Even If You Tear Me Apart - Chapter 53
The chapters are split like this so that the TL can update more consistently over time (✿ ＞◡❛)
In the end, the Marquis got his wish. He was able to dine with Lady Quilluxia.
The attendants entered the Marquis’s room, and Milena also went in under the pretext of guarding her. The inn room was so luxurious that it even had a separate sitting area.
However, the attendants were kicked out halfway through. As soon as Milena, who had been expelled along with them, rejoined the paladins’ meal, she let out a breath as if vomiting.
“So disgusting I could die. He was practically drooling to get his hands on a girl young enough to be his daughter.”
“Ugh.”
Shanka recoiled in horror. Ezekiel frowned as he looked at Milena. Perhaps sensing that his gaze was a reprimand for being thrown out instead of fulfilling her guard duty, Milena quickly offered an excuse.
“Of course I said I’d stay inside for the sake of guarding, even if the attendants had to leave. Do you know what he said? That he’d lock the door with magic.”
“Fucking hell, that’s vile.”
“So revolting I could scream.”
The paladins shuddered. Milena, indignant, raised her voice.
“A door locked by magic can’t even be opened by the lady herself. I didn’t know what might happen to her, so I just told them to leave it open and enjoy their meal comfortably and came out.”
There was nothing more to be said. Ezekiel let out a breath through his nose.
“Well done.”
“Haah. I really don’t know if it was the right thing or not.”
With that, Milena finally let out a sigh and took a spoonful of food.
“Ugh. Just thinking about some old man hitting on my little sister makes me nauseous. Doesn’t it bother you, Commander? You’ve got a younger sister too.”
Shanka muttered, scratching the back of his neck. Ezekiel’s face darkened.
“Shanka. Don’t speak out of turn.”
“Hmm. Out of turn, huh.”
Shanka let out a sigh through his nose.
“Well, it’s not like she’s really the Commander’s sister anyway.”
“Don’t let it get to you too much, everyone.”
Another paladin interjected casually.
“It’s just that we’ve gotten close to the lady, so it feels wrong. But honestly, this kind of marriage is incredibly common.”
“Really?”
“It’s a marriage she agreed to, isn’t it? No matter how much we say, it won’t change anything. Honestly, the lady might’ve been wishing clueless Milena would just leave and stop interrupting.”
“What did you say, you little—”
Milena glared, and the paladins burst into giggles.
The room quickly became noisy. There was still plenty of food, and their glasses continued to be refilled. Before long, the paladins had forgotten all about Lady Quilluxia.
Except for Ezekiel.
***
Normally, after dinner, the paladins who weren’t on night watch would go rest.
But because of one knight’s shout—“Commander, show us your room!”—they all swarmed into Ezekiel’s quarters.
“Whoa, this is awesome.”
“Hey, there’s even a chessboard in here!”
“They’ve got fruit floating in the water!”
These knights were all from the main temple of Udal and were used to grand buildings.
But because they always lived by the motto of austerity, many of them had never even seen the best room in an inn.
The paladins jumped on Ezekiel’s bed or begged to sleep in the sitting area. Ezekiel, expressionless, replied, “If you want to sleep on the floor, be my guest,” drawing their complaints.
It was just as the knights were snacking on the fruit provided to the guests of the finest room and chuckling to themselves that—
“Commander, Commander. Come here for a second.”
Shanka beckoned Ezekiel over with a serious face. The low voice made Ezekiel instinctively realize something was wrong.
He followed Shanka… to the front of the Marquis’s room.
“This is…”
“Well, that guy said we should just listen at the door. I swear, we didn’t mean anything shady.”
At Ezekiel’s sharp gaze, Shanka grew flustered and dragged over another knight to make excuses. It seemed they had suspected the vile old man might try something and had put their ear to the door. But…
Let me go…
A small voice could be heard from inside, as if it would vanish at any moment. Ezekiel’s face hardened. It was Iris Quilluxia’s voice. Shanka swallowed and whispered.
“Something’s definitely happening in there.”
“The door’s locked from the inside.”
Milena gently tested the doorknob and said quietly, her face tense. Even then, Iris’s voice continued to plead.
Marquis, doing this before the ceremony is inappropriate. I…
“Hey, I think—”
Bang!
Before Shanka could finish speaking, Ezekiel kicked the door.
The doorknob broke off with a loud crack. The noise inside the room stopped instantly.
