I’m a Bastard But You’re Worse!

POV: Grett Baal

Aah..someoneplease

The young girl stretched her hands, pleading for help.

I ignored her feeble attempt and tightened my grip on her thin neck.

Damn you!! Damn you all!! Why cant you idiots stop getting in my way!?

kahaah

If only you did as I say, both the empire and the rest of the world would head in the right direction!! Why cant you grasp such a simple concept!?

The girls hands eventually dropped.

Hh

Just like deadweight. Only then I realized what had happened.

Oh, crap! I broke another one

I rose from my bed.

Under me, the blonde girls fully naked body lay motionless. The marks of my hands stood out vividly on her neck.

The young girls limbs were sprawled on the bed. I had choked her a bit too much, she wasnt going to wake up again.

Its the third one this monthat this pace, I cant buy enough dolls to keep up.

Whenever something unpleasant happened, I ended up taking it out on my toys and dolls.

It was a bad habit I had since I was small.

I covered myself with a bathrobe and sat on the edge of the bed, then reached for a glass of wine and downed it. The pleasantly chilled drink flowed throughout my body, soothing the burning feelings inside.

The cold stimulus let me gradually regain my cool.

Goodness, things just wont go my way, will they? Why does everyone act so selfishly, I wonder?

Recently, my heart has rarely been at peace.

The cause of everything was the worlds most prominent idiot my older brother, Lars Baal and his decision to send my beloved sister Rossellia to a foreign country without my permission.

My heart could not find solace since then. I started treating my dolls roughly and broke several already.

Political marriage? House Maxwell has been under attack from the empire for decades, they will never accept it!! How can you be such a fool, brother!?

The political marriage predictably failed and Rossellia was even taken hostage. How can something so idiotic really happen?

I always thought of my brother as an idiot, but this was crossing the line into imbecility.

I have to take back Rossellia somehowmy poor, poor angel of love! You must be so scared, trembling, and shaking! I shall rescue you soon, then warm your body myself!

Though my resolve was firmtwo weeks had already passed since Rossellia was taken hostage, and I could not come up with a plan to rescue her.

The most effective method was surely to invade the Maxwell province and take her back by force. There was no need to take down the whole Maxwell army: as long as we could take over one of the forts at the border, we could negotiate to exchange it with Rossellia.

(If I did that, howevermy back would be wide open, with Lars behind it.)

In terms of military power, my Second Imperial Army still had some leeway. Before my tactical genius, a countryside noble like Maxwell would fall like a castle of cards.

If Lars struck from behind while we were attacking the Maxwell territory, not even someone like me could survive unscathed.

(First I will crush the First Imperial Army, then Maxwell? No, thats not realisticI might as well take the opportunity to have Lars assassinated)

I was mulling over such thoughts when someone knocked at the door.

Come in.

I beg your pardon, Lord Grett, th!

The butler saw the remains of the doll on my bed and swallowed his breath.

Aah, yes, the doll broke, so please have it discarded. As usual, you can dispose of the body as you see fit, but preserve the hair with the maximum amount of care.

V-Very well, Milord

The butler nodded, shaking slightly. My lips twisted in a grin, and I urged him to talk.

So? What did you come for?

Ah, yesthere is a guest for you, Milord.

Who is that? I dont think there werent any audiences scheduled for today.

The butler replied awkwardly, as if he needed courage just to utter the name.

That isPrince Lars knight, Sir Snowe Halphas.

Whaat?

It was the name of a person I loathed even seeing, someone I would have very much loved to see decapitated before my eyes.