Kneel Before The Villain - Chapter 127

A full moon was rising in the pitch-black, silent night sky.

 

In the moonlight, a man stealthily crossed the garden.

 

It was the young son of Count Pline.

 

He looked around in the dark and walked quickly without even holding a lantern.

 

If any of the servants saw him now, they would surely be puzzled.

 

“Idiots! You don’t know anything…”

 

Young master Pline muttered with his face crumpled.

 

Those who had criticized Princess Lillian not too long ago were now talking about Claire in mockery.

 

There was no concrete, and they were truly cunning people who changed their attitude like flipping their palms at just a few words.

 

In fact, besides those with him earlier, many people were whispering and cursing at Claire.

 

Rumors blazed like flames in the wind and spread quickly.

 

As if someone was spreading the word behind the scenes.

 

It was incomprehensible.

 

Everyone was not even blind, but did they not see the princess and young master Croix together at the banquet that was held not long ago?

 

The relationship between the two seemed unusual, and they didn’t even seem to want to hide it from others.

 

In the end, Claire was right.

 

The princess and young master Croix had been cheating on the crown Prince for a long time.

 

“That’s why that vicious woman wanted to break off the engagement without hesitation…”

 

The princess used the dead Viscountess Willis as an excuse for her infidelity, but she accused the Crown Prince and Claire of being bad people.

 

But as it turned out, all of that was just an excuse.

 

Claire said she knew this all along, but she pretended not to.

 

She had a soft heart, but the more he thought about the fact that she had suffered through her heartache alone, the more he couldn’t stand the injustice.

 

Even though it was the princess who actually cheated and fooled everyone.

 

Because of that, Claire had to listen to all the belittling and curses from many people.

 

And even now, they were proud of the princess who made mistakes, but Claire had to live in hiding, trembling with a stigma because of her low status.

 

People talked about Claire as if she was a prostitute, a great villain, but what could she, a baron’s daughter, do between a cold-hearted prince and a vicious princess?

 

The Princess had immediately revealed her relationship with another man after the cancellation of her marriage, and the Crown Prince continued to be ignorant.

 

The truth was obvious, but people were not paying attention at all.

 

He was already familiar with the ecology of cunning and selfish nobles, but it was the first time he felt disgusted with it like he did these days.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

At that time, someone blocked the way of young master Pline.

 

Lost in thought, he stepped back, startled by the sudden appearance of a presence in the darkness.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

The slender gentleman had a kind face quite similar to that of young master Pline, but he had a solemn and stern expression.

 

A man of about thirty years of age walked out of the darkness.

 

A cold sweat broke out on young master Pline’s forehead at young master Frain’s presence.

 

“I go out for a walk because I feel stuffy.”

 

Young master Frain would inherit the Count title in a few years.

 

The decrepit Count would probably retire from the position of head of the family within a few years, so young master Frain could be regarded as the real power of the family.

 

For young master Pline, the presence of his older brother, who had a large age gap, had always been uncomfortable.

 

Their father’s favoritism, or jealousy of his superior brother, all aside, it was because of his bloodless, tearless harsh disposition.

 

He took it lightly on trampling on the weak and was harsh on his servants.

 

This was true even for nobles who were lower in rank than he was, and he was especially ruthless to those who had bad intentions.

 

Even with those who were related to him.

 

If he found out that young master Pline was hiding Claire in the Count’s mansion…

 

The results would be dire.

 

“Walking at night?”

 

 

Young master Frain asked, narrowing his eyes.

 

Reading the suspicious expression in his gaze, young master Pline swallowed dryly.

 

“I have an appointment to meet with my friends at a parlor. But what was older brother doing here tonight?”

 

Young master Pline tried to hide his anxiety and asked, clicking his tongue.

 

“These days, in the middle of the night, I heard that a suspicious person was secretly wandering around the garden. And you are no longer young, so how long are you going to just playing around?” (YM Frain)

 

“….”

 

“As a nobleman aren’t you ashamed to look like a stray cat wandering around in the middle of the night…?” (YM Frain)

 

 

Because the surroundings were dark and the moonlight was at his back, his expression was hidden, but it was obvious he was looking at his younger brother with a pathetic expression.

 

Young master Pline silently lowered his head and bit his lip.

 

He was offended, but he was used to being treated  this way.

 

However, judging from his old brother’s reaction now, it was clear that fortunately Claire had not yet been discovered.

 

 

 

When he thought of her waiting all day in her small room, he was able to put up with this humiliation.

 

“I will be careful in the future.”

 

“The imperial family sent someone to the mansion earlier.  From a glimpse of his conversation with father, they seem to be looking for a criminal.  I heard that one of the nobles in the capital hid that criminal… Do you know anything about it?”

 

“Has that ever happened?”

 

Young master Pline asked curiously.

 

Young master Frain looked down at him with a questionable gaze.

 

Then he said in a calm voice as if it was nothing.

 

“I just wanted to ask, but if you didn’t know, it’s fine.”

 

“Ah, yes……”

 

“It’s good to play, but do it in moderation. If you cause an accident and cause damage to the family, I won’t let  go until father says something.”

 

“All right.”

 

Young master Pline replied with a blank face.

 

His ill-fated brother’s advice and threats were no longer heard.

 

 

The imperial servant came to visit…

 

Just hearing it made him feel restless.

 

Could it be that the crown prince was looking for Claire?

 

Otherwise, he had no reason to use this method, and there was no reason to call her a criminal.

 

Then, of course, the Empress?

 

 

He felt a chill and inhaled.

