Chapter 49
“Sienna, prepare to assist the knights in extracting confessions from the criminals.”
“Yes, Brother.”
Even Lady Meltain, receiving Kylus’s order, left with a pleased face following the knights.
Alice blinked slowly in the now quiet banquet hall.
It felt like a storm had just passed through.
Though Alice couldn’t fully process everything that had just unfolded before her eyes, she understood one thing clearly.
Things had gone exactly as Kylus said they would.
He had indeed dealt with Madam Quillian in just ten days since regaining consciousness.
Moreover, he had reclaimed his knights.
It was now only a matter of time before Kylus fully reclaimed the Dearrut duchy.
No, the duchy had already fallen back into his hands.
All the servants were looking at him with fearful eyes.
To think he had bribed Helkin.
Alice glanced at the dazed Helkin before turning her head towards Kylus.
He was talking with Davit.
Seeing him speaking earnestly to the knight in black armor, everything seemed perfect, as if finally back in its rightful place.
It was as if his pale figure lying in bed had been a mirage.
Kylus, who had survived thanks to her holy power.
While she was glad he hadn’t fallen victim to Madam Quillian’s poison again, she wasn’t entirely happy.
Alice felt quite foolish.
There were still 4 days left before the full two weeks.
At this rate, it seemed he would regain his power as Duke of Dearrut even before those 4 days passed.
No, it looked like he had already regained it.
Would he willingly let her go after regaining such strong power…?
Frankly speaking, wasn’t that the case?
With his strength and power, what difficulty would there be in holding onto someone like Alice?
Then, he might not even ask gently what she wanted, as he did now.
He might imprison her in the duchy without a word.
In fact, that would suit Kylus better.
He was a man who exuded a coldness far beyond that of ordinary people.
Just as Alice’s imagination was turning the Dearrut duchy into a tragedy in her mind, Kylus, sensing her gaze, turned his head.
“Alice.”
Seeing Alice, he strode towards her.
“You look pale, are you alright?”
“Ah, just for a moment, I was thinking scary thoughts…”
“Scary thoughts? What were they?”
You imprisoning me.
Kylus’s brow furrowed. His night-sky eyes were fixed on her.
Unlike his cold face, there was a hint of concern for her in those black eyes.
Is that a good thing?
Alice awkwardly raised the corners of her mouth.
“It’s nothing, more importantly… it seems things have been resolved well, that’s fortunate.”
“Well, for now. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you in advance.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m not one of your people, so there’s no reason I should know about such important matters.”
“Seeing you draw the line, it seems your mind hasn’t changed even though Madam Quillian has ended up like this.”
“…I’m just a person without greed.”
Though she felt a bit guilty saying it, Alice feigned indifference.
But her will to be without possessions didn’t seem to matter to him, as he said with a charming smile:
“Then I’ll have to work harder to make you develop greed. I’ll have to spend more time with you and find out what you want myself.”
Alice swallowed hard at the almost obsessive emotion lurking in his picture-perfect smile.
This might really turn into a tragedy at this rate.
While his persistence was frightening, her heart still fluttered at his handsome face.
A man with devilish charm.
I’ll have to do my best to avoid him for the remaining time.
As Alice was making this resolution and trying to avoid his gaze, a knight hurriedly entered the banquet hall.
“Your Grace, imperial knights have arrived with an imperial edict from His Majesty.”
“Imperial knights?”
Alice turned her head with a surprised face at the unexpected appearance.
Kylus’s eyebrow rose crookedly, as if they weren’t guests he had invited.
“Yes. They’re waiting just outside the banquet hall now.”
Imperial knights…
Alice had a bad feeling.
There was no reason for imperial knights to barge into the Dearrut duchy now.
In the original story… they had come after Madam Quillian had completely ruined the duchy.
It seemed she wasn’t the only one with a bad feeling, as Kylus’s face was also cold.
He soon spoke to the knight.
“Bring them in.”
“Yes.”
As the knight opened the banquet hall doors wide, knights in golden armor entered.
Among them, a man with purple hair stood out, leading the imperial knights.
Alice’s golden eyes shook violently when she saw him.
He was…
“Hasis Winston.”
The commander of the First Imperial Knights.
It was Kylus, not Alice, who spoke his name.
Kylus looked down at Hasis, who was bowing his head, with a hardened face.
“Your Grace.”
“What brings you to the duchy without notice, leader of the First Imperial Knights?”
“I’ve come to arrest criminals on His Majesty the Emperor’s orders, Your Grace.”
“Criminals?”
Kylus’s voice suddenly lowered.
