Chapter 79.2

Chapter 79.2

“S-spare me!”

Philip fell flat on his stomach.

Half a year ago, Philip, who had rushed to Summerville as soon as his critically ill brother had called, spent a wild night with Dora, whom he had known before. He became addicted to gambling and women until he was middle-aged, and became penniless as a result.

Dora, who felt sorry for him, devised a way to steal Emma’s inheritance, and Otto, who was Dora’s supporter, joined in, and a devious plan was created.

The next day, when Philip met his brother, he pretended to be a nice, self-made man to avoid any mistrust and deliberately deposited whatever he made from the sale of his brother’s property in the Polarville Bank safe deposit box to show that he had no interest in the estate.

High-security vaults could only be claimed with a self-issued certificate and a key. Besides that, he borrowed an old house as collateral for a safe deposit box and got acquainted with the bank manager, so he made sure to contact him in advance to open the safe.

But the perfect plan was disrupted. News of the people leaving Summerville had suddenly ceased.

Philip, who was anxiously waiting at Count Edner’s territory, didn’t receive any news after a while, so he tracked down the road that Emma and her group had taken and found an empty cart and carriage. Even so, the valuables were looted, and only the luphenyl, which was placed under the seat of the carriage, was recovered. With the knowledge he had gained from watching his brother, who ran an apothecary, he knew that luphenyl was a valuable item, so he kept it aside in case it could be mortgaged to a pawnshop later.

He searched everywhere, but Otto and Dora had disappeared. It was evident that they had betrayed him and taken all the goods, including Emma.

Realizing that things had gone awry, Philip indignantly returned to Polarville and waited for Dora and Otto to appear. But no matter how long he waited, no one came to open the safe. Eventually, even the old house that was collateral for the safe deposit box was foreclosed, and he ended up wandering around.

But how did Count Van Wert know about it? Could it be that Otto and Dora had ratted him out?

Philip thought that far and quickly fell into a bow as his forehead hit the dirt on the ground.

“What I did was wrong. Please spare me!”

His head hurt like it cracked, and it was bleeding, but those scratches were nothing if he could save his life. A golden gambling hall awaited him in the royal capital, and pretty prostitutes flickered before his eyes.

“Otto and Dora lied! I really tried desperately to stop them, but it wasn’t enough. The only thing I did wrong was trusting those bastards!”

Philip shut his eyes tightly and cried out with the desperation of a child. This had to go over smoothly. Just this crisis.

As a gambler, his life had been in danger once or twice. Whenever that happened, Philip had barely been able to save himself with all his efforts and had now reached this point.

“I have truly committed a mortal sin. I’ll tell you everything. If you save my life, I won’t forget your grace until I die, no, even after I die. Please spare me. Count!”

Philip cried bitterly and slammed his forehead into the dirt.

The pain spreading across his face hurt, and he even shed hot tears because of the sorrow towards his life.

Looking back, ever since he had become an adult, he had faced all sorts of difficulties because of gambling. When his brother was alive, he took pity on Philip and took care of him, but now that his brother was gone, he thought he’d rely on Emma, and he couldn’t believe that he was caught by Count Van Wert like this.

He was sad, depressed, and miserable.

“Heuk! Please just spare me!”

Count Van Wert looked down arrogantly at Philip’s earnest plea that was full of blood, sweat, and tears. His eyes were as cold as the wind in the middle of winter.

“I don’t like the fact that people like you get entangled with me.”

The pale, young count didn’t take it lightly.

As soon as he heard the callous, stark tone of indifference, Philip sensed that he had made a mistake and crawled on the ground to stretch out an arm desperately.

“Count! Yes, yes, I know. I am a worthless, servile person. But for my niece. Please spare me even for the sake of seeing my pretty Emma.”

Philip grabbed his leg and tried to plead, but Count Van Wert took a quick step back. Philip, who had lost his balance, clenched his fists and slammed them to the ground, begging.

“T-the sin of foolishness is great! But what should I do, what should I do because I feel sorry for my Emma, who will be left alone without a blood relative in this harsh world? Please spare my life. Count, just for the sake of Emma! Please!”

“If you cared so much for my wife, you might as well not have appeared at all, or died quietly somewhere. Don’t make a ruckus like this and disturb other people.”

Philip blinked at the malicious remarks that he was reluctant to accept but made himself think that the Count was right even a hundred times. It was Count Van Wert who now had the power to spare his life and let him escape, so he had to think that whatever he said was unconditionally right.

“Yes, yes. You’re right. A man like me deserves to die. But Count…”

The moment he opened his mouth to beg for his life, a cool silver light flashed like lightning right in front of his eyes.