Duke 128

CHAPTER 128

This chapter is sponsored by Virginie, thank you for the support! (2/2)

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Translator: Rae

‘Caprice? What kind of ridiculous nonsense is that?’

Stunned by the Duke of Russet’s remark, Elysia glared at him.

Perhaps because there was nothing left to hold her back, the hatred and fury she had suppressed until now surged up from deep within her chest.

Wasn’t he the one who caused her parents’ deaths, who tried to leash her and use her to fulfill his own purposes?

And now, what was he daring to say with that filthy mouth of his?

Clenching her fists tightly to suppress emotions that threatened to explode, she stared at the Duke of Russet and flashed a cold smile.

“Caprice, you say? Coming from the person who knows best why I was forced into a betrothment I never wanted, that’s quite an amusing remark.”

Even so, the Duke of Russet’s expression did not change in the slightest. Instead, he brazenly brushed it off.

“I have no idea what you mean, Marquess. Was this not an engagement arranged through discussion between His Highness the Second Prince and yourself?”

“Instead of discussion, notification would be more accurate. No, threat would be the correct word.”

The moment the word threat left Alicia’s lips, a murmur spread through the chapel.

There was no noble who didn’t know that House of Russet had been manipulating the noble faction using the House of Camellia.

As the result, when the betrothment was first announced, whispers spread that it had been forced by the Duke of Russet.

Elysia’s obvious unhappy expression while standing beside Dustin only fueled those rumors.

Upon learning that fact, the Duke of Russet intervened and Elysia, who then strike a deal with Dustin, forced herself to smile in order to push the rumors from surfacing despite suspicion still lingered in the nobles’ mind.

And now, through Elysia’s own words, their suspicion had resurfaced as truth.

Even as the nobles became increasingly agitated, the Duke of Russet remained completely unfazed.

“A threat? Such frightening words. What could I possibly have used to threaten you? I did lend funds to your family, but are you truly someone who could be coerced so easily? Go on, tell us. What exactly did I threaten you with?”

Seeing the Duke of Russet turn the tables so shamelessly, as if certain she could not expose the eight houses along, Elysia was left utterly speechless.

It was Iker who stepped in for her.

“If the betrothment was at the Marquess’ will, then the annulment must also be her will. Isn’t that right, Your Highness?”

At his words, the people’s gazes seated in the chapel shifted from the Duke of Russet to Dustin, who was still holding Elysia.

“Then shouldn’t you let her go so she may choose for herself, rather than forcefully holding her?”

Dustin continued to hold Elysia against her will, and Iker’s gaze fixed on him, sharp enough to pierce.

Facing the nobles’ condemning stares and Iker’s murderous gaze, Dustin’s face became pale as the cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Yet when Dustin clenched his teeth and showed no intention of releasing her, Iker spoke in an icy voice.

“Or did your failed rebellion drive you to take the Marquess hostage instead?”

The word rebellion froze the entire chapel in an instant.

In the silence where even a dropping pin would be heard, Iker turned his gaze to the Duke of Russet.

“Two thousand private soldiers. Two hundred Veramus operatives. Approximately eight hundred knights.”

At the low, heavy voice pounding in his ears, the Duke of Russet’s expression stiffened.

“These are the numbers of those who failed to reach this place today. The number of those who have served as sacrifices for Your Excellency’s ambition. You set quite a grand board, Duke Russet.”

“…So it was you after all. The one who ruined my entire plan.”

Watching the Duke of Russet grind his teeth, Iker flashed a small smile.

“As a servant of the Empire, I couldn’t very well ignore a treasonous faction.”

“Duke Deimos is right. We cannot leave a treasonous faction unchecked.”

The Emperor, who had been listening to their exchange, slowly rose from his seat. Rashian followed him.

The Emperor’s sharp gaze fixed on the Duke of Russet.

“I have yielded again and again until now, but this round appears to be my victory. Wouldn’t you agree, Duke Russet?”

At the Emperor’s words, the Duke of Russet’s lips twisted in a mocking smile.

“…You know as well as I do that a gamble isn’t over until one leaves the table.”

"You still haven't given up?”

“I still have one card left to play.”

Seeing the Duke of Russet’s ominous smile, Elysia felt an inexplicably anxious.

It was because she had noticed nobles loyal to Duke Lasset slipping out of the chapel silently.

