I Don't Want To Be Loved

Chapter 169: Haunting Memories Come To Life

Igor’s hand holding the teacup froze in an instant. He looked up stiffly and asked with a serious and lower toned voice, “Basil, what is that woman’s name?”

“It’s Leticia Olbach, Your Majesty.”

As Basil watched Igor’s expression grow gravely alarmed, he breathed deeply and cautiously asked, “Do you know that person, Your Majesty?”

“She’s… Rihannan’s sister… an illegitimate child that bastard father brought from the outside,” Igor grit down his teeth hard.

“H-huh? Are you talking about the sister that had been kicked out by Her Majesty alongside her father back then? My goodness… what a coincidence…”

“No. It can’t be a coincidence… not when that vile woman is involved.”

Igor pushed his chair away from the table and violently rose from his seat. He paced back and forth near the window for a moment before looking at Basil.

“Is it possible that Leticia also participated in Duchess Saphia’s banquet?” Igor asked.

“I don’t know for certain, Your Majesty. However, if you asked Mrs. Cessley the question, I’m sure you’ll be able to find the truth right away.”

“Just go and check to confirm my suspicions. She may not answer other things, but maybe she’ll answer that one at least.”

After returning back from Duke Saphia’s domain and his wife’s banquet, Mrs. Cessley never spoke a word about what happened back then. He had tried begging and threatening her, in the end, he failed to get a word out of her.

Mrs. Cessley was stubborn to the end, telling him that she was unable to speak a word of it until she receives permission from the queen.

In the end, Igor gave up.

However, he was now able to deduce most of the situation without Mrs. Cessley’s confirmation. He was sure Rihannan bumped into Leticia at the banquet. Then… she must’ve figured out that Leticia was the unknown person who had tried to murder her at the hunting grounds.

And… now he understood the reason why she pushed him away. If what haunted her to this day was the memories of her past, Rihannan would only regress when she believed righteously so that her memories would come back to life.

“If it’s true that she did participate in the banquet, what am I to do afterwards, Your Majesty?”

“Investigate the places she’d gone to previously. How she’s been living and what method she used to get close to Count Clovis and Viscount Olbach. Investigate everything,” Igor said gravely.

Basil nodded. “Yes. Understood!”

After Basil left, Igor sighed. He was deep in thought for a moment before walking back to his desk. Opening the drawer, there was a box inside and an ornament made of carved wood. When he opened the lid of the box, inside was a golden colored feather.

He stared at the feather still shimmering and shining to this very day, remembering the many memories of his past.

Six years ago… when he could do nothing but powerlessly watch the boat Rihannan boarded float away to the horizon of the endless sea, he decided to change the future for her sake.

He’d no longer become someone that was unable to protect the person he should’ve protected only to cry in languish afterwards.

He might’ve sent her away like this, but he made an oath that he’d bring her back to Arundell.

But before that, he needed to make a decision. Should he remove the people that would become a problem and thorn to his side in the future, or leave the past as it was and judge them for the things they’ve done wrong in this life?

He agonized over it, but the decision was made quickly. He had already experienced a long life full of hatred and thoughts of revenge. Those were horrible memories that no man should go through.

More than anything, he let her go because there was a chance of a bloodbath occurring should she stay in Arundell.

But in any case, Rihannan had made her decision in relation to the questions filling Igor’s mind. She stopped at kicking out her family members that would ultimately end with her didn’t. She didn’t judge them for what didn’t happen.

And so Igor made his decision.

Instead of catching those who’d bring him trouble and killing them early on, he decided to follow after Rihannan’s footsteps.

However, he realized in the process that the future wasn’t pre-determined, but could change slightly according to different variables.