Duke 132

CHAPTER 132

***

Translator: Rae

‘The bait is perfect.’

Listening to the exchange between Iker and Har, Elysia nodded satisfactorily.

So many people had been used as bait by the Duke of Russet that she couldn’t even count them all. So wasn’t it only fair that he experience it himself at least once?

Lost in a vivid fantasy of the Duke of Russet tightly bound with rope and dangling from a tree branch, she was pulled back to reality by an unfamiliar man’s voice.

“Marquess Camellia.”

When she turned her head, an Imperial Knight came into view. The one she didn’t recognize.

“What is it?”

At Elysia’s question, the imperial guard spoke carefully with a troubled expression.

“His Highness the Second Prince says he won’t move an inch until he’s allowed to meet you.”

"Me?”

“Yes. He insists there’s something he must confirm regardless of the situation and is causing quite a disturbance.”

Elysia shifted her gaze past the imperial guard.

There she saw Dustin arguing heatedly with two Imperial Knights.

His face was flushed with agitation, and it looked as though he truly wouldn’t budge unless she went to him.

‘What does he want to confirm? Is he wondering when I supposedly betrayed him?’

She could have ignored him, but Elysia decided to go see Dustin.

She was curious what kind of nonsense he’d spout this time, and seeing his defeated state up close didn’t sound so bad either.

“Take me to him.”

"This way.”

At her reply, the imperial guard brightened and immediately turned around.

Just as she was about to follow the knight, Iker stopped her.

"Elly.”

She turned and met Iker’s gaze—warm, gentle golden eyes filled with concern. He had probably heard what the imperial guard said.

“I’ll just go see that luna… I mean, His Highness the Second Prince, for a moment.”

"Will you be all right on your own?”

"Yes. Don't worry. It won't take long.”

As she smiled brightly, Iker discreetly reached out and gently squeezed her hand before letting go.

“Be careful.”

“Noted.”

At Elysia’s reply, Har, standing beside Iker, spoke bluntly.

“Be careful. Even a cornered rat will bite a cat.”

“Yeah. Don’t worry. If it comes to that, I’ll give him a very hot lesson.”

With a confident look, Elysia lightly tapped the gun holstered at her thigh and followed the imperial guard toward Dustin.

Just as she expected, Dustin started spewing nonsense the moment he saw her, to the point she was glad the guards had stepped back a little.

“You lied about nothing happening with Duke Deimos that night at the banquet, didn’t you? You really rolled around with him? You slept with him, right?!”

Elysia was genuinely dumbfounded when she heard his accusation.

In a situation where he’d been arrested for treason, why on earth did it matter who she’d slept with?

“Yes. That’s right. Thanks to Your Highness using Harris to me, we had a very passionate night.”

Elysia answered honestly. And from then on, Dustin began frothing at the mouth as he hurled strings of insults.

“I knew it! You were with that b*st*rd that night, that’s why I couldn’t find you! D*mn it! How dare he steal what’s mine?!”

No, who exactly did he think belonged to him?

Elysia was completely taken aback that she lost her chance to speak as Dustin kept ranting on.

“So you couldn’t even endure a minor side effect and ended up under him?! Were you clinging and whining to him?! Did you enjoy deceiving me and playing around with that b*st*rd?! Huh?!”

His attitude of condemning them as though they had committed the vilest affair anyone could imagine, Elysia snapped and replied with a radiant smile.

“I think you’re gravely mistaken, Your Highness. My lover is not you, but His Excellency Duke Deimos. Thanks to Your Highness using Harris that night, I was able to meet him thanks to Your Highness’ scheme using Harris in my drink that night. I should sincerely thank you for that.”

“You…!”

“And you may not have noticed, but His Excellency and I also met secretly at the opera theater and the Empress Palace.”

“...What?”

“Even in such short moments, he held me with such passion. I’ve never met a man so perfect and intoxicating in my life. It’s enough to make me regret not meeting him sooner.”

Dustin trembled, whether from shock or rage with an extremely pale face, unable to form words, hence she drove in the final nail.

“To be absolutely clear, Iker didn’t intrude between Your Highness and me, but you were the one who intruded between Iker and me. It would be healthier for your state of mind if you stopped this delusion that I’m your woman.”

Having said her piece, Elysia turned away without hesitation.

A beasty roar echoed behind her, but she ignored it.

She’d answered what he wanted to confirm; the rest was for the imperial guards to handle.

It wasn’t nearly enough to say she’d let out everything she’d withheld about Dustin. Still, she felt considerably lighter, and Elysia smiled brightly.

***

The leader of the First Division of Veramus was hiding outside the temple with his three subordinates. 

This was because the Duke of Russet had ordered them not to join the fighting inside the chapel and to hide some distance away.

The true reason was to ensure their survival should the bomb be detonated, but there was no way for them to know that.

They merely assumed there was some reason behind the order.

And when they later saw the Duke of Russet being brought out in restraints, they became convinced that he had held them back precisely for this moment.

Kelly signaled his men to wait. He intended to launch an ambush once the Imperial Knights came close enough.

There were only four opponents, and if each took one, it seemed it would be an easy job.

But when their quick-cut attack were stopped in an instant, Kelly and his men realized their judgment had been wrong.

