The Predator’s Contract Partner
chapter-227

After dinner, Lucerne gave Ian orders.

“I am going to inspect the nearby forest. Make an excuse that a monster has been spotted. And among the knights to be selected, let the man named Zain join.”

“Yes, sir. I hear and obey. I will go and prepare.”

Ian smiled and nodded. He was very quick-witted, and just by listening to Lucerne’s tone of voice, he knew it was not a simple ‘inspection’ order.

“I was wondering when you were going to deal with him again. I heard that he was the one who insisted that he signed a marriage contract with the madam?”

“Yes.”

“She left him for you to handle carefully.”

“In the meantime, I kept him alive because I had somewhere to use him.”

“Somewhere to use… … . do you mean?”

Lucerne nodded his head. He remembered Elisha; she looked at him in fear every time she saw him from afar.

Especially last night, Elisha dug into his arms and snuggled deeper into his embrace like a baby animal.

Lucerne licked his lips.

‘That was pretty good.’

Unfortunately, to the point where it became illogical. It was like that. If this little body hung onto him. If he kept this wholly his own. He felt like he would pay any price for her.

It was such a dangerous and sweet time.

“Even if she saw him from afar, she got scared and looked for me.”

“… … .”

“It was pretty useful. I saved his life, and then he started talking to my wife presumptuously.”

“… … .”

“Now his usefulness is spent. How should you pay for daring to be my woman’s nightmare?”

Moreover, there was a real reason why Lucerne kept Zain alive. He treats Zain well. After giving him hope as if he would save his life, he planned to kill him brutally. When falling from hope to despair, a person’s anguish is even more destructive.

Lucerne was a skilled hunter and predator; he knew very well the most terrible way to wring the neck of a lowly cat.

***

“Huh, huh… … .”

Zain was running in the forest. He couldn’t believe what he was going through.

‘How did this happen?’

It is said that a beast presumed to be a monster was discovered in the forest near the Duke’s house.

When Zain was called into the inspection team to find the demons, he made a decision. He decided not to displease Lucerne as much as possible today.

Lucerne entrusted Zain with the role of scout. So he went ahead and inspected the forest.

But then something flashed in front of my eyes, and a terrible pain went through my body. A crossbow was fired from behind. And the arrow pierced Zain’s shoulder. He was running through the forest, holding his shoulder and staggering.

At this point, Zain couldn’t help but notice.

‘Today’s prey was not a monster but me!’

A soft, low voice rang out from the forest at that time.

“Where are you?”

It was Lucerne.

Zain endured his pain and started running. Low laughter and the sound of horses running resounded from behind him.

“Seeing as they are not used to being punished, I guess the knights under Jacob lived an easy life?”

“Huh… … . huh… … .”

Zain felt like he was about to cry. He shouldn’t have gotten caught up in the Duke’s affairs in the first place. He shouldn’t have had any dealings with them.

The sound of the horse’s hooves drew closer.

“Make it fun for me. So try to hold out for a long time.”

Crack!

Another arrow flew from behind his back. At the same time, the pain of his shoulder being broken came over him.

“Arghh!”

An arrow hit Zain in his opposite shoulder. Ian, who was riding along behind Lucerne, whistled.

“Did you do that on purpose? You missed a vital point.”

“He can’t die comfortably. My woman trembled at the sight of him. Since it’s an old grudge he has to pay it all off and then die, right?”

Lucerne pulled the reins.

“Yes, you are right.”

He seemed very angry as he did it with his bare hands and did not use the power of his shadow. Ian answered with a grin.

Lucerne licked his lips. He approached Zain, who was struggling on the floor. He pulled a dagger from his belt.

“Then, let’s get started.”

Lucerne smiled.

Zain’s deathly scream split and tore through the dark forest.

***

“Dispose of the body.”

“Yes, sir,”

Ian answered clearly as if he had already expected it. Lucerne was wiping his dagger with a handkerchief with a calm expression.

“Oh my, I can’t even use the excuse of being attacked by a monster. What kind of demon kills people so cruelly?”

“Humans are more cruel than monsters. This guy was also cruel to my wife. There is nothing unfair about it.”

“Ah, that’s right, isn’t it?”

Ian smiled brightly, not fitting for the situation.

“Don’t let his death reach my wife’s ears. We can deal with him as missing.”

After the work was over, Lucerne said with an expressionless face.

“Because she shouldn’t think that he died because of her. This guy already has a bad fate with my wife, so I can’t have him give her another nightmare.”

“Yes.”

But. It seemed more likely she wouldn’t even blink at the news. Lucerne laughed. It was enough to keep the revenge for her a secret.

Besides, the fact that this guy occupied even a tiny part of Elisha’s life–

He really hated it. He hated it so much that his teeth shook with fury.

He couldn’t stand it.

So it was with great satisfaction that Lucerne met out his death and caused him to disappear.

“Show the body to Carola’s maids. Lastly, send it to Carola. They need some stimulation.”

***