Remarried Empress

ery much.”

Your ear, of course, not mine. Koshar whispered it so quietly that the viscount could only shake with terror.
Despite the warning, however, Viscount Roteschu started screaming as soon as the gag was removed.
In response, Koshar grabbed his head and cut off one of his ears.

Despite Viscount Roteschu’s doubts before, he now experienced first-hand the terrors associated with Koshar.
Pain exploded through his body, and he thrashed against his restraints.
Koshar crammed the gag back in his mouth again to stifle his screams, and tossed the half-torn ear onto the floor while humming a tune.

Viscount Roteschu was half-conscious at this point, but he didn’t black out and managed a glare at Koshar.
When Koshar brushed his forehead with blood-stained fingers, the viscount realized that there was no point trying to resist.
The beast did not have an iota of empathy in him.

As Viscount Roteschu fell quiet, Koshar patted him on the shoulder and praised him, saying he should have been like this all along.
A second later, Koshar struck him with his fist.

Why was Koshar hitting him when he was sitting still! The viscount tried to say something about the unfairness, but he couldn’t open his mouth to speak as Koshar’s fists continued to pummel him from all directions.

Koshar used him like he was a punching bag, and just as the viscount fainted, Koshar took out his pocket watch.
Then, he put it away and stared at the limp man tied to the chair.
Koshar knew from experience that his victim wouldn’t die, and he had calibrated his assault to cause intense pain but not disability.

Koshar slapped Viscount Roteschu’s face to wake him up again.
The man blinked open his bloodshot eyes.

“Awake now, are you?”

Koshar smiled and gave his greetings, and took the gag out.
Viscount Roteschu said nothing this time, but a few small groans left his lips.
Koshar did not hit him this time, and instead pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the viscount’s bloodied lips.

“I was just going about as peacefully as possible to get the information I needed.
Why did you have to be so violent?”

“Violent? You’re the one who was—”

Viscount Roteschu clamped his mouth shut when he saw Koshar’s eyes.
Viscount Roteschu, after hearing that Koshar was investigating Rashta, had sent men with the orders to hurt Koshar so badly that he would be disabled for the next few months.
That was probably when Koshar found out.

Koshar pulled up another chair and sat in front of him.

“Are you helping that woman?”

“What woman?”

“The Emperor’s concubine.”

“I…I…”

“Don’t even try to lie to me.”

“…”

Viscount Roteschu closed his mouth.
He had visited Rashta so frequently that everyone knew they had a relationship.
Koshar grinned.

“Speak.”

“What do you mean?”

“About that woman.”

“What about her…”

“Anything that would be of interest to me.”

Koshar did not even bring up the subject of how Viscount Roteschu hired men to attack him, as if he thought that matter long forgotten.
Instead, his mind was bent on finding information about Rashta.
Viscount Roteschu gulped.

“She’s a commoner.”

“Born a slave, right? She’s a runaway slave.
You said it yourself.”

“Well…that was a misunderstanding…”

“Viscount, do you know how patient I am?”

“!”

“Not very much at all.”

Koshar lifted his lips in a horrible smile, and Viscount Roteschu felt a shiver run down his back.
It was a type of smile one made before they killed someone.

Viscount Roteschu hurriedly answered.

“Yes, Rashta is a runaway slave!”

“I already know that.
Next?”

“Next?”

“Her being a runaway slave was already known publicly for some time.
Something else.”

Viscount Roteschu tried to rack his brain for what Koshar would want.
Koshar was already rich, so bribes were out of the question.
At the same time, Viscount Roteschu needed to appease him with a weakness of Rashta’s.
Viscount Roteschu yelled his answer as soon as he found it.

“A baby! She has a baby!”