Pregnancy Is Too Much For The Villain - C148

Reynard stared blankly at Clifton as he approached, relaxing his neck by putting his hand on his shoulder.

“You came alone as promised.”

“And you, as expected, did not come alone.”

Clifton snorted, seeing him speak casually as if there was no longer any value in using honorifics for the Empire’s prince.

“Shouldn’t there be at least one witness to tell how our honor was upheld?”

How ridiculous that it was the Prince’s own man. It wasn’t even funny.

“If you were going to have a witness, you should have informed me like a gentleman beforehand.”

He was saying this side should have fairly selected a second too.

“Well Prince, your ‘gentlemanly honor’ is quite understandable. I wonder if that witness would proclaim it so honorably as intended even before a court and the House of Lords.”

Typically, seconds were discussed in advance with each side having two or three. They also played a mediating role before and after the duel. Reynard was pointing out the Prince’s vileness as it was.

“Did we really need mediation between us?”

Despite mentioning gentlemanliness, Clifton’s brazen excuses now seemed devoid of any real honor or shame. How dirty and petty he had become, pushed to the very end. It was implying that the result of this duel would be the unconditional ruin of one of them.

There would be no mediation. The result would end unconditionally with one person’s defeat or death. Well, his purpose in challenging the duel was clear from the start. The death of the Marquis of Valkyries who blocked his path. Reynard also knew all this and came to this place.

The two alphas stared at each other between the trees and bushes that had withered for winter.

“Your face looks quite haggard. I guess the rumors about you losing your mind after your companion left were true?”

Clifton spoke, looking over Reynard’s gaunt face, dark under-eyes, and bloodshot whites. It seemed like exchanging light greetings with sarcasm, but the reality was different. There was sharpness and hostile brutality hidden, like two beasts examining their enemy from a distance before pouncing.

“Let’s stop the pointless chatter and begin now.”

Reynard snorted at the words mentioning his complexion while examining him as if they were close. In fact, Clifton, who had recently become addicted to mild drugs, wasn’t much better in terms of poor complexion. But he seemed like someone who couldn’t objectively judge what his own face or condition looked like now.

Only the intent to kill Reynard stood out in his eyes. Though he claimed to be the benevolent imperial prince with a calm face, his eyes were those of a vicious murderer.

Clifton’s aide took out a white handkerchief from his breast pocket.

The duel will begin and end simultaneously when the handkerchief is thrown and falls, with bullets fired from guns aimed at each other according to the rules.

But for some reason, the aide hesitated without saying to prepare for the duel, watching the situation.

As he deliberately hesitated and slowly raised the handkerchief high, the sound of guns being loaded came from places other than the duelists.

Click! Clack!

The 3rd Prince’s personal soldiers stuck out their gun muzzles and heads from the bushes, now barely trying to hide. Seeing about thirty soldiers, Reynard twisted his lips into a smile.

“Is this an assassination rather than a duel?”

“I’ll have it recorded in the official log as a very honorable duel.”

He had set up exactly the same vile act as expected. Even while speaking, he raised his nose and talked about records as if it were the prince’s mercy, causing Reynard to bend over laughing. Then he stood up straight, planting his feet firmly on the ground.

The long coat tails of Reynard’s military uniform fluttered in the cold winter wind passing between them.

Clifton slowly took steps while ordering the soldiers to aim all gun barrels at Reynard.

“Actually, I didn’t know you would interfere with me to this extent. Even though your companion took my sister’s side.”

“I was the one who started supporting the 1st Princess first.”

It was truly despicable to show his malice only towards the easy target, the weak, without considering the exact order.

“Right. I was truly foolish. Why on earth did you do that? Dear 6th cousin, Reynard. I wanted to get along very well with you. Until you got married, you hadn’t taken anyone’s side politically, had you?”

“I just wasn’t interested, I had no intention of supporting you.”

“That’s a pity. I thought from the beginning that we would be very good partners.”