“You’ve finally get caught, Kelly Strauss, the leader of the First Division.”

At the voice reciting out his name through gritted teeth, Kelly flinched and looked at his opponent.

He was a sharp-featured brown-haired man who looked to be in his late twenties, with a face that seemed strangely familiar.

As Kelly searched his memory, his brow naturally furrowed. The man resembled someone he had killed long ago.

“You look a lot like the leader of Black Rose. What’s your relationship to him?”

A sharp reply came back at once.

“He was my brother. He died by your hand in my place. Today, you’ll die by mine.”

Facing Joseph’s eyes blazing with rage and hatred, a chill ran down Kelly’s spine. It was the first time in a while he had finally felt this sensation.

At the same time, his competitive spirit flared, and Kelly twisted one corner of his mouth.

"We'll see who's going to die.”

As soon as he finished his words, their two swords clashed fiercely once more.

Har glanced at Joseph locked in fierce combat with Kelly, then swung his sword toward the remaining assassins.

He could have handled them alone, but with the Imperial Knights joining in, the assassins were overwhelmed in moments.

The Duke of Russet, standing with his hands tied, quietly took a step back when no one paid him any attention.

He had lost both knights and private soldiers, but Beramus was still his. If he could escape from here, he could flee abroad and lay the foundation to initiate a comeback.

‘Yes, it's not over yet.’

As the Duke of Russet retreated quietly, vowing to repay the humiliation he suffered today, a cold, youthful voice reached his ears.

"Where do you think you’re going, Duke Russet?”

As if anticipating his attempt to escape, Rashian stood a short distance away.

Seeing the black pistol in the prince’s right hand, the Duke of Russet twisted his lips. The image of the target board he had seen before came to mind.

To the Duke, it was almost laughable that the boy held something he couldn’t even shoot properly.

"Are you going to shoot me with that?”

At the completely arrogant question, Rashian flashed a cold smile, looking far beyond his years.

“Do you think I can’t shoot?”

“Go ahead and try. I’m curious where it’ll hit.”

At the duke’s mocking challenge, Rashian raised the pistol.

“You might want to watch the tip of your left ear.”

After finishing his remark, the prince fired without the slightest hesitation. The bullet grazed precisely past the edge of the Duke of Russet’s ear.

As the bullet tore the tip of his ear and a sharp pain shot through him, the smile vanished from the Duke of Russet’s face.

Watching him, Rashian smiled.

"Are you still curious about my skills?"

“…”

“You haven’t even received proper punishment yet, so you shouldn’t really be in such a dangerous place. Take the duke away.”

As Rashian turned and spoke, the imperial guards rushed forward as if waiting, dragging the Duke of Russet away.

Watching Duke Lasset being dragged away with a contorted look on his face with Rashian following behind him, Elysia chuckled softly from a distance.

"Last time he came to the Marquisate, I sensed that he’s certainly brazen. I didn't expect him to shoot the Duke. Is it because he has such a great teacher?”

“I appreciate the compliment, but that’s a natural character. It’s not something someone can teach.”

“Then that’s even better. If His Highness continues to grow this way, the Empire has nothing to worry about. There won’t be any more obstacles.”

“You mean the Second Prince?”

“Yes. If that lunatic had become emperor, the Empire would have been ruined. He was spouting nonsense right up to the end.”

Elysia shook her head as she recalled her last conversation with Dustin before being dragged away by the imperial guards.

Even while being taken away for treason, he was still obsessing over her relationship with Iker, which indicated he truly had gone mad.

“Honestly, I can’t say how relieved I am that everything was settled at once. I think I’ll finally be able to sleep soundly.”

Staring at her bright, relieved smile, Iker slowly leaned in.

His smooth, warm lips brushed hers like a feather before pulling away.

“You look lovely when you smile. You look beautiful in every expressions, but the most beautiful of all them is when you are smiling.”

At the sudden, sweet low voice, the tips of Ellysia’s ears flushed red.

She quietly reached out, took Iker’s hand, and pouted.

"I feel this every time—why are you so good with words? If you wanted to, you could charm any woman.”

“I’m just being honest about what I feel. And one person is more than enough to charm.”

Smiling softly, Iker wrapped his hand around hers. A natural smile appeared on Elysia’s lips as well.

As they smiled at each other, the sharp clang of a breaking sword made both of them turn their heads at once.

Joseph’s blade had pierced straight through Kelly’s left chest, even when Kelly clutched his broken sword.

"It's over.”

No matter how vile the man was, watching someone d*e was still unsettling for Elysia, so she turned away.

As if sensing her feelings, Iker gently wrapped both arms around her.

Burying her face against his broad, solid chest, Elysia closed her eyes.

The long, arduous struggle had finally come to an end. She won and finally freed herself from the leash that had bound her for so long.

And that was thanks to the man holding her now.

Without him, such a perfect victory would never have been possible.

Unable to contain the surging emotions, Elysia nestled deeper into his embrace.

"Thank you, Iker.”

Iker’s lips curved into a gentle arc at her whisper.

“There’s no need to thank me, My Ladyship.”

When Elysia felt his warm hand stroke down her back along with his tender voice, she thought.

She could date freely, without worrying about anyone else, and only the happy and peaceful days awaited them.

However, it wouldn’t take long for her to realize that this was also an illusion.