《The Royal Deal》 Chapter 0 Prologue This is definitely kidnapping! Emesses, who was at Count Rohkin¡¯s reception room, found herself sitting on a sofa at Duke Scade¡¯s reception room. And, in front of her was the main culprit behind everything, Alexander Scade, who was sitting there looking unashamed. But he was an attractive man. Blonde hair that was slightly slicked back like silk threads. Deep red eyes that seemed like it would make one feel ecstasy if looked into it directly. Not now. Emesses was staring at Duke Scade with her arms crossed. Paying no attention to her current attitude, Duke Scade opened his mouth. ¡°Miss Emesses, I have a proposal you might be interested in.¡± Emesses was upset at the fact that the Duke ¡®kidnapped¡¯ her merely because of a deal he will profit much on. She agonized over and over again about how she can oppose him without offending him. ¡°Have you ever heard of a contract marriage?¡± ¡°Contract¡­.marriage?¡± I was so surprised that I unconsciously raised my left brow and gasped. He suddenly kidnapped her because of a contract marriage? Emesses began to doubt whether the Duke of Scade was crazy or not. ¡°Yes, a contract marriage. For your information, I¡¯m a celibate. But I¡¯m at a point where if I don¡¯t get married, I¡¯ll be facing many difficult situations. That¡¯s why I need a lady who would take the role of my fake wife for a certain period of time.¡± ¡°Why me? I don¡¯t want to get married!¡± ¡°Hoho. That¡¯s the point of this proposal. I don¡¯t want to get married either, but you and I both know well that Count Rohkin won¡¯t leave you alone for the rest of your life. Besides, how long can you avoid marriage? Think of it as some kind of insurance. Work together with me for one year under the guise of marriage.¡± Emesses pondered for a moment. It was definitely a tempting offer. Count Rohkin¡¯s father is still letting me think about marrying his son, but even if so, I will somehow still get married soon. And, there is no guarantee that I can stop the marriage arranged for me by my parents. But if I accept the Duke¡¯s offer, I will be able to escape marriage for a year. ¡°But what about the year after?¡± ¡°Do as you wish. You can get a divorce, or help me erase your identity under the guise of an accident. If you help me with that, I¡¯ll be able to pretend to still be in love with you until I die, and stay single.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not actually going to kill me, are you?¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m not that cruel.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know that. Prove to me first that you aren¡¯t actually trash!¡± ¡°What? Trash?¡± ¡°Yes, aren¡¯t you one for simply bringing me here without my consent?¡± ¡°I understand, but how can I prove it?¡± Emesses lamented. How about writing it? No, even if it¡¯s written and notarized, what good will a document bring after I¡¯m already dead? There¡¯s no way of knowing if he will keep the recorded documents regarding the secret contract. ¡­..Yes! The world tree. In this place, the world tree is said to be the most important thing. The world tree is just like the Emperor, and being a descendant of the Emperor, he too should care about the world tree. ¡°Then, swear under the name of your ancestors.¡± ¡°What¡­..?¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that the royal family is a descendant of a goddess, so make an oath under the name of your ancestors, that you won¡¯t kill me and that you¡¯ll guarantee my life¡­¡­.¡± The Duke of Scade looked at Emesses without saying anything. His red eyes sank far below the darkness. Soon, he opened his mouth again. ¡°I see, then, I swear under the name of my ancestors that I, Alexander Scade, guarantee your life no matter what. Does that satisfy you?¡± Emesses¡¯ eyes suddenly widened, showing that she was flustered by his answer. ¡°How much alimony are you going to give me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking for alimony? Well, aren¡¯t you a very talented person?¡± ¡°If I don¡¯t, how can I live the year after without a penny? By then, I would no longer be the Duchess or a Count¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°That is true. How much do you need?¡± Ah! I don¡¯t know the unit and the value of the currency of the Sehar Empire yet. If I had known that this would happen, I should have followed my mother to the bank to help her with her work. No, no. Why are you still thinking? Yes, he is the Duke of the Empire, so he must have immense wealth. That can be proved just by looking at this enormous mansion. To maintain it you need a huge budget. This is an era where money is the most valued anyway. You need money for everything that you do. That was the universal law. ¡°Hmmm¡­.how about 10 years worth of income and 2 buildings?¡± ¡°What? You¡¯ll be my wife for only a year, but you¡¯re asking for 10 years worth of income and 2 buildings? Aren¡¯t you bold? ¡°You must be mistaken, Duke. I am not in a rush. If you dislike it, you can find another lady other than me.¡± I¡¯m afraid of offending him, but I can¡¯t be so easy to sway. The Duke replied without much concern. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do that.¡± Oh, this man agreed! I must say, you definitely live up to your handsome face. Emesses felt as if she won the lottery, and decided to prepare for the details that will be written on the contract excitedly. That is because she¡¯ll attain freedom and live in ease after a year has passed. ¡°That¡¯s good. Let¡¯s talk about the details. First, do we need to sleep in the same bedroom?¡± ¡°No need, but there are other people such as the maids who¡¯ll observe us, so we¡¯ll pretend to sleep in the same bedroom from time to time.¡± ¡°¡­..Good. That way they¡¯ll be completely fooled. In addition to that, I want the wedding to be big and fancy.¡± ¡°What? That was unexpected. I thought you¡¯d want it to be simple.¡± ¡°A grand wedding is every woman¡¯s dream.¡± After falling into this world, I decided to do whatever I wanted without hesitation. So, I won¡¯t be bothered by making selfish requirements that I desired. Suddenly, Emesses said with a smile. ¡°If you fall for me later and cancel the contract, you¡¯re not a real man!¡± The Duke of Scade frowned at her words, which must have been a joke. ¡°What nonsense is that?¡± ¡°Oh, come on. That kind of scenario always happens in most of the novels I have read. Anyway, don¡¯t fall for me and then cling onto me after. I¡¯m leaving without mercy.¡± The Duke looked at his blonde hair and spoke emphatically. ¡°Do you think that kind of scenario will happen with a face like yours?¡± ¡°Bastard¡­..¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Nothing. I must¡¯ve read too many books.¡± ¡°Then, don¡¯t fall in love with me and cling onto me either because that will be annoying.¡± ¡°Haha. That will never happen.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Have you ever heard of the Sampo generation? Try living in the Republic of South Korea. Then, come and tell me if you already want to get married¡­. TL/N ¨C Sampo generation is the generation that gives up on courtship, marriage, and childbirth. However, she couldn¡¯t say those words in this place, so she just replaced them with a possible excuse that makes sense here. ¡°Hmm. Well, I¡¯m not the type to be satisfied with just one man.¡± A dedicated fan of idol groups for 21 years. The performance group that¡¯s in charge of vocals, dance, rap, visuals etc¡­ had just passed by. ¡°What?! More than one man¡­.?!¡± The Duke said, as if he couldn¡¯t believe what she just said. Emesses glared at him. ¡°I see¡­..¡± The Duke replied quickly even though he was reluctant to do so. ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be announcing our engagement right away tomorrow. Then, the wedding will take place in a month. And in exactly a year, we¡¯ll have nothing to do with each other.¡± ¡°I understand, but can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Hey, I haven¡¯t even said the question yet.¡± ¡°So don¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask anyway! Why are you even trying to get married like this?¡± ¡°Just because.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?!!¡± His red eyes shook and flashed, and soon settled calmly, as if he had no intention of revealing his innermost thoughts. ¡°¡­For the freedom of my private life and the peace of my sister¡¯s mind.¡± ¡°Oh! Regarding the freedom of privacy¡­You can¡¯t have an affair with another woman once you have announced our engagement until we divorce.¡± ¡°What the hell is your impression of me¡­!¡± ¡°Not with any other man then!¡± ¡°What? Hey¡­!¡± ¡°You¡¯re cute, Duke.¡± Emesses laughed, saying, ¡°You look so cute when you¡¯re angry. I was just teasing you since you looked so handsome.¡± It was undeniable that she had decided to marry him, even though it was a contract marriage. That is because she hated the thought of getting married for real to anyone. No matter how handsome he is, a man¡¯s face is not everything. The Count¡¯s son is not even handsome anyway. If I¡¯ll get married to him, I¡¯d rather marry the Duke. Ugly ones are useless. In that aspect, he was the best. As a woman who¡¯s now living her second life, she had nothing else to be afraid of. ¡°It¡¯s Alex.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°My name. Call me Alex.¡± ¡°Then call me Emesses too.¡± ¡°Alright. Ash.¡± ¡°What? I told you that my name is not Ash, it¡¯s Emesses.¡± ¡°I know.¡± So that¡¯s how a marriage contract was formed between me and the Duke who can¡¯t even say my name right. Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¨C A Life Without Purpose The last thirty-six years of Heeyeon¡¯s life had not been particularly fortunate. She had lived with an indifferent husband and needlessly rude in-laws, and her parents nagged her endlessly as if she was their sounding board for all their complaints with life. There was also the matter of her colleagues who never missed an opportunity to stab her in the back. Her children felt like a burden, but she was too afraid to say it out loud for fear of censure. Nobody could really understand. Her husband might have as he should have, but he was too busy with his own affairs and expecting favor after favor from Heeyeon to pay attention to what a struggle motherhood was for her. Heeyeon was barely getting by in life, what with all these tangled, messy and complicated relationships surrounding her. Perhaps they were the reason she had picked up the habit of saying, ¡°I¡¯m sick of this,¡± every now and then. She wondered when life had become so intolerably boring. Every day in her life seemed to drain the energy out of her like a parasite. Her life after marriage had become a nightmarish reality, one where she was failing an exam as there was no right answer to the problems. Her life repeated a mundane cycle of work and home and Heeyeon was rapidly nearing exhaustion. Today was another one of those days. She boarded the elevator holding a bag of compost with her gloved hand. A warm and dry breeze swept the hair off Heeyeon¡¯s eyes as she approached the steps leading outside her building. The breeze felt comforting and she looked up at the night sky almost subconsciously. Though the night was cloudless, not a single star could be seen. The waning crescent of the moon lit up the ground weakly, as did the streetlight. As she walked toward the dumpsters, she looked around her, noticing the cozily lit apartments and their warmly decorated balconies. The night was quiet except for the rustling of the young leaves that seemed to be enjoying the breeze as much as she was. Heeyeon let out a deep sigh. ¡°I wonder what is the purpose of my life,¡± she said out loud to no one. Having disposed of the bag of compost, she took her time walking back to the apartment. She walked to her building and stopped right under her balcony and looked up. Her apartment seemed similarly cozy to the others, and yet Heeyeon felt a sense of dread looking at it. Instead of security, her home seemed to elicit a sense of imprisonment in her heart. Nevertheless, she soldiered on as there was an endless list of tasks still to be completed that evening. Heeyeon put her kids to bed, then made a weak attempt at cleaning the living room. She managed to do all the dishes and caught up with some menial tasks that her husband would never help with. Dedicated to finish her chores, she didn¡¯t realize when it was already past midnight. That was usually when her weeknights ended. Every night Heeyeon would pass out from fatigue and begin a new day with the same tasks and the same drudgery. Maybe it was her predictable future and the repeated nature of her chores that made way for her frustration, but that evening Heeyeon decided to make a stop at the bench near the entrance to the apartment. A cherry tree provided sweet escape from the blazing heat. ¡®I¡¯ll take just 5 minutes for myself.¡¯ Being five minutes late should not flip her world upside down, and being five minutes early would not make her husband and kids more appreciative of her. Heeyeon sighed. It had been eleven years of being trapped in this cycle of work, parenting, and forced relationships. Her relationship with her husband had long since withered, and Heeyeon believed she did not know her husband any longer. It was like living with a stranger. She didn¡¯t know if all marriages turned similarly sour after a time, but social media stories seemed to tell a different story. The little bit of time she had for herself on the commute to and from work, Heeyeon spent it on her smartphone. ¡°I guess this means not every man in Korea is like that.¡± The relationship with her husband was one-sided, and he did not bother to show her any consideration just because she was his life. He seemed to want to stick around because of the convenience Heeyeon provided by being there and completing all his chores without complaint. This same dutifulness made her feel humiliated often. The rare moments of intimacy that came out of nowhere would end before Heeyeon could really acknowledge the excitement, and as always it was expected of her to make up for any shortcomings or unsatisfied desires. Disappointed by her marital life, she had stopped trying to open herself up with him. Couples who suffered from sexual incompatibility often cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for divorce. But Heeyeon¡¯s marriage was not failing just because of an unsatisfactory conjugal relationship alone. The simplest and most benign of arguments would make her think of divorce. On such days, she often recalled the words of a divorced friend, ¡°Heeyeon, you should never get divorced. From the divorce you see the lowest and worst side to that person¡­it¡¯s something one should never willingly put oneself through¡±. ¡®I want to just escape. Simply disappear one day.¡¯ Chapter 2 - Is This a Dream? Chapter 2 ¨C Is This a Dream? She wasn¡¯t sure if she could go through the proceedings of a divorce. ¡®No. I have thought about it ten thousand times now, but from an outsider¡¯s point of view, I would appear ungrateful. We work as a family after all. I have food on the table and life is not that hard. That is probably the cause of such devious thoughts. If things were really hard, I wouldn¡¯t even have the time to consider a divorce.¡¯ Though I do feel suffocated all the time. The only problem seemed to be her mindset really. ¡®If I can¡¯t get divorced then for this moment at the very least, I wish I could disappear. How I would love to turn back time. If I could do that, I would never marry!¡¯ The thought of being in charge of the trajectory of her life brought a smile to Heeyeon¡¯s lips. ¡®I should go home. They must be waiting.¡¯ Heeyeon quickly stood up from her seat, dusted herself, and started to walk back. She called the elevator which started to descend from the 10th floor. Level three Level two Level one Ding! The elevator ringed and opened up to a dark space inside. It was a common occurrence for one or two of the lights to go out from time to time. Since it was an old apartment complex, she did not think of it much and stepped inside. The moment the door closed, Heeyeon knew she had made a mistake. The elevator lurched and suddenly dropped. She collapsed with fear and a sinking feeling in her heart. ¡°Help! Did the elevator drop? Is anybody there? Help!!¡± She yelled herself hoarse, believing her life was in danger. Nobody answered her calls, and her surroundings only became quieter. She couldn¡¯t even hear the echo of her voice now. ¡®I was definitely on level one. Is there a basement I never knew about? Even so, I¡¯m sure it can¡¯t be this deep!¡¯ She mustered up the courage to look around, but it was so dark that she couldn¡¯t even see her body. Horror pulsated throughout her body like a current of electricity. She was covered in goosebumps and hot tears made their way down her cheeks. It was not just the darkness. Something was off, but she couldn¡¯t place her finger on it. She called for help again as the elevator continued to fall. After an indeterminable amount of time, she thought she could make out some faint light coming in from behind the doors. The light seemed to grow brighter and Heeyeon covered her eyes when it became painfully bright inside. A moment that had felt like forever had finally passed, and when Heeyeon opened her eyes again, she was not alone. It felt warm and almost cozy now. * A friendly voice almost sang to her. ¡°Wake up, my lady. It¡¯s morning. Did you sleep well. The master and mistress await your presence downstairs for breakfast. We need to get you ready.¡± ¡®My lady? Who is this? Where am I?¡¯ She blinked away her confusion while staring at this rather friendly person who was calling out to her while referring to as ¡®my lady¡¯. Her attention was drawn away by the high ceilings decorated in gilded leaves and detailed floral patterns. Heeyeon realized she was in a bed, and was momentarily frozen in confusion and fear. When she gave no sign of moving, the calm and youthful voice repeated itself. ¡°Hurry up, my lady. We need to go.¡± ¡®My lady?¡¯ Heeyon jumped out of the foreign bed and looked around in amazement. Her surroundings seemed reminiscent of the books she had read in school. ¡®It is like I have suddenly arrived in the worlds of Madame Bovary or Jane Eyre. Everything is so antique here.¡¯ The bedroom was fitted luxuriously, and yet was designed almost to modern tastes. The woman who had been insisting she wake up was dressed just like the women in the period movies she saw on television. Heeyeon spotted a mirror with intricate leaf-like patterns on the borders and rushed to it. She jumped back on catching her reflection. She was not herself. Something was very wrong. All of a sudden, she had grown copper curls and her eyes had turned almost emerald. A button-like nose now occupied the center of her face and her lips seemed naturally peachy instead of their usual pale color. Nothing of her current appearance was like her original self. ¡®What had happened to her? What was going on? Is this a dream? This doesn¡¯t make sense. I must be dreaming.¡¯ Heeyeon wanted to wake up. She slapped her cheeks, fully expecting to wake up in her cold and dreadful apartment building. Except, her slap left a stinging sensation, and she was still stuck in that foreign dream. She continued slapping herself. ¡°Wake up, wake up, come on! Come to your senses. Wake up!¡± ¡°My lady? What¡¯s wrong? You are already awake.¡± ¡°Arghhh!¡± Heeyeon was now frustrated with this dream. She was also almost frightened by this woman who had not disappeared after all. Her head hurt and she felt caught between incoherent memories. ¡®Am I in a dream right now? Was this what people meant when their dreams felt real?¡¯ The other woman¡¯s kind hand on her shoulder felt too real for this to be a dream. All of it felt too real, and Heeyeon¡¯s thirty-six years of life felt like a dream instead. She cradled her aching head and mumbled helplessly. ¡°Where am I?¡± Heeyeon had whispered, but the woman seemed to have heard and replied swiftly. ¡°My lady, what¡¯s wrong? You are Countess Lohikin. You behave so oddly today, I am confused. We must hurry and get you dressed. I would not like to see the Master scold you again.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Oh my! Have you forgotten me in a single night? I am Yellie! I attend to you every day. Do you feel ill? Do you have a fever?¡± Chapter 3 - First Mistake Chapter 3 ¨C First Mistake ¡®What happened to me? Where am I¡¯ She was desperately trying to sort things out in her head and to get a grip on her emotions when a girl, ¡®Yellie¡¯, placed her hand on her bent head. Heeyeon looked up at her and saw genuine concern in her eyes. ¡®Count Lohikin? Yellie? Attend¡­.to me? She couldn¡¯t make sense of what the woman was trying to tell her; she tried to recall the names of the characters in the novel that she had been reading. ¡®But there was nobody called Lohikin or Yellie.¡¯ ¡®Is this not a novel? Then¡­ where am I?¡¯ Even as she frantically moved her head sideways to look at her surroundings, trying to figure out if they seemed even vaguely familiar, the maid Yellie, managed to steadily comb her tangled hair and tie them neatly with a navy-coloured ribbon. As she helped her into a light blue chiffon dress, it occurred to Heeyeon that Yellie must have prepared the clothes, the night before. The dress had an off-shoulder neckline, decorated with lace and looked beautiful. Yellie then escorted a bewildered Heeyeon out of the bedroom, into the hallway of the mansion. Her mistress looked lost¡ªHeeyeon was taken aback by the decor; she had never seen anything so exquisite before. Pieces of decorations that hinted at the mansion¡¯s antiquity. Adding to that, hallways were made more enchanting by evenly spaced out glass windows creating patterns on the carpet as the sun shined brightly through them. Outside the window, she saw spring in full bloom as the branches of large trees swayed lightly in the wind, in a neat and well-kept garden. Although she was witnessing this scene in front of her for the first time, she could have sworn that it felt familiar to her. Her head moved from one side to the other, taking in the details of her surroundings as she followed Yellie into the dining hall. Just as they were approaching the dining hall, Yellie mentioned that ¡®Young master Matin and Young Miss Merrild had had a fight this morning. So, the Countess is not in a good mood; best that you be careful today and do nothing to aggravate her temper.¡¯ She nodded, suddenly feeling anxiety creep up her back. Upon entering the dining hall, she instantly recognized Count Lohikin, as the middle aged man and a lady seated next to him as the Countess; she looked younger than the him and had hair the same color she had seen, a few minutes ago on herself in the mirror. Next to the two, were a girl and a boy younger than herself, presumably Merrild and Matin, who awaited their turns to greet the Count and Countess with a kiss on the cheek. Both of them looked up at her arrival; Merrild smiled in greeting, genuinely happy to see her while Matin grinned mischievously, at her. At once, she could tell he was a naughty boy. ¡®Count Lohikin must have two daughters and one son; I must be the eldest.¡¯ The Count called out to her as she stood at the door, staring blankly at them. ¡°If you¡¯re here, come in and sit down. Are you going to keep standing there?¡± The count¡¯s tone of voice was both gentle and firm. ¡°Ah¡­! Yes.¡± She said, flustered. As she took a seat consciously, the maids standing by, came to life and started to serve delicious-looking food. ¡°Amethyst. I can¡¯t believe you overslept. You¡¯re already twenty years old¡­ As a mother, I worry that you will continue doing so even when you are married.¡± ¡®So, my name must be Amethyst. But if I am twenty now¡­ Oh my god! I¡¯m sixteen years younger now?! Yaayy!¡¯ She hadn¡¯t dared to ask Yellie her name and age; it would be even more suspicious since she kept saying Amethyst was being odd today¡­ What a relief I found out naturally! ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. I will be more careful in the future.¡± She replied more cheerfully than she had intended. ¡°Hmm? How unlike you, to use honorifics. Are you still mad about what happened yesterday?¡± ¡®Oh no¡­, mistake no. 1!¡¯ Amethyst did some quick thinking to cover her slip and while speaking, prayed that she sounded authentic and believable. ¡°Ah¡­.! Not really¡­.I mean I¡¯m older now¡­..so I just thought I should be more careful with my words¡­.¡± That¡¯s when she decided to remain silent as much as possible. ¡®Remember, speak only when spoken to. No more than required.¡¯ She chanted in her head. Carefully lifting the spoon, she brought the clear creamy soup to her lips, hoping not to attract any more attention. The warm soup was delicious! It suddenly reminded her of how hungry she was, and she quickly spooned some more. ¡°Tsk tsk. Since we are on the topic. You¡¯re already twenty years old and there¡¯s the thing we talked about the other day.¡± Count Lohikin broke the silence and Heeyeon only looked at her with piqued interest. It¡¯s about time we start looking for your partner. ¡°I heard that the second son of Marquis Crenson¡¯s son recently finished his studies in the academy. I¡¯m not sure if you are aware but Marquis Crenson¡¯s son is skilled in his swordsmanship and has good looks as well. We have decided to set a date soon, you should know¡­start getting ready..,¡± ¡°No!¡± A horrified expression and the word had automatically burst out of her mouth, even before Count Lohikin could finish his sentence. Chapter 4 - A Land Called Seh Chapter 4 ¨C A Land Called Sehar ¡®I know very well what it means by setting a date!¡¯ Everyone was startled by her raised voice and stared at her in disapproval. ¡®Oh god¡­ mistake number 2!¡¯ To mend the current situation, she spoke gently and calmly with her head bowed as her face flamed red with embarrassment. ¡°Well. That is¡­ I don¡¯t have any intention of getting married any time soon. No, to be exact I don¡¯t want to get married. So please pretend that the arrangement with the Marquis¡­or his son never happened.¡± ¡°Amethyst, what are you talking about! Just yesterday morning you were doing all sorts of¡­ahem, things, asking us to set you up for marriage.¡± ¡°Well¡­I thought about it again and I don¡¯t see the need anymore. So please, just pretend it never happened and reject the proposal. I beg of you.¡± ¡°What? What sort of nonsense is this?!¡± ¡°Please¡­ I beg of you.¡± She adopted a desperate and pitiful look which made Count Lohikin glare at her in disbelief. It was a look that she understood completely as an adult; he was taken aback by the change of attitude in his daughter within such a short time. Even so, he wanted to hold up his dignity and did not want to reprimand his daughter in front of the servants. ¡°Ahem, let¡¯s finish our meal first.¡± He started to calmly eat his breakfast again, but Amethyst couldn¡¯t, she felt like her head was going to burst. ¡®I feel so sorry for the count but it¡¯s been barely an hour since I arrived in this world. And to think, marriage all of a sudden¡­¡¯ She shuddered from within. ¡®Of course, it isn¡¯t Count Lohikin¡¯s fault; how was he to know that I am sick of marriage after 11 years of it?¡¯ ¡®My ecstasy at having escaped my miserable life has come to an abrupt halt when here, in this alternate world, I am met with the same fate.¡¯ To Amethyst, the only viable alternative, just then, was running away. She excused herself saying she had a headache, quickly vacated her seat, and returned to her bedroom. After her departure, the countess remarked with concern. ¡°It seems like her body condition is not too good lately.¡± ¡°It seems so. You should pay more attention.¡± ¡°I will.¡± The two continued their conversation and their meal; Merrild and Matin following their example, did the same. * [At the beginning of time, dark clouds covered the sky and settled down turning the whole world into darkness. Humans that had previously been mere insignificant creatures, started to conduct sacrificial rites. Soon a beautiful goddess with red eyes and sparkling platinum hair came down from the dark sky. She was known as Frosty, and as she took her first step on the earth, the black clouds that had enveloped the world in darkness disappeared forever, restoring glory. Greenery bloomed wherever she stepped and sooner, this land was called ¡®Sehar¡¯. From then on, the humans worshiped the goddess and learned reason, intelligence, and all the knowledge a human could learn. They established a kingdom by making descendants of a king, forming a nation. That was the beginning of the Sehar Kingdom. With the beginning of the kingdom, the goddess turned herself into a world tree and fell asleep in the kingdom of Sehar forever.] ¡°Turned herself into a world tree and fell asleep¡­? Are they referring to an arboretum?¡± Amethyst muttered to herself while holding a book titled ¡®History of the Sehar Kingdom¡¯. Fortunately for her, there were books in the Count¡¯s library to study the history of this place and she had decided to avail the opportunity. Nonetheless, she couldn¡¯t understand how she was able to read the words that looked like twisted black threads; so far she had found out that this was a world where magic existed and she was currently in the Sehar Kingdom. And based on the book , ¡®A noble lineage book every lady should read¡¯, she found out about the existence of a class of society headed by the king and his royal family, and a simple genealogy of the current noble families. Another rather unhelpful fact she had found out was that in Sehar, the best age for a girl to get married was immediately after 18. ¡®Great!¡¯ She had muttered to herself, bitterly. Despite being of marriageable age, the reason why Amethyst was still without a promising partner seemed mainly due to her looks, she thought. Amethyst was definitely not a beauty; she had double eyelids but they were faint. Her hazel-shaped eyes, round and stubby nose, thin lips, and severely tangled curly hair, would hardly make any man¡¯s heart flutter. Even when it was evaluated separately nothing seemed to stand out. Her only asset was her clear skin that had no freckles or pimples. ¡°Tsk, wherever I go, people are after looks.¡± She subconsciously clicked her tongue, grumbling to herself. ¡®I¡¯m not certain but if I am in a novel, it¡¯s not one I¡¯ve read before; it¡¯s not a name I remember. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of a place called the Sehar kingdom¡­ and even if I was in a story, I¡¯m not the heroine, am I? Or maybe¡­¡¯ ¡®Have I moved into a different dimension and possessed another person to live their life? Although this reality seems less plausible¡­¡¯ She tried to collect her thoughts; she wasn¡¯t sure how she came to this place but she had to live the life of the twenty year old Amethyst instead of her thirty-six year old self, and she never knew when she might return to her original world so she should live as discreetly as possible. ¡°Will I¡­be able to do it?¡± Chapter 5 - A Land Called Sehar (2) Chapter 5 ¨C A Land Called Sehar (2) ¡®How am I supposed to accept this current situation? What am I to do?¡¯ Her head was a whirlwind of chaos; thinking about her situation made her feel so confused and agitated, she was on the verge of bursting into sobs. ¡®I bet there¡¯s a big commotion there. It has been some time¡­ I wonder how the kids are doing. I wonder if they are asleep? Are they be looking for me?¡¯ Maybe not¡­. ¡®My existence, after all, was irrelevant.¡¯ ¡®Nobody had ever missed me¡­ Not even my own family¡¯ Her heart broke and a hammering headache took over her as these melancholy thoughts came to mind. ¡®I need to pull myself together. I need to focus on the now. She scolded herself. After all, this strange, new life in this unfamiliar land was all I have.¡¯ The themes of the novels she had enjoyed reading often dealt with topics like possession, dimensional shifts and such; based on her knowledge of those, she felt confident that she could get by. Perhaps, if she dared to introspect, she might find that she could be¡­ happy. ¡®I should be,¡¯ she firmly told herself. ¡®Not many people get to live new lives.¡¯ Moreover, she was just twenty, she had her whole life ahead of her. She could do or be anything she liked. ¡®Maybe god really took pity on me and gave me a new opportunity. Yes, I need to think of it as a vacation. If this is a novel, I can use it as a means to start a fresh!¡¯ ¡®I might not be the heroine of the story, but I will live an equally awesome life.¡¯ ¡®It is a waste of time to try to figure out if this was a novel or a shift in dimensions. I will live in the moment and take things as they come.¡¯ Filled with optimism and determination to make the best of the fate dealt to her, she could see the days ahead of her fill with excitement and adventure. ¡®What should I do first? I should adapt, as quickly as possible.¡¯ Amazingly, she was able to read the words and speak this world¡¯s language, so the situation was under control. ¡®Under control¡­¡¯ the phrase cheered her up immensely. She was in control of her fate. She would choose what would happen to her from now on. She had never been religious but right now, her joy at realizing the full potential of this extraordinary gift, made her want to thank any god. Strategizing, she decided her first and foremost task would be to adapt quickly to this situation. She would no longer dwell on why and how she got here. After all, thinking about it wasn¡¯t going to solve anything. ¡®I should probably talk to the Count in person.¡¯ Yellie, who had been cautiously observing Amethyst as she stood by, interrupted her thoughts as she asked, ¡°Miss, just yesterday, you caused such a ruckus saying you wanted to get married, but now you don¡¯t want to¡­what made you change your mind? The master went through so much trouble to find a suitable match for you and yet¡­perhaps do you not like the son of the Marquis of Crenson anymore?¡± Amethyst, who had been resting on a luxurious couch placed in one corner of her bedroom, looked at her. ¡®Since I¡¯ve decided to make an effort and fit in, I should establish a rapport with the maid who attends to me.¡¯ ¡°I have no reason to like or dislike someone who I¡¯ve never met before.¡± ¡°Then, is there anyone else you like? Considering your¡­age?¡± Yellie abruptly cut off her sentence, realizing she had blurted out her innermost thoughts. Sensing her delicate mention of age, it occurred to Amethyst that a 20-year-old woman, in this land called Sehar, is probably regarded as an old virgin, one that is nearing to be on the shelf. She sighed. ¡®Imagine the irony, when to me twenty feels like the prime of life!¡¯ However, to Yellie, Amethyst replied with a deliberate carelessness, as if she were unperturbed by any of society¡¯s conventions. ¡°Yellie, yesterday I had a¡­ dream. It was an awfully scary dream.¡± ¡°A dream?¡± ¡°Yes. It felt more like a premonition. Or maybe it was a nightmare¡­.it was so traumatic¡­I can¡¯t tell you. However, that dream had cemented my resolve. I do not intend to get married any time soon. I hope you won¡¯t mention marriage in front of me.¡± ¡°But¡­ a dream is just a dream. What kind of dream did you have?¡± For a moment, I wonder if she would believe me if I told her the truth. ¡®That I was a thirty-six-year old woman married for eleven years.¡¯ But she probably will brush it aside saying it was too absurd even for a dream. ¡°Well¡­in any case, don¡¯t even mention the word in front of me.¡± Making it clear that she no longer wanted the conversation to continue, Amethyst closed her eyes and went back to her thoughts. ¡®I wonder which one is the dream?¡¯ ¡®The life of the thirty-six years old Heeyeon? Or the twenty years old Amethyst? Was one of them dreaming of the other?¡¯ ¡®If this world was the real one and I really am Amethyst, then first and foremost, I need to resolve the issue of my impending marriage.¡¯ Leaving Amethyst to her thoughts, Yellie quietly left the room. Just as she had closed the door, Countess Lohikin, who had been wandering in the corridor in front of the room, hurriedly beckoned Yellie. ¡°Yellie, did you manage to ask her? Why is Amethyst suddenly acting that way? I¡¯m sure you remember just yesterday¡­¡± Yellie waited patiently for the Countess to finish speaking and she replied hesitantly. ¡°Well¡­ Madam, she said she had a nightmare. And I think she thinks of it as a premonition.¡± ¡°A dream¡­?! A premonition? That¡¯s it? So, did she share the contents of her dream?¡± ¡°No Madam, the lady didn¡¯t share any more details.¡± Sensing that the countess longed to press her for more details, Yellie excused herself saying that she knew nothing more and had something to discuss with the kitchen staff. Chapter 6 - A Doting Father (1) Chapter 6 ¨C A Doting Father (1) That night, Amethyst was requested by Count Lohikin for a private audience. And it was not long ¡®till she found herself knocking at his door. ¡°Come in.¡± As she entered she looked at the room, smell of old wood, smoke, and a faint floral scent from the flowers that emanated from the vase on the table wafted up her nostrils. She took a seat at the plush chair in front of his desk, across from him. He was her father, but she had no idea what to expect from him, which made her nervous. Her own father, the one she knew, had never been affectionate. Grim and cold, he was the typical patriarchal figure, deep-rooted in his opinions, refusing to tolerate anything other than what they believe to be right. ¡®I won¡¯t be surprised if the Count is exactly like that. I really expect no miracles from men.¡¯ ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± Count Lohikin simply looked at his daughter who appeared far from her usual self. Somehow, she could feel the warmth in his gaze and felt herself subconsciously relaxing. ¡®So he did care for Amethyst.¡¯ ¡°Father, like I said this morning, I have no desire to marry. I¡¯d like to be clear on that matter. I hope you will decline the marriage proposal to marry into the family of the Marquis of Crenson.¡± Count Lohikin¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise but he otherwise remained calm. She couldn¡¯t tell if he were displeased with her resistance or impressed. ¡°But this is completely different from what you said yesterday. Do you realise that?¡± ¡®Oh god. Right, yesterday¡­ Just what had Amethyst done the day before?¡¯ ¡®But hold on, there was no need for me to forcefully bring up something I don¡¯t know anything about. I can just bypass that!¡¯ ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sure this puts father in a difficult position. But I am most certain that I want to decline this marriage.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Count Lohikin silently stroked his beard, apparently deep in thought. ¡°Actually¡­I understand to some extent why you caused a scene. I¡¯m sure you felt impatient after hearing the news of your friend Marai¡¯s engagement.¡± ¡®Marai? Who is that? Anyway, I really don¡¯t care at all whether she gets married or not, as long as it isn¡¯t me.¡¯ Please God, don¡¯t let it be me. ¡°Honestly, I felt a little upset when you caused a scene¡­¡± Count Lohikin couldn¡¯t stop the chuckle that escaped his lips as he recalled his precious daughter¡¯s stunt just the day before. ¡°Perhaps this is for the better. If that is how you feel, then so be it. I only expect one thing. That is your happiness.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Amethyst was speechless with delight. ¡®Hallelujah!¡¯ He was an ideal father, the kind that often appeared in morning dramas as the heroine¡¯s father, always considerate of his daughter¡¯s wishes. ¡®Well, well, well¡­Who knew fathers like that could exist? Now, I have one like that of my own!¡¯ She was convinced this new life of hers was a gift from God, a compensation for all the miseries she had faced in her past life. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll talk to Marquis Crenson.¡± ¡°Thank you, father.¡± Amethyst grinned at him in gratitude. However, to her surprise, the count started to frown. Did her reaction somehow made Lohikin upset? ¡°They say when daughters grow up, they don¡¯t like to associate with their fathers as much, so I guess that¡¯s what we are going through now. My little girl seems to be keeping her distance from me more and more¡­¡± Count Lohikin said forlornly, looking at his eldest child with affection. ¡®Ah, they must have gotten along well. I¡¯m not surprised.¡¯ ¡°No. That¡¯s not true.¡± ¡°Even this morning you forgot your morning greeting¡­and you don¡¯t smile much these days¡­¡± ¡®Morning greeting? Oh¡­Was he referring to the kiss on the cheek I saw Merrild and Matin do, this morning? Oh my. Their relationship must have been more than just good. She was definitely on better terms with her father than I had expected.¡¯ To think that this cool-headed middle-aged man was in low spirits because of his daughter¡¯s lack of greeting. Amethyst felt a pang of guilt for causing that. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to forget it tomorrow.¡± Looking at Amethyst¡¯s smile, the count looked convinced, ¡°Alright. Is there anything else you want to say?¡± ¡°Ah! I have a favour to ask you, father.¡± ¡°A favour?¡± ¡°Yes. I was wondering if I could get a tutor.¡± ¡°A tutor?¡± ¡°Yes. Can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Well it¡¯s not difficult to get you one, but you¡¯ve already graduated from the academy.¡± ¡®Oops. Mistake no. 3¡¯ ¡®Does that mean I¡¯ve already graduated from school? But I still have so much I need to learn about this world. If I keep asking Yellie she¡¯s going to think I¡¯ve gone mad.¡¯ ¡°Well¡­I want to learn things I didn¡¯t learn while I was at the academy.¡± ¡°For example?¡± Wherever you go, what you learn in school is about the same. I¡¯m sure the same applies to this world; I must have studied only academic subjects. After all, in my past life, schools didn¡¯t teach me about how to survive when one steps put of society. ¡°¡­I want to learn more about the world.¡± ¡°What?!¡± A bolstering laughter filled the room.¡± Really, you are still an oddball!¡± ¡®W¡­Was I?¡¯ As Count Lohikin laughed out loudly, Amethyst couldn¡¯t help but laugh along. ¡°Alright. I will look into it. Will a cultural tutor do?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Is there anything else you need?¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°Alright. I will be up a little longer as I have things I need to finish some official documents. You go ahead and go to bed.¡± ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t stay up too late.¡± ¡°Alright. Good night.¡± As she turned to leave, Count Lohikin coughed, looking at Amethyst expectantly. ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± ¡®Hmm, what was this? What¡¯s with those expectant eyes? Could it be¡­? ¡®Ah¡¯. Amethyst smiled as she stood up from her seat and carefully pecked Count Lohikin¡¯s cheek. ¡°Good night.¡± For Amethyst it felt awkward but the Count seemed satisfied and happy. Chapter 7 - A Doting Father (2) Chapter 7 ¨C A Doting Father (2) The next day with Yellie¡¯s help, Amethyst was able to reach the dining room on time. As usual, the Lohikin couple was already there and waiting. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She answered with a smile. She had already sat down in her chair, when recalling yesterday¡¯s conversation with the Count, she stood up and approached the couple, awkwardly kissing each of them on the cheek and sat back down in her chair. ¡®Wow, I can feel my two cheeks burning up.¡¯ Next, Matin ran into the dining room, kissed the both of them and quickly rushed to his seat. ¡°Matin, what did I say about running in the dining room?¡± The Countess gently reprimanded Matin and turned to the Count. ¡°Darling, you should tell him off firmly sometimes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He won¡¯t listen to me anymore.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do that.¡± Count Lohikin and Matin both exchanged a look and shrugged their shoulders. Merrild was the last to be seated, and breakfast began; today, there was a fresh salad topped with roasted meat, clear soup and soft bread. While eating the meat from her salad, Amethyst listened in on the conversation between the Count and the Countess. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you were going to work today for the loan approval case?¡± Work? Interested, Amethyst discreetly gave rapt attention to the information being exchanged in the table. ¡°Oh, right. Yes. I will go in the morning.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a lot of work just hire more people.¡± ¡°Even so, the loan approval case is up to me since I am the final approver.¡± ¡°Hmm, I suppose you are right.¡± ¡°Fortunately, there isn¡¯t much this week. It¡¯s just difficult to review that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°If you are tired, I can help you a little¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s alright. You¡¯re busy as it is. Even after leaving the palace you still have a stack load of work to catch up on in your office.¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s true but¡­¡± ¡®This must be a dual-income household, I gather.¡¯ ¡®Since Countess Lohikin mentioned that she is the final approver, she must be someone of oimportant role. Speaking of loans, maybe¡­she is the head of a bank?¡¯ Last night, Count Lohikin mentioned official documents and now they¡¯re referring to the palace as his place of work. So, he must be working for the nation, and her mother seemed to own a bank. It was no doubt that Amethyst was born with a silver spoon. In the time that Amethyst had been here, the count and countess seemed to be an ideal couple, affectionate and respectful towards each other and to their children. Even after years of marriage, the count paid his wife the attention she deserved. This made Amethyst mull about her marriage in her past life¡­ Suddenly, she heard her husband¡¯s voice once again. ¡®What difference does it make, whether you know or not?¡¯ ¡®Just give it to me when I ask for it. Why are you being so nosy and trying to know everything?¡¯ ¡®You should be able to deal with things on your own. Do I have to tell you everything?¡¯ ¡­those condescending and dismissive tones, how her opinion never seemed to matter at all, she shuddered at the reminder. The Lohikin¡¯s marriage was the exact opposite of hers; full of genuine respect and affection for each other. This was advantageous from Amethyst¡¯ perspectives. Belonging to a privileged family of high social standing, no man would be able to disrespect or ill-treat her. ¡®The real twenty-year old Amethyst would never even realize what a boon that is!¡¯ * A few days later, Amethyst was able to meet the tutor and liberal arts teacher she had requested of her father. He was young and slim, looking more like a good-looking engineering university student, than a liberal arts tutor. ¡°Hello, Miss Lohikin. I am Froy.¡± ¡°Yes. Nice to meet you.¡± Amethyst still struggled to adopt her new identity at times; since she was unable to introduce herself as Heeyeon, the way she used to, she skipped the introduction altogether. Even though this was rude behaviour, Froy didn¡¯t seem to mind. ¡°I heard from the Count that you wanted to learn more about the world?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Froy¡¯s eyes gleamed with interest as he considered her. ¡°You truly are different from the other ladies.¡± ¡°Is¡­is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. It is not a common thought amongst young noble ladies.¡± ¡°I have a very curious personality.¡± ¡°I see. So, what are you curious about the world? I will do my best to teach you everything I know.¡± ¡®Phew. What a relief he is not the prying sort!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯d like to know more about the empire.¡± ¡°The empire¡­ I¡¯m sure you already know about its history, but I suppose we should start there. The Sehar Empire is a nation formed under the blessing of the Goddess Frostin. The goddess shined a light on the world which was full of darkness¡­.¡± ¡°No, not that kind of vain history.¡± This remark of hers elicited an extraordinary response from him; his eyes widened as he burst out laughing, clearly surprised and amused. After what seemed like eternity to Amethyst, his laughter subsided and he spoke, wiping a tear from his eye. ¡°Oh, dear God. Vain? Please don¡¯t say something like that elsewhere. You will be arrested for insulting divinity.¡± Amethyst¡¯s face flushed red with embarrassment. ¡°Noted.¡± ¡°Alright. Then besides its vain history what else are you curious about in the empire?¡± Amethyst decided to cut beating around the bush and blurted out, ¡°In the empire is it a must to get married?¡± Chapter 8 - The Bloody Duke (1) Chapter 8 ¨C The Bloody Duke (1) Although his eyebrows shot up in surprise, he answered calmly. ¡°You do understand that it is a very odd question to ask?¡± Amethyst nodded. Froy may think it a frivolous question, but to her, it was of utmost importance; her life and future depended on his answer. ¡°Normally when women turn eighteen, they celebrate a coming-of-age ceremony and decide on their partnerships. However, within the empire, marriage is a free choice. There is no law mandating you to get married.¡± She felt the heavy burden of her impending doom slowly lift off her heart. However, there was another thing she needed clarified. ¡°Then¡­in the empire, how are women ranked?¡± Observing the Lohikin couple, she had hypothesized that men and women had equal rights, but she couldn¡¯t be sure if this applied only to the Lohikin household. Based on the books she had read before from world history, literature, novels, the women had always fewer rights as compared to men. This world seemed to be a mix of the modern and medieval and if it wasn¡¯t anything different from the world she knew, she imagined she was bound to be restricted. To her it was imperative that she have as much information as she possibly could to differentiate the things she could and should not do and act accordingly. ¡°Hmm¡­that¡¯s too broad. Do you have an example?¡± ¡®Oh. The answer must be very complicated.¡¯ Amethyst thought hard about what to say next; how to adequately articulate what she wanted to know from Froy. The life of a woman, as she was familiar with, was meant to live as someone else¡¯s slave. The world may be changing rapidly and granting women their dues, but the majority of women like her, who were neither assertive nor talented with nothing to call their own, implicitly belonged to their father if they were not married, then to their husband when they were, and to their children, once they became parents; not realizing what they want and living a life of silent submission. Exactly like me. ¡°Are women allowed to travel alone, or¡­go overseas for higher studies, or open their own businesses, or are they restricted in their workplace? How do men react to women?¡± ¡°You¡­are asking really odd questions, are you aware?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She was well-aware of just how absurd these questions might sound to him, but the answers to these were absolutely vital to her. ¡®Since my youth, I have lived my whole life on terms dictated by my father until I was married; I wasn¡¯t able to freely go on a graduation trip with my friends because he didn¡¯t allow it. If I ever didn¡¯t abide by the curfew set by him, the rage of a fiery dragon was unleashed in the house.¡¯ ¡®Nothing changed even after I got married. The role simply was passed on from my father to my husband; it was his approval I sought to meet friends, or even to visit my own parents.¡¯ ¡®It was never ¡°I¡¯m going to my parents¡± but always ¡°Can I go visit my parents?¡±¡¯ ¡®Looking back now, I wonder why it was that way.¡¯ And the moment she became a mother, her children became the centre of her universe, she pushed her wants and needs aside to cater to them, willingly accepting this fate. ¡®When did I ever live for myself?¡¯ She was lost in the thoughts of her past life, a tear on the verge of dropping onto her cheek, when Froy¡¯s voice broke her reverie. ¡°The Sehar empire is under the law of the Emperor. And anyone, regardless of their status or rank is able to get a job, start their own business and travel overseas to study or for leisure. But of course, there are exceptions.¡± ¡°Exceptions?¡± Amethyst¡¯s body tensed up at the mention of an exception. ¡®Was he perhaps referring to a married woman?¡¯ ¡°Except slaves. But since your lady is not a slave, you are free to do whatever you wish.¡± ¡®In my world, married woman and slaves were synonyms. I hope that¡¯s not the case here¡­¡¯ ¡°Oh! Slaves?¡± ¡°Yes. Slaves are those who are owned by others. As such, without their owner¡¯s approval they are not allowed to travel or have their own job or start a business. Hmm, but slavery has been abolished, so now the only remaining are the government official slaves.¡± ¡®Thank god!¡¯ ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Even though they are slaves and are not allowed complete freedom, they are not treated poorly. They are paid for their fair labor. If they want to go for a holiday, they only need to ask their owners.¡± ¡°Oh¡­I see.¡± Is this what they call modern slavery? Well, that was exactly what my life was like not too long ago. Maybe because their belief was in a goddess or because their ruler was a female, at least they didn¡¯t seem to treat women poorly here. To be more accurate, it seemed that this place was neither a patriarchal society nor a matriarchal society. ¡°I want to know more in detail about the empire¡¯s royal and noble families.¡± ¡°The current empire is ruled by her Majesty Belice. Below are two royal families, one of which is the Duke of Skad, the only kinship of the present Emperor.¡± T/N: The emperor here is a female. The Sehar Empire has a hierarchy of social standing, ranking from the emperor, the two royal families, aristocrats, wizards, knights, commoners, free people, down to the slaves. The Skads and Rodens were long-established families that supplemented the emperor ever since the Sehar Empire¡¯s beginning. Among them, the Skad family was the most prestigious family that was most similar in power and authority to the emperor. In fact, the 23rd Duke of Skad was the only blood relative and the younger brother of the reigning emperor¡ªhis name was Alexcent Frostin du Skad. Chapter 9 - The Bloody Duke (2) Chapter 9 ¨C The Bloody Duke (2) In the Sehar Empire, by the blessing of the goddess, a princess would always be born as an only daughter once every few decades. This princess would then be crowned. As such, there were no blood baths for succession, the country was stable and hence, had potential to develop into a great empire, achieving a peaceful era even until today. On rare occasions, after a female heir to the throne was born, a male would be born but as soon as the princess was crowned the emperor, he would depart from the palace. And while being treated as an imperial family member, he would stay in a position that served to aid the emperor. Even such cases were rare so there were very few people with platinum hair and red eyes which was the traits of the royal family. The previous Emperor was the only one in history, since the founding of the Sehar empire, to give birth to fraternal twins. Belice became the current emperor and ruled the empire at the age of twenty-one. As for the Prince Alexcent, he took over the title of the 22nd Duke of and later on, became the 23rd Duke and Prince of Skad. Empress Belice had a bigger dilemma than her government affairs. Her one and only younger brother was now being referred to as the ¡°blood duke.¡± He seemed to have no plans of getting married and was absorbed only in his work. The duke was famously known not only within the empire but even in other nations, as a work addict. If one of the two families that support the Sehar Empire collapsed or the successor disappeared, it wasn¡¯t just the emperor that was in danger. The entire Sehar Empire could be shaken up. In a way the duke¡¯s marriage was more important than the emperor¡¯s. * Empress Belice, who had been signing the documents piled up in the office, asked Karune, her first secretary standing in front of her. ¡°Hmm¡­any news from that side?¡± ¡°No, your majesty. As you know he is rather stubborn. If he was one to follow orders, he would never have caused us this predicament in the first place.¡± Belice frowned as she passed the approved document to Karune. ¡°I wonder if he has any sense in that wooden head of his. I guess this means I have to step in.¡± Belice¡¯s forehead creased, thinking of ways to make her insolent brother bend to her will, ¡°Fine I will invite all the young ladies of the noble families to this year¡¯s commemoration party for the completion of the Belicean Palace. Of course, internally, it will be the search for the duke¡¯s fianc¨¦e.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I accept your command.¡± The Belicean Palace was a separate palace built to commemorate Belice¡¯s ascension as the empress. It was built over a period of over eight years and was nearing its completion. It was also the place where Belice and her fianc¨¦, Duke of Roden, would celebrate their coming union. Karune quietly exited the office, holding a freshly signed copy of the payment document signed by the Empress. Her Highness seemed perturbed, probably because of the duke¡¯s delayed marriage; well, it was a legitimate cause for concern. After Karune left, Belice, now alone, rubbed her tired eyes and muttered to herself. ¡°I swear I¡¯ve aged ten years because of you, Alexcent. I won¡¯t be surprised to find grey hair next.¡± * Gen, the assistant to the Duke of Skad stood erect in attention in front of him, holding files full of documents. Despite it being late in the night, the duke¡¯s study was warm from the ember flames still ablaze in the fireplace. Alexcent scanned the paperworks with his reddish black eyes set in a perfectly featured face, with his short platinum hair ruffled and unkempt. Despite the luxurious warmth in the place, Gen felt like he was standing in the middle of a frozen road. Cautiously, he opened his mouth to speak. ¡°The palace has sent an urgent message.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m sure it¡¯s regarding the same topic.¡± ¡°Yes. That is correct. Would you like to reply?¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± On the document Gen presented, was the stamp of the world tree, the emblem of the empress. The duke snatched it from Gen¡¯s hand¡¯s and without a moment¡¯s hesitation, tossed it into the blazing flames of the fireplace. Accompanied by the crackling sounds, the Emperor¡¯s letter fluttered into flames and were soon turned into ashes. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Aghast, Gen spoke before he could control himself. The duke looked up with an eyebrow raised, as if to remind him not to cross the line and continued to read his documents as usual. ¡°I will handle the reply on my own. Isn¡¯t it about time to give up? How persistent she is! I wonder what Duke Roden sees in this stubborn person.¡± ¡°Your Highness. Even if you are siblings, she is the Empress. Such words are a display of disloyalty.¡± While Gen reprimanded him, the Duke of Skad merely shrugged his shoulders, probably not even listening to him. His devil-may-care ways frustrated him. While fulfilling a part of his responsibilities, Alexcent completely ignored other more important ones. Feeling uneasy, as this was already the 58thletter from her sister, Gen decided then that he must do something about it; he couldn¡¯t avoid the empress¡¯s orders much longer and he would rather trick the duke into marriage than face Belice¡¯s wrath. As he paused from his paperwork to think of a solution, Gen suggested an idea, testing him. ¡°If it¡¯s a marriage you dislike, why don¡¯t you have a contract marriage?¡± ¡°A contract?¡± ¡°Yes, and just see through with the marriage. Put out the urgent fire first before¡­¡± Even before Gen could finish his sentence the duke spoke. ¡°Find one.¡± Chapter 10 - Contract Marriage Chapter 10 ¨C Contract Marriage ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Find me someone, to have a contract marriage with.¡± Incredulous, Gen asked., ¡°Are you serious about this?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who brought up this idea? Hence, go and find someone¡± ¡°But¡­Yes, I understand.¡± The duke¡¯s orders were always short and precise. Never to be disobeyed. Gen had suggested it as a joke, but now felt obliged as the duke had taken him seriously. He wondered if he would be able to find a woman who would want to marry the bloody duke or the monstrous prince of blood. Where could he find a partner for him? He was the duke of the nation and the one and only brother to the emp. His partner, even if she wasn¡¯t a member of the royal family, had to at least be someone from a noble ranked family. Furthermore, a marriage based on a contract? It was impossible to find the daughter of a noble family who would agree to this when she could be abandoned at any point in time. But it was too late to take back his words. Gen regretted his frankness and blamed himself. Yet, the only way to save his life would be to look for a promising lady. Swearing to himself never to speak his thoughts out loud, he exited the study. Once Gen exited the room the duke got out of his chair and walked over to look out at the scenery from the glass window. ¡°A contract marriage¡­that doesn¡¯t sound too bad.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but smile. As long as it succeeds, he would be able to avoid Belice¡¯s nagging for a while. * A forlorn Gen entered the imperial palace with a reply to exactly the 58th letter. He was walking down the long corridor towards the empress¡¯s study when he heard voices from afar so stopped to listen. ¡°Count Lohikin, what do you mean?¡± ¡°I am very sorry Marquis Crenson. I am not sure how to express this myself. My daughter suddenly says she doesn¡¯t want to ever get married.¡± ¡°Was my son not to her liking?¡± ¡°No! Of course not. Please don¡¯t take this the wrong way. How could she dislike your son whom she¡¯s never met. It¡¯s not that she doesn¡¯t want to marry your son but says she hates marriage all together. Which also puts me in a very compromising position.¡± ¡°Ha-ha, well. If that is how the young lady feels then I¡¯m sure you must be frustrated. Isn¡¯t she already twenty this year?¡± ¡°Well what¡¯s the point of me stressing over it? It¡¯s not like I could tie her up and force her into one. I am gravely worried that she would change her mind tomorrow and ask for a marriage partner.¡± ¡°Well then, I suppose we should consider this engagement never happened. It is a pity. I truly wanted to form family ties with you, Count Lohikin.¡± ¡°Likewise. I regret this missed relationship with you Marquis Crenson. However, thank you for understanding.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure we can always create other relationships in the future? I hear you have another daughter?¡± ¡°Yes! That is right. Oh my, shall we carry on our conversation some place else? ¡°Yes.¡± As their conversation became longer, Count Lohikin and Marquis Crenson paused to walk far away from the corridor. A young lady that dislikes marriage¡­ How surprising that someone else shares the same thought as his highness. Count Lohikin must be going through quite the trouble. Gen resumed walking as the head of the two families voices faded away then came to a sudden halt. Wait¡­.! Why hadn¡¯t I thought of this before? If two people who dislike marriage come together based on their own needs and form a contract to fool the eyes of others¡­ He quietly drew the cross across his chest. ¡°Oh! God! Thank you.¡± Then with a soft smile he watched the two until they disappeared. Things were going too well, he couldn¡¯t help but feel happy. The daughter of Count Lohikin¡­I must look into her immediately. Ahhh! Before that I must see Her Majesty first. Meeting the empress placed tremendous pressure on him. Before he knew it, he was standing outside the door of her study. Gen took a deep breath and lightly knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°I pray for the glory of the Sehar empire and the blessing of the goddess to the Empress Belice. I am Gerald Artin, the first assistant of the Skad household offering you my gre-¡± ¡°You can skip the greetings. Gen, I guess you brought me the usual reply.¡± ¡°My sincere apologies to Your Highness.¡± Gen bowed deeply and apologised to Belice. ¡°Why should you be sorry. So, has Alexcent¡¯s leg fully healed?¡± ¡°Sorry? His Highness was never injured.¡± He had seen the duke just this morning and he had been perfectly fine. It couldn¡¯t be that something had happened on his way here. ¡°Oh. I thought he broke his leg since he hasn¡¯t shown up for some time.¡± ¡°Th-that¡­¡± Drops of sweat started to form on his forehead. He opened and closed his mouth then decided to shut it all together. Belice¡¯s scarlet eyes shone beneath her elaborately and intricately braided platinum hair. The same sharp eyes as the duke, a beautiful and cold smile adorning her lips. But unlike her mouth, her eyes were not smiling. Just being in the same space with someone whose expression he couldn¡¯t read made Gen feel strangled and pressured. It was indeed the charisma and dignity of an empire¡¯s ruler, which must be why the duke was avoiding her as much as possible. The empress tapped on the letter placed on her table and continued. ¡°Forget it, just tell him to make sure he attends the commemoration party for the Belicean palace. If he doesn¡¯t I will really break his leg.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± With a short sigh, Gen left the empress¡¯ study. Then he went on to immediately investigate on the daughter of Count Lohikin. Chapter 11 - Magical (1) Chapter 11 ¨C Magical (1) ¡°Amethyst Lohikin?¡± The duke asked surprised, to which Gen replied immediately. ¡°Count Lohikin¡¯s eldest daughter is now in her twenties. The two of you have quite the age gap of 8 years but since it¡¯s a contract marriage I doubt it will be an issue.¡± ¡°No, tell me why she¡¯s the right one.¡± He sensed the annoyance in the duke¡¯s voice and realised he was missing out the main point. ¡°Ah! I hear that the lady is ¡®refusing marriage¡¯ itself. But the lady is twenty years old this year. She is nearing the end of her marriage eligible age so I¡¯m sure Count Lohikin is worried. Don¡¯t you think this is very similar to someone else?¡± ¡°Me? So how does that make her the right one.¡± Gen carefully studied the duke¡¯s reaction and smiled. If the duke himself didn¡¯t want to get married and was willing to take part in a contract marriage to fool the eyes of others, then she would also feel the same. There was no better contract than this. Grasping Gen¡¯s intention, the duke asked the next question. ¡°So how is it? For her?¡± ¡°Oh that¡­ I think it might be best if you meet her yourself during the commemoration party for the Belicean palace. The empress has kindly invited all young noble ladies to the party. I am sure she will be there too.¡± ¡°Hmm, a party with all ladies.¡± After a moment¡¯s delay, he finally said, ¡°I will attend.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Gen sighed in relief as the duke agreed to go but couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious of his lack of resistance. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s obviously Belice¡¯s plan. She wants to identify a potential partner for my marriage. So, no matter what, I¡¯ll have to go,¡± ¡°That is correct.¡±Gen sighed again in relief. Disregarding the intentions, things were going according to plan; he relaxed a bit, satisfied with his accomplishments and was praising himself internally, when the duke spoke smugly. ¡°I bet my sister Belice threatened you about this.¡± ¡°What? She did not.¡± Duke Skad scoffed and continued, ¡°I know the Belice let you come back in one piece, even after the 58th reply. It is as likely as the sun rising from the west.¡± Gen heard the skepticism in the duke¡¯s words and wondered how the two siblings were so alike in their terrible thoughts. Perhaps it was because they were twins. * Amethyst wasn¡¯t sure if this was a fairytale. She could only conclude that it was a different world. She was 16 years younger in this world, and her real body had been left behind in a different dimension. God must have taken pity on me and given me this new opportunity. Amethyst mocked her situation, trying to find the humor with this incomprehensible turn of events. ¡®I don¡¯t know what has happened to the real Amethyst Lohikin or when she is coming back. I really don¡¯t care right now. I have an opportunity to live for myself here, and not live for others. It may be selfish but I am exhausted of my life as an unappreciated mother and wife. I can just pretend I am on vacation in a foreign land and simply enjoy the new experiences.¡¯ Amethyst felt sorry for Count Lohikin but had firmly rejected the idea of getting married. The only thing left to do was to adapt to this new world. It would be nice to live as a daughter of a Count. Life of a noble¡¯s daughter must certainly be one of comfort. The daily chores of her previous life had been endless: her constantly hungry family, the piling dishes, the daily laundry, and a messy home. The children who would fight all the time or whine for anything and everything. ¡®It should be okay to escape for a while.¡¯ Her new life was like a beautiful dream. Amethyst couldn¡¯t remember the last time she did anything leisurely for herself. In this new land, however, all she had done so far was relax, eat and sleep. What a vacation after 11 years of struggle. She couldn¡¯t set aside the nagging anxiety of being forced into a marriage by the Lohikins though. Her current self was not a ravishing beauty by any means. It would be best if maintained a low profile. She wished she could do whatever she wanted but this seemed to be a conservative society, albeit a comfortable one. Fortunately for Amethyst, her new parents were wealthy and her new brother Matin was their heir. Their attention was not on her. She wanted to go out and explore however. The Count¡¯s house was great but there were too many who knew this Amethyst well. Any action could garner suspicion, and she always had to be on her toes in case her identity roused any suspicion. The servants were probably just doing their job, but Amethyst did not know if they had been placed there to spy on her. ¡°¡®I¡¯ll do everything I want to do in the Count¡¯s house.¡± ¡®I will learn swordsmanship, then learn to ride a horse and to hunt. I should at least be able to protect myself.¡¯ And then the thing she most wanted to do was to travel. ¡°It¡¯s a waste of my time to stay in the Count¡¯s house when there is this this amazing world out there to explore!¡± ¡®Perhaps I could use studying as an excuse to travel.¡¯ ¡®It would be great to learn magic too¡­or maybe that¡¯s too complicated for me. I guess you need to have talent for that. Well you never know what hidden talents I have. I have lived a repressed life for too long.¡¯ Amethyst was considering the different possibilities when Yellie opened the door and interrupted her thoughts. Chapter 12 - Magical (2) Chapter 12 ¨C Magical (2) ¡°My Lady, how can you be laze away today as well? The master has already said that there is a party at the imperial palace tomorrow. They have invited all young ladies so you must attend as well. Which means you should get your dress and choose your heels and accessory, so how could you be laze around like that.¡± ¡°I can just wear any dress. Nobody will pay any attention to me anyway. I don¡¯t need to stand out.¡± Then suddenly a thought crossed Amethyst¡¯s mind and her expression brightened. ¡°Yellie, there will be other young noblemen ¨C counts and knights ¨C there, right?¡± ¡°Knights? Of course. Is the guy you like perhaps a knight?¡± ¡°What? No. I¡¯m wondering if I can convince someone to teach me swordsmanship.¡± ¡°Why would you need to learn swordsmanship? You must have a knight you like?¡± ¡°You know what? forget it. How about magicians?¡± ¡°Magicians are so rare, my lady. I¡¯ve never heard anyone hiring one before, but if you ask the Count¡­it might be possible. So, is your man a magician then?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that!¡± ¡°Then why are you looking for a magician? I¡¯m sure you know that magic isn¡¯t something you can learn?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t learn magic?¡± ¡°No, of course not! Only those who have the goddess¡¯s blood are able to use magic. The guy you have in mind must be a magician. Am I wrong?¡± Yellie winked at Amethyst. ¡°You can leave, Yellie,¡± said Amethyst sternly. Amethyst sighed. ¡®Forget it.¡¯ ¡°Okay, my lady. Froy will be coming soon, so please get ready. Don¡¯t delay.¡± Yellie closed the door and left the room. She stopped monetarily and turned back to look at the closed door. Amethyst made a face each time Yellie asked her if her man was a knight or a magician, and Yellie found that interesting. ¡®Something is different about the young lady. She used to be very keen on corsets, wearing only dresses that emphasize her her waist, saying that it was her only strong point. But these days she barely dresses up! She suddenly thinks her corset is stuffy, uncomfortable and burdensome and always wears clothes that one would only wear in the bedroom. Well she was always in her room so that explains it partly, but on days like this one when her tutor is visiting, it would be more appropriate if she wore her a nice dress. Nonetheless, despite these thoughts, Yellie did not want to nag Amethyst further. Amethyst didn¡¯t care for Yellie¡¯s suggestions on the other hand. She had her own considerations to mull over. ¡®Only those who carried the goddess¡¯s blood, which means they must be of royal blood. In school we learned that the goddess¡¯s descendant became the king and ruled the Sehar empire. The Lohikin family is not a descendant of the goddess. They cannot learn magic. But from what I know ¨C the only one of royal blood is the current emperor and the royal sibling. It can¡¯t be that there are only two magicians in the land. Since blood is passed down from the predecessors, the wizards will be the eldest sons of the royal family and their brothers-in-law, and so on. In the end, it might be a complete stranger.¡¯ ¡®The Emperor who was the direct descendant with the purest blood of the goddess might be the greatest magician.¡¯ ¡°What a pity. I wanted to try Wingardium Leviosa! To think that I have no chance!¡± While she was lost in her thoughts, her teacher Froy had arrived and settled down. ¡°Right. Let¡¯s study about the world tree today.¡± ¡°The world tree? Ah, the goddess that became the tree¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡®Was it really necessary to study a tree? Well, since it is a part of the myth it would be weird not to know about it. Like the Korean myth of Dangeun. Guess I could ask what I¡¯m the most curious about first. ¡® ¡°Does it really exist?¡± ¡°Of course! It is being carefully taken care of in a shrine in the imperial palace.¡± ¡°Then it must be very old.¡± ¡°To be precise, it is 6193 years 5 months and 20 days old.¡± ¡°What? How do you know that so accurately?¡± ¡°How could you not know this, Lady Lohikin?¡± ¡°Ah, I knew. I just wondered.¡± ¡®The world tree must be the equivalent of a calendar here. Now that I think about it they said the empire started once the goddess fell asleep as a world tree.¡¯ ¡®I must study hard. The local myths seem really important here.¡¯ ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Froy looked at her with a curious look that seemed to question her mental aptitude, but Amethyst paid no attention. She asked cautiously, ¡°How about you Froy? Have you seen it before?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not a tree anyone can just pay a visit to see. But my cousin in the Large shrine is a disciple. I heard he is taking care of the tree.¡± ¡°Wow. If a goddess turned into a tree, I¡¯m sure it is a very beautiful tree.¡± ¡°Yes, I hear that it is exactly like it is described. A white tree always adorned with evergreen leaves. And when the sun shines upon it, the leaves turn golden.¡± ¡°Golden? That must be splendid to watch.¡± ¡°There is something even more fascinating. Although I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s true. It is sort of a rumor.¡± Amethyst encouraged Froy to continue. He was suddenly cautious, unlike his usual self. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°My cousin says that the number of leaves that fall from the tree each day and the number of people guided to god each day are the same.¡± ¡°Guided to god?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you even know what that means? It means death.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Some people might not know. Amethyst muttered internally. Wait a second, they seemed to refer to the funerals as those guided to god. ¡°It¡¯s not confirmed, as I said. My cousin is one of the people studying the phenomenon, so nothing is proven yet.¡± Chapter 13 - Finding Lady Lohikin Chapter 13 ¨C Finding Lady Lohikin ¡°Pfft, Froy you don¡¯t seem to trust your cousin very much.¡± Amethyst remarked teasingly. ¡°Well, he¡¯s such a clumsy fellow, that it¡¯s questionable how he became a disciple, in the first place. Anyway, the world tree stands for the empire and is also the royal emblem; the Empress¡¯s seal carries this sign. ¡± She suddenly recalled Yellie mentioning an invitation from the palace and catching a glimpse of the emblem. ¡°Oh! I received an invitation from the palace sometime ago, so that tree on the seal was the world tree!¡± ¡°Ah yes! You must be referring to the commemoration party for the completion of the Belecian palace. That¡¯s right. There are only two royal families that use an emblem of the world tree. The Roden household and the Skad household.¡± * On the night of the Commemoration party, people were in awe of the Belecian palace as they went in, remarking that it was a perfect embodiment of the Empress¡¯s strength and spirit. It apparently was the best of all the palaces built by former Emperors; people took pride in its significance of how rich and powerful the Sehar empire currently was. ¡®This palace really is beautiful¡­ I¡¯ve never seen any other architecture this grand. I wonder if the jewels there are real? They must be, it¡¯s the Empress¡¯s palace, after all.¡¯ The banquet was held in the Highlander hall, supported by marble columns, and decorated with cream-colored ivory decorations. To add to the splendour, the walls were decorated with gold and jewels. The high ceiling reflected dazzling lights, enhanced by a wizard¡¯s barrier buff, infinitely like the Milky Way. The Empress¡¯s love for flowers was evident in the decorations; flowers of the most beautiful shades, of various shapes and sizes adorned the hall, adding their own unique fragrances to the atmosphere. Amethyst, who had never seen such grandeur and splendour in her life, began to feel self-conscious of her dress, that was far too ordinary for such an elite gathering. ¡®I should have dressed up a bit more. No, not for myself, god knows there¡¯s nothing in this party for me, but to keep up the Count¡¯s reputation. I am here as his daughter, after all. Maybe the make-up will pass, but the dress will surely draw glances, and not the admiring kind.¡¯ She felt small amongst the other young ladies, who were dolled-up for the occasion and rightly so, for she was dressed in a plain cream-white, square-necked chiffon dress, with flute sleeves. A green ribbon encircling her slim waist, accentuated her slender physique and was the only accessory she wore. She had deliberately chosen a modest dress to not attract attention towards herself, but it seemed that she had failed miserably in her attempt. Everywhere she looked, people, it seemed, were whispering about her inadequate dressing for such an important official event. She conceded that they were right and consoled herself. ¡®Don¡¯t think about it anymore. It¡¯s too late to do anything now. This event is not hosted for me, after all. Once, the Empress enters, they¡¯ll forget all about me.¡¯ She sighed deeply. I guess there¡¯s no other choice but to stay quietly for a while and then leave. Emelis smiled awkwardly and started to walk away, towards a corner of the banquet hall. Thankfully, people quickly lost interest in her. * A little while later, she was glad she had moved. Snuggled in a corner, she checked out the men in the party, grinning like Cheshire Cats. ¡®Wow. This is like a gathering of all the beautiful people in the Empire. Were all the men in this world this handsome? I¡¯m so glad I came here tonight. What a treat for my eyes!¡¯ Amethyst gauged them in great detail. ¡®He looks like he¡¯s meant to be a singer with that deep voice and gorgeous face. Wow! That guy has an amazing physique, he should certainly be a choreographer.¡¯ ¡®Mmm¡­This one definitely looks like the lead singer of a boy-band. He¡¯s not exactly handsome but has his own roguish charm, better than the leader of the idol group on MTV that¡¯s been around for years!¡¯ ¡®Oh yes! That girl has character¡­You can tell from one look at her face. She¡¯s like an actress who¡¯s been through all sorts of hardship; she just stands out.¡¯ The event turned out surprisingly fun. Emelis was enjoying herself, grinning from ear to ear when she heard the announcement of the Empress¡¯s entrance indicating the official commencement of the party. ¡°Your majesty the Empress, Belice Frostin.¡± ¡°Followed by Duke Alexcent Frostin du Skad and Duke Michen Mui Roden.¡± All eyes were fixed on the Empress Belice, the Duke of Skad, and the Duke of Roden. Everyone turned and knelt to greet them, their voices ringing out in unison. ¡°May the glory of the great Sehar empire and the blessing of her majesty Emperor Belice be with you!¡± Belice, who wore a red-wine coloured dress that highlighted her wise red-coloured eyes and a golden belt with elaborate woodwork symbolising the world tree, that accentuated her narrow waist, smiled in benevolence. ¡°Everyone, lift your heads. Thank you for coming to the commemoration party of the Belecian palace. Words cannot express how happy I am. For today, let us forget about formalities and enjoy ourselves. Now let the evening begin.¡± As Belice finished her speech with a smile, the sound of applause and the orchestra announced the beginning of the evening. Duke Skad¡¯s eyes wandered around the room as if searching for someone, he asked Gen without looking at him. ¡°Where is that young lady you mentioned? Chapter 14 - An Honest Rejection Chapter 14 ¨C An Honest Rejection As the Duke of Skad scanned the young ladies in the crowd one by one, the ones that had made eye contact with the duke started to make a fuss. It was a natural reaction, after all, his handsome looks, as beautiful as Empress Belice, were very popular among the ladies. His status as an eligible bachelor fueled their covetousness, for the position of being the Duchess of Skad, was the second- highest position for a woman after the Empress. The materialistic young ladies, ecstatically eager to capture the attention and heart of the duke, tried their best to hide their excitement. ¡°Duke Skad, I hope you don¡¯t forget that it was I who organised this party. You have no right to glare at these young ladies.¡± Belice, who stood beside him, leaned over and whispered. ¡°Your Highness, what do you mean, glaring? Of course, not. I was simply trying to acquaint myself with each and every one of these beautiful ladies.¡± Belice glared menacingly at the duke and smiled. ¡°Just so you know Alexcent, if you don¡¯t get married by the end of this year we will cut off all business budgets for this year and the next and all budgets that you are in charge of. Oh and, of course, your two legs as well.¡± Saying those words, Empress Belice took Duke Roden¡¯s hand and walked towards the dance hall. In the palace, every party started with the Empress¡¯s first dance. ¡°Tsk, she really has a bad temper. So Gen, where is she? The young lady, you told me about. Emily or Eme something?¡± Gen who had been scanning the room for Amethyst, finally found her and very discreetly, pointed her out with his gaze to the duke. ¡°Your joke is way out of line.¡± ¡°Your Highness, what do you mean?¡± Gen asked innocently, pretending to be oblivious to what the duke was referring to. Alescent cleared his throat and glared at him, one eyebrow raised. ¡°Dressed to a palace party in what one would wear on a stroll. Is the Lohikin household having a hard time?¡± ¡°Of course not. They may not have a title worthy of the treasury department, but they own a private bank.¡± ¡°Then how do you explain that fashion?¡± ¡°I guess the young lady is modest.¡± ¡°Fine, let¡¯s say that¡¯s the case for the dress. What about her looks? She¡¯s not my type.¡± ¡°Hmm. But it¡¯s only a contract marriage so looks shouldn¡¯t really matter¡­¡± ¡°Gen, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you in the training ground. Report to the training ground for work tomorrow at five.¡± ¡°Your Highness! Tomorrow is my day off.¡± ¡°Precisely why. What¡¯s the point of taking a rest? Let¡¯s work out together.¡± Gen could only reply in the affirmative, as the duke smiled at him through clenched teeth. The Duke of Skad, then walked over to the corner where the young Lady Lohikin was situated. Amethyst, meanwhile, oblivious to the murmuring around her, had transferred her focus from the handsome young men to the food. She was now scrutinizing the food the same way as she had done the men earlier. ¡®Oh my, look at this cute rabbit shaped chocolate. What is this cookie? It looks like the galaxy is flowing out of it.¡¯ ¡®Oh my god they sprayed the tart with gold!¡¯ ¡®Wow! A cookie with a whole fruit!¡¯ ¡°They just melt in your mouth!¡± Just as she closed her eyes and hummed in appreciation of the taste and flavours, a figure appeared behind Amethyst and cleared his throat. ¡°Good evening, Miss.¡± Amethyst turned around to look at the duke, her eyes wide and mouth full of chocolate. The people around her hushed suddenly as pin-drop silence prevailed, with everyone¡¯s cold gazes directed towards her. ¡°Who?¡± Amethyst asked in confusion. The duke raised his eyebrows, unpleasantly surprised, but soon they returned to their original position. His eyes shone with unwarranted arrogant as though to say ¡®don¡¯t you know who I am?¡¯ ¡°I am Duke Alexcent Skad. Miss.¡± ¡°I am Heeyeo-, no Amethyst Lohikin.¡± She had never said her new name out loud and couldn¡¯t help but stutter over it. ¡®Did she just stutter? What a package.¡¯ Duke Skad thought to himself as he stared down at Amethyst expressionlessly. As there was no reaction, Amethyst wondered if she missed out on something or done something horribly wrong. ¡®Was this not what she was supposed to do?¡¯ She quickly greeted him in return as he continued to look piercingly at her. ¡°Ahem. It¡¯s an honour to meet you.¡± ¡®What is up, why is this duke speaking to me? And so hostilely at that? Did I rip him off before? But oh my! He¡¯s really good looking.¡¯ As she inspected the man who had engaged her in a conversation, she was amazed. Neatly combed platinum hair, red and alluring eyes looked down at her. Sharp nose and chin, broad shoulders. His black tail-coat did not hide his well defined body and thick thighs. ¡®He¡¯s like the hero of a novel! Wow, compared to the other guys from before this guys is the ultimate deal. He ranks No. 1! Just looking at him makes me happy.¡¯ The duke noticed the look in her eyes and continued the conversation after a moment of silence. ¡°Miss Lohikin, I would like to ask you for a dance. Would you do me the honour?¡± At those words, the murmuring started again. It was a surprise that the Duke of Skad had turned up at the party, but to think that he was asking a young lady for a dance! Even Empress Belice had never seen the duke dancing since his social debut! Whilst everyone was in shock, you could see the audience fall under two categories. One consisted of a group eager to see the duke dance, and the other was a group of young ladies who raged with barely suppressed fury, not wanting anyone else but themselves to dance with the duke. ¡°Excuse me, Duke Skad, but I¡¯m afraid my dancing skills will cause you much embarrassment. Kindly withdraw your invitation.