“……”

“Think about it. This empire ruled by strong male alphas like us. I become the master of the empire and you become the master of Dales as was destined. Loyal lord and vassal from the founding era. What a fine and beautiful picture that would have been.”

Somehow coming close and shrugging, he made a regretful expression towards Reynard, truly seeming to think that way.

“You kicked away that good opportunity. By supporting my sister, and your companion solidifying that.”

“Your side provided the pretext first.”

“What did I do?”

“Trying to swallow up the Wiche earldom from the beginning, trying to use Valentin as a tool in that process, the 3rd Prince’s consort attacking Valentin before the marriage, everything. It’s ridiculous that you thought I could take your side after committing such vile acts.”

At those words, this time Clifton bent over laughing.

“As someone who will become the master of the empire anyway, aren’t those all mine? To think you were pettily building up resentment over such trivial things. Duke, you too are less than an ordinary man, getting involved in your companion’s affairs. To think you antagonized me over such trifling matters.”

He spoke as if an alpha, a man, naturally shouldn’t care about such trivial things. What an idiotic and trait supremacist way of thinking.

“Well, that omega Valentin isn’t a tempting fellow at all. When he was young he was just stupid and arrogant so I couldn’t stand the sight of him, but even then his looks were quite something. Later when he grew up, I had to agree with others’ assessment that he completely enthralled high society, he looked so bewitchingly beautiful. If he had just stayed good like that, I would have made him a mistress, it’s really a shame.”

Reynard’s expressionless forehead cracked at the insulting content spoken while circling around him. Clifton crossed the line as if he had nothing to fear in the world once the soldiers’ rifles were aimed at Reynard. The form of his contempt was no longer that of a gentleman. To verbally abuse someone’s companion in front of an alpha. It’s something only street vagrants would do. His blatantly humiliating behavior clearly showed he considered Reynard a soon-to-be corpse.

Reynard lowered his eyes from Clifton and quietly looked at the ground.

Even that appearance satisfied the 3rd Prince. Finally, that arrogant Dales alpha is bowing his head before me. Only now at this final end, after his life has been mortgaged. He smiled with true satisfaction.

“The famous Dales navy, the Empire’s war hero, is actually nothing special, right?”

“……”

“Away from the sea, that tremendous ability is all useless.”

“……”

“Duke, you’re really past your prime. You dare send me a letter of protest saying your honor was damaged, longing for the tail end of a companion who left you. Losing your child, losing your spouse. Now you’ve lost your mind and come here to find your own grave site.”

The white handkerchief held by Clifton’s aide trembled. Somehow the leaves also shook ominously.

“So now, die.”

A fishy smile of achieving his goal leaked from Clifton. The war hero’s gaze towards the ground satisfied that base pride.

“Prince, do you know?”

“…?”

“This place today will become your grave, not mine.”

Reynard raised his head from looking at the ground and faced Clifton squarely.

“Spouting nonsense before dying.”

Clifton spat out, grinding his molars. He raised his right hand, preparing to order fire soon.

“Do you have any last words? Out of family affection, I’ll let you leave a will.”

“I don’t need a will.”

With those words, the earth they were standing on shook slightly.

“Instead, I’ll make one prophecy. You will receive the full price for your sins.”

“What…?”

When Clifton was making a stupid expression, unable to understand the warning called a prophecy, a sound like thunder was heard from somewhere as soon as Reynard finished speaking.

But it wasn’t thunder. The source of the sound was underground. A thunderous sound of solid rock and earth splitting and tearing. Suddenly, as if an earthquake had occurred, the ground began shaking more and more, startling the prince and soldiers. Earthquakes were an uncommon natural disaster in the Empire.

“What is this…?!”

Clifton’s eyes shook like the ground. But right then,

Whoosh!

As the ground split, a stream of water gushed out.

Only then did Clifton realize this situation wasn’t simply a natural disaster.

“I didn’t know water was necessary…! What are you doing?! Shoot! Fire immediately!”

