Chapter 213 - The Young Duchess and the Darkness
Chloe Evenhart:
Weeks went by, and nothing happened. The third assassin remained in hiding, and we were beginning to consider the possibility that he had retreated, though we never let our guard down. We were allowed to leave the academy during the week, pretending to be more relaxed to try and lure him out, but still, nothing happened. We knew Nathan was the target, so he would walk around the city alone after classes, hoping to expose the assassin.
I felt relieved that things were finally beginning to calm down. Soon, we would be returning to the castle for the holidays. Yet, sothing else was making incredibly nervous.
The Day of Chocolate…
As we sat in the middle of a theory class, I could barely focus. The Day of Chocolate was approaching, and just thinking about it made restless. This week, I went out and bought the chocolate I'd give Nate, but every ti I touched my storage bracelet, I feared I’d accidentally pull out the chocolate too soon.
This ti, Nate won’t get away. I’m going to confess my feelings to him when I give him the chocolate.
A quiet giggle escaped .
Knowing how silly he is, if I just handed him the chocolate, he probably wouldn’t even realize it’s a confession.
The Day of Chocolate is a special ti at school when girls with romantic feelings confess to the boys they like. The break afterward makes it easier, as they spend a month apart, avoiding any embarrassnt.
But… I’ll be going back to the sa house as the boy I like.
I couldn’t help but laugh again, amused by the irony. And on top of that, I’ll be spending two days in a carriage with him until we reach the Royal Capital to take the underground transport.
Just thinking about it is enough to make blush… I hope he gives the answer I’ve been longing for. I’ve liked him for so long, and I can’t imagine being with anyone else. Besides… he’s my fiancé, even if the oblivious sweetheart still doesn’t know it.
A sliver of fear crept in as I considered him rejecting .
“Nate likes … I think. He always gets shy when I hug him…” I murmured, realizing, a little too late, that I’d nearly spoken aloud in class.
Oops…
On reflex, I slapped my hands over my mouth.
Oh, no… Nate… Now I can’t stop thinking about you.
I closed my eyes, trying to empty my mind. Instead, thoughts about the future started to creep in.
What would our kids be like? Would they have that sa pale complexion like he does?
Another quiet laugh bubbled up.
Would they be mischievous like or as silly as he is?
I realized, once again, that I’d completely drifted off from the lesson to think about Nate.
Wait! I’ll have to do ‘that’ with him?!
Suddenly, my face heated up in embarrassnt.
I’m not ready for that… how embarrassing. And apparently, I’ll have to take the initiative.
My cheeks burned even more just thinking about it.
I’ll have to use my authority as a duchess… ‘Lie down on the bed and take off your clothes, man, that’s an order!’
The idea was so ridiculous that I let out a big laugh, quickly ducking my head to avoid anyone noticing my outburst.
Nikolaus Wolves:
Weeks had passed, and all I got in return was the damn silence.
Damn it!
I threw the docunts that had been scattered across the table onto the floor. My hands began to shake. I quickly moved back to the table, grabbing a bottle of liquor.
I committed the greatest cri on this continent!
Taking a long swig, I felt the bitter taste burn down my throat, and I sat down again, gnawing on my nails incessantly. I knew the weight of the cri I’d committed, but the worst part was the silence. No one had contacted . I had no idea what had happened.
"Nathan Evenhart isn’t dead... If he had died, every noble in the duchy would have been inford," I muttered, pacing back and forth, trying to analyze the situation.
Outside, a storm was raging, the rain pelting the windows.
I threw the bottle to the floor in a fit of rage.
"Damn it!" I shouted, kicking the chair with all my strength.
"I can’t even send a damn letter to anyone in Apsalon asking if a noble had shown up dead recently—everyone would be suspicious!" I picked up the chair from the ground and sat down, struggling to contain my anger.
The assassins should have contacted through the magic device, but so far, nothing. I’ve already risked too much, sending resources and docunts that only political nobles have access to. And that damn communication device is so rare I can only buy three a year!
I tried to plot my next steps, but my mind was a whirlwind of uncertainties.
“Curse this storm!” I said, looking out at the lightning slicing through the sky.
I thought of the possibilities.
“Either they gave up on completing the contract... or they failed…” The thought crept in, unsettling.
“How could those assassins have failed?”
