Chapter 218: Chapter 218: Sheep that Devours the Wolf (2)

A filthy mix of dust, sweat, and blood trickled down Lizzy’s chin.

“......”

She was sure that only the horse’s right leg had been injured.

If that was the case, then why was its left leg also brutally mangled?

As she looked through the memories of the corpse, Lizzy found no feedback over his left leg being injured. Therefore, his leg had been broken after his death.

Since the memories of animals were much simpler than those of humans, there was no way Lizzy was mistaken.

Of course, one could argue that the pressure of the soil on top of the corpse was the cause.

But, if this assumption was correct, then the ulna or humerus would break first.

Since the legs were one of the strongest bones in a horse skeleton.

Besides, since the decomposition of the corpse hadn’t even begun, it was absurd to see these bones broken.

So, the only thing remaining were her speculations……

The only logical conclusion was that Ferzen personally shattered the bones on the horse’s left leg.

But if that was the case, Lizzy found herself asking ‘Why?’.

There was no motive behind his actions.

But then again, Lizzy realized something that roped her in.

Her tragedy.

The tragedy of her family.

Did he even have a reason to shatter her leg? Did he have a motive to destroy her family?

“......”

Indeed, he never needed a reason.

The man named Ferzen Von Schweig Brutein was that kind of person.

Now, however, a strange sense of discomfort arose within her.

8 years ago, her legs were injured.

1 month ago, her fingers were burned

Now, the corpse of this horse had both of his legs broken……

These three incidents whispered to her, telling Lizzy that this wasn’t a mere coincidence.

As she thought about this, Lizzy proceeded to eliminate every unnecessary detail and tried to put together the bizarre puzzle in front of her.

And what came out of it, could be only described as……

“Symmetry……”

As she reached this conclusion, the young woman kneeled in the mud, clenching the dirt with her trembling hands.

During his time as a professor, Ferzen had taught her to acquire knowledge of every sort to increase her understanding, and by doing this, increase her skill while manipulating corpses.

Even if he was a monster.

His expertise couldn’t be denied, so Lizzy didn’t disregard his teachings.

And thanks to that, she was now able to derive an answer based on the numerous medical papers she had studied.

A condition that forces someone to make specific actions in order to alleviate a crippling anxiety that arises regardless of one’s cognitive state.

Something classified as a disorder, known as OCD.

Or in more common terms……

“Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder………”

That’s what it’s called.

* * * * *

Oblivious to the fact that her mana was still being drained by animating the horse,

Lizzy staggered to her feet after remaining kneeling in the mud for a long time, as she clutched her corpse servant.

For the longest of times, she had believed his sins against her and her family were inexplicable.

After all, if Ferzen had a clear motive for his actions, then he would have disclosed them by now.

“Ha, hahaha……”

But now, she realized that the truth behind his actions was simply because of a mental illness.

Even when he possessed a once-in-a-generation talent for the Warlock Arts, why couldn’t he be the family head?

She now knew why.

However, even if his OCD was considered the main factor behind his actions, Lizzy still believed this was too far-fetched of an excuse.

If he wished to justify his actions,

Then he should have apologized to her the moment he broke her leg eight years ago.

But he didn’t. Probably because he didn’t want to stain the prestige of Brutein with his own flaws.

Even as the child grew into a man,

He never revealed something that could endanger those who stood closer to him.

Perhaps he still carried the same belief to this day.

“You……”

Ferzen Von Schweig Brutein,

Can never be called a victim.

He could never portray the role of an unwilling Villain with a sad backstory.

After all, he continued to hide his sins, his weakness from this world.

He was the kind of man who would trample over a young girl,

Who would destroy a family,

Cast an entire lineage to damnation,

All because he 「 Chose 」to,

All because he 「 Turned 」his gaze away from his sins.

“......”

At least Lizzy now knew he did feel some sort of guilt for his actions.

And at the very least, she was aware he didn’t enjoy such things.

In retrospect, it also meant that her method of showing Ferzen her wretched self was an effective torture.

That’s why,

Lizzy returned to the camp, nestled in the embrace of her corpse servant.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

If he wanted to turn away from his sins,

If he wanted to bury his weakness,

If he wanted to remain as the pillar supporting the Imperial Family,

As a proud scion of Brutein,

As someone to be envied, to be admired,

She would make him face the things he wished to forget, she would engrave those sins on his mind.

He would spend his days being reminded as the monster who ruined her life, the monster who destroyed her family, the monster who doomed her entire lineage.

Ferzen,

Ferzen Von Schweig Brutein.

Just like her brothers believed that they were saving her, and instead, left her to live a miserable life.

No matter how much the world favored him, she would remind him.

That there’s no paradise left in this world for you……

* * * * *

Flinch-!

The soldiers who were eating their rations became startled as they saw Lizzy entering the camp, drenched and caked in mud.

Her hair was tangled and disheveled, bits of dirt clinging to it, while the rest was stained with blood and other substances.

Her purple eyes contained a manic glee that made even some battle-hardened soldiers feel a slight shiver.

“Is the Count inside?”

Lizzy asked in a soft tone that didn’t match her current appearance.

“Y-Yes……”

Even those who used to act against her now swallowed their saliva.

“Good.”

Her response was curt.

Afterward, Lizzy, still nestled in the embrace of her corpse servant, entered Ferzen’s tent.

And the soldiers, who were having their meal, could only watch this scene unfold.

These men couldn’t even find the courage to stop her……

Because in their eyes, her current appearance was akin to a handleless knife with a double edge.

So, they had no idea how to handle it.

* * * * *

“......”

“......”

As she entered without any sort of warning, Ferzen, who was having his meal, put down his cutlery and looked at her.

Perhaps because she was convinced he had an OCD,

Lizzy noticed that every single object in his tent was neatly arranged, forming a perfect symmetry.

“Why are you here? Matter of fact, why did you even leave the camp without warning……”

Thud-.

“......”

Lizzy interrupted his words by dropping a handful of dirt she had been holding.

Naturally, Ferzen became puzzled at her actions.

Was she simply here to vent her anger on him, or was it something else?

“If you wish to have beautiful eyes, then you must look for the good in others.”

“......”

“If you wish to have beautiful lips, then speak kind words to others.”

“Did you come here to lecture me about philosophy?”

“If you wish to have something, then you must pay a fair price for it……But you didn’t do that.”

The pillar supporting the Imperial Family, the noble bloodline every single soul in the Empire envied.

Beautiful wives who loved him.

“What have you sacrificed for all of that……?”

24 years,

For 24 years all you’ve done is hide the sins you’ve committed.

_And this cursed World saw fit to grant you paradise. _

“So……Now it’s finally time to pay it back.”

Lizzy raised her right hand and grabbed the middle finger of her left hand-

Grab-.

Thrack!

“Gah…!”

And slowly bent it backward.

The pain was intense, it hurt to the point that Lizzy bit her lips, drawing blood to muffle the screams attempting to burst out.

Her bloodshot eyes continued to spill tears.

Crack—!

With the sound of the finger's bones completely twisting, her middle finger was completely broken.

Ferzen’s crimson eyes captured this scene as he stayed completely still.

“Huuu…..”

Then, as Lizzy groaned in indescribable pain, she turned her head to him and…….

“Ugh….!”

Forcefully extended her broken finger to him, and despite all the tears and snot flowing out of her eyes and nose, her face bore a mocking sneer.

“......”

It was at this moment,

That Ferzen Von Schweig Brutein reached a conclusion,

He must kill the woman in front of him.

Yes,

He must wipe the existence known as Lizzy Poliana Claudia from this /genesisforsaken