The moon hung high in the midnight sky, casting an eerie silver glow over the mansion’s grounds as I confronted Alex in our dimly lit room.
"So, what are your thoughts on this matter?" I asked, my eyes fixed on him expectantly.
"What?" Alex replied, his brows furrowing in confusion.
"About the princess," I clarified, my voice steady but tinged with a note of urgency.
"About the princess? What do you an?" he continued to wear a puzzled expression, seemingly unaware of the storm brewing within .
"Duke, if the previous empress sent the princess here, then I’m sure there must be so conspiracy behind it. Otherwise, why would she, who was about to die, send her one and only child here to Ablia when the emperor could take better care of the princess?" I reasoned, my mind racing with possibilities.
"So, what are you trying to say?" he inquired, his tone tinged with curiosity.
"I’m trying to say that there must be so conspiracy behind all of this. If the princess isn’t safe in the palace, then perhaps the palace itself is the reason behind everything," I asserted, the weight of my suspicions settling heavily on my shoulders.
"Madam, are you suggesting that the emperor is behind all of this?" he asked, his voice betraying a hint of disbelief.
"Yes, I’m not sure about everything else, but I do believe he is aware of what has already transpired. Otherwise, why hasn’t the emperor made any efforts to locate his only successor, who was born during that ti? He could have done so, but he hasn’t. It’s as if this matter has been buried under his orders," I explained, my conviction unwavering.
"I don’t know what has happened or not, and I won’t stop you from investigating this issue," he replied calmly, his gaze locked with mine as if he were searching for answers within my eyes.
"So, are you agreeing with my proposal? Have you signed the contract?" I inquired, my heart pounding in my chest as I awaited his response.
"I haven’t yet, but I will send it to you soon," he assured before leaving the room, his silhouette disappearing into the darkness beyond.
With one problem resolved and the truth about Vix’s background clarified, I now had a year ahead of . A year filled with uncertainty, intrigue, and danger. I knew I was the one who had chosen this path, but it was for the greater good. I was determined to uncover all the conspiracies surrounding , to find out who had sent assassins after when I had done nothing wrong, and to uncover all the secrets that lay hidden in the shadows of this empire.
"Duchess, may I co inside?" Vix’s voice interrupted my thoughts, and I turned to see her standing at the door, her expression filled with uncertainty.
"Yes, you may," I responded, allowing her to enter and close the door behind her.
"Duchess, I’m truly ashad of what happened downstairs. I know this shouldn’t have occurred, but it happened because of my desire to go outside the mansion," she said, repeating her apology.
"You did nothing wrong. I have already discussed this matter with the duke, so you don’t need to worry about it. It was my mistake, and I apologize for the accusations I made against you, which were based solely on my assumptions," I said, my voice filled with remorse. I couldn’t help but feel guilty for my unfounded anger and mistrust.
"I understand that it happened because of the circumstances. So it’s alright," she reassured , her voice gentle and forgiving.
I wondered how forgiving she would remain once she entered the palace. Would she survive among those cunning individuals? I had my doubts, but I couldn’t voice them. Instead, I simply nodded.
"You may go. You don’t need to worry about this any longer," I smiled, granting her permission to leave.
anwhile, I summoned Erios, who materialized before .
"Erios!" I called his na, and he appeared, his form a shimring silhouette in the moonlight.
"Yes, Master," he responded, his presence a comforting one.
"Let’s go outside," I said, my voice laced with determination.
"Master, it’s nightti. It could be risky if you go alone like this," he cautioned, concern etched on his features.
"I’m aware of that, which is why I want you to co with . I know I’m safe with you," I said, my trust in him unwavering.
"We’ll go through the window," I said, taking the initiative and leaping out of the window. It was a significant height, and it did hurt when I landed, but not as much as I had expected.
"Master, are you alright?" Erios panicked, rushing to check on .
"Yes, I’m fine. But I sense soone is here," I said, my senses on high alert as I detected a presence lurking in the shadows.
"Who is it? Co out!" I ordered, as the shadow erged from behind the bushes, revealing a figure cloaked in darkness.
"Oh, so the duchess sneaks out of the mansion at night too?" the voice mocked, sounding eerily familiar.
