My Dear Duke(BL)
Chapter 32: The Guest

Chapter 32: The Guest

Just then, Felix was pulled into a realisation and he noticed the blood smell was coming not only from the box but also from the wrapping. Smelling them close to his nose, it was stronger in the wrapping than in the box.

What’s so special about the wrapping? Why did it smell like blood?

Felix placed the wooden box on his table and started observing the wrapping.

Soon after, he found out what’s so special about that wrapping. It was indeed a gift. A gift that made him disgusted to the point he had to resist himself from puking on the spot.

In the name of revenge, Anne had been digging into his past trauma he promised himself to forget. And this...another remarkable memory.

The wrapping was indeed not a paper at all. When he rubbed it, it was not soft like normal paper. He didn’t pay attention to the wrapping before since he thought it was clumsily wrapped and not important. But now he understood it was not clumsily wrapped but had done well.

Because it couldn’t be tightened around that box anymore. It might break.

The so-called paper...it was someone’s skin!

It was dried up to the point it was almost like those animal skins they had sewed clothes and coats with. But Anne would not randomly give him some skin. This skin must be owned by someone he knows well...

It would not be any animal’s. Definitely a human’s.

The blood smell was strong and it seemed she purposely made it stink of blood.

Who was the owner of that piece of skin anyway?

The wrapping paper was dark brown and he thought it was some paper used to wrap food. But now he confirmed it was someone’s skin. So, what he had left was to find out whose skin was that.

How was he supposed to find out that?

He must ask Anne. He must know what she was scheming!

But before he would call Bill to ask him to bring Anne to see him, he noticed something.

Something to confirm the owner of that piece of skin.

The tattoo that showed up slightly when the angle changed...

A well-known tattoo for him actually. He knew whose skin was that. And it meant, she was going after him. Her next target!

Felix sat down in his chair, exhausted with these realisations and almost vomiting out things in disgust. Not because of that piece of skin but because of the past he had with its owner.

The third count she was targeting...

Count Belk...

This tattoo was on Count Belk’s right hand and the main reason for him to get that tattoo was to cover up the deep bite wound that left its mark, made by Felix when he was a child when he was involved in ’that incident.’

Felix knew that the tattoo was the cover-up for his sins and still, he never craved revenge or he didn’t try to make them receive punishment. He just wanted to get away and not be involved with them. But her sister was now making things hard for him.

’Agh! Is she now telling me she’s going to kill Count Belk next? This won’t do! I must get answers from her! How did she even know about my past?! Who the fuck put those things in her head? Did someone manipulate her to seek revenge? Tsk!’

"Bill! Call Anne to see me! Quick!"

With Felix’s angry roar, Bill ran toward Anne’s room but only to come back as the room was empty. Then he proceeded to search for everywhere. The garden, kitchen, store room and even every single corner of the mansion.

She had disappeared!

"What?! Search for her! Look again!"

Felic walked out of the room ordering everyone to search for her as he put on his coat, ready to go out since he had a destination in his mind.

Count Belk’s place.

Was she perhaps there?

Was she already going to kill him as soon as giving him clues?

"Let’s go to co-!"

Felix suddenly stopped his movement when he saw a guest standing in front of the mansion. It seemed like he had just gotten off the carriage and was on the way to walk to the door.

His right hand bandaged tight, his face clearly showing his displeasure, he sneered at Felix’s sight but soon changed his face as Felix was now higher ranked than him. He was not that child they once bullied. It was the bloodthirsty monster.

Count Belk...!

What was he doing there?

If he was there, where was Anne?

So she didn’t want to kill him?

Or was she planning something else and was that why he suddenly appeared there?

What was going on?

"Don’t you invite your guests inside, duke?"

Felix clenched his fist and forced his face to cover up the disgust as he welcomed him inside, changing his destination.

He ordered Bill to keep looking for Anne and didn’t forget to warn him strictly.

"Until the count leaves, you must not let her side. She must not see him. If you find her, keep her outside and don’t let her know about his arrival. Got it?"

"Yes, Duke."

After that, Felix walked to the living room where the count was already sitting and the head maid, Mary, looked at Felix with a worried face.

"I wish to talk with you alone."

The Count glared at the maids around and said to Felix.

"You may go out."

Felix emptied the living room as he wished. Not because he wanted, but because he wanted to know what Anne was planning. And why did this man come looking for him suddenly?

"It’s you, right?"

The count looked down, then looked at Felix with a cold glare while he asked so.

"..."

Felix was not very confused but he didn’t know how to answer. What did he mean?

Was he asking about his hand where the skin was ripped off? Then it seemed like Anne hid her identity well.

Or was he asking about the previous counts’ deaths?

Of course, their suspect was Felix and he was sure the other counts must be also alarmed at this point. Soon, they would scheme to kill Felix to save their lives.

"I asked you a question. It’s you, aren’t you? You killed Grod and Morf and now you are coming after the rest of us! We already apologised, didn’t we? What now? Are you going against your words? That’s not how nobles live!"

"..."