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 mories of the corpse, Lizzy found no feedback over his left leg being injured. Therefore, his leg had been broken after his death.
Since the mories 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 hurus 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 sothing 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 nad 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 re 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 ca out of it, could be only described as……
“Symtry……”
As she reached this conclusion, the young woman kneeled in the mud, clenching the dirt with her trembling hands.
During his ti 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 nurous dical papers she had studied.
A condition that forces soone to make specific actions in order to alleviate a crippling anxiety that arises regardless of one’s cognitive state.
Sothing 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 ti, as she clutched her corpse servant.
For the longest of tis, 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 ntal 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 mont 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 sothing that could endanger those who stood closer to him.
Perhaps he still carried the sa 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 so sort of guilt for his actions.
And at the very least, she was aware he didn’t enjoy such things.
In retrospect, it also ant that her thod 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.
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 soone 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 dood 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 beca 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 so 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 al, could only watch this scene unfold.
These n 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 al, 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 symtry.
“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 beca puzzled at her actions.
Was she simply here to vent her anger on him, or was it sothing 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 co here to lecture about philosophy?”
“If you wish to have sothing, 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 ti 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 mont,
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
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