¡± Chapter 15 - By Hook or by Crook (1) Chapter 15 ¨C By Hook or by Crook (1) ¡®Was that the right way to phrase it? Why did this guy appear out of the blue and ask me for a dance? Is something wrong with his eyesight? There are way prettier girls out here. Just from his looks, he looks like he has sky-high standards. Or did he have a preference? How peculiar!¡¯ Amethyst was overwhelmed, at first by the extravagant party she was attending, and now by the proposed dancing. She wasn¡¯t confident of her dancing skills and tried to avert the impending humiliation by politely declining the duke¡¯s proposal. However, if a young lady from a noble family couldn¡¯t dance, it would be the talk of the town. Her already delicate relationship with Count Lohikin, her supposed father, would be under unnecessary stress; she didn¡¯t want to humiliate the household any further. ¡®Is that what your parents taught you?¡¯ Perhaps she was hearing things, but she thought she heard a familiar voice, her mother in law¡¯s whenever she taunted her. Suddenly, dizziness took over her. ¡®I am not Kim Heeyeon. Amethyst. I am Amethyst Lohikin.¡¯ Amethyst shook her head, her heart beating fast and her face pale. Looking at the panicking Amethyst, the duke thought to himself. ¡®Well I guess she doesn¡¯t stutter.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t one to give up just because he was rejected. ¡°Well. If that¡¯s how you feel Miss Lohikin. Shall we go for a walk? You don¡¯t look very well at the moment.¡± The duke¡¯s voice was just as great as his looks. Deep and low, it made you want to listen to it over and over again, until you fell asleep with the warmth and comfort it made you feel. His voice drove away the self-doubting voices in her head. ¡®Would it be too rude to refuse him once more?¡¯ ¡®Wait, Duke Skad¡­? Oh, I remember now.¡¯ The royal family that Froy mentioned. The same hair as the emperor, the red eyes. He was the emperor¡¯s one and only brother. Oh my! Why did I only realise it now? It would be unpardonable if I gave him the wrong impression. As the duke hadn¡¯t withdrawn his invitation, Amethyst decided she needed some fresh air and nodded before replying. ¡°If you¡¯re fine with taking someone like me¡­ I¡¯m curious as to what the palace looks like. I would be honoured.¡± ¡°Then let me escort you, this way.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The duke offered her his hand and Amethyst hesitantly placed hers on top of his. She could feel the coldness of the duke¡¯s hand even though they were wearing gloves. He smiled and led her out of the banquet ball and towards the garden. As they passed the crowd, deep sighs were heard, and some young ladies even fainted. Belice was the only person in the hall who was glad at the sight of the two. * The garden in the Belecian palace, though not as large or grand as the one in the imperial palace, was surrounded by well-grown trees and flowers that swayed in the wind showing off their unique colours. The elegant figures of a man and woman walked down the flower trail in the darkness. Amethyst inhaled deeply the fresh scent of roses. With the fancy Belecian palace in the background she felt refreshed and much better. Past the flower trail she could hear the sound of water running, and soon they were standing by a small marble fountain. With water splashing in the background, Amethyst looked at the duke and asked boldly. ¡°Duke Skad, do you have something you wish to say?¡± She was quick to read a situation after eleven years of living with her in laws. She was not a self-deluded; out of the many beautiful young ladies, he had approached her and engaged her in a conversation without a moment¡¯s hesitation. She was not special in her appearance so it could only mean that he had business with either her or her family. The duke stopped walking and looked at Amethyst. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re not slow. Good it¡¯ll make things easier.¡± ¡°Duke Skad? You sound rather rude¡­..¡± ¡°Does that upset you?¡± ¡°No, of course not.¡± Amethyst lifted the fan in her hand and covered her mouth as though she was laughing. The sudden change of his attitude had caught her off guard. Nevertheless, she pretended to be unaffected since he was of a higher rank, a duke, at that, even though she was churning with annoyance on the inside. ¡®Look at this fellow ! I¡¯m obviously older than you! He has no manners at all!¡¯ Nonetheless, Amethyst tried to act naturally and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll send a carriage to your place tomorrow. Take that and come over.¡± Alexcent announced to her in a monotonous voice. ¡°To where?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know soon enough.¡± ¡°What? No, what is this¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What do you mean why?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡®What was he going on about out of the blue? Go where? This guy is pretty reckless in contrast with how he looks. And he sure knows how to piss me off!¡¯ Amethyst, a strong character herself, had promised herself that, in this world, she would live without being suppressed by others and do only what she wanted. She huffed in barely restrained irritation. ¡°Unbelievable! Duke Skad, I think you¡¯re mistaken. I¡¯m not someone who you can order around. How could you be so rude to someone you¡¯ve just met? If you need to see me then you should be the one to come over! Well, excuse me.¡± She couldn¡¯t be bothered to hear a reply. Amethyst making her point, retraced her steps and exited the garden. Going back to the banquet hall would only draw attention, she decided, it would be better to go home. What a pity that she couldn¡¯t taste all the food! Chapter 16 - By Hook or by Crook Chapter 16 ¨C By Hook or by Crook (2) The morning after the party, Amethyst overslept as usual, but today the one waking her up wasn¡¯t Yellie, it was Count Lohikin. ¡°Amethyst, Amethyst! Wake up, quickly! Did something happen yesterday?¡± ¡°Mmmm, ten more minutes¡­okay five more.¡± ¡°Amethyst! Duke Skad is waiting in the drawing room. Wake up right this instant!¡± ¡®Duke Skad ?!¡¯ The anxious and desperate tone of the Count made her sit up. ¡°What¡¯s that ass doing here?¡± ¡°Ass¡­what?! Where did you learn to say such a thing! Ahem, anyway do get up. Did something happen at the party yesterday?¡± ¡°No, nothing happened¡­oooh!¡± Realization dawned on her. ¡®Right. I told him to come over himself if he had business with me. And he really came? At this early hour?¡¯ ¡°Father, I will get ready first. Yellie, come and help me get dressed! Anything simple. It¡¯ll take too long to wear the complicated ones. We can¡¯t keep him waiting when he came all the way here.¡± Count Lohikin left the room unable to say anything else as Amethyst was acting so casually. He went to keep the duke company while she got herself ready. After all, It was rude to leave the duke unattended. Thankfully, Yellie was quick with her hands and Amethyst was now ready without a moment¡¯s delay. She opened the door to the drawing room and entered. The duke was leisurely seated on the sofa reading today¡¯s newspaper, standing behind him was Gen. Opposite him was Count Lohikin who was anxiously glancing at his form. The Lohikin household was able to sustain a fortune and status of a noble household but they were far off from the influential and powerful royal family. Above all, even though the Count was working in public office and frequented the Imperial palace, he was not in a position where he could have a direct audience with the Emperor or the Duke of Skad. That was done by his boss, the Treasury Secretary and Vice Minister. How could he not be anxious and covered in sweat when such a guest was in his house, sitting in his drawing room, reading a newspaper? To make things worse he was called the ¡®Bloody Duke.¡¯! As he was secretly glancing and appreciating the presence of the duke, Amethyst entered the drawing room. ¡°Oh my, Duke Skad, I¡¯m flattered by your visit.¡± ¡°Lady Lohikin, Good morning.¡± After exchanging greetings, Gen asked the Count for a private audience. Reading the room, the Count Lohikin agreed and left the room with Gen gratefully. When only the two of them remained in the drawing room, Amethyst spoke first. ¡°Why are you here so early in the morning? It can¡¯t possibly be because you wanted to see me.¡± ¡°Perhaps I did want to see you, Lady Lohikin.¡± The duke smiled in his most charming way. He was in a hurry to sign the contract with Amethyst, so he had to please her as much as he could. Amethyst struggled to hold back a snort. She easily ignored the duke¡¯s smile and got to the point. ¡°Oh, is that so? Then why didn¡¯t you let me know beforehand? I would have bathed and gotten ready from dawn and waited for you, Duke Skad.¡± A frown formed on the duke¡¯s head but quickly disappeared. ¡®She doesn¡¯t lose out. She¡¯s different from the other young ladies. She kind of reminds me of someone.¡¯ The duke shook his head as he thought of Belice and her snappy tongue. ¡°You must not be very bright. I believe I told you yesterday that I will send a carriage over.¡± ¡°Oh, was I supposed to say ¡®thank you so much!¡¯ and follow you just because you sent a carriage over? I¡¯ve never met you in my entire life; why should I trust you?¡± ¡°Hey, what do you take me for? I¡¯m sure my rumors are not that bad!¡± was Alexcent¡¯s defense. ¡°Rumours? Anyways, I¡¯m sure you have an objective. What do you want?¡± She didn¡¯t know a single rumour about the duke. If it was something irrelevant to her life, she had no reason to find out. ¡°Lady Lohikin, let me offer you a proposal. One that we can both gain benefit from.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± The duke looked around as if to hint that this was not the appropriate location. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to talk about here. I will send you a carriage tomorrow. Come to my mansion tomorrow and I¡¯ll tell you then.¡± ¡°And what if I refuse?¡± She said haughtily. The duke then smiled once more, before saying, ¡°Then it¡¯ll end up like this. Gen!¡± Gen and a group of armed knights of the duke must have been waiting outside, as they suddenly barged in the room. ¡°Escort the Lady. Now.¡± He ordered. By hook or by crook, he would get her. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Chapter 17 - Her Demands (1) Chapter 17 ¨C Her Demands (1) The duke replied dryly and stood up. Gen looked toward the duke¡¯s knights and nodded, upon which they surrounded Amethyst. ¡°I beg your pardon, Lady Lohikin. Please forgive us for this rudeness.¡± ¡°Are you trying to kidnap me from my own house? Father! Father!¡± Amethyst called out to Count Lohikin, but there was no response from outside the room. ¡°Count Lohikin has left the house momentarily at our request.¡± Gen replied kindly. ¡°Come on!¡± * ¡®This has to be an abduction!¡¯ Amethyst fumed. She had initially been with Count Lohikin, but was now in Duke Skad¡¯s drawing room. ¡®Duke Alexent Skad- the culprit could only be him!¡¯ His silky, platinum hair that was always brushed back, combined with his captivating red eyes were irresistably intoxicating. Not now, Amethyst. She silently scolded herself. With her arms folded across her chest, she huffed and puffed, making sure he knew she was displeased. She glared at the duke. However, he seemed unbothered by her reaction. ¡°Lady Lohikin, let me make you a proposal.¡± Amethyst was far too angry to really pay attention to him, but he continued. ¡°Have you ever heard of the term contract marriage?¡± ¡°Contract¡­what?¡± She was taken by surprise, her eyebrows raised and her mouth wide open at the thought. First, it was an abduction and now a contract marriage. Amethyst started to wonder if Duke Skad was losing his mind. ¡°Yes, a contract marriage. Just so you know, I believe in celibacy. However, I find myself in this complication situation where marriage cannot be avoided. I need the help of a noble lady who can pretend to be my spouse for some time.¡± ¡°Why does it have to be me? I have grown up despising the entire idea of marriage. I don¡¯t even like mentioning it!¡± ¡°Huh, Lady Lohikin, then you and I are very much alike. I too hate that word ¡®marriage¡¯. But you know your father won¡¯t let you spend your life alone. You can¡¯t avoid it forever. Consider it a sort of collateral. Let¡¯s help each other out. It¡¯ll be just a single year that you will have to endure me.¡± Amethyst quickly calculated her options. It was an attractive offer, she could not deny that. Her father, Count Lohikin, may be appeased for now, but he would certainly push her into a marriage with someone she highly disapproves of. There is no guarantee that she would be able to convince him otherwise. If she were to accept the duke¡¯s proposal however, she could buy more time. She would even be in control of who she marries. She turned towards the duke. ¡°What happens after the year is over?¡± ¡°Whatever pleases you. We can publicly divorce, or I can help you start a new life somewhere else, far away from this madness. We can pretend you died in a sudden illness or an accident. I will even be able to live as a widower, mourning my dead wife forever. People will understand my desire to be alone then.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t really kill me, will you?¡± ¡°Please, Lady Lohikin, I am an honorable man. You will have my protection.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that. Prove to me that you will keep your promise.¡± ¡°Fine, how shall I prove it?¡± Amethyst mulled over her options. ¡®Should I leave it as a document? No. Even if I were to get it notarised, what would be the use of a document when I¡¯m already dead. It¡¯ll obviously be a secret contract between us so I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t agree to it. What should I do?¡¯ ¡®Oh! The world tree. They said the world tree is the most important being in these lands. It is like a ruler. Since Duke Skad is in line to the throne, I am sure he thinks highly of the world tree.¡¯ ¡°Alright. Swear upon the world tree!¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I heard the world tree is like a goddess. You¡¯re a member of the royal family, and the royals are descendants of the goddess, so swear upon your ancestor: that you will not kill me and that you will protect my life. Do it.¡± The duke was speechless. He stared at Amethyst, his gaze becoming intense with every second and his fiery eyes almost burning with emotion. He spoke finally. ¡°Fine, I will swear it upon the world tree. I, Alexcent Frostin du Skad will protect your life no matter what. Will that do?¡± A shiver ran down Amethyst¡¯s spine at that response. But she persevered. ¡°Okay then. How much solatium are you going to give me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re even going to request for a solatium? You¡¯re quite a deal maker, aren¡¯t you? ¡°How am I supposed to live without a penny to my name after one year has passed. By then I would no longer be the consort of a duke, neither a daughter of a Count.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. So how much would you need?¡± Amethyst started to regret that she didn¡¯t learn the currency of Sehar when she had the time. Hence, she could only give a broad statement which didn¡¯t need her providing specific numbers. ¡°I think 10 years worth of pay from your work and two buildings you own somewhere. That should be fair.¡± ¡°What? You sound like you are ready to rip me off, dear Lady.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you grasp the situation. I am in no need of this ¡®contract¡¯. I don¡¯t lose out either way. If you don¡¯t like my offer, we can forget about the marriage.¡± ¡®There is no way he is getting off so easily.¡¯ She knew she had been audacious, but she did not want to back down. The duke looked at her, studying her for a moment. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s do it.¡± Chapter 18 - Her Demands (2) Chapter 18 ¨C Her Demands (2) Amethyst drew in her breath. Oh my. Did he just agree? Did I just agree to marriage? She felt giddy with excitement and fear both at the same time. In any case, she would be free one year from now. ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s discuss the terms of this contract. We will be living in separate bedrooms, correct?¡± ¡°Yes, but I will drop by occasionally since the maids will be observing. They will notice.¡± ¡°Okay, we do need to keep them fooled. As for the wedding, I would like it to be a grand affair.¡± The duke raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s surprising. I always took you for a girl with minimal tastes.¡± ¡°A big wedding is every woman¡¯s dream, and I do need to play the part.¡± Amethyst smirked. ¡°Also, don¡¯t actually fall in love with me and try to skew our contract.¡± The duke frowned. ¡°How ridiculous! That will never happen.¡± ¡°Have you never read any romance novels? It¡¯s a pretty common storyline. Anyway, even if you do fall in love with me, I hope you won¡¯t expect me to reciprocate. I am leaving you as soon as our contract is up!¡± The duke once again ran his fingers through his hair and seemed to study Amethyst. ¡°Do you really believe a face like yours is easy to fall in love with?¡± ¡°What! You ras¡­¡± ¡°Pardon me, miss, what did you say?¡± Amethyst put on a smile and grinned through her teeth, ¡°Nothing at all, never mind. I must have read too many books¡±. Duke Skad gave her icy smile of his own in return. ¡°You should be careful of falling head over heels in love with me, lady.¡± ¡°Ha! That will never happen, sir¡±, Amethyst rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Why makes you so sure?¡± If he ever lived in Korea, he would never want to get married. Guess he also haven¡¯t heard of Generation Y ¨C those who have renounced the entire institution of marriage. Amethyst focused on Duke Skad. She could not speak these thoughts aloud, so she came up with another response. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t believe in staying with a single person all my life. That is boring.¡± ¡®With beautiful idols in my past life, it was indeed hard to settle with one person.¡¯ She thought, amused with her own train of thoughts. An image of a dance group member ran through Amethyst¡¯s mind and she shrugged the thought away. Duke Skad was ready with his rebuttal. ¡°What? With that face, miss, you will be lucky if you can find even one person to commit to you.¡± Amethyst glared at the Duke. ¡°Okay, maybe you are right. Whatever, it is not my concern¡±, he quickly added, trying to douse the heavy air between them. Amethyst shrugged and changed the conversation. ¡°So will this do?¡± ¡°Yes, I will announce the engagement tomorrow. We will have the wedding in a month¡¯s time and exactly a year from now we will part ways.¡± ¡°That sounds good. Can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°No.¡± Duke Skad was wary of Amethyst at this point. ¡°Come on! You don¡¯t even know what it is.¡± ¡°Exactly why I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± ¡°You are so stubborn. I am still going to ask. Why do you want to have a contract marriage?¡± ¡°Just like that.¡± ¡°Just like that?!¡± He didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he withdrew and became silent. Amethyst could tell his mind was not in the room anymore. A vision of fiery red eyes resurfaced in Alexcent¡¯s memory. A promise had been made to the previous emperor, but he could not deny himself the desire to hold a sword in his hand. He was born to yield a sword. He had begun playing with swords the moment he had learned to grab things as a young child. Alexcent had learned to control a sword as soon as he was taught to properly carry one. Ever since he¡¯d been old enough to yield a sword, the duke had traversed countless battlefields, fighting gallantly and killing mercilessly, with only the kingdom¡¯s protection and prosperity in mind. He had finally been able to shed his sword only when the war ended and Sehar had finally risen as the Great Empire. His last battle, was a memory he hated to revisit in his mind. Firmly gripping his sharp, blood-stained sword, he had cut through everything, alive and breathing, that had crossed his path, soaking himself in their blood over and over again. The lands he passed were flooded with corpses, while the few spared, knelt in front of him cowering in fear, begging for his mercy when he had none left. Once victory was secured and declared, Belice, who had become the Empress not long ago, arrived at the battlefield to cheer her soldiers on and uplift their morale. The figure of Belice riding a horse on a canyon was the personification of strength and power. He would never forget the look in her eyes, when she looked at him, standing under the meandering canyon, until the day he died. Her eyes embodied the petrification of someone who had seen the vilest monster. Chapter 19 - Love at First Sight (1) Chapter 19 ¨C Love at First Sight (1) Belice, that day was like the noble being, she always had been; she was herself. The duke, in stark contrast, had degraded himself to a savage beast, so overcome with bloodlust that he was a stranger to his own sister. He witnessed her transparent feelings of fear, anguish, heart break and repulsion reflect in her eyes. He, who had solely led his life for her happiness, constantly sought her approval, felt as though his existence itself was being rejected. The thought shattered his already-fractured soul into a billion tiny fragments. When she had smile, he had laughed, when she was unhappy it would make him melancholic for days. To the duke in his younger days, she was his everything. He was she and she was he. That look of utter disgust, received from her had determined that his life, thereafter, would be far more shameful than death itself. He had felt a chill run down his spine. For the first time in his life, he was introduced to fear in its most glorious element. He did not want his existence to be rejected by anyone ever again. He couldn¡¯t grant them the authority to invalidate every decision he¡¯d made in his life by making him feel ashamed of his own self. It would be better to live his life alone, in total isolation, than to live in a constant fear of rejection. It was then that the duke who had turned into a monster, shut the door to his heart. Of course, there was no need to explain all of this to Amethyst, a complete stranger entering his life for a fleeting period of time who sat opposite him, patiently awaiting his response. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that it¡¯s to ensure my privacy and freedom and also, my sister¡¯s inner peace.¡± ¡°Ah! Speaking of privacy and freedom. From the moment the engagement is engaged and until this marriage is annulled, you can¡¯t have an extramarital affair with another woman.¡± ¡°What do you take me for?!¡± He asked disgruntled. ¡°Not even an affair with a man.¡± She answered cheekily. His eyes widened in surprise. ¡°What? Are you¡­serious right npw? ¡° She giggled, heartily amused. ¡°Aw, you can be endearing when you want to be.¡± Amethyst smiled at him in delight, while he blew his top. ¡®And here I thought that good looks were the only department he was blessed in.¡¯ She may lie to herself, but his good looks had played a large part in her agreeing to the whole sham. She, who loathed even the mention of marriage, had been convinced just because he was so dreamy to look at. It would certainly make the relationship more bearable. She reasoned with herself. ¡®Even if a man¡¯s face isn¡¯t everything, it is something when what lies underneath is just the same in every member of the species. Might as well pick one with good looks. Unappealing ones were even more useless.¡¯ From that aspect, he was the best possible option. Heeyon, who was living the second chapter of her life, an ultra premium upgraded version of her first, at that, had nothing to be afraid of. ¡°It¡¯s Alec.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°My name. Call me Alec.¡± ¡°Then call me Amethyst as well.¡± ¡°Alright. Ash.¡± ¡°Ash? My name is Emesis.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± She sighed. I am not going to argue with him. This stubborn fool won¡¯t listen to me even if I correct him, what¡¯s the point? And thus began the contract marriage with the duke, who called her whatever he pleased. * The next morning, The Royal Palace and the entire empire was in an uproar by the news of the matrimony of Duke Skad and Count Lohikin¡¯s daughter. The scandal caused a storm, yet the two people involved were strangely tranquil. ¡®It had been the first proposal of his life.¡¯ ¡°Karune, check if it is true.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I have checked, and it seems to be true.¡± ¡°Really? Within a day? Can this really happen?¡± Belice couldn¡¯t believe the fact even as she re-read the letter sent from the duke¡¯s estate. ¡°Why, Belice? Even you fell for Duke Roden at first sight and made such a scene to marry him, right? I hope you haven¡¯t forgotten already?¡± Alexcent, who came unannounced, stood grinning, leaning against the doorway of the his siter empress¡¯ office. Belice¡¯s crimson eyes were fixed at the sparkling ones mirroring hers, set in her brother¡¯s face. ¡°So, you fell for her at first sight? You?¡± He answered flippantly, ¡°There¡¯s no reason I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°What are you up to?¡± ¡°That¡¯s rather upsetting. Why can¡¯t I fall in love at first sight?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason you can¡¯t. But honestly, it is unexpected. And also, to think that it would be Lady Lohikin.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ll find out once you meet her. She is rather charming. You¡¯ll like her too.¡± Belice sighed deeply, the next moment she spoke, her tone was diplomatic, ¡°If you say so. Alright, Duke Skad. I invite you for tea tomorrow. You and your lady.¡± ¡°Why do we have to come?¡± ¡°Why not? Are you afraid? If you find me evil, you should do your part as the fianc¨¦ and protect her from her future sister-in-law¡­when I meet her.¡± Belice smiled coldly, finally having him exactly where she wanted to. Chapter 20 - Love at First Sight (2) Chapter 20 ¨C Love at First Sight (2) Meanwhile, Count Lohikin had called on Amethyst and was at an utter loss for words. He desperately wanted to say something but didn¡¯t seem like he could bring himself to do so. Observing the Count, Amethyst was the first to speak. ¡°Will you consent? Tomorrow, Duke Skad will come by to greet you and to formally ask for my hand in marriage.¡± The count must have been shocked by the statement as his frown deepened. ¡°Amethyst, have you done something wrong to the duke? Are you in debt? Tell me honestly, is there anything father can do to help?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s just that, he¡­he lo¡ªloves¡­¡± She should say he loved her right? Amethyst blushed scarlet at the thought of saying it out loud. ¡°Is it true? Why does Duke Skad feel that way towards you?¡± asked her father, frowning, finding it strangely hard to believe. ¡°Father!¡± ¡°No, I mean there were no encounters so far. Hmm, anyway. So that must be why you rejected the previous marriage offers. As a duke, he is a member of the royal family. You must treat him with utmost respect at all times.¡± ¡°Father, I am not going to serve him as a maid. I am getting married to him.¡± ¡°Well, that is true too¡­ But we are talking about the Duke of Skad. We can¡¯t forget that.¡± Count Lohikin fell deep in thought before continuing once more. ¡°Well, since you say that you are in love, it should not be a problem. As long as you live well. I had been deeply worried because you said you didn¡¯t ever want to get married a few days ago, so it is a relief. Alright, so you are going to stay at the duke¡¯s estate until the marriage?¡± All of a sudden, she was reminded of how her real father, who had been indifferent to all her life, had shed a tear on the day of her wedding. Even her real father, who had been cold towards her had acted as such. Count Lohikin, on the other hand, was heavily invested in his family and was a warm and loving father to his children. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder momentarily, if she was making the right decision for the real Amethyst, the real daughter of the Count. She felt guilty at her choice of action, one that she had made purely for her own convenience. But the moment she had answered Duke Skad, the decision had been irrevocably made. As long as the real Amethyst did not return, and as long as she remained, things would suit her convenience. Amethyst approached Count Lohikin and hugged him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be nice. Duke Skad said it would be better for me to stay at his estate for my own safety. And that it would be good for me to learn and prepare myself for what awaits me when I become his wife¡­.¡± Count Lohikin patted Amethyst¡¯s hands, as though to say he understood. Regardless of the situation, this was her family for now; the only people who cared for her unselfishly. It would be better to put some distance between them before she became too fond of them. This would be the best in preparation of what was inevitably going to happen in one year¡¯s time. ¡°Father, thank you. And I am sorry.¡± He brushed it off, ¡°Haha, what a thing to say.¡± * The next day, Amethyst got up early to get ready, and sat waiting for Duke Skad¡¯s arrival as a precautionary measure; she had no idea when he might arrive. Not quite unexpectedly, the duke arrived early in the morning. Escorted by the Count¡¯s butler, the moment he entered the main hall of the house, as if she had been lying in wake of him, Amethyst sprinted towards him with open arms and embraced him tightly. ¡°Alec!¡± Alexcent stared dumbfounded at Amethyst, who came running towards him, calling out his name, muttering under his breath, ¡®Did she eat something wrong yesterday?¡¯ She hugged the duke¡¯s waist tightly and whispered surreptitiously in his ear. ¡°I finally convinced my father by telling him that we are desperate to get married because we are soooo in love, so play along, alright? Remember the conditions, never to get caught and be nice to one another¡¯s family!¡± She thought she heard a low groan, but Duke Skad immediately put on a fake loving smile and looked at Amethyst with adoration clear in his sparkling eyes. ¡°Oh, my Ash! How happy I was on my way here from the estate!¡± He spoke loudly and bending down, punctuated each word with a kiss on Amethyst¡¯s apricot-colored lips. The kiss was unexpected. Amethyst, startled, tried to push him away, but as though he had expected her to, he hugged her even more tightly and pressed his lips intensely against hers. ¡°Ahem.¡± Behind them, Count Lohikin coughed dryly, not quite pleased witnessing the tableau they presented, while on his right, Countess Lohikin looked at them, beaming from ear to ear. ¡°Oh my, you already have a pet-name for each other!¡± * ¡°I simply did what you wanted me to.¡± ¡°What? I never told you to kiss my lips, I just told you to play along!¡± After they left the Count¡¯s house, Duke Skad and Amethyst quarrelled in the carriage, back to their usual selves. ¡°That¡¯s the same thing. Who was the one who said we are getting married because we are in love? Besides, kissing isn¡¯t the only thing married couples do.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Then did you think we would go to sleep only holding hands?¡± Scandalized, she gasped, ¡°We never talked about such things in the contract!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious, I mean, we¡¯re getting married! You were the one who said you can¡¯t be satisfied with one man. So, don¡¯t pretend to be an innocent and naive young lady.¡± ¡®When did I ever say that?¡¯ Amethyst blushed scarlet at that, and cried in indignation, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that!¡± ¡®He seems to have misunderstood. No, I think I have created a misunderstanding.¡¯ She contemplated how to resolve the issue, but the duke spoke first, ¡°I wonder who said no woman or man during the contract period? Do you expect me to be alone for a whole year?¡± ¡®Uhh¡­ Yes?¡¯ She was at a loss of words. His words weren¡¯t entirely wrong. But even so it was beyond her. Her mind might belong to Heeyeon, but her body belonged solely to Amethyst. Chapter 21 - Wife’s Duty (1) Chapter 21 ¨C A Wife¡¯s Duty (1) ¡°Alec, we need to clarify the terms of the contract.¡± Just as Amethyst had been about to discuss the points she wanted to clarify in the contract, the carriage came to a halt. The duke promptly alighted and offered his hand to Amethyst in a very gentlemanly fashion. Taking it, she stepped down and looked up at the grand building in front of her, her eyes widening in surprise, the second she realized where they were. ¡°But this is the royal palace. Why are we here?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the only one with a family. Did you forget about my sister? We¡¯ve been invited to tea.¡± Almost on the verge of panicking, she turned to give him an accusatory glare, ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you tell me about it, earlier?¡± Amethyst vowed to add a clause of providing prior information of all social commitments to the contract later, if and when she managed returned to the mansion today. To her happy surprise, tea at the Royal Palace was simple. The only participants of the tea party, which took place in a quaint greenhouse, were the Empress herself, the duke, Amethyst, the three maids who served the tea and Sir Karune, the first secretary of the Imperial palace. The greenhouse was shaped like a large bird cage, with elaborate and beautiful decorations. As expected of the Empress who loved flowers, there were flowers that never withered and in full bloom, while outside the greenhouse dark green oak trees encircled the greenhouse, making the place feel like a secret room within a forest. However, Amethyst couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous as she sat opposite the person who defined the beauty of the place and made all the flowers appear like bridesmaids. She truly was beauty personified. Seated together with the duke, the twins looked¡­ha, what a pair of Have-it-all¡¯s! She had only seen her once from afar during the commemoration party. Amethyst had been amazed at the sight of Belice and the duke seated in front of her. Belice was the one to start the conversation. ¡°Oh my, Lady Lohikin. I¡¯m so glad to finally meet you. Congratulations to the both of you on your engagement.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kindness, your majesty. Please feel free to comfortably refer to me as Amethyst.¡± Even though she would be her sister-in-law, she was the emperor of an empire. It was the equivalent to meeting a president of a country. She was terrified but found herself relax slightly when she realized that Belice was making genuine efforts to make her comfortable. She spoke to Amethyst informally. ¡°Oh, then shall I? I must confess, I¡¯ve been curious about the two of you. How did you fall in love?¡± Belice asked, both curious and teasingly. Amethyst, who had expected such a question, answered without hesitation. ¡°I am embarrassed to say this to you, Your Majesty. But I met Duke Skad for the first time at the commemoration party and fell in love with him at first sight.¡± ¡°The party? That was the first time?¡± ¡°Yes. I was unable to take my eyes off Duke Skad as he took each step towards me¡­and my heart pounded madly.¡± Amethyst recalled a romance novel she had read before and recited whatever she remembered of the frivolous description of the female lead¡¯s feelings at her first encounter with the Hero. Belice listened to Amethyst with a smile on her face, not betraying whether she believed her or not. Suddenly feeling parched, Duke Skad brought his teacup to his lips as he recalled their first meeting, when Amethyst who had her mouth full of food hadn¡¯t even bothered to look at him as she answered his questions. ¡°Then, brother. You tell me. How it was for you. How did you fall in love?¡± Belice asked with a smiling face that didn¡¯t seem to be smiling at all. Duke Skad seemed slightly taken aback as the blinding beams of her attention were suddenly turned to him, but with great presence of mind, he adopted a calm demeanour and evaded the crisis. ¡°Your Highness, when I saw the young lady who was dressed humbly in a dress, certainly not fit for a royal ball, who had her two cheeks full of food, I found her so adorable. She had an indescribable charm that I had never encountered in any other lady. My heart was irrevocably stolen.¡± Amethyst¡¯s lips twitched slightly. She realized fully well that his words were indirectly mocking her. ¡®If he¡¯s trying to provoke me, he¡¯ll be disappointed. I won¡¯t take to the bait.¡¯ Instead, Amethyst laughed, ¡°I often hear that I eat so well. Elders often praise me for it.¡± ¡°How adorable that you can¡¯t differentiate between a joke and a praise.¡± Alexcent raised a brow, and smoothly mocked her. ¡°They say those alike come together, Alec, you are quite adorable in that sense too.¡± ¡°What? I¡¯ve never acted as such?¡± ¡°In my eyes you did.¡± ¡°I doubt it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯m right.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amethyst glared at the duke, while keeping a frigid smile in place, but he simply shrugged, unperturbed. Chapter 22 - A Wife’s Duty (2) Chapter 22 ¨C A Wife¡¯s Duty (2) Belice tilted her head as she observed the two and carried on the conversation. ¡°Well, I suppose a new appearance can be appealing. By the way Duke Skad, I am thinking of promoting Count Lohikin to be the Minister of Finance, what do you think? After all he will be in-laws with the Royal family, so it makes me rather uneasy that he has no official title.¡± ¡°No, your majesty! If you promote him for such a reason it will do you no good in the future.¡± Amethyst spoke up in surprise. Duke Skad looked at Amethyst as though he was surprised by her reply and opened his mouth. ¡°I agree with the Lady on the point.¡± ¡°Hmm is that so. Amethyst, won¡¯t you feel disappointed? It¡¯ll probably be better if the Count is promoted to be the Minister of Finance.¡± ¡°Your Highness, my father may be involved in political affairs, but he has always said that he has no interest in being a Minister of Finance. So please withdraw your offer.¡± ¡®Of course, it would be great if her father became the Minister of Finance if she was the real Amethyst.¡¯ If her father were to become the Minister of Finance then the attention would be on her as well, then there was a higher chance that her future plan set a year from now, may fail. Amethyst knew too well how the personal details of all kinds of family members were disclosed at the hearing where ministers were appointed, and how not only direct family members but even relatives were exposed to people¡¯s attention. Of course, the Sehar Empire may not hold political hearings or anything, but it was better to be safe than sorry. ¡°Then I¡¯m sure a deputy finance minister should be okay. From what I hear he seems to have many years of experience in the finance department. So let¡¯s conclude as such. Duke Skad, you were right. I like your young lady.¡± ¡°Th-thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Just as they were about to move on to a lighter topic of conversation, Karune came over to inform Empress Belice of her next appointment. ¡°Guess we need to call it a day for today. Amethyst, feel free to come by and visit the palace. I have no sisters so I will be happy to have you visit. Duke Skad, you may leave for today.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I shall not keep you any longer.¡± As Belice got up to leave, Amethyst and Duke Skad too got up to bid the empress farewell. Fortunately, Belice didn¡¯t seem to suspect them and accepted their newfound relationship. Amethyst, then, gestured to the duke and stopped him in his tracks. Duke Skad tilted his head questioningly and bent over to lean his face near to Amethyst, as she whispered softly. Amethyst must have sensed that Belice¡¯s attention was focused on her, as she deliberately whispered to his ears shyly with a smile, as though making a confession. The duke seemed surprised at first but must have come to a realization as he mumbled ¡®No wonder she knew immediately whenever I pulled a prank on her when we were young.¡¯ and glanced in Belice¡¯s direction. And before she knew it, the duke¡¯s hands were wrapped around her waist. Belice pretended to not notice their public display of affection and walked on to her office. * At the duke¡¯s mansion, rather than being educated on becoming the wife of the duke, Amethyst was busy preparing for the wedding. The duke had left all the preparation to her as she had said she wanted a grand wedding. In truth, it was more like pushing it towards her. As such, the second secretary of the duke, Lunia presented to assist Amethyst with the preparation. ¡°Lunia, so the duke has gone to the palace today as well?¡± ¡°Yes, that is correct.¡± ¡°Hmm, I need to choose the dress and there are many things to do. Please wake me up before Duke Skad enters the palace tomorrow. I will take him by the collar if I need to and drag him to go and choose the dress with me.¡± Amethyst emphasised her words. Lunia flinched as the bride used the words ¡°collar and drag.¡± She was amazed by her, who was treating the duke referred to as the ¡®Prince of blood¡¯ so casually. He must truly love her. * Thanks to Lunia, Amethyst was able to get up early in the morning which she used to find difficult. She couldn¡¯t complain as she found the opportunity to catch hold of the duke. Amethyst stopped the duke who was in the midst of preparing to enter the palace. ¡°No!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Today we need to go and choose the wedding dress. So, I won¡¯t allow you to go to the palace.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t need to wear a dress.¡± He answered her cooly. ¡°Who said that I asked Your Highness to wear it?¡± The duke refused to acknowledge her, sp she called his attention once more. ¡°Alec.¡± ¡°What? Are you really that dumb?¡± ¡°Jer-!¡± ¡®Jerk!¡¯ Amethyst forced her mouth to a close. She had to hold back for now. ¡°Fine, Alec. Today I need to choose a dress, and I need you there as I choose. So, you can¡¯t go to the palace today.¡± ¡°Why do I have to be there?¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s the duty of the groom.¡± ¡°Ah, the duty of the groom! Are you willing to fulfil your duty as the bride?¡± Amethyst hesitated at his clever gaze. ¡°Wh¡­what duty?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll find out shortly. Fine, let¡¯s go and see your dress. Gen, get ready to leave!¡± Alexcent turned his head to order Gen, but somehow his assistant seemed more uncomfortable than he did. ¡°But Your Highness¡­today we have an important meeting regarding the Boron nation¡¯s sea territorial dispute.O-Ok-kay.¡± As Alexcent gave him a frosty glare, Gen agreed reluctantly and disappeared in a hurry to adjust his schedule. These days whenever Alexcent and Amethyst met each other, they would bicker incessantly and growl at each other as if they wanted to bite off each other¡¯s heads. Gen worried and wondered if they would be able to get through the contract smoothly, but at times he also found himself confused by the constant laughter of the duke. Chapter 23 - Never Too Late (1) Chapter 23 ¨C Never Too Late (1) ¡°How does this dress look?¡± Alexcent glanced up lazily and said, ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s not bad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no good, then. I¡¯ll have to try on the next one.¡± ¡°How many are you going to try on? All of them have been fine!¡± ¡°All you¡¯ve said is ¡®fine and ¡®not bad¡¯!¡± said Amethyst. ¡°That means there¡¯s nothing special about them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the dresses that are the problem-¡± Amethyst cut Alexcent off, shouting to the madam. ¡°Next! I¡¯ll try on the next one!¡± This was Alexcent¡¯s own personal version of hell. He¡¯d never realized what a tedious business it was, picking out clothing. Every dress was practically the same! The cut, colour, and trimmings all blurred into one. He couldn¡¯t understand why she wanted him to choose or what he was supposed to say. ¡®I¡¯ll just say the next one is pretty, no matter what it looks like.¡¯ Then he could escape all this¡­frippery. That seemed like the perfect idea until Amethyst emerged wearing what was exactly the 27th dress he¡¯d seen that day. He prepared himself to compliment her, tell her it was pretty, but something different came blurting out. ¡°It¡¯s¡­beautiful,¡± he said reverently. He gave an awkward cough, surprised at his own effusive praise. Amethyst practically glowed with pleasure at the compliment. ¡°Isn¡¯t it? This one is my favorite too. I knew you¡¯d like it.¡± The madam, who had been listening to every word between the two, launched into a description of the gown¡¯s virtues. ¡°As expected, the young lady has exceptional taste! This is the newest dress. It arrived less than an hour ago while the young lady was going through the collection. Remember I ordered them to bring one more quickly since His Highness is here, hm? Look at these stars! See how they shine? They were embroidered and enchanted into the fabric with the assistance of magicians. The best artisans in the empire created it bead by bead. This isn¡¯t just a dress, it¡¯s a masterpiece!¡± ¡°Well, when you put it like that,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°We¡¯ll take it!¡± ¡°As you please. If you could set a date for the alterations, I will wait on you at the duke¡¯s mansion.¡± Alexcent had all but stopped listening to the conversation, relieved he was free from the endless parade of gowns. He wore a pleased expression as he got up off his seat and prepared to leave. Amethyst grinned at him, gliding over to him and hugging his arm gently to her chest. ¡°Now it¡¯s time to go and look at shoes.¡± ¡°What!?¡± Amethyst¡¯s laughter echoed off the walls of the luxurious boutique * ¡°Did you have a good trip, sir?¡± asked Pon, the butler. The duke was sprawled across the sofa with his eyes closed. ¡°It was hell,¡± he groaned. ¡°Choosing the damned dress alone took eight hours! Then after that¡­ Why on Earth am I¡­¡± Pon listened to the duke¡¯s tirade in patient, polite silence. ¡°This is why I hate my marriage.¡± ¡°Pardon the interruption, My Lord, but the wedding rings haven¡¯t been forged yet.¡± ¡°What?¡± Alexcent lifted his head, then let it drop back to the sofa. ¡°Ugh. Damn it. Summon the Jewel Master tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The butler paused, then added, ¡°It is good to see you enjoying yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± the duke replied curtly. Then he stopped, actually thinking about that for a moment. Perhaps he was enjoying himself. If he really examined his behaviour lately, he was laughing out loud more. He didn¡¯t dislike Amethyst entirely. She was capricious, sulking one moment, shouting the next, then smiling again. At least it wasn¡¯t boring. In fact, he rather enjoyed her company. She was fun to tease, and refreshingly open. She never hid her feelings, always honest and open with her thoughts and opinions. * Amethyst had decided to hold the wedding in the garden of the duke¡¯s mansion. She was deep in conversation with the gardener, discussing the decorations she wanted on the day. Alexcent¡¯s garden was scrupulously manicured, with vast lawns and tall, straight trees that stood in neat rows against the sky. It would be perfect for an outdoor wedding. ¡°I want to be surrounded by blooming wisteria flowers. Like a large flower tunnel with a waterfall of wisteria each side, and with a white lace cloth for the bride and groom to walk along. Like this,¡± she said, spreading her arms to demonstrate. ¡°Is it possible for wisteria to bloom now?¡± The gardener had a rough idea of her intentions. He nodded. ¡°As long as we have the help of a magician, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem. I¡¯ll speak to our magician and make the preparations.¡± He looked thoughtful. ¡°Normally wisteria is purple, but since it¡¯s a wedding, I suppose cream would be more fitting?¡± ¡°Oh my, is that possible?¡± Amethyst said in delight. ¡°I love that!¡± She smiled in satisfaction. The visual reminded her of a scene from teen movie she¡¯d seen once. She was about to begin picking flowers for the centerpieces when Alexcent approached her. ¡°Are you busy? Can you spare a minute?¡± he asked. Chapter 24 - Never Too Late (2) Chapter 24 ¨C Never Too Late (2) Amethyst blinked. ¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t this a surprise from Alec who never has any time to spare?¡± He ignored her tart reply and instead led her toward the mansion¡¯s west tower by the waist. They climbed the winding stone steps without stopping for a break. ¡°Are we there yet?¡± Amethyst wheezed. ¡°I can¡¯t breathe¡­ha¡­ha.¡± ¡°This is why you need to get more exercise,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°Just a little further, we¡¯re almost there.¡± He felt the telltale prickle of someone staring daggers into his back but chose to ignore it. Led by the touch of a strange man for the first time, Amethyst didn¡¯t contradict Alexcent¡¯s criticism and simply followed his lead. Finally, they reached the top. The clear sky opened up above her as she stepped out, a cool breeze tugging at her hair and clothes. This was the highest point in the mansion. From up here they could look out and take in the entire Sehar Empire in a single glance. ¡°Oh my goodness,¡± she said, rushing to the safety wall to get a better look. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you brought me up here before? It¡¯s so beautiful! Is that the royal palace? I¡¯d know that architecture anywhere. Wow, look there! There¡¯s a huge lake right in the middle of the city. Can we go and visit it next time?¡± Even the amazing scenery couldn¡¯t stop her from noticing that Alexcent hadn¡¯t said a word. She turned to look at him, some of the excitement fading from her face. He seemed uncomfortable. Seeing someone usually so upright and outspoken look nervous made her nervous too. When their eyes met, Alexcent cleared his throat. He approached her stiffly, then took her small, delicate hands in his much larger ones. Amethyst held her breath as he brushed his thumb along the backs of each of her fingers. He slid a warm band of metal around the ring finger of her left hand. A pale pink diamond cut into a teardrop, framed by smaller, clear diamonds. An engagement ring. She looked up at him, wide-eyed. Alexcent hesitated, then spoke. ¡°This may be an arranged marriage between us, but it is still a marriage. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to get married without a proper proposal. You shouldn¡¯t be denied that.¡± He took a deep breath, hoping its never too late to do this. ¡°Lady Amethyst Lohikin, will you marry me?¡± Amethyst¡¯s heart raced. This was the first time anyone had ever proposed to her. Even in the other world, she¡¯d never been proposed to. Once she¡¯d reached a suitable age here, the arrangements had been made. Despite her hesitation, there had been no reason to refuse. The elders had decided and agreed on the marriage, which was how she ended up engaged without proposal. But Alexcent was doing his best to make her feel honored and respected for her choice. He wanted to care for her as though she was his chosen bride, not just his arranged one. Her heart ached, but she couldn¡¯t show it. This man really was as dangerous as he appeared. ¡°¡­Yes,¡± she said after a moment. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m so touched¡­ This is the first time I¡¯ve ever received such a sweet proposal.¡± She felt her throat tighten and lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯ll do a better job next time,¡± he said, then kissed her. Her lips parted with surprise and she felt Alexcent¡¯s tongue slip into her mouth. It had never occurred to her that someone else¡¯s tongue could feel so soft, and she liked the sensation of it sliding, pushing against her own. Her breath stuttered, short, and her mind went blank. Alexcent even sucked. She drew back a fraction to catch her breath for a second, but soon their lips were together again, their tongues intertwined. He sucked roughly on her lips, bruising the pliant flesh. In response, Amethyst found herself wrapping her arms around his neck and accepting his kiss wholeheartedly. * Amethyst was in the drawing room, pondering over the minute details of the wedding plans. ¡°Madam.¡± ¡®Huh? Madam?¡¯ She lifted her head at the unfamiliar title. Pon, who had been introduced to her as the house butler, stood beside her. ¡°Me?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes.¡± Pon nodded. ¡°You will soon be the lady of the house, after all.¡± While that was true, being called ¡°Madam¡± was something that would take some getting used to. It was like something you would hear in a historical drama or an old folktale. She straightened up. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I came to give you these documents. You must review them and give your approval.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Pon handed her a wad of paper as thick as a dictionary. On closer inspection, there were several stacks of paper in the whole. She glanced from the documents up at the butler, confused. ¡°What¡­is all this?¡± Pon cleared his throat. ¡°The first is regarding the operational costs and details for the main residence. The second pertains to the operational expenses for the annex. The third, the position and task force budget for you, Madam. The fourth-¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Amethyst cried. ¡°Hold on!¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± Pon said crisply. ¡°Are you telling me¡­¡± She looked at the enormous stack of paper. ¡°That all of this is going to be my job?¡± ¡°Yes, these will be your duty to oversee from now on.¡± ¡°Who did it before me?¡± ¡°I took care of the main household, while Dajal oversaw the annex. Since the position of lady of the house has been vacant for so long, a new position and work promotion expenses have been set up-¡± Amethyst threw up her hands to stop him before he could launch into another long explanation. ¡°Then continue like it was before. Pon, you can continue looking after the main household expenses, and Dajal can look after the annex.¡± Chapter 25 - The Ever Understanding Butler (1) Chapter 25 ¨C The Ever Understanding Butler (1) Pon looked perplexed. ¡°Forgive me but, Madam, this is officially the role of the lady of the house¡­¡± Amethyst was aware of that, but she would be gone from the mansion in a year. To spend that time cramming all this information into her head and stressing over bills and budgets? No way. But I can¡¯t just be stubborn and refuse to do it¡­ She had to come up with some sort of excuse. ¡°Well, you see,¡± she said, ¡°I am still rather new to these affairs. It¡¯s beyond me to take over this role right now. I was hoping¡­maybe I could learn these tasks over your shoulder for the next couple of years? Then there will be minimal disruption due to the household due a change in leadership. I think a gradual change would be better.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The butler looked thoughtful, then bowed his head in acquiescence. ¡°Then I will continue to handle these duties for now.¡± She breathed a silent sigh of relief. ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡± Pon wasn¡¯t finished, however. ¡°The next order of business, then. These are the maids who will serve you from now on.¡± He beckoned toward the doorway. When Amethyst looked up, five maids were arrayed in front of her, awaiting her orders. Oh, dear. She wasn¡¯t comfortable ordering people around yet. She had only just managed to leave Yellie behind at the Count¡¯s estate, and now there were five instead of one! She couldn¡¯t deal with that. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± she said hastily. ¡°Even at the Count¡¯s estate I didn¡¯t have a maid.¡± The butler looked perplexed, glancing from her to the maids. ¡°But Madam, you are going to be the wife of the duke of this empire¡­¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Pon said, insistently. ¡°You will be the highest ranked noble, above the other noble ladies. Excluding the empress, you have the highest rank among the women of the empire. As such, I will ensure you are well served-¡± ¡°Mr. Pon.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam. Please just call me Pon.¡± ¡°Alright, Pon. It hasn¡¯t been long since I first came to this place, and like I mentioned, I have never had a personal maid before. It makes me uncomfortable to have someone hovering around me all the time. I will call on them as and when I need them.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Pon, if I feel uncomfortable, then aren¡¯t you failing in your duty to look after me?¡± she asked. He offered her an apologetic bow. ¡°I apologize. I will make sure they are on standby. Please call upon them whenever you need.¡± ¡°I will. Thank you for looking after me.¡± Thankful that she had averted another crisis, Amethyst began to relax again. As before, it was too soon. Pon had more to come. ¡°Please, Madam, don¡¯t mention it.¡± He produced a box, roughly A4 size. ¡°These are the invites that have been extended to you. I took the liberty of arranging them according to the nobles¡¯ rank.¡± Wow, invites? She leaned close to get a look inside the box. It was full to the brim with invitations. The envelopes were all heavy cream paper and gilt lettering. It would probably take her all day to go through the lot of them. ¡°I¡¯m not even married to the duke yet, and they¡¯re already sending me invitations?¡± ¡°The position of the duke¡¯s wife has been vacant until now. I am not surprised there are so many households in a hurry to meet you and become acquainted with the Skad household,¡± said the butler. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure that¡¯s it¡­¡± she said absently. Even without seeing Alexcent in action, she could just imagine how the stuck-up duke would behave to the other nobles. He was the equivalent of a CEO¡¯s son in this world. He wasn¡¯t an easy person to deal with, which must be why the noble families were reaching out to her. She was by far an easier option. This wasn¡¯t good news. It wouldn¡¯t be good for her to have her face widely known. What if people recognize her a year from now? She pushed the box back toward Pon. ¡°Please decline all of these, and any that are sent to me from now on.¡± ¡°But madam¡­¡± Pon protested. ¡°Socializing with the other noble ladies is one of the many duties of the duke¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°Well, that may be true, but I am not yet his wife,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°Nor am I ready for many things. I may act carelessly in front of those noble ladies and embarrass the duke¡¯s family.¡± ¡°You need not worry about such things,¡± the butler hastened to reassure her. ¡°Soon you will be a role model for all the noble ladies.¡± ¡®Ugh, why can¡¯t he read between the lines? How bothersome. Fine, he leaves me with no choice.¡¯ ¡°Actually,¡± she said, feigning embarrassment with a hand pressed delicately to her cheek, ¡°I have a serious insecurity about my appearance. I¡¯m afraid to put myself out there.¡± ¡°Oh, please forgive me. I misunderstood your intention. I will of course politely decline all the invitations. Amethyst blinked. ¡°Oh? ¡­yes. Th-thank you.¡± That had been surprisingly easy to convince him. ¡®Wait¡­¡¯ Why had he accepted that explanation so quickly? Was there really something wrong with her appearance? ¡®Darn it. Since those were my own words, I can¡¯t take them back.¡¯ She felt her mood souring rapidly. She glared at the butler until he took back the documents and hastened out of the drawing room. Pon had just agreed that she was ugly! Chapter 26 - The Ever Understanding Butler (2) Chapter 26 ¨C The Ever Understanding Butler (2) It was a few days before he came looking for her again. He greeted her with a bow of the head. ¡°Madam.¡± Amethyst was still rankled by how easily he¡¯d been convinced that she was worried about her appearance, so she didn¡¯t honor him with a reply, merely lifting her head. Pon went on as if he hadn¡¯t noticed the quiet snub. ¡°Would you be so kind as to write down the names and households of those you would like to personally invite to the wedding? I will send invitations to them.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Or you could write it in short form, Madam, if that is more convenient.¡± Here was a dilemma. The only people she knew in this world were those in the Lohikin household, the Skad family, and Empress Belice. ¡®Who am I supposed to invite?¡¯ The Lohikins would definitely be there already, as would Alexcent, since it was his own wedding. Her only other so-called friend was Empress Belice, who was already attending to represent the Skad household. The only person she could possibly invite was Yellie, but she was a commoner. The invite might not be extended to her. ¡®Hmm¡­I could invite Lady Maria?¡¯ She had been Amethyst¡¯s friend, before all this. But how could she invite someone whose face she didn¡¯t know? How was she supposed to act like Lady Maria¡¯s friend if she¡¯d never met before? No, it sounded like it was trouble waiting to happen. Her worry clearly reflected on her face. ¡°Pon.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to give this some more thought. Would it be alright if I tell you later?¡± He bowed. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Good, thank you.¡± She let out a long sigh as the butler left. What am I supposed to do? There isn¡¯t a single person I¡¯d like to invite. She looked at the pen Pon had given her, then scrawled a name on a piece of paper. Yellie. Then crossed it out and wrote: Froy. That was the name of her mentor before she had come to the duke¡¯s mansion. Just that name, then her pen stopped. Eventually, she crossed out Froy¡¯s name as well. He was her mentor, but not close enough to invite to her wedding. An invitation to a royal wedding was a lot of pressure, so she had to be careful about who she invited. It was the same back then. She had always taken a long time to consider who and where to draw the line. Her secondary school friends that she contacted maybe once a year? Her college friends that she caught up with on holidays? Or her childhood friend she¡¯d recently got back in touch with? The colleague from work who felt like a best friend but had recently resigned? On the other hand, she remembered feeling taken aback when she¡¯d received a wedding invitation from colleagues whose face she couldn¡¯t even recall. After contemplating it for what felt like hours, Amethyst stood. The piece of paper was blank. There was no way she could think of anyone to invite, so she decided to simply be honest. She went in search of Pon. ¡°Madam,¡± he said. ¡°You were looking for me?¡± ¡°Yes, I wanted to give my invitation list.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The butler looked pleased. ¡°Please give it to me. Thank you.¡± Pon took the blank sheet of paper. To his credit, he didn¡¯t react, merely giving her a slight bow and leaving calmly. * ¡°Did you get the list from her?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Pon passed the blank list to Duke Alexcent. ¡°The lady doesn¡¯t seem to have any particular household that she interacts with. Unable to forget the pained expression on Amethyst¡¯s face, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to state aloud that she didn¡¯t seem to have many friends. ¡°Is that what she said?¡± ¡°No, sir¡­but she seemed rather uncomfortable while discussing the guest list. Although that is only my observation.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Alexcent picked up his own list of guests. The list was long, as one would expect from a large royal family. After a moment¡¯s pause, he picked up his pen and drew a large cross through the list. He did the same on the next few pages, too. When he handed the list back to Pon, most of the guests had been crossed out. ¡°This should do. Inform the temple that we will be having a simple wedding.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± * After passing Pon that blank sheet, Amethyst couldn¡¯t help but fret about it. She went in search of the butler. The duke would have an extensive list of guests; she couldn¡¯t just not invite anyone. She was sure Count Lohikin could extend the invite to their distant family members, but even then, it would look paltry compared to Alexcent¡¯s list. ¡®Maybe I should just invite Froy and Yellie too.¡¯ She entered the butler¡¯s office, but there was no sign of the man himself. Her gaze fell upon a sheet of paper placed neatly in the middle of Pon¡¯s desk. Curious, she looked closer and realized it was the duke¡¯s guest list, but with hundreds of the names crossed out. She checked the sheets underneath it, and they were crossed out too. Chapter 27 - Cinderella (1) Chapter 27 ¨C Cinderella (1) ¡®What is this? Is he going to invite these people or not?¡¯ Pon returned to the office just as she was pondering these questions. ¡°Madam, what brings you all the way down here?¡± She startled. ¡°Oh. I wanted to reconsider the guest list I gave you earlier.¡± ¡°Here it is.¡± He removed her blank list from beneath the duke¡¯s and passed it to her. ¡°Pon.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam?¡± ¡°Is this other list Alexcent¡¯s?¡± The butler confirmed that it was. ¡°Then, why is most of it crossed out?¡± ¡°His Highness decided not to invite them to the wedding.¡± Amethyst blinked, surprised. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t he inviting them?¡± ¡°I am not sure, Madam. But if you have anyone else you would like to invite, please feel free to add to them to your guest list.¡± If Alexcent wasn¡¯t inviting others, then Amethyst didn¡¯t need to either. She felt the tension unravel from her shoulders and smiled. ¡°On second thought, I think this will be just fine.¡± She passed the blank list back to Pon and strode out of his office. That night, Amethyst lay wide awake in her bed, unable to sleep as thoughts tumbled over each other in her head. ¡®Was he being considerate towards me? No, that¡¯s ridiculous.¡¯ But in her mind she saw again those thick lines striking the names off his guest list. She tried to forget it and go to sleep, but rest eluded her. Thinking back, even in her old world she¡¯d had trouble sleeping as her wedding approached. There had been many a restless night. Eventually she gave up completely and got up, picking up her gown and leaving the bedroom. The corridor was quiet; everyone else was asleep. Lights lit the corridor at regular intervals. She peered out of each window as she passed. The stars glittered in the night sky, and clouds drifted in front of the moon like a fluttering veil. She stopped. There was a light leaking out of a cracked door. That was the duke¡¯s office. ¡®What is he doing up at this hour?¡¯ Perhaps it was just curiosity, or the strange melancholy that hung over her, but she found herself knocking on the door. The reply came a moment later: ¡°Come in.¡± Amethyst grasped the handle and pushed the door to Alexcent¡¯s office. The duke was at his desk, reading something by the light of a lamp. He didn¡¯t look up as she entered. ¡°What are you doing up so late?¡± she asked. His head jerked up at the sound of a female voice. He raised his eyebrows at Amethyst, having been expecting Pon or some other servant to be bothering him at this hour. Not his future wife. ¡°I could ask the same of you,¡± he countered. ¡°Taking a walk,¡± she said. ¡°At this hour?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, yes.¡± Amethyst sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t seem to fall asleep. I was just walking around and saw that the lights in here were still on.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m¡­¡± The duke gestured to the documents on his desk. ¡°As you can see.¡± As Alexcent replied curtly, Amethyst turned to look around at his surroundings. Every inch of the surface of his desk was covered in documents. ¡°People might think you are the only working member of the empire.¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± ¡®Pfft. Seriously this guy. Wouldn¡¯t know sarcasm if it bit him in the face.¡¯ Looking around, she realized that before she intruded, Alexcent must have been really busy; he picked up a pen and resumed working on his document, writing something intently. Scribble. Scribble. She found the sound of pen against paper strangely soothing. ¡°I won¡¯t disturb you, I promise. Can I stay here for a little while?¡± Alexcent looked up at her blankly not saying anything at all. ¡°I just can¡¯t fall asleep. It¡¯s quiet in there¡­and weirdly enough, I find the sound of you writing so comforting. Please.¡± ¡°What do you-? Oh, Alright. Do as you please.¡± He sighed and gave in eventually. Amethyst, eagerly took her place on the sofa opposite him. In the silence, only the sound of his pen could be heard as he scribbled and occasionally crossed something out. After quietly listening to it for some time, Amethyst was reminded of something that she wanted desperately to share with him, even at the risk of breaking her promise to not disturb him. ¡°It¡¯s like Cinderella.¡± ¡°Cin¡­what?¡± Alexcent¡¯s hand did not stop, nor did he look up at her, but he still replied. ¡®Yes, Cinderella. Who was fatigued both in body and mind for 11 years. Perhaps it was with the help of a fairy or god she fell into this world, was coincidentally invited to the royal wedding, met a duke and got married to him¡ªa contract marriage.¡¯ ¡°Mmm¡­It¡¯s a book that I read when I was young. About a young girl, who lived in suffering for a long time but eventually with the help of a fairy godmother, she manages to go to a Royal ball, where she meets a handsome duke who falls in love with her at first sight. Even as the ball comes to an end, the duke, unable to forget the beautiful Cinderella, turns the entire village upside down in search of her, and eventually finds her and marries her. A typical fairy tale, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°So¡­ let me get this straight. You are referring to yourself as that Cinderella?¡± he asked rather quizzically, raising an eyebrow but not looking up from the documents. ¡°Well, don¡¯t you think this is a similar situation?¡± ¡°Absolutely not.¡± He declared firmly, finally looking up at her. Chapter 28 - Who Is The Idiot? (1) Chapter 28 ¨C Who Is the Idiot? (1) ¡°Why not? Aren¡¯t you discarding my theory a little too quickly?¡± She asked, affronted. ¡°Alright. Well, first of all, you are not Cinderella who lived in suffering. You are a daughter of a noble household. You¡¯ve never known suffering your entire life.¡± ¡°How would you know if I have or have not?¡± ¡°Because Count Lohikin isn¡¯t that poor, nor is he someone who would make his own daughter face hardships while under his roof.¡± ¡°Well¡­that is true.¡± She admitted fairly. ¡°And more importantly, I don¡¯t think the handsome duke fell in love with you at first sight.¡± ¡°What? Alec!¡± Emeslis stood up from at his words, indignant. He suppressed a grin, teasing her, like he did at times. Never to an extent to cause serious offense. ¡®More like a primary school kid, that teases the girl he likes, maybe? The girl he likes¡­of course that doesn¡¯t apply between us.¡¯ ¡°No matter what you say, I quite like my face. I¡¯m fond of it, the way it is.¡± ¡°Well, that is some confidence.¡± She puffed up her cheeks in annoyance and glared at him, to which he smiled. Still grinning playfully, Alexcent got up from his seat. ¡°It¡¯s late. Go back and sleep.¡± ¡°Yeah, I was just about to go.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll escort you.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll escort you back to your room.¡± Wide-eyed, Amethyst stared at him in amazement, her heart fluttering a little at this very gentlemanly gesture of his. . ¡°It¡¯s not that far. I can go back on my own.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dark in the night. Just in case.¡± Unlike the previously casual tone of his voice, he spoke so gravely and rationally that Amethyst found herself nodding in agreement. They walked side by side along the empty corridors. ¡®Was his offering to escort her back a way of making it up to her for his teasing?¡¯ Amethyst tilted her head slightly to look at him properly. ¡®They say all men are simple, but that doesn¡¯t seem to apply to this man. He was complicated, hard to decipher and always left her feeling confused and unsure of her own heart.¡¯ He matched her stride and walked looking straight ahead, his posture erect, his gait befitting the graceful one of an aristocrat. The silent corridor echoed with the sound of their synchronized footsteps. She suddenly sensed movement in a corner. ¡®To think that there were people at this hour of the night. Was this what he meant before, by just in case?¡¯ Startled, Amethyst found herself sticking close to Alexcent and grabbing hold of his hand. He seemed surprised by her sudden action and looked down at her enquiringly. Amethyst laughed awkwardly, thinking of an excuse to cover her faux pas. ¡°That is-¡± Before she could finish her sentence, she spotted maids who had ended their shift, walking towards them from the other end of the corridor. ¡°Well, you know. People think we are getting married for love. So, I just thought we should look more affectionate to others, you know. More believable and¡­ realistic.¡± She bluffed, feeling like he would tease her if she confessed that she had been scared. She didn¡¯t want to give him any more reasons to make fun of her. ¡°Well, that is true.¡± He admitted graciously. As the two maids passed the couple, they politely bowed their heads in greeting and looked at each other with eyes that screamed of impending gossip. Alexcent greeted them back with a brief nod, and even as the maids disappeared round the corner, did not let go of her hand and headed towards the bedroom. The act of holding hands made her feel close to him. She felt a tingling sensation at their joined palms and along her spine. Feeling lightheaded, she smiled to herself. ¡®I wonder if he feels the same way. The electricity between us?¡¯ Amethyst, mentally shook her head and firmly instructed herself to get a grip on her strangely scattering feelings. ¡®Of course not!¡¯ Upon reaching her bedroom door, neither of them let go of the other¡¯s hand and stared at the other in silence. Amethyst ventured to loosen her grip but his hold around her hand was still strong. ¡°Alec? You need to let my hand go-¡± Only then did Alexcent seem to realise that their hands were still joined and he immediately loosened his grip. Their hands had finally parted but now the situation seemed more sensual. ¡®Like. This was like¡­ A boyfriend sending you back home after a date! Then afterwards¡­¡¯ Leaning against the bedroom door, she looked up at him. She gulped as his intense gaze fell on hers. Click. Emesis lifted her hand and opened the door behind her. ¡°Good night, Alec.¡± She quickly went inside and closed the door. ¡®Anyone can hold hands. You hold hands with a friend, or even an acquaintance. It wasn¡¯t a big deal holding his hand. But it was the furthest she should go with this man¡¯. She enveloped her flaming cheeks with her two cold hands and collapsed onto her bed. She had been thinking of the kiss that day. Chapter 29 - Who Is The Idiot? (2) Chapter 29 ¨C Who Is the Idiot? (2) After another ordinary day, she had finished her daily tasks and had headed to bed, but yet again, Amethyst found herself unable to fall asleep. She started to feel worried as the wedding approached. She wondered if she had made the right choice, and whether this was the best choice for the future. She had judged that it would be easier to spend her time in the duke¡¯s estate, where, unlike the Count¡¯s estate, nobody knew her. But she couldn¡¯t shake off a nagging feeling. Finally, she had started addressing herself as Amethyst. She called herself Amethyst but hadn¡¯t forgotten who she really was. Perhaps that was why she found it hard to sleep. Then suddenly, she was reminded of Alexcent. She wondered if he was working late tonight as well. She got out of bed, put on her dressing gown and went out into the darkness. Just like the day before, light leaked out through the door. Knock knock. After knocking once, she opened the door before she could hear a reply. Alexcent was seated behind his desk surrounded by piles of documents, but something must have not been going well as a deep frown marred his usually mischievous expression. ¡°Busy?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She couldn¡¯t help but feel a little annoyed that he didn¡¯t even look up at her when he replied. ¡°Even then, surely you can spare a moment to look at me when you speak to me!¡± ¡°Ahhh. Of course.¡± He looked up and met her gaze briefly before returning to his documents. ¡®He really must be busy. There was no choice; if it was something urgent then it was understandable to her. Back at work she had times where she would be so focused on something that she lost all sense of time. Any unwanted interruption got on her nerves.¡¯ Amethyst sighed and sat on the sofa opposite him. She suddenly spoke, ¡°Do you know the story about the village idiot Ondal and Princess Pyeonggang?¡± ¡°What are you going on about? Pyeonggang what?¡± Even though he responded that way, he still paid attention and interacted with her. ¡°Long long ago, there lived a Princess named Pyeonggang. Every time she cried, her father, the king of the country, told her he would make her marry the village idiot Ondal, if she didn¡¯t stop crying.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± She studied his impassive reaction before continuing on. ¡°Anyway, Princess Pyeonggang one day, threw a tantrum and said that she wanted to marry the village idiot, to which the king replied and said that she couldn¡¯t as he was an idiot. But the princess insisted so, the angry king threw her out of the castle. The banished princess goes on to find idiot Ondal and marries him. Then she teaches him martial arts, makes him study and turns him into a general. The village idiot Ondal no longer is an idiot and later becomes the General Ondal.¡± ¡°So¡­in summary, are you saying I am the village idiot Ondal and you are Princess Pyeonggang?¡± He asked innocently. ¡°I never said that.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t, per se. However, it¡¯s exactly what you meant.¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes. You placed an awful lot of emphasis on the word idiot.¡± His lips twitched, betraying both his knowledge and amusement. ¡®This man isn¡¯t as slow as I thought.¡¯ Amethyst just shrugged, in her defence. ¡°That story is wrong.¡± He suddenly remarked. ¡°Wrong?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s more like Prince Ondal and the idiot princess.¡± ¡°Ha? Are you calling me an idiot?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I think you are?¡± ¡°I doubt it.¡± As expected, It was impossible to win with words. Amethyst gave up and was about to lean against the sofa, when there was a knock and a voice heard behind the door. ¡°Your highness, It¡¯s Gen.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± The assistant who had come in through the door in the late night, seemed surprised to find Amethyst inside. ¡°I have something to report-¡± ¡°Oh, then I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Amethyst stood up, and was about to leave, when Alec got up as well. ¡°You wait here. I¡¯ll take you back.¡± ¡°What? Oh no, I¡¯m fine. You should get back to your work.¡± Alexcent looked at Gen, to which Gen quickly replied. ¡°It¡¯s nothing urgent. I¡¯ll wait right here.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Alexcent left Gen in his office and left along with Amethyst. * ¡°You really didn¡¯t have to-¡± Amethyst trailed off and couldn¡¯t help but glow with joy on the inside, at Alexcent¡¯s consideration for her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to hold it today?¡± ¡°Sorry? Hold what?¡± She saw him subtly offer his hand. ¡®Ahhh. He wants to hold hands like yesterday, does he?¡¯ ¡°Well there¡¯s nobody passing by today so there¡¯s no reason to.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡®Why does he suddenly look gloomy?¡¯ All along, as they walked along the corridor, he seemed expressionless. But it seemed like someone was upset about something. * ¡°What is it?¡± Alexcent asked Gen in a low unenthusiastic tone as he returned to his office. ¡°Your highness, I just received a message from the Alst. Apparently Celeos from the Pontifex has repaid his principal as well as the interest.¡± ¡°Paid back the money?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°All of a sudden? How? With what kind of money?¡± ¡°After some digging, I found out that the empress had recently donated a large amount of money to the pontifex.¡± ¡°Belice?¡± Chapter 30 - Split In Half (1) Chapter 30 ¨C Split in Half (1) ¡°Yes. It seems like the donation was made by Empress Belice. It is quite a great amount.¡± ¡°Ha, Belice? Huh¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Alexcent, momentarily lost deep in thought, spoke after a whole minute. ¡°What about the thing I asked you to look into, before?¡¯ ¡°Ah, Yes. I received a message from Kairan that all preparations are complete.¡± ¡°You told them to increase the scale, yes?¡± ¡°Yes. They reported back that all is going well with no hiccups so far.¡± ¡°I see. That¡¯s good. Send a platinum invitation to Celeos too.¡± ¡°I will. But the question is, will he attend? I mean, now that he has no debt.¡± ¡°Precisely why he will.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Now that he has no debt, he will rush into it even more. That¡¯s the nature of gambling.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± ¡°Tomorrow, I must have an audience with the empress.¡± ¡°I will schedule it accordingly.¡± As Gen left the office, Alexcent fell into a deep thought. ¡®Belice¡­Why are you suddenly behaving this way?¡¯ * As soon as the sun was up, Alexcent quickly prepared to visit Belice at the Royal Palace. The moment he arrived, he asked for Belice almost frenetically. She finally emerged, both surprised and annoyed by her brother¡¯s frenzied manner. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you looking for me so early in the morning?¡± She asked, glaring at Alec over the breakfast table as she drank her tea, but Alexcent simply acted indifferently. ¡°What do you mean, early? The sun is already high up in the sky. ¡°Only to you.¡± ¡°Well then, let¡¯s just say it¡¯s because I missed you.¡± Belice half-laughed, mockingly. Her incredulity evident in the twist of her mouth as she set her teacup down on the table with a thud. ¡°I doubt it.¡± ¡°Well, I suppose it¡¯s your will to believe it or not.¡± ¡°Save the tricks and charm for your fianc¨¦ Amethyst. So, what is it about?¡± ¡°The temple¡­¡± At the mention of the temple Belice tensed up slightly, but quickly trained her expression into a nonchalant one. ¡°I hear you made a donation.¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What do you mean, why?¡± ¡°You would just donate such a large amount, out of the blue?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Belice.¡± Belice let out a sigh at the familiar admonitory tone of his voice. ¡°I simply donated it so that they would bless your marriage.¡± ¡°Bless?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not such a big deal for a sister to donate to the temple wishing for the happiness and blessing of a newly married couple.¡± ¡°Is that really all there is to it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Alexcent studied Belice suspiciously and she utilized his pause to steer the conversation to a different subject. ¡°Then since we are on the topic, let me ask you a question. Why have you not sent out the invitations yet? A lot of people are feeling upset about it.¡± As the topic moved on to the wedding invitations, Alexcent adopted a rather irascible demeanour. ¡°What is there to be upset about?¡± Belice stared at him in amazement. ¡°Alexcent, you are the duke and head of the Skad household. Therefore, who do you think will dare to cross the gates of your mansion to your wedding without an invitation? Not only the Lohikin household, but the other noble families seem to be at a loss for what to do. I hope you understand that it is basic manners to send out the invites in a timely manner.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to send out the invites.¡± ¡°What? Are you¡­trying to omit the wedding to your marriage? You may be a workaholic but isn¡¯t this too much?¡± ¡°I am going to have the full wedding. But we are only inviting direct families. If they really want to come, tell them to come for the after party. I won¡¯t stop them.¡± Belice seemed to be lost in thought before asking. ¡°Is this for Lady Lohikin¡­.?¡± ¡°No.¡± As he denied it immediately, Belice smiled mischievously. ¡°I think I¡¯m right?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Uhuh, let¡¯s say I¡¯m wrong then. But that¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°Well, I thought I had forced you into marrying just any young lady¡­but it doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.¡± ¡°I told you it¡¯s not!¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know what you are denying this time.¡± Alexcent frowned in confusion at Belice¡¯s knowing smirk. * ¡°Madam, may I request your time?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course. The only thing I have, is time on my hands.¡± Amethyst replied jocularly to Pon who had asked her politely. ¡°The renovation for your bedroom has been completed. Would you like to take a look?¡± ¡°Bedroom? I was under the impression that I would be staying here.¡± ¡°That is out of the question. The room you are currently using is a guest room for visiting nobles. We cannot have you stay in such a room.¡± ¡°Ah. I see.¡± She had thought this room was fabulous. Feeling a bit nostalgic, but also excited, Amethyst swiftly made her way towards her new room. She followed Pon right to the centre of the estate, where it overlooked the beautiful scenery of the garden in one glance. The centre of the centre. It felt like it represented the heart of the duke. ¡°This is the room that the two of you will be using. If there is anything not to your liking, or lacking, please let me know. We will fix it accordingly.¡± ¡®Wait. Two of us?¡¯ Amethyst stopped herself from gazing around the room and turned to look at Pon in surprise. ¡°What do you mean, the two of us?¡± Wondering if he¡¯d overstepped a boundary, Pon ventured, ¡°Pardon? Well, when you become a married couple then it¡¯s only right that you used one bedroom-¡± He coughed and trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. ¡®Being a married couple meant sharing one¡¯s personal life. So, he must have meant that it was right to share a room. It came along with a reception area and bathroom, offices for the both of them, a dress room and an enormous bed large enough to fit four people.¡¯ Amethyst who had been looking around cried out, in panic, ¡°Let¡¯s split it in half?¡± Chapter 31 - Split In Half (2) Chapter 31 ¨C Split in Half (2) ¡°Pardon madam?¡± Pon looked at her like she had grown two heads. ¡°All of it. The bed, personal space, dressing room and even the bathroom. Please split in in half.¡± ¡°Why-?¡± Pon seemed taken aback by the unexpected request and asked. ¡®Why? Well that¡¯s because we are in a contract marriage.¡¯ Amethyst couldn¡¯t bring herself to explain so simply replied briefly. ¡°This has already been agreed with Alec-. No, the duke. I don¡¯t need to explain why.¡± ¡°Ah¡­I see. Then how shall I split it in half?¡± Pon asked in a depressed tone as his hard work was requested to be split. ¡°Where did the duke sleep before?