Chapter 109 - The Hugo Everyone Knew
Chapter 109 – The Hugo Everyone Knew
When Hugo woke up before dawn, he instantly turned his head to Rinnie. A subtle smile appeared on his face, adjusting his position to look at her. He didn't know how he had fallen asleep as he continued to talk for a while so she could sleep.
"My day is already complete every time I wake up and you're the first person I see," he mumbled, leaning his face closer. "You sleep like a log, my Bambi."
He chuckled as he brushed his nose against her, but she didn't even move. Even so, he was still glad to see her asleep while feeling her body close to him. Her small body and felt so fragile under his grip, as if she would break if he wasn't careful. But he didn't find that he had to embrace her with extra care annoying. If anything, he would still hold her with care, even if she was bigger.
"I will have to go for a quick run so I can return early," he whispered in her ear, not sure if he already told her about it last night. "Don't be sad when you wake up without me. Nana and the rest will know what to do."
Hugo drew his head back a little, still bearing the same smile. He kissed her a few times until she moaned and partially opened her eyes.
"Hugh?" she called with a coarse voice.
"I will leave for a while," he said while kissing one of her eyes affectionately. "Sleep some more."
Rinnie weakly wrapped her arms around his neck. "Take care, Hugh," she whispered, closing her eyes to complete her sleep.
He didn't respond as he stroked her back out of habit. He planned to get up if she didn't wake up, but she did. So he stayed a bit longer until she fell asleep once again.
'It feels nice,' he thought while resting his chin on top of her head. 'I want her to tell me to take care again.'
Although those words weren't new to his vocabulary, they sounded different when Rinnie said those words. It made him feel like he needed to follow those words and come back as soon as possible. Surely, being with Rinnie made him even more impatient.
If Hugo could neglect everything, he would've done it. He would rather spend an entire day following Rinnie like a maid. Actually, the thought of being a maid that would service her all day wasn't a terrible change of career for him. But then again, who would keep her safe if not him?
"You don't have to worry, Rinrin. No one in Belcoot can harm me or you," he whispered, kissing her forehead for the last time. "I love you, my Bambi. Really. You have no idea."
Hugo then carefully slipped his arms from under her head and replaced it with a soft cushion. Fortunately, she didn't wake up this time. So, he went on to pick up his robe and wrapped it around his perfectly sculptured body. Standing on the side of the bed, Hugo gazed at her once again.
He fixed the blanket and covered her shoulders. A smile resurfaced on his face once again as his eyes softened, brushing some stray hairs away from her face before he straightened his back. Hugo didn't speak anymore as he left their room in silence.
It was just near dawn, but Hugo already changed his clothes to his usual ones. His cape was draped over his one shoulder and the Grand Duke's insignia clipped on his shoulder blade. It flowed back as he marched through the hallway.
Hugo checked the dining hall where they had a dinner banquet last night. He only peeked and caught a few people still there. Mitch was mumbling in his sleep, saying he should drink until he dies. Hugo shook his head and glanced at the other wasted people who surely had fun last night.
"Alpha Hugo." Ivo suddenly came to Hugo's side, still yawning. "Nathan and the others will assist you."
"Tell Nana to prepare Mitch a warm soup once he wakes up," he ordered, before closing the door. He then set his eyes on the sleepy Ivo.
"Let's go."
Hugo didn't idle as he marched through the hallway leading to the warrior's grounds where his people were waiting for him. Ivo followed behind, shaking his head to keep himself awake. He barely escaped last night's banquet, but it was already late, so he still lacked sleep.
Once they reached the warriors' grounds, Hugo stopped at the few warriors that were standing before him. They were all members of the mad wolf pack — a knight brigade everyone called on other continents. Unlike the gentle look he would show at Rinnie, Hugo's eyes were fierce. It was as though he turned into a completely different person.
"I'm certain Ivo had already briefed you about today's agenda," he uttered and the atmosphere instantly thickened. "We will clean Belcoot. Nathan, where's the list?"
Nathan, the long-haired middle-aged man, Hugo's trusted vassal, approached him with a document. "This is the signed petition we retrieved. They're all the people who came together to depose you." Hugo accepted the document and simply gloss over the long list of signatures.
Hugo raised the list, showing it to his people. "Belcoot doesn't need these people. Let's put them in their rightful place… No. We will deliver them to hell. A place where they all belong."
"Yes, Your Grace!"
*******
An hour later…
A man trembled as he dragged his butt away from the monster approaching him slowly. He shook his head, lips quivering in fear as he had lost his voice.
"Your — Your Grace, please spare me," he begged through his gritted teeth when he found his lost voice. "Have mercy on me…! I was wrong!"
Hugo squatted in front of him, revealing the speck of blood that was on his cheek. "This is your signature, correct?" he inquired, raising the list of signatures and pointing to the tenth signature. The names above the man's signature were already crossed out with blood, indicating they already left this world.
"Your — Your Grace…" knowing his impending doom, the nobleman went to his knees while rubbing his palms against each other. "I was simply forced to sign the petition. If I didn't, they will kill my family! Please have mercy on me! I didn't — I was really just afraid for my life!"
"You were scared of their threats and not of me? Do you still think that I am that little boy who murdered the treacherous late grand duke?" Hugo smirked in ridicule, shaking his head. He quirked a brow and glanced over his shoulder when Ivo spoke from behind him.
"Your Grace, he is one of the core members of this alliance. He had also committed grave crimes such as exploiting your people, assault, child abuse… shall I go on?" Ivo's voice was cold as he gazed at the nobleman without remorse. "Just the fact that you all came together and plot behind the Grand Duke is punishable by death."
The man shook his head, wide-eyed. How did they uncover his tracks when he was certain he had been covering his illegal activities perfectly? His heart dropped to his stomach when Hugo chuckled. Before he could even react, the man couldn't breathe anymore and could only hold on to his slit throat.
"Your — Your… grace…" Those were the man's last words as he collapsed to his side with a thud. Hugo didn't even bat an eye, dropping the dagger he used to cut this man's sinful life short.
"These people take the lives of the innocent without blinking but fear death when it's right in front of them. How disappointing. They should be bad until the end. Who's next?" he asked, pushing himself up before checking the list. He sighed as he marched away as if he wasn't stained with the blood of people he visited since the break of dawn.
Meanwhile, Ivo just glanced at the nobleman's corpse before shifting his eyes on Hugo's nonchalant back. This wasn't new to them. The bloodshed, the lives that would slip away in a blink, and the nonchalance of the grand duke about their deaths. That was the Hugo everyone knew; someone who could balance mercy and cruelty.
'I'm glad that he's still fierce even though our kind luna is with him,' Ivo uttered inwardly, picking up his pace to follow Hugo's trail to leave these people's hideout. 'Actually, he got fiercer even before we left the capital. I wonder why is he in a rush?'