"This duchess can kill too. Don’t you know what happened to your forr friend?" I retorted, my voice filled with a mix of anger and defiance.
"You! Do you think I ca here to witness your little escapade? No, I ca to kill you, to avenge my friend’s death. I’ve been waiting for the perfect opportunity to do so without anyone knowing," he declared, his voice laced with venom as he advanced towards .
So, he had been hiding here for days, waiting for his chance to strike. Had the mansion’s security failed , or had he managed to evade their notice?
"Aren’t you scared, Duchess? If not, why are you stepping back?" he taunted, his voice dripping with malice as I cautiously retreated, my eyes locked on his every move.
"I can’t be seen unless I want to be," Erios chid in, his presence hidden from view as he spoke from the shadows.
"Alright, lend your power, Erios. I need you," I said, my voice firm as I made my request, knowing that I couldn’t face this threat alone.
"Oh, so I heard correctly that you’re a master of the sword," he mocked again, his tone filled with arrogance.
"Soon you’ll find out just how skilled I am with a blade," I said, my determination unwavering as I launched an attack, our swords clashing in a resounding clash of steel.
I struck him on the back with my sword, catching him off guard and causing him to stumble forward. However, he quickly regained his footing, seemingly unperturbed by the physical assault.
"Quite the cunning duchess, aren’t you? This wasn’t what I expected from you," he remarked, before launching another attack, this ti aiming for my shoulder. I blocked his attack with my sword, but he put all his strength into it, pushing back and causing a sharp pain to shoot through my shoulder. After a fierce struggle, I managed to push him away, but I was panting heavily, my energy waning.
"Nice move, Duchess," he comnted before coming at once more, our swords clashing with a resounding noise that echoed in my ears.
Our swords t again and again, each strike making a loud clang that reverberated through the night. Soon, the guards, maids, and even Duke Alex arrived at the scene, drawn by the noise that had pierced the stillness of the night.
"What’s going on here?!" Alex shouted, his voice filled with a mix of anger and concern as he stepped in between us, determined to halt the sword fight.
"Madam, step back! I’ll handle this," he insisted, drawing his own sword and assuming a protective stance.
"No, he’s my enemy. I’ll deal with him myself," I asserted, refusing to back down, my eyes locked on my would-be assassin.
"Madam! Please step back!" Alex insisted again, his voice tinged with urgency as he stepped in between us, determined to put an end to the confrontation.
"Take him to the dungeon. If he dares to commit suicide again this ti, I’ll personally hold all of you responsible," I warned, my voice carrying the weight of authority as I directed the guards to secure the assassin and bind his hands behind his back.
Once everyone had cleared the area and it was just Alex and , Erios reappeared, his form once again taking shape in the moonlight.
"Madam, what’s with this attire? Were you sneaking out of the mansion?" Alex asked, his tone disapproving as he surveyed my attire, which was far from suitable for a duchess.
"Master can do as she pleases. She doesn’t need your permission," Erios interjected, his voice defiant as he challenged Alex’s disapproval.
"How many tis have I told you not to interfere when I’m talking to her?" Alex groaned, clearly frustrated by Erios’s presence.
"How many tis have I told you that I don’t follow your orders, but my master’s? She is my master, and I do as she says. I don’t care about your opinion, you monster," Erios retorted, making shout at him to stop.
"Erios!" I shouted, my voice laced with both anger and desperation.
"I said the right thing. He has been in the war from an early age, drenched in blood, and he only recently returned from the battlefield. If he’s not a monster, then how did he survive for so many years in the midst of thousands of deaths every day?" Erios argued, his words heavy with accusation.
Thousands of deaths every day? The revelation struck like a bolt of lightning, leaving stunned and speechless as I grappled with the enormity of the truth that had been unveiled.
The night had brought not only danger and confrontation but also a revelation that would shake the very foundations of my understanding of the world I lived in. And in its wake, I was left with more questions than answers, my path shrouded in uncertainty and intrigue.
As I stood there, bathed in the moonlight, I couldn’t help but wonder what other secrets lay hidden in the shadows, waiting to be uncovered.
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