¡± ¡°He used his own personal bedroom across the hall.¡± ¡°All this while?¡± ¡°Yes. He prioritizes efficiency.¡± ¡°Well, then the duke will continue using that room. I will use this room except the duke¡¯s personal space. Since I need the bathroom, reception area and dressing room. ¡°Uh. Yes.¡± Pon wondered briefly if the lady was a gold-digger as he accepted her command. * That evening. As any other day, Pon greeted Alexcent who had just returned from the palace. ¡°Welcome back, sir.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I have something to inform you¡­.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I informed Madam that the renovation for the bedroom had been completed.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s finished earlier than expected.¡± ¡°Yes. Well, she wishes to use it alone and says it had already been discussed and agreed with you.¡± ¡°Hmm? Alone?¡± He tilted his head momentarily, then seemed to remember something and replied dryly. ¡°Ahhh, yes alright. Do as she wants. I will just stay in my previous room.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Pon was about to leave and not disturb Alexcent any further. ¡°By the way, Pon.¡± ¡°So Ahem¡­ late in the night¡­¡± Pon wondered what his master was about to say and being so hesitant about it. Suddenly he felt afraid and tensed as he replied. ¡°Yes sir, please go ahead.¡± ¡°Can you make the maids guard around my office corridor?¡± ¡°Sorry?! But there are already the shadows that guard the mansion? Is something troubling you?¡± ¡°No but-. Just do as I say.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. But it will be too hard for one to do all night, so I will place them on rotation to guard the corridor.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make it too obvious, just make sure they act naturally.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± Previously he had asked for all the remaining maids to be removed as their presence disturbed him, but Pon supposed with the new addition to the family, it was good that he was making sure he covered all grounds. Since it was only right for the employees to serve the master of the house, Pon made arrangements as such. * ¡®Perhaps it was due to the late night talks with Alec. Or was it the rapidly approaching wedding?¡¯ Amethyst walked around her bed, unable to lie down. She crossed her arm and rubbed her arm. She felt anxious. Today after seeing the couple bedroom, her future of a married life felt imminent and real. Earlier, it had simply felt like a hypothetical situation. Something that was happening to another person. She couldn¡¯t sleep from the nervousness and anxiety. At times like this, she couldn¡¯t help but think of him. ¡®Yes, when I¡¯m with him I feel at ease. I don¡¯t feel anxious or nervous when I am bickering with him, in fact I don¡¯t think of anything else.¡¯ As her train of thoughts eventually came to an inconclusive end, Amethyst opened her bedroom door and made her way down. Knock knock. She entered the room as she knocked. But to her surprise and disappointment, his seat was empty. ¡®He must have gone off for a while seeing how the lights were still on. What should I do? Should I go back?¡¯ Unlike her thoughts, she found herself lingering on. As she contemplated what to do next, he opened the door and came in. He must have taken a shower; unlike his usual self, his neatly combed hair was wet and tangled, and he had a gown on top of his unbuttoned shirt. The droplets at the end of his hair shined along with his platinum hair. ¡°I see you haven¡¯t fallen asleep yet.¡± ¡°I thought you would be busy today¡­¡±Seeing a new side to him made her trail off. ¡°Ahh, I got sweaty today. So what story are you here to tell me today?¡± ¡°Story?¡± ¡°Yes, you always distracted me with a story.¡± ¡°Not today. I just¡­.Pon showed me the new bedroom today, and I said I would use it on my own¡­so I was going to tell you to continue using your current one¡­.¡± Amethyst stumbled on her words and made up an excuse. ¡°Alright. I get it.¡± ¡°Are you going to work late today as well?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m going to rest early today.¡± Amethyst simply stared at him blankly not sure of what to say. He too didn¡¯t avoid her gaze. Thump-Thump. Unlike her consciousness, her heart thumped loudly. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll walk you back.¡± Alexcent broke the silence. Amethyst simply nodded in reply. As they left the office, Alexcent grabbed a hold of Amethyst¡¯s hand. She looked up at him, taken aback by his sudden action, to which Alexcent replied by pointing in front with his chin. She saw two maids walking towards them from the other end of the corridor. ¡®Oh. It¡¯s because of the maids.¡¯ Somehow because he held her hand. All the anxiety she had felt before seemed to disappear. She let out a sigh of relief. Even after the maids disappeared, Amethyst did not let go of his hand. Just like that the two of them walked hand in hand along the corridor in silence. Like two lovers who didn¡¯t want to say goodbye as they reached the end of the road, they stared at the door of her bedroom for a while. As if they didn¡¯t want this night to end. Thump- Thump Her heart beat fiercely. And the hands that had been holding hers loosened its grip and wrapped her cheeks. Her eyes met the clear and intense eyes that seemed to be burning. And it was coming nearer towards her face. Chapter 32 - The Big Day (1) Chapter 32 ¨C The Big Day (1) Slowly, he leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers, water dripped down his hair and onto her forehead. She raised her hand to run it through his damp hair, brushing it back from his face, and drawing him closer. As the kiss deepened, they both let out a moan. His arm supported them against the door, as he pushed her against it. Even as he breathed heavily, he didn¡¯t let her go, pulling her even closer than before. His mind was filled with thoughts of them entwined for the whole night. At the sound of the approaching footsteps, he reluctantly broke off their kiss but couldn¡¯t tear his gaze from her. Amethyst was breathing heavily, her cheeks flushed a deep red. He observed as the lust-induced haze lifted from her eyes, replaced by a cold glint. Without as much as a ¡®good night,¡¯ she turned around and disappeared into her room. She was running away embarrassed by a mere kiss. Was she na?ve or acting na?ve? There was no doubt she was attractive. His eyes shone with a mischievous glint, a satisfied smile graced his lips as Alexcent left for his own bedroom. * As soon as she entered her room, Amethyst hurriedly shut the door and leaned against it. Her heart was pounding like crazy, her breathing shallow. ¡®What was that?!¡¯ She had tried to be careful, but he was relentlessly charming and so damn attractive. He was like a spider¡¯s web; the more you tried to get out, the more you got stuck. She fanned her flushed cheeks with her hands and tried to calm her throbbing heart. He was a man that enchanted people, a man she mustn¡¯t let herself fall. * Regardless of Amethyst¡¯s growing anxiety, her wedding day had arrived. Why didn¡¯t the earth just stop moving till she prepared herself? Since the early hours of the morning, she had started getting ready for the big day with the help of the maids. She looked at her reflection and couldn¡¯t believe it was actually her. She did look like a prince¡¯s bride. The clothes might have played an important role in that, she told herself. She wore the dress that she had picked with Alexcent and a long veil that covered her face. Due to her obstructed vision, she was assisted by her maids to enter the garden that was decorated for the wedding. It was a perfect wedding. Everything was just as she had dreamed of, like a scene from a movie. As she had wished, wisteria trees formed a tunnel for her to walk through, and the lilac petals showered down every time the wind blew, making it a spectacle to see. Bouquets of pastel hydrangeas on every table made it even more glamorous. Alexcent wore a black suit that usually made him appear cold and difficult for anyone to approach. But today, when she saw him at the venue, he just looked handsome and gentlemanly. It was probably because he was smiling at her. His black suit highlighted his platinum hair. His scarlet eyes held determination and resolve, which was more than she could say for herself because she was shaking in her boots. ¡®Why am I so nervous? It¡¯s not even my first wedding, or even a real wedding.¡¯ Amethyst couldn¡¯t help but feel grateful that her veil was covering her face. Otherwise, her flushed and tense face would have been exposed. ¡°Look at you! You do look as beautiful as Cinderella, or better yet as Princess Pyeonggang.¡± ¡°Alec!¡± She whisper-shouted at him for his teasing. Even on a day like this, he was teasing her. But thankfully it had helped to calm down. Alexcent suppressed a laugh and offered her his hand, which she gladly accepted. The two started walking towards the temple where their marriage would be blessed. To their left were Empress Belice and Duke Roden, and to the right was her family. Besides them, only a few close relatives of the Lohikins were present, making the wedding hall appear spacious. Many noble families and relatives of the Skad Household were waiting in a separately arranged estate for the after-party to celebrate the new couple. As per Amethyst¡¯s standards, it was a grand wedding, but as per Alexcent¡¯s it was a small wedding. Despite the many weeks of preparation and hard work, the ceremony quickly came to an end. The priest officiated the marriage vows, and they recited the marriage vows kneeling, then signed their names on the marriage document. Finally, Alexcent lifted her veil and kissed her chastely. With that, the wedding came to an end. For Alexcent, who hated long boring weddings, it was a relief. Up next was the after-party. All eyes were focused on the newly wedded bride and groom. The highlight of the party was, of course, the dance led by the couple. Everyone who had been invited was unable to hide their excitement. They would finally be able to see the famous Prince Skad and his dancing skills. Even he would not be able to avoid dancing with his new bride. On the other hand, Amethyst was tense for the very reason. She pulled his sleeve and whispered quietly. ¡°Alexcent, I-¡± She cleared her throat to control the tremor in her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to dance. What should we do? I¡¯m scared I¡¯ll ruin everything.¡± She looked like she was about to cry. Alexcent kissed her on her cheeks and whispered back to her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. All you have to do is look into my eyes and follow my lead.¡± Chapter 33 - The Big Day (2) | 19 Chapter 33 ¨C The Big Day (2) | 19 When it was time, Alexcent took Amethyst¡¯s hand and led her to the center of the hall. The loud crowd died down, all eyes were on the newly wedded couple. Getting down on one knee, Alexcent raised the hem of her dress. She was shocked by his sudden move, but he smoothly grabbed a hold of her leg and used the other hand to take off her heels. Since they had quite a difference in height, Amethyst had chosen to wear very high and uncomfortable heels. Her two small feet were visible momentarily before being hidden by her dress again. He stood back up and lifted her a bit and gently placed her feet atop his shoes. Then their stacked feet started to dance along to the song. First step, second step, turn, and repeat. Amethyst no longer had to worry about taking the wrong step or stepping on Alexcent¡¯s feet. She simply looked up into his eyes and followed his lead, just like he had told her to. In the large hall, her shoes were neatly placed to the side just like Cinderella¡¯s glass ones. Her eyes were full of happiness and her heart fluttered around like a butterfly within. The two continued to dance across the dance floor. Whenever Alexcent lifted her up in his arms and twirled her around, her dress flowed and looked like an entire galaxy of stars. Her bright laughter filled the hall. Awed by the scene, spectators sent waves of applause their way. It was a beautiful day, as bright and glorious as her dress of flowing stars. * Even though it was late in the night, the mansion was brightly illuminated by the lights of the party. Those lights lit up the bedroom as well. Outside it was still loud and boisterous but Amethyst¡¯s bedroom was full of silence. As the party reached its peak, Amethyst was escorted to her chamber by her maids. To be more exact, to the bedroom that was now to be used by her alone. The polite maids led her to the bathroom and told her they would be helping her to get ready. A sweet scent filled her nose. Inside the gold bathtub, various flowers were afloat. The maids came towards her and helped her remove the tiara and veil from her head. Then helped her out of her wedding dress, as well as the corset and undergarments she wore. Then Amethyst slipped herself into the bath, it was the perfect temperature, full of flowers that softened her skin, and scents that helped calm her down. It was the second time today that she had taken such a bath. Once in the morning and now. ¡®Was the life of the prince¡¯s wife this indulgent at all times?¡¯ Then it occurred to her that all this might be to prepare her for the first night, making her flush. Oh my god! No, I¡¯m sure he will just drop by for a while before going back. I¡¯m sure ¡­ Will he? Yes, he definitely wouldn¡¯t stay. Convinced by her own conclusion, Amethyst put on a thin slip dress to sleep in, wrapped a gown around before entering the bedroom. She froze when she came face to face with Alec who was also in his bathing gown. He must have just gotten out of the shower too as his wet hair glistened in the moonlight. Alexcent was the first to break the silence as he approached her in large strides. ¡°Since you said you can¡¯t be satisfied with just one man, I¡¯ll do my best tonight.¡± * ¡°What are you ¡­ mmmm!¡± Just as he reached her, Alexcent bent over and kissed her suddenly. He nibbled on her lower lip lightly making her gasp. As her lips partially parted, he used the opportunity to slip his t0ngue in and lick the inside. As warmth engulfed her senses and a sweet sensation entangled her, she let out a soft moan only to be kissed more intently. Her knees buckled, Amethyst gave in completely and without a hitch. She relaxed, her mind turned hazy and she was unable to think any further. His fervent kiss drove away her last shreds of resolve and reason. As she reacted to his intense kiss, his lips descended her neck and collar. She moaned and took a sharp intake of breath as she felt her body shiver when his tongue licked her skin. He was getting more excited by the sight of her soft, bare skin covered by a thin slip dress. But even that frail grab was seen as an obstacle by the prince who was plunging deeper and deeper into the sea of pleasure. He ripped the dress off her just as she came up for air. Before she could even take a mouthful of air, she sucked back in hard. His lips captured her one erect bud on her small mounds, his hands groping them. ¡°Hmmm. Ah¡­mmm.¡± Yet another m0an escaped her, as he turned his attention to her left one. His tongue lapped, touch desperate and he greedily devoured it. When the nibbling teeth took a sharp bite of her n!pple, an unbridled pleasure washed over her. An indescribable sensation settled in the pit of her stomach, spreading throughout her body like wildfire. Alexcent took his time to tease her, every once in a while even eliciting a scream. Wracked by pleasure, she found herself falling deeper and deeper. His tongue explored her bre@st, while his large hand slid down to her thigh. With only her panties in between them, his hands started to rove over it. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ah¡­ha.¡± With each rub, she breathed more heavily. She felt embarrassed but found herself lifting up her hips as she continued to enjoy the sensation. Soon her last piece of clothing bid her adieu, leaving her entirely bare. Then ¡­ his long, thick finger entered her depths. Chapter 34 - A First (1) | 19 Chapter 34 ¨C A First (1) | 19 His long and thick finger penetrated her. ¡°Ah! Tha-¡± Amethyst flushed scarlet as she felt his presence inside of her and found herself instinctively tightening the muscles of her inner thighs. He leaned down, surveyed the delirious look in her eyes, and whispered in her ear with a sly smile. ¡°How wanton of you to react like that already.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not-! Ah¡­like that-¡± ¡®How could he call me a wanton when I¡¯ve lived like a saint all my life! This is my absolute first time, after all! If I derive any pleasure out of it, I¡¯m rightly entitled to it.¡¯ She had never experienced this before. Neither in this life nor in her previous one. The kind of relationship she was accustomed to, involved minimal physical exchanges that were nothing but brief. Even those were a rarity once the children were born. However, she had never once complained. She had every intention of avoiding contact with the relationship that had given her nothing but heartache and hurt. For that reason, she often pretended to be deep asleep when he returned and alternatively would sleep with the kids often. However, right then, it felt nothing like that. Everything in her was alive and aware for the first time, and she didn¡¯t think she had much chance against his guileless love. The sweet and genuine kisses, and physical interaction of the loving kind, was a new experience for her. She closed her two eyes, soaking in the blissful sensations as her face turned pink with pleasure. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re thinking about something else right now. I better try harder.¡± His finger reached even deeper and moved roughly inside her, causing a warm fluid to flow down her inner thigh. Mortified, she covered her flushed face with her hands. His lips centred at her bre@sts, paused mid-action. He pushed himself up and spread her thighs apart with his large hands. ¡°Don¡¯t look. It¡¯s so embarrassing.¡± As Amethyst stuttered in embarrassment, Alexcent placed his lips on her inner thigh and licked at the warm fluid. ¡°Ha¡­hmm¡­oh please.¡± She moaned in pleasure, her words slowly drawled out and her voice loud. ¡®Ah, this is driving me crazy¡­I feel like I am going to explode.¡¯ As his breath tickled her thighs, he felt like it was burning her up. She wriggled her toes in exhilaration. Amethyst, unable to bear it any longer, lifted the hand covering her face, and gripped the bed sheet, trembling in pleasure. Subconsciously, she matched the pace of his breathing. ¡°Ha¡­.so sweet. It¡¯s like a drug, driving me crazy.¡± He lifted his head and smiled, discarding the gown he had been wearing, on to the floor. Oh my god. His wide shoulders and prominent collar bone. The toned muscles forming his tight ab, and¡­ Amethyst, unable to tear her eyes away from Alexcent¡¯s n@ked body, caught herself and lowered her gaze in surprise. ¡°Alec, wait¡­.¡± Feeling almost dizzy with nervousness, she tried to avoid the unavoidable. He, however, was far too excited to even consider slowing down, and showed no mercy. He took hold of her ankles and pulled her in towards him, immediately inserting himself deeply inside her. He was way too impatient to give her a chance to reject him. He let out a loud m0an as he felt himself engulfed by warm heat and its fluid. Amethyst felt like she had been struck by lightning as she felt him moving inside of her, and felt a strong wave of pain. She cried out as she felt her skin being torn. ¡°Please, it hurts¡­.stop¡± She begged as she almost sobbed. This isn¡¯t my first time, but for Amethyst¡¯s body, it was different. Oh no! I can no longer distinguish who I mean by myself anymore. Alexcent, intoxicated by her sweet floral scent, came to a halt as he smelled blood in the air and looked down at her in surprise. ¡°Wait¡­.was this your first time?!¡± She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. Alexcent swore under his breath, before lifting her up and placing her on top of his thighs. He kissed her softly and hugged her as he patted her back soothingly. Slowly her sobbing died down. ¡°I am sorry. Are you alright now?¡± Amethyst nodded with flushed cheeks, unable to look into his eyes. She was embraced by him for a long time; she sensed that he didn¡¯t seem to have any plans of letting her go. As soon as she calmed down, he immediately tried to touch her again. Alexcent carefully lay her back on the bed, and very slowly felt her deeply again. This time, it was soft and gentle with no hints of roughness like the previous time. He carefully scrutinised every expression of hers as he continued. He kissed her briefly on her lips to reassure her. As he slowly and gently carried on, her pain quickly changed to pleasure and she found herself m0aning out loud. ¡°Hmmm. Ahhh, ahhh.¡± He entered her deeply and started to move his hips slowly against hers. Her m0ans matched the pace of his movement. His large hands pinched her n!pples, and his lips traced every inch of skin on her body. Their sweat covered bodies collided with each other as l3wd sounds echoed in the entire bedroom. A short while later, succumbing to her pleasure and reaching her climax, Amethyst let out a cry and let herself go, as Alec too let go and lay on top of her. Chapter 35 - A First (2) | 19 Chapter 35 ¨C A First (2) | 19 The bedroom was filled with silence, the only audible sound was of their rough breathing. Alexcent kissed her tenderly on her forehead, and then turning her body over, made her lay on her front. Amethyst opened her eyes wide and looked at him before speaking, her voice hoarse with longing. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°What do you think? You don¡¯t expect me to be satisfied by just once, do you? No way, it¡¯s our first night together,¡±Alexcent smirked and kissed her back. She started to tremble. His lips traced her spine to her ass and licked downwards. She shuddered as her senses were heightened once more. Alexcent laughed as he opened up her thighs. Once they had reached the early hours of the next day, Alexcent finally allowed her to rest in his arms. More accurately, she had passed out in his arms. * By the time she opened her eyes, it was already past noon. ¡°Ah¡­.ouch!¡± She tried to get up but her whole body ached. All over, it felt like her body was screaming at her not to get up. As though having awaited her cries, a maid immediately knocked at the door and asked. ¡°Madam, should I prepare the bath?¡± They seemed to know exactly what a new bride needed after her first night. ¡°Yes, please.¡± ¡°We will come and escort you once it is ready.¡± She didn¡¯t have to wait for long. Soon the maids came to fetch her, and Amethyst followed them to the adjoined bathroom and into the bath. She felt much better as she dipped herself in the hot bath. Then one of the maids relayed the message from the Prince. ¡°He said you would be tired once you wake up and told us to serve you to the best of our abilities. He wanted us to inform you that he has gone to the palace to catch up on work that he had put off due to the wedding.¡± Work that he had put off due to the wedding? What a lie. I did all the preparation for the wedding. And working all those late hours in his study wasn¡¯t enough? I can¡¯t barely lift a finger and yet he can already get to work. I don¡¯t know if he just has good stamina or is a complete workaholic. As she dipped herself in warm water, she felt her muscle ache easing away. Then she saw the red love bites all over her body. She had only read about these¡­but to see them in real life was a very new experience. So, it was real. These kinds of marks. I thought it was just a phrase. Then it accidentally triggered the thoughts from the night before. For some reason, even though it wasn¡¯t, yesterday felt like her first time. Every moment she shared with him last night felt like a dream. It was ecstasy she had never experienced before. It was hard to resist him, when he hugged her gently, as though he truly loved her. Ha. No. Let¡¯s not think about it. She shook her head and tried to drive away her thoughts. But. What if the original owner of this body, Amethyst returns? She felt guilty as she hadn¡¯t been able to fight away her desires. Weighed down by her guilt, she felt as though she had committed a mistake, entranced in her own desires. * Amethyst finally managed to collect herself and finished her bath. The maids immediately brought her a change of lingerie and a dress for her. The lingerie was an all-in-one underwear, tightly lined with laces combined with a bra and a waist nipper, making her feel like one of the models of the Victoria¡¯s Secret lingerie show that she had seen on the Internet. She who had only ever worn hundred percent cotton underwear, touched the lingerie in awe. She wondered if it would be okay for her to wear something so soft and delicate. Then her eyes fell on the tight corset and dress, and she frowned. ¡°Umm¡­ I was hoping to wear something more comfortable than a dress. Something not as tight. And i also don¡¯t need a corset.¡± ¡°But Madam. This is the only clothes that are ready/ The only comfortable dress is this thin evening dress ¡­.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll wear that.¡± ¡°Yes Madam but at least the undergarment¡­.¡± ¡°Oh alright.¡± Amethyst had never been a big fan of tight clothes. Whenever she got off work, she would wear a large boxy t-shirt and shorts over the whole weekend, so for her, the tight dresses were good enough to qualify as torture. When she was at home, she had never even worn a bra. Amethyst carefully lifted up the lingerie. Then she cautiously wore the flower lacy lingerie and put on the evening dress. It was a pale yellow cream coloured, simple and modern, high waist body dress. Then she put on an embroidered gown and covered herself. She went to her bed and had just lied down, when a thought suddenly struck her, making her get out of bed. When she walked the lacy and silk gown moved along with her pace. She secretly liked the feeling of the silk sleeves around her wrist. Amethyst¡¯s destination was the Prince¡¯s office. Even though it was called an office, it was far grander than the public library nearby. Books were tightly and concisely arranged. She looked around but couldn¡¯t find any book to suit her interest. After much contemplation she picked a few books and returned to her room. Once she returned, a maid asked. ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve not eaten anything yet. Shall I prepare something and a pot of tea?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ now that you mention it, I am rather hungry. I¡¯ll have it in the bedroom then.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Chapter 36 - An Unplanned Seduction (1) Chapter 36 ¨C An Unplanned Seduction (1) Amethyst lay on her bed and began to leaf through the book on plants that she had picked from the library. After a year, she would have to leave this place. She would then desperately need to start looking for a way to make a living, and she didn¡¯t want to find herself lost along the journey to achieving her goal. Therefore, it was crucial to her, that she familiarise herself with all the possibilities that lay before her. The other reason why she chose that book was because it was the only one in Alec¡¯s office that had pictures in it and was perhaps, the easiest to read. ¡°Hmm¡­Bolvitart? This looks like a herb. I wonder if it is indeed edible? Since it isn¡¯t stated here that it¡¯s poisonous, maybe I can. Oh, this one looks like a pumpkin leaf! ¡°Konfrostart? What a name! Why can¡¯t they name it something easy like potato, barley, corn or spinach.¡± Knock knock. A maid brought in a tray of food after knocking to notify her arrival. As she tried to carry it over to the table in a corner of the room, Amethyst stopped her. ¡°Will you bring it here instead?¡± The maid hesitated before bringing it to her. Amethyst told the maid to leave it on the bed and gestured for her to leave. There were all easily digestible kinds of food on the tray. ¡°Oh man¡­I really wanted to eat some meat.¡± The dishes in front of her lacked the meat dishes she liked so much. Her favourite lunch time menu consisted of cutlets, stir fried meat and previously on the weekends, she had eaten grilled pork belly for breakfast. ¡®Tomorrow I must put in a request for some meat.¡¯ Putting her longings for meat aside, she enjoyed the warm buttery soup by dipping toasted breadsticks in it as she immersed herself into the book. She broke off a small piece of bread and flipped the page, sipped on her drink, and then flipped another. As she ate, breadcrumbs fell on the bed sheet, and the drink splattered onto its white expanse, but she found herself strangely unperturbed. Her old self would have jumped at the idea of breadcrumbs on the bed, but now she found that she couldn¡¯t be bothered about it. Simply changing her sitting position, she continued flipping the pages of the book. As she started to feel fuller, she felt somewhat suffocated. Amethyst sat up, crossed her knees, then looking around, took off her undergarments and threw it on the table next to the bed. ¡°Huh, finally now I can breathe! I guess not anybody can be a Victoria¡¯s Secret angel after all.¡± She lay back down and kicking her legs in the air, started humming a tune. She took a bite of the cookie, the maid had brought along with her breakfast and turned the page of her book. * ¡°Where is Ash?¡± Alexcent, who had barely managed to complete only the urgent pieces of work, returned to the mansion and asked Pon. ¡°Madam is in the bedroom.¡± ¡°The bedroom?¡± ¡°Yes. Well¡­according to the maids she even ate in the bedroom and has not left since then. Perhaps she is not feeling well-¡± Alexcent frowned at Pon¡¯s statement. He couldn¡¯t help but be concerned if it was because of yesterday and headed straight to her bedroom instead of his office. Knock knock Alexcent opened the door as he knocked and frowned at what he saw. Then lifted one of his eyebrows in part disdain and part amusement. On the bed, surrounding her, were plates, books, pieces of tissue, crumbs of biscuits and tea ware. ¡°What¡­a scene.¡± Amethyst sat up in surprise as she heard an unexpected voice. ¡°What are you doing home at this hour?¡± ¡°I heard you weren¡¯t feeling well.¡± ¡°Not feeling well? Who, me?¡± ¡°Yes. I heard you didn¡¯t leave the bedroom even once today. Were you here like this the whole day?¡± ¡°What do you mean the whole day, it¡¯s only noon. I can stay like this for a week!¡± Ignoring Amethyst¡¯s reply, Alexcent let out a resigned sigh and walked towards the bed to picked up the book. ¡°Botany? I didn¡¯t know you were interested in such things.¡± ¡°Ah, well it¡¯s not that I¡¯m interested. I couldn¡¯t find any other interesting books in your office-¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you do something more productive and efficient.¡± ¡°Productive?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Yes. Rather than dirty the bedroom¡­!¡± Suddenly Alexcent¡¯s ears turned red, and he was unable to continue his sentence. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Ash, you didn¡¯t go to my office like that, did you?¡± Amethyst followed Alexcent¡¯s gaze and saw that her nipples, through her thin slip dress, were very prominently highlighted by the wrinkles of her dress. As she wore a see-through dress where the bright sun cast a backlight around her, she appeared very sensual. Amethyst quickly pulled at her gown and wrapped herself with it, flustered at the look in his eyes. ¡°No, nobody saw me! And why are your ear turning red! You¡¯re¡­making me embarrassed!¡± ¡°Ash¡­ Have you forgotten that we have male servants as well? What if¡­.¡± Just the thought of it put Alexcent in a bad mood; his ashen face betrayed it. Chapter 37 - An Unplanned Seduction (2) | 19 Chapter 37 ¨C An Unplanned Seduction (2) | 19 He was right. She may have promised herself that she would live doing whatever she liked, but there was a boundary that she shouldn¡¯t cross. And now that she was the wife of the prince, her rank was higher than that of a noble lady. Amethyst tried to appease him as she studied his darkened expression. ¡°Alec, I¡¯ll be careful from now on.¡± ¡°And if you are going to seduce anyone, it¡¯ll only be me.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean, seduce? The undergarments were so suffocating I¡ªhmm!¡± Alexcent swallowed her excuses by blocking her mouth with his lips. He bit on her fleshy lips and pushed his tongue inside. Her tongue drew back in surprise but as the thrilling sensation spread, she responded passionately by wrapping her tongue around his. Once he was assured of her consent, Alexcent placed his hand on her breasts. As he felt the soft sensation of the breasts beneath the silky dress with his hands, he felt aroused. He dived in, fondling her bre@sts as she breathed roughly, his lips traced her neck where he could feel her heartbeat, then slid down her collar to her bre@sts. He opened his mouth and sucked on her bre@st over the dress. As Amethyst felt his lips and tongue through the dress, she held back her breath. ¡°Hmm! Ale¡­lec!¡± As she had been wearing nothing beneath her dress, she ended up inevitably wetting it. She felt foolish for beating herself up this morning for enjoying this sensation last night. This must be why people can¡¯t get over addictions easily. Everything about him was as sweet as a drug. With his large hands, Alexcent swiped everything away from the bed. Crash! Along with the sound of something breaking, all the items fell to the floor. He lay Amethyst down on the bed and was about to get a good taste of her. ¡°Alec¡­it¡¯s only noon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already too late.¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± His hand moved down to her centre. As he felt her wet dress, he spoke. ¡°You¡¯re dripping something as delicious as this and yet you deny seducing me.¡± ¡°Well, no this is¡­.hmmm!¡± He quickly raised her dress and inserted his finger. Feeling the wetness, he rubbed her with his large hand and soon she became intoxicated by the touch of him. The temptation of lu$t was irresistible to her as she had already tasted it once. At first it was difficult, but afterwards she succumbed to it so easily. Unlike her rational mind, her instincts were unsatisfied with just his hand. As she desired more sensation, she lifted her hips up against his hand and moved her hips. Alec too was at his limit. The moment he had entered the bedroom and set his eyes on her, he had felt the tightness in his pants. He recalled her supple skin and the softness of it. Then as his eyes fell on her exposed bre@sts, he felt himself aroused beyond words. Alexcent¡¯s lips stayed connected to hers while his hands desperately ripped away at his clothes. He undid his belt, pulled down his pants, threw away his tie that had been suffocating his neck, undid his buttons and lastly took off his shirt. Amethyst wrapped her arms around his neck and clung onto him. As he felt the heat of his arousal, his hands felt her bare skin. ¡°Mmmm¡­.¡± ¡°As¡­.sh.¡± His voice, mixed in with the sound of his breath, sounded desperate. He who couldn¡¯t hold himself back any longer, approached her centre. It seemed like he had long lost his rationale. As he was about to enter her, he heard Amethyst¡¯s voice. ¡°No.¡± He looked up in surprise with his stiff body and wondered if she was rejecting him. ¡°Not¡­.yet. A bit more¡­.¡± She needed more. his display of affection had made her feel like she was on cloud nine and made her forget everything. Making her believe that she was the real Amethyst. She didn¡¯t want s3x that ended with just thrusting like with Heeyeon¡¯s husband, but the kind of affectionate and adoring sex that Amethyst¡¯s husband, Alexcent gave. Alexcent who had thought he was being rejected, smiled as she said ¡®more.¡¯ ¡°Of course, as much as you want.¡± Alexcent pecked her on the lip and buried his face in between her legs. He brought his desire to his lips. Starting with a short kiss, he stayed for a long and slow time. As she felt his hot breathing tingle her skin, she shuddered in pleasure. She combed her fingers through his hair and bit her lip to stop herself from moaning out loud. ¡°Ha¡­ah¡­please!¡± His tongue was soft and yet firm, sharp and yet gentle. His continuous licking and movement of his tongue drove Amethyst into a blissful org@sm. As the feeling of ecstasy tickled her entire body, her centre started dripping. His sweat, her liquid, wet the bed sheet. When she saw her ready for him, Alec inserted himself with a groan. His pace was unhurried, however, it escalated to a deep and brutal penetration as the minute grew. Hence, Amethyst found herself chasing after her breath, her walls squeezing his length, driving him to insanity. Their love making which had started in broad daylight, came to an end in the late hours of the night. As they cooled off the heat, Alexcent lay next to Amethyst and lovingly held her in his arms as they fell asleep together. Chapter 38 - The Noble Lady In A Simple Frock (1) Chapter 38 ¨C The Noble Lady in a Simple Frock (1) Alexcent got up before her as usual. As soon as he woke up, he felt something tickling his nose. He rubbed at it sleepily and looked down to see what it was. He was surprised to see that he had been lying on top of Amethyst¡¯s pillow with her. He slowly sat up as to not wake her up and put on his gown without a sound before getting up from the bed. CLANG! Alexcent came to a sudden halt at the sound of his foot hitting something on the floor and quickly glanced behind at Amethyst lying on the bed. ¡°Mmm¡­Alec?¡± He had tried to be cautious but her sleep still had been disturbed. Alexcent clicked his tongue and approached her side of the bed, sat beside her and stroked her hair. ¡°Go back to sleep.¡± ¡°What about¡­you?¡± ¡°It is time for me to get up.¡± ¡°Then I will too.¡± Amethyst sat up barely able to open her eyes and lifted her arms to stretch. A groan left her when air popped from her joints and her muscles ached. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Alexcent carefully massaged her shoulder. ¡°Sleep a little more. You can¡¯t even open your eyes.¡± ¡°I wanted to do something more productive today.¡± ¡°Productive?¡± ¡°Yes, For example¡­. shopping.¡± At the words shopping, the hand massaging Amethyst¡¯s shoulder stopped. Recalling the experience from the previous shopping trip for the wedding dress, he quickly shot up from the bed. ¡°Well then it¡¯s getting late. I should start getting ready for work.¡± ¡°Alec.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± He distractedly asked while his eyes flitted from side to side. ¡°Are you trying to run away from here?¡± She tilted her head and gazed at him. ¡°Of course not.¡± As Alexcent tried to avoid her eyes, Amethyst¡¯s eyes glimmered. ¡°Alec, do you want to go shopping with me?¡± ¡°No.¡± He replied bluntly. ¡°But why? Let¡¯s go together, it¡¯ll be so much fun. Just like old¡ª¡± Alexcent stopped her from talking with his mouth. Unlike the rough kisses like yesterday, it was a warm and gentle kiss. Amethyst instinctively closed her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll send Lunia with you. Enjoy yourself. I¡¯ll see you later.¡± He then left the bedroom hurriedly before she could even reply. He couldn¡¯t believe he had actually considered her request for a minute. He let out a sigh of relief and ordered the maid who was standing in front of the door. ¡°Clean up the room.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Then he spoke to Pon who was trailing behind him. ¡°Get rid of all male staff wherever Amethyst is. Rather, only allow female staff in the inner house.¡± ¡°Sir?¡± He looked taken aback by the unusual order from his master. ¡°Including yourself.¡± ¡°Including m¡ª¡± he cut himself off at a sharp glance from the prince. ¡°Understood sir.¡± This was a necessary precaution for Amethyst who didn¡¯t like to wear ¡®uncomfortable undergarments¡¯, but Pon could only understand the reason after hearing the gossip from the maids serving Amethyst. ¡°Also, Amethystwants to go out today. Send Lunia to escort her.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± With those orders he strode into his private bedroom to prepare for the day. * A soft knock sounded on the door. ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s Lunia. I¡¯ve come to escort you for the day.¡± ¡°Oh! Come in Miss Lunia. long time no see.¡± ¡°Please call me Lunia, Ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Lunia, the second secretary of the Prince greeted her respectfully. She seemed to have been appointed as Amethyst¡¯s personal secretary for the day. Amethyst smiled and with the help of her maids, started getting ready. ¡°Mmm, I don¡¯t like anything heavy. I prefer something lighter and simple that would be easy to move around in while shopping.¡± She looked at her dresses but when she didn¡¯t find anything resembling what she wanted, she turned around to look at what they were wearing. ¡°Aha! Something like what Lunia is wearing.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am?!¡± All the ladies around her gasped indignantly. ¡°It¡¯s neat and simple, just what I¡¯m looking for.¡± ¡°But, Ma¡¯am, noble ladies do not wear attires like these. This kind of dress is only worn by commoners or employees like mysel,.¡± Lunia calmly explained. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not an issue for me and why care about what others say. Please prepare one for me.¡± She said in a tone that left no room for argument. ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am, understood.¡± The maids went back into the dressing room and came back with a simple dress, much to Amethyst¡¯s satisfaction. She quickly changed into the dress they had brought. After Lunia boarded the carriage Pon had prepared for them, it left the estate and began to speed up. They passed through the inner part of the city and across the park, a new road unfolded, as if it had just been constructed. As the carriage came to a stop, Amethyst got off it and exclaimed excitedly, taking in her surroundings. ¡°Oh my! Where are we? This place is different from where we went before, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am. This is Newhenfield. His Highness designed this place himself.¡± ¡°Alexcent? Alec did himself?¡± ¡°Yes. The reason why he was so busy recently is because of this city. The capital is vintage and most of its buildings are old, so it wasn¡¯t able to expand much in the tourism sector. Turns out people prefer luxurious and fancy places as compared to vintage ones. So, he had this section developed from his designs.¡± ¡°Wow, he must be the god of buildings.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± They started walking and Amethyst couldn¡¯t help her gaze flitting around from building to building. Each and every building had its own unique character and style and looked like a piece of art. The streets were well-organized and clean. She couldn¡¯t close her mouth that was hanging open in awe of his talent. ¡®Alec made this! I should have asked for a building situated here as a wedding gift. After all, real estate is the best way to earn money.¡¯ She silently laughed at her own musings. Chapter 39 - The Noble Lady In A Simple Frock (2) Chapter 39 ¨C The Noble Lady in a Simple Frock (2) With Lunia¡¯s guidance, she explored the streets and shops, and her eyes roved over every single thing. Just like the luxurious city, the people in it were just as fancy. She spotted a pretty dress in the display of a boutique and decided to pay it a visit. Just by the look of the dress, it looked like a luxury collection shop. The pale coral pink dress on display had sparkling jewels that decorated the dress¡¯ neckline and waist. ¡°Lunia, let¡¯s look here.¡± Amethyst¡¯s eyes glistened brightly as she went inside without a minute of hesitation. As she had expected it was full of young noble ladies, clearly from the richer end of the population. A boutique clerk haughtily glanced at Amethyst and Lunia as they entered, her eyes falling to their plain clothes. ¡°Welcome. May I help you?¡± ¡°Yes. I want to take a look at that dress on the display.¡± Amethyst gestured towards the dress. ¡°That dress is a unique piece, so it is quite expensive.¡± The clerk looked Amethyst up and down as if she was measuring her worth. Even though she spoke in an overly sweet tone, it was obvious that she was looking down on Amethyst. ¡°Really? How much is it?¡± At the word ¡®expensive¡¯, Amethyst felt disheartened. She had been the kind of person who couldn¡¯t afford to buy a single dress even when she was at an outlet sale that happened once or twice a year, let alone a department store sale. But even with the heavily applied discounts she couldn¡¯t even dream of buying something so expensive. She was used to putting down outfits that she liked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s definitely a price you can¡¯t afford to pay. But we do have other dresses besides that one. So please do take a look.¡± ¡°Excuse me! Who do you think¡ª¡± Amethyst finally understood that the clerk was serving them with a smile but definitely mocking them. Lunia tried to step in, but Amethyst stopped her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Lunia. Let¡¯s just have a look around.¡± ¡°But ma¡¯am¡ª¡± Amethyst took a hold of Lunia¡¯s arm and dragged her away to look at the other dresses. ¡°Oh Lunia, look at this! Don¡¯t you think this yellow dress is so pretty? Look at these adorable small flower details, and the sleeves are decorated with lace! It looks like it is made for a romantic evening.¡± ¡°Indeed Ma¡¯am. I think you will look beautiful in this as well. Why don¡¯t you try it on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, should I?¡± Amethyst looked around then approached the clerk from before and asked. ¡°Can I try on this dress?¡± ¡°Sorry dear, in our boutique you can¡¯t try on the dresses.¡± Now Amethyst was starting to feel annoyed with the clerk as well. She could clearly see a fitting room in the corner. The clerk was just being petty by not letting her try on the beautiful dress, which was surely expensive, given all the small details on it. She felt like saying ¡®Give me everything in this shop! I will buy it all!¡¯, but she couldn¡¯t. So, she just turned her back on the clerk and thought about what she could do. After a moment, she came to a conclusion and turned to Lunia. ¡°Between the pastel pink dress and this pale yellow one, I would like to buy one. Lunia which one do you think would suit me more?¡± ¡°Both of them will Ma¡¯am. Why don¡¯t you buy both of them?¡± ¡°How can I? The clerk said that they are very expensive.¡± Lunia was puzzled by her mistress. Did she really believe them to be out of her reach? She now knew for sure that the lady of the house had no interest in her husband¡¯s wealth. If that wasn¡¯t true, then why would she possibly be contemplating between two dresses because of their price. To Lunia, her simplistic mistress, was praise-worthy. Suddenly, there was a commotion outside which made both of them turn around; a noble household¡¯s young lady was coming towards them. The clerk quickly rushed towards them and greeted them. ¡°Oh my, if it isn¡¯t the young Lady Keaton of the Granovia household? Welcome Milady.¡± ¡°You have a good memory if you remember me, for I have only been here once.¡± ¡°Of course! How could I forget a beautiful lady like you? How is the marchioness? Please send her my regards, I would love to see her here again.¡± ¡°I will. Anyways, I found the dress in the display very pretty and I came to take a closer look.¡± ¡°As expected of a fair lady, you have good taste.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± She asked in a tone that showed she very well knew she had good taste. ¡°Yes! But I must inform you that this is a unique piece. So, the price of that dress is quite high.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Amethyst noticed that the lady became a little tense. And she didn¡¯t blame her, because she was tense too. If the clerk could not readily recommend it to a noble lady then it was certainly an amount that she would not be able to afford. The wedding dress she had bought with Alec¡¯s money was a once in a lifetime experience. She had bought it after seeking Alec¡¯s permission as she wanted it to be grand. But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to splurge on a luxury dress that she would only wear a few times. After listening to their conversation Amethyst was just about to let go of the hem of the pink dress when the clerk spoke again. ¡°Yes. Which is why we don¡¯t recommend it to just anyone.¡± The clerk let out a nauseating chuckle. ¡°But for you it is perfect! Would you like to try it on? It¡¯s a beautiful dress definitely worth its price.¡± After hearing the clerk¡¯s words, the last bit of Amethyst¡¯s patience snapped. The difference in her attitude with the lady and with her, made her feel enraged. She just said that I couldn¡¯t try it on! No matter where you go there are always these kinds of people that judge people by their appearances! ¡°Excuse me but I was looking at this first. I believe I have the right to buy it first as well?¡± The clerk seemed taken aback by Amethyst¡¯s unexpected sharp tone. Chapter 40 - Waste Of Time (1) Chapter 40 ¨C Waste of Time (1) The clerk ignored Amethyst¡¯s statement and addressed the lady with the fake smile painted on her face. ¡°Lady Keaton, would you like to look around for a while? We have some new dresses that are very beautiful as well. In the meantime, I will prepare the dress for you.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The young Lady Keaton looked Amethyst up and down before smirking and walking away. After waiting for her to walk away, the clerk turned around to face Amethyst. ¡°Like I said earlier dear, this is a dress that you cannot afford. Why don¡¯t you give it to the lady instead? There are a lot of dresses on sale on the other side.¡± Even though her words were poisonous, the smile never left her face. Amethyst decided to buy the pink dress no matter what, just to prove this clerk wrong. ¡°I will decide whether I buy it or not. And since I chose this dress first, I will try it first.¡± ¡°Oh dear, I wasn¡¯t going to say this, but do you really think with your plain looks you can handle a magnificent dress like this?¡± ¡°What¡­did you just say?!¡± Lunia gasped infuriatedly. Just then another employee approached the clerk and whispered something in her ear. The clerk nodded and side-eyed them before walking away with the other employee. ¡°Tsk! What kind of person is she?¡± Amethyst bit out. ¡°Ma¡¯am, please reveal your identity. There is a dire need to reprimand such a person.¡± ¡°No, never! There is no need to go to that extent for someone like that. They are not worthy.¡± Amethyst¡¯s mood was completely spoiled, and she had half a mind to just let go of the dress and leave this place. ¡°Really, if you weren¡¯t so pretty, I would never have stepped into this place,¡± She muttered to the dress. Meanwhile, she noticed that the direction in which the clerk had gone, there was complete silence. She peeked around the corner and saw that every single person in the shop only had eyes for one sight; the man who had just entered. He brushed his silky platinum hair back from his face and his glistening red eyes. His broad frame seemed to fill up the entire boutique with his presence. She was surprised by his sudden appearance and she wasn¡¯t the only one. The clerk was well aware of who the man was, and she stumbled in her haste to step forward. ¡°My goodness! Your Highness please may I welcome you to our humble boutique! It is a great honour. I am Madam Brita, the manager of the store. It would be an honour to serve you¡ª¡± Much to her pleasure, Alexcent¡¯s eyes searched the shop while the clerk spoke with annoyance etched onto his face. As he looked around, the ladies who mistakenly thought that they had caught his eye, blushed and giggled. When they both finally locked eyes, he walked straight towards her; the woman who had caught his eye, cutting off the clerk without an excuse. Lunia sensed someone¡¯s presence behind her, she took her eyes away from Amethyst to look around. As she saw Alexcent, she bowed and moved aside. Alexcent wrapped his arms around Amethyst¡¯s waist and kissed her briefly on the lips. Amethyst was taken aback by his affection. She hadn¡¯t expected him to behave this way in public. ¡°Are you done with your shopping?¡± ¡®Wasn¡¯t this the same person who tried to get himself out of going shopping together just this morning?¡¯ ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I was in the area when I saw your carriage. Are you still far from done?¡± Alexcent looked around her impatiently. Lunia glanced at the clerk who had served them earlier. As she saw the clerk unable to close her mouth and staring at the two in shock, Lunia couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. ¡°You¡¯re just in time, Alec. Out of these two dresses which one do you think is prettier?¡± Amethyst looked up at him with large sparkling eyes and took turns in bringing the dresses near her frame, asking him to choose one. Alec realized he was reliving the horrors of the other day and quickly called the clerk over, who finally seemed to come to her senses as she approached them rigidly. ¡°Yes, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Pack everything from here to there,¡± he waved his hand but then thought of something else. ¡°Better yet, just pack everything here and send it to the palace. Including the ones that my wife is holding.¡± The madam looked ready to faint. ¡°Alec?!¡± As Amethyst spoke in a surprised tone, Alexcent coolly met her gaze and continued. ¡°What are you contemplating about? If you like them, just buy them all. What a waste of time to choose between two.¡± ¡°You¡­you¡ª¡± ¡°Yes?¡± He rose an eyebrow, challenging her to speak something against him in public. But she was only impressed by him. ¡°Nothing, you¡¯re awesome.¡± Alexcent was as awesome as the main character in her favourite novel. She showed him a thumbs up and smiled widely. The clerk seemed deep in shock, as the person she had just looked down on was the wife of the prince. Then shocked again by the fact that the famous prince of blood had just bought the entire shop for his wife. She couldn¡¯t fathom which she found more surprising. Probably both. ¡°Are you still not done yet?¡± Alexcent asked in an agitated voice. The clerk finally came to her senses and started to move hurriedly. Even though she was busy packing, she found the time to discreetly approach Amethyst and whisper to her. ¡°My Lady, I am so sorry for my rudeness and not having recognized you earlier on. Please don¡¯t hold it against me.¡± Chapter 41 - Waste Of Time (2) Chapter 41 ¨C Waste of Time (2) Amethyst didn¡¯t say anything and simply smiled, letting the clerk stew in uncertainty. She just watched as she quickly moved onto the dresses and moved around busily, packing the dresses into boxes. The number of boxes piling up increased, and just as the packing was nearly done, Amethyst hooked her arms around Alec and spoke. ¡°Now that I think about it, I don¡¯t think I will be needing them all Alec. I just want to purchase the two that I was torn between.¡± ¡°Why? Is it not the more dresses, the better with you ladies?¡± ¡°I doubt I can carry these magnificent dresses with my plain looks.¡± ¡°What did you just say? Who dared to say such a thing to you?¡± ¡®Unbelievable! He must have forgotten that he too had said something like that to me before.¡¯ Alexcent¡¯s low voice sounded life-threatening and it seemed highly possible that if Amethyst were to point out who it was, that person would be beheaded on the spot. Madam Brita who had been busily packing, came to a stop, and the sound of her gulping could be heard across the room. ¡°Who would say such a thing to me. I¡¯m just thinking out loud.¡± Amethyst withdrew her gaze from Alec and approached Madam Brita, who looked ready to blow over by the slightest gust of wind. ¡°I will only purchase the yellow and pastel pink dress I was looking at earlier.¡± The poor clerk could only nod. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that you went through all the trouble to wrap them up. But I just changed my mind.¡± ¡°Not a problem at all, my lady! Please don¡¯t concern yourself. Not a problem!¡± ¡°Oh, is that so? What a kind heart.¡± ¡°Th-thank you! Please come again. I will personally serve you the best then.¡± ¡°Well, I doubt there will be a next time. I find I¡¯m not compatible with people who judge others based on their appearance.¡± ¡°That¡­my lady please forgive me.¡± ¡°Excuse me please.¡± Leaving the miserable looking Madam Brita behind, Amethyst took Alexcent¡¯s arm and left the boutique. Why would I raise the sales of a shop owned by someone like her? Hmph. Thanks to Alexcent¡¯s unexpected appearance she felt much better with her small revenge. She couldn¡¯t help but feel touched by Alec who had fulfilled her dream of buying ¡®everything from here to there.¡¯ * As they left the boutique, Alexcent led a beaming Amethyst towards the carriage. ¡°Alec.¡± Alexcent felt nervous when she called out his name in a gentle voice, which was ridiculous. He was a prince! He didn¡¯t get nervous. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not done.¡± ¡°With what?¡± ¡°What do you think. Shopping of course.¡± He groaned beneath his breath. ¡°Come on let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Amethyst.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I still have some work to do and then we have to return back to the palace.¡± ¡°Impossible, nuh-uh, no way.¡± Amethyst was not about to let him get away. She smiled cheekily and grabbed his strong arms and led him as far away from the carriage. Even though he was more than capable of pulling her back, he decided not to. But he did fuss and complain as Amethyst dragged him as she pleased. They looked at books in a large bookstore, passed by a small jewelry shop with cute jewelry on display. Rather, she stopped and looked, he would just stop where she stopped. ¡°Wow! That looks delicious! Alec, look! Doesn¡¯t it look delicious? Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Amethyst entered a dessert place that was exuding a sweet aroma and found an empty table. A polite server came over to take their order. ¡°What are you going to have Alec? Let¡¯s order one each and share. This and this, and¡­ oh no, they all look sooo good.¡± While Amethyst was absorbed in the menu, a firm voice spoke. ¡°Bring everything on the menu.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The server, who was aware of who he was, greeted them politely and left. ¡°Alec! That¡¯s too much. We won¡¯t be able to eat everything.¡± ¡°Like I told you before, why waste your time contemplating?¡± ¡°What do you mean waste time? There¡¯s so much joy in choosing what you want.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you to save yourself the trouble and save that time.¡± ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s easy for rich people like you. But for me who earns a living on a daily¡ª¡± ¡°Daily what?¡± ¡°N-nothing. I was just feeling too happy.¡± She said, followed by a nervous laugh. She then quickly closed her mouth, realizing she had nearly made a mistake. A brief awkward moment passed but thankfully the server brought the prepared cake, tarts and pie and lay it out on the table in front of them. ¡°What may I serve first?¡± ¡°The cake!¡± Amethyst exclaimed excitedly. Then she eagerly took a fork and brought it to her mouth. As the soft texture and sweat taste exploded in her mouth, she savored the taste with her eyes closed. Next, she took a bite of the pie. The crispness of the pastry amazed her. ¡°It¡¯s so crispy!¡± Whatever she ate, she never fell short of compliments. Fascinated, Alexcent smiled. Then he brushed the crumbs from Amethyst¡¯s mouth who was focused on only the food in front of her. ¡°Others will think that I don¡¯t feed you.¡± ¡°All the desert here is so good that I can eat it even though I¡¯m so full. You should try some too!¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m fine, you should just enjoy yourself.¡± ¡°What? Why? You¡¯ll regret it later.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± They looked at each other for a moment before Alexcent sighed and looked at Amethyst disapprovingly. ¡°Do you¡­perhaps not like sweet things?¡± She asked slowly. ¡°No.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°And what?¡± ¡°You keep looking at me like that.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± ¡°Like you don¡¯t want to be here?¡± She guessed vaguely but was surprised by his answer. ¡°Because I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Her voice raised slightly over his. ¡°It is a waste of time sitting here like this.¡± ¡°Waste of time?¡± Chapter 42 - A Doting Husband (1) Chapter 42 ¨C A Doting Husband (1) ¡°Yes. It¡¯s not productive and it feels like you¡¯re meaninglessly wasting time.¡± She couldn¡¯t believe the audacity of the man before her. He had actually answered. And that too, so truthfully, without fear of her bashing his head in. Maybe he didn¡¯t even realize that she was mad. She was so surprised that she actually calmed down. ¡°Bloody hell! Are you possessed by a workaholic ghost or something? I mean how can someone work all the time?¡± ¡°Workaholic?¡± ¡°Yes! You should rest when you are resting and work when you are working to increase efficiency. If people work like you, they will never be able to date their entire life and die alone! Now tell me honestly.¡± She leaned closer to him in curiosity. ¡°Have you ever dated anyone before?¡± ¡°Why would I do such a thing?¡± She fell back in the chair, her eyebrows raised and mouth open in shock. ¡°Wow. Look at you¡­no wonder you¡¯ve never dated anyone and gotten yourself into a contract marriage. You¡¯re a soloist.¡± ¡°What? Soloist? What is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Solo! Someone who¡¯s never dated since they were born.¡± Alexcent tilted his head and spoke as if it was bothersome. ¡°Amethyst, I don¡¯t have to do something as frivolous as dating. I am enough as I am.¡± She narrowed her eyes at him. The ideal guy who had it all; looks, brains, or wealth. He didn¡¯t need to try to look good for a woman, or ask someone on a date. He was a perfect guy and women fell at his feet no matter where he was. And the worst part was, he was well aware of it. ¡®Those who are pretty, always know they are.¡¯ ¡°What an eyesore.¡± She mumbled beneath her breath and went back to her cake. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I said, the cake is delicious.¡± She said and brought the fork to her lips, so she wouldn¡¯t have to speak anymore. After they were out of the caf¨¦, she dragged Alec around the streets of Newhenfield, and went through almost every shop until he had had enough. * ¡°Go!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± After almost shoving Amethyst into the carriage, Alexcent ordered the coachman to move. Amethyst too was slightly tired. She had been devious and had done her best to annoy him, feeling satisfied as she saw his expressions turn into a deeper grimace. But once she was seated in the carriage, she realized how numb her feet and legs were. She moaned in pain as she felt the heat and soreness in her feet. ¡°What is it?¡± She considered not telling him, not wanting to admit that her venture had tired her too, but quickly gave in. ¡°My feet hurt. I guess I walked too much today.¡± ¡°Tsk, I told you to take it easy.¡± While Alexcent clicked his tongue and rebuked her, Amethyst fought the urge to poke her tongue out at him. The carriage came to a stop at the entrance of the mansion and Alexcent descended first. Amethyst went to follow suit when he lifted her up in his arms and carried her inside. ¡°Ah! Alec!¡± ¡°Stop moving. Didn¡¯t you say your feet hurt?¡± ¡°Yes, but I can still walk on my own!¡± ¡°Stay still or I will drop you.¡± Even though he spoke harshly, she knew he would never do it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and stopped squirming. ¡°If you drop me, I will kick your butt.¡± ¡°What!¡± He looked down at her in shock. ¡°If you do that, I will spank you.¡± ¡°Then I will hit you until my handprint is on your back.¡± ¡°Really? I will pinch your cheeks and shake your head.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! I will¡­¡± ¡°Welcome back¡± As Pon approached and greeted them politely, Amethyst¡¯s flushed with embarrassment. But Pon didn¡¯t seem to notice and greeted them naturally with a carefree face. ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s a little late but should I still ask them to prepare dinner?¡± At Pon¡¯s question, Alexcent looked towards Amethyst, asking her opinion in silence. Amethyst who was still in his arms, shook her head and spoke. ¡°No. I ate so much just now, I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°Neither am I. Just bring me some hot water and towels.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Alexcent entered the bedroom, and placed her down gently on the bed. There was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought the hot water and towel you asked for.¡± ¡°Leave it here and go.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness¡± As instructed, the maids placed the basin of steaming warm water and clean towels on the table and left. Alexcent then brought the items to the bed and sat close to Amethyst. He then bent his knee and grabbed a hold of her foot hidden beneath her dress. Taking off her heels, his hands rose to her thighs to take off her stockings. Goosebumps rose on her skin and her hands bunched up her dress. ¡°Alec¡­what are you doing?¡± ¡°Hold still.¡± At those words, Amethyst froze and simply watched him. Following his gentle movement, her stockings slowly descended her thighs and revealed her bare skin, showing her reddish little toe and slightly swollen feet. Alexcent let out a low sigh as he picked up the clean towel, wet it in hot water and wrapped it around her feet. Perhaps it was due to the warmth or the gentleness of his gesture, but she closed her eyes and relaxed as his hand massaged her feet over the hot towel. ¡°Where did you learn to do something like this?¡± ¡°During battle. There are times when your feet swell after a long march. How do you feel now?¡± ¡°It hurts less than before.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Chapter 43 - A Doting Husband (2) Chapter 43 ¨C A Doting Husband (2) Alexcent repeated the whole process when the towel cooled off, and wrapped her feet in a warm towel. Then he would massage her feet hoping the swelling would die down. ¡°Ash.¡± ¡°Yes?¡±a ¡°Just now, what did you mean when you said you are not compatible with people who judge others based on their appearances?¡± As Alexcent asked nonchalantly, Amethyst tilted her head wondering what he was referring to. ¡°In the afternoon, to the clerk at the boutique.¡± ¡°Oh! It¡¯s nothing for you to be bothered about. It was just¡­a small misunderstanding.¡± ¡°A small misunderstanding¡­.¡± Alexcent did not easily let her change the subject. When it seemed like she wasn¡¯t going to tell him, he increased the strength in his hand as he massaged her legs. ¡°Aghh! Alec, that hurts!¡± ¡°So, tell me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really nothing. Ahhh, slower! Okay!¡± As he resumed massaging her gently, Amethyst told him what happened earlier on as she had no other choice. Alexcent¡¯s face stiffened as he listened to her story silently, but as he was someone who barely showed facial expressions, Amethyst didn¡¯t notice. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Yes, it was a small matter.¡± ¡°It is not small.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°I planned every single detail when it comes to Newhenfield. There isn¡¯t a single place where I have not been involved in making. That¡¯s how perfectly I have planned it to be, so I don¡¯t want to miss out on anything no matter how small.¡± Amethyst contemplated the matter for a while before opening her mouth to speak up. ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, then reeducating the clerk might be good. Because for me, I had the title as your wife and received an apology. But I¡¯m sure there are far more cases where they don¡¯t. Also, you might want to consider the parallel scenario.¡± ¡°Parallel?¡± ¡°Yes. Where the customer says or behaves rudely, requesting for services beyond their obligation, or causing a situation. Clerks are employees who are paid for their services, they are not slaves. Unlike what happened today, I¡¯m sure there are cases where a customer acts out to the employees. Even I¡¯m not familiar with how to deal with such situations. So, wouldn¡¯t it help if there was a manual of some sort to refer to?¡± ¡°I see¡­ I will take note. What else?¡± ¡°Mmm¡­The buildings were grand and just beautiful. The streets were clean and-¡± Wait, is he doing a service monitoring? Am I a survey target? ¡°Hold on, did you intentionally tell Lunia to guide me to Newhenfield? You did, right? No wonder, I thought it was odd the moment you showed up!¡± ¡°Maybe I did.¡± ¡°Really, you! You-¡± ¡°From now on you can shop in the mansion. You can call on the vendors. Save yourself the trouble.¡± ¡°Even though I had no intention to shop in the near future, I will!¡± Alexcent inserted his fingers in between Amethyst¡¯s toes and turned her feet slowly. Then he massaged her calf and loosened her tense muscles. His hand then crept up and stayed on her thigh. Her cheeks blushed at the pressure of his grasp. With a strange change in the atmosphere, his red eyes looked at her with a burning gaze and as their eyes met, he raised his upper body and took his face close to her lips. His forehead met her forehead¡­ His nose brushed against her nose¡­ She felt his hot breath on her face¡­ Amethyst couldn¡¯t resist the intense gaze and closed her eyes. Alexcent gently placed his lips on top of hers. Soon the kiss grew heated as they sucked on one another¡¯s lips. His tongue searched her mouth fiercely, while her tongue stroked his. As the situation grew more intense, Amethyst tapped on his shoulder. It was a passionate kiss, and her instinct wanted him but she was too tired today. She cleared her throat lightly as he looked at her. ¡°Umm Alec¡­today¡­¡± ¡°I know. You must be tired. You should rest.¡± She kissed him on the cheek and reclined back on the bed. Alexcent stroked her hair with his large hand. As she felt the soothing strokes, her eyelids felt heavy and soon she fell into darkness. * The minute Alexcent entered his office, he turned to Gen who had been waiting for his arrival. ¡°Dismiss the boutique I was at today.¡± ¡°What? But they still have a long term left as they just signed the contract¡ª¡± As Alexcent shot him a cold look, Gen shut his mouth, silently passing him the contracts that needed his review. ¡°Yes. Understood.¡± ¡°And make sure all the shop owners and employees in Newhenfield are aware of today¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°And on the other hand, we need to find a way to set a protocol to deal with rampant customers, so make a manual and make sure they¡¯re educated.¡± Gen looked at him in utter confusion as to what was going on but said nothing. ¡°Yes sir.¡± ¡°If there are any key nobles that need exclusive treatment, create a list and manage them separately. Tourism may be important, but I¡¯m not running a charity. It¡¯s a necessity to give the nobles exclusive treatment since they secure our profits. But don¡¯t make it obvious.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± He collected the files that had been signed. ¡°Your Highness, the high priest Celios has requested for funds again.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Chapter 44 - Taste Of Home Chapter 44 ¨C Taste of Home ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°He must have lost quite a large amount. Did he raise his request to the head of Alst?¡± ¡°No. This time it was to the Fidorun Bank.¡± Fidorun Bank was a private bank managed by the Skad family through the shadows. It was notoriously known for its considerable interest rates. Although it was a bank on the surface, it was more like a private loan business. Therefore, it was rare for people to visit unless they were in dire need of cash. For Celios to visit the bank, revealed how bad his situation was. His terrible gambling addiction was common knowledge. However, due to his high position in the large temple, it was hushed up. To Alexcent, he was a good prey. The temple was like a spring; full of donations collected every week, every month, and every year, that didn¡¯t dry up. ¡°That old man, he must have been quite desperate.¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Approve it. It¡¯s not our loss if he loses even more.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± ¡°Tell them to loan him plenty, and also tell Kairan to increase the bid for this round. We should reap as much as we can. He might end up selling the temple at this rate.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir. Would that be all?¡± ¡°Yes, you may leave.¡± As Gen disappeared from sight, Alexcent leaned back in his chair and got lost in his thoughts. ¡®Soloist¡­ workaholic¡­ eyesore¡¯ He wondered where she¡¯d learnt such phrases that weren¡¯t commonly used by noble families. Even his sister and Emperor Belice did not dare use such words. Yet there she was, speaking them as if it was nothing. Not only that, she had been meticulous and made suggestions on details that he had not been able to catch. An ordinary noble lady? No! She really was a fascinating woman. But it was even more fascinating that he was letting her act as such. ¡ù The man lowered his head and greeted her first. ¡°Pleased to meet you, my lady. I¡¯m Hilder Kurn, the Commander-in-Chief of the Knights of the Prince.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Knight Hilder.¡± ¡°Please call me Hill. His Lordship calls me that way as well.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Seriously? I must not be the only one he addresses as he pleases! Then the knights standing side by side offered their greetings to Amethyst as well. ¡°Greetings Madam. I am Buer, Commander of the First Division.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°I am Leyrian, Commander of the Second Division. It is an honor to meet you.¡± After that, Garf, Commander of the Third Division, and Marcus, Chief Knight of the First Division, greeted her. Wow! Do they pick the knights based on looks? Hilder was a firm looking, well-built sort of man that left you with a strong impression. Buer and Leyrian were cold and city-style kind of men, but still warm towards her. While Garf and Marcus glistened with playfulness and youth. I feel like I¡¯m at a movie set. Surrounded by beautiful men, what a treat to my eyes! Even so, Alec still topped the list. ¡°Anyways, Madam, what are you doing all the way here without a maid?¡± ¡°Oh! I smelt something delicious. Is that ¡­ intestine?!¡± Behind the bulky knights, she saw a familiar sight. ¡°Pardon?!¡± The knights turned to look behind them, in the direction of Amethyst¡¯s gaze. Some of the knights who had finished training were sizzling something on a large grill. To be exact, it was a dish of animal¡¯s organ meats, eaten when there was a shortage of supplies during the war. It was a body part people didn¡¯t normally eat, but it was considered a great dish in times of war. ¡°Oh my, oh my! Looks so delicious!¡± As she saw the plump tripe being grilled on a hot iron plate, Amethyst¡¯s eyes gleamed while her mouth watered. ¡°Ma-madam ¡­ this is not a dish fit for a noble lady.¡± ¡°Why? Is this all you have? If there isn¡¯t enough, I¡¯ll share my portion of steak!¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that, how could a noble lady like yourself eat this dish made of leftover parts?¡± one knight asked her incredulously. ¡°That¡¯s prejudice. I love that dish very much! I can¡¯t eat it because there isn¡¯t enough of it!¡± ¡°Sorry? How would Madam have tried this dish that is common only during the war?¡± Hill asked in disbelief while looking at Amethyst. ¡°Ah, I ¡­ I saw the knights at my estate eating it.¡± She laughed nervously, hoping to cover up her bad lie. ¡°Anyways, that piece is burning! Flip it quick!¡± Marcus who had been standing next to Hill flipped the pieces. The knights stood awkwardly looking at each other as they found it strange for their lady to suddenly appear out of nowhere and take such an interest in their low-class dish. Meanwhile, Amethyst¡¯s attention was entirely focused on the grilling tripe, to take note of the awkward atmosphere. ¡°Don¡¯t you think we can eat it now? I think it¡¯s all cooked.¡± ¡°Will you really¡­ be okay, my lady?¡± As Hill asked in a worried tone, Amethyst quickly picked up the most golden looking piece and popped it in her mouth. She bit into it, the savory and greasy meat wrapped around her tongue, and the chewy texture of the intestines made her eyes close in pleasure. ¡°Mmm. This is it! Taste of home!¡± Chapter 45 - Piglet In The House | 19 Chapter 45 ¨C Piglet In the House | 19 The knights who had been tensed up laughed out loud. The wife of the prince, who was considered to be the most elite of the noble ladies, was enjoying the roast of the knights. The Prince of Blood and his eccentric wife were a perfect pair indeed. ¡°Is there more?¡± ¡°Yes. There is.¡± ¡°Then what are you doing! Put it on the grill. I get dizzy if my rhythm stops while I eat.¡± ¡°Sorry, Madam! Understood. Please, enjoy.¡± Marcus quickly topped up the pan. Then as he was about to cut it into small pieces ¡­ ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t know the right way to eat this, do you? If you cut it now, all the juices will escape and it won¡¯t be tasty anymore. Cut it when it¡¯s nearly all cooked.¡± ¡°Yes. Understood, Madam.¡± Forgetting her title and rank, Amethyst sat crouching amongst the crowd of knights and looking eagerly at the tripe to cook. ¡°You are very¡­ peculiar, Madam.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°For you to eat this kind of food without any hesitation or disgust¡ª ¡± ¡°Why would I be disgusted by something as delicious as this?! You¡¯re the peculiar one. By the way, do you guys eat this every day?¡± ¡°No. We were reminded of the olden days and brought it to eat after our training.¡± ¡°I see. Then next time when you eat it, will you invite me?¡± ¡°¡ª Do you really mean that?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Well then yes. If that¡¯s what you want. Next time I will bring some vegetables. It tastes better if you eat it together.¡± ¡°Sure, please do.¡± Thanks to the knights, Amethyst was able to taste one of her favorite dishes again. She only stopped eating once her jaw started to ache. ¡ù ¡°Argh, my chin hurts¡­.¡± ¡°Just what did you do for your chin to hurt?¡± Alexcent frowned as he saw Amethyst rubbing her cheeks with her hands. He was sitting on her bed in a gown without even drying himself and examining her face carefully. ¡°I ¡­ ate too much.¡± She hesitantly told him. ¡°Ha? Have you now decided to become a pig?¡± Even as Amethyst glared at him, he continued on unaffected. ¡°I think you are. Just the other day you turned the bedroom into a mess, and now you eat to the extent your chin hurts. I guess we will soon have a piglet to raise in the mansion. A pet pig of the mansion ¡­ Not bad, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°What do you take me for Alec! Hmm!¡± As she opened her mouth to shout, she felt pain in her chin and ended up groaning in pain. ¡°Come here.¡± Even as he frowned, Alexcent took his large hands and massaged her chin. At times like this, he seems caring¡­ but his words are always so mean. Ah, is he what they call a Tsundere? ¡°I guess I can¡¯t eat you today.¡± At those words, Amethyst blushed. Beneath the loosely tied gown, she could see his firm muscular abs. Her eyes wandered below, and something seemed to spring up right under the knotted string. The thought of it made her body feel hot as though she was placed on top of a grill like the tripes she had eaten. ¡°Then¡­ you should at least¡­ get dressed.¡± ¡°Does it bother you?¡± he raised a brow as he asked. ¡°Obviously!¡± ¡°Oh, the piglet speaks!¡± ¡°Seriously, you!¡± Amethyst clenched her fist mimicking a punch, Alexcent laughed as he grabbed a hold of her wrist and pulled her to bed. ¡°I won¡¯t eat you today, so go to sleep.¡± ¡°Umm well, you can¡­ eat me if you want.¡± ¡°Wow, this piglet is saying something dangerous.¡± Carefully, she placed a hand on his toned muscles. As warmth spread from the firmness under her palm, she subconsciously brought her lips to his chest. Peck! At the same time, Alexcent who had been taking deep breaths stopped. ¡°Well¡­ I guess a baby pig is tasty as well,¡± he said raspily. Putting a finger under her chin, he brought it away from his chest and towards his lips before invading her mouth. ¡°Hmmm¡­ .¡± Her aching jaw made her flinch but Alexcent paid it no mind and began to plunder her mouth arbitrarily, sweeping his tongue evenly from the inside of her cheeks to the bottom of her tongue. With just a kiss, her body was already wet. He bit her lip, peppered kisses as he moved downward and lingered around her neck. His hands had managed to rip her dainty undergarments and moved vigorously between her legs. He applied pressure as he touched her, the satisfying sensation travelled through her body making her moan. ¡°Ah¡­ mm. Ale¡­c¡± At the sound of her moans, she felt his smile on her neck. She turned her head and brought his lips to hers as if to hurry him. Ahh, his wet and warm tongue. Even his breath is delicious. Their kisses moved from lips to cheeks, ears, and necks. As his fingers continued to play between her legs, the sensation must have teased her for she clenched them around his hand, urging him on. Then, his long thick finger entered her, she reflexively lifted her hips up high. His finger continued to pleasure her but it seemed insufficient. Amethyst lifted her hips higher and ground against his hand. ¡°Ha¡­ please¡­ .¡± She drawled out. ¡°Oh my¡­ I guess one isn¡¯t enough now.¡± He inserted another finger inside her, it felt fuller than before. As the two fingers moved rapidly the sounds grew louder, and her heat leaked out. Even then, it still wasn¡¯t enough for her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. It¡¯s not enough! Yes, fullness! His fullness! I need that. Quickly. Please give it to me and make me forget everything else! Chapter 46 - Nocturnal Escapades | 19 Chapter 46 ¨C Nocturnal Escapades | 19 ¡°Not yet,¡± Alexcent said in a firm voice. Amethyst looked at him with dissatisfaction. Under the moonlight peeking through the window, Alexcent¡¯s platinum hair glistened, his red eyes shone brightly, heat steamed off from his back while his lips twitched into a smile. Really he was just too sexy. Then slowly, very slowly he placed his lips on her stomach making her flinch. Before she realized what he was up to, he buried his head between her parted legs. ¡°Ahh! Alec!¡± Her back arched, head tilted backward. His teeth teasingly nibbled on her sensitive spot. His tongue licked at her as though he was quenching his thirst, all the while fingering her. She felt a mixed sensation of pain and pleasure stemming from her core. Laced under the intense rapture was an unknown urge to let go. No, it was more like wanting to let herself free. ¡°Alec¡­ I¡­ can¡¯t hold back any more¡ª¡± She whispered. ¡°Hold it.¡± The raspy voice commanded. Amethyst shook her head in negation. I don¡¯t want to hold back ¡­ I don¡¯t want to hold back. No, I do. I want to feel him more¡­ But I just can¡¯t hold back anymore! Engulfed by a dilemma, unable to choose between the immense pleasure surging and the pain deep within, unable to decide on as to what to do with it all¡­ she crumbled, surrendering, allowing it to consume her. Now, awash with intense emotions, a river of tears burst forth her dewy eyes and streamed down her flushed cheeks. ¡°Sniff ¡­ sniff.¡± Feeling the delicate body under him quiver, Alexcent came to an abrupt pause. He straightened himself and wrapped the bundle of despair in his arms. ¡°If it¡¯s difficult to hold back then you don¡¯t have to,¡± he whispered softly by her ears. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ª¡± Amethyst threw a fit saying she didn¡¯t understand what he meant by not to hold back. Seeing her huff and puff, tickled him silly, he broke into a hearty laugh. ¡®When she¡¯s sobbing like this she really is too cute. I wonder if she is really na?ve or bold. Alexcent kissed the corner of her eyes and asked playfully. ¡°Don¡¯t understand what?¡± What does he mean¡­what? Emelis looked up at him and shook her head. She felt embarrassed to say it out loud. Alexcent then placed a hand on her lower abdomen and stroked it as he asked. ¡°How did it feel?¡± His hand seemed to be asking her how it felt inside. Amethyst¡¯s face turned bright red but her lips remained shut. ¡°Okay. Then don¡¯t hold back and you can go ahead first,¡± he said mirthfully. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing!¡± Amethyst blushed brighter at his words and hit his shoulder in jest. ¡°This time I won¡¯t stop.¡± He declared. ¡°Hmm?!¡± In response, Alexcent plunged himself inside her while holding her in his arms. She let out a short cry and breathed loudly as she rode him while sitting on his knees. The entire room echoed with the sound of flesh slapping flesh as love nectar seeped and added to it all. The silent night was drowned in her lustful moans and his rough breaths. Ahh ¡­ This feeling ¡­ This fullness ¡­ In this moment, Amethyst was unable to differentiate anything, and as always clung onto him as she reached her limits. ¡ù As a result of the intense nocturnal escapades, Amethyst woke up later than usual. ¡®Today I shall take the walk I missed out on yesterday.¡¯ She resolutely thought to herself as she lifted her aching body with all her might. She then let the maids know she was up. Wow I must really have gotten used to being cared for¡­. They say humans are animals of adaptability. I guess it really is true. Ah, what a different side of me ¡­ After filling her tummy with the simple breakfast the mains brought, she changed into a dress. As always, it was a comfortable loose dress. Quickly she went towards the garden of the mansion. Even though it was late in the morning, the air was still refreshing. Ha, this is nice! Nothing to do, nothing to think about ¡­ Just eating, sleeping, eating, sleeping this is true healing! And of course, the steamy nights with him! The fellow was perfect like the main character out of a fairy tale. Well, except for his sharp tongue. From a certain point somewhere, she had stopped thinking of her past as Heeyeon. She wasn¡¯t too sure why but everytime she did her head seemed to throb. So eventually, she stopped thinking about it, and now acted naturally like Amethyst. And that was how she was behaving as she started her peaceful and comfortable morning when she was brought to a halt by a scream from nearby. ¡°Kyaa! Please stop!¡± What is this? It¡¯s a woman shouting! Amethyst headed towards the scream. A few knights were surrounding a maid and laughing. ¡°Please¡ª¡± ¡°What do you mean please! We just want to play for a while so stop being so rigid.¡± ¡°Please no ¡­. don¡¯t do this.¡± The maid earnestly pleaded ¡°What do you mean no? We know you all want to seduce a knight and live a better life, so don¡¯t put up a front!¡± ¡°I¡­.never!¡± ¡°Hahahaha! This one¡¯s pretty cute acting naive and all!