The moonlight bathed us in its pale glow as I confronted Alex, my heart heavy with the revelation Erios had brought to light.
"Thousands of people used to die every day? Why have I never heard of this?" I asked, my expression filled with shock, struggling to grasp the enormity of the revelation.
"Duke, is this true? Have you been at war for such a long ti?" I questioned, my urgency evident as I tugged at his shirt, seeking the truth from him directly.
"Master, I can explain," Erios offered, but I declined his intervention.
"No, I want to hear it from him. You can go," I said, and Erios vanished into the shadows, leaving alone with Alex, who wore a solemn expression.
"Duke, explain this to ! Tell the truth behind what Erios said," I implored, pulling his shirt closer to as if physical proximity would bring forth the answers I sought.
"Madam, what he said is true," he admitted in a hushed tone, his eyes reflecting the weight of the burdens he carried.
"How? How is it possible? How could soone who was so young survive such monstrous battles? No, no, this can’t be true. I refuse to accept this," I exclaid, my disbelief causing to take steps back, as if distancing myself from the harsh reality.
"But it is the truth," he replied, his voice still soft, resigned to the painful mories he was forced to confront.
"I was sent to war when I was fifteen, and after five years, I returned to Ablia. I know what you’re thinking. You must be thinking that I’m a monster, that I’m scary. I won’t stop you from thinking that way because, in a way, it’s true," he explained, his gaze fixed on so distant point as he recalled the horrors of his past.
"Duke, I don’t think you’re a monster," I said, looking at his downcast face with a mixture of empathy and compassion.
"I appreciate your kind words, but it’s not how others see ," he replied, his voice heavy with the weight of societal judgnts and prejudices.
"I may not know you very well, but the way you’ve stood up for , that’s enough for to trust you. I don’t find you scary, even though I used to think that way before. You used to walk around with a cold expression, you know," I rambled on, opening my heart to him as I shared my evolving perception of him.
"Cold expression? Did I do that?" he asked, his confusion evident as he genuinely seed unaware of the deanor he had once projected.
"Yes, you weren’t aware of it?" I inquired, genuinely surprised by his lack of self-awareness. He shook his head.
"Duke, you always had this stoic expression. You rarely smiled, and you didn’t have an expressionless face either. But you did have an expression that seed to warn anyone not to ss with you," I explained, a fond smile playing on my lips as I recalled his forr deanor.
"I wasn’t aware of that," he admitted, his humility endearing as he t my gaze.
"Are you embarrassed, Duke?" I teased, unable to resist the opportunity to lighten the atmosphere, my laughter filling the night air as I playfully prodded at his emotions.
"N-no, I’m not," he stamred, a faint blush creeping onto his cheeks, betraying his true feelings.
"Oh, co on, you are! You’re definitely embarrassed by what I said about your expressions," I continued to tease him, a mischievous glint in my eyes as I enjoyed the rare sight of Duke Alex caught off guard.
He didn’t say anything in response, but his gesture indicated that he wanted to lead inside. It was only then that I realized how cold I had beco, the chill of the night air seeping into my bones.
"Madam, sit in front of the fireplace. It will warm you up," he said, draping a shawl around my shoulders in a gesture of concern and care.
"No, I need to deal with the assassin. If I delay any longer, I won’t get the information I need," I insisted, my determination unwavering as I turned towards the mansion’s dungeon, my mind focused on the impending interrogation.
"Madam, you should warm up first. If you don’t, you might lose consciousness during the interrogation," he advised, his voice laced with genuine concern for my well-being.
He was right, as usual. The warmth of the fireplace beckoned, offering respite from the biting cold of the night. Reluctantly, I nodded my agreent, allowing him to guide back inside the mansion, where the embers of the hearth awaited to chase away the chill that had settled in my bones.
As I sat by the crackling fire, I couldn’t help but reflect on the revelations of the night—both the shocking truth of Alex’s past and the newfound understanding I had gained of the man behind the stoic façade. The night had brought not only danger and confrontation but also unexpected monts of vulnerability and connection.
And as I watched the flas dance in the hearth, I knew that the path ahead held more mysteries to unravel and challenges to overco. But with Alex by my side, I felt a renewed sense of determination to face whatever secrets and adversities awaited us, forging ahead into the unknown with courage and resilience.
After warming myself by the crackling fire, my determination to confront the assassin in the dungeon remained unshaken. I rose from my seat, ready to proceed with the interrogation, but Alex intervened, his concern for my well-being evident.
"I’m warm enough. I need to see him," I asserted, my determination driving forward despite the lingering cold.
Alex hesitated for a mont, his gaze searching my face for any signs of weakness or hesitation. "Yeah, I won’t stop you, but I don’t think you’re well enough," he cautioned, his protective instincts surfacing.
"I’m well, Duke. I’m warm enough," I replied with unwavering resolve as I walked past him, determined to face the assassin and unearth the truth that lay hidden within him.
The dungeon lood before , its darkness intensified by the mory of the previous night’s encounter. However, this ti, Alex carried a fire lamp that cast its flickering light upon our path, pushing back the shadows and lending an eerie glow to the stone walls.
"Thank you," I acknowledged with a grateful smile, appreciating the presence of the lamp as it offered a semblance of comfort in the oppressive darkness.
With each step we took, the shouts of the captive assassin grew louder, echoing through the narrow corridor.
"Leave ! I will kill this so-called duchess who killed my brother!" his voice reverberated with anger and vengeance, his threats hanging heavily in the air.
"Leave ! Or I will break these shackles myself!" he continued to spew his defiance, biting his lips in frustration as he strained against his restraints.
"You think you’re here so that you can kill ? No! You’re here because that’s what I want. Otherwise, I could have dueled with you and killed you myself. I wouldn’t have had to put you in the dungeon and shackle you," I declared, my voice unwavering as I lifted his chin to force him to et my gaze, determined to assert control over the situation.
"Ha ha ha ha! What a joke, Duchess Bernice! If you were that strong, how did you end up with an assassin? Couldn’t you have killed them before they even attacked you? But you didn’t. You didn’t even know there were assassins around you, so how could you kill them? Your senses are so dull. You couldn’t even sense how many people are after your life," he taunted, his words piercing through my defenses and stoking my frustration at my own shortcomings.
His mocking laughter only served to fuel my determination. "Yes, I’m aware, and that’s why you’re here. Tell , why are you here? Why do you want to kill when I don’t even know you, and you don’t know either? You only recently found out about . So, why are there so many of you trying to kill ?" I asked, my voice steady and composed.
"You’ll ask, and I’ll answer? What a simple duchess," he mocked, his tone dripping with disdain as he continued to struggle against his restraints, the frustration evident in his every movent.
"Don’t you know I ca here to kill you to avenge my brother? Then why are you asking ?" he groaned in anger, his defiance unwavering as he sought to break free.
"Yes, I know, but tell , why did your brother co here? Who sent him? Why was he here to kill ?" I pressed for answers, determined to unravel the web of secrets and motives that surrounded .
"Ha, why should I say? Can you bring my brother back? If you can, I’ll agree to talk. Do it if you want the answers," he challenged, his eyes locked onto mine, his defiance a testant to the depth of his resolve.
Reviews
All reviews (0)