reibene looked at the expression of the person who had it all, he felt distributed as if something had been stolen from him. Asaya once was his, but now she was no longer in his possession.

‘’Damn it.”

What’s even more aggravating is that he succumbed to the demeanor of a brilliant man. In his presence, Reibene could only retreat. There was nothing worse than that; it wounded his pride. He didn’t want to accept the reality that Asaya’s value changed because a man who was so perfect is by her side.

 [If I bring a woman who was rolling in the trash and name her Kabelheider, I wonder if you can still call her trash.] 

Edwin’s voice hovered in Reibene’s ears. The lowly woman who he once labeled as trash and discarded was no longer seen as useless trash. He stood up from his seat, breathing fiercely.

“Let’s see how long they can be so pretentious.”

His eyes sparkled eerily.

🌸🌸🌸

Three days had passed since Reibene came to the mansion uninvited. Leah, who was late to hear of Reibene’s visit, stormed into the Kabelheider mansion a month later.

It was a good day for a walk, so  Asaya wanted to walk outside the mansion with Leah. As soon as she got dressed and stepped outside, Leah scanned Asaya’s body up and down. Asaya burst into laughter when Leah showed extreme concern over whether there might be a scratch or wound on her body.

“Leah, what on earth did you imagine? Did you really think I would get beaten by him?”

“There’s no telling what a mad man might do.”

“That’s why you’re here because you’re concerned about me?”

“Of course, I had to come. Today, I have more things to talk about the incident 7 years ago.”

These days, Leah had to discuss with Marshall often about the incident seven years ago. Including the relationship with the Schrandel family, the trivial events that Reibene experienced during his stay as a member of the Adonis monastery. And the research outside the wall to find the survivors and people involved in that day.

“Did Marshall and the Grand Duke divulge something?”

“No, not at all. There are limits to what they can do right now. Almost all those involved on that day died or went missing. So I’m thinking of going outside the wall to investigate.”

At Leah’s placid words, Asaya was surprised and asked.

“Are you going beyond the wall yourself?”

“There must be people like us who didn’t die and run away. Shouldn’t we find them? Besides that we have to find your father’s whereabouts.”

“Do you think my father is alive?“

“I do. Think about it, you said he acted like someone who was leaving before he disappeared.”

With only a few books and a few belongings, Asaya’s father suddenly disappeared without a sound. He was not one to die so easily. He was an excellent saint who stood on the same ground as an intermediate or advanced devil. Asaya fiddled with the key she hung around her neck.

“Why did he give me this key? Why did he pass it so urgently and disappear?”

“If we find out the truth, we will be able to figure out the secret of that day. I don’t think it’s very impossible. We aren’t the only ones who are digging in this case. The Grand Duke is also delving into it. So, the truth will be uncovered soon. I just never foreseen the news about that bastard Reibene.”

Asaya laughed weakly as she saw Leah got furious.

“It was surprising because I never thought he would come.”

“So, what nonsense did he come over to talk about?”

“He told me to get out of the wall.”

“That Bastard!”

“I wanted to throw the teacup in his face but I didn’t.”

Despite Asaya’s joke, Leah still spoke with a serious expression.

“Why a teacup? You could have cut his neck with a fork or a  knife right then.”

“If I did that, Duke Kabelheider would be in trouble. Of course, you, my mother, and Asaran would be inconvenient as well. Instead, I put up with it. And cursed him to die by a wagon running over him on his way to his home.”

“It would be marvelous if your wish came true.”

“‘He will leave after two days anyway. Try to look the other way. I just hope we don’t meet him again during that time.”

“Be careful. Because you don’t know if he will send an assassin in the middle of the night.”

Asaya wondered if that madman would think of sending an assassin to Kabelheider’s mansion, but there was a history of countless assassins in his mansion. So it was not impossible. Asaya thought she might have to sleep with a knife hidden under her pillow, but it was not necessary. What would be the use of a knife when a man who is so intuitive and far more deleterious than anyone else was sleeping next to her.

“I’ll be careful. Take care of yourself and help me take care of Asaran and my mother.”

“No need to worry about that. Even if it’s not me, the soldiers sent by your handsome husband are always waiting around. If they follow me to that extent, I will be fed up.”

Asaya gently glanced at Leah and smiled embarrassingly. The guard Edwin posted following her secretly every time she went out, but Asaya knew that obviously. While walking and talking, the two entered a crowded private house. Was it because of her pictures in the newspaper? Several of the people walking on the street recognized Asaya and gave her glances.

“Even if it’s not Reibene, I guess my existence is not welcome.”

“That can’t be helped. It’s a problem we have to endure because we came from outside the wall.  “

“But it’s better than I thought. I thought if we wander around a crowded place, rocks would fly at us.”

“The Grand Duke who backs you is the owner of this estate. So, who dares to do such a thing?

“There are bizarre people everywhere you go.”

“That’s the case with Reibene right now.”

“I think I’ll be able to go for a walk more often.”

Asaya relaxedly enjoyed the outside air. In fact, at first, she was reluctant to go out due to poor public sentiment, even though she always wanted to go outside. She was able to breathe in the fresh air and got to see how people live here.

As they continued walking, they heard loud noises from the mass chatter. Neither Asaya nor Leah thought it was a big deal. However, the more they walked closer to the noises, the more they felt the noises were subtly changed. Not far away, people huddled together. They all looked quite serious. Wondering what happened, Leah squeezed through the crowd, Asaya also followed. Then they stopped as a disgusting bloody scent and the odor of decayed bodies pierced their nose. The red liquid soaked in the floor was dry and sticky in the form of a mucus substance. There were three dead bodies in armor piled up on the ground.