¡± One of the knights touched the maids ass and played around. The frightened maid tried to run away but the knights blocked and cornered her. From the looks of it, it really felt like something was about to happen. The maid screamed in fear and despair as she felt panicked. Ha, what should I do. I made it clear that I won¡¯t interfere with the things that happen in the mansion. A year from now she would no longer be the wife of the duke, so she had been trying hard to ignore all that was happening within the mansion so she could keep her side of the contract. She believed she should live as quietly as possible and disappear as quietly as possible. And in order to do so, she had to live like a ghost. This was why she spent her time isolated in the mansion and declined all sorts of social invitations. It was a decision she had made for her near future. What¡¯s more, she had even pretended to not care when Pon and Lunia informed her of her duties as the duke¡¯s wife, and had pushed them away. But this time it was something she simply couldn¡¯t ignore¡­ Chapter 47 - Nocturnal Escapades | 19 Chapter 47 Amethyst contemplated for a while but she just couldn¡¯t stand by and do nothing. In the end, she headed towards their direction in the most authoritative manner. ¡°What is all this ruckus?¡± She demanded when she got the scene. The knights withdrew their hands that had been harassing the maid and looked at Amethyst. They clearly appeared shocked. ¡°Ma ¡­madam, it is nothing.¡± They are not the knights I met before. Well of course they were the top of the ranks and wouldn¡¯t be doing something like this. Then these people must be below them. ¡°If it¡¯s nothing then why is that young lady crying?¡± she said, pointing towards the sobbing maid. ¡°Hahah, it¡¯s because she likes it. Right?¡± The knight looked at the maid threateningly. The maid seemed to understand what the situation meant. If she claimed that it wasn¡¯t true she would need to pay a bigger price in the future. The maid continued to cower and tremble in fear as she barely managed a nod. A frown formed on Amethyst¡¯s forehead. ¡°She likes it¡­ I see. I must be mistaken then.¡± Saying so she moved slowly towards the knights, and stood right in front of the one who had just been harassing the maid. Then, without a warning, reached and grabbed the knight¡¯s bottom with a hand. ¡°Argh! Ma¡­madam!¡± ¡°Madam!¡± The remaining knights and the sniffling maid were shocked; dumbstruck they looked at the duke¡¯s newly wedded wife. ¡°Why? You said she likes it right? I was only doing the same? Did it offend you?¡± Amethyst levelled her gaze at the man. The knight spoke with a flushed face, ¡°Ma¡­.madam you are a noble lady! Such acts are very¡ª¡± ¡°What? Rude? Wrong?¡± She retorted. ¡°Both!¡± the knight hurriedly replied. ¡°Why? It¡¯s right for a man to harass a woman, but not right if a woman haresses a man?¡± The man was gobsmacked but soon managed to say, ¡°Well¡­.! It¡¯s different!¡± ¡°What¡¯s so different!¡± As Amethyst raised her voice suddenly, the knights flinched. ¡°Do you want to make women weaker than you kneel and beg since you are stronger than them? Why? Because they are weak? If they don¡¯t have any power, does that mean you can treat them poorly? If that¡¯s the case, then I truly haven¡¯t done anything wrong have I? I¡¯m sure you are not ignorant to be unable to differentiate between something someone likes and dislikes.¡± ¡°Madam¡ª¡± The knight must have felt flustered as he scratched his head. ¡°If you harass or bully a woman again, and can¡¯t differentiate between what they like and dislike, and if a knight, who should be protecting the weak bullies others again ¡­ I will deprive you of your knighthood!¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Do you think I won¡¯t be able to do that? I have the power and influence to do so!¡± I wonder where my courage has stemmed from. It might be because of something I had heard in passing. ¡°Aside from the Emperor, you are the highest ranked woman in the Sehar empire!¡± The threat must have worked as the knights stood around awkwardly. ¡°Why are you standing around like that for? Where¡¯s my answer.¡± ¡°¡ª Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ever forget that I am always watching you!¡± Amethyst finally looked at the maid and said, ¡°You, follow me.¡± ¡°Yes ¡­ Madam.¡± She left the knights behind and walked on, then turned her head back slightly. She pointed a finger at them and gestured with two fingers that she will always be watching, and then drew her index finger across her neck as if saying ¡­¡®I am watching you, you break the promise, you¡¯re dead.¡¯ Ah, I¡¯d always wanted to try this gesture on my boss but it seems like I¡¯m using it like this. Amethyst turned her head back and looked at the maid. She was still trembling and all tensed up. Of course she is in shock. And scared. And also ¡­. embarrassed. I¡¯m sure these kinds of things happen. This too is a society, and such things can happen when and wherever. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Sorry? Yes, Madam. Th-thank you.¡± It was a simple question, but the maid must have been very surprised as she burst into tears. ¡°Oh dear¡ª ¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m so sorry. I just¡ª ¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay¡­¡± Amethyst hugged the maid gently and patted her back. Then slowly the girl seemed to calm down. ¡°Madam¡­.I am fine now.¡± ¡°All right.¡± She took a look at the maid who was stepping away from her, then grimaced as she caught sight of her sleeve. A sleeve could get tattered from working but hers was too much. ¡°Then¡­I will go back now. I still have things to do¡ª ¡± ¡°All right. Then go back for now. But if something like this happens again, you must inform me immediately! All right?¡± ¡°Yo ¡­ you?¡± The maid was startled. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°But ¡­that is¡ª ¡± Amethyst smiled at the maid who was hesitating. She finally came to a realization and said, ¡°Yes¡­.I will. Madam, thank you so much for today.¡± ¡°Go on. I realised I have something to do.¡± She urged her on, still wearing a smile. ¡°Yes.¡± The maid bowed her head and then returned, while Amethyst quickly returned to the mansion. Amethyst who had entered the mansion started calling out loud to the butler who wasn¡¯t visible in her line of sight these days. ¡°Pon, Pon!¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Pon, who had been obeying Alexcent¡¯s direct orders to stay out of Amethyst¡¯s sight, appeared as the mistress looked around for him. Even though it was the duke¡¯s orders, he could not ignore things when it came to the affairs of the mansion. So he had been trying his best to carry out his business without getting in her way. ¡°Pon, assemble all the maids who work in the mansion immediately.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Without asking any question, Pon did as he was told. One, two, slowly the maids of the mansion started to appear. The maid she had met today didn¡¯t appear, but Amethyst started studying each and every one of them. Chapter 48 Chapter 48 As she took in the assembled entourage, she recognized the maids that tended to her every day. And then there were those she saw on rotation in the evening. They all stood upright and in a row. ¡°There¡¯s quite a lot.¡± ¡°Normally the manpower averages around this much, Madam.¡± Pon politely filled her in. ¡°I see.¡± Well, I suppose the main mansion is pretty large, so to clean it they must require many. Amethyst slowly observed each of them from head to toe. As expected¡­.! They are different from the maid I met earlier on. She paid close attention to the sleeves of the maids. It¡¯s the same. The uniform is the same but¡­ Why are the clothes on this maid and the maid before so different? The maid she had met earlier had extremely frayed sleeves. The hem of her skirt seemed to have been patched up several times as well. Whereas the clothes of the maids that worked in the main mansion appeared brand new. To think that there would be such a big difference even in the same clothes. All the maids in front of her were the same as the first one she had inspected. After a while, she said, ¡°Thank you, everyone. You are all busy, you may return to your duties now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The maids chorused. They tilted their heads and looked at one other as they didn¡¯t know the reason the new mistress had summoned them. Even though they were curious, none put much thought into it as the lady of the house had always acted in a rather peculiar manner, unlike a noble lady. ¡°Pon.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ¡°Are you the one in charge of the employees in the main mansion?¡± ¡°Yes. That is correct, Madam.¡± ¡°Then what about the side mansion?¡± ¡°Oh, I am not in charge of them. The ones outside of the main mansion are being managed by Dajal. I¡¯m afraid it is too much for me to manage on my own,¡± he truthfully replied. ¡°I suppose that is true. Even those within are so many. Sorry, did you say Dajal?¡± It sounded like a name she had heard before, but she couldn¡¯t place a finger on it. ¡°Yes. He used to manage this place even before the duke became the master and has served generations of the Skad family.¡± ¡°I see. Then how many years has it been since you¡¯ve started working here? Did you come here with Alec as he became the duke?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve served His Highness since he was young. We moved after he received the title of Duke, it must be 7~8 years now.¡± ¡°Hmmm ¡­ I see. Thank you.¡± ¡°My pleasure. Please call on me if you need anything else,¡± Pon sincerely said. ¡°Yes. I will.¡± Amethyst was lost in her thoughts as she made her way back to her bedroom. Since Pon had moved in with Alexcent, and Dajal was in-charge of the affairs outside of the main mansion, it meant the butler was not involved or aware. I didn¡¯t see the maid I saw earlier amongst the others working in the main mansion. So I suppose she is a maid that works outside of the main mansion. I suppose her clothes are a big proof. None of the maids in the mansion were wearing clothes of such a poor state. But that maid just now¡­ It had been frayed to the extent that it was hard to believe that they were the same livery. Even her hand had been rough and full of scars, whereas those in the mansion, although their hands weren¡¯t saved from the work, were not as bad as hers. Something¡­ smells fishy. I wonder why I have an instinct for these things. I guess I must have watched too much CSI. As Amethyst entered her bedroom her head was caught in her chain of thoughts. Dajal ¡­ Dajal, huh ¡­ his name already sounds fishy. Sigh, but I promised not to get involved. I shall not get involved! But that maid ¡­ ah, she worries me. Thinking back to the group of knights that had sexually harassed the maid, she was reminded of her first job and the very first team-lead. At the very start of her work life, her first boss was the worst person ever. He would use his authority and title to bully female employees and was the kind you never wanted to meet ever again. He was especially cruel towards her who was new to the work atmosphere and taking her first steps. Dammit ¡­ I am going overboard. But my curiosity is just driving me crazy! In her bedroom, Amethyst walked around in circles then finally went out. Just as she exited her room she ran into Lunia. ¡°Madam, where are you going?¡± she asked politely. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 ¡°Mm, that is, just somewhere¡ª ¡± ¡°Where, Madam?¡± She reiterated. ¡°¡ª¡± Seeing Amethyst¡¯s reluctance to divulge, Lunia was piqued and she badgered on. ¡°Madam? You lay all your work on me and now where are you headed?¡± ¡°Well, I just wanted to check on the dormitory of the maids who work in the side mansion.¡± Surprised by the unexpected reply, Lunia asked, ¡°Why do you want to go there?¡± ¡°I just have something to enquire¡­¡± ¡°Then let me escort you. I will guide you there.¡± This was the only way to quell her curiosity she reckoned. ¡°Aren¡¯t you busy Lunia?¡± ¡°No. Today I am not.¡± ¡°Then okay. Let¡¯s go together. But please keep it a secret.¡± Amethyst promptly requested. ¡°A secret?¡± Lunia was puzzled. ¡°Yes. I just want to enquire something discreetly.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Lunia was amused by how her mistress was acting all mysterious. She couldn¡¯t help the smile on her face and soon the two broke into a hearty laugh and were on their way. Amethyst was able to carry out this secret mission as she had always enjoyed being alone. Her maids did not pester her unless she seeked them out, and they must have gotten used to her as they no longer followed her around and stood guard. So she was able to roam around more freely than she could back home in the count¡¯s house. As such, she enjoyed taking strolls wherever she pleased. Back at the count¡¯s, Yellie had followed her like a shadow and pestered incessantly. This was one of the reasons she had left her behind. She had Lunia with her now. At the moment, she was able to exit the main mansion unnoticed and head towards the side mansion. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s here.¡± Oh, my godness! The other building that was far off from the main mansion looked like a haunted house. Lunia too seemed surprised, but carefully opened the door for her. For the first time, Amethyst felt relieved to have been in someone¡¯s company as she entered the building. Once inside, she met a few maids who were resting. ¡°My goodness! Madam?! What brings you to a place like this¡­!¡± ¡°I hope I am not disturbing your rest?¡± Amethyst said with a smile. ¡°What?! Oh no, not all!¡± The maids quickly stood up and bowed. ¡°What brings you all the way here Madam?¡± ¡°May I take a look around?¡± The maids seemed taken aback by her question. ¡°It will only be a while.¡± Amethyst added, noticing their hesitation. ¡°You need not ask for our permission Madam.¡± The maids bowed in response to Lunia¡¯s words. ¡°Even so¡ª ¡± ¡°Yes, Madam. Please don¡¯t mind us and take your time to look around,¡± One of the maids hurriedly said. ¡°All right then thank you, please pardon my intrusion.¡± Amethyst gestured to the maids who were still bowing to stand comfortably and took a look around. The wallpapers were tearing off the wall and smudged. There were several cracks where wind was blowing in from making the entire building cold. The furniture being used by the maids were either broken or damaged, nothing was whole. It was a much poorer environment than she had imagined. Amethyst¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°May I open the drawer?¡± One of the maids nodded. Amethyst was able to open the drawer albeit with Lunia¡¯s help. She found clothes that appeared to be their uniforms but even these were not in a good state. They were full of patchwork and yellow stained sleeves. In her past life, she had washed and ironed collared shirts every day, so she was well aware of how old these clothes must have been to be this way. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh out loud. She left the creaking drawer behind and looked around at the bedroom. A deep frown etched her face. She looked around before approaching the maids again. ¡°Let me see your hands,¡± said she. ¡°Sorry?¡± The maid was dumbfounded by the request. ¡°Quickly.¡± At her words, the maid wasted no time and held her hands up while awash with embarrassment. As expected, even this maid¡¯s hands were covered in scars. What was going on?! Was the work in the mansion this rough and hard? It couldn¡¯t be ¡­ If so then the state of the maids in the main mansion should have been similar. ¡®Everything from here to there ¡­ no, in fact, send everything to the mansion. Including the ones that my wife is holding.¡¯ Momentarily, Alexcent¡¯s words popped up in her head. Thinking back to his behaviour in Newhenfiled, he was not someone who would let something like this be. This only meant neither Pon nor Alexcent was aware of this. So, is Dajal the root cause of the problem? Amethyst turned her gaze back to the maids. Lunia too must have been surprised by the state of their living quarters as she questioned aloud. ¡°What happened here?¡± ¡°¡ª ¡± ¡°From what I know, I believe the cost for maintenance, utilities, accommodation is paid every month¡­so why!¡± ¡°Every month?¡± Amethyst raised an eyebrow. ¡°Yes, Madam. On the first day of every month, from what I know, they are sent the money for maintenance, the upkeep and accommodation of the maids, and other miscellaneous things they may need.¡± At Lunia¡¯s words, Amethyst turned to look at the maids. The maids whose eyes met with the lady of the house could only look down and keep silent. Then the youngest looking maid braved it. ¡°¡ª We weren¡¯t even aware that there was money sent every month.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Someone gestured to her, she instantly shut up leaving Amethyst¡¯s question unanswered. Nobody seemed to be willing to speak up, so Amethyst tried to fish out the information. ¡°Well, this leaves me no choice. Since you weren¡¯t aware, I must punish you all for embezzlement.¡± ¡°Madam! Please we know nothing about it!¡± The few maids chorused. ¡°This place is too worn down for you to be unaware.¡± Amethyst sniggered. ¡°We only know that the person in charge of this place is Sir Dajal.¡± The most flustered one blurted out. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Even when we raised a request for maintenance he said that there were no funds ¡­ ¡± said another. ¡°If not he would just brush us off and ignore us¡ª ¡± The word punishment must have scared them. As each of the maids added on to the other. So it really must be Dajal. Unless these ladies are lying ¡­ She couldn¡¯t come to a conclusion without gathering the facts and evidence, but something was fishy for sure. A woman¡¯s intuition is never wrong! ¡°I am not here to punish you all. I am here to help. If you do not tell me the truth then I cannot help you.¡± She declared. ¡°You will help us?!¡± The maids thought they had misheard. No one had been bothered about their plight until now, so one couldn¡¯t blame them for being skeptical. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be able to.¡± Someone dared to be forthright. ¡°Why¡­ do you think that?¡± Amethyst was surprised. ¡°You can only say that because you don¡¯t know Sir Dajal.¡± There was some resentment and resignation in the voice. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°At first¡­we weren¡¯t always like this.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°We tried to protest and rebuked but¡ª ¡± Noticing the hesitation, Amethyst urged on. ¡°Oh my¡­. please tell me what happened in detail.¡± ¡°Madam¡ª ¡± Amethyst smiled compassionately and laid bare the truth of the matter. ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t trust me yet because I am new to this place, but I don¡¯t think telling me what happened will put you in any situation worse than it is now.¡± The maids only looked at one another as if trying to come to a decision. Then finally the oldest of the lot opened her mouth. ¡°Madam, my name is Roman.¡± ¡°Yes, Miss Roman. Please can you tell me what happened?¡± ¡°Before I begin, I must tell you I¡¯ve worked here, body and soul, for the last 10 years,¡± Roman said with feeling. ¡°I see. You¡¯ve worked for quite some time.¡± Amethyst politely remarked. ¡°Yes, Madam. When I first had my interview here, I had several batch mates. But now they all work in the main house.¡± Amethyst acknowledged with a nod, urging her to continue. ¡°The only factor that determines whether you work here or in the main house is money. I only found out later that the amount of work you get corresponds to the amount of money you bribe the interviewer with. And the interviewer is Sir Dajal. If he is unsatisfied with the amount he receives, he deducts it from that month¡¯s pay or allocates you to a different work location. Bribery. Ha, to think that such things exist even in this place! Amethyst felt her blood boil ¡­ No matter where it was all the same! ¡°So according to you, that bastar¡­ no, Dajal receives bribes and exercises his authority on personnel transfer.¡± ¡°Yes. Not only that but he is also embezzling all the money sent for the monthly maintenance, clothing, and accommodation.¡± ¡°It seems to be the case. Just by looking at the situation here¡­ but why hasn¡¯t anybody said anything? That¡¯s what I¡¯m more curious about.¡± A frown formed on Roman¡¯s face. She couldn¡¯t help wonder ¡­ Was she another typical noble lady? Just how much would she be able to help us? Can we trust her? Since she had come all the way to visit them out here, she decided to bet on the small glimmer of hope. ¡°We did.¡± ¡°You did?!¡± Amethyst was taken aback. ¡°When?¡± ¡°A year since coming here, a friend I had been working with couldn¡¯t tolerate it any longer and spoke to the higher-ups. But¡­ the lord chose to believe Sir Dajal¡¯s words over us. Then Sir Dajal¡­ fabricated a story, said she was an immoral woman and incriminating her as a thief who stole and sold goods from a noble family. He whipped and punished her until eventually kicking her out¡­ And my friend¡­ no longer could stand the injustice¡­ and took her own life¡ª¡± Roman seemed to recall this incident from a decade ago as though it was something that had happened only yesterday. As such, she was unable to continue any further. If it happened ten years ago, then it was definitely before Alexcent had become the owner of the mansion. ¡°What a bloody piece of trash!¡± ¡°Madam?!¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t stop myself¡ª¡± Lunia and the maids seemed astounded as they had never expected such words from a noblewoman and looked at her blankly. Amethyst blushed and apologized. Yet another maid seemed to have gained the courage and started to add on. ¡°Madam, actually that is not all.¡± ¡°Is there something else?¡± Chapter 51 Chapter 51 A vein popped up in Amethyst¡¯s forehead but disappeared in a flash. Another maid took off her outerwear. There were bruises on her arm, chest, stomach, and various other places. It differed from bruises that appeared quite old to new bluish ones. The sizes varied as well. ¡°Oh my goodness! Did he beat you?¡± The maid put back her clothes and nodded. ¡°This crazy bastard I will rip off his head.¡± ¡°Madam¡ª¡± This time Lunia, who had been passive all this while, stepped in to stop her from swearing any further. She too thought Dajal was a bastard. To think that the man who had long been considered a loyalist of the Skad family, was in fact putting up an act before the prince and his aides while hiding his ugly true colors. And the fact that she hadn¡¯t realised made her mad. ¡°He threatened to kill us if we reported it to the higher-ups ¡­ and, and¡ª¡± The maid trembled in shame. ¡°¡ªDid he violate you as well?¡± asked Amethyst, no longer able to suppress her anger watching the maid unable to complete her sentence. The silence was enough for an answer. ¡°My goodness¡ª!¡± ¡°Recently we saw a maid who was impregnated and chased out.¡± Amethyst¡¯s clenched fists started to shake with rage. What should I do with this piece of trash that deserves to be burnt in hell! Even though she felt like grabbing him by the collar and slapping him continuously, now was not the time. She was well aware that getting emotional in such situations was not helpful at all for she had experienced similar situations for a decade as a working adult ¡­ Real occurrences where victims become perpetrators of false accusations. In the end, those vulnerable were the ones to receive punishment and appointed to the provinces, or placed on suspension or even asked to leave. Just like the maids in front of her right now ¡­ Ha, I need to hold back. Let¡¯s hold back for now. Right now there¡¯s something else that is more important. Evidence, I need to find evidence. But how? Here they don¡¯t have any CCTV cameras or voice recorders! What should I do? I can¡¯t think straight¡­. Right now she knew she would deal with things emotionally. I should go back and think about it calmly. ¡°I know¡­ how this might sound to you right now, which is why I don¡¯t want to say it¡ª¡± Amethyst chose her words carefully and spoke slowly. ¡°Trust me and wait for me.¡± ¡°¡ªMadam?!¡± ¡°As you might already know, Dajal is a very agile and cautious man, so if I were to act rashly it may only end up harming you all more. So please, just hold on a little until I come up with a solution!¡± Amethyst grabbed ahold of their hands to express solidarity. ¡°I won¡¯t¡­ make you wait for long. I will definitely catch that bastard and beat the shit out of him! So please hold out just a little more.¡± Rather than being furious about wanting to take Dajal¡¯s neck right away like before, her calm and collected plea bought the sincerity of the maids. Because of that, they nodded in unison as they shed tears that they had held back for so long. Amethyst returned to the residence with a heavy heart and ordered Lunia to keep today¡¯s happenings a secret. The latter readily agreed to follow her mistress¡¯s will and solemnly promised she would try to come up with solutions of her own before going back to her duties. All alone now, Amethyst sat at a table and fell into her dilemma. To catch Dajal she needed proof. Of course, she could have the maids come forward and testify¡­ but she knew how hard it was for victims, especially those that had been sexually assaulted, to testify for themselves which was why she didn¡¯t want to make them do such a thing. Ha. I really wish there was a CCTV. Or at least a voice recorder. Well¡­ even if I had a CCTV or a voice recorder, what¡¯s the point. Those things would not be of much use anyways because those with power always found a way to get away one way or the other. Furthermore, if he was someone who had gotten his way thus far, he would be sure to retaliate and try to turn the tables. If so, to what extent would Alec believe me? How far would he go to support me? He¡¯s barely spent a month with me ¡­ With Dajal, they have had a history of seven years. It was a past that couldn¡¯t be ignored which was why she couldn¡¯t dismiss his loyalty without any proof. As compared to him, she may be the wife of a duke but it was time-bound. She didn¡¯t know how far she could get involved either. Even if she tried to fire him for valid reasons, she would need enough evidence to substantiate her claim. So if she was able to gather evidence and fire him, Alec might support her decision. I guess that is the only way? ¡­ I should get involved directly. Thankfully the maids in the main mansion were not concerned about her whereabouts, so it would make things simpler. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 These days, Alec seemed very busy which came as a relief to Amethyst. She quickly left the mansion and went to the building where Roman and the others were. ¡°Good morning!¡± ¡°Madam! What brings you here so early in the morning?¡± The maids were quite surprised to see their mistress here. ¡°Well¡­ I couldn¡¯t think of any other solution than this.¡± Amethyst declared somewhat resignedly. ¡°Any other solution¡ª?¡± ¡°Is anyone not feeling well? Or does anyone want to take a day off today?¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly asking such a thing?¡± One of the maids voiced everyone¡¯s puzzlement. ¡°I¡¯ll work on your behalf.¡± ¡°What?!¡± They cried in unison. Then one of them said, ¡°What do you mean! Why would Madam¡ª!¡± ¡°This is all to catch that bastar¡­no Dajal. This is a disguise of sorts, going undercover!¡± The maids looked at her blankly so Amethyst explained calmly. ¡°Well, you know there is a saying¡­ to catch a tiger you need to go into the tiger¡¯s cave.¡± ¡°What?!¡± The room echoed with the chorus yet again. ¡°Haha, I guess you wouldn¡¯t know. So basically I will reveal all of Dajal¡¯s misdeeds myself.¡± ¡°Madam! That is too dangerous! What if something happened to you¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Before that, I will oof! Beat the shit out of him first.¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± ¡°If it isn¡¯t me then there is no justification to punish him. As you know he is a pro at making excuses. Even if I were to make all of you testify against him, he will find a way to escape. But with me as the ¡®victim¡¯, it¡¯ll be different. Even though I may appear so, I am still a noble lady ¡­ so getting revenge might be hard but firing him should be doable. So, cooperate with me.¡± The maids stared at her with mouths wide open. They had heard in passing from the maids in the mansion that the new lady of the house was peculiar but to think she was to this extent ¡­ Roman stood rooted to the ground, and the only thought in her mind was ¡®how do I stop this unstoppable lady.¡¯ ¡­ On the other hand, the younger maids were of a different opinion. ¡°I will lend you my clothes! We seem to have a similar figure so it should fit you perfectly.¡± ¡°Oh my, thank you!¡± ¡°No, right now that¡¯s not important¡ª¡± ¡°Roman, don¡¯t worry. You should treat me comfortably¡­ mm¡­ Carol, yes call me Carol.¡± ¡°Carol¡­.? Why Carol?¡± ¡°If you call me Amethyst then it will reveal my identity. So think of it as a false name.¡± Carol¡­ Amethyst had no idea why that name came to mind. Most probably because it was the title of the last movie she had seen. ¡°Really must you go this far? What if you were to get hurt Madam¡­.¡± Roman was like a cat on a hot tin roof. ¡°You know there is no other way.¡± Amethyst countered. ¡°But to go this far for us¡ª¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t know about it then that¡¯s one thing, but now that I know how could I possibly look past it? I have a duty to protect my people!¡± My people ¡­ It was the first time Roman had heard such a phrase from someone of noble standing. She swallowed hard ¡­ if the mistress was willing to go all the way out for them ¡­ ¡°Then¡­ let me fill you in on what to be careful about. Don¡¯t ever, ever, ever be alone with Dajal.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.!¡± So he must be doing those things when he¡¯s alone with them. Sly scum! Amethyst nodded her head. ¡°Today we need to clean the stables. It might be difficult.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m good at cleaning,¡± Amethyst said cheerily. ¡°How could a noble lady like you possibly be good with cleaning?¡± ¡°Ah! Back home ¡­ my father was very humble so I cleaned my own room¡­ and a humble lifestyle made me¡ª¡± ¡°I see. Understood. But if it gets difficult please take a rest in between.¡± An apprehensive Roman implored. ¡°Yes.¡± Amethyst nodded and changed into the maid uniform that Roman handed to her. It felt like she had become an otaku¡­ no, no what did they call it? Yes, costume ¡­? Cosplay? A maid¡¯s uniform! When else would she ever wear such a thing! It was a black A-line dress that reached her ankles with a white ribbon-bound shirt collar that contrasted against the black backdrop, topping it off was a white apron. She indeed looked like a maid. With Roman¡¯s help, she tied up her long hair and hid it beneath a white bonnet. Thankfully, Amethyst was not an astonishing beauty. It was an ordinary face that could be easily forgotten. Somehow she seemed to suit the ragged maid uniform than the new dresses she put on every morning. ¡°I know it may sound rude¡­ but¡­ it suits you.¡± Roman seemed to have shared her thoughts. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 ¡°Haha, you are right. Somehow I fit right in, it¡¯s making me sappy.¡± ¡°Sappy?¡± Roman asked in puzzlement. ¡°Ah, sad and happy. Well, there is a slang like that. Roman, now let¡¯s go to the stables. I¡¯m sure we can¡¯t be late.¡± ¡°Yes. Please follow me, Madam.¡± ¡°Roman, please talk comfortably with me. We might end up getting caught like this.¡± ¡°Bu¡­ but!¡± ¡°Ahem!¡± As Amethyst made a serious expression and looked at her, Roman nodded unwillingly. Smiling, the mistress continued to follow the maid¡¯s lead. ¡°Dammit¡­ I can¡¯t help but want to swear.¡± Amethyst muttered under her breath. ¡°Sorry?¡± Roman stilled and looked at the other. ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s only the two of us that need to clean this large stable?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Last month I didn¡¯t pay my deposit.¡± ¡°What, this crazy bastard¡­!¡± ¡°Madam¡­ no, Carol!¡± Roman hurrielded exclaimed. ¡°Haha¡­ okay. I will watch what I say.¡± There seemed to be no end to the stable. It seemed to be at least a few thousand square feet. This Dajal guy was definitely a psycho. Amethyst started to brush the horses angrily. ¡°Erm, Carol¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Apparently a few days later they have a riding training, so we must be careful and clean without stressing the horses¡­ if you brush roughly it will scare them Mada¡­ scare them.¡± Roman seemed to be having a hard time talking informally. ¡°I understand¡­¡± Amethyst¡¯s responses were inadvertently funny as well. That¡¯s true, what have the horses done wrong! Amethyst smiled and started to brush them gently. It felt good to do some physical labor but Dajal was nowhere to be seen even as they came to finish cleaning up the stables. ¡ù An exhausted Amethyst fell asleep after quickly finishing her dinner as she heard Alexcent would be returning late from the palace. Normally, she would wait up for him and fall asleep together. But today she dozed off the moment she lied down in bed. After getting ready to sleep and only wearing his gown, Alec looked down at Amethyst who had fallen asleep first and was mumbling away. ¡°I wonder¡­ what she¡¯s dreaming about.¡± Her round forehead, tightly closed two eyes and lips that were slightly ajar ¡­ She had a child-like expression in her sleep, it somehow comforted him. He looked at her longingly before bending down to bring his lips to her forehead. He caught a whiff of hay and soil, followed by the smell of horses ¡­ he automatically frowned. Then he carefully lay next to her and brushed her hair to the side. Then listening to the sound of her rough breathing, he tried to fall asleep. ¡ù Oh no! Due to yesterday¡¯s sudden labour I woke up later than usual. Thankfully it seemed like Alexcent had gone ahead to enter the palace. Quickly, Amethyst rushed to get ready and headed down to the side building while avoiding all the eyes around her. Roman must have been worried as she got up from her seat as she saw Amethyst hurrying in. ¡°Are you all right? You must have been tired from yesterday?¡± ¡°Mmm¡­I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m not¡­ but I¡¯m fine. But more than that, are you okay Roman? You worked more than me yesterday.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s normal for me.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say that such unfair treatment is normal. You¡¯re breaking my heart!¡± ¡°Madam¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s stay strong! So, what are we doing today?¡± Amethyst flashed a bright smile. ¡°Today we are cleaning the garden.¡± ¡°Garden?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are we by chance¡­ cleaning the garden that looks like terrains of huge paddy fields?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what rice paddy fields look like but if you are referring to the garden in front of the mansion then you are right¡ª¡± ¡°Is it just you and me today as well?¡± ¡°¡ªYes.¡± ¡°Ah, this crazy bastard!¡± ¡°Madam, please calm¡ª¡± Roman hastily urged. ¡°How can I calm down? It¡¯s not once or twice that I got lost there, so for the two of us to¡­!¡± Roman must have felt apologetic as she looked down at the floor. After all, it was a consequence of her not paying the deposit. So she couldn¡¯t help but feel apologetic that the mistress had to suffer along with her. ¡°Roman, let¡¯s go! You just wait and see, I will pay him back double, no triple times!¡± Amethyst huffed and puffed as she headed to the garden together with Roman. They started to sweep and gather the fallen leaves. For today, Amethystcouldn¡¯t help but resent the wind that kept blowing their way. Thanks to it, the leaves incessantly showered making her want to chop down all the trees in the garden. Let¡¯s be patient, patient. Those that are patient will be rewarded. ¡°Gah!¡± Reward my ass! Amethyst threw her broom and shouted. ¡°Ma¡­no, Carol. If you are tired please take a rest¡­ no rest. I will finish up¡­.¡± Roman panicked. ¡°What? Do you think you¡¯re made of steel? Are you superwoman?¡± Amethyst looked her in the eye and retorted. ¡°What?¡± Roman was dumbfounded. ¡°No, I meant you should come over here and rest as well.¡± ¡°But I must finish this by today,¡± said Roman. She didn¡¯t have the liberty the other had. ¡°Ha¡­I swear I will uproot these trees.¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± ¡°Why? Why are you laughing.¡± Amethyst looked at the laughing maid in puzzlement. ¡°How can the wife of the prince say such a thing? Normally you can¡¯t do all this alone.¡± ¡°I know. It was just empty words and me ranting.¡± While they were taking a breather they heard footsteps. Rustle! The sound of leaves being stepped on. It was very fast. ¡°I see you still haven¡¯t come to your senses and still have the time to rest.¡± As she heard a hoarse voice, Amethyst turned to look behind. It was a man neither short nor tall with a paunch, and a head with barely any hair left. Just the looks of it, and his oily forehead seemed to say ¡®I am Dajal¡¯. Chapter 54 | 18 Chapter 54 ¡°Sir Dajal.¡± As Roman bowed to formally greet him, Amethyst followed suit as well. ¡°Tsk, tsk, you better finish up by today. These days the lady of the house likes to come out to the garden.¡± Hmm, that lady of the house is right here! What an idiot that can¡¯t even recognise the lady of the house! Do you have fish eyes? No, even fish eyes are a waste. ¡°Yes.¡± Roman bowed her head and answered. Dajal clicked his tongue and turned his gaze to the one next to her. with a look that said ¡®this is the first time I¡¯ve seen this girl¡¯. As he looked at Amethyst with lustful eyes, she felt goosebumps. She simply bowed her head even further. Dajal held his gaze as he spoke to Roman in an uninterested tone. ¡°Tomorrow the bedsheets in the knights¡¯ dormitories need to be changed. You know what that means?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then hurry up and finish cleaning up. And you, are you new?¡± ¡°What? Oh yes.¡± Amethyst answered ¡°What was your name again?¡± ¡°Ca¡­rol.¡± ¡°Carol? It¡¯s not a familiar name.¡± ¡°She came from the suburbs.¡± Roman answered in Amethyst¡¯s stead. ¡°Is it¡­ Well, I guess you¡¯re here since I picked you as well. So pay close attention and remember what happens when you go against me.¡± ¡°¡ª Yes.¡± Amethyst answered through clenched teeth. She contemplated kicking his mouth but told herself to hold it in. But what should I do¡­ They say people hold back three times before committing murder¡­ I feel like I won¡¯t be able to hold back the next time! ¡ù After that Dajal didn¡¯t show up again. Every day Amethyst and Roman carried out an unbelievable amount of workload, and time flew by. ¡°Roman!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Look at this.¡± Amethyst lifted up her sleeves and flexed her arms. ¡°Do you see that? Do you see that bulge in my biceps?¡± ¡°Pfft! Madam, even if we¡¯re both women you must uphold your modesty.¡± Really, our Madam is a true character. Even now, here, she is flashing her bare skin! Even though she is in one of the highest positions, she bows the lowest. She carried out difficult tasks even as she swore on, but is resilient. ¡°What are we doing today?¡± ¡°Today¡­ a piece of new equipment has arrived. So we will clean the commodity warehouse¡ª¡± ¡°We have a problem!¡± A maid opened the door suddenly and ran in while shouting. ¡°Why what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Si-sir Dajal is looking for Carol¡­ looking for Madam!¡± Oh my, the time has finally arrived! Roman stood up in surprise and looked at Amethyst. ¡°Madam¡­!¡± ¡°I¡¯m all right, don¡¯t worry. In fact, it¡¯s a good thing. But it took longer than I expected. I guess I¡¯m not that charming.¡± ¡°Madam! No I should go along with you¡ª¡± ¡°No. This is an opportunity. In fact, it might be the last¡­one.¡± ¡°But if the Prince finds out¡­!¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ then it is a good thing¡­.¡± Even as she said that aloud., she couldn¡¯t help worry. Will he support me when the time comes? There was no way he would believe her. She doubted that he would act out for his wife of one year. And they had only spent a month together so far so how could she win over a relationship of seven years? Until I find solid proof I must do my utmost. She told herself firmly but could feel her fingers turning cold. Then, Amethyst smiled at Roman and left. ¡ù She stood outside a smaller building but that seemed to have no damages like the one she had come from. It seemed to be the space used by Dajal. A space used by himself¡­ She felt her shoulders tense up. Knock, knock! She knocked before opening the door and entered the office. Surprisingly it was neat. The interior was modest and nothing appeared extravagant to the eyes. Tsk, just how much money is he hiding? I bet this too is to trick others. Then the balding man with his bulging tummy came into view. But why is this man only dressed in a gown? Even as these thoughts ran in her mind, due to the time she had spent with Roman she automatically bowed to greet him. ¡°You sent for me Sir Dajal?¡± ¡°Was it Carol?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The girl I¡¯ve been calling wasn¡¯t to my liking¡­.¡± The girl he has been calling? He must have gotten sick of her! ¡°From today on I want you to be in charge of cleaning this place. ¡°¡ª Yes.¡± Ha! What to do?! ¡°Right now I would like you to clean the living room. The girl before wasn¡¯t meticulous and I spotted many dusty areas. ¡°Yes.¡± Surprisingly he¡¯s pretty neat. Even though he looked like he would be dirty and messy. Amethyst quickly went to grab a bucket of water and started to mop the place. Everytime she mopped her body moved, and Dajal stared at her from the sofa in the living room. His filthy gaze followed her around. Perhaps it was due to the closed window, or from moving around, her body felt hot and she felt suffocated. Drops of sweat formed on her forehead, and the ribbon around her neck added onto the heat. Amethyst loosened the ribbon around her neck. She could breathe a little better but she still felt warm. She could feel the sweat on her and the disgusting gaze that followed her. By the time the living room was mopped, a fair bit of time had passed by. She held her hands tightly together out of nervousness. It was time to go back. If she was even slightly late, people would start looking for her. Also Alec would be returning. ¡°Erm, Sir Dajal¡­ I have finished.¡± Dajal slowly got up from the sofa and started to walk over to her side of the living room. Gulp! Amethyst swallowed hard Dajal swiped a finger on the bookshelf she had last cleaned and looked around. Then he bent over and whispered in her ear. ¡°It¡¯s clean. I like it. Good work today, I will see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Dajal.¡± Amethyst tried to bow as politely as possible and left his office. Yucks, that perverted bastard! My ear¡­I want to wash my ear! Amethyst rubbed her ear in disgust. But soon she slowed down. I¡¯m sure Dajal is testing waters. I must be more careful from now on. She quickly changed out and headed back to the main mansion. Even then, Alexcent had not yet returned. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 ¡°Sir Dajal, it¡¯s Carol.¡± Amethyst greeted as she entered his building, but the only response she received was silence. ¡°May I begin my duties?¡± There were no signs of anyone being here, and she didn¡¯t feel Dajals¡¯ unpleasant gaze on her either. Perhaps he¡¯s gone out ¡­ That¡¯s good. I should look for evidence while he¡¯s not around. Hoping that she could find something in his absence, she entered a room that appeared to be his study. Just in case, she didn¡¯t forget to bring along the bucket, rag, and broom. She placed the bucket and the broom by the door and looked around with the rag in hand. She didn¡¯t forget to pay attention to the door lest he return. Thump! Thump! Thump! Her heart was beating rapidly. She tried to calm the throbbing that felt like it were a time bomb about to explode. Generally, the study was well kept. On top of his desk were neatly arranged files of account statements. She picked up the files and flipped through them. [Waterproofing of roof, Dijon Corporation, paid by Aran Bank.] [Planting of trees, Amoz Corporation, Marcezon Bank to be paid.] [Painting works, Dijon Corporation, paid by Aran Bank.] [Repairing of walls, Dijon Corporation, paid by Aran Bank.] Once the repair is completed by the subcontracted company, payment is made by the bank. ¡ù Quotation, repair details, repair confirmation, invoice, payment confirmation. It was a very well-organised account. It looked perfect. And this was precisely that made it even more suspicious. Except for the tree plantation, all of the work was commissioned to Dijon Corporation and payment was made by Aran Bank. Well, if Dijon Corporation was a company that provided good service, then it was understandable. But given the size and scale of the mansion, it isn¡¯t possible. Also since it¡¯s a construction fee, it would require a large amount of money going back and forth, so it would be natural to use the bank rather than cash¡­ But why would they choose this bank? Was it the partnered bank of the prince¡¯s estate? I think it will be faster to look into Aran bank than Dijon Corporation. The fact that Dajal was commissioning all the work solely to Dijon Corporation, suggested that they had a close relationship. And if the two were in a transactional relationship, acting rashly could reveal that they were under scrutiny. Also, she had a hunch that the slush funds and Aran Bank had some sort of a link. All right, there¡¯s a need to look into this first. Amethyst placed the files back in their original position, picked up the bucket and broom she had placed by the door, and exited the study. Since Dajal was nowhere in sight, she returned to the building where the maids were quartered. As she entered the building, she saw Roman massaging her shoulders while seated in an old chair. ¡°Roman! Are you taking a rest?¡± ¡°Madam! Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°I was so worried.¡± She must have been worried since the time she left for Dajal¡¯s office yesterday. ¡°Today I didn¡¯t see Dajal.¡± ¡°Ah, once a week he goes out. Today must be the day.¡± ¡°Is that so? Once a week? By chance do you know where he goes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that¡­,¡± said Roman shaking her head. I wonder where he goes once a week. Is it to Aran Bank? Or Dijon Corporation? Amethyst ruminated for a moment before asking Roman for a favour. ¡°I see. Also, tomorrow I might not be able to come. So if Dajal looks for me could you tell him I am on leave?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. All right. Are you by chance not feeling well or¡­?¡± Roman asked with a worried tone. Amethyst laughed and reassured her. ¡°Not at all! I¡¯m just being cautious in case I raise the suspicions of others. So don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Assuming that Dajal wouldn¡¯t look for her today since he was out, Amethyst retired early to the main mansion and looked for Pon. ¡°Pon.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ¡°Which bank is affiliated with the mansion?¡± Pon seemed taken aback by the sudden question and answered her by way of a question. ¡°Madam, may I enquire which affiliated bank you are looking for?¡± ¡°Which¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam. In the mansion, we use different banks for different businesses.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. There are several banks owned by His Highness¡­.¡± ¡°Several?¡± ¡°Yes. So depending on the nature of business the banks we use differ.¡± ¡°I¡­ see.¡± Hahaha. This is incredible! I knew Alec wasn¡¯t just some gold spoon¡­ but to think he was a Vibranium spoon! ¡°Then is Aran Bank also owned by Alec?¡± ¡°No. As far as I am aware.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Phew¡­ that¡¯s a relief! I wonder why I¡¯m relieved that it¡¯s not owned by him. Perhaps because it means he has nothing to do with this ¡­ Maybe that¡¯s why? For now, I need to find out more on Aran Bank. And she knew just the person to ask about it. ¡°Pon, tomorrow I¡¯m thinking of visiting my family. I miss my mother.¡± ¡°Yes. I will make the arrangements.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Returning to her bedroom, Amethyst took a bath before settling herself on her bed. She decided to stay up until Alexcent came home, but her fatigue got the better of her and she soon fell asleep. In the middle of the night, Alexcent lay next to her to sleep. She used to get up even at the slightest sound. But these last few days she was dead asleep and wouldn¡¯t know even if someone were to carry her away. And he didn¡¯t like that. Well, I¡¯ll just wait and observe for a little longer. Sighing he breathed in her warm scent. As he breathed in the familiar and foreign scent, he swore under his breath and pulled her closer as he too fell into deep oblivion. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 ¡°Young Miss!¡± As Amethyst descended the carriage, Yellie greeted her loudly. ¡°Yellie, watch your manners. She is now the wife of the prince.¡± ¡°Ah, I am so sorry. I was just so happy to see her¡­.¡± Yellie flushed as the butler of the count¡¯s mansion reprimanded her, but she didn¡¯t appear apologetic at all. ¡°Huhu, it¡¯s fine. And that¡¯s Yellie¡¯s charm. How have you been? Your complexion seems better. I guess you¡¯re enjoying my absence?¡± ¡°No way! I cried so much because you threw me away and left me behind.¡± ¡°What do you mean threw you away ¡­ Some people might think it¡¯s true!¡± ¡°It is true! I at least thought you would take me along with you!¡± ¡°That again? I already told you I can¡¯t bring anybody into the mansion due to security reasons.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not anybody.¡± Yellie pouted. Amethyst tried to come up with various reasons to soothe her, but her grudge seemed to hold. As the two continued on and on at the front door, the butler stepped in. ¡°Welcome back Lady Skad.¡± ¡°Thank you. Is mother inside?¡± ¡°Yes. She has been waiting for you.¡± Ah, Pon said he would make the arrangements so he must have informed them. It was a place she had left after spending only a couple of days, but seeing how happy Yellie was to see her, it felt like home. Leaving the sad Yellie behind, she followed the butler to the count¡¯s drawing-room. ¡°Welcome, Amethyst.¡± ¡°Mother.¡± Countess Lohikin who had the same coloured hair as her daughter greeted her with a smile. Subconsciously she approached Countess Lohikin and embraced her. It felt warm and nice. ¡°I was surprised by the sudden message. By chance did you fight with the prince?¡± ¡°No, of course not.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s a relief¡­.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you go to work today?¡± ¡°How could I when my daughter is coming over to visit?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ you must be busy.¡± ¡°No worries, no worries at all. Now look at you, you¡¯ve become prettier!¡± ¡°Haha, I doubt it.¡± Countess Lohikin grabbed a hold of Amethyst¡¯s hand and patted it. As she could feel the concern and care of the mother who had sent her daughter off to get married, she couldn¡¯t help but feel bad. Maybe I should have visited more frequently¡­ No, I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t become weak here. ¡°So how is your newlywed period? Seeing how you¡¯ve become prettier¡­ I¡¯m guessing the Prince is treating you well.¡± ¡°What?!¡± How should I respond¡­ Amethyst¡¯s face flushed. That he is treating super well? No, I think that only applies to the events that happen at night. ¡°Huhu, seeing how you are all flushed¡­ it seems like you¡¯re well.¡± ¡°Mother, that¡¯s not it¡­!¡± ¡°Yes, yes. Mother knows. No need to be shy.¡± Haha. Of course. I¡¯m sure you know! I better change the topic. I can¡¯t hide from the elders. At this rate, I might end up giving away all the details! ¡°Actually, I wanted to visit you because¡­ I have something to ask.¡± ¡°Really? What is my dear daughter curious about?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Have you heard of Aran Bank?¡± Countess Lohikin carefully studied Amethyst¡¯s face. She had expected her na?ve daughter to have questions about married life but to think that her question was on Aran Bank¡­ She couldn¡¯t help but feel concerned whether she was in urgent need of money. ¡°Amethyst, do you secretly have a debt with the prince?¡± ¡°What? No!¡± ¡°Then why are you suddenly asking about Aran Bank?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve been working on the management of the mansion and Aran Bank stood out. There were other banks too¡­ but based on the butler I heard that this bank was not affiliated with the mansion.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°That you found out about Aran Bank while managing the mansion?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s true. I saw that Aran Bank had paid for fixes and repairs.¡± Amethyst felt nervous as Countess Lohikin turned solemn. Did I¡­ say something wrong? No matter how odd and sudden her question about Aran Bank was, the other looked too serious and tense. ¡°Phew! All right then that¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°You scared me for a minute there! I thought you owed a big debt¡­ but hold on! It¡¯s weird that a place like the Prince¡¯s Mansion would be affiliated with a place like Aran Bank¡­.¡± ¡°Why so?¡± ¡°Because Aran Bank is famously known for creating borrowed-name accounts or secret accounts in this field.¡± ¡°A borrowed-name account?¡± Amethyst was visibly surprised. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a place where black money comes and goes, such as slush funds and hidden assets¡­ There must be a lot of banks owned by the Skad family, so I wonder why they are affiliated with them¡­ I must say it is rather worrisome.¡± ¡°I see. Slush funds and hidden assets ¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, so it may appear to be a bank¡­ but it¡¯s famous for creating a separate special law and not disclosing their financial details.¡± Countess Lohikin explained. ¡°Are banks allowed to do that?¡± Amethyst queried. ¡°Exactly. I was surprised to hear that they had been approved. But after them, there were no other banks that passed the bill, but it certainly is a legitimate bank that complies with the federal laws of the empire.¡± Hmm. So I guess that means Aran Bank is the only option, which must be why Dajal chose it. ¡°Since we are on the topic, there are three banks you must never ever make deals or be associated with.¡± ¡°Three?¡± Her eyebrows quirked. ¡°Yes. Aran, Deutsche and Fidorun.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 ¡°Aran is well-known for issuing borrowed name accounts, whereas Deutsche for money laundering. And Fidorun is infamous for its high-interest rates for their loans, it¡¯s a bank that sucks away the money from the citizens of the empire. It is the most notorious out of the three. If you ever have a need to go to Fidorun bank, no matter what, you must always come and find me before that! Do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ .¡± I guess they are like a private loan company? Aran, Deutsche, and Fidorun. I¡¯ll keep them in mind. As I expected, it was a good idea to come and find my mother about this. ¡°I am not sure why the prince¡¯s mansion is conducting transactions with Aran Bank¡­ but if you are taking over the management as the lady of the house, I advise you to stop dealing with them.¡± The countess advised. ¡°Are they that bad that I should cut ties?¡± ¡°If it really is purely transactional then it may not be a problem¡­ but it is a place famous for money laundering and ill-gotten funds. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t happen but I worry just in case word spreads that you are dealing with them. And even us in the Banks Union don¡¯t know who the real owner of Aran Bank is, so it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry since you are the wife of the prince.¡± ¡°Banks Union?¡± ¡°Yes. Every year all the heads of the banks come together to set the benchmarks for interest rates and never has the owner of Aran Bank shown up.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Based on the information I have so far, it seems very likely that Dajal¡¯s embezzled money is in Aran Bank. But if they don¡¯t disclose transactions, it means I¡¯ve hit the wall. An owner that doesn¡¯t reveal himself¡­ Dajal can¡¯t be the owner, can he? I wonder why I feel so uncertain¡­ As Amethyst fell deep in thought, clear signs of worry were born on Countess Lohikin¡¯s face. She caught on to the change in expression, she had not intended to cause her mother to worry. Even in the previous world when she had lived with her parents before she had gotten married, the only topic she¡¯d ever discussed with them was about work as she didn¡¯t want them to worry. After she got married she told them even less. Instead of going on and on about her life, she was busy trying to reassure them that she was doing well. Since to them, her living well was something to be proud of. Realising that asking any more would cause her mother to worry, Amethyst decided to change the subject. ¡°How is Father these days? And what about Merrild and Matin? Where are they? Do they still fight?¡± ¡°Your father is busy as always, Merrild and Matin should be studying at the academy. Don¡¯t even mention the fighting. But these days Merrild is being patient with Matin.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. Is Merrild 17 this year?¡± ¡°No silly. She¡¯s 18. Soon she¡¯ll need to have her coming of age party. Maybe that¡¯s why? She¡¯s a lot more collected and well-behaved these days. Oh, and since you are here why don¡¯t you stay the night. It¡¯ll make your father happy.¡± ¡°Ah, no. I need to go back soon,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to stay and see your father? He will be very disappointed.¡± Countess Lohikin urged ¡°That¡¯s¡­ erm today Alec might come home early¡­.¡± ¡°Well, I guess I was being insensitive when you guys are newlyweds. These days your father has been coming home rather late. I thought he would be coming home earlier now that he is a vice-minister.¡± ¡°Really? Do tell him not to overwork himself¡­ and take care of his health. Next time, I¡¯ll come together with Alec.¡± ¡°Will you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amethyst smiled. Now that she thought of it because she had gone to sleep early these days she had barely seen Alexcent. Since she wasn¡¯t tired after a long day of labour and not exhausted as usual she was determined to wait up for him¡­ Since the busy Alec might come home earlier today. ? ¡°Madam, His Imperial Highness has arrived.¡± ¡°Really? He really did come home earlier today.¡± When she heard that Alexcent had returned home early just as she had wished, Amethyst got up from her seat in a hurry to greet him. She was about to eat dinner that was placed on the table in front of her. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not asleep today for a change.¡± But even before she could leave the bedroom, Alexcent appeared. He was still dressed in his court robes. He must have heard that she had not gone to bed yet and came straight to the bedroom without changing out of his clothes. ¡°It¡¯s not time for bed yet.¡± ¡°Ah, you were having your meal. Good, I¡¯ve not eaten so let¡¯s eat together.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go to the dining room¡­ .¡± ¡°No need.¡± Alexcent turned his gaze and gave his orders. ¡°Have it prepared.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± The maid bowed and exited the bedroom, then immediately as though they had been waiting, Pon and a maid entered with a tray of food. Since it was the butler¡¯s responsibility to prepare the meal of the prince, Pon took the liberty of setting the table even though it was Amethyst¡¯s bedroom. Then he bowed and quickly left. ¡°Please let me know if you need anything else. Then, enjoy your evening.¡± The maids left as well and it was only the two of them in the room. Amethyst was appreciating that face she had long missed. Recently her eyes had been rotting away because she had only been looking at Dajal¡¯s face, so looking at the one before her felt like she was being revived mentally and physically. She had been appreciating his visage when their eyes met, so she quickly opened her mouth to talk. ¡°Today, I went to Lohikin Mansion.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Alexcent had already been briefed by Pon, but answered as though he wasn¡¯t aware. ¡°Yes. I went to visit mother.¡± ¡°Your mother?¡± Chapter 58 Chapter 58 ¡°Yes. She seemed to be worried that my father is coming home later than before.¡± Alexcent must have been reminded of something as he opened his mouth. ¡°Ah, Count Lohikin. Unexpectedly, he has an uptight side to him.¡± ¡°Really? Are things too much for him¡­ I can¡¯t help but worry if appointing him as the vice-minister was the right choice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that BAD. Being uptight in the financial department is a strength. He¡¯s doing well so you need not worry.¡± Alexcent quickly added on as she showed signs of worry. ¡°Then that¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Was it the only reason you went back to visit your mother?¡± ¡°Mmmm¡­.¡± Of course, that was not the only reason. Should I test him a little? Amethyst who had been chewing on a piece of meat swallowed it before she spoke. ¡°Actually, I visited her because I was curious about something.¡± ¡°Curious?¡± Alexcent quirked his eyebrows. ¡°Yes. I went to ask her about Aran Bank.¡± ¡°Aran Bank? What about it?¡± He didn¡¯t seem taken aback or surprised. If he were guilty then he would have shown some change in expression¡­ Does he really not have anything to do with it? Or is his expression a facade? Amethyst continued on. ¡°Just that¡­ I heard of the banks affiliated with the mansion¡­ and was curious.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the banks I am affiliated with don¡¯t involve Aran Bank.¡± ¡°Right? I must have heard wrongly.¡± ¡°Where did you hear it from?¡± It was a sharp question, she could get busted if she pursued it any further. I don¡¯t have enough evidence to tell him the truth yet. For now, I should change the topic¡­ ¡°I think it was from that very thick stack of documents Pon gave me before. There were quite a many, so I was just flipping through¡­ Perhaps I mistook it with another similar bank.¡± Amethyst reinforced the thickness of the document by gesturing with her thumb and index finger. ¡°Oh before I forget, Mother told me about the other banks. Alec, do you know which are the three banks you should avoid in the empire?¡± ¡°Where?¡± ¡°Aran, Deutsche and Fidorun. And out of all three, Fidorun is the worst. They are the most blood-thirsty ones.¡± ¡°Ahem¡­.¡± Alexcent who had been drinking his wine coughed on it. ¡°Honey are you okay?¡± Amethyst hurriedly asked. ¡°Blood-thirsty ones, huh?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are they really that¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why such banks with bad reputations exist. The banks that live on the blood, sweat, and tears of the citizens of the empire should disappear.¡± It was commonly known how people fell into debt after borrowing. A loan with an interest of 40% of the principal¡­ It¡¯s in a blink of an eye before the interest adds up to more than the principal amount. It was a system that in the end, required you to sell out everything you have¡­ Even your body. If Countess Lohikin had warned her to this extent, it must mean the Fidorun was one such. ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Alec?¡± ¡°I guess.¡± ¡°See, even you share the same thoughts as I. Those kinds of banks are the worst.¡± An engrossed Amethyst continued to cut into her steak and rambled on. Alexcent, who was quietly listening, thought to himself as he placed his wine glass back on the table. There¡¯s going to be a need to change the mood. Then, with intent, he looked at his wife longingly and spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t get all excited over other things, get excited only by me.¡± ¡°What?!¡± He answered her question with his lips. ¡°Hmm¡­!¡± Through joined lips, tongues intertwined. Amethyst could feel her heart pounding from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. Really, his kisses are the best. All the worries about the unsolved problems simply vanish from my mind. The ceaseless kissing rendered Amethyst breathless, she hit his shoulder lightly as an indication. ¡°Mmmmmm!¡± Only then did he move his lips to her cheek, ear, and shoulder leaving red hickies behind, while Amethyst rubbed her face against his hair and whispered, ¡°We¡¯re not done eating.¡± ¡°I¡¯m eating right now.¡± As his naughty hands dove beneath her hips, she quickly grabbed them. ¡°Not yet¡­ we need to clean up, no they will come in to clean this¡­.¡± Alexcent lifted his face from between her mounds and brought it up to her forehead. After planting a short kiss, he called out to the maids loudly, who quickly entered the bedroom. ¡°Clean this quickly.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The maids realised that there was a great emphasis placed in the lord¡¯s order as they caught sight of Amethyst who was standing awkwardly with a flushed face. The dinner was quickly cleared away and the retainers left the bedroom. Alexcent lifted her up and headed towards the bed. He had been holding back his patience for too long and it had reached rock bottom, so he had no intention of undressing her calmly. He simply ripped it off. Bzzzzr! As her skin peeped through the torn clothes, his large hands rubbed and touched her urgently. He was eager to feel her warmth and skin with no space in between them. Spreading his fingers wide, he grabbed her firmly until her skin turned red. Tomorrow she might be bruised but for now, he was desperately in need of her touch. Over and over, the two exchanged frantic kisses, and when they were breathless their lips collapsed on one another as they breathed in each other¡¯s scent¡­ until the air in the room was steamy and hot. ? ¡°Carol.¡± A voice mixed with warning and disappointment was calling out her name. ¡°Yes, Sir Dajal.¡± ¡°Yesterday, did you come by my place when I wasn¡¯t there?¡± As usual, Amethyst was in Dajal¡¯s quarters to carry out her daily cleaning duties. But the man seemed unhappy about something and looked at her like a predator eyeing its prey. His eyes were trained at her with a piercing gaze as though they were peering inside her in search of the truth. Due to the tension, she felt her stomach in a knot, her gaze was unfocused and heart pounding. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 It occurred to Amethyst that if she were to falter in her fib here, it would be her neck on the chopping board. So, she let out one word calmly. ¡°Yes.¡± How did he know? I didn¡¯t go through his stuff. All I did was look through his files. And I placed them right back on the table¡­ he must be more sensitive than I thought. ¡°I saw you entered my office.¡± ¡°Yes, to clean up.¡± ¡°Clean.¡± Dajal¡¯s face turned a shade darker. Have I been caught? How did he know that I had entered his office? ¡°Tsk, did you think getting rid of the dust with your rag would do the trick?¡± What is that supposed to mean? I can¡¯t tell if I¡¯ve been caught or not. Is he testing me?¡­ For now, let¡¯s pretend like I have no idea. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir. Yesterday, you weren¡¯t around so I took some shortcuts.¡± Amethyst spoke in the softest tone she could muster. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know what happens if you don¡¯t do your work diligently¡­.¡± His hawkish gaze was penetrating right to her bones. ¡°I-I am so sorry. Please forgive me this time. I will never do that again.¡± ¡°Fine. This time I will let you off but there won¡¯t be a next time.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Am I off the hook? That¡¯s a relief! But he seems a lot more sensitive than I thought, so I had better be careful. Amethyst bowed her head and continued wiping the dust with her rag in front of Dajal. The suspicious gaze didn¡¯t disappear and constantly followed her. Then as if reminded of something, his eyes widened and he smirked. ? That afternoon, like any other day the maids were gathered at one place. Roman, Amethyst, and the other maids who knew her as Carol were all lined up in an orderly manner. Dajal walked up and down and called out. ¡°Jane!¡± The maid that was called out stepped forward. ¡°Carin!¡± ¡°Hebe!¡± As Dajal swung the short, thin whip in his hand into the air, the leather tassels swung around dizzily. The three maids must have known what was about to happen, as they were pale and shaking. The oblivious Amethyst simply stood in line like the rest. ¡°Do you know why you have been called out?¡± Dajal¡¯s menacing tone rang in the air. ¡°Yes.¡± As Dajal pointed the whip at the maid named Jane, she sobbed and finally mustered up an answer. ¡°Did you think you can just get away with it after doing such a crappy job cleaning?!¡± ¡°I am sorry.¡± Her sobs deepened. ¡°Yes, you should be sorry. Right?¡± Dajal tapped on Carin¡¯s shoulder and spoke gently. Carin¡¯s face appeared unusually uncomfortable and flushed. Dajal was groping her chest with his arms around her shoulders. From behind it would appear as two people on good terms. As he pinched her nipples and harassed her, Carin¡¯s face expressed disgust, fear, and humiliation. ¡°Then what should I do? Hmm? Tell me.¡± Dajal smoothly withdrew his hand and lifted up her chin. ¡°I deserve¡­ deserve to be punished.¡± Dajal then moved over to Jane but not before pinching Carin¡¯s bottom. ¡°Jane.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Dajal called on her, Jane¡¯s two calmly folded hands started to tremble. ¡°Which type of punishment is the best fit?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± Jane stood frozen to the spot unable to answer. Dajal lifted the whip and ran it across Jane¡¯s lower abdomen. She then closed her eyes and moved her lips. ¡°As always¡­ the punishment bestowed by Sir Dajal.¡± ¡°I see.¡± With that, he lifted the whip high up. ¡°I¡­I am sorry.¡± ¡°I am sorry.¡± Whip! Whip! Whip! Even though there were loud sounds and clothes torn, the maids flinched momentarily before standing straight back up. Amethyst¡¯s eyes widened. I need to stop it. I need to stop it¡­ But her body was frozen and didn¡¯t listen to her. She who was already the recipient of his suspicion would be able to save them for now if she stepped in, but she wouldn¡¯t be able to get rid of him entirely. There was no choice since she had gathered no proof. If Dajal insisted that he was punishing them for doing a poor job cleaning, then there was no other way to argue back. Right now this is probably a warning to me. ¡°Sorry? Because of you, do you know how much discomfort you¡¯ve caused to the Lady of the House? Because of you I was reprimanded by her.¡± Whip! Once again the sound of the whip filled the room. ¡°I¡­ will make¡­ sure not to let it happen¡­ again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a given! But based on what you¡¯ve said you deserve to be punished!¡± ¡°Please forgive¡­ Aghhh!¡± Even before the maid could beg for forgiveness, Dajal whipped her again. How dare he¡­ use my name! Amethyst ground her teeth. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 As nobody stepped in, Amethyst turned to look at them. As though they were used to the sight, and just waiting for it to quickly end, not one of them displayed any expression on their faces. For how long¡­ for how long have these things happened repeatedly? Amethyst turned to face the maids being whipped. The maid name Hebe was down on her knees and was begging. ¡°Please¡­ I am sorry! Please forgive me!¡± ¡°Be quiet!¡± ¡°Aghhh!¡± Whip! Whip! The sound of the whip continued on. Then soon the thin whip started to cut into their flesh. Blood dripped from the tassels on the whip and brought about a grin on Dajal¡¯s face. His opaque pupils were filled with excitement and his lips rose into a sadistic smile. The sight of him made Amethyst shudder. He was going overboard to call this a warning. His act was going past excitement and more towards a frenzy. As she was about to step forward to stop him, a hand ceased her. Amethyst turned to face the owner of the hand. Roman! As their eyes met, Roman shook her head and whispered softly, ¡°You mustn¡¯t.¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± ¡°They are not being reprimanded for doing a poor job.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Jane paid less bribes this month as she had to pay for her sister¡¯s wedding, Carin too as her mother is not well. Hebe had to bail out her brother who got himself in trouble.¡± ¡°Then this means¡­.!¡± ¡°Yes. This is a form of warning to everyone including you. If you get involved now, it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°But¡­ If we leave them like that then-¡± Amethyst was flabbergasted at this atrocity. ¡°He will stop soon. If you really want to reach your objective¡­ you must hold out for now.¡± ¡°But¡­ .¡± Roman looked desperately at Amethyst. Then they heard a sharp voice. ¡°Who is chit-chatting away! Huh?¡± Dajal slowly made his way and stood in front of Roman. The leather tassels were now stuck together due to the blood, and with that, he poked at her chest. Romans tried hard to stand still as she was pushed off balance. ¡°Have you still not come to your senses?!¡± ¡°No, Sir.¡± ¡°Just because I¡¯ve been letting you off lately you now think I¡¯m easy?¡± ¡°No, Sir.¡± ¡°Ya right. You always pretend to be upright but in truth, I know you¡¯re busy spreading your legs for those knights.¡± ¡°I have never done such a thing.¡± ¡°Ha, everyone knows you are a prostitute so who will believe you!¡± As Roman glared at him like she could kill him, Dajal flinched. Then surprised at his own reaction he raised his hand. ¡°This little wrench!¡± ¡°Sir Dajal! I am sorry!¡± At Amethyst¡¯s cries, Dajal stopped his hand that was inches away from Roman¡¯s face. ¡°I¡­ was new and unsure, so I was asking Roman for help.¡± ¡°You should choose a better person to ask.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± For some reason, Dajal backed off. Then he spat on the floor and barked, ¡°I¡¯ll end it here for today. Everyone back to your stations!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dajal disappeared and the maids left the scene. Some maids supported Hebe, Jane, and Carin and returned with them. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Amethyst asked Roman. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°I wonder why he backed off. I thought I was going to get hit¡­.¡± It was bizarre how Dajal spared her. ¡°Carol¡­ I think you should be careful.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I think he has targeted¡­ Carol as the next one.¡± Roman blurted out. ¡°What do you¡­ oh my?!¡± So just now that meant I was marked out. ¡°As much as possible try not to be alone with him.¡± She cautioned her mistress ¡°But I have to clean Dajal¡¯s quarters.¡± ¡°Precisely¡­ that¡¯s why I worry. Always be on your guard. And if anything happens¡­ run immediately.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I will be careful. By the way, I have always been curious. Why doesn¡¯t Dajal fire you instead of harassing you so much? If I were him, I would fire those that opposed me. How do you get past it?¡± ¡°Well¡­.To them, I¡¯m the best example. To show what happens if you go against him. So he won¡¯t fire me. And I know that other places are not much different. And nowhere pays as high as the prince¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°I see¡­.¡± Other noble households are not much different? I wonder why the unfairness of the world is the same wherever you go. I wonder if this is the unspoken rule of life. Similar patterns in societies, the unchanging history made Amethyst sick. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you go back and rest for today. You don¡¯t look too well.¡± Roman suggested. ¡°I¡¯m sure Dajal will look for me¡­¡± ¡°He won¡¯t look for you today. After causing a scene like this he will quieten down for some time.¡± She reassured. ¡°Really?¡± Amethyst was a tad unsure. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then¡­ I will go back for today.¡± Only after returning to her bedroom, did Amethyst feel the tension loosen away. Then, she felt herself gag. The screaming of the maids rang in her ear. The sight of them being whipped was a traumatic experience in itself. For how long had these things happened and remained unsaid¡­ For how long? She was overcome by shock and fear. She curled up under the sheets. Today, she didn¡¯t feel like running into Alexcent. She hated him for not knowing anything, not caring, and not doing anything. She hated him for even keeping Dajal by his side. Quickly, as quickly as possible I need to find the proof. Then I need to chase him out of this place. But what if¡­ Alec doesn¡¯t take my side because I¡¯m only temporarily the Lady of the House? What if he corners me and tells me to know my place¡­ At the thought of such a possibility, the thought of his face pissed her off. She closed her eyes to fall asleep quickly before the man got back to the mansion. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 ¡°Bring this to the butler and get his signature.¡± Dajal ordered dismissively. ¡°May I know what I need his signature for?¡± Amethyst asked upon receiving Dajal¡¯s ledgers. ¡°It¡¯s this month¡¯s ledger.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Ah, I hoped it would be something I can use as evidence, but it¡¯s only the ledger. Since it needs to be approved by Pon I¡¯m sure it¡¯s a fake ledger. But if I run into Pon in this state then my secret undercover will be blown away. ¡°May I ask why we need to show this to the butler? Shouldn¡¯t this be shown to the lady of the house¡­¡± ¡°Ha, you sure have a lot of questions.¡± ¡°I am sorry. It¡¯s just my first time working in such a big mansion so I¡¯m not familiar with things¡­¡± ¡°What would a daughter of a well-known noble know about running a mansion? I¡¯m sure all she knows is to sip tea all day or play dress up.¡± ¡°Is¡­ that so.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! This must be why she left even the running of the main estate to the butler in charge and spends her time shopping. Well, that makes things easier for me.¡± At Dajal¡¯s words, Amethyst clenched her fist. If she hadn¡¯t tasked Pon to run everything then things might have been different. It felt like all of this was her fault. Just as her mind came to such a thought, Dajal shouted. ¡°What are you standing there for, go!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Once Amethyst reached the main estate, she looked for Lunia instead of Pon. ¡°Madam?¡± ¡°Lunia, I need your help!¡± ¡°What¡­ I was wondering where you were these days. Was this what you were up to?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story. So please pretend you don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something that can be overlooked as long as I pretend not to know! The moment His Highness finds out, my head will no longer be attached to my neck!¡± Lunia said in fluster. ¡°I will make sure no harm goes your way.¡± ¡°You are already causing me plenty.¡± ¡°Lunia¡­¡± Lunia took a step back as Amethyst looked at her with puppy dog eyes. ¡°Fine. How can I help you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here on an errand. This is the ledger from Dajal that needs to be approved by Pon. It needs his signature but as you can see I am in no position to get it myself.¡± ¡°That is true¡­ Since Sir Pon has an eye for detail you just need me to get it signed on your behalf?¡± ¡°Yes. I will be grateful if you will.¡± Lunia accepted the ledger and flipped through. ¡°Did you investigate it?¡± ¡°Yes. But I¡¯ve not made much progress. What do you think?¡± ¡°Well¡­ there¡¯s nothing special on the ledger. Nothing seems illegitimate.¡± ¡°Precisely. Everything is too perfect.¡± ¡°Yes. I also think the real ledger must be elsewhere¡­ which is what I need to find.¡± ¡°Is that why you are going around in a maid¡¯s uniform?¡± Amethyst shrugged in reply. ¡°I will investigate on my own as well.¡± Lunia offered. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°And also¡­ Madam, since you asked me to pretend not to know, should you ever encounter a dangerous situation, just shout and ask someone to save you as loudly as you can. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Shout?¡± Amethyst quirked an eyebrow. ¡°Yes, shout asking for someone to save you.¡± ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± Actually, Amethyst didn¡¯t quite understand what Lunia meant but promised that she would nonetheless. ¡°You should rest for the day,¡± Lunia said. ¡°But I need to bring the ledger back to Dajal. If I don¡¯t he will get suspicious¡­.¡± ¡°Leave that to me. I will tell Sir Pon that I received it from a maid from the side estate, and that I asked that maid to run my errand so have another maid pass it back to Dajal.¡± ¡°Carol.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Lunia was taken aback. ¡°My name. It¡¯s Carol. That is¡­ among the employees I told them to call me Carol.¡± ¡°Ha¡­!¡± Lunia placed her hand on her forehead and let out a loud sigh. ¡°Just¡­ how long have you been going around like that?¡± ¡°For some time.¡± ¡°Really¡­ I¡¯m more surprised that no one found out.¡± Amethyst let out a forced laugh, and just as Lunia advised retired to her bedroom. She quickly changed into a dress before the maids could see and sat down on the sofa. Phew! ¡­ For some reason, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a loud sigh. From the window she heard the sound of horse hooves and a carriage, so she leaned against the window and looked down. Alec? He¡¯s back earlier than I thought! I¡¯m glad I followed Lunia¡¯s advice and returned earlier. If not there might have been a big ruckus saying the prince¡¯s wife is missing. Or I would have been caught in my maid uniform. If her undercover mission was busted before she could find the evidence, then the already suspicious and extremely careful Dajal would raise up his barriers. She saw the figure that normally returned after dusk descend the carriage. Amethyst left her bedroom and made her way towards the entrance. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Perhaps it was because she felt bad that she didn¡¯t manage to catch him yesterday as she was angry at him. For some reason, unlike most days, she wanted to greet him at the entrance. I guess surprising him like this from time to time is not too bad. ¡°Alec, how are you back so early today?¡± Amethyst who was rushing towards Alexcent came to a stop as she spotted someone next to him. It was Dajal, greeting her with his head bowed. ¡°Ah, Ash. I ended my tasks early today.¡± Amethyst swallowed dryly and carefully approached Alexcent, when Dajal opened his mouth. ¡°I greet you for the first time Madam. I am Dajal in charge of the side estate.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In case she got caught, she kept her answers as short as possible. Damn, what is Dajal doing here? Her entire head was a blank sheet. ¡°Wow, just like I¡¯ve heard you are beautiful, Madam.¡± He continued to bow and kept at his insincere praises. Does he not recognise me? Or is he pretending not to know? Amethyst tried hard to read his thoughts. ¡°So, the maintenance fee for the estate is not enough?¡± Alexcent seemed unhappy with Dajal praising Amethyst as he stepped in before she could reply. ¡°Yes, Sir. There was a heavy downpour recently and the ground collapse,¡± He solemnly replied. ¡°The rain was not to such extent.¡± ¡°It was a place with a weak foundation¡­ so it has always been a weak spot.¡± ¡°All right, fine! Pon!¡± ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Pon said, ¡°I will have it put in the budget.¡± ¡°This time fix it properly,¡± Alexcent said sharply. ¡°Not to worry, Sir.¡± Collapse? In the side estate? Was there such a place? As she was deep in thought, she saw Lunia coming her way. Damn, why is Lunia here as well? Lunia must have had the same thoughts as her expression crumbled momentarily before becoming composed behind a poker face. Coincidentally Alexcent, Amethyst, Lunia, Pon, and Dajal were all gathered in one place at the entrance of the main mansion. Lunia quickly greeted Alec. ¡°Sir, Madam. I didn¡¯t know you were both here.¡± ¡°What brings you here¡± ¡°I¡­ was on my way to the side estate.¡± Lunia glanced at Amethyst at Alexcen¡¯t question. ¡°The side estate? You? What for?¡± ¡°I coincidentally ran into a maid from there and sent her on an errand¡­ so on her behalf I was going to pass this to Sir Dajal.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Dajal asked incredulously. ¡°Yes. I had to send her on an urgent errand. She asked me to pass this to you.¡± Lunia handed the ledger to Dajal. Dajal accepted it and asked, ¡°What was the name of the maid?¡± ¡°Carol¡­ I think she said her name was Carol.¡± Amethyst felt her neck stiffen. ¡°Carol?¡± Alexcent asked. Dajal, Lunia, Amethyst all instantly looked towards Alexcent. There was tension in the air and no one dared to breathe. ¡°Yes¡­ I think it was Carol.¡± ¡°Do you know this child?¡± The one to ask him that question was Dajal, but for some reason, Alexcent answered while looking at Amethyst. ¡°No.¡± ¡°She is new but unfamiliar with things¡­ so I am teaching her everything one by one.¡± ¡°Unfamiliar?¡± Alexcent mused. ¡°Yes. I heard she came from the countryside, so she is still too green and it takes time to teach her.¡± Dajal explained. ¡°So you are teaching her yourself?¡± Alexcent¡¯s eyebrows quirked. ¡°Yes. Since everyone in the estate is busy¡­ I should, of course, teach her. It¡¯s nice and nostalgic, reminding me of the good old days. Hahaha.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Just because of one word that Alexcent said, Dajal rambled on. Looking at how he was senselessly rambling on and on in front of Alexcent, he didn¡¯t seem to have found out that the maid Carol was in fact the Lady of the House. Since she wasn¡¯t one to catch people¡¯s eyes, he didn¡¯t seem to have made the connection that the woman next to Alexcent and the girl Carol were the one and the same. He was the shallow kind that judged people by their outward appearances. Should I be relieved or offended? Amethyst raged inwardly. Wait a minute! If he doesn¡¯t recognise me should I take things up a notch? ¡°Can I take a look at that ledger?¡± Lunia squinted at Amethyst¡¯s words. As if to ask secretly what she was up to. Amethyst tried her best to ignore Lunia and directed her gaze to Dajal. ¡°My Lady?¡± Dajal asked in surprise. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s originally my task but I feel bad that I¡¯ve asked you to do it.¡± ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t say such things. I¡¯m sure you have so many things to do so how could you possibly pay attention to things like this?¡± he hurriedly said. ¡°I don¡¯t have that many tasks. It¡¯s mainly shopping,¡± Amethyst nonchalantly replied. ¡°Haha, But¡­ .¡± Dajal must have been uncomfortable in front of the prince, as he seemed reluctant to share the ledger. Not only was he not using the affiliated banks of the prince but he also didn¡¯t seem to want to be caught choosing and trading with Aran Bank which had a bad reputation. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 There¡¯s no way that Alexcent, who owned several banks, wouldn¡¯t notice it. This made it clear that there was something going on in Aran Bank. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing that I know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re going to have to see~¡± She snatched away the ledger that Dajal held in his hand. Flap, flap! She flipped through the pages one at a time. ¡°Hmmm¡­ I see¡­ This is it.¡± Amethyst muttered with an intentional strange nuance, she didn¡¯t miss the sweat pouring down Dajal¡¯s forehead. If she were to tell Alec to look at this, how would he react? Looking at the restless and sulking Dajal, she had an impulsive urge but in the end, held it in. ¡°Looks good. You¡¯ve done a perfect job at managing.