Chapter 71

Lieutenant Baron Leo lay unmoving on his bed, in deep, uninterrupted slumber.

Richard, standing nearby, subtly shook his head, his words laced with quiet understanding. "Alright, I know you've been awake since just now. If you truly intend to feign sleep, next time, you should make your breathing a little more natural when you pause your snoring."

At Richard's words, a faint rustling sound echoed in the room. The Baron slowly rose from the bed, his eyes bloodshot, his hands somewhat unsteadily pressing against the bedframe. His lips moved, but no sound came forth.

Richard turned, his gaze landing on the Baron, his tone casual and devoid of emotion as he spoke: "To be honest, from the very first assassination attempt, I had suspected it was Edward's doing. But it wasn't until the last attempt that I realized you were involved as well. Is it a blind spot of my thinking? Or perhaps you've hidden yourself too well?"

"I always believed you to be just an ordinary medieval noble—cunning, yes, but nothing more. But now, it seems, you may be the smartest person I've encountered in this world, at least when it comes to disguise. If… if you truly decided to take measures against me, I suppose you might succeed. You are impressive, my dear father—Baron Leo!" Richard's words bore no trace of mockery, nor were they entirely admiring. Leo said nothing, simply staring at Richard in silence for a long while before he finally spoke.

"You… you said you were leaving, correct?"

"Yes, I am leaving," Richard responded immediately, a knowing smile spreading across his face. "In fact, after I finish speaking with you, I intend to leave at once—leave the estate, leave Prue, and even leave this continent. You shall never see me again."

The Baron's body relaxed.

"Originally…" Richard drew out his words, sighing deeply, "I had planned to leave once your poisoning was fully resolved, without any emotional burden. But now it seems, I was wrong—if I leave without that burden, it might very well become your burden."

The Baron's fingers twitched slightly.

"To be honest, my dear father—Baron Leo—I don't owe you anything. Aside from the half-set of genes that made up my body, which I cannot repay, I've already paid back everything you've spent on me over these years. And once I leave, you can take over the two shops in town; in fact, you'll profit from it."

"After I'm gone, the First Guard Squadron will be disbanded, and you won't have any military force in the territory that you can't control. You'll be able to sleep soundly. Also, your beloved heir—the firstborn Edward—will return to inherit your title. You can finally relax, without worrying anymore. Good, very good. With my departure, many will be happy. So, why not?" Richard's voice dropped a little, as if making a final decision. He smiled and added, "Well, then… I am off. Farewell, mine dear father—Baron Leo!"

With those words, Richard stood and walked toward the door, his footsteps echoing as he left the room.

Leo watched him go, his gaze fixed on Richard's retreating figure until he was out of sight. With a deep breath, Leo let go of the tension that had gripped him for so long. His feelings were complicated, but no matter how he looked at it, Richard's departure was, without a doubt, a good thing.

Yes, a good thing. For sure.

Leo struggled to shift his body, adjusting his position on the bed. Though the effects of the snake poison still lingered, making movement difficult, he felt his body gradually recovering. Even without Richard's medical assistance, with enough time, he would return to normal.

While Edward's involvement in the assassination attempt surprised him, Leo understood his son's feelings. He didn't think Edward had meant to kill him, but perhaps, once Edward returned, they could sit down and talk, and their grievances could be laid to rest. After all, Edward was the successor Leo had chosen from the very beginning.

Once everything was back on track, the lingering years of tension would finally come to an end. He could focus his energy on expanding his influence beyond the castle, instead of endlessly worrying about the affairs within it.

Perhaps it was time to reorganize the territory, collect more taxes, and hire more soldiers. In time, he could challenge the old dog Lanster, and deal with the surrounding weaklings. His territory would expand significantly. And if he managed to win favor in the court, it was very possible that he wouldn't just remain a Baron, but might become a Viscount or even an Earl…

Leo smiled as he imagined the future unfolding before him.

But suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by the unmistakable sound of footsteps outside the door.

"Clatter, clatter…"

The footsteps grew louder, and a figure reappeared outside his bedroom.

"Clatter, clatter…"

Richard entered the room, his head down, his face concealed.

Leo's expression froze, his eyes wide with shock. He stared at Richard, unable to find words. After a long pause, he murmured, "You… you were leaving, weren't you?"

"I thought about it!" Richard suddenly lifted his head, meeting Leo's gaze with an intense seriousness. "I realized that leaving to pursue my plan of 'exploring the truth of the world' was the most rational course of action. But…"

Richard's voice was stretched, "But, that brings us back to the point. In the end, it's still hard to feel at ease. It seems I can't leave… not yet."

"Hmm?" Leo's confusion deepened.

"it's still hard to feel at ease." Richard smiled plainly. His eyes narrowed slightly, which suddenly froze Leo's heart. He said hoarsely," What do you want?!"

"Just something simple." Richard said," Just an eye for an eye. You see, my dear father, I've wanted revenge since the very first assassination attempt. But I didn't want to waste any time, so I merely eliminated the men someone sent. The same happened with the subsequent attempts. But now, I've decided that I don't want to leave any problem which will affect me."

"We are no longer children," Richard continued, his voice calm but chilling. "If man did something, then he must take responsibility. I suspect that my dear brother, when he tried to have me killed, was likely expecting this day—when I would seek retribution. And now, I'm prepared to do just that."

"What are you trying to do?" Leo's voice trembled.

"I intend to stay and watch closely. I want to see what my dear brother does next. He tried to have you killed, so will he try to frame me for it and inherit your lordship as his own? I think it's very likely. Only by doing so can he justify rallying forces from other nobles to attack me and claim the title and lands that should be his."

Richard paused for a moment, then added, "The problem is, it's been so many days, and he hasn't acted yet. He must not be sure if you're truly dead. But his patience is not infinite. If I deliberately feed him false information, I think he'll show himself soon enough. When that happens, I'll be ready to greet him, and it will be my final gift to him before I leave."

"You…" Leo wanted to say something, but Richard cut him off.

"Enough, my dear father. Rest easy and recover. Don't forget to take the medicine I brought you. I have things to attend to. Farewell."

With that, Richard turned and left the room once more, and this time, he did not return. Leo's heart sank, and a cold chill swept over him.