The Evenharts are an ancient line of mages, blessed with naturally potent blood. Still, how could they have overpowered three professional assassins? That kid is just a damn student! I spent a fortune buying black market books on thunder mages so the assassins would know how to handle the situation if things got out of control.
Other possibilities started swirling in my mind as I tried to deduce what might have happened.
The damn royal guard families… They’ve been on these lands with the Evenharts since before this little kingdom was called a duchy. Could they have a powerful arsenal of spells? Besides, they’ve been trained for generations to protect the Evenharts.
I hardly know anything about those families since they all live with them in that damn castle. I can’t even get close enough to try bribing soone for information. Those bastards are so loyal they’re practically a cult.
I put my hand over my face and sighed.
“Damn it!” I shouted, ripping off my coat. It was cold, but nerves had sweating non-stop.
“No. There’s no way they could have helped. They’re important figures in the duchy and stay close to the duchess. Besides, Apsalon has strict limits on how many guards a political noble can keep there, so as not to offend the honor and peace of the place.” I murmured, trying to reason.
That city is the safest there is, with zero cri rate. After all, no one wants to be a criminal hunted by the three realms. That’s why my plan to act in Apsalon might seem risky, but the city’s reputation encourages political nobles to walk around without being surrounded by guards and to live normally like any other citizen.
The Evenharts only brought maids. How could they have possibly faced those assassins?
I weighed everything I knew until the most obvious answer hit , and I let out a bitter laugh.
"Received help! That damn place has so many powerful mages. If the assassins failed and were defeated, it’s because they received aid from so powerful mage. If that’s the case, I’m screwed… although, from what Quinn told , he’d stay sowhere far from the abduction site to avoid even the slightest suspicion. Only he knows I hired him. Even if the abduction failed and his team died… he would… vanish."
So that’s it. He must have disappeared. Trying to kill a high noble is so dangerous that, if he failed, he wouldn’t risk contacting and simply vanished.
I felt a slight relief.
Better to have my plan fail than for to be exposed. If it really did fail, at least my money is safe.
"Then, I'll have to go with the second option. I’ll propose to the duchess that she allows to father a child with Chloe Evenhart."
I began pacing, thoughts racing through my mind.
"I’ll need to stay under the radar for at least a year to avoid suspicion about my sudden closeness. But I can use that ti to my advantage. Continue my image as the good guy. Instead of just supplying information about gangs, I could even send my own n to deal with them. Show initiative. Maybe even forge an operation against cri to showcase my effectiveness."
A smile crept across my face. "At the sa ti, I’ll invest a fortune in strengthening organized cri. Yes… the more damaged this duchy becos, the more I appear as its savior."
The idea glead in my mind.
"I can try to win the hearts of the people while simultaneously damaging the duchess’s image. Then, I’ll swoop in as the noble knight, rallying the people to support her. That’s it! I can even seal a peace deal by proposing a union, suggesting the duchess allow to father her daughter’s child, tying us together. But I must do it in a way that earns their trust."
It was a solid plan. But the recent failure lood over .
Damn it! If they find out I sched against a high noble... I’m dead!
I gathered the scattered docunts from the floor, and there, ironically, was an image of the boy himself—a black-and-white photo of Nathan Evenhart at just ten years old.
Damn you, Nathan Evenhart! If you hadn’t shown up years ago, I’d have secured this already...
I looked at a painting hanging on the wall, my own portrait. In a fit of rage, I threw it to the ground and used my earth magic to break open a hidden compartnt in the wall. Desperation clawed at . This was my last hope.
"There you are..." I muttered, retrieving the carefully wrapped object.
Unwrapping it, I stared at the black, glassy stone, resembling a piece of coal.
"I need your help..." I said, staring at the stone.
"My friend with eyes that shine in the darkness, give your guidance. Everything I’ve done since I bought you from that rchant has worked. The money I made in the underworld, manipulating nobles to form my faction, taking advantage of the lack of male heirs after the war. You promised to help conquer the duchy if I followed your instructions. Dark light... speak to , please."
The stone, silent for so long, finally responded. Two red lights appeared on its surface.
"You’ve answered ! Finally!" I exclaid, looking at it.
The red eyes stared back at , unblinking.
"Norse..." whispered the voice. "Hold on just a bit longer... When the great conflict arises… you will play a vital role in your kingdom... just like the other chosen ones."
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