Shadow Queen

“Do you want me to forgive you?”

“Please, mercy…”

“Say it after me. My uncle is a son of a bitch.”

“What? Y-your uncle is a son of a bitch.”

The ladies were not in a state of limbo. When they heard that he was going to forgive them, they just followed what he told them to do without knowing what was going on. The man laughed and clapped to his heart’s content.

“That’s great. Servants have been learning very fast these days. Go.”

“Thank you!”

It was time for the women to leave in a hurry, relieved that they had survived a narrow escape.

“Oh! You don’t know who my uncle is, do you?”

“What?”

The maids stopped and looked back. The man smiled wickedly and spoke in a small voice, but he spoke clearly enough for the maids to understand.

“My uncle is the owner of this mansion. In other words, you’re cursing your master. That’s it. That’s the son of a bitch. Can you handle it?”

“…!”

The maids’ faces turned white like a blank paper. This is because the only owner of the maids is Grand Duke Frances.

“See you again.”

The man, who enjoyed the reactions of the grieving women, walked through the hall waving his hands. The man, who had the structure of the mansion as if it were his own house, loitered toward the door decorated with top-notch marble.

It was when the man was about to hold the door by ignoring the knight who guarded the entrance like an ironclad.

“Excuse me, you cannot enter. Please identify yourself first.”

The knight, Hurelbard, blocked the man’s way and politely demanded. Of course, it was a common practice, but the man seemed unwilling to follow the procedure.

“Me? You shouldn’t talk to me so carelessly.”

“I’ll repeat for you again. First, you…”

Hurelbard’s words did not continue any longer. His head snapped back when he was slapped in the face by the man’s sudden rush. The man laughed at Hurelbard, whose cheek was swollen red.

“Why are you buying a fight?”

It was when the man grabbed the door handle and was just opening the door.

“I will restate myself. Please identify yourself.”

Hurelbard kept the man from ever opening the door.

“Hey, why risk your life for nothing? It’s annoying.”

The man put his hair down to his eyebrows over his forehead.

“I will repeat. Please identify yourself…”

The man’s fist flew faster than Hurelbard thought. The swinging motion toward the opposite cheek that he had previously struck was agile.

Pok! The dull throbbing sound spread violently.

“Hoo.”

Surprisingly, however, the man’s fist did not touch the face of Hurelbard. This is because Hurelbard’s right hand grasped the man’s fist tightly.

The man’s fist and the hand of Hurelbard, who caught it, gave him the upper hand without an inch of retreat. However, neither side had the upper hand and faced off sharply. There was a wild beast in the man’s eyes that did not tame.

“You asked me who I am, didn’t you? Knock me down. Then I’ll let you know.”

“…”

“Why, you don’t like it? Oh! Is it because you got hit before? Then let’s start with a fair blow to me too. What do you think?”

The man did not stop arguing as if he enjoyed the moment. As if he had forgotten that today was the big day of the Great Frances family, he seemed to think about how to destroy Hurelbard.

“Sir, step back.”

It was a voice with soft but irresistible authority that relieved the tension like a well-defined sword at one moment. Elena walked out of the marble door, which had been tightly closed. Her neat but elegant hair and simple but elegant-looking dress created a sense of beauty.

“You’re still rude, brother Ren.”

Elena’s words held spines. He felt a spiteful look from the fierce gaze. When he heard the man’s name, Hurelbard’s eyebrows wiggled. He had been informed by Elena, so he vaguely assumed that this was Ren Bastasche. Apart from that, however, the knight could not bring in those who were not even identified. So this was the result.

“Hey, I’m crying because I’m so happy to see you. How long has it been? Have you thought a lot about your brother?”

“What should I do? Every time we meet, you make this good impression.”

Elena gave a wink, responding coldly. Hurelbard understood what she meant and pulled back. Then, he apologized for causing this situation.

“I’m sorry, it’s enough to just identify himself…”

“I know. Ren must have been rude.”

She hoped he wouldn’t get involved with Ren, but it’s already spilled. Elena said she didn’t want Ren to notice anything.

“Should we keep standing here or go inside?”

“That’s what I’m saying. Let’s sit down.”

Ren followed Elena and entered the room. He patted Hurelbard’s shoulder guarding the door and scratched his stomach.

“Yes, the lady is very angry. Yeah, you should’ve done better earlier.”

“…”

Despite the provocation, Hurelbard did not change his face and ignored him. With that kind of composure, Ren came into the room with a small exclamation saying ‘Hoh-oh’.

Elena and Ren sat face to face on the sofa with the table between them.

“Why don’t you look at me sweetly? Since we’re cousins.”

“Won’t you misunderstand if I look at you more affectionately? Since we’re cousins.”