 

If it was the empress who was looking for Claire instead of the crown prince or the Princess, then he might have a bigger problem than he thought.

 

“Then I’m going to go in now. Security in the capital isn’t very good these days, so don’t stay out too late.”

 

Young master Frain lightly tapped young master Pline

on the shoulder and passed him by.

 

Young master Pline stood still for a while, then took a difficult step.

 

He headed straight for the front door, stopped, looked around, and turned away.

 

After turning around the building and standing in front of the annex, young master Pline went inside.

 

He climbed the stairs, stopped in front of an attic, and knocked lightly on the door.

 

“Claire.”

 

“It’s open, come in.”

 

A soft voice came from inside.

 

Young master Pline hesitated for a moment, but then opened the door and went inside.

 

The door opened and the lit candles on the table swayed in the wind.

 

Claire was standing in front of the window, where the moonlight was streaming in.

 

The only light in the room was the moonlight and a few candles on the table, but her presence lit up the room like a lantern.

 

Today, Claire was wearing a light aqua-colored simple dress. It wasn’t flashy, but in the moonlight, it looked very nice and delicate.

 

Her green eyes, which seemed to contain a forest, were clear and pretty like those of a young deer, but they contained sadness that could not be hidden.

 

She looked like an angel with her wings broken and fallen to the ground.

 

“Claire.”

 

When Younng master Pline called her name again, she slowly turned her head.

 

Her fair face was paler and thinner than before.

 

“Are you here?  It’s later than expected.”

 

“I met my older brother on the way…”

 

“I see.  How was the banquet?  Did you enjoy it?”

 

“It was just like always.  Have you been living in such a cold room for so long?”

 

 

Young master Pline looked around room with a frown on his forehead.

 

Even though the day was cold, the room wasn’t warm because there was no heat.

 

“I’m fine. It’s not that cold yet, and if you light a fire, there will be smoke.”

 

At Claire’s words, he made a blank face.

 

If she lit a fire like she said, it would surely produce smoke, but if it smoked in an empty room no one was using, it would surely be noticed by others.

 

If that happened, some would find it strange, and they might find out that she was hiding here.

 

Moreover, it was not easy to fool his father and older brother right after the people sent by the imperial family had gone.

 

Under such circumstances, he couldn’t tell her not to mind the people’s eyes and that she should light a fire.

 

 

“Tell the maid to bring more warm blankets and duvets and more clothes.”

 

Young master Pline said with a sad face.

 

 

“Thank you.  By the way… how did it go?”

 

At Claire’s question, he looked at her with a puzzled face.

 

She refrained from saying it, but she seemed to want to ask something about Princess Lillian.

 

But now people were not very interested in the princess’ scandal.

 

Currently, the hottest topic in the social world was the talk about Claire, who was the Crown Prince’s lover.

 

How she had relationships with several men while dating the Crown Prince, and after being abandoned by him, she chose one of her lovers and went into hiding.

 

How could he tell her that?

 

If Claire, who was thin and fragile, found out about this, she might collapse in shock.

 

As he hesitated, unable to open his mouth easily, Claire asked curiously.

 

“Did something happen at the banquet?”

 

At the innocent question, Young master Pline tried to smile.

 

“Nothing happened.  Rather, I heard that people from the imperial family visited during the day.”

 

“People from the imperial family?”

 

Claire’s eyes widened like a frightened rabbit.

 

Then she bit her fingernails nervously.

 

“Why did they say?”

 

Now Claire looked like a frightened person.

 

Seeing her strange reaction, young master Pline frowned.

 

“Young lady, is it possible that the person who was chasing you was Her Majesty the Empress?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

Claire obediently nodded her head, probably deciding that she couldn’t hide it any longer.

 

“Her Majesty must still think that the reason for the breakup between the Crown Prince and the Princess was because of me.”

 

She continued with a sad face.

 

“Her Majesty was conspiring with my father and forcibly marrying me to a bad person. I had been confined to the baron’s house for many days. If the maid didn’t feel sorry for me and let me have her clothes to escape. If I had stayed there a few more days, maybe by now…”

 

Claire’s eyes quickly turned red as she recalled her bad memories.

 

Tears welled up in her eyes and it seemed like she was about to cry at any moment.

 

It was obvious what the end of the daughter of a low-ranking nobleman, who was forced to marry as if being sold.

 

There may be some who lived well, but this was only a minority, and most lived and died miserably.

 

There were cases that if they were abused, they had to endure it alone with no place to complain.

 

The thought that the fragile woman in front of him had almost suffered something like that made his heart skip a beat.

 

If by any chance he had passed that day without taking a good look at the maid’s face… the thought was terrifying.

 

“Now that I think about it, that might have been better.” (Claire)

 

“Why do you say that?” (YM Pline)

 

“Because of I had stayed home, I wouldn’t attract many unwanted attention. My maid and the young master wouldn’t be put in a difficult situation because of me….I’m just a nuisance to a lot of people.”

 

She seemed to be concerned about him and her maid who had given her the clothes instead of herself.

 

Because she was that kind of person.

 

Young master Pline made a sad face.

 

It would be too late to save the maid who had helped Claire by sacrificing herself.

 

She’d earned the wrath of both the Empress and Baron Dana, so she probably didn’t die gracefully.

 

Even if she could be saved, it didn’t make sense for Claire to return to the Baron’s because of one of her maids.

 

“At a time like this, it’s really sad to be born into a powerless family.”

 

***

Visit https://1 to read the latest updated chapters and novels.