The soldiers who received the prince’s order pulled their rifle triggers, piercing through the shaking ground and water gushing from the cracks.

Bang! Bang bang!

Red and yellow flames sporadically burst from the muzzles as bullets were fired towards Reynard.

The fired bullets crossed the air.

But suddenly, a huge water wall rose up in front of the Marquis of Valkyries, the target of the gunfire.

“What?!”

A massive water wall like a house-sized wave. Because it blocked them, not a single bullet reached him. It was as strange as witnessing Moses’ miracle of parting the Red Sea, enough to make one’s eyes pop out. The 3rd Prince’s soldiers, born and raised in the capital all their lives, were stupidly dumbfounded before Reynard’s unbelievable, magnificent ability.

The power of the water was so strong that the bullets just rotated as soon as they touched the surface, only letting out a shallow steam before burying into the ground. Everyone except Reynard stood stupidly for a moment at that unbelievable sight.

“Aaaaah!”

Now the water gushing from underground was no longer just a stream. The spring water rose more and more explosively, crashing down as if to swallow them up.

This is probably what it would look like if a huge bomb was detonated in the sea to cause an explosion.

But this was not the sea, just a field with some plants and trees planted here and there. Where on earth did all this water come from? No, is it even possible for a human to draw up water from bare ground like this and exert such influence? Everyone there screamed rough cries with their eyes wide open, unable to believe the situation.

The moment of realization why Colonel Reynard Dennox was praised as a war hero with fame that shook the empire, seeing this unbelievable, enormous ability before their eyes, was brief. The soldiers were swept away by the exploding water.

“Aaaaagh!”

“Hey!”

“Aaagh!”

Like people swept away by overflowing river water during a flood, they all disappeared in an instant, caught up in the tremendous water stream’s flow as if heavy rain was pouring and a fierce typhoon was raging on a river. All the people were washed away so futilely in an instant like that.

Except for two people, Reynard and Clifton.

However, only one of the two was able to stand on the ground and move freely.

In the midst of the fantastical flood and storm, Reynard, not a single hair wet, walked steadily towards his enemy with his coat tails fluttering. Around them was a mess of overturned earth, uprooted bushes rolling around, and broken trees everywhere.

Reynard impassively stared at Clifton, who was lying on the ground all dirty and wet with muddy water and leaves, while remaining perfectly neat himself in the midst of the fierce natural disaster.

He was struggling with dirty torn leaf pieces sticking unsightly all over his face and head. Like someone whose limbs were caught on something, unable to move.

Clifton was now no different from a person with shackles of water placed on him by Reynard’s ability. The water that gushed from the ground was binding his arms and legs so he couldn’t move an inch.

“This…! Release this right now!”

It was extremely funny to see his attitude of shouting loudly while looking like a dirty beggar lying on the ground, the image of a defeated person. What did he always say to the poor people he sneered at with his chin raised? Did he despise them as those born on the ground, living close to the earth? Reynard recalled the expression Clifton always used behind the backs of the unfortunate.

He stepped on the muddy ground made soggy by the flood and approached him closer and closer with just one corner of his mouth raised. Then he placed him very insultingly under his legs, unable to move while lying on the ground.

“Duke, have you gone mad now?”

That arrogant expression and tone still thinking he had the upper hand.

Reynard stood with his feet on either side of his fallen thighs, looking down at him. With his hands in both trouser pockets, it was the perfect posture of a victor.

Reynard won too easily.

From the moment he confirmed the dueling site, he was certain of perfect victory.

It was terrain where the lower reaches of the Bronze River, a large river flowing to the outskirts of Eldon, flowed nearby, and its water vein passed greatly under this land.

Unless it was an environment completely without water like a desert, Reynard could perfectly exert his ability as long as there was water nearby anywhere. The fact that only he and his closest aides knew this in detail was the first requirement for this victory. Clifton had failed in the information war from the beginning.