Though his voice was chilling, Hasis didn’t waver at all.
Rather, his red eyes gleamed even more as he faced Kylus directly.
Indeed… he was fitting as the strongest henchman of the final villain.
That’s right. Hasis Winston wasn’t just an ordinary imperial knight.
Another face of Hasis that Alice knew, but Kylus didn’t.
He was the sharpest sword of the original villain.
A madman who committed cruel acts without hesitation despite his holy knight-like face.
Before his sword, it didn’t matter if one was a man or woman, adult or child.
He would mercilessly cut down anyone who stood in his master’s way.
So cruelly that the bodies could barely be recovered properly.
It had only appeared once in the original story, but it was an unforgettably cruel description.
As goosebumps rose on Alice’s arms, Hasis opened his mouth.
“Yes. It’s His Majesty the Emperor’s order to arrest two people: Madam Quillian and Young Master Edellm.”
“That’s impossible! Those two are serious criminals who attempted to poison His Grace…”
As Davit stepped forward as if to say it was absurd, Kylus raised his hand to stop him.
Kylus asked Hasis:
“On what charges?”
“Manipulation of National Academy grades, and bribery and corruption. As it’s a matter concerning the honor of the National Academy, which could be called the foundation of the empire, His Majesty has ordered a thorough investigation of this incident.”
“What if I say they can’t be handed over until the investigation is completed at the duchy?”
“I’m sorry, but His Majesty has sent an edict stating he will not allow any protection from Your Grace towards these two people.”
Hasis handed Kylus a letter sealed with a golden stamp.
Kylus took the letter with a sardonic smile.
“So you’ll take them away by any means. How surprising. The National Academy bribery case that had been quiet until now just happened to break today.”
“I’m merely carrying out His Majesty’s orders.”
“His Majesty… I didn’t know His Majesty was so interested in state affairs.”
Kylus handed the edict to his butler almost as if throwing it, without even reading it.
Is that allowed?
It was such an irreverent gesture that Alice flinched, but Hasis said nothing.
“Davit, hand over Madam Quillian and Edellm to the imperial knights.”
“But…”
Davit, who was about to open his mouth in protest, saw Kylus’s eyes and quietly bowed his head.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Hasis. Tell His Majesty that I will visit tomorrow.”
“Understood.”
There was palpable tension flowing between Kylus and Hasis.
Some imperial knights were leaving the banquet hall to arrest the criminals, but Hasis didn’t move.
Then he suddenly turned his head.
Towards Alice, standing next to Kylus.
Alice couldn’t hide her confusion at the red gaze that reached her before she could defend herself.
Why me all of a sudden?
Hasis was someone she wanted to be involved with even less than Kylus.
He was someone she didn’t want to encounter even by chance on the street.
A strange light gleamed in Hasis’s red eyes as he looked at her.
“This must be the rumored Duchess.”
Rumors?
Hasis spoke as if he had heard many stories about her.
“…”
Just as a chill ran down her spine at his red gaze that seemed to penetrate her, a shadow fell in front of her.
“I didn’t realize rumors about the Duchess were so widespread.”
The person who had blocked in front of Alice protectively was none other than Kylus.
As his broad back perfectly shielded her from Hasis, the suffocating tension quickly dissipated.
It felt reassuring, for some reason.
Alice looked at his back, as vast as the Pacific Ocean, and listened to their conversation.
“Wasn’t the marriage of the Dearrut duchy, the most prestigious family in the empire, held in haste? So there have been quite a lot of talks about the Duchess in the capital. And about what will happen to the Duchess in the future, too.”
“While it’s not surprising that gossip never ceases in social circles, I’m quite surprised that Lord Hasis would take interest in such matters. I didn’t know you would lend an ear to such crude talk.”
“As my lord showed interest, I found myself uncharacteristically curious. I apologize if I’ve offended you.”
Hasis’s polite apology was heard, but Alice’s face had hardened.
He just said his ‘lord’ showed interest in me.
“…I didn’t realize His Majesty the Emperor was so interested in the Duchess now, after turning a blind eye to the marriage. I’ll be sure to reassure His Majesty when I see him tomorrow.”
Kylus seemed to naturally think Hasis’s lord was the Emperor, but Alice knew differently.
Hasis’s true master was someone else.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“We’ve brought Madam Quillian and Young Master Edellm.”
At that moment, one of the knights spoke.
“Then I’ll take my leave now. Have a good evening.”
Hasis’s farewell was heard, and soon the sound of knights leaving the banquet hall followed.
But even after that sound had completely faded, Alice couldn’t relax her hardened expression.