¡± ¡°Tha-tha-thank you.¡± ¡°For what? I ought to thank you for doing such a thorough job.¡± ¡°No, not at all! That¡¯s too much.¡± He was a dimwit embezzling money. Amethyst couldn¡¯t tell if he was complimenting her or cursing. The shame of distinguishing a person only by appearance; she couldn¡¯t stand that cowering fool. ¡°If you¡¯re finished, let¡¯s go,¡± Alexcent said, turning to look at Lunia. The gaze was so sharp that it made Lunia hold her breath. The prince¡¯s eyes seemed to give off a warning of some sort. With his eyes still on the chamber-maid, he slid his hand around Amethyst¡¯s waist and pulled her in. When they stepped off into the hallway towards the bedroom, Amethyst insinuated¡­ ¡°Is the ground in this wing really weak?¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the fact that the ground is weak?¡± she queried. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Nothing, just asking¡­ I heard it¡¯s dangerous.¡± What did he mean by ¡®why¡¯? Because he had never seen a building collapse before? But if the torn-down place that Dajal mention didn¡¯t exist¡­ Then was this place a rip-off? Was he like this every time? If so, Alexcent had trust in him! ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about a thing. Even though you look at him like that, he¡¯s a useful guy.¡± Alec broke her train of thought. ¡°Is that so? If you say so, that¡¯s a relief.¡± Amethyst just smiled mournfully at him who had said Dajal was useful. It was clear that he really trusted him. She wondered if he were smiling inside. Alexcent kissed her temple and said, ¡°By the way, it¡¯s an honor. You coming out to meet me at the door.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ only for today!¡± ? Amethyst was in the middle of cleaning Dajal¡¯s residence today, too. Perhaps Lunia¡¯s lie had slipped through the cracks because the man didn¡¯t ask about yesterday. However, his persistent glare that seemed like he had a goal was unavoidable. Dajal still sat on the sofa wearing only a gown, looking at Amethyst with a subtle look of desire. Oh¡­ my arm hurts, she thought. The place is clean, so why does he keep telling me to wipe what I¡¯ve already wiped down? Amethyst was constantly moving in Dajal¡¯s dirty, sludgy eyes. He had been continuously watching her, almost surveilling, from when she entered the house. The windows were still firmly shut, and she was sweating from mopping so much; her breathing was getting rougher and arms sorer. When the uncomfortable sweating and dirty air really pissed her off, she unknowingly let out a groan, ¡°Uggghhhhh¡­!¡± Dammit! I need to be more careful. He might hear me. While mopping, she carefully went in Dajal¡¯s direction, but when she turned slightly to look, he was gone. Where did he go?!! At that moment, a dark shadow appeared in front of her. Shit! How did that happen? ¡°Oh, it must be pretty hot. Your face is flushed like you¡¯ve worked yourself up.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°Your clothes are looking a little soggy right now~¡± When Dajal¡¯s hand reached the ribbon collar wrapped around her neck, goosebumps spread all over her body. ¡°It¡¯s al¡­ right.¡± ¡°How can you be all right when your face is burning from breathing in this hot air?¡± His hand then came above the ribbon and grazed Amethyst¡¯s red cheek. She lifted her arm to try to pull her arm back, but the shaky arm wouldn¡¯t move. ¡®¡­!¡¯ Dammit, that¡¯s it! My arm won¡¯t move. Is this what the bastard has been after this whole time?! Swoop in on me after rendering my arm useless. What now? It¡¯s clear that if I stay here any longer it could get dangerous. Should I run away¡­? But Dajal¡¯s hand was already heading to her chest. Don¡¯t do that! ¡°This¡­ Please don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°Haha, haha, haha! How can all of you say the same thing over and over again?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Dajal gripped Amethyst¡¯s chin in his rough hand. ¡°Aaarrgghh!¡± ¡°Listen up. What¡¯s gonna happen if you disobey me? You saw it, too!! Also, this place is kind of secluded, so no matter how much you scream no one¡¯s gonna hear you.¡± He pulled Amethyst¡¯s face closer as he puckered his lips. With all her might, she wrested herself, barely managing to break away from his grip. Then, she ran as fast as she could to the entrance, grabbed the door handle, and shook it frantically. But the door wouldn¡¯t budge¡­ somehow it was locked tightly and wouldn¡¯t open. Dajal just stood there staring, amused. ¡°Hee-hee, that¡¯s useless. Well, hello there! You¡¯re cute when you¡¯re all up in a fuss.¡± ¡°~ You¡¯re crazy!¡± ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s quite a foul mouth you got there. That turns me on even more. But there¡¯s no next time.¡± He sniggered. Amethyst hurriedly scurried toward the window. She was about to open it and scream out loudly¡­ but when she grabbed it, all it did was wiggle and rattle; just like the door, it was somehow locked. And when she went to check the window sill, she was shocked to find nail after nail after nail hammered in. I was too complacent. Now she had no choice but to wait for someone to come here to find her, the duchess. But who the hell would come all the way here looking for her? A duchess who enjoyed just being alone¡­ But still, she had to buy herself some time¡­ At least until Alec returned to the mansion. ¡°Hahaha! Isn¡¯t it time for you to give up now? You¡¯re running my patience.¡± ¡°Fuck off! See what happens when you lay a hand on me again.¡± ¡°I said I liked you; that doesn¡¯t give you the right to talk to me so recklessly. I said I¡¯d let it slide only once. Now you¡¯re pissing me off.¡± Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Amethyst was raging mad at the man in front of her and, more importantly, at herself. She tried her best but didn¡¯t have the strength to handle Dajal¡¯s strong, healthy body in her debilitating condition. She now realized how weak she really was¡­ And how dangerous a situation she had fallen into. No one was around. No one could save her. She was only able to guess what other nauseating things he¡¯d do to her in the future, and that stimulated the fear within even more. What she had seen on the news was happening to her right this moment. Her fingertips were shaking, and she could barely breathe. Tears welled up in her eyes. Dajal, who was staring at the woman frozen with fear in front of him, was approaching closely with a licentious, sinister smile. Stuck in a corner, Amethyst was a sitting duck with nowhere to go. She got goosebumps looking at his face drawing closer and closer. Scary man!!! At the sight of an Amethyst trapped without an escape route and helpless, Dajal stuck out his tongue, looking like a snake that just found its prey. Slither, slither¡­ She felt disgusted. She turned her head to avoid his eyes, but the man grabbed her jaw again and uttered, ¡°Now it¡¯s time to get a taste of you. I have to punish you for making me move around so much like this. What¡¯ll be good, eh? What do you like?¡± For a moment, things that would happen next unfolded in her head: Blue and yellow bruises on her shoulders, wrists, forearms, and abdomen; deep, red flesh seen under her torn collar that dyed the maid¡¯s black robe a thick red. Dammit! She nearly came close to fainting. No, get your head together! ¡°I¡¯m begging you¡­ Someone, please help me! Argghh!!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad being stuck in a body that¡¯s as limp as a corpse.¡± During Amethyst¡¯s last-ditch effort, Dajal put more strength in his grip and slid his tongue up her cheek. As her breathing tightened, pale veins popped out and her face turned bright yellow. At this rate, she¡¯d lose consciousness soon. No¡­! Scream! Scream out- save me! ¡°Sa-sa¡­ save me!!¡± After the scream, her hand which had been scratching at Dajal¡¯s hand gripping her chin fell. The frustration of being unable to breathe and the fear of what was to come distracted her. Her red eyes with the small veins soon hid behind her eyelids. Oh, Alec! Will his face cross my mind¡­ Bang! Suddenly, the door broke open with a roaring sound. Two armed men dressed in all-gray burst through in an instant; one of them pointed a knife tip at Dajal¡¯s neck. A red blood drop formed at the blade tip resting on the creep¡¯s neck. ¡°Take your hands off the lady!¡± ¡°Wh-what?!! What does that¡­ Ugh!¡± Dajal tried to speak. The knife was pressed harder on his neck, blood flowed down to the handle. He slowly took his hands off of the girl, raising them both in the air. Amethyst then fell to the ground gasping for air. When her strangled voice finally cleared up, she gasped and took a deep breath. The other armed man helped her up and asked, ¡°Are you all right, Madam?¡± ¡°Ha! Do I look like I¡¯m all right right now?¡± ¡°N-n-no, Madam. We apologize for the delay.¡± Dajal had no idea what was going on right now. How could she, who was nothing but a maid¡­ be a duchess?? Even worse, a duchess pretending to be a maid??? F*ck! I¡¯m f*cked now! Rotten b*tch! How could that sneaky b*tch do this!?¡¯ Dajal frantically searched around for a way to escape. Amethyst, rubbing her stinging throat, took a deep breath and asked, ¡°I¡¯m all right now. But the important thing is¡­ who are you two?¡± ¡°We are the bodyguards here to protect you, Madam.¡± ¡°Protect me?!¡± Amethyst was taken aback. ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°Since the moment you first arrived at the duke¡¯s mansion, Madam.¡± Damn¡­ She didn¡¯t even know that. How could knights be protecting her without her knowing? Without having to think twice over it, she already knew who had taken such measures. Alec! I thank you for saving me¡­ Thanks to you, I can breathe again! However, she frowned when his face momentarily flashed in her mind. Not long after, another knight stepped over the pile of wood left by the broken door and said, ¡°I¡¯ve found Your Highness.¡± Both Amethyst and Dajal stiffened up at the knight¡¯s words. Today, one of them was going to be living corpse. No¡­ Well, she hadn¡¯t died at least but wasn¡¯t relieved nonetheless. Not yet. She hadn¡¯t found any concrete evidence yet, but she¡¯d try to expose the misdeeds as much as she could. She managed to pull herself together. She was quivering with fear that Dajal still hadn¡¯t left. Even so, this wasn¡¯t the time when she could sit down and cry. She slowly flattened out the wrinkles on her dress, gathering her strength, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, to where His Highness is.¡± She put the incident from just now behind her and took a step towards the unknown. She didn¡¯t know what she was thinking when she decided to go to his office. However, when she came to her senses in the end, she was already there. Alexcent was leaning against a thick mahogany desk in front of her. He seemed to be emanating a murderous warning to all those in the room. That cold gaze that was threatening to slice down at any moment, made it clear that even a single speck of dust was unacceptable. Amethyst finally lost it. At this moment, her thoughts were inexplicably away from normal. How could that seething rage, overflowing through every pore of his body, seem so sexy? How the heck can I find this image beautiful¡­? The man was staring intently at her as if he were going to kill her. Amethyst, whose hair stood on end as she looked at the man that couldn¡¯t even be approached easily, fell in love with him without even realizing it. However, she buried that thought the moment she glanced over to the side. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 In front of Alexcent to the left stood Amethyst and to the right were Dajal, Pon, and Gen. Judging from their expression, it was evident that this wasn¡¯t going to go down well. ¡°So, do you want to explain why you were dressed up as a maid at Dajal¡¯s residence?¡± The low-pitched, cold voice froze Amethyst. Alexcent¡¯s voice was so sinister that it made the hairs on her hands stand up. She was scared. She could feel the tremors in her fingertips. She had to say something, anything. But the panic made her blank and tongue-tied. She could feel the dread ringing in her ears. A dull, slurred voice spoke. ¡°My Honorable Master. I¡¯ve committed a heinous crime,¡± said Dajal, on his knees as though pleading for his life. ¡°Heinous crime?¡± said Alexcent dangerously. ¡°I didn¡¯t know!¡± said Dajal in desperation. ¡°I didn¡¯t know she was the Duchess! I just assumed she was a maid, trying to seduce me. Forgive me, Lord! My life is at your feet, you can put an end to it as a punishment for me not being able to overcome my temptation.¡± Amethyst directed a glare at Dajal. What the hell is he even talking about? When did I ever seduce him? Dajal, however, was impervious to her glare. Neither did he care. He just said what he said to escape Alexcent¡¯s wrath. ¡°Your Excellency,¡± pleaded Dajal, ¡°That¡¯s the whole truth. I do not know why the respected lady came into my house. I can¡¯t understand why. How was I to know that the maid who was trying to seduce me was the Duchess in disguise? Please believe me!¡± ¡°No!,¡± said Amethyst, exasperated, ¡°That never happened. You filthy, vile cockroach. What are you even saying? Nobody here is going to believe your outrageous lies.¡± She stared fiercely at Alexcent as she said this, searching his face. ¡°Then tell me why you were there, dressed as a maid?¡± said Alexcent icily. She felt his frosty tone unnerve her. There was anger beneath it. Why does he not believe me? Amethyst gathered what was left of her courage and spoke, ¡°I¡­ I was working undercover.¡± ¡°Undercover?¡± he asked, eyebrows raised. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, undaunted, ¡°I had heard about Dajal and his assaults on the maids. I had also heard about the embezzled maintenance fees that were supposed to be paid to them. I did what I had to do in order to gather evidence. Because nobody anywhere seems to care about the maids and their plight. I¡ª¡± ¡°You Excellency!,¡± shouted Dajal, interrupting her. ¡°That is not true! Duchess Amethyst is lying. I am innocent.¡± Amethyst was appalled by his audacity. ¡°Innocent? You villainous, dirty liar!¡± she shot back. ¡°I have seen with my own eyes the state in which the maids live. The living condition, their house, their clothes aren¡¯t fit for any human. I have all the evidence I need to convince me of your misconduct, you slimy roach!¡± ¡°Your Excellency!¡± begged Dajal, still on his knees, ¡°I never did anything wrong. She is lying. I have always been loyal and devoted to the Duke of Skad. I am sure you remember that there was a time when the maids were caught stealing the maintenance fees. They tried to frame me! The precious, well-respected Duke stood by my side and proved my innocence. History repeats itself, My Lord. The same injustice is being done to me now. Please do not doubt my loyalty, Your Excellency! This is greatly unfair.¡± Amethyst took a deep breath. She calmed herself. Losing her head with this scum would not help anything. ¡°I have seen it for myself,¡± she said, levelly, ¡°He has been assaulting his employees. I have seen the condition they live in.¡± ¡°That is just corporal punishment!¡± cried Dajal, justifying himself, ¡°When managing a huge group of people¡­ one has to take matters into their own hands sometimes. It was inevitable. I used the cane on them because they broke the discipline of my mansion that I uphold with pride. Sometimes, a man needs to use force to keep his people in line. It was just a simple punishment meted out to the ones at fault.¡± ¡°You call splattering blood and ripping flesh a ¡®simple punishment¡¯?¡± said Amethyst, incredulously. ¡°I admit I went a tad bit too far,¡± said Dajal, ¡°But it was only to prevent any such kind of reoccurrence. It had to be done.¡± ¡°So you do admit that trying to keep me locked up was ¡®going a tad bit too far¡¯?¡± she snapped. ¡°That!¡± said Dajal, ¡°How could I have known you were the Duchess? Why did you dress up as a maid and try to seduce me?¡± ¡°What?!¡± she thundered, ¡°You piece of shit! Every word out of your filthy mouth is about seduction. Stop lying or I will cut out your tongue!¡± Pon and Gen were taken aback by Amethyst¡¯s anger. They had never seen her cursing and had never expected her to do so. Dajal, on the other hand, used it to his advantage. ¡°Your Excellency!¡± he cried, ¡°You see this? It is very natural for the Duchess to utter such inappropriate words. The way she dresses is also a testament to it. Rumor has it, she is always trying to attract men! A behavior never to be expected from a respected lady. A few days ago, she let a driver touch her behind, I saw it!¡± ¡°You daft clodpole!¡± said Amethyst, as she lunged at him. ¡°Your lies are getting outrageous by the second. I would never do such a¡ª¡± Pon had rushed over to hold her back from Dajal, who was just rising from where he knelt on the floor. ¡°Ma¡¯am, calm down,¡± said Pon. ¡°Calm down?¡± she yelled with anger in her eyes, ¡°How the hell do you supposed I can calm down while this man runs his mouth slandering me with his lies?¡± ¡°You are the one who is trying to frame me with false charges!¡± said Dajal. ¡°I am going to end you,¡± she glowered, ¡°You sick fuck!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± said Alexcent sharply. Everyone froze. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 He looked at her with such anger in his eyes that she felt despondent. Dajal, with his flowery speech, fooled everyone. That was what he was good at doing. Getting under people¡¯s skin and ruining them and always getting away with it. Amethyst¡¯s righteous anger amounted to nothing. She was so angry and helpless that she felt like she would lose her mind. She had made mistakes in life and regretted them. But this wasn¡¯t a mistake. Helping those poor maids was her choice. She felt like she blew it again. Now everyone here seemed to think she was crazy and hysterical, completely losing the point she was trying to make, the truth she had tried to reveal. While Dajal stood there smugly, using his eloquent speech to fool people. It was all so unfair! Amethyst took one look into Alexcent¡¯s eyes and knew that he believed Dajal. Typical men, she scoffed internally. There was no choice, no opening where she could even try to make him understand how wrong Dajal was, how wrong this all was. She would not appear weak and whine. But what other choice did she have? She had to try everything she could, if not for herself, then for the sake of those poor maids. ¡°Alex¡­ You seriously believe that bastard?¡± she asked in a pitying voice, ¡°Do you think I would leave someone like you and seduce that cockroach? Really?¡± ¡°Even if, say,¡± began Dajal, ¡°the Duchess¡¯ words are true. Let¡¯s just say for argument¡¯s sake that what she speaks is the truth. Where is the evidence of me trying to sexually assault you, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°There are evidences,¡± she said, ¡°Because this isn¡¯t the first time you have done something vile like this. The victims¡¯ statements can prove¡ª¡± ¡°Pray tell me, ma¡¯am,¡± said Dajal, ¡°Where are these ¡®victims¡¯? Perhaps you could call them to testify. That way, you would prove yourself and I would have no way to accuse you of framing me for false charges.¡± Dajal stood there, arrogantly looking at her. She couldn¡¯t believe he had the audacity and things were on his side, despite being a monstrous pile of shit. He smirked. None of these tramps will testify, he thought. And it was true. Amethyst thought about the years of abused that they might have suffered at his hands. The fear that they lived with. She couldn¡¯t make them go through with this. It was not her story to tell. The same thing had happened ten years ago. Dajal had been accused of crimes like these, and none of the maids had testified because of the fear for their lives. Amethyst thought about them. These suffering women who had no choice but to swallow their sorrow and go on with their lives. She would not let them suffer the humiliation. ¡°I can¡¯t do that,¡± said Amethyst, dejectedly, ¡°They have suffered enough at your hands. How much more trauma are you going to cause them? I won¡¯t add to their humiliation.¡± ¡°But ma¡¯am,¡± said Dajal, with even more arrogance, ¡°You have treated me like a criminal, a monster, with no proof, no testimony, no witness. This is surely an injustice.¡± ¡°The evidence is at Aran Bank,¡± she said, playing her last card. She was certain that Dajal¡¯s secret fund was at Aran Bank, the money he had embezzled. ¡°If it is investigated, all the money you stole will be there. It will be evidence enough.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± said Dajal, shaking his head, ¡°If you can bring me the evidence, I will oblige. I have nothing to hide.¡± Shit, Amethyst cursed. She had meant to catch him astonished or stunned. Aran Bank, under the Special Act, would never reveal their customer¡¯s data. They held their principle of confidentiality in a strict view. Even if Aran Bank did agree to provide the data, Dajal wasn¡¯t stupid enough to open a secret bank account in his own name. Her last hope was Alexcent. Alex, please¡­ she pleaded with her eyes. His red eyes that looked back were stony, devoid of any emotion. While Dajal¡¯s eyes seemed to be mocking her, challenging her. He knew he had won this. Amethyst couldn¡¯t fight alone. She was pretty sure that the stolen funds were in the bank, but no matter however powerful a duchess she was, she couldn¡¯t force them to give her his data. Aran Bank would never agree. It was out of the question. Even if Dajal got fired, it didn¡¯t matter to him. He had enough money, that he had stolen for many years, to live a life of comfort. ¡°It is embarrassing to hear any more of this,¡± said a cold voice, which was like an ice pick stabbing at Amethyst¡¯s heart. She lowered her head, defeated and ashamed. She had made a promise to those poor women, and she had failed. How could she face them again? Among these men, who didn¡¯t understand a thing and used women as they pleased, even if she had been calm and rational and approached it differently, she doubted the results would have changed. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Amethyst¡¯s realizing that nothing would change, bowed her head despondently at Alexcent¡¯s words. While Dajal stood their smug knowing, he had won. ¡°Gen,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Yes, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Take care of it,¡± he said in a low, deep voice. ¡°Yes, Sir,¡± said Gen and bowed. Gen made his way to the office door. He indicated for someone to come inside. They were the knights who had been standing outside, waiting for their master¡¯s orders. They entered the office and bowed respectfully. Amethyst looked at the knights nervously. What is Alexcent thinking? Is he going to arrest me? She looked at their faces and recognition dawned on her. It was Buerre and Riereia; she knew them! Alexcent nodded at them. A short, curt nod. Riereia from second division made his way towards Dajal and stood before him. ¡°Dajal Dusty,¡± he said, unsheathing his sword, ¡°Any last words?¡± The metallic clink of the sword as it was pulled out of its scabbard made Amethyst apprehensive. ¡°What?!¡± said Dajal, shocked. His smirk disappeared from his face. He had thought victory was his. He looked at Prince Skad in surprise. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°Why are you so surprised, Dajal?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°Your Highness!¡± said Dajal frantically, ¡°It has already been established that this is false accusation!¡± ¡°This is truly disappointing,¡± said Alexcent, solemnly, ¡°You think me a fool, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± said Dajal, ¡°I would never¡­.¡± ¡°I do not like repeating myself,¡± said Alexcent stonily, ¡°So listen closely. First, all affairs related to the mansion falls under the authority of the lady of the house. So, if she wants to fire you, you will be fired. She has the authority and nobody, not even me, can disobey her.¡± Dajal looked at him, stunned. Amethyst shared the same reaction. It was that easy? I could have ordered him gone, and it would have been done? She was lightheaded. She didn¡¯t have to disguise herself to gather evidence. She realized that she had trusted no one. She had assumed that nobody would believe her unless she had enough evidence of his wrongdoings. And she obviously hadn¡¯t trusted Alexcent enough to tell him. She sighed inwardly. ¡°If you think I have been unaware of your stealth, you¡¯re wrong,¡± Alexcent continued, ¡°I kept quiet to see how far you would go, that was the only mistake on my part. I let you be because you weren¡¯t causing direct harm to me. But you have been found out, and I can no longer let this slide.¡± ¡°But I have served the Skad family for so long, I¡ª,¡± trailed off Dajal, wilting under Alexcent¡¯s piercing gaze. ¡°If you dare to interrupt me one more,¡± said Alexcent dangerously, ¡°You will lose your tongue. Do not test my patience.¡± Dajal lowered his head and kept quiet. ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Now, even if Amethyst was dressed as a maid, it does not give you a right to touch her inappropriately. You have no right to treat a maid in such a manner. Besides, Amethyst might be dressed in rags for all she wanted. That would not change the fact that she is my wife. You offended her, looked down on her, lusted after her and laid your filthy hands on her. The punishment for that will be death.¡± ¡°Your Highness,¡± protested Dajal, and remembered Alexcent¡¯s threat. ¡°In consideration of your generations¡¯ long service to the Skad family, I will grant you a painless death,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°That is the only extent of mercy I can show you.¡± ¡°You cannot do this without evidence!¡± cried Dajal. ¡°Ahhh,¡± Alexcent said, smiling coldly, ¡°Evidence, you say.¡± He turned around and picked a document from a pile on his desk. ¡°You were so diligent, so shrewd in hiding your tracks, weren¡¯t you? So very smart on invoicing the estate. I am sure it is not a coincidence that the slush funds and leaking internal operating costs match the amount on your account. You fool. Did you know I own the Aran Bank?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­,¡± stammered Dajal, stunned. He despaired at seeing no escape and begged. ¡°Please, Your Highness, spare my life.¡± ¡°You told me you had committed a ¡®heinous crime¡¯. You offered your life at my feet, to do so as I pleased, didn¡¯t you?¡± reminded Alexcent. ¡°Please, My lord!¡± pleaded Dajal, ¡°My family has served you loyally. Please¡­.¡± ¡°I do so hate repeating myself,¡± said Alexcent. He looked at Riereia. ¡°Proceed.¡± Aran Bank belongs to Alexcent? Amethyst was dumbfounded. She had indeed wanted to expose the villainous monster and his deeds. But she had never really thought that he would be killed like this. ¡°Wait!¡± she shouted and stepped between Riereia and Dajal just as his blade lifted into the air. ¡°You can¡¯t kill him,¡± she said hurriedly, ¡°He committed disgusting crimes worthy of death but you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± said Riereia awkwardly, lowering his blade to his side. Dajal, taking advantage of the situation as always, looked up at her with glistening eyes. ¡°Amethyst,¡± Alexcent called to her, his voice dangerously low. Amethyst would do well not to cross him. She looked at him, straight in the face. ¡°He has wronged me,¡± she said, ¡°He is my prisoner. I get to decide what to do with him.¡± Alexcent narrowed his eyes at her. She looked at him, unwavering. ¡°Death is just too lenient a punishment,¡± she added. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Alexcent sighed. ¡°Fine,¡± he said finally, ¡°Do as you please.¡± I can¡¯t believe I am relieved at saving this scum, thought Amethyst disgustedly. ¡°Thank you, Madam,¡± said Dajal, whimpering at her feet. His head bowed to the floor. ¡°Thank you for saving my life.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make me regret my decision,¡± she said, anger flaring. ¡°Never, madam,¡± said Dajal, ¡°Thank you. I am eternally at your service.¡± ¡°Just because I saved you from death doesn¡¯t mean I have forgiven you,¡± said Amethyst distastefully, ¡°You will receive a fair share of your punishment, I promise you that! In a certain country, the punishment for slush funds, bribery, and money laundering is to be boiled in a cauldron full of water.¡± She made her way to Dajal. ¡°I have never seen that punishment executed before.¡± Amethyst, grabbed him by his collar, and her hand swung towards his right cheek. ¡°This is for all the maids you have assaulted, including me.¡± The slap sent him reeling to the floor. The sound rang through the office. Riereia, who stood a little to the side, scratched his own cheek as though he could feel the pain and whistled a low tune. Dajal cradled his right cheek and glared at Amethyst with arrogant eyes. ¡°This is for Roman, who has tolerated you all this while,¡± she retorted, as she grabbed him by the neck and swung her hands again, to land on his left cheek. He dropped to the floor, blood flying in spittle. Dajal, now covered both his cheeks in pain, a rivulet of blood escaping his lips. He looked at her so venomously, as though he wanted to pounce on her and beat her to death. Amethyst pulled all her might and kicked him between his legs. Dajal screamed in pain. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare show me those eyes,¡± she yelled. ¡°This is for what you tried to do to me, and what you have done to the maids all this while. You will, hereby, live like you are dead. You will not be permitted to speak to, or see anyone. You will rot in the dungeon for the rest of your life, repenting for your crimes.¡± Amethyst looked at the knights. They obeyed. Buerre grabbed him by the hair and dragged him out of the office, and Riereia followed behind. ¡°Everyone out,¡± commanded Alexcent. Pon and Gen left in silence. It was only Alexcent and Amethyst now. He was staring at her. She was unable to decide whether he was angry, amused, or annoyed. He finally spoke after a heartbeat, ¡°I will need some time to think¡­ of your punishment.¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Amethyst disbelievingly. ¡°Did you think I would let slide what happened today without consequence?¡± he asked. Emile felt her anger flare. She had one or two things she needed clarified as well. She needed answers on why he let Dajal free, even when he knew everything. Didn¡¯t that make him as guilty? ¡°Fine,¡± she spat, ¡°I will take my time as well to think about your punishment.¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Alexcent in a low voice. ¡°What are you even talking about?¡± ¡°As if you don¡¯t know!¡± Amethyst threw her hands in the air. ¡°The man I trusted. It was my folly to ever think you would amount to anything. I am so very mad at you I can¡¯t even look at you right now. I am going to go and change.¡± She turned around and walked to the door. Amethyst quickly left the office. Thankfully, he did not attempt to stop her. After the taxing events of the day, she felt utterly exhausted that her legs started shaking. She was trembling. She steeled herself. She still would have to face and confront Alexcent later. His fury, his aggression, never seemed to end. He was never violent verbally or physically with her, but the sight of an angry man still scared her. Amethyst walked to her room and sat on her bed. She then headed to the bath when her legs and hand stopped shaking a little. She took off the maid uniform that she was still in. She wanted to get rid of these clothes that Dajal had touched. She wanted to scrub her skin raw, to forget his disgusting hands on her. The awful memory still caused goosebumps to rise on her skin. If he had arrived just a bit late¡­. She shuddered, unwilling to think about it. Tears stung her eyes, and she wrapped her arms around herself for comfort. She rocked back and forth in the bath, trying to calm herself. It¡¯s okay now. Everything is fine now, she reminded herself, failing to believe it. Her nerves were frayed, and she felt on edge. She couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling of his cold, sharp, evil eyes. She turned the knob and warm water flowed in the bath. Dajal knew things about her he shouldn¡¯t have known. He had never come near the mansion, so it could only mean that there was a spy here. Maybe one of the maids acted as his source of information. I need to be more careful. He also seemed to be aware of the incident where Amethyst had reprimanded a knight from harassing a maid. Excluding the part of the mansion under Pon¡¯s care, Dajal seemed to have eyes and ears everywhere. In addition to all this, there was the matter of Aran Bank belonging to Alexcent. She felt betrayed and lied to. All the questions and thoughts and emotions raging in her mind made her feel nauseous. There was a knock on the bathroom door. ¡°Yes?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± the maid said, from outside the bathroom door, ¡°His Highness wishes to dine in the dining room tonight.¡± Usually, she ate her food in her room. He had never commented or disapproved of it. The fact that he was informing her to have dinner in the dining room probably meant he was still angry and had no intention to come into their room tonight. She wasn¡¯t going to let it go. She was going to dress up and go have dinner with him in the dining room and have a calm conversation like rational adults. ¡°Alright,¡± she said to the maid, ¡°Will you please lend me a hand? I am going to change and dine with him tonight.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± said the maid. Amethyst got out of the bath and wore a robe. She went to her room where the maids had been waiting. They had laid out a simple, high-waisted dress that she preferred. ¡°No, bring out the corset as well,¡± she instructed. ¡°As for the dress, I want something a little fancier tonight. The pale yellow one that I bought recently will do.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± replied the maid, as she brought out the dress Amethyst had indicated Chapter 69 Chapter 69 She thought to herself as she soaked herself in. Dajal was aware of the fact that I don¡¯t enjoy wearing any undergarments. He who doesn¡¯t even come near the main mansion¡­ Which could only mean that one of the maids acted as his source of information. I must pay more attention to my dressing and manner of speaking. He was also aware of the incident where she had reprimanded a knight for harassing a maid, so excluding the main mansion under Pon¡¯s care, there wasn¡¯t a part of the estate that didn¡¯t have Dajal¡¯s eyes and ears. And to add on, to think that Aran Bank belonged to Alec. The sound of water coming out from the showerhead failed to block out the noises in her head. Just when she started to feel nauseous from all the thoughts going on in her head. Knock, knock! She heard a knock on the door of the bathroom. ¡°Yes.¡± A maid relayed a message from outside of the bathroom. ¡°Madam, His Lordship wishes to dine in the dining room tonight.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­.¡± Normally, she ate at the table in her bedroom and he had never commented or disapproved of it. So for him to have dinner in the dining room could only mean that he was still angry, and had no intention of coming into the bedroom tonight. Let¡¯s not get emotional like before. And try to have a calm conversation¡­ She repeated to herself. ¡°All right. I¡¯m done washing up and about to change so lend me a hand.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± The maid called the other maids that were waiting and assisted Amethyst who had come out of the bathroom. They quickly prepared the usual high waisted silhouette and simple dress. ¡°No, bring the corset as well. And for the dress, something more¡­ fancy, right, the pale yellow dress I bought before will do.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± With the help of the maids, Amethyst tightened the corset around her and wore the yellow dress she had recently bought. The dress tapered downwards, which accentuated the curves of her hips and waist. This should do, thought Amethyst. She was ready to face Alexcent a second time. She looked at Alexcent, who was already at the dining table looking comfortable. He was wearing black pants, and a white shirt with a few buttons undone, which revealed his Adam¡¯s apple and his collarbone. She felt her heart race. She tried to take her eyes off from his collarbone and looked at the whiskey in his hand. He was seated at the head of the long table. When he saw Amethyst approach, he seemed taken aback. But he took a sip from the glass he was holding and pretended to maintain a calm composure. The room was throbbing with tension, as though even a spark could make both explode at any time. Amethyst sat facing him at the other end of the table, instead of next to him. She thought she saw him attempting a smile, but it could have been her imagination. He indicated to Pon to serve the food. Pon served the food with all grace and elegance. Amethyst looked at the food in front of her. It was steak. He must have instructed the chef to prepare her favourite food, maybe to placate her and have the upper hand in this confrontation. It was prepared almost lovingly with her favorite sauce. Damn it, she cursed. Amethyst pretended to be unfazed. She took up the fork and the knife and sliced her meat. The aroma was irresistible, and it made some of her anxiety melt away. Alexcent was quick to notice this. ¡°So, tell me,¡± he said, taking advantage of the situation, ¡°What are you angry about?¡± ¡°You first,¡± retorted Amethyst. Alexcent heaved a sigh. ¡°Ash,¡± he said wearily, ¡°Please don¡¯t try to provoke me. I am already holding back, as it is.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± she snapped, ¡°Were you aware of all the tyranny that Dajal committed on the maids?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he answered. ¡°And you had ample evidence of his crimes,¡± she added. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied. ¡°Then why?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°Tell me why you didn¡¯t take any action against him?¡± ¡°Why would I do that?¡± Amethyst was stunned. ¡°He was committing a crime, you daft dimbo,¡± she retorted. ¡°His crimes led him to keep the slush funds safe in my bank, where they belong,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Ah, in the end, it is all because of money!¡± said Amethyst venomously, ¡°Aran Bank and all its glorious black money. I am not even surprised that there is such a bank under your name. What about the maids? How could you keep quiet about that and do nothing?¡± ¡°Did any of them find it important to report to me about it?¡± asked Alexcent, coldly. How could he ask that? Amethyst thought in anger. ¡°What?¡± she asked, unable to fathom his words. ¡°All of them tolerated his tyranny,¡± he said in a dead-pan voice, ¡°If even one of them had reported it to me, I would have taken swift action. I couldn¡¯t punish him without receiving complaints or accusations. He would have just accused me of ¡®exploitation of power¡¯ instead. Without the victims coming forward, I had no reason to take action.¡± ¡°But you had the evidence!¡± she exclaimed, ¡°You knew everything! Don¡¯t try the ¡®victim-blaming¡¯ with me. You think the maids had a choice. You saw what happened today. The same thing happened to them whenever they tried to report it! You had a choice. You had the authority, and you did nothing.¡± Her voice was etched with disappointment. ¡°Ash¡­,¡± said Alexcent softly, ¡°Why are you so worried about them? They are just employees on contract working beneath us. Don¡¯t get so sentimental.¡± ¡°Then I suppose I am no different to you,¡± she retorted, angrily, ¡°Since you and I have a similar contract.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­,¡± he said, ¡°Ash, you are different from them.¡± ¡°No I am not,¡± she snapped, ¡°I am also a woman who has nothing here except being tied to that contract so you have to protect me like you did today. You are the one responsible for me, as you are for them! Your ¡®employees¡¯ will be here longer than me. I will disappear in a year. You should pay attention and take up your responsibilities more seriously with them.¡± ¡°Disappear?¡± said Alexcent. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Amethyst saw rage in his eyes. Now she had blurted it out, there was no going back. ¡°Yes!¡± she added, ¡°I am tied to you on a contract. Perhaps you will find it in your heart to dispose of me so coldly like your ¡®employees¡¯ then. This is what scares me. You being so cold and willing to brush the matter off. You scare me.¡± It was true. Amethyst was scared of Alexcent. She wasn¡¯t scared of him physically hurting her. But she was constantly scared that she meant nothing to him, that she was disposable as other people he was so indifferent towards. She couldn¡¯t bear looking at him anymore, so she looked down at the steak on her plate. Meanwhile, her words hit Alexcent like ice pricks through his heart. He flinched. He knew she would be gone by next year, and he wasn¡¯t able to comprehend why it affected him so much. Although one thing was perfectly clear, he didn¡¯t want her to be frightened of him. To her, at the least, he didn¡¯t want to appear a monster. ¡°Ash¡­,¡± he called. Only silence greeted him. ¡°Ash, please,¡± he tried again. ¡°What?¡± she said. ¡°Look at me,¡± he urged. She turned to face him with a massive effort on her part. ¡°I apologise,¡± he said gently, ¡°I am sorry. It was wrong of me. I will take care if something like this happens in the future.¡± ¡°Really?¡± said Amethyst, surprised. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± he said. Amethyst felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She was about to smile but knew that there were other things they had to settle first. ¡°What about you?¡± she asked. ¡°What?¡± he asked, confused. ¡°You were mad at me,¡± she said in hesitation, ¡°You said you wanted to punish me.¡± She wondered what kind of punishment he had in store for her. Somebody who didn¡¯t hesitate to kill could only have so many brutalities that he didn¡¯t mind committing. Is he going to end the contract? Amethyst was afraid. Alexcent looked at her trembling hands that she tried so hard to hide from his view. He could never ¡®punish¡¯ her. He had never meant it frighteningly. He had been furious that the bastard had tried to force himself on her. He had been infuriated with Amethyst too, for putting herself in danger like that. But seeing her bruised neck, still with imprints of the bastard¡¯s fingerprints and her sore wrist, his anger at her was replaced with an ache in his heart. How in hell can I punish her when none of it is her fault? He sighed. ¡°If you ever put yourself in danger so recklessly,¡± he began, thinking that it would be enough to just remind her how worried and helpless she had made him feel, ¡°I will crush your head myself.¡± He looked at her levelly, not hiding how infuriated he was with her for being so impulsive. ¡°Fine,¡± she shot back, ¡°I will be careful if you will be more responsible. But if you ever try to crush my head, I will stab you with this same fork.¡± She stabbed the meat for emphasis. Alexcent blinked and burst out laughing. She never fails to surprise me, he thought between his mirth. Amethyst wasn¡¯t joking, her eyes were determined and sincere. Pon swallowed dryly, hearing his master laugh like that. He wondered if anybody had ever survived after saying something so bold to him before. Nobody, in his opinion, had survived such kind of laughter. ¡°Come here,¡± said Alexcent to Amethyst. ¡°No,¡± Amethyst shot back. She wasn¡¯t so easy that he would order her around and she would run to his arms. He needed to learn his lesson. She focused on cutting her meat. ¡°Come here, Ash,¡± he said softly. ¡°No,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Don¡¯t order me around like I am your dog. You come here if you want to meet me so badly.¡± She continued her attack at the meat on her plate, nonchalantly. Pon was terrified. But Alexcent smirked and got out of his seat. He walked slowly over to her and stood before her. She tried to focus more on the meat on her plate. He knelt down so he could look at her. ¡°Ash,¡± he called her name softly. Amethyst put her cutlery down and turned to look at him. As her eyes met his, her fear melted away. The anxiety and helplessness she had felt after Dajal had tried to assault her, the fear she had felt from him. Everything melted away. She felt safe. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her in an embrace, tears pricking her eyes. Soon, she was crying, her tears streaming down in rivulets on her cheeks. She finally felt unburdened and relieved. It seemed like this was all she had needed. An embrace from him and everything was fine. ¡°I was so scared,¡± she sobbed, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t arrived, I don¡¯t know what would have happened. I was so scared.¡± ¡°Ash¡­,¡± he said softly, returning her hug. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, I¡­,¡± she sobbed, unable to continue. ¡°Shhh,¡± he said, tenderly, stroking her hair, ¡°It¡¯s alright. You are safe now.¡± She snuggled deeper into his arms and he held her, gently. He lifted her into his arms and left the dining room. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Alexcent took Amethyst, still in his arms, to their bedroom and laid her down on the bed tenderly. He wiped her tears and held her tightly. He then placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Amethyst, who had been too exhausted before, now kissed him with passion. As the kiss became deeper, Alexcent stripped off her dress only to be greeted with another obstruction on his way to her soft skin. ¡°What is this?¡± he asked, surprised. ¡°Well, as you can see,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°It¡¯s a corset.¡± ¡°I know,¡± he said, ¡°But why?¡± She never wore a corset because she didn¡¯t like them. ¡°I thought it would make me appear more demure for today,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°All of a sudden, you are trying to be ¡®demure¡¯¡± he said, smirking. ¡°Oh, shut up,¡± she said, embarrassed, ¡°You suddenly took me to the bedroom, I didn¡¯t even get a time to change, did I?¡± ¡°Turn around,¡± he said. She hesitated. Alexcent, in his impatience, leaned over her, extended his arms and untied the corset which fell down, revealing her chest. Amethyst blushed and tried to cover her chest with her hands before looking up at him. His red eyes looked at her, full of desire. She felt her heart racing. Her embarrassment was forgotten, as it was replaced by the same desire he felt. She felt his eyes all over her. The feeling of danger that she had felt ever since she was almost assaulted, turned into lust when she looked at him. She pulled him to her and placed her lips against his. His tongue caressed her own and invaded the sides of her mouth. He placed tender kisses all over her body. ¡°Hmm,¡± she mumbled. She felt moans threatening to escape her throat as he became aggressive with his kisses. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hold back,¡± he whispered in her ears. ¡°But it¡¯s embarrassing if anybody hears us,¡± she responded with difficulty. ¡°No one can hear us,¡± he said, kissing her in her most intimate parts, which sent a shiver of pleasure through her body. He gently bit her inner thigh. ¡°What about the knight you posted outside to guard me?¡± she asked, biting her lips. He laughed. ¡°Oh, Ash,¡± he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do with you sometimes.¡± He pulled her down gently, so he was on top of her. He looked down at her face, eyes full of passion. ¡°When I am with you, they aren¡¯t guarding you anymore.¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked, confused. ¡°Well, I am strong enough to protect you,¡± he smirked. She wanted to wipe the smirk off his face. ¡°But if you want, I can order them to stand guard outside, your moans are just too beautiful for my ears only,¡± he said jokingly. Amethyst blushed to the roots of her hair. She bit the tip of his nose. ¡°Ow, Ash!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for teasing me,¡± said Amethyst, pouting. ¡°I wasn¡¯t teasing. If you want, I¡ª¡± ¡°Alec!¡± she cut him off. She glared at him for a moment before she placed her lips on his. Their kiss grew frantic and soon Amethyst was crouching on her hands and knees, as Alexcent thrust from behind. She had nothing else to focus on, except the primal pleasure that she felt from the act and gave in to it. She felt the ripples of pleasure rising from where he entered her. He must have screamed in pleasure as she came. Her knees were tired, they felt sore. She heard him grunt in ecstasy. He seemed especially involved today. ¡°Alec, I can¡¯t anymore,¡± she said, gasping. ¡°We are far from done, sweetheart,¡± he said in between irregular breaths. ¡°No, Alec,¡± she said, ¡°Stop.¡± He stopped his thrust and wrapped his arms around her as her knees gave way. Warm fluid flowed from between her legs. Normally, he would carry her to the bathroom and draw her a bath. But today, he let her lie down. He picked up some clothes from the floor and wiped her with it. He laid her down and buried his head in her neck. Amethyst was far from peaceful, her thoughts raged in her mind. She wondered if she had never seen that maid, would she ever have so recklessly done what she did? But she had no regrets. She needed to find someone new and capable to take up Dajal¡¯s place who would sincerely fulfill their duties and see to the neglected facilities. After all, she was the one that had dug up the mess. She would fix it. She determined to never let her inaction cause suffering for others. She wouldn¡¯t let history repeat itself. She had only known how to photocopy machines and sort out documents. She would have to learn a lot to fit the position of a manager. One step at a time, she thought. ¡°Alec,¡± she called. ¡°Hmm,¡± he said. ¡°What can I even do in this place?¡± she asked. ¡°Ash, you are my wife,¡± he said softly, ¡°This is our mansion. There is nothing you can¡¯t do here. Hush now and go to sleep.¡± ¡°Goodnight, Alec,¡± she said as she felt her eyes droop from exhaustion. She fell asleep in Alec¡¯s arms. But her sleep wasn¡¯t serene, many thoughts raged in her mind. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Pon and Lunia seemed a little shocked to see Amethyst in the office. She had decided that if she was to do a good job of managing everything, she needed help. ¡°Pon,¡± she said. ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± said Pon. ¡°Could you show me the documents that you showed me recently?¡± she asked. ¡°Of course, Madam,¡± he said, ¡°I thought you might look for them, so I already had them prepared.¡± Pon was a very efficient butler. After the incident with Dajal, he was certain that she would expect him to show her every information and oversee the matters of the household. He had prepared everything ahead of time. Amethyst scanned the documents he handed to her. Even at first glance, she could make out the problem and the numerous leakages. She had a habit of keeping a track of her expenses as a spending log; she had been doing it for the past ten years. Hence, it wasn¡¯t very difficult to skim through the pages and understand the problem. ¡°Pon, and Lunia,¡± she addressed them, ¡°I am sure you are aware about yesterday¡¯s incident. Dajal¡¯s post is vacant as of now and there are numerous flaws that need attention. Which is why, I will require your assistance in this matter.¡± ¡°Of course, Madam,¡± said Pon. ¡°Always at your service,¡± said Lunia. ¡°I am going to address a few issues present here,¡± she indicated the document, ¡°But I am not sure I am fully ready to take over the matters of the household. So your assistance and support will be much appreciated.¡± ¡°Understood, Madam,¡± said Pon and Lunia, unanimously. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°I see you issue new uniforms every week?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± said Pon, ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Why so? It seems like a waste,¡± she said. ¡°The staff serve you and the Lord in close proximity,¡± Pon explained, ¡°Clean and fresh uniforms are of utmost importance.¡± ¡°Even so, a new uniform once a week is very extravagant,¡± she said, ¡°Let¡¯s provide three uniforms for a person when they join, with some extra clothes. That would be enough until the uniforms become worn or damaged. After that, I will pay for the new ones.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ¡°Oh, and this here,¡± she said, pointing to a particular entry which showed a huge amount of expenses, ¡°This is a very great amount for some bulk purchase. What is this for?¡± ¡°We bulk purchase our cleaning tools and equipment, Madam.¡± ¡°We spend this amount of money just for cleaning?¡± she asked. ¡°Correct, Madam.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± she said, stunned, ¡°I know that this is a Prince¡¯s Mansion, but to think we splurge so much on just cleaning¡­.¡± ¡°Thank you, Madam,¡± said Pon. ¡°Pon, it wasn¡¯t a compliment!¡± she said, ¡°This is a waste.¡± Pon looked disappointed. ¡°My apologies, Madam,¡± he said, ¡°But to maintain cleanliness, we dispose of the rags and tools after use.¡± ¡°How many rags and cleaning equipment could we possibly need?¡± asked Amethyst, flabbergasted. She wanted to let out a curse, but she composed herself. ¡°We can reuse the rags and other cleaning tools,¡± she explained, ¡°As for cleanliness, the tools and the rags can be boiled to sanitize them. Even better, we can use lemon while boiling, it has anti-bacterial as well as whitening effect. That way we can reduce wasting resources.¡± ¡°So, we boil the rags after use?¡± asked Pon for confirmation. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, ¡°We can prepare a large pot and mix in lemon or white vinegar with water, and boil the rags after use to sanitize them. Instruct the maids on this. It will be much more resourceful. We can buy new ones if the rags and tools become damaged or unusable.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± said Pon, ¡°Understood. I will do so.¡± ¡°This part is clearly a waste, so reduce the purchase of this,¡± said Amethyst, indicating the unnecessary expenses. ¡°Here, and here as well.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± said Pon. Soon the huge pile of documents reduced to only several pages that needed to be attended to. ¡°I think that should do for now, regarding the household expenses,¡± she said, picking up another file on the table marked ¡®Employees Welfare¡¯. ¡°I heard a maid was fired from her job because she was pregnant,¡± she said, as she leafed through the document. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°They leave voluntarily, Madam,¡± said Pon, ¡°They find it hard to continue the work in such circumstances, so they leave.¡± ¡°It is not ¡®voluntary¡¯ Pon,¡± she said, ¡°I think the unfeasible circumstances implicitly force them to resign from their jobs. From this day forth, anyone pregnant will be given half a year of maternity leave which will, of course, be paid. They will also be allowed two years of postpartum parental leave. They will, of course, be paid during this time. If they choose to return to work, they will be given flexible working hours. It is hard as it is for working mothers.¡± ¡°Will these all come under paid leave?¡± asked Pon, surprised. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, ¡°We will of course pay them the full wage for the maternity leave of half a year. They will be paid a full wage for the first year of their postpartum parental leave and 80% for the next year. I will pay them the remaining 20% if they are willing to return to work. Why do you ask? Do we not have enough budget for this?¡± ¡°We have ample budget, Madam,¡± said Pon, respectfully, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ nobody has thought of the welfare of the employees in such a manner before.¡± ¡°Well, someone having to leave their jobs just because they are pregnant seems very brutal, doesn¡¯t it?¡± she asked, absentmindedly, still turning the pages of the document in her hand. ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± agreed Pon, wholeheartedly. ¡°Will you be so kind as to call Roman for me?¡± she asked. Chapter 73 Chapter 73 ¡°She works outside the main mansion. Bring her to me, I need her.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± Pon turned and left the office. He barked a short instruction to someone outside then returned to Amethyst to hear what else she had to say. ¡°Furthermore,¡± Amethyst said in a serious tone, ¡°I want strict reinforcement for the punishment of any form of harassment. Sexual harassment in particular. I once saw a group of knights harassing a maid and it was this incident that Dajal used to soil my reputation.¡± ¡°I understand that Knight-Commander Sir Wheel has already dealt with the situation,¡± Pon said. Amethyst raised an eyebrow, ¡°Dealt with?¡± ¡°Yes, he suspended the knight and reduced his pay.¡± ¡°Then the punishment for dismissal will be enforced.¡± ¡°Dismissal?¡± Pon tilted his head in question, ¡°But that may cause a severe backlash.¡± ¡°Among all forms of violence, sexual violation is one of, if not the most serious crime. It is lowly and despicable. Such acts will not be tolerated within the walls of this mansion,¡± Amethyst¡¯s voice was stony, the weight of her words heavy in the air. ¡°This is not a matter of right or wrong, it¡¯s a matter of basic humanity and morality. Those that do not agree may leave.¡± ¡°Yes, Madame. Understood,¡± Pon found he had to agree. Amethyst had a point. ¡°Regardless of status, staff or knights,¡± Amethyst continued, ¡°if anyone is ever found harassing another who is in a weaker position, they will receive punishment that is swift and ruthless. Please see that this is known along with the welfare statement.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Pon asked in surprise. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Pon shook his head, ¡°No, Madame. I just assumed you would be delivering this news yourself. Wouldn¡¯t that send a stronger message?¡± ¡°As you know, there are those who have seen me when I was disguised as a maid. Forgive me if I am hesitant to stand before them and act as the Lady of the House now. Just as there are those who think well of me, there are others who think otherwise. Anyway, I don¡¯t fancy being a topic of gossip as the lady who wore a maid¡¯s uniform,¡± she waved her hand to dismiss her other thoughts. ¡°Even though I am certain they wouldn¡¯t pass their comments in front of me.¡± ¡°My apologised for my oversight,¡± Pon dipped his head. ¡°And see to it that the rules apply to both genders. Punishment will be meted out to both men and women.¡± ¡°Excuse my ignorance, but women¡­?¡± ¡°Woman can harass men just as well as men can harass women. It¡¯s called reverse discrimination,¡± Amethyst explained patiently. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. The heavier the penalty, the more mindful they will be of their actions. It is important to ensure we give them no reason to disobey,¡± Amethyst¡¯s voice trailed off, ¡°This will require more thought. I would like a sort of manual, a rulebook to be exact. Do we have anyone well-versed in such a field? I feel it would be good to hold regular talks and training as one of the prevention methods.¡± ¡°I will look into it,¡± Pon replied. It was only once she¡¯d finished speaking that Emelis realized Pon had taken out a notepad and pen and started jotting down all the things she¡¯d said. Their attention was drawn to the door when two stiff knocks echoed through the room. Emelis knew who it was. ¡°Roman, please come in!¡± she called. Roman entered and stood at attention, ¡°Yes, Madame? You called?¡± ¡°I have a favour to ask, do listen to it, please.¡± Amethyst said. Roman gave a nod. For the first time since she¡¯d taken the position as Lady of the House, Amethyst¡¯s office was occupied with a very human warmth. It was pleasant. ¡°Now that Roman is here,¡± she said, ¡°I want to discuss the operations of the main and separate quarters. I no longer wish for them to operate separately.¡± Roman nodded again. Pon scribbled away on his notepad. ¡°I also intend to draw up a schedule so that you work in groups. 5 members per group will be placed in different locations that are to be rotated every three months. I am sure everyone is familiar with the way things work. I don¡¯t expect there to be any problems.¡± Amethyst had been working for 10 years already. and even though this was a small company, she knew how to operate it efficiently. She picked up a piece of paper and started drawing up a plan. ¡°Madame,¡± Pon said, breaking his attentive silence, ¡°you said every three months. May I ask why?¡± ¡°If you work in one area long enough you become lazy, complacent and incompetent,¡± Amethyst replied without looking up. ¡°The ultimate goal is to make sure there is no confusion when it comes to the sudden absence of anyone. If someone is absent for a long period of time, whether the issues be health or personal, the vacancy must be filled to ensure maximum efficiency.¡± Pon nodded then remember she wasn¡¯t looking at him and replied with a respectful, ¡°Understood, Madame.¡± ¡°I also want the members of the groups to be organized on a rotational basis. The same five group members cannot be grouped together too long. Yes, it will be complicated at first, but I am certain with time everyone will get used to it,¡± finally, she looked up. Amethyst was met with the attentive eyes of the people before her, all waiting for what she would say next. ¡°Lastly, I want to appoint a leader. No matter how strategically we split the groups and assign the people, there will always be problems. For this position of leader, Roman, I would like to appoint you,¡± Amethyst nodded at Roman. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Roman was stunned to silence. She blinked rapidly in surprise and worked her mouth like a fish out of water until she was finally able to utter a faint, ¡°Sorry? Me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Amethyst said without hesitation, ¡°Do you perhaps have someone else in mind?¡± The question was not a hard one to answer. ¡°No, Madame,¡± Roman managed. Lunia, who had been silent throughout the entire conversation, finally spoke up, ¡°I too think Roman is a good match for the position.¡± ¡°Madame,¡± Roman spluttered, ¡°I am not a suitable candidate. I beg of you to look for someone else.¡± Amethyst fixed Roman with a contemplative look, ¡°Please explain.¡± Roman summoned her courage, ¡°Firstly, I am not familiar with the workings of the main mansion.¡± ¡°Pon will see to that. Right Pon?¡± Amethyst glanced at him. ¡°Of course,¡± Pon said with more enthusiasm than he felt. He¡¯d thought that with Amethyst finally stepping into her role of Lady of the House, his workload would lift somewhat. It appeared he was mistaken and he had to admit; he was disappointed. ¡°I¡¯ve only done cleaning in the past!¡± Roman countered, ¡°I¡¯ve never been in charge of anyone before.¡± ¡°Lunia will teach you what you need to know,¡± Amethyst replied calmly, never once giving any indication that she was going to back down. ¡°Yes, Madame but,¡± Lunia fumbled as she was drawn back to reality. She¡¯d been so caught up in her resentment she hadn¡¯t realized she¡¯d been glaring. She already had enough to deal with being Amethyst¡¯s personal secretary, she didn¡¯t need to add to her burdens by mentoring Roman as well. She managed to swallow her protest and pass it off with a light shrug. ¡°Of course,¡± she answered instead, internally berating herself for falling to such a petty trap. Roman refused to give in, ¡°Even so¡­¡± ¡°Roman,¡± Amethyst cut in, her voice softened, ¡°I know how stressful it is to be responsible for others. It¡¯s hard knowing that no matter what you do, no matter how hard you work, you can never please everyone and it will never be enough.¡± ¡°Then why me?¡± Roman deflated a little, allowing her shoulders to slump forward. ¡°You have the qualities of someone for this position. You are honest, you are responsible¡­¡± Roman shook her head slowly, ¡°Just because I¡¯m honest doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m good.¡± Amethyst gave a small smile, ¡°Agreed, but you have shown me you can persevere through anything. For the last 10 years you relentlessly faced every hardship head-on. You never gave up, and that is reason enough. And anyway,¡± she returned to her business-like manner, ¡°the prince as agreed that honesty is one of the leading characteristics for this role.¡± Roman looked up, ¡°So you trust me?¡± ¡°Of course. If I don¡¯t trust you, who can I trust? So, from now,¡± Amethyst said formally, ¡°you are the Appointed Manager of the side mansion. Do your best, please.¡± ¡°Madame¡­¡± Roman trailed off as her words failed her again, ¡°Thank you¡­ thank you¡­¡± she choked on the last word. Her emotion didn¡¯t stem from the fact that she had just been promoted, it was more that Madame trusted her. Madame¡¯s trust alone was compensation for the hardships she had faced for the last 10 years. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say thing else. ¡°I know you are going to do a wonderful job,¡± Amethyst said in the comforting tone of someone who already knew what lay in wait, ¡°I have full faith in you.¡± Roman left without another word. As Pon was making ready to leave, Amethyst called him, ¡°Pon, I am thinking of shopping tomorrow. Call the merchants, will you?¡± Pon blinked in confusion, ¡°Merchants?¡± ¡°Yes, Alec said I should shop within the mansion.¡± This was an excuse. It was more for the sake of comfort than anything else. She was used to shopping online to accommodate her busy schedule. ¡°Ah yes. Which should I call, Madame? There is a large variety of categories.¡± ¡°From A to B. All of them,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°I will contact only the best,¡± Pon replied. He managed to cover his surprise at her request. He had thought the Lady of the House was uninterested in appearances, he must have been mistaken. ¡°And an arms dealer. Guns and swords to be precise.¡± This time Pon was unable to conceal his shock. Amethyst said no more, only gave him a smile and nod. Pon took this as his cue to leave. Amethyst was left alone in her office. She was starkly reminded of her workings day. Even though the company had had a welfare system, it had never been anything but a rumour to her back then. This was something that had to change. Here in her own company was a start, even if she couldn¡¯t change the entire social system. As she idly gazed around the room, her thoughts wondered to how being pregnant could make someone feel like one of the lowest ranked members of society. Being pregnant was meant to be a joyous, special time, not one fraught with fear and hardships. And this wasn¡¯t counting the stress one received from their manager and disapproving colleagues. Rotating between kindergartens, nurseries, one¡¯s mother-in-law and own mother was no way for a mother to raise money and no way for a child to live. For her, maternity had been nothing more than a dream and paid maternity leave nothing short of a miracle. This was Amethyst¡¯s driving force, this was what had inspired her to become the standard for the other nobles. She knew it was a process, things wouldn¡¯t change immediately but word would spread, as it is prone to do, especially through employees, and this would draw more people to work at the prince¡¯s mansion. By pure ripple effect, this would impact the other noble families who would have to do something to keep up. If such a small change was possible, if it could change the lives of some people even just a little, then it was enough. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Amethyst was doubtless there would be a phase of trial and error. She¡¯d gauged about a year for her plans to come to fruition. And then, when she wasn¡¯t around, things would run smoothly without her influence. She rested her hands on the table, her thoughts spinning themselves through her head. She had to get Alec to promise that he would never again neglect his people. He had an obligation to protect them. She slumped to imitate Alec¡¯s posture when he was in his own office. She had always held dear the saying, ¡®Those that do not work, deserve no food.¡¯ And she had worked, so it was time for her food. It was time for her reward. Then her thoughts turned to the time when she had taken a break from work to care for her newborn. Her life had changed then. The Americano coffee she used to buy from her favorite coffee shop had turned into instant coffee, which she stopped drinking anyway. Her chocolates and macarons changed to diapers and milk powders. Even though she didn¡¯t have much money left to spend on herself, she still found it selfish and wasteful to indulge in her own pleasures. She saved everything she had, reminding herself that a good cup of coffee was a pack of diapers for a few days. She made sure her children only had the best, ate only the best food, spared no expense on them while neglecting her own happiness. Whenever the money had run out, she¡¯d felt awful asking her husband for more. She was a mother; it was obligation to raise her children. She a housewife; it was her responsibility to do the housework. Even though raising a child and keeping a home was already a colossal task, she had lived in a society where being a housewife was seen as being free and jobless. Or perhaps the ideas had come from watching her own mother while she¡¯d been growing up, perhaps it had been the stereotypical mother roles portrayed in the dramas she¡¯d watched on TV that she¡¯d reinforced into her subconsciousness. After she¡¯d married, she¡¯d been shaped to fit the moulds of mother and wife which was why she¡¯d splurged on the luxuries in the mansion. But things were going to change. Amethyst knew she wasn¡¯t the perfect idea of what a Lady of the House should be, but she contented herself with the knowledge that she had done enough to deserve her reward. ¡°Well,¡± she said to herself, ¡°my reward isn¡¯t exactly grand. I am too humble with myself,¡± she tapped her fingers against the desk then stood. She deserved her reward, she just had to go and fetch it. * ¡°Give it to me.¡± Amethyst demanded as she barged into Alec¡¯s office. Alexcent sat up in his chair, then relaxed once he realized it was her, ¡°What?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± She snapped, ¡°The money Darla has been stealing all this time. You said it¡¯s all in that grand Aran Bank.¡± Alec met her glare and acid words calmly, ¡°What do you plan to use all that money on?¡± ¡°What do you mean use?¡± Amethyst spat, ¡°It belongs to the employees and will be rightfully returned to them. Give it back.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Alec muttered, ¡°How would you like it then? Check? Cash? Gold?¡± Amethyst was mute with fury. How could he be so brazen? How could he be so¡­ detestable. Yes, he was detestable. Then again, he was someone who could turn a blind eye to all the corruption at Aran Bank. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do thing,¡± she snapped, ¡°The money will be used to repair the damaged facilities and paid back to the employees from which it was stolen. All you have to do is put it somewhere in your legally operated bank. Lunia is going to help Roman with that. Just give them the account.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Alec replied, his tone cool and level. ¡°And another thing. Now that you are in the position of duke, I want you to comply with all the moral obligations that come with it,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± he said with feigned innocence. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever be a bystander when others are being debased and harassed. Don¡¯t you ever turn a blind eye to those that choose to remain silent,¡± she seethed, ¡°You will protect them. Don¡¯t forget it is your duty to protect them.¡± ¡°¡­I will,¡± Alec replied, but his words were hollow and emotionless. With that said, Alexcent lifted his pen and continued with his paperwork. That¡¯s it? Is that all he has to say? she thought as the rage ebbed within her. She supposed he had no real reason to say anything more, he was under no obligation to. Is it too much for me to wish he would tell me more? Like why he owes Aran Bank? How much black money goes in and out of that place? How is he involved in such a business? For how long will be own that cursed place¡­? Amethyst wanted to voice the questions that burned within her, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to voice them. She had no right to ask. She felt her heart constrict painfully. She couldn¡¯t understand why, which was what made her so angry. Instead of saying anything, she turned and left. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 After Amethyst left, Alexcent let out a sigh of relief and put down his pen. She¡¯d stared at him for such a long time. ¡°Dammit¡­!¡± he said softly. Regarding Aran Bank, that had been a mistake. But then again, had it really? Amethyst didn¡¯t say Aran Bank was his. But she was right. While it was legal, it wasn¡¯t an honourable place. It wasn¡¯t dangerous for him and he didn¡¯t have to worry, even if the notorious Fidorun Bank found out Aran Bank was actually his¡­ Alexcent shook his head. He didn¡¯t want to worry about that either. ¡°I hope you can just move on and forget about it,¡± he whispered to the place Amethyst had been standing at. It was this side of her personality that always made him wonder. He¡¯d already seen too much of it. No matter, someone had to be silenced. ¡°Pon!¡± Alexcent called out loudly. Soon, the butler entered the office and waited expectantly. ¡°Send Jen in,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Pon replied with a bow and left. Alexcent didn¡¯t have to wait long for Jen to arrive in his office. ¡°You sent for me, Sir?¡± Jen said. ¡°Did you slit his throat?¡± ¡°Yes, just as you said. I made it look like a simple accident.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Alexcent said sternly, ¡°I hope he¡¯s naturally disposed of.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Jen said with a dip of the head, ¡°No one suspected any foul play.¡± It was the night before. After Alexcent left Amethyst¡¯s bedroom, he had summoned Jen to his office. ¡°Bring me his head, now!¡± His cold voice rang throughout the silent night. ¡°Beg your pardon, Sir, who? Do you mean¡­ Dajal?¡± Jen hesitantly asked. ¡°Whose else? Your own? Are you going to bring me your head? That will suffice as well.¡± Jen hurriedly replied before the duke got any ideas, ¡°No! No, no Sir¡­ No that, it¡¯s just¡­ Didn¡¯t Lady Amethyst say she¡¯d spare him? I thought Your Imperial Highness gave permission to let him go?¡± ¡°Take care of him,¡± Alexcent said coldly. That was that. The duke couldn¡¯t simply let him go that easily. ¡°And how should I do it, Sir?¡± Jen asked. Alexcent traced his finger over his desk, slowly and calmly, ¡°It is a shame to just kill him¡­ But there is no other choice. Make so that if his body is later discovered, it should seem like an accident. She mustn¡¯t suspect anything.¡± ¡°Right. Understood, Sir.¡± Alexcent¡¯s only regret was that he couldn¡¯t kill Dajal with his own two hands. He would just have to be satisfied with this. There was still a bruise on Amethyst¡¯s neck from the incident. It made his blood boil that he couldn¡¯t squeeze Dajal¡¯s neck until it was bruised as well, and then simply tear his head off his shoulders. Jen closed his eyes against the seething wrath once again bubbling within, ¡°Your Excellency, please take it easy.¡± ¡°Get your ass out of here, if you¡¯re going to talk to me like that, Jen!¡± Alexcent furiously roared. There was no room for negotiation, his decision was final. ¡°Sir?¡± Jen said, tilting his head in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Wring his neck! Now!¡± Alexcent bellowed. Jen flinched, more to placate Alexcent¡¯s fury than anything else. ¡°Your Excellency, please¡­ Lady Amethyst is not feeling well. If she sees you like this she will pass out.¡± If he didn¡¯t calm this royalty down before the mistress came in, Jen feared the duke would snap his neck in front of everyone. As he stood there before the duke, it dawned on Jen that he probably shouldn¡¯t have listened to Alexcent in the first place. A few days before Dajal¡¯s confession of his crime, Alexcent had known of his wife¡¯s little mission. He discovered it through his loyal servant, Jen. That day, a noise of surprise escaped Alexcent as he finished rummaging Jen¡¯s mountain of papers. He found a note in a gap between the documents that were being approved¡­ ¡°Your Excellency, what are you doing?¡± Jen asked. Alexcent¡¯s forehead creased with an unnamed emotion as he picked up the paper and unfolded it. The moment his eyes scanned over the words, he jumped up from his seat, leaving Jen to sit there looking at him in confusion. He made for the door, the note clutched tightly in his hand, but he didn¡¯t get far. Jen grabbed him from behind and held him. ¡°Sir! Please wait! Just a second!¡± Alexcent fought against him furiously, ¡°How dare you say that! How dare you say that after what I¡¯ve just read!¡± ¡°But this¡­ This is Lady Amethyst¡¯s decision!¡± ¡°What?¡± Alexcent seethed, still trying to wrest himself from Jen¡¯s hold. ¡°This is madness!¡± ¡°Sir,¡± Jen said stubbornly, ¡°the authority over the internal affairs of the duke¡¯s mansion is strictly Lady Amethyst¡¯s.¡± Alexcent bristled. ¡°Are you¡­ She¡¯s wearing a maid¡¯s uniform! Or were you unaware?¡± ¡°But¡ª¡± Jen started to protest but flinched away from Alexcent¡¯s violent anger. ¡°Get out of my¡­!¡± ¡°For what? What are you going to say?¡± Jen stood before the furious duke. ¡°I¡¯m going there, I¡¯m going there right now!¡± Alexcent tried to push past Jen. Jen stopped him with equal obstinacy. ¡°Going there to say what? This maid is my lady, my wife?¡± Alexcent¡¯s mouth formed as if to say something but it came out as a simple, ¡°What?¡± instead. ¡°Or are you going to nit-pick over why Lady Amethyst can¡¯t call you her man and husband?¡± Alexcent, who was beginning to calm, suddenly flared up again. ¡°What the hell is this!¡± Jen could see he¡¯d touched a nerve. ¡°If you aren¡¯t going there to do any of the above, leave her be, Sir. Lady Amethyst isn¡¯t asking for help. If you go there in this state, she, not you, will be disregarded and disobeyed by her subordinates.¡± ¡°Who would dare to disregard the wife of a duke!¡± Jen raised his hands to placate the fuming royalty. ¡°They¡¯re not disregarding her now¡­ They¡¯re taking care of her. It¡¯s all in her hands, her power, of how this situation will pan out. And depending on the outcome of the said situation, the maids and servants might do their best to ignore her. So, I implore you, Your Excellency, please wait.¡± He reasoned with his raging master. Alexcent gritted his teeth, biting back the fresh fury. ¡°What if she gets hurt¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ve sent out the Shadows, did you not? If something were to happen, like today, they¡¯ll inform you.¡± Jen lowered his voice, trying to calm the situation. ¡°Now please, focus on the approval of those documents.¡± Just as things seemed to be settling, and the angry flush was receding from the duke¡¯s cheeks, came the news that Dajal was teaching her himself. It was all Jen could do to stop Alexcent from storming straight past him out the room. He flung himself forward and grabbed Alexcent¡¯s pants. ¡°Please! Your Excellency!¡± Chapter 77 Chapter 77 ¡°Let go!¡± Alexcent roared. ¡°Just¡ª¡± Jen knew a losing battle when he saw one. ¡°Keep your composure. Now is not the time. Only when she calls for help¡­ Then¡­ Then I won¡¯t try and stop you.¡± ¡°You know exactly what kind of sick bastard Dajal is!¡± Without thinking, Jen blurted out. ¡°But you¡¯re the one who has been overlooking him this entire time!¡± And with that Officer Jen hit the nail on the head. Alexcent froze. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Suddenly a cloud of frost rained on his rage. ¡°Is that the same as this?¡± ¡°I know you want to give her strength, but¡­ don¡¯t you want to see her reign before that?¡± Alexcent stiffened but said nothing. His eyes were fixed on the door, the letter in his hand crumpled to beyond recognition. ¡°Please, just wait a little bit longer. I¡¯m sure she will think of something.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not how aristocratic women work,¡± Alexcent said slowly. ¡°Since they¡¯re raised in nobility and comfort, they are oblivious to how the world works.¡± ¡°Your Excellency, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re worried about,¡± said Jen, ¡°but please trust me and leave it to her. In the meantime, you can¡¯t let Lady Amethyst¡¯s efforts go to waste.¡± Alexcent sighed loudly, trying to calm his raging mind. ¡°I dislike you,¡± he said, looking down at Jen, ¡°as much as I do Lunia.¡± Jen felt some of the tension leave his body. ¡°I can understand me, but why Lunia?¡± Alexcent carried on as though he hadn¡¯t heard him. ¡°It¡¯s disgraceful that you know so much and say nothing. I hardly had to blink and here you are, sounding like Lunia.¡± He scoffed. ¡°You make me sick.¡± ¡°That is correct, but Lunia is not serving you right now, she is serving Lady Amethyst.¡± Jen helpfully reminded. ¡°I know!¡± Alexcent snapped. ¡°That means her master is Lady Amethyst, not you, Sir. It is only natural that she is Lunia¡¯s number one priority. You know what Lunia is like.¡± ¡°Which is why she is disgraceful and repulsive, much like yourself.¡± The duke hissed. He was disgruntled of Jen¡¯s indifference towards his wife¡¯s dangerous stunt. Right now, he was filled with anger, Jen knew he was saying things he didn¡¯t exactly mean. Jen reined in his urge to retort, agreeing was easier at this moment. ¡°I am aware, Sir. That is why I need your approval of those documents.¡± Later, having barely calmed his liege, Jen exited the office, a bunch of papers in hand. The altercation with the duke had left him with thoughts that demanded answers. If that is the case, what is Lady Amethyst thinking? I wonder if it¡¯s right that you are stopped¡­ He shook his head slowly, giving way to the whims in his mind. Dajal, of all people¡­ I thought it would be okay because I didn¡¯t notice his appearance¡­ He just couldn¡¯t get rid of the nervous thoughts that cluttered his head. Once he¡¯d returned to his own office, he opened his desk drawer and took out a different document. It was Aran Bank¡¯s customer management list. As he stared down at it, more thoughts and questions bombarded him. Should he tell Lady Amethyst? Or take advantage of Lunia¡­? I¡¯d surely hear no end to Alexcent¡¯s nagging, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯m nervous¡­ Jen shook his head violently. Is the duke contagious? How is it that he too was worried about Lady Amethyst? Okay, he reasoned with himself, It¡¯s not that I¡¯m nervous. I just need a little bit of help¡­ This was because, the day something really did happen, the first head to roll wouldn¡¯t be Dajal¡¯s but his. Jen¡¯s body tensed. As much as he tried to convince himself he wasn¡¯t nervous, he was near certain it would be the death of him. He frowned and picked up the document. Before he could get the data he needed from the bank, the thing that he¡¯d been worried about, happened. Jen recalled the time and brought his hand up and fiddled idly with his neck. Relief that his neck was still intact washed over him. He was more concerned about Amethyst, even though she was only in a contractual marriage. ¡ù The mansion was busy all morning. Carriages rolled in one after another, and even though the banquet hall was already full, there was a line of carriages full of people still waiting to enter. Rather than shopping, Amethyst¡¯s goal had been to learn the currency value of the Kingodm of Sehar. If she were to live alone later, she had to somehow know the value of the money. And, she discovered that the best way to do that was buying things. She¡¯d compare her purchases to the value of things where she lived and work out the value of the ¡®ar¡¯, the monetary unit here. ¡°One ar equals¡­ one dollar?¡± she whispered to herself. The price of a single apple hovered somewhere around two ars, however, it was said that five apples usually cost around ten dollars. She had to master probability calculations. If she made even the slightest mistake, she¡¯d lose money or get totally ripped off. While Amethyst ran calculations through her head, Lunia, along with several maids, started looking through the dresses. ¡°How much is this one?¡± ¡°Eight thousand ars so¡­ about eight-thousand dollars? For one dress! This is madness! Who the hell would buy this!¡± Having not seen each other for a long while, Lunia and the maids were making the best of their time together by chatting excitedly amongst themselves. They paid no attention to Amethyst¡¯s expression of disbelief and awe. ¡°Madam.¡± Came the voice of one of the maids. ¡°How about this dress? The soft cream and dark green ribbon will go wonderfully with your complexion, Lady Amethyst. You usually like light clothes.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s what I thought! I think it will go well with the colour of your eyes, Lady Amethyst.¡± Chipped in a second maid. After seeing the prices, Lady Amethyst hurriedly shook her head. ¡°No, no¡­ it¡¯s okay.¡± However, her eyes lingered on the garment before she tore her gaze away. ¡°Then how about this one? You¡¯ll look stunning in this seductive red, Madam.¡± Offered a third maid. ¡°The colour just about matches Master¡¯s eyes,¡± said another, ¡°If the two of you stand side by side in this dress, it would be perfect.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Amethyst scanned the dress, tempted by their comments. It was the most beautiful dress she¡¯d seen the entire day. Feathers ran along the chest line, embellished jewels glittering at the waistband. The wide, pleated skirt was reminiscent of a rose. Just as she was considering it, her eye caught sight of the price. Her awe quickly morphed into panic. This one had one more ¡®0¡¯ on it than the last dress! Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Huh, what the hell!! Is this a joke? Might as well buy a vehicle with that money. ¡°It¡¯s too expensive,¡± she blurted out, never one to hide her heart. ¡°What?! Madam, the dresses you possess in your closet are¡­ No, way more than that one.¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± She fired back with one word of surprise at Lunia¡¯s comment. ¡°Compared to one I bought a few days ago, this is rather cheap.¡± ¡°Oh, was it that expensive?¡± Did they really know? That the dress was that expensive? How could they just buy without thinking twice? Wait, were they going to buy everything here? Seriously¡­!? Amethyst, who hadn¡¯t known it¡¯d be this expensive, became flustered. Her heart was incessantly throbbing through her chest and she ended up not buying the dress. Lunia was upset with her mistress¡¯s strangely thrifty behaviour. She said, ¡°Madam, with all of the merchants at the mansion, if you don¡¯t purchase anything now¡­ a bad rumor could probably spread.¡± ¡°Bad rumor?¡± Amethyst quirked her eyebrow. ¡°Correct. The duke¡¯s influence has declined, and it¡¯s not like what it used to be¡­ There will be all sorts of stories floating around. And if those get around to the duke, he will be furious.¡± Lunia explained. ¡°Ummm, yeah but¡­ this is overkill. A dress that costs 90,000 ars¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the price, just choose one. Isn¡¯t what you like most important, Lady Amethyst?¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t easily abandon the habits she had formed through the years in her previous life. So she was unaware all of the time. My choice¡­! All right, whatever I want. I¡¯m supposed to do whatever, as much as I like! It¡¯s not even my money anyway! As Alexcent¡¯s indifferent countenance floated through her mind, her chest flared up. The man had so much money, this will be just a tear in a bucket for him. No, not this. Let this be one big ¡®F*CK YOU¡¯! ¡°Good! I¡¯ll take that red dress.¡± She declared resolutely. ¡°All right, what a splendid choice.¡± Lunia was relieved now. ¡°And that dress, this one, the light blue one, all of them!!¡± A pleased smile spread across Lunia¡¯s face as she nodded. The merchant also bowed her head in delight. Amethyst found it difficult at first, but the next time she was sure it would be a cakewalk. Thanks to Lunia¡¯s assistance, she was able to grasp the nuances of it all. She went on to choose and buy with nary a care¡­ accessories, hats, gloves, etc., whatever she liked. She was thrilled to have a shopping cart full of things she wanted on such a stressful day. Although she never made the payment herself, it still made her feel better. Amethyst had only just utilized her shopping skills¡­ She couldn¡¯t believe she bought anything she wanted without having to worry about money. The exhilarating pleasure evoked a breathtaking relief. It seemed true that the rich really didn¡¯t look at price tags when they shopped. ¡°These gloves go with this dress. How about them?¡± ¡°Hmmm, I think the gloves with the white lace look better than those. Wait, just give me everything!¡± ¡°Yes Madam. Then we¡¯ll buy all the gloves here.¡± ¡°All right. Splendid!¡± Next up were shoes. In fact, Amethyst had loved dress shoes since even before her marriage. Since she was rather petite, she always wore at least a seven-inch heel; high heels were like pride. She changed them out for low heels and sneakers when she had a baby. Sandals in the summer were a luxury. And sandals she could easily slip on and off were the best. Not long after her gaze fell on the shoe section, her eyes began to shine and twinkle. She picked the shoes directly in front of her- a pink pair of open-toe shoes with a ribbon tied above the heel¡­ bright red Mary Jane-style shoes with straps around the back¡­ suede¡­ dark rose brown slip-on with an ankle strap¡­ And how could she miss the wedge shoes with natural beige-toned natural soles¡­ D¡¯Orsay shoes with a low-cut front that showed part of a woman¡¯s toes looked the best in black. Every woman needed at least one pair! ¡°I¡¯ll take these!¡± And then there was the long, leather boots she¡¯d yearned for so long¡­ Different from the ¡®old her¡¯, Amethyst was ecstatic to be able to buy whatever without having to worry. What in the world! I didn¡¯t expect there would be a day I can wear these long boots! I can¡¯t believe it! Really¡­ My legs will be killers in these!!! For someone who used to have thunder thighs, Amethyst now drooled over her own legs. ¡°Lunia, I want every color and length of boots in this style.¡± ¡°Yes Madam.¡± ¡°And comfy shoes, just in case you didn¡¯t know. Especially loafers!¡± Lunia steadily wrote down the items Amethyst had chosen and handed them to the merchant. ¡°Now, I want to see something else¡ª¡± Everyone knows- if you¡¯re going to spend money like no tomorrow, you had better look at jewelry! ¡°Which should I choose?¡± Amethyst queried. ¡°It¡¯d be best to see a jeweler.¡± Lunia suggested. ¡°Right. I¡¯ll ask the merchant to ready them soon. Should I order you some tea while you wait?¡± Lunia said. ¡°Yes, that¡¯d be good.¡± After she had taken a few sips of the tea brought in by a maid, a jeweler entered. There was only one small box in the merchant¡¯s hands. ¡°Welcome, My Lady. I¡¯m Dunph, a jeweler from Diana Jewels. It¡¯s such an honor to meet you like this.¡± The man courteously greeted. She set the teacup on the table and replied, ¡°Yes, pleased to meet you. Mr. Dunph.¡± ¡°Please, just call me Dunph.¡± He smiled. ¡°Will do. Thank you. By the way, this is much less than what I thought you¡¯d prepare. I called you because I want to purchase some jewelry, but¡ª¡± She spoke as she eyed the box in his hand. ¡°Oh, actually¡­ I brought this because it¡¯s only to be shown to the wife of a duke.¡± ¡°For me? But I¡¯ve never made a purchase before.¡± Amethyst was flabbergasted. ¡°Yes, and that¡­ This necklace is a present from Lord du Skad.¡± Dunph proceeded to open the box he was holding. In no time, the necklace sitting neatly atop of the high-end fabric caught everyone¡¯s attention. A red jewel the size of a baby¡¯s fist adorned between two smaller jewels on either sides was soon presented before the lady. It hung upon an elaborately carved palladium rope, a very rare metal more precious than platinum- transparent and bold, shining brilliantly. At this rate¡­ shouldn¡¯t it be registered as a national treasure? Such a necklace is mine!? From Alex?! ¡°Is¡­ Is this really for me?¡± Amethyst meekly asked. ¡°Yes, My Lady.¡± The jewelry simply replied while Amethyst stood there with a dumbfounded look on her face. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 A few hours ago¡­ Many of the merchants gathered before the duke¡¯s mansion were chatting, waiting for their turn. Dunph was just watching silently, not being caught in the various conversations. ¡°I heard the new duchess called him in today,¡± someone said. ¡°I see. He¡¯ll see a lot of money today since it¡¯s the great duke¡¯s family.¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯d be great and all, but not too long ago he went to the earl¡¯s residence and came back empty-handed.¡± Another remarked. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t put a jinx on him. Since when is the earl and duke the same?¡± ¡°Haha, if you say so.¡± ¡°Just wait and see. The maids passing by said they¡¯ll be buying a lot.¡± ¡°Then should we get our hopes up today?¡± They were all owners of high-end shops but were only merchants. However, Dunph was simply waiting to see, not expecting much. All these merchants dealt in items that wives of aristocrats could purchase, but each was different. Who buys precious metals like they¡¯re shopping at a grocery store? It was Diana Jewels that dealt only with the most precious jewels in the kingdom. Thanks to that, many were used to leaving empty-handed. If it¡¯s a new duchess, you know it¡¯s going to be clich¨¦¡­ At best, maybe some earrings? Today will just end up being a fruitless attempt. So we can leave soon. It¡¯s boring to just wait around. Right then, someone found and interrupted Dunph¡¯s musings. ¡ù ¡°Why is it so chaotic?¡± Alexcent was in the office taking care of business. He was sorting through documents and trying to remain focused, but the ruckus from outside was getting on his nerves. As he poured a cup of tea, Pon said, ¡°Lady Amethyst called the shop merchants today.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Alexcent was visibly surrpised. ¡°Yes Sir.¡± ¡°Hmmmm¡ª¡± But why? I can see the numbers clearly. Then she has to live up to it. Alexcent, who was thinking hard about something, asked with a smirk, ¡°And is a jeweler here?¡± ¡°Yes Sir. All the prestigious merchants of the kingdom, including Aarst, have been brought together.¡± ¡°Then bring them in. Only the prestigious ones.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± A little while later, Butler Pon returned to the office with Dunph by his side. ¡°Pleased to meet you, Your Excellency. I am Dunph, from Diana Jewels.¡± The man greeted politely. ¡°Diana Jewels?¡± ¡°Yes Sir.¡± Alexcent moved over to the meeting table and told him, ¡°Come have a seat.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± ¡°So, do you have anything to present to me?¡± ¡°Beg your pardon, Sir?¡± Dunph was puzzled. ¡°You said you¡¯re a jeweler. As a merchant, didn¡¯t you come here to sell stuff?¡± Alexcent flatly said. ¡°That is correct, Sir¡­ I thought I¡¯d be meeting Lady Amethyst.¡± ¡°Obviously you¡¯ll be seeing her too, but you know who it¡¯s better to deal with.¡± ¡°I see. Please wait a moment.¡± Dunph hurried his staff to display the items on the table he brought today. What a tyranny! I thought I¡¯d be seeing the duchess today, I didn¡¯t expect Duke du Skad! There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll be leaving empty-handed today. However, no matter how aristocratic one may be, the head of the family never bought jewelry for his wife. Dunph had meticulously chosen only the items worth selling today- high-ranking, though not top-class. Alexcent studied the jewels on display, then said with great courage, ¡°Dammit, this is disappointing. I can¡¯t believe this is all.¡± ¡°Beg your pardon?!¡±The duke¡¯s reaction was beyond Dunph¡¯s imagination. ¡°I had quite the expectation because you are a prestigious merchant, but now I¡¯m quite disappointed. I am done here. You can go.¡± ¡°Hold on¡­! Wait, please. I was unaware, my lord, that you¡¯d be here. My apologies.¡± Dunph scurried to present a top-class jewel, all the while carefully reading the environment. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking!¡± Alexcent said, feeling relieved. Dunph then steadily showed him more jewels. ¡°How about these? They are the best items we have in our jewelry store. If there¡¯s something that meets your desire, please let me know.¡± The duke, after carefully looking through then, tossed out carelessly, ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m ecstatic at your¡­ collection. This is it?¡± ¡°These are all of our top-class items, Sir. It will be hard to find these kinds of jewels anywhere else in all of the kingdom.¡± What the¡­ Why are you being so picky and curious when you don¡¯t want to buy anything!? It won¡¯t be easy to buy these kinds of high-quality jewels anywhere else. Dunph was reminded by Alexcent¡¯s incessant comments that yes, this was a fruitless attempt. ¡°To say these are top-class, they certainly are, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯re real. Do you think I like playing games?¡± ¡°Pardon? How dare you say such a thing?¡± Dunph took a short breather, then continued. ¡°Can you wait just a little longer?¡± He left the office for a while, seeking for the duke¡¯s cooperation. And when he returned, he was carrying a small safe. Perhaps Alexcent had been bored while waiting, he was toying around with the other jewels on the table that he had left unattended. ¡°Duke du Skad!¡± Frightened, Dunph hurriedly collected the jewels rolling around on the table and neatly placed them in the box. Alexcent only shrugged his shoulders comically. ¡°This has been passed down from generation to generation. The best of the¡­ No, this jewel cannot be graded, so it¡¯s been rejected every year at the auction¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that.¡± ¡°Right. And¡ª¡± He opened the safe and pulled out a small box from inside. After carefully opening it, the gem, known as the Goddess¡¯s Eye, a fiery red color beyond any imagination, flaunted its masterful and brilliance. ¡°Good¡­ good. This is the one.¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Alexcent did not hesitate in buying the necklace that held the jewel ¡®Eye of the Goddess¡¯. Dunph was surprised, shocked even, because Alexcent hadn¡¯t even asked for the price before he decided to buy it. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± asked Alexcent, noticing the dumbfounded expression of Dunph. ¡°No, sire,¡± he stammered, ¡°Nothing at all.¡± ¡°Bring this in, when you come,¡± said Alexcent indicating the necklace. ¡°Understood, sire,¡± he said. Dunph had never, in his wildest dreams, thought that the Eye of the Goddess would be sold. He had thought it impossible because none had the wealth enough to buy it. ¡°Leave now,¡± said Alexcent, dismissing the shopkeeper. ¡°Yes, sire,¡± he said bowing, ¡°It has been a pleasure to serve you. Thank you for honoring our shop.¡± ¡°Wrap all the best things in your shop and bring it to wherever Pon will guide you,¡± instructed Alexcent as Dunph was leaving. ¡°All¡­ all of them?¡± asked Dunph, stunned. ¡°Is there a problem with it?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°No problem at all, sire!¡± said Dunph hurriedly, ¡°I will do as commanded.¡± Dunph was led by Pon to a reception room, while servants placed the jewel boxes on the table in the middle. He felt extremely blissful at having sold all his best and most precious jewels in a day! * ¡°Is this for me?¡± asked Amethyst, holding the beautiful necklace in her hands like something delicate and fraglile. ¡°Of course, my lady¡± said Dunph, ¡°This particular jewel called the ¡®Eye of the Goddess¡¯ hadn¡¯t found its owner yet. I am honored to have met you today.¡± Amethyst thought the name was most apt. The red jewel reminded her of Alexcent¡¯s eyes. ¡°I have had the rest placed in your reception room,¡± he said. ¡°The rest?!¡± asked Amethyst incredulously. She had wanted to shop for only a small accessory. ¡°The good sir bought all of my best jewels,¡± he said. ¡°All of them?¡± asked Amethyst, stunned. Dunph nodded. Amethyst wondered how much it had cost Alexcent. ¡°It is my honor to have met you today,¡± said Dunph, bowing, ¡°I will leave you with your jewels.¡± Dunph said and left her gazing at the necklace. ¡°Do you want to try it on, my lady?¡± asked Lunia. ¡°Later,¡± she said and placed the necklace in the box. ¡°I want to finish shopping first.¡± Amethyst thought all of it was too much. She had been hoping for a small, nice accessory not the jewels of the earth that she couldn¡¯t carry. She needed a change of venue. ¡°Where do you want to go next?¡± asked Lunia. ¡°The weapon shop,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Why the weapon shop, my lady?¡± asked Lunia, surprised. ¡°I thought I could learn how to protect myself after what happened with Dajal,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°And for that I need to learn to fight. I need a weapon to do so. I have already asked Pon to show me one.¡± Amethyst could not tell Lunia the whole truth. She wouldn¡¯t be Alexcent¡¯s wife after a year and would have no knights stationed to guard and protect her. She would have to do so herself. ¡°Oh, I will call the merchant, ma¡¯am,¡± said Lunia. He entered at Lunia¡¯s call. ¡°Thank you for having me, Ma¡¯am,¡± said the man, ¡°I am Jerome, from Zest Weapon Shop.¡± The man looked more like a knight than merchant. Even with the monocle on his eyes, he looked like he belonged in a fight than a shop. ¡°How may I be of help?¡± ¡°I want to buy a sword that I can wield and a gun that I can possess,¡± said Amethyst. Jerome looked surprised. ¡°Is there a problem Jerome?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°No, Ma¡¯am,¡± he said, ¡°Just a little rare. I have only ever sold weapons to women who mostly want to buy them as gifts for their husbands. Forgive me for saying so.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± she said, ¡°I need to have them so that I can defend myself.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have suitable weapons right now at my disposal made for your build,¡± said Jerome, ¡°Would it be alright if you checked the items that you want so that I can have it customized for you?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you provided that.¡± ¡°There are, even if rare, some ladies who approach my shop to buy a weapon for themselves,¡± said Jerome, ¡°I have them customized to suit their build.¡± ¡°That is indeed great,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°I will show you the swords first,¡± said Jerome and led her to the display. Lunia followed her a step behind. ¡°Perhaps, this¡­,¡± said Jerome, as he lifted out a sword and handed it to her. Amethyst lifted the sword. It was a bit longer than she had expected and a bit heavy but she could lift it well. ¡°How is it?¡± asked Jerome. ¡°It is a bit heavy, but alright,¡± she said. ¡°I thought it might work,¡± said Jerome, ¡°This sword is used by the beginners in fighting.¡± ¡°I think I can swing it,¡± said Amethyst, excitedly. But Jerome stalled her hand. ¡°Be careful, Ma¡¯am,¡± he said, ¡°You might hurt your wrist the first time.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°I think we may have to reduce the weight a little to make it lighter to wield,¡± he said. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that make it less effective for a fight?¡± she asked. ¡°Sword fighting is more about agility and skill than the weight of it, Ma¡¯am,¡± said Jerome, ¡°But if you feel hesitant, it won¡¯t pose a problem if it is imbued with magic.¡± ¡°That can be done?¡± she asked, curious. ¡°Of course,¡± said Jerome, ¡°We use powdered magic stones and mix it with the steel.¡± ¡°That is fascinating!¡± said Amethyst. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 ¡°Do you have a particular design you prefer?¡± asked Jerome. ¡°Anything will do,¡± said Amethyst, waving her hand. ¡°I just want something simple but effective to fulfil its function.¡± ¡°How about your family crest, ma¡¯am?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I don¡¯t want it to be showy and extravagant than necessary.¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± said Jerome, reluctantly. Amethyst knew that usually the sword held the family crest on the steel or the pommel but she also knew that she wouldn¡¯t be a member of the Skad family for long. It was no use having the Skad crest on her sword. Jerome showed her some of the guns that he kept in boxes. Every single one was elaborately carved and looked very pompous. She found one which was smaller than the others and looked old. She picked it up, prepared her stance, closed an eye and tried to aim. ¡°I will take this one,¡± she said, ¡°It looks like it would be easier to carry.¡± ¡°Do you know how to use it?¡± asked Jerome. ¡°Not yet,¡± she said, ¡°But I will learn.¡± Emeis¡¯ shopping ended with Jerome¡¯s departure. She found the boxes of jewels that Dunph had mentioned when she returned to her room. She sighed. She opened them one by one to see exorbitant accessories in all designs, ranging from hairpins, to bracelets to glittering earrings. ¡°Do you not like them?¡± asked Lunia hesitantly. ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Then why do you look so down, ma¡¯am?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too much,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°It¡¯s overwhelming.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural that he would want to shower you with gifts,¡± said Lunia, trying to make her feel better. Amethyst forced herself to smile. ¡°Did you enjoy shopping?¡± came a man¡¯s voice from the door. He was here. ¡°Yes,¡± said Amethyst, turning around. Alexcent walked towards her. ¡°They why do you look so downcast?¡± he asked. ¡°Nothing like that,¡± she said, smiling, ¡°Thank you for the gifts.¡± ¡°Do you like them?¡± he asked, looking at her. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± asked Alexcent, eyebrows raised. ¡°It¡¯s too much,¡± she said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel that way,¡± he said softly. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, and forced a smile. It didn¡¯t matter, he wouldn¡¯t understand. Amethyst felt bitter about it. She felt a burden in her heart. She wondered if all these expensive gifts, that she didn¡¯t ask for, made her uncomfortable or was it because of Aran Bank? While Alexcent owned Aran Bank which dealt with black money, she was here lavishing on the jewels it bought her. It left a bitter taste in her mouth. ¡°These gifts cost money,¡± she said, ¡°And Aran Bank¡ª¡± ¡°I know Aran Bank is shady, but I don¡¯t own all of it,¡± said Alexcent cutting her off, ¡°I am only the manager, so to speak. I do not make much profit from it.¡± It would make her feel lighter if only that were true, but she knew better. It still made her feel uncomfortable and unconvinced. Nothing good could come out of black money, only danger. ¡°Do you want the bank gone?¡± he asked, looking at her forlorn expression. ¡°You can do that?¡± she asked, stunned. ¡°If you want,¡± he said. Amethyst felt a little relieved at his words, realizing that he had no love for black money. But it also made her feel a little guilty that he would go to such extent to please her. She knew she could not ask him to do that. ¡°No, it¡¯s alright,¡± she said, tiredly, ¡°I just wish you weren¡¯t involved in these shady dealings. I don¡¯t want you to be in danger.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be in any danger,¡± he said, gently, ¡°But if it is bothering you so much, I can turn Aran Bank into a normal bank, without any ¡®shady dealings¡¯.¡± Amethyst felt her heart flutter. She didn¡¯t know if she could ask him to do that. And if she did, what would it entail? She just looked at him fondly. ¡°Come here,¡± he said, taking her hand and pulling her over to stand in front of the mirror, ¡°You haven¡¯t worn the necklace I bought you.¡± Alexcent picked the necklace from the box and stood behind her. He swept her hair to the front to expose her neckline. There was still a faint bruise that hadn¡¯t completely healed and he furrowed his brows at the sight. He lowered the necklace on her neck and closed the clasp. She felt the cold weight of the metal on her collarbone. He placed his hand on her shoulders. ¡°It suits you,¡± he whispered in her ear. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, ¡°The jewel reminds me of your eyes.¡± She turned away from the mirror towards him. His red eyes gazed so tenderly down at her that color filled her world and made her heart flutter. Alexcent lowered his head and kissed her on the neck. His lips were hot, as though branding her neck with his mark. * Alexcent was in a meeting with his subordinates discussing on next year¡¯s budget when Pon came rushing into the room. ¡°Master,¡± he said, hurriedly, ¡°You have to come with me to the training field now!¡± ¡°Pon, you can see that I am having a meeting,¡± said Alexcent sternly. ¡°It¡¯s Madam¡­,¡± said Pon, breathless from running. Alexcent¡¯s eyes flashed at his words. He stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s end the meeting here for today,¡± he said. He rushed out with Pon to the training field. When they reached, they saw knights facing Amethyst. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Amethyst was so determined that she had went to the knights¡¯ training field. She had promised herself that she wanted to learn to wield a sword, and she would do it. She needed to learn to defend herself after what had happened in the past. She found Hill a little further away from the knights who were training. He was taking a break. ¡°Sir Hill,¡± she said happily, ¡°How have you been? I have been looking for you all over.¡± ¡°Madam,¡± acknowledged Hill. ¡°I am very well, thank you. How may I be of help?¡± ¡°I want to learn to wield a sword,¡± she said eagerly, ¡°I was hoping you could teach me.¡± Hill looked at her, shocked. ¡°What?!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°I mean, I thought I should learn to defend myself,¡± she continued, ¡°Seeing what happened that time. And who would be best suited for the job than you?¡± She added hesitantly, with a mock smile. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that what you brought upon yourself?¡± asked Hill. She was surprised at the retort. Hill was always so polite. But it was true, if she had thought things through and not rushed like she did, things would have ended differently. ¡°All the more reason to learn then,¡± said Amethyst enthusiastically. ¡°I should learn to protect myself in any case.¡± Hill¡¯s stare was intense and she tried not to flinch. ¡°You only need to do one thing for protection, my lady,¡± he said firmly, ¡°Repeat after me.¡± ¡°What?¡± she asked, confused. ¡°¡¯Save me¡¯, that¡¯s all you have to say,¡± said Hill. ¡°Save me?¡± she asked, confused more than before. Was he mocking her? The knights who had saved Amethyst before now circled her. Some of them who had been training appeared near her, hands on their swords. Others just stared at what was happening. Amethyst was wide-eyed. ¡°Do you see?¡± asked Hill, ¡°You just need to utter those words. These knights will always be near you, out of sight.¡± ¡°But what if I can¡¯t speak?¡± she argued. Hill extended a hand lightning fast and grabbed her wrist. The space was cacophonous with the sound of sword being drawn from their sheath. The knights in grey glared at Hill, their sword inches from his chest. Hill let go of her hand and took a step back. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, my lady,¡± said Hill, ¡°They would have run me through, had they not known me. If I meant any harm to you, my head would be rolling on the floor and I would be dead. The Master has already taken all precautions for your safety.¡± Amethyst really wanted to learn. Perhaps she had this protection now, since she was a Duchess. But she needed to learn in order to protect herself when she was no longer here. Besides, it would always be a handy skill and would give her a sense of comfort when faced with danger. ¡°Then will you teach me if I order you?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Madam,¡± said Hill, ¡°It doesn¡¯t work that way.¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°You are a lady,¡± he said, ¡°A small wound on you would mean death for us. These men would kill anyone who so much as brushed against you.¡± ¡°I will tell them not to,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Please.¡± Hill looked like he was cornered, not knowing what to respond. He helplessly glanced at the Commander of the First Division, Buer, who was a few steps away to hear their conversation. Buer stepped forward. ¡°Madam, we do not have a sword suited for your build,¡± he said, ¡°Using a sword that is unsuitable could harm your wrist.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct!¡± said Hill, relieved. ¡°I had one made especially for me,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°It will be delivered soon. Will you teach me then?¡± Buer tried to dissuade her with other reasons, but she would hear none of it. Hill looked defeated. Alexcent walked towards them, understanding the situation. The knights were reluctant to teach her sword fighting, understandably so, since she was a woman of power only second to the Emperor. If she got hurt, it would mean their deaths. ¡°Amethyst,¡± he called. Amethyst turned around. She beamed at him like he was the best thing she could have asked for at that moment. ¡°Alec!¡± she said happily, ¡°You came at the perfect time. Can¡¯t you encourage them to teach me how to use a sword? Please! You told me there was nothing I couldn¡¯t do here.¡± Alexcent remembered the night she had asked what she could even do in a place like this. He had told her that there was nothing she couldn¡¯t do here, before she had fallen asleep. She meant this? Alexcent thought she would never stop surprising him. He was amused. The knights, though, looked at him pleadingly. ¡°I will teach you,¡± he said. ¡°You?¡± she narrowed her eyes. ¡°You are always busy with your work. Why can¡¯t you ask any of them to teach me?¡± The knights shook their heads at Alexcent when she wasn¡¯t looking. ¡°It alright,¡± he assured her, ¡°I can spare a few hours to teach you to use a sword.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Her suspicion was gone, only to be replaced by a rapturous smile that seemed like the sun shining through the clouds. Alexcent¡¯s heart thumped. ¡°It¡¯s a promise,¡± he said, smiling, ¡°But only if you wake up early in the morning.¡± ¡°What?¡± she said incredulously, ¡°That means you will never teach me.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t stay too late at night,¡± he said laughing, ¡°You will be alright.¡± ¡°And whose fault is that?¡± said Amethyst, blushing. She turned to the knights. ¡°Thank you, that will be all.¡± Amethyst walked with him away from the training area. She thought she heard the knights¡¯ relieved sighs as she walked away. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Alexcent tried to wake Amethyst at dawn the next morning. ¡°Amethyst,¡± he said softly. ¡°Mm,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Wake up,¡± he said and nibbled at her lips, lightly. ¡°No,¡± she mumbled, ¡°A little bit more of sleep.¡± She snuggled into his arms and murmured something and fell asleep. Alexcent rose out of bed and stretched. He looked at her sleeping figure curled on the bed. It made him want to spend the day with her in bed. He shook his head and got dressed. He was going to walk out of the bedroom when he heard her voice. ¡°You should have woken me,¡± she said, as she yawned and got out of bed. Alexcent smirked. * Amethyst stood in the training area with Alexcent. He held a sword in his strong arms, his muscles taut. The sword was long and beautiful. She felt her nerves tingle. It was her first time seeing him with a sword. His eyes looked cold. He approached her and stood behind her. ¡°Let¡¯s teach you to hold it first,¡± he said as he handed her the sword. ¡°Lift it.¡± ¡°It seems so heavy,¡± she said as she tried to lift it with all her might. ¡°It will be alright,¡± he said. It wasn¡¯t alright. The sword was made for someone larger and burlier than her. She tried to lift it above her head and trembled with the weight. Her hands shook before the blade dropped to the ground. ¡°Can you swing it?¡± he asked. ¡°Try.¡± ¡°You have never taught anyone else before, have you?¡± she asked, looking at him. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Because you are asking me to swing a sword that I can barely lift,¡± she said, ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡°Why are you trying to learn sword fighting when you can barely lift one?¡± He smirked. ¡°Whose sword is this?¡± she asked. ¡°Mine, of course,¡± he said. ¡°Your sword?¡± she said, ¡°So how in hell am I supposed to swing it? Have you seen yourself? You are thrice as large as me!¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t a good student if you insult your teacher so much,¡± he said, jokingly. ¡°That¡¯s because you are a bad teacher,¡± she retorted. ¡°It¡¯s child¡¯s play, Amethyst,¡± he said, grinning, ¡°If you were in battle, you would already be dead without being able to lift a sword, much less swing it.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± she asked, ¡°I will show you.¡± Amethyst clenched her teeth and lifted the word to swing it. ¡°Be careful,¡± he said as he pretended to run. ¡°You asked for it!¡± she said, as she chased him. Eventually she got tired and stopped. ¡°Is that all you got?¡± he asked, chuckling. ¡°Don¡¯t laugh,¡± she said, panting from all the running around. ¡°I won¡¯t, sorry,¡± he said as he tried to hold his mirth. Amethyst tried to Lift the sword again to swing it. She lifted it up high and stumbled. It was just too heavy. She almost fell because of its weight and Alexcent rushed over to her. Alexcent grabbed Amethyst¡¯s sword with one hand and her wrist with the other, ¡°I said it¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who told me to swing,¡± Amethyst shot back, ¡°I¡¯m just being a model student.¡± ¡°You always try to win,¡± he said sternly, staring down at her. She stuck her tongue out. Alexcent couldn¡¯t help but smile, his heart beating a little faster. Before he had time to think, his body reacted¡ªhe bent down to kiss her. The hand that had been holding the sword moved up to grab her chin, and the one that had been on her wrist snaked up to her neck to deepen the kiss. Amethyst went rigid in surprise, but her heart fluttered. His tongue ravished her mouth and lips thoroughly, only making her want more. The smell of her perfume hung heavy in the air. He didn¡¯t know why she wanted to learn how to use a sword, but he had no desire to stop her. He wanted her to give up on her own and so had given her his own sword that, in the past, he had kept only for himself. Amethyst had been adorable from the start of the training to the finish. Alexcent had kissed her to suppress his emotions. Hill, Buer and Leyrian stopped in their tracks when they saw the two lovers sharing a kiss. ¡°When did the training area become so flamboyant?¡± Leyrian said to the others. ¡°I guess since now.¡± ¡°Is that¡­ Is that our Master¡¯s sword?¡± ¡°I think it is.¡± ¡°That sword holds a soul stone¡­¡± Buer couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. And Amethyst had no wish to stop her training. * ¡°This is the budget proposal for our annual festival and the upcoming hunting competition,¡± Alexcent said, ¡°The budget for the former is the same as last year.¡± ¡°Sir, since you have just been married, might I suggest this year be a bit more festive? ¡°Do as you like,¡± Alexcent said half-heartedly. ¡°In that case, I will add an increase of 15% and add it to our supplementary budget. The hunting competition is that held by the royal family a few months later.¡± ¡°Since our mistress will participate, we have allocated more funds to it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Alexcent said, ¡°She won¡¯t participate.¡± ¡°Sir, this is the first event our mistress will participate in after becoming Duchess. Her Majesty will not let this slide.¡± ¡°Remove it,¡± Alexcent said firmly. He¡¯d been half listening to the proceedings of the budget meeting. It was only when Pone came rushing in that his attention piqued. Before Alexcent could ask why he was here, Pone blurted out, ¡°Madame has fallen from a horse!¡± Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Alexcent immediately abandoned the meeting and rushed to the riding field. He was met with the sight of a still excited horse and Amethyst sitting on the ground. Stable hands and maids milled around nervously. The stable hands could not touch Amethyst, while the maids could not carry her. ¡°Amethyst,¡± Alexcent said in response to her questioning look, ¡°what are you doing!¡± ¡°Ah Alec, you came?¡± Amethyst said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I merely plopped to the ground after a miscommunication with the horse, seeing as I am still a novice. I¡¯m alright, everyone is just too worried.¡± Alexcent didn¡¯t listen to her excuses. He lifted her up to carry her off the field. As he walked, he shouted over his shoulder at the stable hands, ¡°Get rid of that horse!¡± ¡°Alec, it¡¯s my fault!¡± Amethyst protested, ¡°Don¡¯t blame the horse.¡± ¡°You¡¯re hurt!¡± Alexcent said angrily. Amethyst flinched at Alexcent¡¯s tone. Usually, he always lost arguments to her, but now he was scaring her. His strange, furious tone made her feel suddenly alone in the world and her eyes teared up. Alexcent¡¯s grip on her tightened, hugging her closer, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I scared you, but a horse throwing its rider cannot be tolerated.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all right,¡± Amethyst said tearfully, ¡°Please don¡¯t say you will get rid of the horse.¡± ¡°I will. I¡¯m going to call a doctor to see to you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Amethyst said quietly. Alexcent carried Amethyst to the bedroom and ordered Pon to bring a doctor. He didn¡¯t enjoy seeing Amethyst hurt in any way. For a while after this incident, he thought things had quietened down. But that was before Pon came to him again. Alexcent had been in his office looking over some documents. ¡°Master!¡± Pon¡¯s voice brought him running to the door. ¡°What is this time?¡± Alexcent demanded. ¡°Madame and her gun¡­¡± Shock overtook Alexcent and he bolted from his office to the shooting range. People were standing around pale faced and waiting for him. The marble statues that had decorated the space were now in pieces. ¡°Amethyst,¡± Alexcent said patiently, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I wanted to learn how to shoot,¡± she answered innocently. Alexcent drew a patient breath, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I want to hunt.¡± ¡°Amethyst, give me that gun,¡± Alexcent held out his hand, ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Amethyst ignored him, ¡°Alec, why can¡¯t I shoot straight? Is my stature wrong? This is right, isn¡¯t it?¡± she took up her position again. Alexcent sighed in defeat and went to her. He grabbed her lower abdomen and pulled her against him, pressing them tightly together. Amethyst could feel his chest against her shoulder and his warm breath over her head. The feelings stilled her. Alexcent closed his left hand over Amethyst¡¯s and slowly raised the gun, ¡°You have to tighten your shoulder since there¡¯s a strong recoil. Then aim at the center of the target.¡± Amethyst narrowed her eyes as she stared at the target¡¯s center. ¡°Match your breathing with mine,¡± Alexcent instructed, ¡°Slowly.¡± Amethyst listened to his breathing, pacing hers with his until it seemed they had become one. Time seemed to stop. Her heartbeat was loud in ears, signalling her to shoot. She pulled the trigger and shot the target dead-on with a loud bang. ¡°Did you see that!¡± she said excitedly. ¡°I did indeed,¡± Alexcent said, his chest pulling tight at the sight of Amethyst¡¯s smiling face. ¡°Alec, if I practice harder, can I participate in the hunting competition?¡± ¡°What?¡± Alexcent said in surprise, ¡°No,¡± he refused flatly. ¡°Why?¡± she said with a pout, ¡°I heard women could enter, and Her Majesty is hosting the competition.¡± ¡°Her Majesty hosts all competitions. I can¡¯t let you participate.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Amethyst pressed. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous,¡± Alexcent countered. ¡°I will practice hard and make sure I don¡¯t hurt anyone. Can¡¯t you trust me?¡± she seemed a little hurt at his refusal. ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Alexcent said softly, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to see you hurt.¡± Amethyst was stunned to silence. That hadn¡¯t been the response she¡¯d been expecting. * Amethyst¡¯s final responsibility of the day was to greet Alexcent. Recently, he¡¯d been coming home earlier than usual and every night they supped together. Alexcent found it charming how Amethyst always carefully avoided the vegetables on her plate. Alexcent picked up his glass of wine, sipped it, then lowered it from his lips, ¡°What will you try and learn tomorrow?¡± Amethyst nudged a spoonful of vegetables around her plate without looking up, ¡°I have something in mind¡­ But I know I will not be permitted.¡± Alexcent remained silent. He thought it best not to ask any further questions, considering what had already happened regarding Amethyst¡¯s other learning endeavours. At his continued silence, Amethyst looked up, ¡°Won¡¯t you ask me what I want to learn?¡± ¡°No,¡± Alexcent said flatly. ¡°Ask me.¡± ¡°No.¡± Amethyst¡¯s cheeks coloured, ¡°If you do not ask me, we shall eat separately.¡± His shoulders sagged in defeat, ¡°What do you want to learn?¡± he said unenthusiastically. ¡°Magic.¡± Alexcent whipped his head up and stared at Amethyst. He made no attempt to hide his surprise at her words, ¡°Magic?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she replied defiantly. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Alexcent couldn¡¯t believe what Amethyst had just said, ¡°But why?¡± he asked incredulously. ¡°You can do anything with magic,¡± Amethyst said, ¡°Once you learn magic, you don¡¯t have to learn how to use a sword. And in any case, I thought I was rather talented with magic.¡± ¡°Was there any Goddess¡¯ blood in the Lohikin family¡­¡± despite the glaringly obvious answer, Alexcent pretended to think hard as he asked her a question. ¡°No. That¡¯s why I was unable to learn magic. Pretty unfortunate, if you ask me.¡± She answered forlornly. Alexcent shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m grateful for it, I¡¯ll even have to thank you for it.¡± ¡°What?¡± Amethyst asked stunned. ¡°If you had any magical talent, there would be nothing left of the mansion.¡± ¡°Alec!¡± her voice pitched upwards. Alexcent pushed a plate of salad in front of Amethyst, ¡°Stop chasing fantasises and finish eating.¡± Amethyst ignored the salad as well as Alexcent¡¯s request, ¡°Come to think of it¡­ Alex, are you a wizard?¡± ¡°A wizard?¡± he arched an eyebrow in surprise. She nodded, ¡°You told me that someone is capable of performing magic when they have the blood of a goddess. You have the blood of a goddess and it¡¯s extraordinarily strong.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a wizard, but I can do magic.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Amethyst leaned forward curiously, ¡°Can you show me a little?¡± ¡°No,¡± Alexcent said bluntly and continued eating his dinner. ¡°Why not?¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t hide her disappointment, ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be space-shifting or anything extreme. Just a little, just make this water cup disappear or any other small thing. I just want to see it with my own eyes, please?¡± ¡°Ash, I can¡¯t do it because my magic is more for fighting, an attack-type, if you please.¡± ¡°An attack-type? Care to explain?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Alexcent said casually, ¡°there¡¯s property in magic too.¡± The only thing Amethyst could think of when it came to properties of magic was along the lines of earth, fire, wind, water and the mind. Sort of like the five forces uniting into one power. ¡°Properties?¡± she asked eventually. ¡°I¡¯m an attack-type,¡± Alexcent repeated, ¡°therefore, I can only use magic to attack others. What you want to see is magic only wizards who practice defensive, or subsistence magic can do.¡± Amethyst fell silent for a short time as she digested what Alexcent had said. So, simple everyday magic was not performed by an attack-type wizard. To her, it seemed that those who did not have strong Goddess blood, like Alexcent, were more likely to be defensive or subsistence-type wizards. Finally, she said, ¡°I see¡­ That¡¯s too bad. Then am I correct in assuming that the attack-type is the strongest type of wizard?¡± ¡°Among performing magic tricks?¡± Alexcent raised an eyebrow. Amethyst ignored his comment, ¡°I¡¯m assuming the attack-type would be the strongest, since the name hints at offensiveness.¡± ¡°No, the strongest type would be the eroding-type. Then it would be the attack-type.¡± Now her curiosity had been stirred, ¡°Eroding-type? What is that?¡± ¡°To eat into a man¡¯s soul,¡± Alexcent said plainly. Amethyst stared at him, ¡°So when that happens¡­ do they get full control of the body?¡± The thought that she could be manipulated by others against her own will was frightening. ¡°That,¡± Alexcent confirmed with a nod, ¡°but they also have the power to destroy the soul.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What I said. Quite literally to destroy one¡¯s soul. They don¡¯t have to fight and kill to do such a thing.¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t know whether to feel horrified or curious, ¡°Does that mean they can enter your body as well?¡± He nodded again, ¡°Correct, which is why it¡¯s the most dangerous property. Fortunately, not everyone can do it.¡± ¡°Are you telling me there¡¯s someone capable of such magic? Surely it¡¯s dangerous to have someone like that roaming freely?¡± ¡°There is someone. Just one.¡± Amethyst¡¯s skin felt suddenly chilled at the news, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Empress Belice.¡± Amethyst¡¯s mouth opened slightly, and her eyes widened in surprise. So, it was Empress Belice who had inherited the strongest blood of the Goddess. The greatest wizard alive. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Alexcent¡¯s voice broke through her thoughts, ¡°you can¡¯t use the magic as easily as you think. It¡¯s been blocked by the Temple for a very long time. No emperor actually ever used the magic. It was strictly prohibited by the Temple even then and would not have been allowed.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± Amethyst ventured, ¡°At the Temple?¡± ¡°Yes, the Temple has also been served as a Watcher.¡± ¡°But why didn¡¯t any emperor ever use the magic of Erosion?¡± Alexcent gave a light shrug, ¡°Because they didn¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Meaning?¡¯ Amethyst pressed. ¡°It means Emperors were capable of using Attack magic without using any type of Erosion magic. Damn it!¡± Alexcent spat. He¡¯d said too much. Amethyst didn¡¯t miss Alexcent¡¯s sudden change in attitude, but it didn¡¯t stop her from asking another question, ¡°So, Empress Belice knows how to use an Attack spell?¡± Alexcent hesitated before he said, ¡°No.¡± Amethyst¡¯s face scrunched in confusion. She mentally went over everything Alexcent had just told her. Emperors could use both the magic of Erosion and Attack. But then he¡¯d just said that Empress Belice was an emperor who didn¡¯t know how to use an attack-type magic. It made no sense. If Empress Belice was an erosion-type wizard and Alex was an attack-type wizard¡­ ¡°Alex?¡± she tried again. ¡°I mean,¡± he started, ¡°What I meant was¡­ was that¡­¡± he struggled to string a sentence together and was obviously greatly trouble by his mistake. Amethyst quickly asked another question before he could recover, ¡°Are you saying that an Emperor can use both erosion and attack-type magic?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Alexcent replied haltingly. ¡°But¡­¡± Amethyst frowned, ¡°Empress Belice can use erosion-type magic only, right?¡± Alexcent grunted in response. ¡°Which means Empress Belice had to originally have been born with both magic powers, but was only born with one,¡± at Alexcent¡¯s silence, Amethyst continued, ¡°You, her twin, who was born when she was¡­. Was given the attack-type magic?¡± Instead of answering, Alexcent only nodded. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 ¡°Oh my goodness!¡± Amethyst gasped. In the Sehar Kingdom, it was tradition that the empress become emperor of the kingdom. The reasoning behind it was that the blood of the Goddess was stronger in women than it was in men. Goddess blood meant magic. Which was then separated into Erosion and Attack type. Even if the Temple blocked erosion-type magic that was capable of controlling one¡¯s soul, it was natural for the emperor to lead the kingdom with just the attack-type magic. But Alexcent and Belice, born twins, had each inherited one of the magic types¡­ ¡°No wonder you were so vulnerable to her,¡± it made sense to Amethyst now, ¡°It wasn¡¯t just because you two were brother and sister.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than that,¡± Alexcent said, ¡°I owe Belice my life.¡± ¡°You owe her your life?¡± Alexcent¡¯s voice lost all expression. He spoke with a kind of indifference that was nearly cold, ¡°It was the first time a set of twins had ever been born in this kingdom. Sometimes a son was born, but that was only after the daughter had been born. And not only that, it was also the first time the magic ability was shared.¡± ¡°So?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°So, at that time, the Senate and the Temples considered it a bad omen.¡± ¡°How?¡± just when things were starting to make sense to her, she started to feel a little lost again. ¡°A prophecy predicting the doom of the Kingdom,¡± Alexcent continued, ¡°The Temple said my magical abilities had to be taken away.¡± ¡°Is that even possible to do?¡± Alexcent smirked at the question, ¡°It was possible to take them away¡­ By getting rid of me.¡± ¡°What!¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing, ¡°But that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I was destined to die as soon as I was born.¡± ¡°And there was no other way to just¡­ take away your ability?¡± Alexcent shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to separate magic from a soul whose only ability was to eat, cry and sleep.¡± ¡°And then¡­?¡± Amethyst wanted to know more, he was alive right before her eyes right now. ¡°The Temple prepared the ceremony and that day, Belice cried a lot.¡± ¡°Cried?¡± Amethyst tiled her head. ¡°Yes. When the priest held the sword against me, Belice wept bitterly. As you know the existence of an empress if sacred and noble. Everyone tried their best to calm her, but Belice cried every time the sword was pointed towards me,¡± for a moment, it looked like he wanted to smile, ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it? She was only an infant, but it seemed as though she were trying to save me.¡± ¡°Is that how she saved your life?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what they all said. The emperor back then came to the Temple and said that if they killed me, they would be killing Belice as well. And so, they decided to raise me as a sword, to protect her. I¡¯ve been holding a sword ever since I could hold things in my hand. I promised to become her sword and protect her¡­ at all costs.¡± He¡¯d promised on that day, under the scared tree, ¡®I promise, Mother. I¡¯ll protect Belice. I¡¯ll never let anyone harm her in any way.¡¯ ¡®My son, my Alex. You are the only one who can protect the Empress, your sister. Please, remember that.¡¯ Amethyst¡¯s exasperated voice brought Alexcent back from the past and into the future, bringing his attention to her, ¡°That¡¯s ruthless! I can¡¯t believe they were trying to kill a baby for such a thing! I can¡¯t believe secrecy about birth happens in either universe.¡± ¡°Ash?¡± ¡°I mean, think about it. It¡¯s not your choice to be born! You are not capable of choosing which property type to be born with. Why are you talking as though it¡¯s all your fault?¡± Alexcent started laughing. Despite the frown on his face, he laughed. But Amethyst saw his sorrow. He acts as if he should not have been born and his life has no purpose, she thought. Trampling, pressuring himself to live his life in a way he didn¡¯t want, just to keep a duty he had promised. He denied his existence, living a life he does not own, as a property of another. Alexcent fell silent, but in his eyes was reflected his pain and sadness. Amethyst got up, approached Alexcent and hugged him gently. ¡°I don¡¯t think there is anyone who should not have been born,¡± she said softly, ¡°It¡¯s the choices that you make after you¡¯re born that matter,¡± her voice might have been soft, but she couldn¡¯t hide her bitterness. She found it quite ironic that she was saying all this to Alexcent. She was the one who wanted to disappear as if she didn¡¯t exist. What kind of contradiction was she making? It didn¡¯t matter, all she wanted to do was comfort him. ¡°You are the main character of your life,¡± she continued, ¡°Not Belice. Never let her be your master. Live a life you want to live, not the life someone else wants for you. Your life is your own. No one is going to live it for you¡­ I hope from now on, you can do what you want,¡± she spoke to him as though she were talking to and comforting herself. Alexcent slowly put his hand over hers, ¡°Why are you saying all this?¡± It had only been a few months since they¡¯d been together, why was she comforting him as though she knew what he¡¯d been through? And perhaps the most striking thought of all; how was it that he was comforted by her? Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Even though the comfort may seem clich¨¦, something anyone could provide, each word seemed to touch Alexcent¡¯s heart with relief and calm. He smiled, though his eyes reflected the vast emptiness that he held within him. The smile passed a moment later and he hid his expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry though,¡± he said, ¡°I was able to get my revenge.¡± ¡°Revenge?¡± Amethyst was hesitant. ¡°Do you know what the first thing was that I did when I took up my sword?¡± ¡°Started a war? No?¡± ¡°That is true, but I exterminated, to be exact.¡± ¡°Exterminated?¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t like where this was going. ¡°All those people who were there that day. The Senate, the Temple¡­ I killed them all,¡± Alexcent said without feeling. Amethyst laughed humourlessly. Should she clap? Should she admire his drive or his cruelty? But then again, she didn¡¯t think she would be at peace to see people, who¡¯d tried to kill her in the crib, alive. ¡°I applaud you. If I were you, I would have done the same,¡± Said her, out of spite. ¡°You¡¯re so¡­ different.¡± ¡°Different?¡± Alexcent looked up at her, ¡°You weren¡¯t able to forgive what Dajal did, yet you compliment what I did.¡± ¡°What you did is in the past now.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± he seemed genuinely curious. Amethyst sobered a little, ¡°But did you really kill them all?¡± ¡°No,¡± Alexcent shook his head, ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to kill one person.¡± Dared she even ask, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t kill him.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Just an old man addicted to gambling,¡± Alexcent said. Amethyst was confused, ¡°Why¡­ Why weren¡¯t you able to kill him?¡± ¡°He became the Hight Priest,¡± Alexcent explained, ¡°Even I am not allowed to kill the High Priest. I was able to give him a taste of hell, which was much worse than death,¡± judging by the expression on his face, he was displeased by the idea. Now it made sense to Amethyst. The High Priest was as high of a status as the Emperor, a position equal to the authority even. It was no wonder Belice wasn¡¯t able to do anything. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said slowly, ¡°if I should say his fate is good or bad¡­ But is this a secret?¡± Alexcent furrowed his brows, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®Why?¡¯ You said you killed everyone who knew what happened back then except for one person. In other words, no one knows what had happened!¡± ¡°Correct, you are unexpectedly sharp-witted.¡± ¡°Then I too will keep it as a secret.¡± ¡°Amethyst¡­ You don¡¯t have to,¡± Alexcent said. When she made to protest, he carried on, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t care if it wasn¡¯t kept as a secret.¡± ¡°How come?¡± she asked innocently, ¡°Is it okay for me to recount what you just told to me to anyone?¡± Alexcent¡¯s expression relaxed, ¡°Well¡­I¡¯ll just have to kill anyone who hears about it.¡± ¡°What!¡± Amethyst nearly shouted, ¡°No¡­ But if you end up killing people¡­¡± ¡°Well,¡± Alexcent supressed a smile, ¡°you did compliment me a few moments ago¡­¡± Amethyst¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡®He had to be joking about killing people.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll never tell anyone¡­ So don¡¯t kill.¡± He pulled Amethyst onto his lap. He raised her chin slightly and gently kissed her on the lips. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Her lips upon his matched as though two pieces of puzzle that fit together. The meal was no longer a priority as a thrill went through her tongue. She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought his face closer. Tilting her head, she pushed her tongue deeper. The kiss became frantic. It was only broken by Alexcent pulling away to speak. ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to continue¡­,¡± he said softly, ¡°I have something to show you.¡± He took her hand and got up, pulling her with him to the bedroom balcony. It was twilight, that blur of the light between night and day. The sky was darkening but not quite, it was full of different colors. ¡°Why are we here all of a sudden?¡± she asked. ¡°I can only use attack magic,¡± he said, looking at her fondly, ¡°But I can still make this for you.¡± Alexcent flicked his wrist towards the darkening sky and lit it up. There was a sound of explosion. An enormous circle of light hovered in the sky before the flames bloomed and illuminated it with colors. Flames of so many colors reflected in Amethyst¡¯s eyes as she stared enraptured. ¡°Alex¡­,¡± she stammered, unable to fathom words to describe the beauty of what she saw. ¡°This is attack magic?¡± she asked. ¡°Not really,¡± he said, looking at her, full of tenderness, ¡°It is something we use as an alarm, to alert others of any surprise attacks. Do you like it?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± said Amethyst, breathless, ¡°It is so beautiful.¡± Alexcent smiled and flicked his finger once more to set off another explosion in the sky. The sky was lit up by flames, fiery and beautiful. Amethyst laughed and hugged him. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Meanwhile, Gen was at his desk, still working. His work never seemed to end, instead whenever the Duke met his wife, his work increased. He tore at his hair angrily. The manual needed to be finished in order for him to be able to answer any question the Duke would ask. ¡°Hm¡­,¡± said Gen to himself, ¡°I think this will do for now. I am going to go crazy over handling the budget for next year. Pon said Madam was taking care of the budgets and seemed to be quite skilled at it, perhaps I can slip this to her¡­¡± He flipped through the documents, sorting them out, when he heard a loud explosion. Boom boom boom! Gen¡¯s hand at his chin slipped in shock. He got up from his desk and hurried to the window. What the¡­. He donned his coat and rushed out of his office. His agents quickly got into step with him. ¡°Mr. Gen,¡± said the agent, ¡°I have multiple messages that needs your urgent attention. This is from Marquis of Gravia.¡± He said shuffling the papers he had in his hands. ¡°This one is from Duke of Rhoden, this one from Earl of Huam¡ª¡± ¡°Just give them to me,¡± he reached for them and walked in a hurry. He looked at the messages one at a time: [What does the flame mean? Is it an alarm? ¨C Marquis of Gravia] [Is this a declaration of war against the nobles? ¨C Earl of Huam] [Please report ASAP which the family this signal belongs to ¨C Duke of Rhoden] ¡°Shit!¡± muttered Gen, ¡°The nobles are going crazy.¡± ¡°I will see the Duke and clarify,¡± he said to his agent, ¡°Wait for me.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± said the agent, ¡°But you must hurry. The messages are constantly arriving.¡± He gave a curt nod and walked to the door of Amethyst¡¯s bedroom. He knocked twice and pushed the door open for he had no time to dally. Nobody had the authority to open and enter a lady¡¯s room without her explicit permission, but Gen was not there for formalities. This was a situation of great urgency. He saw the Duke¡¯s silhouette at the balcony, so he headed that way. ¡°Your Excellency!¡± Gen addressed him with alarm. ¡°What?¡± asked Alexcent, looking annoyed at the interruption. Gen seemed taken aback at his indifference. ¡°It¡¯s chaos,¡± he said hurriedly, ¡°The nobles are frantic because of that signal. Why did you use your attack magic as though it was an alarm for an imminent war?¡± Gen noticed, only after a moment, that Amethyst was standing by Alexcent¡¯s side. He faltered. ¡°Did you just¡­,¡± he muttered exasperated. ¡°Which family is it this time?¡± ¡°None,¡± he said, calmly. ¡°Then is this supposed to be a warning for something or someone?¡± Gen asked, taking an effort to get to the bottom of this without losing his head. ¡°No,¡± he said, curtly. Gen felt his blood boiling at his short answers. His master acted as though nothing was amiss. ¡°Well, what the hell was that magic for then?¡± he asked sharply. ¡°Oh,¡± Alexcent said, turning to look at Amethyst, smiling, ¡°I wanted to show her.¡± Gen was so flabbergasted that he laughed as if his words were so absurd to hear. ¡°Just because she wants to see some flames,¡± he said through gritted teeth, ¡°You use your attack magic?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°Alexcent, are you drunk?¡± Gen asked with brows furrowed. ¡°No,¡± he replied briskly. ¡°Then, pray tell me, is there something wrong with your head today?¡± Gen asked mockingly. ¡°No, I am fine,¡± he said. No, I am fine, lingered in his ears and echoed to the deep part of his mind and his anger flared. ¡°What in hell is wrong with you?!¡± exclaimed Gen, ¡°Are you out of your mind? Using your attack magic so lightly! Telegrams are coming from every corner of the kingdom, messages flooding in.¡± He turned to him. ¡°Tell me, what are you going to tell the nobles? If you don¡¯t prepare a decent response, they are going to take this as a declaration of war! Who is this hellhole will believe you when you say you were putting on a little show for your wife? Tell me honestly, you are doing this to push me to the brink, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I am not, Gen¡­,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Then what are you going to tell the nobles?¡± Gen asked vehemently. ¡°The Duke of Rhoden was asking which family the signal belongs to!¡± Amethyst stepped forward. ¡°Why would anyone blame the Duke for ¡®putting on a show¡¯ for his wife?¡± she asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you overreacting? It was just fireworks.¡± ¡°Me? I am overreacting?¡± retorted Gen, ¡°Here, read these telegrams and tell me again if I am overreacting, my lady.¡± He pushed the telegrams in Amethyst¡¯s hands. ¡°And please get it in your vain little head that these aren¡¯t just fireworks conjured for a little show for his wife. When the Duke uses Attack magic, it is either a signal for imminent attack, or a declaration of war.¡± ¡°But how¡ª¡± Gen cut her off. ¡°Because the whole of the Empire made a pact to use such magic only in the face of war!¡± He snapped. ¡°What¡­,¡± mumbled Amethyst, shuffling through the telegrams. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Gen said viciously, ¡°Of course you didn¡¯t! Try to get out of your little bedroom and learn a thing or two, why don¡¯t you? The Empire is divided into nobles and royals. Skad family is part of royalty. After the Great War, His Excellency¡¯s attack magic was limited to be used in the face of war only. An agreement was made between the nobles and the royals. His Excellency here has violated that agreement today. All the other families of importance will naturally protest and rally their armies if a war is going to take place. This is a very serious situation, and you call it ¡®just fireworks¡¯! How ignorant!¡± ¡°What I mean is¡­ Can¡¯t you just inform them that it was an act of love. That he did it for his wife,¡± said Amethyst softly, ¡°That it didn¡¯t mean anything offensive!¡± ¡°Love?¡± retorted Gen, ¡°Who would believe that? Tell me, how does ¡®the Duke used his Attack Magic for love¡¯ sound to you? You think that would make a strong enough argument?¡± ¡°Well, that is the truth, isn¡¯t it?¡± Amethyst said. ¡°The truth?¡± said Gen, exasperated, ¡°You really think that?¡± ¡°I mean Alexcent loves me. I am his wife,¡± Amethyst turned to Alexcent for support. ¡°Do you expect me to believe that?¡± said Gen sharply. ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡± she asked helplessly. Alexcent scratched his head, thinking hard on what he should say, and if anything he said might be taken as a misunderstanding by both Gen and Amethyst. ¡°Ash, um,¡± he said, after a long while. ¡°What?!¡± Amethyst snapped at him. His silence was getting on her nerves. ¡°Gen knows,¡± he said, cautiously. ¡°What?¡± asked Amethyst, confused. ¡°He knows about our contract marriage,¡± he said. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 ¡°How?¡± she asked, glaring at him. It was supposed to be a secret between me and him, thought Amethyst, helplessly. Why didn¡¯t he tell me? ¡°Gen was the one who introduced you to me,¡± he said, ¡°He told me that you were the right person for it.¡± Amethyst was stunned. No wonder he came to me at the ball, she thought, He knew I would agree to it because Gen told him so. And here I was, blabbering about ¡®love¡¯. How stupid can I be? I wish I could punch him right in his head! ¡°I see,¡± said Amethyst, coldly. Gen shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he said, ¡°What matters now is how we reply to the nobles.¡± ¡°Well, Ash isn¡¯t wrong,¡± he said, ¡°Just tell them I was stupid and made some flares for the sake of romance, for my beloved wife. Everybody marries for love. They don¡¯t have to know the whole truth.¡± ¡°What?!¡± snapped Gen. ¡°And what if that doesn¡¯t work?¡± ¡°Then I guess it will be a time for real war,¡± he said, smirking. ¡°Your Excellency!¡± exclaimed Gen wanting to wipe the smirk off his face. Many thoughts raged in his head. If it came to war, they would possibly win. But war was still fruitless and bloody. Perhaps for now I will just say that the Duke was so in love with his wife that he did it as a display of affection and pray it sways them. Gen sighed and pinched the middle of his forehead in exasperation. ¡°Okay,¡± he said, ¡°I will send the telegrams explaining the situation. I will also inform the newspapers on it. I will drop by at the palace and clarify the situation.¡± ¡°Yes, please do,¡± he said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Gen turned to leave. ¡°I will leave you two to it then.¡± ¡°Gen,¡± called Alexcent. He turned. ¡°No forgiveness next time.¡± Gen bowed. ¡°Understood, Sir.¡± He left the room to prepare telegrams to be sent. Amethyst was confused about Alexcent¡¯s last words, then she remembered that it was a warning to Gen for entering her bedroom without her permission. Well, that wasn¡¯t going to sway her from the things he had clearly hidden from her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?!¡± she snapped. ¡°About what?¡± Alexcent asked, appearing sheepish. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you don¡¯t know,¡± she said, ¡°Gen knows about the contract. And I made a fool of myself thinking he didn¡¯t. And about the attack magic.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t ask,¡± replied Alexcent curtly. ¡°Oh, how convenient for you!¡± she shot back, ¡°Gen arranged everything for you, including me and you excuse yourself from the fact you didn¡¯t mention it to me because I didn¡¯t ask! Who else knows?¡± ¡°No one,¡± he said. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that a relief!¡± she said sarcastically and turned away from him. Aww, she is angry now, he thought. He approached her and wrapped her in his arms from behind, his chin above her head. ¡°I am sorry,¡± he said softly, ¡°Should I make a flower for you this time as a token of my apology?¡± ¡°Are those possible?¡± she said, excitedly and remembered that she was supposed to be angry at him. ¡°That still doesn¡¯t mean I am not angry at you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he said, ¡°anything is possible, if it is for you.¡± He flicked his fingers and fiery flowers lit up the sky. ¡°Do animals!¡± she yelped, ¡°Maybe a rabbit, or a lion.¡± He lit the sky with whatever she wanted to see. Amethyst cheered in his arms. There was distant voice shouting ¡®Your Excellency!¡¯, but soon it was buried by the explosion and cheers from Amethyst. Gen hurried over to the messengers after leaving Amethyst¡¯s chamber. He quickly wrote the responses and had the messengers carry it to the different estates. ¡°Please deliver them, respectfully,¡± he instructed them. Gen made his way to the carriage which was ready to take him to the palace. There were newer explosions lighting up the sky. ¡°Your Excellency! Please!¡± he shouted at the Duke and Amethyst who were still there at the balcony. Either they couldn¡¯t hear her, or they were pointedly ignoring her. Gen sighed. He entered the carriage and indicated for the driver to start. He will have to hurry. Everybody in the palace might be waiting for a clarification. * The next day, all the headlines in the newspapers jarringly announced that the Duke Skad had overnight become the kingdom¡¯s most romantic person. Gen sighed, relieved but still stressed over the events that led to this: [Duke Skad, creating the one and only serenade for his loved one! Embroidered the night sky for his beloved wife] [The absolute way how this man shows love. He will fight till the end for you!] [According to a close aide to the Duchess, the nights are all reserved for her husband¡­] [Quite an event in the middle of the night! Duke Skad turns out to be the biggest romantic.] [The cold-blooded Duke Skad, turns out to be the warmest lover to his wife] [Now call me the master of events! The Duchess¡¯s number one fan¡ª Duke Skad!] Chapter 90 Chapter 90 ¡°Pick it up,¡± instructed Alexcent. ¡°What?!¡± said Amethyst, trying to pick the mighty sword. ¡°Are you loose in the head? You can already see that I am trying and it¡¯s too heavy for me to pick up!¡± ¡°Just trust me and pick it up,¡± he said. Alexcent had dragged Amethyst from bed early the next morning for the supposed sword practice. She could barely pick it up, much less swing it. And, suspiciously, it seemed Alexcent was having too much fun seeing her struggle. She glared at him. Alexcent walked to her back and brought his hand on either side of her and gripped her hands which were on the sword. He frowned. ¡°Welcome your new master,¡± he murmured, as though he was casting a magic spell. The dark red jewel embedded in the pommel glowed and suddenly the sword in her hands was feather light. Surprised, Amethyst lifted the sword and swung it around, feeling as though the sword was made especially for her. ¡°How?¡± she asked him, astonished. ¡°Magic,¡± he said and winked. Amethyst rolled her eyes. She tried to swing and thrust with the sword. She quite liked the feel of it. ¡°I love this sword,¡± she said, ¡°It is so comfortable.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Since you have used it so long, it must be very strong as well,¡± she said. ¡°Yes, it might be,¡± he acknowledged. ¡°You can have it.¡± ¡°What? No,¡± she said hurriedly, ¡°But it¡¯s your sword, you had it for the longest time. What will you use?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a sword,¡± he said, ¡°I will have another made for me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± she said, ¡°I had one made for myself. It will arrive soon anyway.¡± ¡°That will be no more useful than a toy,¡± he said. ¡°How dare you?¡± she said jokingly, ¡°The weapon seller said he would put in a strong mana stone for me and imbue the steel with magic.¡± ¡°Really?¡± he asked, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Yes, and I will be mighty with it,¡± she said. ¡°But I will love it if you just use this sword instead,¡± he insisted. ¡°Well, I could borrow it till mine arrives, if you insist,¡± she said. ¡°Just keep it,¡± he said, ¡°Two swords are always better than one.¡± She looked at the sword carefully. The sword would indeed be better if it was handled by the mighty Alec himself, it even had a beautiful jewel! But she could hardly travel with a sword as important as this. ¡°Shall we get started?¡± he asked. His words broke her train of thoughts and she nodded seriously. ¡°It is important to be able to handle a sword skillfully, but more important than that is to spot the weakness of your enemy,¡± he said, ¡°So your lesson will focus more on that.¡± ¡°Weakness?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, ¡°Everyone has a weakness. If you spot that then you have the upper hand in the fight. If not, you will be the one who gets hurt.¡± ¡°But if I am very skilled in swordsmanship, do I really have to worry about their weakness?¡± she asked, ¡°I can just focus on doing the most damage or deflecting the blows.¡± ¡°Might be,¡± he said, patiently, ¡°But you can only last so much in a fight. When you tire, you will lose. You might have less physical strength than the other person, but if the other person is burly, they are bound to be slow. That would be their weakness that you can use to your advantage.¡± ¡°One could build one¡¯s stamina,¡± she suggested. ¡°True,¡± he said, ¡°But Ash, this isn¡¯t like sparring. When sparring, no one is trying to fatally hurt the other. But in a fight, the other party seeks to harm you. Your stamina and your strength can only protect you so long. You need to be able to spot their weakness and defeat them.¡± Amethyst nodded. ¡°So how do we find out the weakness of an opponent?¡± ¡°You have to keep a close eye on them,¡± he said. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s obvious,¡± she said, ¡°And then what?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s it, isn¡¯t it?¡± he said. Amethyst tried to figure out whether he was mocking her. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°I mean when you look at them,¡± he said, ¡°it¡¯s clear, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± she exclaimed, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you look at a person and detect their weakness at just one glance.¡± ¡°Well, yes,¡± he said, as surprised as her. ¡°It must be a skill that only you have,¡± she said. ¡°I think anyone is capable of doing that,¡± he said, eyebrows furrowed. ¡°No, Alec,¡± she said, ¡°It¡¯s not something everyone can do.¡± ¡°Then how do people fight?¡± he asked, confused, ¡°Wait. Is that why people are so weak when they fight me?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me?!¡± exclaimed Amethyst, ¡°I hardly know anything about fighting.¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t understand,¡± he said, genuinely confused. Amethyst scoffed. ¡°Show off,¡± she said. ¡°I thought everyone fought that way¡­,¡± said Alexcent mumbling to himself, ¡°Wait, what did you call me?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± said Amethyst hastily, ¡°So, you see your opponent¡¯s weakness at just a glance?¡± ¡°Seems to be,¡± he said. Amethyst jutted out her chin and stood defiantly. ¡°If you are so confident,¡± she said, ¡°Tell me, what is my weakness?¡± Alexcent narrowed his eyes. ¡°Well,¡± he said, ¡°To put it bluntly, your weakness is this.¡± He wrapped his arms around her waist, tilted her head up and placed a kiss on her lips. Amethyst¡¯s mouth parted a little and his tongue found hers. He pulled her closer to him and deepened the kiss. Instantly, Amethyst¡¯s thoughts scattered. She felt weak in her knees. His kisses always undid her. She vaguely heard her sword drop from her hands as she wrapped them around his neck and pulled him closer. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 91 Chapter 91 ¨C Two Rascals ¡°Well, isn¡¯t today another amazing day¡­¡± ¡°You bet so¡­¡± A few feet away, Leyrian and Buer were hiding from sight, watching Alexcent and Amethyst at their supposed ¡®sword practice¡¯. ¡°By the way, when do you think those two will be over?¡± Leyrian said as they watched the couple wrapped in each other¡¯s arms. ¡°Hopefully soon.¡± ¡°Not by the looks of it. Shall we make a bet?¡± ¡°On what?¡± ¡°Whether it will be over soon or not.¡± At Leyrian¡¯s words, Buer thought for a moment and said, ¡°Then I bet it won¡¯t end at all.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t an option like that!¡± Instead of answering, Buer hit Leyrian on the chest with his elbow, jokingly. * ¡°Hm¡­Alec,¡± she said between kisses. ¡°You should be teaching me.¡± Alexcent pulled away. ¡°Tell me,¡± he said softly, ¡°Why are you so eager to learn swordsmanship and shooting?¡± ¡°Because in a year, or maybe a few months, I will no longer be the Duchess,¡± she said feeling drunk on his kiss that she had said aloud what was only in her thoughts. ¡°What do you mean?¡± said Alexcent sharply. His steely voice brought her back to attention. ¡°What do I mean?¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Alexcent, we are under a contract marriage. When the contract is over, I will no longer be a Duchess. I need to learn to protect myself! I can¡¯t spend my life depending on others for safety.¡± ¡°I see,¡± he said bitterly. Then he went silent. It was true, but truth can be difficult to digest. Well, it¡¯s out in the open now, thought Amethyst, trying to gauge Alexcent¡¯s reaction. He seemed distant and aloof. She had expected this to develop into a scene but seeing Alexcent taking the news so silently unsettled her. ¡°Well,¡± he said after a long silence, ¡°That¡¯s it for today¡¯s lesson.¡± He turned and walked away. Amethyst lifted the sword that had fallen to the ground. ¡°Alec!¡± she called. He turned and their eyes met for a brief moment. ¡°Your sword,¡± she said holding it forward. ¡°I told you,¡± he said in a steely tone, ¡°You can keep it.¡± He then left the field. * Amethyst spent the afternoon resting in her bedroom. She lay down and tried to make herself not think too much on the coldness in Alexcent¡¯s tone when she had told him about her reasons for her eagerness to learn swordsmanship and shooting. His cold tone of voice pierced at her heart. No matter what she did, it bothered her. Her mind was in a state of disarray. What is up with him? She wondered. Usually, the heroine in the novels moved to the next level when they died or went into another body. She had thought she was trapped in space and would someday be able to go back. She also pondered if she went back, would she appear at the same moment she had disappeared from another world? She wanted to live a free life. She was so sure that it was only a matter of time till she could go back. So, she had agreed to Alexcent¡¯s conditional proposal, despite not wanting to marry. He knows about the one-year deadline, so why does he have to act so bitter? She sighed and traced the embroidery across her blanket. I can¡¯t take this anymore! Maybe if I move a bit, or do something, it will help me calm down. Alec does have a knack for making people nervous and disturbed! She got up from the bed and changed into something comfortable. She picked Alexcent¡¯s sword and headed outside. She walked to the field. She could see that the training was over and only a few knights were loitering in the field. Leyrian noticed Amethyst walking towards the field with sword in hand. He approached her. ¡°Forgive me, Ma¡¯am, but why are you here at this hour,¡± he said, ¡°Didn¡¯t the training end this morning?¡± ¡°Oh, I am just here to practice what I learnt today,¡± said Amethyst, then frowned, ¡°Wait, how do you know I was training this morning?¡± ¡°Well, I had heard that you always train in the morning with his Lordship,¡± he said hurriedly. ¡°I, too, train in the mornings.¡± But Amethyst saw his nervous reaction and sort of guessed what was happening. ¡°That early?¡± she asked, narrowing her eyes. Buer approached her too, sweating after his training. ¡°I see,¡± she said, ¡°And I would be right in assuming Sir Buer would have been present too?¡± They both looked guilty as sin. ¡°Madam,¡± he said apologetically, ¡°We didn¡¯t mean to peek.¡± ¡°Peek?!¡± asked Amethyst, aghast, ¡°What did you see? ¡°We are so sorry, Madam,¡± said Leyrian. The way they looked, Amethyst could have forgiven them until she noticed Buer elbowing Leyrian on the ribs. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 ¨C A Rare Weapon Well, what can I do? They have already seen us. And technically, it is not their fault, not mine either. It¡¯s Alec¡¯s fault, wooing me every chance he gets! Amethyst thought. ¡°It is not proper to peek,¡± she said to them, ¡°But it¡¯s alright if you didn¡¯t mean it deliberately.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Madam,¡± said Leyrian, ¡°Ever so grateful!¡± ¡°Do you really feel grateful?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Of course, Madam,¡± said Buer. ¡°Then as a token of your gratitude,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Teach me how to use the sword.¡± ¡°What?!¡± exclaimed Leyrian, ¡°But that¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Fine then,¡± interrupted Amethyst, ¡°I will just tell Alec about you two sneaking about and watching us practice in the morning.¡± ¡°No, please!¡± said Buer, positively horrified. Leyrian seemed very displeased and trapped. If Alexcent found out about his knights peeking at the Duchess and himself ¡®practicing¡¯ their swords in the morning, the Duke will surely have their heads for it. ¡°I will teach you the basic posture and position,¡± obliged Leyrian, reluctantly. ¡°Thank you!¡± said Amethyst and lifted her sword. Buer gasped. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Duke¡¯s sword?¡± he asked. ¡°Well, yes,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°How were you able to get that precious thing?¡± asked Buer aghast. ¡°Precious?¡± asked Amethyst confused. Alexcent had given it to her saying it was ¡®just a sword¡¯. ¡°Yes!¡± said Buer, ¡°There is only one sword like that in the entire world, and at the moment it is in your hands. It is very rare, this sword.¡± ¡°Only one?¡± asked Amethyst, surprised. ¡°Yes,¡± said Buer, ¡°Forgive me, Madam. But can I hold it for a second?¡± Amethyst placed the sword in his outstretched hand. He lifted it and swung it once. ¡°Do you see the dark red jewel here?¡± he asked, indicating the jewel on the pommel, as he handed the sword back to her, reverently. ¡°The jewel was supposedly held by the goddess herself when she descended to the earth. It is called the soulstone.¡± ¡°The soulstone?¡± she asked. Buer nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± he continued, ¡°It had great mana, incomparable to anything in the world. The sword is just like any other sword. But the gem gives it its power. It is almost a living being.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why Alec¡­,¡± she trailed off. ¡°Sorry,¡± said Buer, ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Alec murmured something to it, and it became very light for me to lift and swing with it,¡± she said recalling the incident. ¡°That¡¯s only the surface of what the sword can do,¡± Buer explained, ¡°But the Duke had never allowed near the sword, much less touch it.¡± He looked at Amethyst. ¡°He let me borrow it until mine arrives,¡± she said. Alec had so nonchalantly given it to me, Amethyst thought, what¡¯s he playing at, giving something as powerful and rare to me like a toy he couldn¡¯t care less about? ¡°I see,¡± said Buer, ¡°Well the Duke is very skilled. He can wield any sword powerfully, whether magical or ordinary.¡± ¡°Is he that good as swords?¡± she asked. ¡°He is extraordinary,¡± Buer said, excitedly, ¡°You should see him in a battle. He gauges the opponent¡¯s weakness at a glance. None can stand against him. The knights adore him.¡± ¡°Buer!¡± thundered Leyrian startling both Buer and Amethyst. ¡°Madam, please don¡¯t take his words to heart, Buer only means respect.¡± Amethyst found Leyrian¡¯s outburst strange. Of course, Buer meant respect. He was practically drooling at the sword and Alexcent¡¯s fighting abilities. What else would it mean? Anyway, I will return Alec¡¯s sword once mine arrives, thought Amethyst, I can¡¯t possibly take this precious and rare thing. Leyrian walked to her and began instructing her on the posture and holding the sword and swinging it in a way that it could do most damage. * ¡°Mr. Pon,¡± Gen called, as he saw him walking through the hallway, ¡°I was just coming to visit you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± asked Pon. ¡°Yes,¡± said Gen, ¡°This is the document for extra budget for the upcoming festival. Can you kindly pass it to the Duchess, please?¡± ¡°To the Duchess?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s her responsibility to greet the guests at the annual festival, she will need the extra budget to prepare for things.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± said Pon, but didn¡¯t take the document. He looked reluctant. He thought that if the Duchess put off her work, and it was a big festival, it would fall on him. Which would be too much work in addition to the work he was bogged down with. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Gen, ¡°I remember you saying that she was very good at handling budgets. Is there a problem?¡± Gen had heard Pon commending the Duchess on her skills on handling the account book and cutting down on unnecessary expenses. She had hoped that she could slip this work to the Duchess so that she could get on with her other works. In the past, she had handled everything. But now, since the Duchess¡¯ position was no longer empty and she had been hearing of her capabilities, Gen thought it would be apt to let the Duchess handle the budget for the festival. ¡°None at all,¡± stammered Pon, ¡°I will pass it on.¡± He took the document from Gen who then bid him goodbye and walked to his office. Pon made his way to Amethyst. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 ¨C Duties of a Duchess It was a sunny day, serene and peaceful. But Amethyst felt far from it. After the incident at the training, things were a bit awkward between her and Alexcent. It wasn¡¯t very obvious though that might be because she barely met him. She vaguely remembered in her drowsy state from sleep that Alexcent came to her night late in night. Then she fell asleep. She hadn¡¯t met him in the morning again. Amethyst sat at a dainty table at the garden, drinking tea. She saw Pon walking towards her. ¡°Pon!¡± she called, ¡°Just in time. I wanted to ask you something.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± he said, ¡°Pease go ahead.¡± ¡°Is your original name really Pon?¡± she asked, distracted. ¡°No, Ma¡¯am,¡± he said, ¡°My full name is actually Forte.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Why does everyone has such short names here? I notice that everyone¡¯s name is cut short. Is there a reason for it?¡± ¡°Well, His Excellency had it shortened while addressing,¡± said Pon, ¡°Since the names are long and time-consuming.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± said Amethyst, thinking, ¡°Does that include Gen and Hill, and everyone else?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± he said. ¡°Then by any chance, does Alec call the Empress¡­ Bell?¡± she asked, excited. Although, she didn¡¯t recall Alec ever calling the Empress ¡®Bell¡¯. ¡°I am afraid not,¡± he said, ¡°It would see rude to call the Empress in such a manner.¡± Pon hesitated. ¡°But when His Excellency was younger, he would address the Empress as ¡®Hey¡¯¡± Amethyst laughed. It was strange to think of Alec, young and na?ve, calling his sister ¡®Hey¡¯. Their conversation was halted by the brisk arrival of the servant, Lunia, ¡°Madam,¡± she addressed Amethyst. ¡°Lunia,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Would you like a cup of tea?¡± ¡°No, Madam,¡± said Lunia, looking Solemn. ¡°I am a little worried about Roman.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked. ¡°I think she is having trouble managing the separate house,¡± said Lunia. ¡°In what manner?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°The employees there tend to underestimate her as the manager, since she formerly worked there as a maid,¡± she said, ¡°She seems to be having a hard time controlling the workers.¡± ¡°When Dajal was in charge, he ruled with an iron fist,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Nobody dared disobey.¡± ¡°Dajal used violence, he abused the workers,¡± said Amethyst firmly. ¡°I think more discipline is needed,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Work isn¡¯t getting completed because Roman¡¯s authority is being undermined. Time is running out to prepare for the annual festival.¡± ¡°Annual Festival?¡± asked Amethyst. Pon chose this moment to speak up, as though he had been waiting for a chance. ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± said Pon,¡± There will be an annual festival soon enough. It is the reason I came to visit you. This is the extra budget added for the annual festival.¡± He handed her the document. Amethyst took the document and looked at it. ¡°What is the Annual Festival?¡± she asked. Pon began to talk in detail. ¡°The Empire¡¯s parliament this year will soon be over. During the three months of the Congress¡¯s reopening, aristocratic households are holding a meeting to gather their heritages. That¡¯s the annual festival.¡± ¡°A meeting?¡± ¡°Yes, until a new parliament is launched, indirect and direct heritage of the family will gather to discuss about next year¡¯s budget, taxes to collect, new projects to close, and will come to a consensus to submit them to the parliament next year. That¡¯s how Congress restarts, discussing approval and distribution of subsidies for new projects, conducting audits on projects that ended, and discussing national events. Before the new parliament begins, the annual festival is needed for the aristocratic families to consult and receive the budget for next year. And the indirect heritage families will soon be arriving to participate in the annual festival.¡± ¡°And how long does this festival last?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡± It lasts about a month.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°And greeting the guests is the responsibility of the Duchess,¡± said Pon, ¡°Which falls on you.