Elena’s way of speaking had changed. The honor vanished from nowhere and met with informal language.

“Oh, you’re talking down?”

“There’s no reason I can’t let go, right?”

The sharp conversation went back and forth. They were tied through the bond of cousins, and they were in one space, but they seemed anxious because they couldn’t eat each other.

‘I don’t need to be frustrated. I’m officially Princess Veronica. And I know the habits of the motherfucker, right?’

When a bully recognizes that his opponent is weaker than him, he torments him until he kills him by drying his blood. That’s the habit of a bully that never changes. Elena knew Ren better than anyone else.

‘Because I suffered so much that my teeth trembled.’

Ren persistently bullied Elena from the moment he noticed that she was a substitute. He did not hesitate to threaten to reveal the identity unless she told him about the main information or plans of the Grand Duke.

‘I’m not swayed by you anymore. I’ll use you from now on.’

Ren was obviously hostile to the great house. It was of course an old feeling for the heir of the Bastache family, who had no choice but to live like a servant of the Grand Duke due to the Hundred Years’ Treaty. Elena was about to use the hostility cleverly. It’s still early, but over time, Ren will be a useful card.

“Wow, applause!”

Ren clapped his hands.

“Hey, how can I not celebrate when my cousin has grown up so well?”

“You’re just going to say what you want, aren’t you?”

“Has it been three minutes since we sat face to face?”

“That three, and you can’t stand it either?”

Elena responded without losing a single word. Ren scattered Elena from head to toe with a mocking smile. It was a creepy look.

“I heard you were very sick. Are you pretty well?”

“I’m all better.”

Elena answered briefly and firmly. Then Ren smiled a strange smile.

“You’re completely cured in time for the birthday? Just like putting together puzzles.”

“You’re picking on everything. Since when have you been so interested in me?”

Although she felt a significant nuance in Ren’s way of speaking, Elena passed it without much importance. If she paid attention to everything, she might lose her pace and be swayed.

“You don’t think I’m interested? You, your friend out there.”

“…!”

Elena’s expression hardened in an instant as he pointed his chin to Hurelbard outside the door.

“You just said he was handsome. I just found out about my cousin’s taste.”

“If you know, can you help me?”

“Oh, I’ll help you. I took it.”

“What?”

Len showed his swollen hands as if he were bleeding.

“Still tingling.”

“So? You want to complain?”

“Hey, hey. You’re acting silly.”

Ren’s eyes sank strangely. At first glance, he looked drowsy and bored, but inside he felt the tenacity of a beast who smelled the game.

“Why don’t you stop playing with words? I know, but this brother isn’t very patient.”

“…!”

Ren, who slowly got up from the sofa, blew his life outright. Elena even felt choked because her hair was in the way. A cold sweat ran on her back.

‘It’s like butter.’

Ren, who stood right in front of Elena, reached out and lightly held Elena’s chin.

“Is it because I haven’t seen my beloved sister in a long time? Aren’t you very unfamiliar?”

“When were we supposed to talk and laugh?”

“I can’t argue with that.”

“Then remove your hand, won’t you?”

Unlike the warning, Elena’s voice was shaking slightly.

“If I don’t want to?”

Ren bent down, grinning. Right in front of Elena’s eyes. They were so close that they could even hear each other’s breathing. Elena suppressed her desire to scream. No matter how much Ren was a jerk and a bully, Elena couldn’t be helped. At best, this kind of threat is all that she came up with.

Slowly.

Ren’s touch passed past her chin and brushed her cheek. The hands on the sofa’s back turned and wrapped Elena’s neck like a snake.

“…… Get your hands off me.”

Either way or not, Ren was closer to Elena. He took her face as if he were touching Elena’s cheek and hugged her tightly with his hands wrapped around her neck. Elena reluctantly put her face on Ren’s shoulder. On the other hand, Ren’s head passed Elena’s cheek and was facing behind her earpiece.

“…!”

Ren’s eyes narrowed as he looked behind her ears. Elena was convinced by the momentary hesitation.

‘As expected, it’s a good thing I’ve made a scar in advance.’

Elena already expected a day like today to come. This was the reason why she intentionally made a scar on the back of her ear during her education at the safe house.

‘This avoids the suspicion of being fake.’

It is safe to say that this is the result Elena had hoped for. The exclusion of Ren’s suspicions was a step closer to the completion of revenge. This is because Ren’s abnormal behavior will inevitably be restricted as long as he has no choice but to believe that she is the real Princess Veronica, not a substitute.

“Did you not hear me?”

When Elena pushed hard, Ren also gently backed away. There was a confused look because it was contrary to expectations, but Ren was not a man of disarray enough to show his inner feelings.