Please Kill Me - Chapter 101
Sergei knew that Yekaterina had surpassed his own prowess long ago. Her resilience, mental fortitude, talent, and the rigorous training she endured made it almost inevitable. He believed that even Dmitry couldn’t match her skills.
‘In terms of ability, Dmitry wouldn’t be able to catch up to her.’
Sergei had that faith. Moreover, Yekaterina was virtually indestructible under Offenbach’s protective magic.
This made it crucial to keep her bound to the Offenbach family until her death. She was to live as a weapon, without desires or thoughts of her own, existing solely for the benefit of Offenbach. She would fulfill her role by living for Offenbach and dying before Dmitry’s succession.
Sergei had gone to great lengths to ensure Yekaterina remained unaware of the protective magic, preventing her from even contemplating rebellion. He had expended considerable effort to make her loyal to the family, stripping away any sense of self.
‘And now she dares to run away?’
The betrayal stung deeply, more than if a dog he had raised for ten years had turned on him. Sergei’s jaw clenched tightly.
“I thought we’d finally find her this time. Damn it…”
Sergei’s voice still seethed with anger. Dmitry bowed his head again.
“I’m sorry. I truly believed we would find her this time, which is why I reported on the forest search. It seems we’ve wasted our efforts.”
“…No. It’s not your fault.”
Sergei replied, regaining his composure swiftly. But where to search next?
They had scoured every possible location: the neighborhood where Yekaterina had lived before her adoption, the Offenbach stronghold, the estates, and any other place she might go.
She wasn’t there.
“And yet, the only trace we have of Yekaterina is in the imperial hunting grounds.”
“Yes, but if she’s not in the forest… could someone be hiding her?”.
Sergei’s eyebrow twitched.
“Someone is hiding her?”
“If it’s not that, there’s really no other explanation. We haven’t found any trace of her escape.”
“But who on earth would hide Yekaterina? More than anyone, I know she has nowhere to turn. She’s not the type to trust someone she barely knows.”
Sergei had raised Yekaterina to be completely isolated within Offenbach.
He understood her mentality perfectly. Yekaterina would never consider leaving Offenbach for good.
A fish wouldn’t think of leaving water, and even if Yekaterina stepped out of Offenbach momentarily, she would naturally return. This applied to all the loyal members of Offenbach.
Failure in a mission wasn’t a reason to flee.
Yekaterina, among them, was especially entrenched in this mindset. She would rather stay in Offenbach from the start than escape and rely on someone else.
‘Relying on someone else, huh.’
This was the worst-case scenario. Even Offenbach couldn’t recklessly probe other noble families. And what if Yekaterina discovered the protective magic?
Sergei’s sharp eyes narrowed.
“Do you have anyone in mind?”
“Not yet. But since traces of her were found in the hunting grounds, it must be someone related to that area.”
And there was only one person that pointed to.
Leonid Rostislav, the head of the Rostislav family.
“That damn brat… Could it really be him?”
“At the moment, it’s just a suspicion.”
“If it’s true, this will be a real headache. Stirring up another noble house is already troublesome, but the central noble families?”
Given the current standoff between the factions supporting each prince in the Arlan war, any move against Rostislav would lead to being torn apart by ravenous nobles.
If, that is, everything remains as it is.”
“….Come to think of it, the hunting party is approaching. It wouldn’t be hard to wield a weapon there. We should look into it, as you suggested.”
“Of course.”
Dmitry smiled brightly and nodded at Sergei’s words. After exchanging a few more words, the door to Sergei’s office opened and closed once more.
Leaving the room was Dmitry, his face now cold and stern, completely without the smile he had shown earlier.
As he exited, Ivan, who had been waiting nearby, hurriedly approached him and handed him a handkerchief. The wound on Dmitry’s forehead from the thrown ornament was still bleeding.
“I’ll call a doctor, young master.”
“No need. I’ll treat it myself later. Make sure no one disturbs me until I call for someone.”
“Understood.”
With a bow, Ivan disappeared into the shadows, and as the door closed completely behind him, the last remnants of patience vanished from Dmitry’s face.
