Volume 6 Chapter 7, Part 2 Actually the First Two, Part Shot
Edgar, averting his gaze once more, murmured, "So..."
"So, all the feelings she had for me were fake."
With Edgar still turning away, Randy swallowed another sigh that was about to escape.
Until now, he had thought of him as a pitiful man.
According to what he had heard, he was a talented individual, excelling in both academics and martial arts, but ultimately, no one had nurtured his abilities.
However, now a different emotion was rising within him, one that was not pity.
Indeed, he still thought of him as a childish and pathetic man.
Yet, beyond that, a quiet anger was bubbling up.
(What about responsibility? What about responsibility...)
Certainly, one could say that Catherine had deceived him.
But it was Edgar who had fallen for it.
Setting that aside, he was believing what was said from above to suit his own convenience.
"Did Miss Catherine say that?"
At Randy's words, Edgar furrowed his brows and asked, "What do you mean?"
"About the feelings she had for you..."
At Randy's words, Edgar looked down again, saying,
"That is... There's a no-contact order with her. I can't ask her directly."
With Edgar still avoiding eye contact, Randy couldn't help but exclaim, "What the hell..."
Indeed, there was a no-contact order, but he could at least send a message through someone else.
Whether it was Annabelle, the second group of students, or even Cecilia at worst.
Not doing so meant that, for Edgar, Catherine was merely that insignificant.
This fact fueled Randy's anger.
After all, it could mean that he had been led astray by such a trivial woman, resulting in Liz's expulsion.
Thus, he found himself speaking out without thinking.
"Then, what about you? Didn't you like Miss Catherine?"
"W-whether I liked her or not... But she deceived me──"
"Even so, did you not consider that she might have been a victim of brainwashing and was hurt?"
"So that is──!"
With Edgar raising his voice, Randy held up his palm and interrupted, saying, "Enough."
This would only lead to a circular argument.
(He thought she loved him, but she was deceiving him. Well, it's no surprise that he's *shocked*.)
He heard that the woman he thought he loved was used to deceive him.
Indeed, one could understand why he might feel despair.
However... blaming all those emotions and experiences solely on the other person, while positioning oneself as the only victim, does not sit well with him.
Moreover, to be led astray by someone of that caliber...
"You just mentioned responsibility earlier..."
With a deep breath, Randy let out, and Edgar nodded without backing down, "Ah."
"Did you not consider your *responsibility towards Miss Catherine*?"
Edgar froze at Randy's words with a "Huh?"
It was understandable.
What responsibility could he have towards someone who deceived him?
Seeing the expression of Edgar, which contained unspoken meanings, Randy sighed again.
"Indeed... the official statement said the Church brainwashed the Saint and made her approach you. Correct?"
"That's right."
Nodding, Edgar, Randy scoffed while crossing his arms, looking down.
"Then isn't Miss Catherine also a victim?"
"That might be true, but..."
Due to her being brainwashed, she was suspected of involvement in a series of incidents.
If so, Catherine could also be seen as a victim of the Church, and furthermore, entangled in the conflicts between the nation and the Church.
Of course, she herself was not brainwashed, but those dirty adults who exploited that fact, et cetera.
"Back then... she was a woman whom you believed, even at the expense of your fiancé. Why did you not express your concern?"
Under the chilling gaze of Randy, Edgar gulped.
"No matter what anyone says, you... you alone should have been worried about Miss Catherine and sought the truth, by any means necessary. Yet you only say 'I don't know, I can't'."
Randy glared down at Edgar.
"Being a prince is quite an easy position, isn't it?"
Randy, not hiding his disdain, was met with a fierce glare from Edgar, who said, "You..."
"The exile abroad is the Church's fault. Not being able to confirm my feelings is the country's fault. Not being able to apologize is due to my position. Blaming something else, I remain a victim. It's certainly convenient."
Randy's snort made Edgar instinctively turn away.
From his actions, it seemed Edgar himself realized his arguments were utterly ridiculous.
That's why he couldn't meet Randy's gaze.
He was forced to cling to his nonsensical theories.
(Having abandoned Liz, he still wants to blame someone... that being Catherine, the country...)
The earlier question of 'what kind of relationship is this' and his previous statements connected in Randy's mind.
Edgar's distorted emotions.
He wants to believe he is the victim.
If he doesn't, even the slightest light will vanish....
The hope of rebuilding a relationship with Elizabeth.
(*Obsession*... perhaps?)
He was completely trapped.
Randy thought this was, in a sense, brainwashing, but he had neither the need nor the method to break it.
After all, the answer lies only within Edgar.
Thus, there were truly no words he should say in this moment.
Saying nothing would be the correct choice, but....
Even so, it was understandable that he couldn't suppress his irritation towards the feeble man before him.
Regarding Liz's exile, Catherine also bears some responsibility.
However, even setting that aside, Randy wanted to punch Edgar right now.
Suppressing such feelings, Randy took a deep breath to calm himself and slowly opened his mouth.
"Prince... don't swallow the words you've spoken once. No matter the reason, no matter the circumstances, you abandoned Liz because you *couldn't believe in her*."
At Randy's words, Edgar raised his face again and glared.
But Randy, unconcerned by Edgar's gaze, snorted.
"Don't *impose the Elizabeth in your delusions onto my Liz*."
The irritation he thought he had calmed surged up again.
It wasn't Edgar's coldness that even Catherine had abandoned.
It was that a spineless man like Edgar had referred to Liz as 'compassionate.'
In the end, for this man, Catherine and Liz, no, Elizabeth, are merely partners to impose his *own delusions* upon.
Thus, he can easily discard them whenever he pleases.
Yet, he remains a victim, imposing that same burden back onto others.
It is pitiful and utterly hopeless.
That is why further discourse with Randy is meaningless.
"Sorry, but let me go. If I have to keep looking at a coward like you, I might just punch you."
Randy snorted, turning his back on Edgar as if to signal the end of the conversation.
"Well, out of camaraderie, I'll at least tell Liz that 'Prince thinks you're at fault too.' Be *satisfied with that and disappear*."
Having spat those words, Randy left the scene.
Edgar, left alone in the backyard, trembled his clenched fist while watching Randy's shrinking figure.
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