¡± Amethyst nodded. The Annual Festival is a big fancy family reunion of a sort, then. All the skad family or relatives will be gathered, she thought, damn it, I guess being a Duchess has its disadvantages. I hate family reunions. Amethyst also knew that that there were unfair expectations and responsibilities especially placed on women. The tables were prepared for a meal. The men in the family ate first, then the children and lastly, the women. Which was very unfair. Sitting at a table eating the cold leftovers. She wasn¡¯t really looking forward to it. The chores would be never-ending. Preparing food, setting the table, washing the dishes. Well, she deserved a rest before she dived into the work. And no matter how devotedly she accomplished it, a slight dissatisfaction would always be followed by nagging of ¡®insincerity¡¯ or being not very genuine for the families¡¯ presence. Sigh. Maybe the Skad family reunion will be different, she hoped, maybe it won¡¯t be as brutal and ruthless as what I went through. Or maybe they are petty. What if I prepare it extravagantly and they blame me for being wasteful, or if I am a little resourceful, then they will blame me for not upholding the glory of the family. This is terrifying! ¡°Then prepare the festival same as last year,¡± suggested Amethyst. ¡°What?¡± said Pon, shocked, ¡°But this is your first time introducing yourself to the family¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure nothing I do will be enough,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°So it is better to just stick to whatever had been going on in these festivals. I also need to figure out this festival before I begin to prepare for it. So please prepare this year¡¯s festival the same as last year. I will gather enough information to think of something for next year.¡± ¡°Really¡­would that be all right?¡± Pon asked. ¡°Yes,¡± said Amethyst firmly, ¡°So please do as I say.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Chapter 94 Chapter 94 ¨C A Little Game Pon seemed to want to say something but caught himself in the middle of it and thought better. Amethyst, on her part, wanted to ask more about the event but chose not to dwell too much on it. ¡°By the way, how many families are attending this time?¡± asked Amethyst, nonchalantly. ¡°There are seven families, including three Nobles,¡± said Pon. ¡°Just seven?¡± she muttered. She thought the number of families seemed very little compared to the size of the festival this was going to be. ¡°After your Excellency inherited the Duke of Skad, he excommunicated many families, and now there are only seven left,¡± responded Pon, attentively, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that there were more families in the past.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll post the information on each family in a separate document,¡± he said, ¡°It might be helpful if you read it in the meantime.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, thank you,¡± she said, gratefully, ¡°And¡­ Lunia?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± asked Lunia. ¡°I have to prepare for the annual festival¡­,¡± she said, ¡°You said the workers aren¡¯t obeying, did you?¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Punishing and using a stick might be faster¡­but I¡¯d rather use the carrot.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you know¡­ a compliment sticker board?¡± ¡°Compliment¡­ stickers?¡± ¡°Haha, I guess you don¡¯t know,¡± she said, ¡°Pon, can you lend me some paper and pen?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± said Pon, handing her a paper and a pen. Amethyst explained as well as she could by drawing on the paper to make it clearer. ¡°I¡¯m going to make a three-line table for each of the five spaces and stamp on it once a maid has done their work accurately and quickly,¡± she said. ¡°If they can collect these stamps five times, they will get a reward¡­.¡± What would be good for a reward? Amethyst thought. Perhaps money! ¡°If they collect it five times, they will get a 10 percent bonus,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°and the whole procedure will be repeated¡­ once they reach to 10 times they can go on paid day vacation. If they do it 20 times, they get a 20 percent raise in their salary. There is no harm in trying. If this doesn¡¯t work, we will find some other way.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± said Lunia. ¡°Pon, make a compliment sticker board for all the maids and distribute it,¡± she instructed, ¡°And let¡¯s have Roman handle the stamps. It might be confusing at first but once one or two manage to receive the reward, others will follow.¡± ¡°I think this is a great idea!¡± said Pon. ¡°And¡­I¡¯ll stamp Lunia and Pon myself!¡± declared Amethyst. ¡°What? Us too?¡± asked Lunia. ¡°Of course! We can¡¯t have one rule for a group of workers and another for someone else,¡± she said. ¡°It won¡¯t be fair. You guys can¡¯t get stamps and stickers from Roman. Distribute the tables to Gen as well as the knights and all the employees who work for the Duke.¡± ¡°Haha, it¡¯s like a surprise event,¡± said Pon, excited. ¡°It¡¯s meaningful if we all enjoy it together,¡± said Lunia. Pon, the efficient butler that he was, made it happen in the blink of an eye. He handed out the compliment board into a card and distributed it with the Duke¡¯s seal engraved on each and every one of them. The confirmation stamps were delivered to Amethyst and Roman, who would be the ones stamping on the boards depending the efficiency of the ones working under them. Ponwas the first person to receive a complimentary stamp on his sticker board. ¡°Great! I am very proud of your efficiency Pon,¡± she said. ¡°You even have delivered the stamps!¡± ¡°It was no problem, Ma¡¯am,¡± he said. ¡°Then please give me your compliment board, please,¡± she said. ¡°What? Mine?¡± asked Pon, surprised. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, stamping his sticker board. ¡°It¡¯s a job well done, and you deserve this.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ma¡¯am,¡± he said, looking at his first stamp on the board with a certain sense of pride. He had always been efficient but no matter how silly this idea was, it made him feel seen. It made him feel validated. ¡°I will work harder, Ma¡¯am,¡± he said, smiling in joy. * The compliment stickers or stamps were all the rage in the household. Anyone who worked for the Duke were seen conversing and inquiring about how many stamps they had received. ¡°How many did you get?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be getting a bonus now if I get one more!¡± ¡°Lucky you! I still need two more.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s finish these chores and get a stamp from Roman!¡± ¡°Yes! You have to hurry, in order to get a stamp.¡± The workers under Roman were no longer in mutiny. The first thing they did was check the number of stamps they needed to receive in order to get a bonus. They worked harder than before. Meanwhile, the knights weren¡¯t immune to the charm to the sticker board as well. They were excited about this change, as silly as it was. ¡°Leyrian, don¡¯t forget it¡¯s my turn to teach the Duchess¡¯s!¡± ¡°Sir Buer, it¡¯s up to her to make the choice who is going to be her teacher. I can¡¯t help it if she chooses me.¡± ¡°You said you already have four stamps! I only have one. Make a concession!¡± ¡°No! Collecting one more means a bonus!¡± ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you greedy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not being greedy! It¡¯s survival,¡± said Leyrian, winking. The two knights¡¯ bickering was interrupted by Sir Marcua. ¡°Both of you, shut up,¡± he said, ¡°I should be the Knight to look over Madam today. You both promised last time¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re out of this, Marcua!¡± protested Buer. ¡°Yeah!¡± echoed Sir Leyrian. ¡°You both are evil. Plain evil,¡± said Sir Marcua. The voices of the knights echoed across the field. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 95 Chapter 95 ¨C Where Is Mine It didn¡¯t take Alexcent long to notice the enthusiasm and excitement flowing in his household. He wasn¡¯t immune to it, just like Pon, Gen and Lunia. Gen and Pon, at the moment were waiting in the Duke¡¯s office to provide a business report to the Duke. ¡°Gen, how many did you get?¡± asked Pon. ¡°I got one today,¡± Gen said, ¡°What about you? ¡°I have already completed the first five and got myself a bonus,¡± said Pon, proudly. ¡°Ugh, is it necessary to gloat?¡± said Gen, ¡°I need to get a chance to meet the Duchess to even get the stamps. It¡¯s unfair to me, I never see her as much as you.¡± ¡°I am not gloating,¡± Pon said, ¡°But it¡¯s nice to receive such praise and compliment. I thought it was silly and I was too old for this. But it feels very strange and pleasant.¡± ¡°Ugh, stop bragging, will you?¡± said Gen. He thought it was true though. When he first received the compliment board, he was indifferent to it. He though it was foolish to be treated like a child. But when he came across Amethyst in the hallway, she had praised him for his hard work and stamped his board. It had made him feel strangely happy. It had made him feel seen and appreciated. Now, it was all he could focus on. It also made him less grumpy these days. Amidst their talk, the door to the office opened and Alexcent walked in. ¡°What¡¯s all the fuss?¡± he asked. After what happened in the training field with Amethyst, he had been in a very bad mood. ¡°Ah, nothing, Your Excellency,¡± said Pon, hurriedly. ¡°So, what¡¯s in today¡¯s report?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°Nothing special,¡± replied Gen, ¡°Almost the end of Congress, so everyone has been quiet.¡± ¡°Clearly not everyone,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°What¡¯s all this fuss in the household? It annoying. The whispers are never-ending. What in the world has happened that had made everyone so excited?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­,¡± said Pon, and looked at Gen, uncertainly. ¡°That¡¯s because¡­ the Duchess has held an event to boost employee morale.¡± ¡°What sort of event?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°Yes,¡± continued Pon, ¡°It¡¯s a complimentary stamp system. If you do your job well, you receive a stamp. If you receive five stamps, you get a reward.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°a reward?¡± ¡°The first five stamps mean a 10 percent bonus,¡± said Pon, ¡°Ten stamps mean a one-day paid vacation leave and so on.¡± ¡°Ah, so this is what the fuss is about,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Everybody in the household is participating, Your Excellency,¡± said Pon. ¡°Everyone? Even you?¡± asked Alexcent, surprised. ¡°Yes,¡± said Pon, ¡°Me, Gen, Lunia, everyone.¡± Gen gaped, shocked from having his name mentioned in something so petty of a game. ¡°Even Gen, huh?¡± asked Alexcent, eyebrows raised. Gen broke into a cold sweat hearing his name uttered. ¡°Your Excellency, I only received one stamp so far!¡± he said, hurriedly, ¡°Pon had already received a bonus and he is waiting for one more stamp to be off on a vacation.¡± ¡°Mr. Gen!¡± exclaimed Pon, wide eyed. ¡°Give it to me,¡± said Alexcent, frowning. ¡°Sorry?¡± stammered Pon. ¡°Why?¡± asked Gen, at the same time. They both looked at each other nervously. They had no intention of losing their cards, they still had many more stamps to receive! ¡°Give me that complimentary card or whatever you call it,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°No!¡± exclaimed Pon. Gen gaped at Pon¡¯s boldness. ¡°Why not?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°Because I need to receive just one more for a vacation,¡± said Pon, miserably. ¡°So, I can¡¯t take yours and use it?¡± asked Alexcent. Pon realized, with some surprise, that the Duke wanted one for his own, to earn the stickers. ¡°It does not work that way,¡± he said, as he reluctantly took out his compliment board from his pocket and held it out to Alexcent. ¡°It¡¯s specifically designed, and you put your name on it,¡± said Pon. He seemed to have taken very good care of the card as it was still new and shiny after being stamped nine times. The card was filled with ¡®you did a great job¡¯ stamps. ¡°Oh,¡± murmured Alexcent, ¡°Where¡¯s mine¡­¡± Pon let out a sigh of relief as he was dismissed from the office. Fortunately, the Duke wasn¡¯t very inclined on taking away his card, so he had it back. He felt bad for Gen who was still stuck in the office with the Duke. Well, there was nothing he could do about it. And Gen had betrayed him inside. Let him suffer a little, thought Pon with glee. * It was a very strange day. Leyrian stopped Amethyst before she left the field after sword practice. ¡°Excuse me, Madam,¡± he called. ¡°Yes?¡± responded Amethyst. ¡°Uh¡­ I just wanted to say¡­ the Duke,¡± stammered Leyrian, ¡°You did very well today, I just wanted to say that.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Sir Leyrian,¡± said Amethyst, gratefully, ¡°You are a good teacher.¡± As Amethyst entered the household, she came across Gen in the hallway. ¡°Gen!¡± she called. ¡°Hello, Madam,¡± said Gen, cheerfully, ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you in a long while.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you too, Gen,¡± she said, ¡°You look tired. Seems you have been having it tough.¡± ¡°Do I look that bad already?¡± laughed Gen. ¡°Take it easy, Gen!¡± she said, ¡°You need to take care of your health.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± he said, ¡°Thank you. I will. But¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± said Amethyst, urging Gen. ¡°The thing is, um,¡± said Gen, ¡°Never mind. If you will excuse me¡­.¡± Gen walked away. Amethyst was confused. Clearly, Gen had something to say but thought better of it. Leyrian had been the same as well. I wonder what is wrong, she thought as she made her way back to her bedroom. Back in her bedroom, Lunia greeted her. ¡°Madam,¡± she said, ¡°How was training today?¡± ¡°Ah, Lunia,¡± she said, ¡°Thank you for asking. It was the same old. Posture correction again.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± said Lunia. ¡°But why have you been waiting for me,¡± she asked, ¡°Is something the matter?¡± ¡°Well¡­,¡± trailed off Lunia. ¡°Everyone is being weird today,¡± she said, ¡°So many people have approached me as though they have something to say, and then they falter and change the topic of conversation.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± said Lunia, hesitantly, ¡°Everyone?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said, ¡°I can sense that they have a request, but they can¡¯t say it. I didn¡¯t press them thinking it might be a difficult request that they are having a hard time asking for.¡± Lunia realized that she wasn¡¯t the only one afraid of the wrath of the Duke, many, apparently, were dealing with the same thing and trying to convey it to the Duchess. There was a knock on the bedroom door. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 ¨C Special Rewards (1) ¡°Come in,¡± said Amethyst. Pon opened the door and made his way into the room. Pon never came to her room, not unless something is urgent. It made Amethyst worried. I have a bad feeling about this, she thought, everyone has been acting weird today. I knew something was wrong! ¡°Pon, is something amiss?¡± she asked him. ¡°Madam,¡± said Pon, gravely, ¡°I need to talk about something.¡± ¡°What is wrong?¡± asked Amethyst, worried at his grim expression. ¡°Forgive me, Madam,¡± said Pon, ¡°But why didn¡¯t you make a sticker board for the Duke as well?¡± ¡°What?!¡± asked Amethyst, confused. ¡°The Duke?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± he said, ¡°At this rate, he might end up killing everybody.¡± ¡°Why would Alec need a compliment board?¡± asked Amethyst, incredulously, ¡°He is the ultimate authority.¡± ¡°Well, if he had one as well,¡± added Lunia, timidly, ¡°He would scare us a little bit less.¡± ¡°Scare you?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Pon and Lunia frowned. It seemed both of them didn¡¯t want to talk about whatever has happened. ¡°And why in the world would he need a compliment board though?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°I mean it¡¯s not like he can be given a bonus, or a vacation.¡± ¡°Well¡­,¡± said Pon, ¡°maybe the reward can be something different for the Duke.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± said Lunia and clasped Amethyst¡¯ hand tightly. ¡°Please allocate the Duke a compliment board as well.¡± Amethyst looked at them, stunned. Is this what everyone was trying to tell me? Gen, Leyrian and the others, thought Amethyst. Alec wanted a compliment board too? Why would he want the stamps? And what would he even do with them anyway? What am I supposed to give as a reward to someone who has everything? Amethyst thought. However, Lunia and Pon had looked positively distressed. She couldn¡¯t ignore their requests. ¡°Okay,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I will think of something.¡± Pon and Lunia looked relieved. At that moment, Roman arrived in the room. ¡°Madam!¡± she called. ¡°Roman,¡± Amethyst said, ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°Oh, thank the gods, you are all here,¡± said Roman. She greeted Pon and Lunia too. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it is something I did. I might have made a mistake,¡± she said hurriedly, ¡°I thought of everything, but I don¡¯t know where I went wrong. Forgive me for intruding, but I need to ask you if I did anything that is not up to the expectation.¡± ¡°Roman,¡± Amethyst asked gently, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What mistake did you make?¡± ¡°That is what I am here to ask you,¡± said Roman, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°But you are doing great!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Lunia told me about your accomplishment in your work. It is highly commendable.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± assured Amethyst. ¡°Then why did the Duke visit the establishment with a very scary face?¡± asked Roman. ¡°What? Alec visited?¡± asked Amethyst, surprised. ¡°Yes, he came in person,¡± said Roman, visibly terrified, ¡°He looked around. I thought maybe I had made a big mistake because the Duke has never visited the place before.¡± Everyone was terrified of Alec and his unpredictable new behavior. Pon, Lunis, Leyrian, Gen, and now¡­ Roman. Pon nodded with understanding and handed Amethyst a blank and new compliment board. ¡°I had it made,¡± said Pon, ¡°It¡¯s blank. Maybe you can fill it in.¡± ¡°Did you have it prepared in advance?¡± asked Amethyst. How terrified were they? Pon nodded. He, along with Lunia and Roman left the room with a pleading look at Amethyst. She looked at the compliment board in her hands. For others, there was reward of bonus and vacation and such. Wat could she put in the reward section for Alexcent? First reward column, she wrote ¡®A massage¡¯. What should I put for the second one? Amethyst wondered. A kiss? ¡°I must be crazy,¡± she muttered. Last time when I went to the front door to meet him after work, he seemed to love it. In the second reward column, she wrote ¡®Welcoming at the front door¡¯. What should I put in the third column? She thought, Maybe a hug? Amethyst shook her head. In the third reward column she wrote ¡®Granting a small wish¡¯. Well, that seemed good enough. * Amethyst awoke and opened her eyes at the rustling somewhere near. A dark shadow lingered in front of her. ¡°Alec¡­,¡± she said. ¡°Why are you so late to come to sleep these days?¡¯ Instead of an answer, he caressed her head, fondly. Amethyst woke up fully and blinked her eyes to focus on him. ¡°I woke you,¡± he said softly. His low-pitched voice ringing in the silence felt gloomy. She wondered if his workload had become too heavy these days. ¡°Are you busy?¡± ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I heard the Congress will be over soon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡± ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± ¡°Yes, obviously.¡± Alexcent caressed her cheek. She felt his fingers on her cheek, warm and gentle. ¡°I have something for you,¡± she said, and reached under her pillow. She found the compliment board that she had filled with the reward prospects and gave it to him. ¡°For me?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, ¡°You don¡¯t need a bonus or a paid vacation, so there wasn¡¯t much I could give you.¡± Alexcent stared at the small compliment board. There were three columns for rewards that were newly filled: A massage. Welcoming at the front door. Granting a small wish. The rewards seemed too small for anybody else, but for Alexcent, it was the most precious thing he had ever received. His heart was filled with joy. He leaned down and kissed her on the lips. To his surprise, his wife pushed him down on the bed, her kisses becoming frantic. She bit his lower lip gently and invaded his mouth. Her hands slid inside his robe and found his skin. It seemed ages since she had been this close to Alexcent. Her hands trailed over his skin and stroked his stomach. She was particularly aggressive today. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 ¨C Special Rewards (2) | 18 He gasped. Amethyst kissed his neck and nibbled at his nape to which Alexcent let out a soft groan. She wanted him to want for more. She wanted him to feel what he always made her feel. She places kisses on his neck, then his collarbone, and down on his chest. He let out a choked breath. Amethyst was rather enjoying his every reaction, his every gasp of breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Alec,¡± she said, ¡°I can¡¯t match your usual rhythm today. ¡®m in a bit of a hurry over here.¡± Acknowledging the hint of a challenge in her voice, Alexcent grabbed her and swung her to lie below him, locking her in his arms. His lips on her lips, her neck, her chest. She could feel his heat. He pinned her to the bed and traced her with kisses. His fingers entered her soft place and she gasped. ¡°Mm¡­ Alec¡­,¡± she mumbled. She curled her toes at his sudden rough touch which sent pleasure through her body. He slid his head down between her legs and kissed her senseless. He is out of his mind, thought Amethyst. She could only cover her face in embarrassment. He pulled his torso up and she could feel him between her legs now, completely aroused. He kissed her as he slid into her. She stiffened a little. He noticed it and kissed her gently on the forehead as his hand stroked her back to soothe her. He then thrust into her, slowly. Amethyst moaned. His movements became more aggressive, thrusting into her with vigor. She could feel the heat building. ¡°Alec!¡± she exclaimed. His hands were at her chest now, caressing her breasts, kissing them and nibbling on them. Amethyst couldn¡¯t hold back her moans. As he rubbed her breasts, he thrust inside her with force. Amethyst bit her lips but the moans escaped. The more he heard her moan, the more aggressive he became until it was all sweet frenzy and Amethyst couldn¡¯t help but scream in pleasure. Amethyst¡¯s body was moving violently, roughly, and harshly, too much that it seemed her small figure was about to break into pieces. I will love her to the point where she can¡¯t even leave the bed. So, she won¡¯t be able to leave me, thought Alexcent with a moan escaping his lips. * Alexcent, who seemed to be in a good mood for a while, was extremely upset now. After entering the palace, he was aloof and prone to slightest provocation. Marquis Gravia wasn¡¯t a fan of Alexcent¡¯s anger either. He knocked softly on the door to Alexcent¡¯s office. ¡°Come in,¡± came the harsh and curt reply. Count Lohikin opened the door and entered the room. ¡°Are you free for a moment, Your Excellency?¡± he asked. ¡°Oh, welcome,¡± said Alexcent softening his tone a little. ¡°Of course, please come in.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± said the Count. The servant brought in tea in a tray and served it to both of them. ¡°Please help yourself,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Lohikin. Both gentlemen were known for their reserved nature, so an awkward silence spread between them. ¡°You seem rather upset,¡± notice Count Lohikin. ¡°Oh, there is nothing to worry about,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°Just a personal matter.¡± Lohikin worried if his daughter had done something wrong. Did Amethyst make a mistake? He thought, worriedly. ¡°Everyone seems rather worried,¡± he said. ¡°They are just worried I might lose my cool and lash out at them,¡± said Alexcent. Lohikin put down the teacup. He was a straightforward person and never knew how to ask question in indirect manner. ¡°Did my daughter do something wrong?¡± he asked, ¡°If she did, then I apologize on her behalf. Please forgive her.¡± Alexcent looked at him and sighed. ¡°No,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s not Amethyst. She could never do anything wrong.¡± Lohikin was still looking at Alexcent, unconvinced. ¡°She is doing great, I am doing great as well,¡± assured Alexcent, ¡°Things between us has been more than fine. Please don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Then as a count, I will do everything in my power to help solve whatever problem you face,¡± said Lohikin. ¡°I lost something precious, and I am unable to find it,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°Please don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± said Lohikin, ¡°Was it very important?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°It is very important to me. I hope I can find it soon.¡± Lohikin thought that the item must have been very rare if Alexcent was this worried about it. ¡°I am sure you will find it,¡± assured Lohikin. Alexcent nodded. After a few, simple small-talks, Gen announced that the parliament was about to begin. The two gentlemen left their seats for the meeting. But even after Congress, Alexcent¡¯s spirit did not improve. He had told Lohikin everything was alright, but it really was not. Alexcent didn¡¯t utter a single word in the meeting, just sat their slumping with a frown. The Duke was in a bad mood and nobody wanted to contest that. They looked at each other cautiously, hoping for the meeting to end as soon as possible. Gen, noticing this, stepped behind Alexcent¡¯s chair. He leaned down to whisper in his ear. ¡°Have you searched for it everywhere?¡± he whispered. ¡°Yes,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Everywhere? Your clothes? Drawers?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Alexcent replied. ¡°Still couldn¡¯t find it?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you tell from my mood?¡± ¡°Well, I am glad that you are aware that you are in a bad mood. Everyone is at edge seeing you like this.¡± ¡°I swear I had it on me this morning,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°Where could it possibly go?¡± ¡°Maybe check back at your residence once again,¡± suggested Gen. ¡°Hm,¡± he mumbled, ¡°You think it will be there?¡± ¡°Most likely,¡± said Gen. Alexcent stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. Meeting is dismissed.¡± Members of the Congress looked gratefully at Gen, for having saved them all from His Grumpiness. As Alexcent hurried out of the office to his residence, the people whispered among themselves. ¡°I heard him say that he lost something,¡± one whispered. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 ¨C Flustered (1) Members of the Congress looked gratefully at Gen, for having saved them all from His Grumpiness. As Alexcent hurried out of the office to his residence, the people whispered among themselves. ¡°I heard him say that he lost something,¡± one whispered. ¡°Well, seeing him rush like that, he should find it in no time,¡± said another. ¡°I wonder what he¡¯s lost?¡± said one of the people gathered. ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s probably very precious,¡± said another. ¡°The Marquis Gravia, who went to get approval for next year¡¯s regional business budget, had a hard time dealing with his upset mood,¡± said yet another. ¡°I hope he finds it quickly¡­Actually, I just pray it¡¯s at the Duke¡¯s house.¡± ¡°What do you even think he is looking for? Wait, Count Lohikin, do you know anything?¡± ¡°Right, didn¡¯t you come in with the Duke before the start of Parliament?¡± The attention focused suddenly on Count Lohikin. ¡°I really don¡¯t know,¡± he said, hurriedly, ¡°Except that it is very precious to him.¡± ¡°Huh, I wonder what is so precious to the Duke!¡± ¡°Oh, whatever it is¡­If we all look for it don¡¯t you think it will come out eventually?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a secret budget book?¡± The Parliament was stirred up by the Duke¡¯s grumpy mood. And since nothing good came out of the Duke being in a bad mood, they debated whether they should help search for it. It made sense to them all that it might be a budget book that had been misplaced. Meanwhile, Alexcent returned to his residence searching frantically for the missing thing. His fury and frustration were slowly growing as he rummaged and upended things in the room but was unable to find what he was looking for. If anyone came to his attention right now, even god wouldn¡¯t be able to save them. Gen, for one, prayed he wouldn¡¯t be the one. He sighed. ¡°Just try and think where you might have put it,¡± he suggested. He was already sweaty with all the searching and shifting furniture and the like. ¡°If I knew it, I would have found it already!¡± growled Alexcent. ¡°Then it¡¯s better to give up looking for it,¡± suggested Gen. ¡°What?!¡± exclaimed Alexcent, ¡°No!¡± ¡°What do you mean no?¡± ¡°You have no idea how hard I tried to get it!¡± ¡°Sure,¡± said Gen, ¡°You saved several lawmakers by leaving the meeting early. Such hard work.¡± Gen remembered Alec being in a good mood and showering Amethyst with various gifts to earn a stamp on his compliment board. He bought her earrings, necklaces, bracelets, flowers, dresses¡­. He had gotten a good scolding from Amethyst for that but no stamp. Alec had gotten a stamp when he had returned early from work one day, where she had commended him on his hard work and given him a stamp. After trying various methods, only that had worked. It had taken him so long and he had indeed worked hard to earn that first stamp on his compliment board. When he had arrived home that day, Amethyst had asked, ¡°Alec, can you give me your sticker board?¡± He had handed it over. Amethyst had stamped a ¡®great job¡¯ stamp on it. His very first stamp! His eyes had fixed on that one stamp and his heart hammered. Finally! He was overjoyed. Since that day, he had finished his work early and rushed home on time to receive another stamp, and another. Now he had five! Today was the day he would have been rewarded by Amethyst but he had gone and lost the whole damned compliment board. ¡°Give me yours,¡± he turned to Gen. ¡°What?!¡± Gen asked incredulously. ¡°Just give me yours!¡± he said, desperately. Gen wondered if something was wrong with Alexcent¡¯s head. Maybe frustration and anger had driven him mad. ¡°Mine has six stamps,¡± Gen said, ¡°Besides the ¡®rewards¡¯ written on the board are completely different from yours.¡± ¡°Oh, yes,¡± said Alexcent, sighing. ¡°You¡¯re right. Maybe I am going mad.¡± ¡°Right,¡± said Gen, ¡°I have got a brilliant idea.¡± Alexcent looked at him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Roman has the stamp, doesn¡¯t she?¡± said Gen, beaming, ¡°Ask for an extra compliment board from Pon, ask Roman to stamp it five times. Copy Madam¡¯s handwriting in the ¡®rewards¡¯ column.¡± Gen thought Alexcent would jump for joy at his idea, but he looked more sullen than ever. ¡°No,¡± he said sadly, ¡°I can¡¯t cheat her that way. Ash stamped them herself.¡± Gen frowned. ¡°Well, if you take an extra compliment board and ask you wife to fill it again, she might do it.¡± ¡°No!¡± he said, ¡°I can¡¯t tell her I lost it. We need to find it somehow!¡± Alexcent began to check nook and cranny. Gen reluctantly slumped in a chair over a desk and began searching through the documents one by one. This was going to be a long day. * Amethyst was leaving her bedroom to go to the field to train when she found something stuck in the cracks of the door. She pulled it out. It was Alec¡¯s compliment board. I will give it to him later when he gets back, she thought and put it in her pocket. As she was walking, she passed Pon in the hallway. ¡°Madam,¡± said Pon, ¡°Leaving for the field?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to miss my training.¡± Pon nodded. ¡°There is a telegram for you,¡± he said. ¡°For me?¡± she asked, surprised. There was no one close enough to her who would exchange messages. ¡°Yes, from Count Lohikin,¡± said Pon. ¡°Ah,¡± she said, ¡°Must be my mother.¡± ¡°Actually no,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s from the Count himself.¡± Chapter 99 Chapter 99 ¨C Flustered (2) ¡°My father?¡± she asked surprised yet again. She took the envelope from Pon and opened it. It read: [Dear Amethyst, The Duke doesn¡¯t look very well today. I heard he lost something valuable¡­ I think it would be nice if you could find it and help him. P.S. I¡¯d like for you to visit the mansion some time. We miss you very much.] It was a simple telegram without many details. Alec isn¡¯t well? she wondered. What did he lose that is bothering him so much? So much so that father had to send me a message personally. I will ask Alec when he gets back. ¡°Forgive me, Madam, may I ask what it¡¯s about?¡± asked Pon. ¡°It isn¡¯t much. He just asked me to visit the mansion more often.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll have to find time soon. Oh, I guess the annual festival is going to happen soon. I¡¯ll have to go after the festival.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amethyst continued walking through the hall where she encountered Gen. ¡°Madam!¡± he called. ¡°Gen?¡± asked Amethyst worriedly. He seemed flustered. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Please save me,¡± he said. He looked ragged. Tangled hair, dusty clothes and flustered. She had never seen Gen in such a condition before. ¡°Save you?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ ¡°His Excellency is going to kill me!¡± said Gen, miserably. ¡°What? Alec? Tell me what happened,¡± she said. ¡°He lost something,¡± said Gen, ¡°Only you can fix the problem now.¡± Amethyst had just read the telegram from her father urging her to help the Duke because he had lost something, and now here was Gen saying the same thing. ¡°What did he lose?¡± she asked, ¡°I will do my best to help you find it.¡± ¡°You will?¡± asked Gen. ¡°Yes, of course!¡± ¡°Then please stamp this and fill in the reward section!¡± he said handing her a blank compliment board. ¡°He lost his. And now he is driving everyone crazy in his anger.¡± ¡°So, he lost his compliment board?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said in an urgent voice, ¡°Please hurry and fill it.¡± So, this was the ¡®precious¡¯ thing Alec lost, she thought, not knowing how to react. It seemed so ridiculous but adorable as well. She took out the compliment board she had found and handed it to Gen. ¡°Here, give this to him.¡± ¡°Where did you get it?!¡± Gen exclaimed, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you stole it!¡± ¡°Oh, come on Gen!¡± she said, ¡°Why the hell would I steal it when I was the one who made it in the first place, I found it as I was heading out. Alec seems to have dropped it in my bedroom.¡± ¡°Oh, your bedroom,¡± he said, ¡°We were ransacking the office searching for this. Thank you so much! Please keep it a secret from the Duke that I was here. He will kill me if he knows I told you everything about his lost compliment board!¡± ¡°Al¡­alright,¡± she said. Gen always seemed a little bit hysterical and always claimed he was going to die by the Duke¡¯s hands. His work was getting to him maybe. ¡°Tell him you found it lying around.¡± Amethyst suggested. ¡°Are you sure?¡± said Gen, surprised. ¡°Will that be okay?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± said Amethyst with a smile. ¡°Thank you so much, Madam!¡± said Gen gratefully, ¡°I will never forget your kindness.¡± Gen took her hands in his and squeezed it gratefully before turning around and heading away in the direction where he came from. I never knew Alec would make such a fuss about it, she though. So that was the most valuable thing he had lose? Oh, who am I kidding? It must be something else that he had lost as well. * In their room, Amethyst watched Alexcent. He was shaking the water from his wet hair. Well, he seems to be in a good mood now, she thought. Father was worried about nothing. Maybe father just wanted an excuse so that I would visit him. ¡°Alec, water is dripping on the blanket! Use a towel!¡± she slid up to Alexcent who was sitting at the edge of her bed. ¡°If you don¡¯t dry it, you will catch a cold.¡± She lifted a towel and patted his hair dry. Alexcent sat still and let her fuss over him, closing his eyes. Amethyst smiled looking at him be at peace. Alec, you collected 5 stamps now, right?¡± ¡°Hm, yes¡± he said. ¡°Well then, you deserve your reward. Come and lie down,¡± she said, lowering the towel, ¡°I will give you a massage.¡± ¡°Now?¡± he asked. ¡°Yeah, unless you don¡¯t want to¡­¡± ¡°I do want it,¡± he said and lay down on the bed on his stomach. He wanted that reward so bad anyhow. Amethyst climbed on top of him, her legs on either side of him and began to massage his shoulders. His shoulders are really stiff, she thought. She didn¡¯t know if it was naturally this way or he was indeed stressed. ¡°Does it feel nice?¡± she asked after a while. ¡°Hm,¡± he said. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± she asked. ¡°No,¡± he said. She trailed her palms lower to massage om his spine and surrounding area at the middle of his back. She went lower and held his waist with both hands and pressed his muscles with her thumb. Alec could feel her on his hips, and he flushed. He buried his face in the pillow so she wouldn¡¯t see him blush. ¡°Alec?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Did you find what you lost?¡± ¡°He lifted his face from the pillow. ¡°How did you hear about it? Was it Gen?¡± ¡°No. My father sent a telegram urging me to help you find something precious that you lost. He said you were distressed.¡± She kept Gen¡¯s secret as promised. She wanted to know what precious thing he had lost that her father mentioned, surely it wasn¡¯t just the compliment board. ¡°Count Lohikin told you?¡± ¡°Yes, he said you were searching for something valuable. You didn¡¯t find it?¡± ¡°I found it.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s great to hear.¡± ¡°Yes, I was lucky.¡± She continued massaging him. ¡°Stop,¡± he said as her hands reached his hips. ¡°Why? I am not done yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Your arms hurt, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡°I am okay, really.¡± Alex sat up and pulled her close. He buried his head onto her neck. ¡°Alec, give it to me,¡± she said. ¡°What?¡± he mumbled from her neck. ¡°The compliment board.¡± ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°Just give it here.¡± He took it out from his pocket and handed it to her. Amethyst opened the drawer from her side table and took out her stamp. In the last row in the first column, beneath the five stamps, she stamped ¡®complete¡¯. ¡°That¡¯s one mission accomplished,¡± she said, handing it back to him. Alexcent chuckled. ¡°You are very meticulous in this.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± she said, ¡°I have to be.¡± With Alexcent¡¯s first reward, the stamping event in the whole of the household was coming to an end. Most employees had at least earned 15 stamps now and three rewards. The annual festival was near. Only some, including Alexcent, had yet to finish earning all the stamps for their compliment board. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 100 - Greetings (1) Chapter 100 ¨C Greetings (1) In a carriage going up to the capital where the palace was located, a lady with pitch-black hair was smelling red roses handed over to her by a maid. ¡°The prince¡¯s wife huh¡­.¡± ¡°Does it bother you after all?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes. You¡¯ve been mentioning the princes¡¯ wife constantly.¡± ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m bothered by some naive daughter of an aristocrat?¡± ¡°Then why¡­¡± The maid trailed off, puzzled by the lady¡¯s show of distress. ¡°I guess I¡¯m bothered by the fact that the Prince is married.¡± The maid nodded. The cold, unyielding man of the empire. The man who only cared about money and power had married less than a month after his engagement. The whole empire was stunned. It wasn¡¯t just the empire that was astonished. There were the members of the Skad family as well. The collateral relatives consisted of Count Citri, Count of Glacia, Count of Onslow, Count of Renove, Baroness Houres, Baron Piamon, and Baron Zephyr were very baffled. It took them about a month to arrange things to get to the capital. However, Alexcent, less than a month after the engagement, had gone through with the marriage and it had made the nobles reel. They weren¡¯t invited personally to the Duke¡¯s wedding, which left a bitter taste in their mouths. So, naturally, everyone looked forward to the annual festival to see his bride. Among them, there was a specific individual who had awaited more than anyone else. ¡°What in nine hells was the Duke thinking?¡± The lady¡¯s brows were furrowed in disbelief. ¡°The empire is abuzz and is full of rumors that he is quite the lover.¡± Her maid piped in. ¡°Ha, do you really believe that? You can manipulate newspapers as much as you want when you are rich.¡± ¡°I guess you are right. That amount of manipulation is probably something easy for the Duke to do.¡± ¡°I wonder what he is up to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­we don¡¯t know. He is always unpredictable. No one knows what he might be thinking.¡± ¡°Which is why I¡¯m looking forward to this festival more than ever.¡± ¡°Yes. I wonder how the Prince¡¯s wife would have prepared it.¡± ¡°Then, we must get there on time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Then breaking the stalk of the rose, she muttered. ¡°If the flower isn¡¯t to my liking, I suppose I can just break it like this?¡± ¡°¡­.Yes.¡± The state of the broken flower stalk must have been satisfactory, for she smiled before throwing it out through the carriage window. The red petals blew away and scattered on the floor as the carriage rolled by. *** ¡°Madam, I, Roman and three other maids will be assisting you for today,¡± declared Roman. ¡°What? I don¡¯t need assistance. Also, why Roman?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°What about her work?¡± ¡°Madam, soon the relatives will be arriving at the Duke¡¯s mansion. We can¡¯t have someone of high standing as yourself to greet them without a single maid at your service. Other noble ladies will have at least three of them trailing them so you should also make the necessary adjustments.¡± Lunia was right. Noble ladies usually had two or three maids at their sides at all times. ¡°Alright. But will Roman be okay? I¡¯m sure her hands are already full.¡± ¡°She¡¯s taking care of it as we speak. She has learnt from you, so she will be efficient. She will make it so that a few days of absence from her work won¡¯t hamper the flow of work,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Besides, there is no one as trustworthy as Roman to assist you.¡± ¡°Trustworthy?¡± ¡°Yes. Previously, the annual festival was held without the presence of the lady of the house. This time it¡¯s different. If any unexpected situation occurs, we need trustworthy maids at your side to deal with it efficiently.¡± ¡°It sounds like a Chinese drama where there is always some sort of plot twist.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Nothing. Alright. I appreciate your help.¡± ¡°Of course, Madam,¡± said Lunia, ¡°I will serve you wholeheartedly.¡± Amethyst thought nothing of the sort was necessary. But she could feel the pressure of it, as well. She had simply thought the annual festival to be a reunion of sorts but seeing Lunia all aflutter, Amethyst couldn¡¯t help but feel nervous. ¡°Also this is the agenda for the festival. There are still some adjustments being made to minor details, but it is not much different from last year so it would be good for you to refer to it.¡± Amethyst took the document that Lunia handed to her. I suppose it will be good to know a bit about it, she thought. ¡°We¡¯re having the feast on the second day and not the first?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes. Since the guests will be tired from the long ride here. The first day normally ends off with a quiet greeting,¡± explained Lunia. ¡°Ah, I see. And their meetings run for two weeks? So long¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the estimated time. Sometimes it may take shorter or longer. Usually, it takes longer as we are discussing the whole business of next year and the taxes we¡¯re going to collect from the citizens of the country.¡± Amethyst nodded and listened to Lunia patiently explaining the whole thing to her. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 ¡°Once the meeting is done, there will be a ball¡­¡± ¡°Yes. You should get ready for it as well Madam. Since this will be your first social party, the focus will be largely on you.¡± ¡°And¡­why is there a hunting match?¡± Amethyst was largely interested in the hunting match instead of the ball. She could do away with the social bullshit to be honest. ¡°Yes. As the finale of the festival, it is held annually with the intention of unifying the family.¡± ¡°I would like to take part as well!¡± Amethyst chimed in enthusiastically. ¡°Sorry? You Madam?¡± ¡°Yes. I want to know how my sword skill fares amongst the others.¡± ¡°Well¡­I¡¯m not sure if His Highness would approve.¡± Alexcent had said that the hunting match would be a dangerous one so he would hardly allow her to participate. ¡°Do I need to have Alexcent¡¯s approval?¡± ¡°Yes. Even though the overall festival is under your lead, the hunting match is led by the lord of the house. So, you will require His Highness¡¯ approval.¡± Amethyst sighed. She had thought that since the hunting match wasn¡¯t organized by the Royal family, Alexcent¡¯s permission wasn¡¯t required. Since the objective of the hunting match is to unify the family, surely it won¡¯t be that dangerous, she thought. Maybe Alexcent will approve of me participating. At least she hoped he would. ¡°Hm,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I see. So, all I have to do is get his approval.¡± ¡°Yes. Then I will make the arrangements for the hunting competition.¡± ¡°Then what do I do till then?¡± she asked. ¡°When the meeting begins you must get acquainted and entertain the ladies. You can invite them to tea or shop together and engage in conversations. The objective is to spend time together cordially.¡± ¡°That sounds¡­boring.¡± ¡°Then perhaps you can reconsider,¡± suggested Lunia. ¡°What would you like to do?¡± ¡°Mmm¡­,¡± she pondered. Amethyst had no idea how to make things enjoyable for people. All her life, her routine had oscillated between home and work. Occasionally, she would go to kids¡¯ caf¨¦ during the weekend. But here, she could hardly usher the ladies to the kids¡¯ caf¨¦. Besides she didn¡¯t even know the common things ladies loved here. ¡°Then¡­. let¡¯s just do the same as last year,¡± she said. ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± With that the discussion came to a close. * ¡°You don¡¯t have to come out.¡± ¡°How could I not when you¡¯re here, Alec?¡± ¡°Are you sure you will be okay? Does your leg hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± The guests in their carriages would arrive soon so Alexcent and Amethyst came out to greet their guests by the gate. Before long, the carriages started arriving. ¡°The guests should wait for the owner of the household to greet them,¡± grumbled Alexcent, ¡°Why should the owners wait for them this way? Let¡¯s just go back in.¡± ¡°My Lord, please wait a little longer,¡± said Gen, ¡°They travelled a long way, we should at least greet them.¡± ¡°We will see them tomorrow soon enough!¡± retorted Alexcent. ¡°It might be an exception for you, My Lord,¡± said Gen, ¡°But it would be the first time that Madam will be meeting your relatives. If she greets them here, it will make a pleasant impression on them. It will be good for Madam.¡± Even though what Gen said made sense, Alexcent wrapped his arms around Amethyst¡¯s shoulders and turned around to usher her inside. ¡°No. This is enough,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°If you here stand too long, your leg will be sore.¡± ¡°Alec¡­,¡± she said. But before they went inside, Gen¡¯s eyes widened at the approaching carriage. ¡°My Lord!¡± exclaimed Gen, ¡°They are arriving.¡± Alexcent turned around to see them. Soon, the carriages arrived one after the other. The first nobles to arrive were the Renove family. ¡°Greeting Your Highness and Your Ladyship!¡± they greeted them. Although Alexcent still looked grumpy, he nodded politely at his relatives that he hadn¡¯t seen or met them for over a year. Amethyst stepped in to diffuse the situation. ¡°It¡¯s great to meet you! I am Amethyst Skad. Thank you for making the long trip here,¡± she said. ¡°I am Renove Skad. Please call me Renove. This is my wife, Angela.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honour to meet you, Your Ladyship,¡± said Angela, with a beaming smile. The couple were younger than she had imagined, and they greeted her with a bright smile. They looked to be around late twenties or early thirties. ¡°Count Renove, Countess Angela. The honor is mine,¡± said Amethyst, smiling at them. Soon after them, Amethyst got to meet the Baron Houres and family, the Baron Zephyr and his family, and Baron Piamon. ¡°Greetings Lord and Lady Skad! Hope you¡¯ve been well.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for coming.¡± ¡°It¡¯s rather late, but congratulations on your wedding.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Similar greetings were exchanged with everybody. The Baron and Baroness Houres seemed to be in their mid-forties, a little older than the Renoves. The Baron Zephyr and his wife also appeared to be as young as the Renoves. Baron Piamon came alone. It seemed he was unmarried. He walked up to them and placed a chaste kiss on the back of Amethyst¡¯ hand. ¡°It is indeed a great honor to meet the beautiful Lady Skad,¡± he said. ¡°Oh, you flatter me,¡± said Amethyst, smiling. Alexcent frowned. Amethyst tried to wipe the back of her hands on her skirt when Baron Piamon wasn¡¯t looking. Another carriage appeared with Count Citri and Countess, another carrying Onslow and the Countess, and finally Count of Glacia. The Onslows were the oldest, perhaps in their sixties. ¡°Greetings Lord and Lady Skad,¡± said Baron Onslow, ¡°I am Onslow Skad and this is my wife.¡± ¡°Greetings Lady Skad, I am Maria,¡± said the Countess. ¡°Thank you for honoring us by being here,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I hope the journey wasn¡¯t too rough.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± said the Countess, ¡°It is our honor to finally get to meet you.¡± Afterwards, Count Citri and his wife, Countess Retegina exchanged greetings with them in similar manner. Count Citri, most recently appointed seemed the youngest of them all as did his wife, Countess Retegina. They seemed to be newlyweds too from the way they gazed at each other affectionately. Count Citri and his wife stepped aside after their greetings, and a woman with glossy, black hair appeared before them eagerly. She was graceful and beautiful and emanated confidence. She smiled at them. ¡°It is an honor to meet you Lady Amethyst,¡± the woman said, ¡°I am Count Glacia.¡± Amethyst was taken aback for a while. She didn¡¯t know a woman could be a Count. Silly me, I shouldn¡¯t be prejudiced. If the Emperor can be a female, why not a Count. Amethyst smiled warmly at her. ¡°The honor is all mine to have met you, Count Glacia,¡± she said. Count Glacia was a very beautiful and attractive woman, slender waist, pale skin and reddest lips Amethyst had ever seen. She radiated with elegance and confidence, that made her stand out amongst everyone else. ¡°Okay, now you have to go and rest,¡± murmured Alexcent. ¡°Thank you everyone for making the long trip. You will be escorted to your accommodations. We¡¯ve arranged it the same as the previous year so that there will be no inconvenience,¡± said Amethyst. She looked at Roman and nodded. On Roman¡¯s instructions, the maids escorted the respective nobles to the buildings where they would reside for the duration of the annual festival. ¡°Do you mean to say that I would be sleeping in the same room as last year, Lady Skad?¡± asked Count Glacia. Amethyst hesitated. ¡°Yes. Count Glacia. It¡¯s been arranged to be the same as last year. If it¡¯s not to your liking we can¡­.¡± ¡°No, not at all. All good for me,¡± said Count Glacia, smiling warmly. But Alexcent¡¯s gaze flickered to Amethyst and she thought she saw a bit of disappointment in them. It had seemed everything had been going on well until now, but with that one look, she felt like she had made a big mistake. Count Glacia smiled, nodded and followed the maid to the main mansion to be shown her room. Why is she going towards the main mansion? Amethyst thought. The rest of the nobles were escorted to another building near the mansion where arrangements had been made but Count Glacia was the only guest who was heading towards the main mansion. Amethyst looked at Lunia, Gen and Pon who were standing near her. Gen looked at Pon uncertainly, Pon avoided his gaze and looked afar into the distance. Lunia seemed anxious and fidgety. Alexcent turned and headed towards the main mansion. Amethyst watched Alexcent¡¯s back and then followed him into the mansion as well. * ¡°What in the ¡­.! Call Pon immediately!¡± roared Amethyst. Pon had expected it and arrived at Amethyst¡¯ room after a short while. ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± he said. ¡°Explain yourself Pon,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Why is Count Glacia in the room next to Alexcent?¡± She glared at him. ¡°You instructed it to be the way it is, Madam,¡± said Pon calmly. ¡°Me?¡± thundered Amethyst, ¡°When?¡± ¡°You instructed me to prepare everything exactly the way it was the previous year,¡± said Pon, ¡°So everything was done that way.¡± ¡°What?¡± said Amethyst, ¡°So Count Glacia used the room next to Alec the previous year?¡± Pon hesitated. ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°What?!¡± exclaimed Amethyst. ¡°My apologies, Madam,¡± said Pon, bowing. ¡°You should have at least informed me!¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Madam, did you perhaps read the document I had prepared for you containing the information about the guests?¡± asked Pon. He had passed her the document urging her to read it. She had meant to get around to reading it but had forgotten. Even so, he could have just informed me, thought Amethyst, He must have known that it looked suspicious. ¡°Are you saying that it¡¯s my fault because I forgot to read the document?¡± she said, ¡°You must have obviously noticed that it would have been awkward to place Count Glacia¡¯s room next to Alec.¡± ¡°Of course not, Madam,¡± said Pon, ¡°But I assumed you had already read it and had no problem with the arrangement. I felt it too bold of me to ask you. I am just a butler serving the Lord and the Lady, it would not dare to ask about their personal affairs.¡± Everything Pon said was right. He had urged her to read the information many times, but she had always out it away. I should have questioned him when he looked uncomfortable after I instructed him to arrange everything same as the previous year. She sighed. It wouldn¡¯t do to blame everything on Pon. Partly, her complacency was to blame as well. Amethyst felt ashamed of herself for not taking this seriously. ¡°Even so, Pon,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°You could have given me a hint, or a heads up. If there is anything of the sort in the future, please don¡¯t hesitate to inform me. Honestly, it would make my life a whole lot easier. You would be helping me.¡± She clenched her fists. There was no point now when things had turned out like this. The fact that Count Glacia had been using the room next to Alec before, disturbed her. Was she his mistress? His old lover? Was she still¡­? It won¡¯t to do change her accommodation in such short notice. It would come off as rude. What could she possibly do? Amethyst grimaced. ¡°You may leave, Pon,¡± she said curtly. ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± she said. He bowed politely and left the room. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Outside the door, after closing it quietly, Pon pulled at his collar to loosen it a bit. It was expected that the Lady of the House would be furious, but he couldn¡¯t have gone around gossiping about his noble guests. It would have been against his principles as a butler. Besides, defamation of the royal guests was considered treason. He could only do what he was told and not dabble in matters that didn¡¯t concern him. Amethyst was new to the mansion. Perhaps he should have helped her more. Pon felt sorry for the duchess. Soon though, he was summoned by Alexcent to his office. As always, Gen was by Alexcent¡¯s side. ¡°My Lord,¡± he said as he knocked and entered the office. Alexcent glared at him and Gen. ¡°Explain how this happened,¡± he demanded. Gen was the first to answer. ¡°I had passed the responsibility to Madam, as officially, she is the one who is in charge of planning the festival. I believed it was right for her to make the full arrangement for the festival.¡± Pon sighed at Gen¡¯s answer. Gen was pointedly looking at him to continue. ¡°Yes, My Lord,¡± he said, ¡°I informed the Madam about the details.¡± ¡°And?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°Madam instructed me to arrange everything to be exactly the same as the year before.¡± ¡°Exactly the same¡­,¡± he said. ¡°Yes,¡± said Pon. ¡°So, Ash just did that without any qualms?¡± ¡°Yes, but I am at fault as well for missing out on details. I apologize. I will ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.¡± Alexcent didn¡¯t seem to hear. She ordered everything to be like the previous year, he thought. Was she not aware of the rumors? Or, did she not care about them? Alexcent felt frustrated. Sometimes she drew these lines around her that he could not cross. He didn¡¯t understand her. He was well aware of the rumors surrounding him and Count Glacia. He had ignored these rumors before because it had worked in his favor. That is, until he was married. Either she was unaware of the rumors, but that seemed unlikely because everyone knew about it, including himself. Or, she was just not bothered with the scandalous rumor between him and Count Glacia. Is she really not bothered because it¡¯s all just a contract marriage and nothing more? As that thought crossed his mind, his calm demeanor crumbled. Count Glacia was rumored to be the mistress of the Duke of Skad before his marriage. He had never cared for the rumors because it had helped in keeping ladies at a distance and had stopped the flow of endless marriage proposals. ¡°That¡¯s all, leave,¡± he said. It seemed this annual festival to make him feel worse than ever before. * ¡°Madam, I am sorry. At least, I should have told you before¡­,¡± said Lunia, attempting to console Amethyst. Even after Pon had left, Amethyst was full of rage and frustration. ¡°Where is that document?¡± he thundered. ¡°Sorry?¡± asked Lunia, confused. ¡°The detailed personal report of all the collateral relatives. Bring it to me immediately!¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Soon, Lunia rummaged through the documents on the table and handed her the paper. Amethyst took it. ¡°That¡¯s all, you may leave,¡± she said. Once Lunia, Roman and the other maid were dismissed, Amethyst sat on the sofa and opened the document folder. She couldn¡¯t care less about any other relative, she just wanted to know about Count Glacia. Amethyst flipped the pages when she reached the part and her eyes widened. Count Glacia is dead? Count Glacia, as it turned out, had died a year after his marriage. He has no heir, so his title was passed onto his wife. The vast age difference indicated that his wife had been sixteen when she married. Sixteen! That¡¯s too young,she thought. Amethyst was even more appalled when she saw the next bit of information. The Count had married a commoner. Amethyst wondered if the poor soul had been sold to the Count for marriage. Amethyst read every detail about her. Her name had been Arwin. Countess Arwin. Pon was right. If she had read the document, she would have a much clearer perspective and she would have asked how the Count died. She sighed. And here I thought I would have nothing to worry about. Even the slightest complacency could mean that she would be losing the bearing of the household, like sand slipping off from between her fingers. Everything would fall apart. She wondered what Count Glacia would be doing right about now. Begs the question if Alec and she are in that sort of relationship. No, I must not be bothered about that right now. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 When she opened her eyes in the morning, Amethyst found herself alone. She always woke up alone, for that matter, but today was different. She knew Alexcent hadn¡¯t come to sleep at night. The space beside her didn¡¯t hold his warmth at all. That didn¡¯t make her feel good. Are they still involved? She thought. Don¡¯t be silly, he must be busy with the meetings for the annual festival. She looked at the space next to her, she glared at it, more like. Oh, why? Why did I ever instruct Pon to make the arrangements exactly like last year? Amethyst let out a sigh. Even though she had resolved not to let these things bother her, seeing the space next to her so empty of human warmth bothered her. She lay on her bed, unwilling to get up. A thought occurred to her. When they had agreed on this contract marriage, they had agreed to use different bedrooms. When had it become normal for Alexcent to just share the same room as her? All the clauses of the contract had become meaningless as they began spending more time together. She shook her head to clear the thoughts. She shouldn¡¯t be pining for him. She mustn¡¯t. She won¡¯t. She had always been observant of her surrounding and the people around her. No matter how many times she convinces herself that she would live as she pleased, damn the consequences, she always was considerate to other people. She tried to think of the whole thing from Alexcent¡¯s perspective. To Alexcent, no matter how things escalated, the contract would be his priority. I am his wife only for a period of time until the expiry of the contract, I shouldn¡¯t expect more from him. I shouldn¡¯t cross the line. She brushed her thoughts aside and got out of her bed. She pulled on the service bell to call the maids. The maids soon entered with the breakfast tray. After a light meal, Amethyst picked up her sword. With her thoughts all jumbled inside her mind, she needed something to distract herself. Just as she was stepping out of the room, Lunia and Roma barred her way. ¡°Madam,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°The training ground,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I already missed the morning practice.¡± ¡°Absolutely not,¡± said Roman. ¡°Why?¡± asked Amethyst, genuinely confused. ¡°Did you forget that tonight is the great feast, Madam?¡± asked Lunia somberly. ¡°Of course not, nobody even lets me forget it for one second,¡± snorted Amethyst. ¡°And yet, you are headed to the training ground,¡± said Roman. ¡°Oh, come on,¡± retorted Amethyst, ¡°It¡¯s just a dinner. Do I have to be stunted from living my life just for one dinner?¡± ¡°It is only the most important dinner that could ever happen in this lifetime, Madam,¡± said Lunia, ¡°It the first time you will be dining with the other relatives. They will be assessing you from head to toe. They will find the smallest detail to criticize about. Please don¡¯t tell us you plan to wear just something plain for this dinner. Please tell us you have planned something to wear.¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t respond. She had planned nothing. Alexcent had been in her mind, bothering her. She meant to practice her sword with great gusto so she would be tired enough to be not bothered by him. Count Glacia will be present at the feast as well¡­. She will definitely be compared to her in every aspect. Amethyst groaned. ¡°Alright! What should I do first?¡± she asked Lunia and Roman. Lunia seemed relieved that Amethyst wasn¡¯t forcing her way to the field anymore. She led Amethyst by her hand to the bathroom. ¡°First, a bath,¡± she said. The bath was filled with flowers of all kind, it gave a nice fragrance. The maids then massaged her skin with all kinds of oils she hadn¡¯t seen before (¡®to bring out the glow, boost blood flow, and brighten skin tone¡¯ according to Lunia). There were more gibberish massages. It took half a day to be done with them all. She followed everything Lunia and Roman instructed, but she felt exhausted already. The sword training was looking more appealing by the minute. She sighed. ¡°Lunia, I¡¯m hungry¡­¡± she said. ¡°No,¡± said Lunia briskly. ¡°Why the hell not?¡± Amethyst protested, ¡°It¡¯s past lunchtime and I haven¡¯t even eaten.¡± ¡°Just bear it a little longer, Madam,¡± said Roman, ¡°Soon it will be the feast and we¡¯ve still not chosen a dress.¡± Amethyst looked at them both with the saddest look she could manage. ¡°Are you two trying to kill me by starvation?¡± ¡°No, Madam¡­,¡± ¡°At this rate, I will be dead by dusk, then nobody will have to bother with me any longer,¡± said Amethyst, miserably, ¡°I should have eaten a bigger breakfast.¡± Lunia softened a little. ¡°I can ask for some snacks, instead¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, please,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Anything.¡± Lunia instructed some maids to bring up tea and snacks while she pretended not to notice Amethyst¡¯ disappointment. Roman looked worried. ¡°Now, which dress shall we choose?¡± said Lunia as she wandered among the enormous amount of fabrics that had been ordered. Amethyst, for her part, thought she could do away with this fanciness. A feast was a meal. The only thing people should be worried about is good food, and whether they could have enough space in their belly to cram said food. Lunia was of the opinion that a feat was fancy business. She needed to choose a dress that was beautiful but not so over the top. After all, it was a feast not a ball. So Lunia said no to a very pretty red dress. ¡°The dress looks a bit fanciful for just a feast. It would be fit for a ball.¡± ¡°What about the pale blue one?¡± suggested Roman. ¡°Hm,¡± mumbled Lunia. The slip-style pale blue dress was of soft, silky texture with jewel encrusted around the plunging neckline. ¡°I don¡¯t think that will be appropriate,¡± said Amethyst, hurriedly. She didn¡¯t want to spend her time making sure the plunging neckline was revealing anything it wasn¡¯t supposed to. She ought to be enjoying her food. ¡°Yes. I agree,¡± said Lunia. Amethyst couldn¡¯t help thinking that the dress would look spectacular on Count Glacia. She had the appropriate bosom for it. That made Amethyst feel even more sad. ¡°What about the pale ivory dress with the green ribbon? I think it will match well with the color of your eyes,¡± suggested Roman. ¡°Yes, that will be perfect,¡± agreed Lunia. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 105 Chapter 105 ¨C Misunderstandings Amethyst was fine with it either way so she nodded approval. The fluttering chiffon dress was chaste yet sexy with layers of frills and mesh laced around the neck, chest and shoulders. The green ribbon complimented the whole dress. It looked youthful yet classy that would suit someone young but in a position of power. ¡°I like it!¡± said Amethyst eagerly, ¡°I don¡¯t even need a corset with this one.¡± The dress was loose around the waist in a stylish fashion so nobody would even notice a corset. ¡°Madam, you still have to wear a corset,¡± said Lunia. ¡°But why?¡± groaned Amethyst. ¡°Because it will complement your physique,¡± she said. ¡°Harsh,¡± whispered Amethyst. Lunia¡¯s tone became gentle. ¡°I won¡¯t tighten it all the way.¡± Amethyst smiled at her gratefully. ¡°Right,¡± said Lunia, ¡°We move on to makeup and hair.¡± ¡°Since the mesh lace comes up to the neck,¡± said Roman, ¡°An all-up hairdo would suit you greatly.¡± ¡°Roman, you are a genius!¡± said Lunia. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing,¡± said Roman shyly, ¡°I was just imagining it on Madam.¡± So, it continued in this manner with Roman and Lunia showering and deflecting each other with compliments. Amethyst was amused. They both seemed a bit shy with each other. ¡°Are you two very close?¡± said Amethyst, smiling, ¡°Are you two perhaps in a relationship?¡± ¡°No!¡± said Lunia, hurriedly, ¡°How do you figure that?¡± ¡°No,¡± said Roman at the same time. ¡°It is somehow suspicious that both of you are so very diligently denying it while blushing deep red,¡± smirked Amethyst. And indeed, both Roman and Lunia avoided each other¡¯s eyes and looked flushed. Lunia cleared her throat. ¡°Apricot shade suits you, but a red lip would make quite the impression,¡± she continued. Lunia applied red on Amethyst¡¯ lips. ¡°Indeed!¡± exclaimed Roman, ¡°It looks very good on you, Madam.¡± ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve tried a red lipstick,¡± said Amethyst, doubtfully. ¡°Do you like it?¡± asked Lunia. ¡°Surprisingly, yes,¡± said Amethyst. * Amethyst, finally finished being dolled up, sat straight-backed on the chair without any support. The corset, despite Lunia promising to tie it loose, was still killing her. She was unable to bend even a little. Damn the bloody corset, she cursed. ¡°Madam, the Duke will be arriving shortly to escort you,¡± said a servant from the other side of the door. Alec¡­, she thought, her heart fluttering. She felt like she waited for ages and yet there was no knock at the bedroom door. Intrusive thoughts made a nest in her mind. One of those thoughts pricked her suggesting that maybe Alec had gone to escort Count Glacia to the feast. She shook her head trying to clear her thoughts. Time went ticking, and yet he didn¡¯t come. ¡°The Duke must be running behind schedule, he will be here anytime now,¡± said Lunia, noticing Amethyst¡¯ discomfort, ¡°Anyway, the heroine always arrives fashionably late, so you needn¡¯t worry.¡± Amethyst let on a small smile to assure Lunia that she was alright. But what if he went to the banquet hall already with Count Glacia, she worried, what do I do then? Should I just go by myself? I am capable enough. Her heart wavered. She was anxious. Her empty stomach ached, she could taste bile in her mouth and the damned corset was killing her. She was just about to ask Lunia to loosen her corset a little when the bedroom door opened, and he walked into the room. For someone who was late getting ready, he was in a very stylish outfit. He wore his best uniform but in a relaxed manner. His jacket was unbuttoned, his tie was nowhere near and a few upper buttons of his shirt were undone. Alexcent certainly looked comfortable in his modest attire. It made Amethyst, who had spent half the day getting ready, feel like she had utterly wasted her time. Well, his attire hardly seems like a reason for him taking so long to escort me, she thought, was he escorting Count Glacia to the banquet then? She chided herself. She was well aware that Alexcent would never do that to her. He wasn¡¯t that kind of person. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Alexcent, nonchalantly. His expression, unchanged. His lack of reaction disappointed Amethyst. She hadn¡¯t expected him to shower her with compliments or praise her, but she had, at the least, expected him to show some kind of reaction. Well, just as well, she thought, I bet Count Glacia looks all dolled up and stunning. She stood up and walked to the banquet hall being escorted by Alexcent. They didn¡¯t speak. He seemed to be almost angry, judging by the thin line that his mouth had changed to. This is outrageous, thought Amethyst, I should be the one who gets to be mad at you! Firstly, he hadn¡¯t even mentioned his relationship with Count Glacia to her. Also, he had been treating Amethyst very coldly after the arrival of Count Glacia. This was simply unfair. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 ¨C It Is Not a Shame (1) As Alexcent and Amethyst entered the banquet hall, the seated guests rose as one to greet them. The preparation had been made exactly like the previous year, so everything seemed to be going smoothly. The only difference was that Amethyst sat next to Alexcent at the head of the table. Count Glacia naturally sat on a chair on Alexcent¡¯s other side, followed by Count Citri, Baron Hours and his wife, then Baron Zephry and his wife. On the opposite side, along Amethyst¡¯ side sat Count Onslow, Baroness Renove. As expected, Count Glacia was decked and bedecked in a beautiful dress and glittering jewels. Her luscious, long hair added to her elegance. Count Glacia knew her strengths. She appeared confident, elegant and in poise. Amethyst let out a sigh. Her thoughts were interrupted by Alexcent¡¯s voice. ¡°Thank you all for making the long trip here,¡± he said, ¡°I hope you have all rested. Even if you haven¡¯t, that is indeed too bad. Let¡¯s begin!¡± The guests laughed at his joke and the feast began. The servants served the meal and tended to their respective nobles. Amethyst, who was seeing this for the first time, admired their efficiency. So, this is what nobles enjoy, she thought, it¡¯s like dining in a five-star hotel! The nobles engaged in conversation among themselves and Amethyst directed a glance towards Alexcent. He was keenly focusing on his food, avoiding her gaze. He didn¡¯t seem to be interested in conversations going around him either. Amethyst rather wished that he would engage her in a conversation, she hardly knew anybody else. They were all his family! And he sat there, determined on his food, and not even acknowledging her. It was as though she was a prop placed on a chair next to him and nothing else. Amethyst turned her gaze back to her plate in front of her, in which the servant has served an appetizer for her. It was a salad with fresh greens and fruits. Amethyst sighed and pushed the plate to the side. It was an indication to the servant to remove the plate. ¡°Eat it,¡± said a low voice from beside her. She turned to see Alexcent with his hand on his chin. He pushed the plate in front of her. He knew she disliked the dish and yet¡­ Amethyst scowled. She couldn¡¯t refuse and make a scene here, in front of all the guests. He had been ignoring me fine till now, she thought vehemently, it seems he doesn¡¯t want to pass a chance of making me miserable today. She played around with the fork and poked at a fruit and placed it in her mouth. Since yesterday, she had only gotten cold shoulder from him. And today, she gets only two curt words ¡®let¡¯s go¡¯ and ¡®eat it¡¯ respectively. How annoying. He doesn¡¯t want to speak to me and yet he wants to order me around! She felt her anger flare. Ignoring me when it is convenient to him, ordering me when it suits him! She put the fork down and pushed the plate aside. She didn¡¯t look at him, only looked forward. She felt his gaze on her, but she ignored him and pretended to be interested in the conversation of the other nobles. And unlike his stupid aloof countenance, she didn¡¯t forget to smile at her guests sweetly. ¡°Congratulations, Count Citri. You recently succeeded in the title.¡± ¡°Thank you. After my father abdicated, I was surprised to succeed to it.¡± ¡°Oh my, what do you mean surprised. We are all well aware of your great business talent.¡± ¡°I am flattered, Baroness Hours.¡± ¡°Oh how humble.¡± Countess Onslow looked at Countess Citri as she continued. ¡°You must be under quite a pressure, having become a Countess at such a young age. Count Citris¡¯ business is of a rather large scale.¡± ¡°Yes. Really it was so sudden¡­.I seek your guidance Countess Maria. I have a lot to learn.¡± ¡°Please, any time. I will help you to the best of my abilities.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind words.¡± Count Glacia who had been listening in added on. ¡°Well talking about pressure, I doubt if anyone can match up to her Ladyship? So please don¡¯t worry. Countess Citri.¡± At the mention of Amethyst, all eyes turned to her. They expected her to comment, it seemed. What should I even say? Amethyst thought a while and calmly replied, ¡°It really depends on how you think of it. It¡¯s a difference in perspective. If you think of it as something that pressures you then it will. If not, there is no need to stress yourself out so much. In that sense I believe Countess Citri will do a wonderful job.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lady Skad,¡± said Countess Citri, amiably. ¡°Oh, please, it¡¯s nothing,¡± said Amethyst, warmly, ¡°I must apologize for wishing you late, but nonetheless, congratulations!¡± Countess Citri beamed. It made Amethyst feel like she had said the right thing. ¡°Truly, Lady Skad,¡± said Countess Citri, ¡°You are great!¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± added Count Glacia, ¡°The festival is prepared so greatly as well. I heard that one of your staff was fired so it must have been very challenging for you to do everything on your own. It is very impressive.¡± ¡°Oh, are you acquainted with the previous staff, Dajal?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Not very well, I am afraid,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°I simply noticed his absence because he was always present everywhere.¡± Amethyst realized that they were waiting for an explanation. A long-term staff being fired was very unusual in such a big household. She was already in a bad mood and the silent question made her distressed. ¡°Dajal was dismissed because of his crimes worthy of much brutal punishments,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Since the management of the mansion falls under my jurisdiction as the lady of the house, I felt the need to act upon it.¡± Chapter 107 Chapter 107 ¨C It Is Not a Shame (2) There was no need for her to explain herself, but she wanted to. What the head of the household did in their own house was none of anyone¡¯s business. She felt, despite herself, that the pointed question was taking a dig at her. She didn¡¯t want to be looked down upon, just because she was handling these responsibilities for the first time. ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± asked Count Glacia, ¡°I was simply concerned that it was such an unusual thing for a long-serving staff of the Skad family to be dismissed so suddenly. It is a shame.¡± ¡°Then perhaps I should be more transparent and tell you more about the matter so that you will be put at ease, Count Glacia,¡± conceded Amethyst. If they wanted to hear dirt at the dinner table, then so be it. ¡°It is not unknown that Dajal was repeatedly violent towards his employees. That was the least of his criminal behaviors. He was found to be guilty of acts of embezzlement, bribery and sexual harassments. Some employees have also reported sexual assaults. Considering his crimes, actions needed to be taken. And as someone in a high position, it is our duty to protect those under our care. So, no Count Glacia, it is not a ¡®shame¡¯ to have fired him. He got what he deserved. Were you fond of him?¡± Silence fell. It seemed as though a spark had been ignited. Beneath the veneer of politeness that the nobles put on, they could, most times, be the rudest and brutalist of people. ¡°Of course not,¡± said Count Glacia, with ever so much elegance, ¡°I do apologize I was simply unaware of the details. I was simply concerned about the rumors which indicated that you wielded your power unfairly to fire long-serving staffs, which obviously isn¡¯t true. I am sure rumors will disappear, but I am ever so grateful to you for clearing my misunderstanding.¡± Rumors? Amethyst recalled Pon saying that it was treason for a servant to speak about the affairs of their employers. Knowing Pon, she believed he would keep the staffs firmly secretive on the matters concerning the household. So, the staffs wouldn¡¯t be spreading these rumors, obviously. Besides they had been tormented as much as any other servants under Dajal. Surely, Dajal being fired gave them more relief than anyone else. Maybe she is lying, thought Amethyst. Maybe she wants me to make a slip so rumors could start from this table. ¡°It is interesting that these fruitless rumors ha reached from the Duke¡¯s mansion in the capital to far suburbs, close to your estate¡­,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Unfortunately I am unaware of such rumors at this moment but I am glad that I was able to clarify.¡± Count Glacia remained unfazed, an elegant smile in place and her eyes full of amusement. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Baron Piamon beat her to it. ¡°How great to have cleared any misunderstandings,¡± he said, ¡°We must have alcohol to celebrate! I brought a brandy that I recently invented with a new technique. It will be introduced in the market soon, but I have brought a bottle along as gift. Please enjoy!¡± Piamon signaled to a servant, who ran along and came back with a decanter of the brandy. The servant poured a glass for everybody, beginning from Alexcent. Soon, in front of them, a glass with reddish liquid glittered on the table. Amethyst looked down at her glass. Alcohol! She had always enjoyed her liquor. Before getting married, she had enjoyed it quite heartily. A drink with her friends, with colleagues and her boss, a can of beer when she was alone. Right now, in this den of uppity people, she could indeed do with some alcohol. She was curious what Count Glacia had been about to say but that could wait. This wasn¡¯t all bad. Amethyst already liked Baron Piamon for his observant nature. He had interrupted at the right time to provide her with something she needed the most right now. She picked up and glass and raised it to her lips, when a strong hand grabbed her arm. ¡°No,¡± Alexcent commanded. The liquor slushed in her glass. ¡°You almost made me spill it!¡± she said. ¡°Do you know how strong that liquor is?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°I guess we will find out soon, love,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°I am telling you, it¡¯s very strong,¡± said Alexcent desperately. Not letting go of her arm. ¡°I am sure,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Besides refusing a gift is rude.¡± ¡°Ash¡­,¡± said Alexcent in a soft voice. Don¡¯t, thought Amethyst. Don¡¯t call my name like that now after treating me like that the whole time. Don¡¯t shake me up again. Don¡¯t look at me like that. Amethyst took the glass in her other hand because he wasn¡¯t letting go. A vein throbbed on Alexcent¡¯s forehead. Baron Piamon seemed to be having second thoughts about it. ¡°Lady Skad,¡± he said, ¡°Unlike how it looks, it indeed is very strong.¡± ¡°I am sure, thank you,¡± said Amethyst raising the glass to her lips. ¡°It might just be too strong,¡± he insisted. ¡°That¡¯s alright, Baron,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Hope it lives up to the flourish with which you have presented it. Can I drink now or is the liquor here only to be admired?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he said, defeated. Amethyst looked at Count Glacia, who was still smiling at her, and gulped down the liquor in one go. I am sure it¡¯s like hard liquor, thought Amethyst, it should do no harm. I didn¡¯t fall behind anyone when it came to drinking in my day. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 ¨C Tea Party (1) The alcohol flowed down her throat and burned her almost empty stomach. She felt heat rise to her cheeks. ¡°I like the fruity taste of it,¡± she declared. Baron Piamon laughed. ¡°Lady Skad seems to be quite good with her drinks.¡± He refilled her glass. It was stronger than she expected but she took her time to enjoy the fruity aftertaste. It tasted somewhere between hard liquor and soju. Amethyst raised the glass to her lips again. Her vision started to blur. Why can¡¯t I see anything? She thought. Why do I feel so light¡ª The one quickest to catch Amethyst as she slid sideways from her chair was Alexcent. Her body burned and her breathing came very roughly. Her face was red. She laughed. It burns¡­I can¡¯t breathe¡­ ¡°Goddamn it,¡± cursed Alexcent as he lifted her up in her arms and walked out of the banquet hall. He couldn¡¯t care less about the rest of the guests at that moment. ¡°Pon,¡± he barked at his butler. ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± Pon appeared before him, looking with concern at Amethyst. ¡°Call the doctor, hurry,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Right away, My Lord,¡± said Pon and hurried away. Alexcent reached Amethyst¡¯ bedroom and laid her on the bed. He loosened her dress and corset. He wiped away her sweat. His hands gentle on her forehead. ¡°I told you,¡± he said impatiently. But even as his tone was irritated, his hands were still gentle. Her eyes were red, and her head throbbed. Her lipstick was smeared on her lower lip. He wiped it away with his thumb. ¡°I told you not to drink it,¡± he said. As tender as his hands seemed on her forehead, Amethyst¡¯ anger flared. She was annoyed of so many restrictions placed on her. I told you not to smile too much. I told you not to talk so much¡­ * ¡°I guess the rumors were true,¡± said Countess Onslow, as she watched Alexcent rush out of the hall with Amethyst in his arms. ¡°I understand why the capital was in uproar.¡± ¡°Did you hear about how he made fireworks with his magic solely for her? I never expected him to be a romantic.¡± ¡°Precisely, this is the first time I have seen the Duke display any emotion at all.¡± ¡°Did you see how he was taking care of her meal as well? And gazing at her so lovingly?¡± ¡°Yes! I saw it too. The two of them are so sweet together.¡± The hall was filled with nobles conversing and being surprised about the Duke being capable of romace at all. ¡°Do you think Lady Skad will be alright?¡± asked Baron Piamon anxiously. His worry was understandable, after all it was the drink he had offered, and Amethyst was the Duke¡¯s wife! ¡°I am sure she will be alright,¡± said Count Glacia calmly, ¡°except maybe a bad hangover.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief,¡± said Baron Piamon. He kept staring at the door through which Alexcent had left with Amethyst. Count Renove noticed his discomfort and tried to lighten the mood. ¡°Well, come now,¡± said Count Renove, ¡°Can we enjoy a glass each? Since the Duke is gone, we can loosen up a bit and drink to our fill.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± said Count Onslow, ¡°That¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± ¡°Really,¡± said Countess Onslow, rolling her eyes, ¡°My husband just can¡¯t say to alcohol.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha, my dearest,¡± said Count Onslow, ¡°I am just trying to make sure Baron Piamon¡¯s gift doesn¡¯t go to waste. Besides, he could do with a review on his new product, eh?¡± Baron Piamon laughed. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± He then proceeded to pour a drink for everyone present. Countess Onslow smiled as she accepted a glass herself. The feast continued and the nobles drank their fill. * Groan. Amethyst felt as though her head was splitting. She sat up in bed and the light seemed too bright, everything too bright except Lunia¡¯s voice, which sounded stern. ¡°How is your hangover?¡± asked Lunia, sternly. ¡°Ugh,¡± managed Amethyst. ¡°How did I get here?¡± ¡°Do you not remember anything?