Chapter 45 – Part 2

t/w: sexual harassment & physical violence

It seemed like he ran here without stopping to take a breath. He was panting right now, and his hair was a mess.

“Ugh… You goddamn bastard!”

Right then, Lennon got up from the ground, pointing a finger at Zen Delacroix.

He was bleeding from his forehead. It seemed like he hit something when he had been wrenched away from me.

“You’re the one who’s a goddamn bastard.”

Zen Delacroix was helping me up from the floor so I could sit elsewhere, but then he coldly responded to Lennon.

When such icy words left his lips, it felt odd to hear because he was a man who radiates warmth like the sun.

“You son of a b*tch, do you even know who I..!”

Lennon kept yelling without looking closely at who the person in front of him was. Still, he trailed off for a moment and grimaced.

Eventually, embarrassment slowly started spreading on his face.

It seemed like it was only then that he recognized that this man was Zen Delacroix.

“Y-Young Duke Delacroix? Why have you come here…”

It’s only natural that Lennon was as flustered as he was right now.

Of course, even if Lennon says that he’s got House Everett on his back, House Chester was a mere speck against the Delacroix Duchy.

Staring scathingly at Lennon, Zen Delacroix responded with anger in his voice.

“I’ve heard rumors of how much of a scoundrel you are, but… How can you do such a despicable thing to a lady!”

Zen walked up to Lennon and, without any hesitation at all, kicked him squarely across his torso.

Lennon fell pathetically back on the ground, rolling.

But that wasn’t the end.

Zen Delacroix kept kicking Lennon. If not that, he went on to grab Lennon by the collar and punch him multiple times across his face.

“You’re no better than an animal!”

Lennon didn’t put up a fight and only kept getting beaten to a pulp. By the second, he became bloodier and bloodier.

I was paralyzed at the side, staring blankly at the extremely violent scene unfolding before me. And, belatedly, I realized that I missed the opportunity to activate the spirit stone.

‘Of all things…’

Because Zen Delacroix stepped in, I missed the golden opportunity to inflict mutilating burns onto Lennon Chester.

Even if he was beaten practically to death right now, any cuts or bruises or broken bones could be healed. Unlike a burn scar.

“……”

I was so overcome by disappointment and frustration.

I’m sure Zen Delacroix helped me with a strong sense of justice behind his decision, but…

Please. Let him lose control of his strength.

Please, let him completely destroy Lennon’s wrists.

Shoulders.

Ankle ligaments.

If so, then that prick wouldn’t be able to use his hands properly any longer. He’d have to limp for the rest of his life, too.

‘…But how did Zen Delacroix get into the greenhouse?’

Suspicions were brewing in my mind, but there’s no way for me to know the answers to my questions right now.

Because Zen Delacroix looked like he was in a trance as he continued to pummel Lennon.

After kicking and punching the other man for a long time, Zen finally stopped the onslaught of violence later on. Lennon looked like he wasn’t even conscious anymore.

As though he was looking at something incredibly dirty, Zen Delacroix stared down at Lennon, who was sprawled out on the floor. Then, he looked back at me slowly.

With his breathing still a little rough, he pushed his unkempt hair up, then approached me cautiously.

“Duchess Valentino… Good grief, I’m so sorry for showing you such a violent sight. Are you hurt anywhere?”

Unlike how he was at the salon earlier, Zen’s manner of speech with me was very polite now.

I shook my head and answered calmly.

“I’m uninjured.”

And after hearing my answer, Zen let out a sigh of relief. He took off the gloves on his hand and threw them away randomly at the greenhouse floor.

Those gloves were entirely stained with Lennon’s blood.

“…That’s a relief. …Um, then please, take my hand so we can get you up.”

I stared at his hand, hesitating. But soon, I reached forward to take it.

His hand was very hot. Perhaps because he’d been punching another man so violently until now.

Observing me carefully as I stood back up on my feet, Zen spoke.

“But if you feel any pain anywhere, please don’t hesitate to tell me. …Oh! You must have been very shocked, but—”

“I wasn’t very surprised.”

“…If that’s the case, then that’s a relief. However…”

Zen seemed to think that I was truly very surprised about all that happened here, suffering from mental shock perhaps. But truthfully, I didn’t care.

I wasn’t afraid. Nor did I think that the situation was horrific. This kind of thing would not hurt me at all. It’s just this—a dirty experience.

Besides that, I felt a bit of pity that I wasn’t able to leave a permanent burn scar on half of Lennon’s face.

“Then, Duchess, I’ll take you to a safe place for now.”

“Before that…”

I wanted to ask how he knew about this and why he came all the way here.

But then, at that moment.

I felt the presence of someone entering through the greenhouse’s door.

Hesitating before I turned my head, a familiar face soon came into my view.

“……”

For a moment, I was at a loss.

The man, who I had never imagined would appear in this place, was now standing tall at the threshold.

“…Lily.”

As he took in the sight of the chaotic greenhouse, Theodore then fixed his gaze on me.

——