At first, she thought they were fleeing because things had turned against them, but his words and expression suggested otherwise.

What is he plotting? Either way, I need to get away from this lunatic quickly.’

As Dustin’s attention shifted to the Emperor and the Duke of Russet, the arms holding her loosened slightly.

Elysia did not miss the opportunity. She raised her elbow and drove it into Dustin’s abdomen with all her strength.

"Urgh!”

As the blow to his abdomen twisted Dustin’s face and drained the strength from his arms, she quickly twisted her body and slipped free from his grasp.

“...Elly!”

As Dustin tried to straightened his previously crouched posture, he also attempted to reach out for her, but his hand never touched Elysia due to the small barrier of light formed by Iker that repelled it.

Freed from Dustin’s grasp, Elysia quickly moved to Iker’s side.

"Are you hurt anywhere?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Even after hearing her answer, Iker didn’t seem reassured as his gaze swiftly scanning her from head to toe.

When his gaze fell on her right wrist, his handsome brows drew together slightly.

“Was that a bracelet you were wearing before?”

"A bracelet? Ah...!”

At Iker’s question, Elysia remembered the bracelet she had forgotten about and frowned.

“No. That lunatic put it on me suddenly while he was forcefully holding me.”

Hearing her words, Iker quietly studied the bracelet and reached out. However, before his fingers could touch it, the Duke of Russet moved first.

“Your Majesty’s greatest mistake was being complacent. I’m going to claim victory in this battle.”

As the Duke of Russet stepped back and raised his hand, sword-wielding figures sprang out from all around the chapel.

They were the Veramus assassins he had kept in the shadow.

"Protect His Majesty the Emperor!”

At the Imperial Guard Commander’s order, the knights quickly surrounded the Emperor, Rashian, and the Empress.

The assassins charged straight toward the Emperor and Iker, but more than half were intercepted by figures leaping from the guest seats.

They were investigators and knights who have took on disguises and lay low the entire ceremony under Iker’s command. One of them rushed over and offered him a sword.

After Iker took the sword from the knight, his dark brows twitched at a sound beside him—the rustle of fabric falling.

"Elly?”

When he turned his head, he saw the fallen hem of a dress on the floor and Elysia standing in black trousers, a holster strapped around her slender thigh.

Faced with Iker’s shock gaze, Elysia winked and drew a gun from the holster.

“Just in case, I altered the dress so the top and bottom separate. Pants are more comfortable for fighting. It doesn’t look weird, does it?”

As she released the safety and fired at an oncoming assassin while speaking, Iker’s lips curved gently.

"I guess I didn't tell you this; that you look beautiful in anything.”

Whispering by her ear, he stepped forward and swiftly swept down the assassin, who was staggering from a gunshot to the shoulder.

‘He really is like a professional.’

Her ears tinged red at Iker’s praise, Elysia quickly moved to his side.

They finished off the second assassin together. It was when a dreary voice burrowed into her ears.

“So you really were colluding with that bastard.”

Elysia frowned at the sensation of sickening chill running over her skin.

Turning toward the voice, she saw Dustin.

“My intuition was right. I thought something was off the moment he showed up at the emergency assembly.”

Looking at Dustin grinding his teeth in resentment, she replied coldly.

“Whom I associate with and what I do is none of Your Highness’s concern.”

“How is it none of my concern? You expect me to stand by while my woman fools around with another man?”

Elysia was dumbfounded by Dustin’s infuriating words. Since when was she his woman?

The anger and irritation she had suppressed toward him surged up in an instant.

While staring straight at Dustin, Elysia let out the words she had long wanted to say without filtering anything in it.

“Stop spouting nonsense. Why would I ever be your woman? That was never the case in the past, and it never will be. I’d rather throw myself off a cliff a hundred times over than become your woman.”

At her cold, hateful words, Dustin’s face stiffened. Then, an ominous smile crept onto his lips.

“You’d rather jump off a cliff, huh… We’ll see about that.”

Dustin held something up for her to see. It was a red ring.

‘A ring? Why that, all of a sudden…?’

Unable to grasp his intent, Elysia frowned, then flinched as she looked down at her wrist.

The ring Dustin held was the exact same color as the bracelet on her wrist.

‘No way…!’

As Elysia snapped her head up, her violet eyes reflected the sight of Dustin slipping on the ring with a vicious smile.