The 3rd Prince, born and raised in the refined parts of the capital without ever setting foot on a battlefield, had never directly seen Reynard’s ability. He only heard rumors passed from ear to ear, mouth to mouth. He couldn’t possibly have known in advance and prepared for this supernatural, enormous power considered perhaps the greatest among existing ability users. His arrogance and pride blinded his eyes and ears. The outcome was decided from the start.

“Did you think you’d have the advantage if it wasn’t the sea?”

“Ugh……”

Clifton struggled with all his might to break free from the humiliating position trapped under his legs. Because of that, he didn’t even realize he was becoming the dirty beggar figure he despised as muddy water splashed more and more from the ground that had turned to slush. Like a worm wriggling and rolling in the mud.

“You should have known just how great this power is that your father covets so much he can’t even maintain appearances.”

“Duke…!”

“Prince, you’ve ultimately fallen into the trap you made yourself.”

“Aaaah…! Co… Coward!”

“The coward was you earlier. Calling for an honorable duel like a gentleman, then bringing soldiers to assassinate your opponent. All of the capital will laugh at your honor. Not to mention how foolishly you thought you could kill me with such a trap.”

“You…! You bastard!”

Clifton shouted, resisting more violently at the expression of looking at a stupid fellow.

“I wouldn’t mind turning you into a beehive right here, but I keep my promises.”

Promise? What promise had there been between them? Clifton’s eyes widened.

Reynard took his hand out of his pocket and grasped the gun at his waist. His posture of taking out the naval officer’s revolver from the smoothly tanned cowhide case was very familiar and concise. His large hand separated the magazine and inserted live rounds. Then Reynard opened his mouth again impassively.

“Because earlier you didn’t even give time to load, after saying it was an ‘honorable duel’.”

Click click, the round magazine full of bullets went back into the body.

“Duke! You’re making a mistake right now!”

“Your attempt to kill me wasn’t a mistake, but me pointing a gun at you is?”

“How dare you to an imperial prince…!”

“That’s right. I dare to put some holes in the body of the imperial prince’s spawn.”

Bang!

Without even a warning, a bullet flew immediately after the words casually thrown like a joke. Only the one facing that expressionless figure quickly pulling the trigger knew how chilling that indifferent appearance was.

“Aaaagh!”

Clifton’s piercing scream filled the ruined field.

Dark red blood gushed from the hole in his thigh.

“This is Valentin’s share, Prince.”

“Ugh……”

Though he writhed in pain, he still couldn’t overcome the control made of water, so he just trembled and convulsed in that position.

“You should have been prepared for at least this much for daring to sully my Valentin’s name and harming that body.”

“…Do you think you’ll be safe after this…!”

“For now, why don’t you worry more about whether your life will be safe, rather than my well-being?”

Bang!

A second gunshot rang out. An identical hole was made in Clifton’s other thigh.

“Aaaaargh!”

“This is my daughter’s share.”

White smoke rose between them from the revolver’s muzzle.

“The crime of daring to poison and kill Dennox’s heir.”

Reynard bent down, still expressionless, playfully flicking the gun’s hammer with his finger.

“Though these useless legs are not enough to pay for the crime of daring to kill my daughter. As I said earlier, there was something I promised.”

“Ugh……”

“Unlike you, I keep my promises.”

Reynard moved the revolver he was toying with and pointed the muzzle, hot from gunpowder, directly at Clifton’s head and tapped it. In a callous manner, as if casually poking at an insect rolling in the mud.

Even as he foamed at the mouth in agony from gunshot wounds in both thighs, Clifton shook his head and resisted fiercely.

“Is this truly the noble imperial prince you always claimed to be? Your pride remains even now. Your mental strength is commendable.”

Reynard muttered softly, tapping his forehead more insultingly.

“Your final life. I decided to leave the end of this breath to someone else.”

Reynard recalled the day when Evener, the companion of the one now lying struggling beneath him, had come. He remembered the final request Evener had made with a tear-stained face.