¡± asked Lunia. She sighed. ¡°Who else would take care of you? The Duke himself, of course.¡± Alec¡­. The space beside her was cold, Alexcent hadn¡¯t stayed the night today as well. Amethyst sighed. ¡°Drink this,¡± said Lunia, as she handed her a bowl with a foul-smelling liquid. ¡°Doctor¡¯s prescription. It will clear your mind.¡± ¡°The doctor was here?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes,¡± said Lunia, ¡°The Duke called him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so overboard. It was just a drink!¡± She raised the bowl to her lips and sipped. The foul-smelling thing was so bitter. She closed her mind and drank it down in one go. The bitterness remained on her tongue. ¡°Blech! Tastes horrible,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°What happened at the feast after?¡± ¡°Well, after Duke and you left the hall, the nobles went all out and drank late into the night,¡± said Lunia. Amethyst nodded handing the empty bowl back to her. ¡°Great! I thought I had ruined it,¡± she said, ¡°And Lunia, I am so sorry. I must have worried you.¡± ¡°Do you really mean that?¡± asked Lunia, ¡°I was worried out of my mind.¡± Amethyst nodded guiltily. ¡°Of course, I mean it.¡± ¡°Good,¡± said Lunia, ¡°No more alcohol from now on, then.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t plan on drinking for some time after this,¡± she said, ¡°Where is Alec?¡± ¡°The Duke is in the conference room,¡± said Lunia, ¡°With the other nobles. The meeting has begun.¡± ¡°What? Already?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°What about the wives? Shouldn¡¯t we be getting ready to invite them to the tea party?¡± ¡°So good of you to notice,¡± said Lunia, glaring at her. ¡°Sorry,¡± said Amethyst sheepishly. ¡°Thankfully, the other ladies must have drank a fair bit themselves. They must still be resting. It seems like the tea party will be too much today,¡± said Lunia, ¡°so I think we should decide on the tea party after assessing their condition.¡± ¡°I¡¯m relieved that I¡¯m not the only one in this state,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Madam, you should rest a while more. I will come back in the afternoon to discuss the details about the tea party,¡± said Lunia. ¡°Okay,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Thank you so much Lunia.¡± Lunia took her leave and Amethyst lay back on the bed. The medicine was foul, but it was making her feel a bit better. But she felt upset. I guess Alec left immediately after he dropped me here. She scowled. He must be furious¡­ No, he must be busy with the meeting. Slowly, her eyes drooped, and she felt asleep unaware of the fuss Alexcent had made in the night and pestered the doctor and Lunia regarding her health. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 109 Chapter 109 ¨C Tea Party (2) Meanwhile, in the large conference hall in the mansion, a heated debate was in progress. Alexcent hadn¡¯t uttered a word since the meeting started but listened quietly to whatever others had to say. ¡°Due to the frequent flood and storms, the amount of harvest was disappointing this year. It had decreased by 30% as compared to the year before. So we were wondering if we could reduce the tax rate for the citizens who are farmers.¡± ¡°What do you mean reduce! Then the overall budget will reduce. How are we to make up for the loss in our budgetary estimate?¡± ¡°Well, we could split it up and charge it to the new companies and projects we are starting.¡± ¡°What? How can we raise the taxes even before the business is in operation.¡± ¡°Baron Zephyr, you wouldn¡¯t understand since you do not have many farms in your custody. But for Count Onslow and myself, our areas did not have a good harvest this year. So, if we were to collect a large amount in taxes, it could harm the citizens and they might mutiny.¡± ¡°Even so, how can we charge that to the other businesses. Do you think anyone would invest? If not, then all the factories will close without any investment.¡± As Count Citri and Baron Zephyr raised their differing points, Count Onslow, Baron Hours, Baron Piamon took sides and added their two cents to the discussion. ¡°Now, please calm down. At this rate, we will get nowhere,¡± said Count Renove. Gen, on the other hand, wondered why the Duke was so distant. He seemed to be listening but really far away from whatever the other nobles were discussing. Just then, there was a knock on the door. There was another knock. When no one answered, Lunia pushed the door open and entered. She bowed and approached Alexcent. She bent over and whispered something in his ear. Nobody else heard. Alexcent nodded. ¡°Madam has just woken up,¡± whispered Lunia to Alexcent. ¡°Besides the hangover she seems fine,¡± said Lunia. ¡°The medicine?¡± asked Alexcent. He knew that she hated anything bitter so she might have bypassed the bitter medicine. ¡°She drank it all, and fell back asleep,¡± said Lunia. Alexcent nodded, and Lunia bowed and took her leave from the conference hall. Alexcent¡¯s mood seemed to improve a little. He didn¡¯t look so distant anymore. He wanted to check on her at once, but he needed to finish this work. His relatives were all in a heated debate now and it was just the first day of the meeting. He sighed. ¡°Taxes are to remain frozen. Same as this year without any increase,¡± declared Alexcent, ¡°Provided that temporary compensation shall be paid to the affected farmers and other residents.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord,¡± said the nobles. The solution seemed absurdly simple and nobody could oppose Alexcent¡¯s suggestion. The nobles felt embarrassed for their heated outbursts from earlier. ¡°Which budget should we use to cover temporary compensation?¡± asked Count Glacia. Alexcent had seemed in a foul mood from the beginning. Count Glacia had been bothered by Alexcent¡¯s aloofness but now he looked a little better after Lunia left, so she took it as a chance to ask her question. ¡°From the reserves we¡¯ve been building up,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Next, discussing the breakdown of the advertising and promotional costs for Brandy,¡± insisted Baron Piamon, cautiously. ¡°Rejected,¡± said Alexcent curtly. Baron Piamon looked like he was going to burst into tears any second. * ¡°Roman, could you call Lunia for me?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± After waking up from her nap, Amethyst ate the meal that Roman had brought up to her room and looked for Lunia. Yesterday¡¯s events were a thing of the past now. The head of the other families were having a meeting and she must play her part as well. ¡°Are you feeling any better?¡± asked Lunia, hurrying into the room. ¡°Yes. Thanks to you.¡± Amethyst smiled sheepishly at Lunia. Lunia was busy checking her for fever, taking her temperature. ¡°Lunia.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How are the other ladies? Is there anyone who is not well?¡± ¡°Thankfully, they are all fine.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­.Then shall we have the tea party tomorrow afternoon?¡± ¡°So soon? Will you be alright?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s have tea and simple snacks or cakes,¡± suggested Amethyst, ¡°The main objective will probably be to talk and make everyone feel comfortable. So instead of postponing it, I think it will be best to get it over with¡­before the other ladies feel neglected.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Where should we have the tea party?¡± ¡°Hm¡­,¡± pondered Amethyst. The garden would be great¡­ but it¡¯s too big and will probably take a lot of time to prepare it for the tea party. It might not be ready by tomorrow. Also, it might rain. But I don¡¯t want to do it indoors. It¡¯s too formal. I would like it to be somewhere small and cozy¡­ ¡°What about the glass garden?¡± suggested Roman. ¡°Glass garden?¡± considered Amethyst. ¡°Yes. the glass garden that exists between the building where the guests currently are and the main mansion.¡± Hm, thought Amethyst, it¡¯s cozy and sheltered¡­ ¡°Great idea, Roman! Let¡¯s go with that.¡± Amethyst felt proud of Roman. After taking over as a manager of the household, she seemed to have dedicated her time to learn everything about the estate grounds. Roman had come a long way. ¡°Madam, most of the plants are green in the glass garden,¡± said Roman, ¡°So it would probably need some decoration. Do you have any theme in mind?¡± ¡°What about flowers? We don¡¯t need a concept, just something natural,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°But the flowers should be plentiful and abundant. The color can be in pastel tone to give it a calm and tranquil effect, and the cutlery can be small and cute. How does that sound?¡± Lunia nodded. ¡°It sounds good. It suits your image as well. I will purchase the necessary flowers for the tea party. Then prepare the invitations and send it out as soon as it is ready.¡± ¡°Ah, now that you mention an invitation. Are you planning on sending a paper card?¡± ¡°Yeah, a lot of people do it in general.¡± ¡°I was thinking¡­ the tea party might be a little bland, so for the invitation I¡¯d like it to be a little special.¡± ¡°How Madam?¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 110 Chapter 110 ¨C Eyes and Ears ¡°Why don¡¯t we use the prettiest blooming roses from the garden and on it¡¯s stalk tie a note that states only the time and location as the invite? It will seem very mysterious. We will have someone deliver the invitation individually to the ladies.¡± ¡°Oh! That sounds like a great idea. I¡¯m sure the ladies will have fun.¡± ¡°Then as for the person who is delivering the invite¡­.let¡¯s pick the most handsome member of the staff. Anyone in mind?¡± Lunia chuckled. ¡°Amongst the members of the staff?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure you have someone you¡¯ve always considered ¡®good looking¡¯.¡± Roman and Lunia glanced at each other. ¡°What about Gen?¡± Amethyst¡¯ eyes widened in surprise. Gen? She nodded. He is always overshadowed in the company of Alexcent and is always by his side, and always busy. But I guess Gen is pretty popular with the ladies regarding his look. Not too bad. Dark hair, cat-like eyes, sharp nose¡­ ¡°Now that I think about it¡­ it¡¯s a very good idea.¡± ¡°But there is a problem, Madam.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Gen might not agree to something like this.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Roman, ¡°He is always so busy, and I don¡¯t think he will agree to laying this part at all.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± mumbled Amethyst, deep in thought. Gen will obviously not agree to it. He is much to uppity for his own good. But I have a way¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± assured Amethyst, ¡°Tell him that I said it is time to return the favor.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. He will know what I am getting at.¡± ¡°Gen and flowers,¡± said Lunia, gleefully, ¡°I will not let him hear the end of it, ever.¡± ¡°But please doll Gen up. In a rich noble kind of way. Tell him to wear a cape.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± Lunia left the room with a large grin on her face to carry out the preparation. There wasn¡¯t much time left to prepare for the tea party that was to be held tomorrow. * Tired of the long continuous meetings, the head of the households were taking a break. Count Onslow, Count Citri and Baron Houres puffed cigars, while Baron Zephyr was lying down on a sofa. The hangover from the day before was still fresh. Count Glacia, on the other hand, returned to her room to rest, unlike the gentlemen. Her maid appeared before her with a young maid by her side. ¡°My Lady,¡± intoned her maid. ¡°So, is this the child?¡± asked Count Glacia. ¡°Yes, My Lady.¡± Her maid looked at the young maid by her side. ¡°Greetings Count Glacia,¡± said the timid, young maid. ¡°So, you serve the Lady Skad?¡± ¡°Yes, My Lady,¡± said the young maid, ¡°Along with two others.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± asked Count Glacia gently. ¡°Habe.¡± ¡°What a pretty name!¡± ¡°Thank you, My Lady.¡± ¡°The reason why I called you here today¡­is because I have a small favor to ask,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°Will you be able to help me?¡± ¡°How may I be of service, My Lady?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing very difficult. I want you to be my eyes and ears.¡± ¡°I am just a mere maid,¡± said Habe, ¡°How can I be what you expect of me?¡± Count Glacia took Habe¡¯s trembling hands in hers. ¡°You will be of great help to me, child,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°I just need information. I want you to report to me.¡± ¡°Information¡­ related to lady Skad?¡± asked Habe. ¡°You are smart!¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°I like you. So, can you help me then? Nothing very big. Small tidbits of information.¡± Habe hesitated. She had always been jealous of Roman. Roman used to be a mere maid like her but she had earned the favor of Lady Skad and now was the manager of the household. It should have been her! But no matter how she thought about this offer, she felt like it would be disloyal and dishonest to the ones she served. ¡°Will it pose any harm to the Lady?¡± asked Habe, terrified. ¡°You really are loyal. No wonder she has you by her side,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°But don¡¯t worry. Nothing of that sort will happen. The only information I seek are minor ones. What is the lady doing now?¡± ¡°She is currently discussing preparation of tomorrow¡¯s tea party with Lunia.¡± ¡°See? Easy. That¡¯s the kind of information that I want. Just small everyday things. So, will you do it?¡± ¡°If it is¡­ just small things, I think I could.¡± ¡°Great!¡± said Count Glacia as she took of her jeweled necklace that she wore and put it on Habe¡¯s neck. ¡°A gift.¡± ¡°But I couldn¡¯t possibly¡­.¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°It rather suits you. This is a gift for being so loyal to Lady Skad. All of us need a loyal friend like you.¡± She steered Habe to the mirror. ¡°See? Doesn¡¯t it suit you?¡± ¡°But this is too much.¡± ¡°Bosh,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°No more precious than your loyalty.¡± ¡°So, where is Lady Skad holding the tea party?¡± ¡°The glass house, I heard.¡± ¡°I see. Then they will need to decorate the glass house¡­¡± ¡°I heard they will be decorating it with flowers.¡± ¡°Only flowers?¡± ¡°Yes, Lunia will soon be calling a merchant to order the flowers.¡±. ¡°Habe, will you then do me a small favour?¡± ¡°Of course, My Lady.¡± ¡°Could you find out what is Lady Skad¡¯s favourite flower for me?¡± Habe had a bad feeling about all of it when Count Glacia asked for a ¡®favor¡¯. But she wasn¡¯t in a position to decline anything that came from a powerful person. She was only a maid. Since Count Glacia had so adamantly handed her the necklace even after her protests, she felt terrified. The favor, for now, seemed small enough. ¡°Yes, of course! * ¡°What rubbish are you gibbering?¡± asked Gen, sharply. ¡°It¡¯s not rubbish,¡± said Lunia, wearily, ¡°Your rudeness knows no bounds. Madam wants you to deliver the invitations.¡± ¡°Do what now?!¡± thundered Gen, ¡°And that too carrying flowers in that foolish attire? No way in hell.¡± ¡°Madam has requested it. That you, specifically, send out the invites to the ladies. And what do you mean ¡®foolish¡¯? It would look good on you. It¡¯s a nice outfit.¡± ¡°Are you out of your minuscule mind?¡± shot Gen. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 ¨C Flower Boy (1) ¡°Oh, come on Gen!¡± said Lunia, exasperated, ¡°It¡¯s just one small thing!¡± Gen sighed. He was already tired with his work and the meeting and had no energy to keep bickering with Lunia. He turned around and walked away. ¡°Gen!¡± said Lunia following down the hall, ¡°Wait! Where are you going?¡± ¡°The conference hall, where else?¡± retorted Gen, ¡°I don¡¯t have time to waste on you.¡± ¡°Just do it alright?¡± asked Lunia, ¡°And I will leave you alone.¡± Gen glared at Lunia. ¡°Find someone else!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± ¡°Why the hell not?¡± asked Gen, ¡°People would be lining up for this. Go find anyone else.¡± ¡°Madam told us to pick the most handsome person among the staffs,¡± explained Lunia, trying to keep in pace with Gen. ¡°You should be grateful. Everyone unanimously voted for you!¡± Gen scoffed. ¡°You and your one personage vote, I presume?¡± ¡°No, me and Roman¡­ and Madam!¡± ¡°Get lost from here before I lose my temper.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t! I have been instructed to carry out this task and I will see it done.¡± ¡°Lunia, get the hell out of my face. I simply don¡¯t have time for your petty tricks.¡± ¡°Well, then,¡± said Lunia, ¡°If it is going to be like that you leave me no choice. Madam said you owe her a favor.¡± ¡°What the hell?!¡± cursed Gen, halting in his tracks and turning to Lunia. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about it, alright,¡± said Lunia, ¡°But she said you would understand and agree to our request if I said that.¡± ¡°What gibberish is this?¡± shot back Gen, ¡°Now you think you can blackmail me into doing whatever stupid thing you want me to do?¡± Gen turned to go. ¡°Card! Stamps!¡± shouted Lunia from a few paces behind. Gen froze and walked back to her, glaring. Here I thought Amethyst was nice, he thought, she seems to be not a housecat but a lioness. Goddamn it! Gen cursed and scowled. ¡°Give it here!¡± he said and snatched the roses and the notes from Lunia¡¯s hands. ¡°Be careful!¡± said Lunia, ¡°Don¡¯t break the stalks! It suits you, you know.¡± Gen stabbed his fingers at her. ¡°Not another word!¡± ¡°I am most certain that they would prefer the man over the flowers.¡± ¡°Lunia!¡± roared Gen. ¡°Don¡¯t shout!¡± said Lunia with a smirk, ¡°Congratulations on becoming the flower boy!¡± Gen ignored her and tried to stomp away. ¡°Oi, flower boy!¡± called Lunia, ¡°Don¡¯t forget your outfit!¡± Gen turned to Lunia and directed her a deadly glare. He was doing his best to control his anger. He snatched the outfit that Lunia was shaking in front of him and stomped away. Roman came out from behind the pillar. She had been hiding there because she had no intention of facing Gen¡¯s wrath. ¡°Roman!¡± squeaked Lunia. She was laughing hysterically. ¡°Did you see his face?¡± ¡°Are you sure it is safe to tease him so blatantly?¡± asked Roman. ¡°He looked very angry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± said Roman, ¡°This is nothing compared to how he has treated me!¡± ¡°What did he do?¡± ¡°He always gives me hell for making the smallest mistake. He is so rude to me every time. He said I should work hard and efficiently if I want my head on my shoulders instead of it rolling on the ground. Threatening me every single time! He deserves this!¡± Roman chuckled seeing Lunia laughing uproariously. ¡°I am curious how he will look,¡± said Roman, ¡°I think it will suit him very well.¡± ¡°We probably won¡¯t be able to see that,¡± said Lunia, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. ¡°Why not?¡± asked Roman. ¡°He is an elusive guy,¡± said Lunia, ¡°He will find a way to carry out the chore when nobody can see him. Him with those flowers, that¡¯s all we get to see.¡± ¡°Such a shame,¡± said Roman. ¡°My, my, Roman,¡± said Lunia, ¡°The minx you are, you want to see him humiliated further?¡± ¡°No!¡± said Roman. ¡°Ha ha ha, only joking!¡± said Lunia, ¡°Let¡¯s go tell madam. We need to sort out the flowers. Lots to do!¡± A few hours later, the mansion was awash with rumors that a very handsome and mysterious thief had appeared with flowers. He had delivered these flowers to the lady guests in the mansion. A soft lavender rose for the gentle Countess of Onslow. Lovely pink rose to the amiable Countess Citri. Brilliant red roses delivered to Baroness Hours, and sweet, orange roses to Viscountess Renove. And mint, green rose to Baroness Zephyr, to match her calm countenance. Gen might complain high and low, but he was always one to deliver the most efficient work. * ¡°Madam, it¡¯s time to choose the flowers for the tea party decoration for tomorrow.¡± Lunia entered the room with the merchant. ¡°Greetings, Lady Skad. I am Flora, a merchant specializing in flowers.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you Flora.¡± ¡°Lady Skad, you plan to have the tea party tomorrow?¡± ¡°Ah yes. It¡¯s a small party and we would like to use flowers for decoration. Do you have any recommendations?¡± ¡°For how many?¡± ¡°A total of six people in the glass house.¡¯ ¡°Do you have an overall color in mind?¡± ¡°Yes. A pastel tone would be perfect.¡± ¡°Ah, then¡­why don¡¯t we use chrysanthemums with hydrangeas?¡± ¡°That sounds nice. Well you know better than me, Flora. But will it be ready by tomorrow?¡± ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°If there are any other flowers you would like, please let me know. Having a variety will make it look colorful, so it¡¯ll look good for a small tea party.¡± Amethyst thought about it. ¡°What flower do you like most, my lady?¡± said a maid, ¡°perhaps we can use that!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very good idea Habe!¡± said Lunia, ¡°What sort of flowers do you like, my lady?¡± Chapter 112 Chapter 112 ¨C Flower Boy (2) ¡°Hm¡­ I like flowers which looks small and subtle rather than the huge, extravagant ones. Maybe baby¡¯s breath.¡± A flower that always grows at the edge of other flowers, helping them grow. ¡°Oh¡­ baby¡¯s breath will be hard to spot among other flowers. But I can mix them up with the baby¡¯s breath. It will give it a nice, toned-down, pastel effect.¡± ¡°Thank you, that would be great!¡± ¡°If it is okay,¡± asked Flora, ¡°May I take a look at the glass house? So that I can ascertain the quantity of the flowers needed.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Habe, will you be kind enough to escort Flora to the glass house?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± said Habe. ¡°Please follow me,¡± said Habe to Flora. Habe led Flora through the hall to the outer grounds, to the glass house. ¡°May I ask when you will be coming with the flowers tomorrow? If the Lady asks, that is.¡± ¡°I intend to arrive early in the morning,¡± said Flora, ¡°It will take quite a while to decorate the glass house.¡± ¡°I see,¡± said Habe, ¡°Thank you. I will let the Lady know.¡± Habe watched Flora as she walked around the glass house taking measurements and exploring the corners where the flowers would go. I am sure Count Glacia will be pleased, she thought as she escorted Flora out of the glass house and to her carriage. * Flora came the next morning and dedicated her time to decorating the glass house. Once she was done, Amethyst, followed by Lunia and Roman, entered the glass house to take a look. The air in the glasshouse carried a subtle, delicate floral scent. The flowers themselves had been dusted with gold powder so they glistened in the sun. The space looked ethereal. ¡°Well done, Flora!¡± squealed Amethyst with delight, ¡°You have certainly outdone yourself!¡± Amethyst admired every flower in the glass house. She couldn¡¯t take her eyes off them. ¡°You couldn¡¯t find the baby¡¯s breath?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°Not that it matters, of course, because this is simply divine.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡­,¡± murmured Flora, avoiding her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should¡­,¡± stammered Flora. ¡°Nonsense, go on, it¡¯s alright,¡± urged Amethyst. ¡°I had it all prepared,¡± said Flora, ¡°I mixed in baby¡¯s breath as well. But this morning, Count Glacia came by¡­.¡± ¡°And?¡± urged Amethyst. Her smile froze at the mention of Count Glacia. ¡°She bought every sprig of baby¡¯s breath I had,¡± said Flora. ¡°I did inform her that I couldn¡¯t sell all of them as I needed them for a special occasion. But she was rather forceful and reprimanded me for being too excessive with the flowers. I am so sorry. I didn¡¯t have a choice.¡± This was a tea party she was organizing, Count Glacia had no right to saunter into the venue and temper with her preparation. Amethyst¡¯ anger flared. ¡°I see,¡± said Amethyst, smiling to comfort Flora, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Thank you so much for your excellent work. I do so love your flower arrangements. I hope I can call for your services again?¡± ¡°It will always be an honor to serve you, my lady,¡± said Flora and took her leave. Amethyst tried her best to control her anger. She tried to calm herself. There was a tea party to prepare for, this won¡¯t do. She only just managed to hide her scowl when the door of the glass house swung open. ¡°Goodness!¡± exclaimed Countess Citri. ¡°Welcome, Countess,¡± greeted Amethyst. ¡°This is breathtaking!¡± said the Countess, ¡°I never knew there was a glass house here either.¡± ¡°Thank you so much for your kind words,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°You too look breathtakingly beautiful today, I must say.¡± ¡°Oh my! Thank you!¡± said the Countess, beaming, ¡°I put in some effort. The invitation was really something. So mysterious!¡± ¡°I am so very glad to hear you like it,¡± said Amethyst. Amethyst felt a little closer to Countess Citri, maybe it was because of their similar age. She felt much more comforting and friendly towards her. Shortly Baroness Zephyr and Baroness Hours came arrived. ¡°Oh my, what fun topic are you two ladies talking about?¡± ¡°Nothing yet. We were just admiring the flowers,¡± said Countess Citri. ¡°Thank you for inviting us to the tea party today,¡± said the Baroness. ¡°What a beautiful place!¡± ¡°Thank you for coming. Please sit down!¡± said Amethyst leading them to the tables and chairs placed in the middle with heaps of cakes and macaroons. Countess Renove and Countess Onslow were the last to arrive. They too greeted Amethyst and commended her for the decorations. They finally sat down in the chairs. ¡°Who came up with the excellent idea for the invite?¡± asked Countess Onslow. ¡°It was my idea, Countess Onslow. I hope you liked it,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Oh, Lady Skad,¡± said Countess Onslow, ¡°I loved it! A mysterious, handsome thief with flowers! How quaint!¡± Everyone seems to have loved the invites, thought Amethyst happily, I will make sure I inform and thank Gen later. ¡°Tea will be served shortly,¡± proclaimed Amethyst as she gestured to the maids to bring forth the tea things. Just then Count Glacia rushed into the glass house. What is she doing here? Amethyst wondered. ¡°Count Glacia!¡± addressed Amethyst, ¡°What brings you here? I thought you would be at the meeting.¡± ¡°I heard that you were holding a tea party,¡± said Count Glacia. ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°So, I rushed form the meeting. It was going to end anyway,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°Since it¡¯s the first tea party in the mansion I was curious as to how you would be holding it¡­.and, I wanted to see if I could learn for my future reference should I need to hold a similar party in my own mansion. I didn¡¯t know that the party had already started. I apologize for the intrusion.¡± There is no way any of that is true, thought Amethyst. She knew Count Glacia might be here to get on her nerves to disrupt the party somehow. Maybe she wanted to provoke her like she did in the banquet. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 ¨C Provocation ¡°Didn¡¯t you already come by before to steal the flowers I ordered?¡± asked Amethyst. The ladies present balked at the word ¡®steal¡¯ and started whispering among themselves. Perhaps they were whispering about Count Glacia. But Count Glacia seemed unfazed by it all. ¡°I did not steal them,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°I bought and paid for them. Your words might be misleading.¡± ¡°Misleading?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°Is that how we describe someone who reprimanded the florist to forcefully take my order for yourself?¡± She really thinks it¡¯s the first time I am dealing with people like her, thought Amethyst. ¡°Oh no, you are mistaken,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°Please don¡¯t hold a grudge.¡± ¡°I have no intention of holding a grudge,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I am just laying out the facts and I am not mistaken.¡± ¡°You really must be very angry,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°I didn¡¯t intent to offend you, let me return the flowers.¡± Amethyst thought that Count Glacia was trying to provoke her further so that she will be inclined to make a scene in front of everybody. She recalled a colleague of a similar attitude at the place she used to work at. A colleague from another department who always blamed Amethyst for every little fault of hers. She recalled how when she had pointed out a mistake in her work, her colleague had started crying accusing Amethyst of being rude. She had spoken loudly so everyone could hear her and sympathize with her while making a villain out of Amethyst in their eyes. Amethyst¡¯ workload had increased as the colleague had always dumped her own work on Amethyst saying if she had so much problem with her then perhaps, she should take care of the work since she was competent enough. Amethyst had been furious. But she had apologized to the colleague, only to come home and regret that she hadn¡¯t retorted in her own defense. Everybody in the office looked at her as though she was so petty that she picked a fight whenever. The bitter memory still stayed with her and Count Glacia was doing exactly like her colleague had done to make her look bad in front of the others when she hadn¡¯t done anything at all to offend her in the first place. ¡°I don¡¯t need it back,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°As you can see, the tea party has already been decorated and we are in the middle of enjoying it. You can keep it as a gift from me. But again, you paid for it so it might not be a gift. Anyway, it¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Oh. It has already started,¡± said Alexcent entering the glass house. Amethyst hadn¡¯t seen him for the whole day but here he was with a bouquet of baby¡¯s breath in his hands. Amethyst knew she should have felt happy but in the light of what happened, she only felt a stab in her heart. What is he trying to do? ¡°What are you doing here?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°I heard you prepared a tea party,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°I wanted to congratulate you.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°What¡¯s that in your hand?¡± ¡°Your favorite flower,¡± said Alexcent. Amethyst had this great urge of snatching the flower and stomping on it. Instead, she took a deep breath and asked, ¡°Did Count Glacia give the flower to you? Did she tell you that it was my favorite flower?¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± said Alexcent. ¡°No, Lady Skad!¡± interrupted Count Glacia. ¡°You are mistaken.¡± I can see the whole picture now. I¡¯m sure she passed Alexcent my favorite flower and told him to give it to me at the tea party as a gift. She might have done it herself because if she had made a maid do it, they will have told me. Seeing how she appeared at the tea party before Alec, she must have known that I would have caused a scene over the baby¡¯s breath and wanted Alec to see my outrage himself. She must have realised that I wasn¡¯t the kind to go down without a fight during the banquet. She would then make the most fake pitiful face and defend herself. And if Alec had seen the situation..? Should I call her meticulous or dumb. Seeing how everything was playing out to be so obvious, does she really not expect me to know how this will play out like it does in the dramas? Amethyst had no intention of humoring Count Glacia nor was she going to ruin this tea party that she had prepared so lovingly. She wasn¡¯t going to rise up to her provocation. ¡°Thank you, Alec,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Thanks to Count Glacia too that I got to receive my favorite flower.¡± She accepted the flowers from Alexcent. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken,¡± said Count Glacia. ¡°Still?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°Is it not true you snatched every last baby¡¯s breath I wanted decorated?¡± ¡°If you are still angry about that, I apologize,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°I am very sorry, Lady Skad. Please forgive me.¡± Now she apologizes and acts very innocent after denying it earlier that she took the flowers! Ever since Alexcent joined them, Amethyst didn¡¯t fail to notice how Count Glacia had addressed her as ¡®Lady Skad¡¯. ¡°Fine,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I accept your apology. And Alec, thank you for the gift but I would rather prefer to receive a gift chosen by you than by someone else¡¯s influence. It would mean more to me that way.¡± Far from Count Glacia had anticipated, the duchess remained calm and regal despite her hidden provocation. I won¡¯t let things go as you want. Amethyst then walked to the door of the glass house and held it open for both of them. ¡°Now, you two. Please get lost now. The heads of the families should be carrying out your duties and attending meetings. While we should be doing our duties too. Let¡¯s not intrude and disturb each other. I am sure we all are busy, you with your meetings and us with our tea party!¡± Chapter 114 Chapter 114 ¨C Mysterious Death The other ladies were perplexed. They all turned as one to look at Alexcent. Count Glacia was looking at him, wondering what his reaction would be. With all eyes on him, Alexcent let out a humorless laugh. ¡°Of course,¡± he said and walked out, closely followed by Count Glacia. ¡°I apologize, Duke,¡± said Count Glacia when they were outside, ¡°The Lady must be deeply mistaken. I will definitely apologize to her again privately and resolve this situation.¡± Alexcent look down at Count Glacia who was walking by his side. ¡°This is the last time I play along with your tricks.¡± It was a warning for Count Glacia to stop whatever game she was playing. She stopped in her tracks. ¡°Understood,¡± she bowed her head and replied. Alexcent walked in quick, long strides and disappeared inside the mansion. Count Glacia turned around to look at the glass house one last time. I expected her to be meek and na?ve, she thought, Maybe I was wrong. She had told Alexcent that the Lady was fond of baby¡¯s breath, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to turn up at the tea party with a boquet of it. When the duke had left the conference hall, she had rushed to reach the glass house before him and provoked the duchess. ¡°Just how much did Dajal rip off just them to get himself fired?¡± wondered Count Glacia. With the duke defending Amethyst, there was no way Count Glacia could go on with her little games. He was a powerful man. Now that things had officially soured between herself and Lady Skad, she had no choice but to face her directly. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll give up as long as I keep provoking her,thought Count Glacia. Let¡¯s see who wins. Meanwhile, Amethyst handed the baby¡¯s breath to the maid and instructed her to take it to her bedroom. She didn¡¯t want it here any longer. I will throw it away later. ¡°Did you see Count Glacia¡¯s face?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°I feel so satisfied.¡± ¡°My words exactly. She always tries to rile things up, she deserves it.¡± It seemed like Count Glacia wasn¡¯t very liked in the circle of ladies. I wonder what she did to make so many people dislike her, wondered Amethyst. But she guessed that the way Count Glacia had acted today, it was pretty much obvious. ¡°You dealt with the situation very well, Lady Skad,¡± said Countess Onslow approvingly. ¡°I am so sorry for ruining the mood,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Nonsense,¡± said Countess Onslow, ¡°You did well. If you had gotten angry at that moment, the foolish one would be you, not Count Glacia.¡± ¡°I certainly enjoyed myself when you told them to get lost.¡± ¡°But why are you so angry at the Prince?¡± ¡°What makes you think that?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°You told him to get lost as well,¡± said Baroness Zephyr ¡°Haha, because I wanted him to get lost. It¡¯s alright. I have the right to be angry,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°You¡¯re right! If it were me, we would be spending our nights in separate rooms for months,¡± said Countess Citri in support. We are already doing that now, thought Amethyst. It seemed like many people disliked Count Glacia. It might make it easier for Amethyst to ask about her without seeming suspicious and nosy. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what kind of person is Count Glacia? It seems like everyone has some issue with her,¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°Forgive me if it is too forward of me to ask such a thing.¡± ¡°How could anyone like her? As soon as Count Glacia walked out, she stuck so close to the duke and acted as though she was really Lady Skad or something.¡± ¡°Yes. Every time during the annual festival¡­ it really was quite an eyesore.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand why the duke would make such a woman his mistress!¡± exclaimed Countess Citri. ¡°Forgive me,¡± she said, ¡°That was only a rumor. Please don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± So, she really was his mistress¡­ thought Amethyst. ¡°Of course not,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Even if it was true, it was before our marriage, so it is none of my business.¡± Countess Citri seemed awkward for letting slip what she said and brought out her handkerchief to dab at her forehead. Baroness Hours leaped to her rescue. ¡°Well, if it is rumors, we are talking about,¡± she said, ¡°then rumor has it that the Count killed her husband to inherit the title.¡± ¡°No way¡­,¡± mumbled Amethyst. Rumors certainly took a life of their own and spread like wildfire. Granted that she disliked her husband, the then Count Glacia, but she didn¡¯t think she was really that evil. ¡°Then why would the energetic and healthy count suddenly pass away? Not even a year after they got married¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s nice to determine someone¡¯s character solely on rumors,¡± said Amethyst. Anyone who has experienced a work life will know how rumors could destroy one¡¯s image in front of their colleagues and make life harder. No matter how much Amethyst disliked someone, she didn¡¯t want to gauge their personality based on rumors created by people without fearing consequences. She must approach this rationally and logically. ¡°That¡¯s true¡­.¡± ¡°But did the healthy count really just pass away?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t even a disease, or an accident.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why such a rumor went around.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the count¡¯s own fault for marrying her.¡± Chapter 115 Chapter 115 ¨C To Protect Belice (1) ¡°True, a commoner shouldn¡¯t have been allowed to be a countess.¡± Thus, they continued in counterpoint. The ladies dug out past gossips and rumors. Most of them were peeved for being treated badly. Amethyst knew that if she let this continue, in less than a second Count Glacia would be branded the vilest creature on earth irrespective of it being true or not. Amethyst had no intention of making her tea party be about trashing other people. She wanted this tea party to be enjoyable not a cesspool of gossip. Even if Count Glacia was indeed as vile, she had no intention of letting this continue as Count Glacia herself wasn¡¯t here to defend herself. It seemed wrong and unfair. This won¡¯t do, thought Amethyst, I need to change the topic of the conversation. ¡°By the way, Countess Onslow, that brooch is so lovely!¡± commended Amethyst, ¡°I¡¯ve not been able to look away.¡± ¡°Oh my, thank you. You are too kind,¡± said the Countess, ¡°I received it as a gift some time ago. In commemoration of our 40 years of marriage.¡± ¡°Oh my! Congratulations!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Countess Onslow suddenly seemed shy talking about her marriage and blushed a deep red. ¡°Seeing that pretty brooch reminds me¡­,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°why don¡¯t we all go to Newhenfield to go shopping tomorrow?¡± ¡°Newhenfield?¡± ¡°Yes! If you¡¯re all alright with it.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a newly built city?¡± ¡°Yes. I went once before, and the streets are very modern and beautiful.¡± ¡°Oh my, I¡¯ve always wanted to go!¡± ¡°Actually, we were getting a little tired of the capital. Every year we always visit the same places.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I¡¯m glad you all are on board.¡± The conversation was thus steered successfully in other directions. The tea party continued until very late as they discussed about random tidbits of information. *** ¡®I hear that Lady Skad likes baby¡¯s breath.¡¯ That was what Count Glacia had said and Alexcent had called Gen to the side. ¡°Prepare a bouquet of baby¡¯s breath,¡± he had said to Gen. ¡°Baby¡¯s breath?¡± asked Gen, confused. ¡°Yes.¡± Gen hadn¡¯t responded and continued staring at Alexcent. ¡°What?¡± asked Alexcent when he saw Gen still looking at him. ¡°What are you planning?¡± asked Gen. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°Do you really not know?¡± Alexcent hadn¡¯t replied. He flipped through his documents instead. ¡°Your Highness,¡± said Gen, ¡°Please.¡± ¡°I am listening,¡± said Alexcent curtly. ¡°If I may just speak freely,¡± began Gen, ¡°Don¡¯t get yourself involved between the two of them.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°But you are planning to do exactly that,¡± insisted Gen, ¡°Baby¡¯s breath? Just because Count Glacia hinted at it, you can¡¯t take her bait. She is obviously planning something.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Sorry?¡± said Gen, confused. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see how Ash would react to this obvious trick?¡± ¡°You really are a sadist,¡± said Gen, ¡°Fine. Well if you are going to support one of them, please support Count Glacia.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Madam is simply bound by a contract,¡± said Gen, ¡°Logically, if you support Count Glacia, you will have a powerful ally when the contract ends next year. You always value profit, it would be to your advantage to do so.¡± Gen¡¯s words, although harsh, were true. If this was just a contract marriage, then the best thing to do would be to do as he said but¡­This time I don¡¯t want to do the right thing. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of words, when all I asked was for a boquet of baby¡¯s breath,¡± said Alexcent. Gen heaved a long, weary sigh. ¡°Fine.¡± With those words he left the office and closed the door after him. * The Skad family had always been a part of the royal family. However, the throne, it wasn¡¯t meant for the now Emperor Belice, Alexcent¡¯s twin sister. They were merely an extended bloodline of the Royals and of not much importance not until the the royal family was struck with a problem. The previous prince had no heir, so the title had been passed to the twin siblings¡ªone became the Emperor, and the other, Prince of Skad, and soon held the title of a duke too. Alexcent had always known that their position and safety was at risk. Many desired to ascend the throne. Hence, the first thing he did was to eradicate the opposition from the royals as soon as he came to power. Only a few nobles supported the Skad lineage at that time. And what now remained were the seven families that were attending the annual festival. Namely, the pro-emperor faction. Amongst them the previous Count Glacia was someone who was a very different person as to how he presented himself. He was someone who always hid behind a smile, and was a spy for the other faction, looking for an opportunity. He was aiming for nothing else but the title of the prince. Alexcent¡¯s position. Alexcent who was bloodhungry for war and unmarried was an immediate target. Count Glacia believed that if Alexcent was to perish, he would be the next heir. He had considered Count Citri and Count Onslow to be too old to be a threat since they had already passed their own titles and their powers to their eldest sons. He had been like a beast waiting for the right moment to pounce. Alexcent knew that if he were to die or disappear, Belice, who he was supposed to protect, would be left unguarded for Count Glacia to pounce upon. She would be played by him, even her heirs. They would have no power whatsoever. Alexcent had prayed to live at least a day longer than her so he could take care of his twin sister. Alexcent knew he needed to get rid of the count, but he didn¡¯t know how. Count Glacia was a noble and the head of his own estate so the cause should be natural. If he were to die in an accident, it would be thoroughly investigated because he was an aristocrat. Sometimes such investigations continued for years. Alexcent hated to prolong things. He liked dealing with things swiftly, without trouble. Natural caue of death would be most apt but there was nothing wrong with Count Glacia¡¯s health. That was when he had met Arwin, the present Count Glacia¡ª a woman with a fiery determination to kill her husband. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 ¨C To Protect Belice (2) Despite being a commoner, she had risen to the title of a countess. She was formidable and never shy about her ambitions. She had spoken to him at one of the annual festivals in the past. ¡°I would like to report my husband,¡± she had said, approaching Alexcent. ¡°Report?¡± he had asked. ¡°Yes,¡± she had declared with confidence. ¡°What do you want to report him for?¡± Alexcent had asked. ¡°Treason. He is planning an uprising,¡± she had said. Alexcent was momentarily stunned. Count Glacia was very meticulous. He never let anyone get even a whiff of his plans. ¡°How do you know this?¡± he had asked. ¡°Because he habitually talks about how he would be the next prince when he is drunk.¡± ¡°That is just drunk gibberish. Do you have any evidence?¡± ¡°No, My Lord.¡± ¡°How daring,¡± Alexcent had said, ¡°You report your husband without any evidence. Aren¡¯t you scared of the consequences?¡± Alexcent had decided to humor her before he let it go. ¡°You have always considered him a pain.¡± ¡°Why would you say that?¡± ¡°The way you treat him with hostility.¡± Alexcent had thought her very keen and observant. ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± ¡°You can use me to kill him,¡± she had said, ¡°I can deal with the rumors and you will have your hands clean.¡± ¡°You will bear the rumors?¡± Alexcent had asked, surprised. ¡°Even though it means living the rest of your life with people pointing fingers at you wherever you go?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Alexcent hesitated. It would immensely be easy, but everybody wanted something in return. He needed to know what it was that Arwin wanted. ¡°What¡¯s in it for you?¡± he asked, ¡°Let¡¯s do away with the ¡®I want nothing in return¡¯ bullshit to save time.¡± ¡°I want the title of the count, with the responsibilities.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Since there aren¡¯t any heirs, I am sure it won¡¯t be difficult to grant me the title.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be an issue,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°But why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it is necessary for me to explain myself and my past to form a bond with you,¡± said Arwin, ¡°You get what you want and I get what I want. It¡¯s a fair deal.¡± Alexcent had laughed then. She, who Alexcent had approved, had been a witness to Count Glacia¡¯s demise due to a heart attack at the appropriate time. The post-mortem was handled swiftly with Alexcent¡¯s help. Arwin was quick and sharp and never let herself caught off guard. She never crossed her lines. She knew her limits. Everything had played out as they had planned. She was, in many ways, similar to him. ¡°Did Lady Skad like it?¡± asked Gen, interrupting Alexcent¡¯s deep thoughts. ¡°Ah,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°I am not too sure about that.¡± ¡°Why?¡± asked Gen. ¡°What happened? Did she not like it? It was so difficult to get them. All the baby¡¯s breath was sold out.¡± Gen only received lukewarm response from Alexcent, seeing him deep in thought. Alexcent then smirked suddenly. ¡°Why are you smiling like that?¡± asked Gen, ¡°You look downright creepy when you do that.¡± Alexcent paid him no attention. He was thinking about Amethyst. The way she was so defensive in the glass house. What should I even do with you? Even though it was an obvious trick, to see you so angry. You look so adorable like that. Maybe I am twisted after all. Alexcent tapped his fingers on the desk. It had been all fun and games but now he suddenly felt anxious. Today was the fifth night that he hadn¡¯t gone to see her. He had expected her to come looking for him. He felt disappointed. * It was more than five nights that Amethyst had had to sleep alone in her room. Amethyst woke up this morning too, to find the space next to her empty. She woke up early today. She had never woken up this early before. The baby¡¯s breath sat by the window. There was a bird right outside chirping. The day looked foggy. The grim day reflected her mood. She tried to cheer herself. The tea party had been a success! Even so, Amethyst felt down today. She tried to blink the sleep out of her eyes. She had no time to be melancholic. We are all going to Newhenfield to shop, she recalled. She tried to make herself get out of her bed. Her eyes were threatening to close again. She changed into something simple and comfortable. She picked the sword that was wrapped in a flimsy paper up and examined it. It had been delivered under her name. It was finally here! It looked simple without unnecessary designs. She liked it immediately. She liked how casual it looked despite being a deadly weapon. As she walked out of her bedroom, she heard footsteps approaching on the hallway outside. It was Alexcent and Count Glacia. The two seemed very weary and were walking towards her. It was too late to pretend she hadn¡¯t seen them and go back to her room. Why in hell do I have to put up with them this early? ¡°Alec,¡± she greeted, ¡°Count Glacia. Seems like the meeting just ended.¡± She tried to initiate the conversation since there was no way she could avoid them now. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 ¨C There Can Never Be Two Queens (1) ¡°Ah, Lady Skad,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve called it a day and we¡¯re all returning to our bedrooms.¡± Count Glacia¡¯s tone was odd. It was as though she was trying to provoke her with the tone alone and make it seem like she wasn¡¯t. ¡°I see,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Must have been a tiring day. Then, please rest well.¡± She then smiled at them both and cut across from between them and kept walking. She abruptly stopped in her tracks as she realized that somebody had grabbed her arm as she passed. ¡°Where are you going at this hour?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°Why do you want to know?¡± Amethyst shot back. ¡°Ash¡­.¡± Don¡¯t call me in that way, thought Amethyst. When Alexcent fondly called her, it didn¡¯t do anything for her resolve. ¡°It hurts, Alec,¡± she said, ¡°Please let go of me.¡± She tried to wriggle out of his grip, to no avail. ¡°Just tell me where you are going,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°You must indeed be very tired,¡± she said, ¡°I am going to the training ground as you can very well see.¡± She showed him the sword she was holding. Amethyst regretted replying so harshly but her feelings were shards of glass embedded in her heart and she wanted to hurl them outwards. Alexcent glanced at the sword and released her arm. He looked like he was going to say something, but the duchess didn¡¯t wait, she turned around and walked away quickening her pace through the corridor. She didn¡¯t want to hear whatever she was going to say. She arrived at the training grounds and spotted the knights. Seeing how they were gathered around at such an early hour, it seemed like they must have vacated the training ground in consideration for her before this. ¡°Phil,¡± she called. ¡°Madam?¡± he asked aghast, ¡°What brings you here at this early hour? We thought you were busy with the annual festival.¡± They had rightly assumed that Amethyst and Alexcent would not be training for the duration of the annual festival. ¡°I needed to practice,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I feel like if I am not consistent then I might have to start over from the beginning.¡± ¡°That is indeed a very good mindset,¡± said Phil, ¡°But please don¡¯t overexert yourself. I am sure you have your schedule full.¡± ¡°Today, the schedule only consists of shopping with the ladies,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°And that is in the afternoon. I have got plenty of time.¡± ¡°I see,¡± said Phil. ¡°Marcus!¡± he called out to the chief knight who was swinging his sword at a distance. Marcus ran over to them. ¡°We are having a strategy meeting today so the Knight Commanders of each group won¡¯t be available,¡± said Phil, ¡°But Marcus can assist you today.¡± ¡°That would be great!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I have learned from Marcus before. He is a good teacher. I am so sorry to take up your time when you are so busy.¡± ¡°Not at all, Madam.¡± ¡°You called?¡± asked Marcus. ¡°Yes,¡± said Phil, ¡°Today you will be instructing Madam on her sword practice.¡± ¡°I will do it.¡± Everyone turned at the voice, as Alexcent held her by the wrist. Alexcent had changed into a more casual attire and was standing next to Amethyst. ¡°Of-of course,¡± stammered Marcus, nervously, ¡°Please do so.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I will learn from Marcus.¡± Marcus who was about to take his leave stopped in his track, confused. ¡°No,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡°But you are busy,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Just go and rest when you have a little time to yourself.¡± ¡°I am fine,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°I am already well rested.¡± Amethyst sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to add to your workload,¡± she said, ¡°You just finished your meeting. I can learn from Marcus.¡± Amethyst sighed. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I don¡¯t want to add on to the workload of someone who has just ended his meeting. I will learn from Marcus.¡± ¡°No, I¡­.¡± Marcus, meanwhile, looked agonized, stuck between Amethyst and Alexcent and utterly confused on what to do. Amethyst was being very stubborn, and Alexcent was shooting sharp glares at him. He was downright terrified of disobeying both of them. Marcus directing pleading looks at Phil, Buer and Leyrian who were standing a few paces away. But they seemed highly amused at the scene unfolding before them. Buer¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Let¡¯s make a bet,¡± said Buer, ¡°Who do you think will win?¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± said Leyrian. ¡°Fine. I will go first,¡± said Buer, ¡°My bet is on Madam.¡± Phil, who had been listening intently, spoke, ¡°Then I will bet on the Duke.¡± ¡°What?¡± said Leyrian, thinking a while. ¡°My bet is on Madam, as well.¡± ¡°Is no one going to bet on poor Marcus?¡± asked Buer. ¡°No way! He doesn¡¯t stand a chance,¡± intoned Phil and Leyrian unanimously. Poor Marcus had not a chance. He would be lucky enough if the Duke didn¡¯t eat him alive after this. * Count Glacia had just finished showering. Her chief of maid came to report to her. ¡°The Duke is currently in the training grounds.¡± ¡°Really?¡± said Count Glacia. ¡°Yes,¡± said the maid. Count Glacia laughed heartily. Her maid flinched. She seemed a little afraid of the formidable Count Glacia. ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny?¡± she said, ¡°The Duke trailing after his wife wherever she goes.¡± ¡°It seems the rumors were true,¡± said the maid. ¡°Bosh,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°The rumors weren¡¯t even tasteful.¡± It was true she was a commoner. The invisible class barrier was always close to insurmountable between the common people and the aristocracy. Slavery had been abolished and the descendants had been ¡®allowed¡¯ to live their lives as the common people. But no matter what they did, they had always been treated like an outcast. Arwin, or Count Glacia, had decided she would get more out of life that was allocated to her. She refused to be treated like an animal prepared for slaughter. She had worked hard, trained, hard and become the highest-ranking person among the common people. She had become a knight. Although she had done it with hard training, her skills, and her sheer willpower, the past followed like a rabid dog. She was still a commoner who had become a knight. A commoner would always be a commoner. She needed to ascend higher. She needed to become a noble. She had gotten married to a count when she was sixteen to a man who was many years her senior in age. However, the whispers never ceased. The countess from a commoner background. That was what she lived with. That was what people talked about her. Her rage turned into cold, hard ambition that gnawed at her heart and mind every day. As a Countess, she was disposable. She needed to assert her dominance, she needed to have a title that couldn¡¯t ever be taken away. Fortunately, there was another person who wanted the Count gone as well. She conspired with him and reined beside the Duke who had not an ounce of interest in women but plenty in bloodshed. She took the title of the Count. As long as she remained unmarried, and as long as she didn¡¯t cross her line, she would be able to revel in her title and enjoy a life of luxury. Which she had done. She didn¡¯t want to lose control over what she had. But there were always unseen factors and variables that would eventually appear, and she had to deal with them. That variable for now was Amethyst. And unforeseen variable that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 118 Chapter 118 ¨C There Can Never Be Two Queens (2) ¡°Did you bring my training attire?¡± asked Count Glacia. ¡°Yes,¡± said her maid. ¡°Bring it over.¡± ¡°Count, shouldn¡¯t you take a rest? I¡¯m worried that you will overexert yourself.¡± Count Glacia didn¡¯t respond and just glared at her maid. ¡°S-sorry. I will prepare it immediately,¡± said the maid and scurried off. I might not be able to cross the line, but standing on that line, I can always tease it a little bit, thought Count Glacia. I am sorry Lady Skad, I have no animosity towards you but the person who gets to rein this place is me. I have worked for it all my life and I can¡¯t let you be an obstacle. I rule here, in the past and in the future. There can never be two queens. You may hold the title, but I will have everything else. or me to not cross the line, I need to do what I do best while standing on the line. *** Buer and Leyrian sighed. Phil was full of smiles as Alexcent guided Amethyst to a section of training ground a little further away. ¡°Is that the sword you had ordered?¡± asked Alexcent, indicating the one in her hand. ¡°Yes,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°May I?¡± he asked and extended his hand. Amethyst handed him the word. Alexcent took it and hefted it and swung it once. He studied it closely. Amethyst thought the sword must not be bad at all, since it was made from ground elements of mana stone. ¡°It¡¯s not bad,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said. He handed it back to her. Amethyst responded in simple and short words. And Alexcent was getting impatient. I am the one who is upset with her so why is she acting like that? He wondered. Should I just take hold of her cheeks and shake her to her senses? ¡°Okay, great,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°You try to swing it once then I will¡ª¡± ¡°Oh my, are you training already?¡± interrupted a voice. Count Glacia appeared beside them. Amethyst narrowed her eyes. What is she doing here? She was getting annoyed with Count Glacia always popping up where she wasn¡¯t needed. Amethyst forced a smile. ¡°You attire¡­,¡± she said. ¡°Ah, hearing about you learning swordsmanship, it reminded me of my old days,¡± said Count Glacia, smiling, ¡°I couldn¡¯t hold back so I came for a light practice. I can get rusty now, can I?¡± ¡°Old days?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Oh, yes!¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°I used to be a knight. I was sworn in, even.¡± A female knight and a female count. Authority over male-dominated positions. Her opponent was a formidable one. ¡°Count Glacia!¡± called Buer happily, ¡°It¡¯s been so long!¡± Buer bounded over to her. ¡°Leyrian!¡± he called, ¡°It¡¯s Count Glacia!¡± Leyrian shook his head helplessly. Clueless, that idiot! Leyrian thought. He shot a feeting glance at Amethyst and walked over to where Count Glacia stood. ¡°It¡¯s been very long since we last met, Count Glacia,¡± said Leyrian. ¡°Hasn¡¯t it?¡± said Count Glacia, beaming, From the way the knights surrounded her and talked in a very friendly way, Count Glacia must have been a reputable knight among their midst. Alexcent looked dead pan. Amethyst wondered what he was thinking. ¡°This is the first time we have seen you training here ever since you became a count.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± chuckled Count Glacia. ¡°Yes! The first time we met was when you were the personal guard of the previous count,¡± said Buer. ¡°Of course!¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°I recall it now. Sir Buer had just been sworn in and was full of passion and energy.¡± ¡°Oh, please!¡± said Buer, flustered, ¡°Please forget that. I was very young and na?ve. Now I am a commander to a section!¡± ¡°I am not surprised,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°Your skills, even then, was top notch.¡± Amethyst listened a little. She must have become a Countess after serving as the personal guard of the previous Count. This conversation shed a little light on Count Glacia¡¯s past that Amethyst was curious about. What am I doing listening to this? Should I just go back now? Amethyst was debating whether she should make a run for it when Alexcent¡¯s arms came around her shoulders. ¡°Come,¡± he said, ¡°Let¡¯s train.¡± He was about to steer her further away when Count Glacia spoke. ¡°Your Highness,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°It has been a very long time, may I request a match with you?¡± ¡°What?!¡± Intoned Amethyst and Alexcent together. Fortunately, hers was drowned out by his voice. ¡°It has indeed been ages!¡± said Buer, excitedly, ¡°Please show us your moves!¡± Leyrian tried to rein Buer lest he ran his mouth and got everyone killed by the duke¡¯s wrath, but it was in vain. There was no stopping Buer. Alexcent seemed distressed. He looked at her. Why are you looking at me like that? Amethyst thought as her heart fluttered. Buer came to her rescue. ¡°This will help you, Madam,¡± said Buer. ¡°How?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°The knights can teach you everything they know,¡± said Buer, ¡°But most of them play rough. Count Glacia fights very differently. Her moves are softer and very agile. It might help you decide your stance and style since your build is similar.¡± Chapter 119 Chapter 119 ¨C The Dance of Birds (1) Buer¡¯s words were persuasive. Amethyst found herself wanting to see Count Glacia fight and learn whatever she could manage. ¡°Then, please accept my request,¡± said Count Glacia, respectfully. Alexcent let out a sigh. ¡°Watch carefully,¡± he said to Amethyst, ¡°It might help you.¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t know what to say, so she just nodded. ¡°May I borrow your sword?¡± asked Alexcent extending a hand to her. ¡°My sword?¡± she asked, surprised. ¡°It¡¯s too light. Compared to yours, it¡¯s probably weaker.¡± Alexcent leaned down and touched his forehead to hers. Amethyst blushed, aware of the eyes on them. She thought he might kiss her and tried to drive those thoughts away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said, ¡°I won¡¯t break it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­,¡± she said. She wanted to say that the sword was too weak for someone like him so he might get hurt instead for not being able to use his full potential. But she looked up to see him smirking and stopped herself saying anything after that. Alexcent caressed her hair, took the sword from her hands and took his stance. ¡°Please step this way,¡± said Leyrian, escorting Amethyst over to the side with the others. The upcoming match attracted a lot of other knights and they gathered together to watch. Amethyst sat down with them to observe. Count Glacia bowed respectfully then took her stance. Alexcent simply nodded once. Clang-! There was a blur and the sound of the two swords clashing. Buer was right. Count Glacia¡¯s swordsmanship was beautiful. She was very agile and fast. She was practically a blur swinging her sword to thrust and to parry. The sword looked more like a whip in her hand than a blade. The attacks were never ending. Her braided hair flew around her like a tail. ¡°Watch carefully,¡± said Leyrian beside her, ¡°Buer might lack in emotional quotient, but he has a very good grasp when assessing fights and swords. It will help you.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she said. Leyrian was trying to make small talk to keep her engaged but she could see the focus with which he watched the match. His eyes did not waver from the front, taking in every move. And she could understand why. The two people locked in the duel seemed to be dancing. Alexcent was on the defensive while Count Glacia was playing on the offense. Amethyst worried a little. She wondered if it was because of her sword that he was reduced to defending himself more than attacking. She clenched her fist in anticipation. ¡°Maybe the sword is too weak for him,¡± she murmured. ¡°I doubt it,¡± said Leyrian. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°I think he is on the defensive in consideration for you,¡± he said, ¡°He is showing you Count Glacia¡¯s moves so you can learn. A good swordsman isn¡¯t determined by the type of sword.¡± That made sense. I think too much, she thought. The match continued. Count Glacia¡¯s breathing came more rapidly. The pair countered andattacked in sync as though they had done this a million time before. It looked more like a conversation, like a dance but with swords as they lightly floated around one another in perfect combination. It reminded Amethyst of the mating dance of the birds. She found herself unable to look away. Before long, they no longer looked like two people fighting but one. They were in perfect sync. Like black and white flowing into one. Inseparable from each other. It was beautiful. Then an unbidden thought rose in her mind. Maybe this is it. Maybe in the novel, Amethyst is only meant to link these two protagonists together. She was unfamiliar with the original novel, so she didn¡¯t know what function the original Amethyst fulfilled. What if Count Glacia is the female lead? And I am just a tool to make them come together, Amethyst wondered. What if those two are meant to be together and I am just a nuisance, after all? Am I the one getting in their way? Amethyst¡¯s eyes flashed. She saw gold and black light. The sound of the clashing swords rose to a crescendo. Her head felt like it would split, and she felt nauseous and dizzy. Amethyst turned pale. Before she knew, she was running from the field. Someone was calling her from behind, but she ignored it and ran and ran until he reached her bedroom and shut the door loudly. Her breath came is gasps and her eyes burned. ¡°Madam?¡± said Lunia in surprise. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she rushed towards Amethyst. ¡°You look very pale.¡± Amethyst grabbed Lunia¡¯s hand to steady herself. She was panting so hard that she was unable to speak. ¡°Madam?¡± said Lunia again. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m okay,¡± managed Amethyst, ¡°Just need¡­ a minute.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± said Lunia and stroked Amethyst¡¯ back, trying to soothe her. Once she could breathe normally, Amethyst said, ¡°Sorry, I am fine now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± said Lunia, sitting her down on the bed. ¡°What happened?¡± She didn¡¯t know what to tell Lunia and she didn¡¯t want to speak of the things she had thought. ¡°Well, I forgot about the time and I recalled that we needed to go shopping today. So, I ran back.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not late at all,¡± said Lunia, handing her a glass of water. ¡°I think it would be better if we cancel for today.¡± ¡°No,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look well,¡± said Lunia. ¡°I am absolutely fine,¡± insisted Amethyst, ¡°We can¡¯t cancel now. All the ladies are looking forward to it.¡± ¡°Even so, your health is more important,¡± said Lunia. ¡°Then I will rest a little,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Could you take the ladies? Show them around and help with their shopping?¡± ¡°Will you be okay by yourself?¡± asked Lunia, concerned. ¡°I can stay by your side.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Roman will be here,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Can¡¯t disappoint the ladies.¡± Lunia sighed. ¡°Understood,¡± she said. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°What if they ask about me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± said Lunia, ¡°I will handle it.¡± ¡°Thank you so much,¡± said Amethyst. Roman stumbled into the room with a very shocked expression. ¡°Madam,¡± said Roman looking terrified, ¡°The duke!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°He is heading this way to your room,¡± said Roman, visibly pale, ¡°He looks furious!¡± Chapter 120 Chapter 120 ¨C The Dance of Birds (2) Amethyst bit her lip. He was the last person she wanted to face right now. She needed time to gather her thoughts. ¡°L-lock the door,¡± she stammered. Roman nodded and locked the door from the inside. Shortly, there was a bang on the door. ¡°Open the door,¡± said a low voice from outside. ¡°N-No,¡± managed Amethyst. ¡°Ash!¡± cried Alexcent. ¡°Please.¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t respond. During the match, he had turned to look at where Amethyst had been seated. She wasn¡¯t there any longer. She was gone. ¡°Stop,¡± he declared. Count Glacia stooped mid-swing, her sword in the air. Alexcent had walked up to Leyrian in quick strides. ¡°Where is she?¡± he asked. ¡°I am not sure what happened,¡± said Leyrian, hurriedly, ¡°She was here and enjoying the match. Then her face turned really pale, she almost looked grey. She then stood up and ran so suddenly. I called after her, but she didn¡¯t stop.¡± Is she alright? Is it still the hangover? What if she is ill? Alexcent¡¯s eyes flashed with worry and concern. ¡°Take good care of it,¡± said Alexcent as he handed the sword to Leyrian. ¡°Understood,¡± said Leyrian. Alexcent had already hurried back to the mansion. ¡°Ash¡­,¡± he said, ¡°Open the door.¡± There was no response. ¡°Now you won¡¯t even let me into your room anymore?¡± Alexcent gritted his teeth. He just wanted to make sure she was fine. He would break the door down if he had to. He was just thinking whether he should, when the door opened and Lunia stepped out. He heard the door close behind her. ¡°Move,¡± he ordered. ¡°No,¡± said Lunia, momentarily forgetting who she actually served. ¡°Move or I will break down the door,¡± said Alexcent. His ferocity terrified her, but she held her ground. She was loyal to Amethyst and would do anything for her. ¡°Madam sent me,¡± she said, ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°What?!¡± thundered Alexcent, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± I was only trying to help, he thought. ¡°I am sure,¡± said Lunia, her tone skeptical. ¡°You dare,¡± began Alexcent. ¡°Madam has sent a message,¡± said Lunia, hurriedly, ¡°Your meeting might be starting soon, my lord. So, she says you must get ready to attend it soon.¡± ¡°Is she alright?¡± he asked. If she didn¡¯t want to see him, that was alright by him. But he needed to know she wasn¡¯t ill or anything. ¡°What?¡± asked Lunia, confused. She thought he was angry at her, now he was worried. ¡°I heard she turned pale, and she just ran,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Will she be alright?¡± Lunia thought that if she didn¡¯t say something to assure him of Amethyst¡¯ health, he might really break down the door and break her neck as well for standing in his way. ¡°She is not sick, she is alright now,¡± said Lunia. ¡°So, it¡¯s not the hangover that is still making her ill?¡± he asked. ¡°No,¡± said Lunia, ¡°I think she just needs time to herself. So, please, my lord, go attend the meeting.¡± Alexcent looked visibly relieved. He thought he still couldn¡¯t rest easy until he saw her for himself and made sure she was indeed alright. But he had to take what he could get for now. Besides, he felt very disappointed and irritated that Amethyst had barred him from entering her room. Fine, I will respect your wish, he thought. He turned around and walked to his bedroom near Amethyst¡¯ and slammed the door shut. *** Finally, it seemed that it had gone quiet outside the door. Amethyst slumped down in relief. He must have gone back. She lay down on the bed and thought, what should I do if it¡¯s true? What if I really am just a bridge for them both? She imagined Count Glacia and Alexcent together. She imagined them gazing fondly at each other. They looked good together. Better than he looks with me. What do I really want? Eventually, she felt tired and pulled the blanket over her and fell asleep. ¡°Mmm,¡± mumbled Amethyst. ¡°What time is it?¡± She was groggy from sleep. She got out of her bed and looked out of the window. The sun was still up. She must have slept only a few hours. ¡°Roman?¡± she called. ¡°Yes, madam?¡± Roman said. ¡°I am hungry,¡± she said. ¡°I will get your meal,¡± said Roman and went out of her room. Before long, she arrived again with a plate of food and set it down on the table. Amethyst ate with relish. She didn¡¯t know she had been starving. She finished it in a few bites and paced around the room. She had passed her duties of guiding the ladies to town for shopping to Lunia. She now had a lot of time on her hands than she knew what to do with. She wanted to take a walk, but she dreaded running into Alexcent if she even so much as stepped outside her room doors. She lay down on her sofa and stared at the ceiling. Her mind kept filling itself with nonsense thoughts and she tried to count the flowers on the ceiling decoration to distract herself. Twenty-two, twenty-three¡­ ¡°Madam,¡± said Roman. ¡°Yes?¡± said Amethyst. ¡°You have a guest,¡± said Roman, visibly uncomfortable. ¡°A guest?¡± Amethyst was surprised. Who could it be? I am not expecting anyone, and the ladies will be at Newhenfield by now. ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± said Roman, ¡°It¡¯s Count Glacia. She requests to see you.¡± Amethyst sat up on the sofa. Of all the people in the world¡­ She didn¡¯t want to meet her, but it would be rude to refuse outright. She was a noble after all. Amethyst could ask Lunia if she was here on some advice but Lunia wasn¡¯t here. Amethyst walked to the adjoining reception room and straightened her attire. She indicated to Roman to escort Count Glacia into the reception room. ¡°Are you alright?¡± asked Count Glacia as she appeared in the reception room following Roman. ¡°Yes,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Please take a seat.¡± Chapter 121 Chapter 121 ¨C Anyone but Her (1) ¡°I heard you were alone so thought it would be nice to have some tea together,¡± said count Glacia. How did she know I was alone? Amethyst thought. ¡°But don¡¯t you have a meeting to attend to?¡± asked her. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true,¡± said count Glacia, ¡°but it¡¯s regarding a topic irrelevant to me so it¡¯s alright even if I am not there for a while.¡± ¡°Ah, I see,¡± said Amethyst. She instructed Roman to bring in some tea and snacks. Amethyst still was an aristocrat and knew how to accommodate her guests. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about before,¡± said count Glacia, ¡°I wanted to apologize again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite alright,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°I know how it sounds,¡± said count Glacia, ¡°but I just wanted to help you. There wasn¡¯t any other meaning behind it.¡± ¡°Help me?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes,¡± said count Glacia, ¡°It was the first tea party you were holding, was it not? So, I felt like I should check things to make sure everything was perfect. I used to be in charge when your seat was vacant, so it is an old habit. I went to the glass house and the decorations seemed excessive, so I did what I did. Sometime less is more.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± asked Amethyst, appearing nonchalant, sipping the tea Roman had poured for her. ¡°Yes,¡± continued count Glacia, ¡°So I told the florist that it was too much, but it is her business as well, so she didn¡¯t listen to me. I offered to buy the baby¡¯s breath so that the decoration would be saved, and the florist got paid, as well. If my actions upset you, I sincerely apologize.¡± Amethyst was tired. Perhaps count Glacia expected her to naively accept it and be grateful to her. But she knew that count Glacia wasn¡¯t all that she seemed. And making Alexcent appear at the tea party with a bouquet of baby¡¯s breath had been the last straw. It seemed like count Glacia had been mocking her, pushing her to the edge to see if she would break. ¡°Every person has their own standards and definition for beauty. Perhaps you did what you thought was right thing to do. But I would appreciate it you didn¡¯t concern yourself with my affairs,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°You are a count and I am sure you have enough things to worry about, enough responsibilities to fulfill. I would not think about infringing on your responsibilities, so please do not do so in mine either. Besides, I don¡¯t want to put unnecessary burden on you and your work.¡± Amethyst made it very clear. A distinct boundary. No more games. Count Glacia sipped her tea and smiled. She really is not a na?ve young girl like I thought she was. Perhaps I have to step things up. Count Glacia smiled and took Amethyst¡¯s hand¡¯s in her own. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t say such things,¡± she said, ¡°After all we serve the same Lord, don¡¯t we?¡± Amethyst looked into count Glacia¡¯s eyes unwaveringly. ¡°I think you are mistaken,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I don¡¯t ¡®serve¡¯ anyone, count.¡± ¡°Oh my,¡± said count Glacia, ¡°I just¡­ forgive me, it¡¯s just that I heard you don¡¯t have that kid of relationship. I heard you don¡¯t even share the same room.¡± Amethyst felt her embarrassment and anger flare. ¡°What is the meaning behind all this?¡± she asked coldly, restraining herself. ¡°Nothing!¡± said count Glacia, ¡°I was simply concerned.¡± ¡°What are you so concerned about, might I ask?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°I failed to understand why other people are so concerned about someone else bedroom habits.¡± ¡°About the heir, of course,¡± said count Glacia, ¡°As someone who serves him, it is only natural to be concerned.¡± Count Glacia¡¯s words made Amethyst plunge into a memory she would rather have forgotten. Her mother-in-law used to call her. ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± she would say when she picked up the call. ¡°Mother,¡± she had said, ¡°Did you sleep well last night? The weather is pretty cold please take care of yourself.¡± ¡°Go and see a doctor,¡± her mother-in-law¡¯s brisk response. ¡°Why?¡± she would ask, surprised. ¡°Why so suddenly. I am fine, really.¡± ¡®I had a dream yesterday and it feels like a premonition for a baby. I saw a large dragon flying in the sky and I got an unusual feeling¡­¡¯ her mother-in-law would say. ¡®Mother¡­.¡± She knew about her dreams and premonitions without any basis in the truth. ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡± Her mother-in-law always would call her now and then. She would spare no greetings or any warmth of any kind. It used to be the same thing. A baby. Her premonitions and dreams. ¡°This time it¡¯s real. Don¡¯t question me and just go and see a doctor tomorrow. Do you understand? I¡¯m hanging up now.¡± She had always been pressured this way, for a baby. Made to feel like a failure. She had dreaded those calls and those questions and the insistence to visit the doctor. Count Glacia¡¯s mention of the heir did the same thing for her. It reminded her of all the times she had dreaded the calls and the questions. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 122 Chapter 122 ¨C Anyone but Her (2) Count Glacia had no intention of meeting Amethyst until she had met Habe that morning. ¡°Count Glacia, Madam cancelled all her plans of today,¡± said Habe. ¡°Really?¡± asked count Glacia. ¡°Yes. I think she might not be feeling well, her complexion wasn¡¯t too good.¡± ¡°I see¡­,¡± count Glacia smiled and mumbled. ¡°I wonder why that is.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of you, count?¡± asked Habe. ¡°Me? Why do you say so?¡± Habe thought that if she said something to please her, she might get something out of it. Maybe another precious jewelry. ¡°I¡¯m sure she is jealous of your beauty, count,¡± she said, ¡°And since the Madam and the Duke are not sharing a bedroom together, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s must be concerned regarding you.¡± ¡°They don¡¯t share a room?¡± asked count Glacia, intrigued. Habe stopped herself. She hadn¡¯t meant to reveal that. She felt guilty for talking about the Lady¡¯s private life. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, ashamed, ¡°they¡¯ve not been sharing a room.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± said count Glacia with a sly smile. She looked very satisfied with this information. She unpinned the brooch she was wearing. It was an elegant brooch with little jewels embedded at the crown. She gave it to habe. ¡°Here is a little something for you, Habe.¡± ¡°Thank you, count!¡± said Habe and bowed her head. She walked out of the room happily. Count Glacia smiled, she was happy too. Separate rooms¡­ so Lady Skad is all by herself. Count Glacia had reason to believe that Amethyst was the same as her. This ¡®romance¡¯ with the duke, after all, seemed to be untrue if they weren¡¯t even sharing a room. But Habe had joined in serving Amethyst quite recently, only when the annual festival began. Habe didn¡¯t know everything about Alexcent and Amethyst. And count Glacia, believing Habe, knew nothing of the both of them as well. ¡°Well,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I don¡¯t know who you heard it from, nor am I interested in knowing about it. It is nothing you need to be concerned about.¡± ¡°I know the feeling of loneliness very well,¡± said count Glacia, ¡°You need not hide anything from me.¡± Amethyst was already in a foul mood and count Glacia was doing nothing to improve it. Instead, she seemed to be adamant to make Amethyst feel worse than she already was feeling. ¡°I think you¡¯ve misunderstood¡ª¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to call it a misunderstanding. I¡¯ve served the duke for a long time by his side, so I understand your loneliness. I know that he¡¯s not someone you can approach easily. And you never know, maybe I might be able to serve him and that will make him more affectionate towards you.¡± ¡°Count Glacia,¡± said Amethyst, warningly. But the count ignored her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Even though it might not be every day¡­ every once in a while, the duke may seek me out. Did you know, Lady Skad that he is not only full of strength in the battlefield but in bed as well?¡± Amethyst¡¯s head was ringing. I can¡¯t listen to this anymore! Amethyst looked straight into count Glacia¡¯s eyes. The latter¡¯s eyes were full of pity. She damn well didn¡¯t need pity from anybody. Amethyst took a deep breath. ¡°I am not sure why you have developed such an outrageous misunderstanding, but it is not something you need to concern yourself with. I have said this before,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Now, if you are done, I would appreciate it if you could leave.¡± Count Glacia smiled. She surely hit a nerve. Acting strong and composed till the end. I am impressed! ¡°Of course!¡± said count Glacia, standing up, ¡°I have taken too much of your time already. You don¡¯t look very well. Please rest, Lady Skad. Take care of yourself.¡± Count Glacia sauntered out of the room. As soon as the count left, Amethyst swiped at the table in anger and a glass crashed to the floor. Roman rushed into the reception room. ¡°Madam!¡± she said, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I am fine,¡± Amethyst snapped, ¡°It fell by accident.¡± Roman knew her very well to know her dislike of Count Glacia. She also knew very well that count Glacia must have riled her up. ¡°I will have it cleaned,¡± she said. Amethyst nodded and returned to her bedroom and shut the door to the adjoining reception room. Unbelievable! ¡®He is not only full of strength in the battlefield but in bed as well.¡¯ The words rang in her head, repeatedly. She knew how Alexcent was in bed, for god¡¯s sake. The truth of the statement crushed her. So Alexcent and Count Glacia¡­. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to complete the thought. She wondered if they still¡­. Could that be the reason why Alexcent hadn¡¯t sought her since the annual festival? Don¡¯t f*cking cheat on me! Our marriage hasn¡¯t ended yet! Does he take me for a fool? Amethyst shook her head as though she could dispel these thoughts from her mind. No, Alexcent is many things but he is not so shallow. He isn¡¯t someone who would resort to something like that just to spite her. Count Glacia had tried to provoke her before, and she was doing the same again. She is trying to aggravate me. But why? Power. Amethyst knew the answer then, everything fell into place. Count Glacia had admitted it herself before: ¡®I used to be in charge when your seat was vacant,¡¯ Count Glacia¡¯s words rang in her head. Count Glacia was looking for every opportunity, no matter how abhorrent, to seize the duchess¡¯ spot next to Alexcent. Seeing how she was determined to disrupt her relationship with Alexcent, she had no intention of letting go. Amethyst had almost let go. She had thought that it wouldn¡¯t matter who took her place beside Alexcent. She had even thought that perhaps Alexcent and Count Glacia would make a formidable pair. But she resolved to never let that happen. Anyone but Count Glacia. She wouldn¡¯t hand him over so easily. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 ¨C Teach a Lesson (1) Here she was thinking of helping Alec and Count Glacia, while Count Glacia was bent on disrupting her life. Never! She will change the whole story if she has to. She resolved to stand by Alexcent¡¯s side and not give up. She simply needed to fight back and not budge from her position. I won¡¯t give him up, she thought. She resolved to teach Count Glacia a lesson on her greed. She will show her what happens when a person doesn¡¯t know their boundaries and infringes on other people¡¯s life. *** ¡°Roman!¡± she called. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is Lunia not back yet?¡± ¡°Not yet, Madam,¡± said Roman. ¡°It seems like the shopping is taking longer than expected.¡± Somehow, Amethyst could imagine Lunia¡¯s sunken and tired face in her mind. Amethyst, who had finished her simple dinner, was seated in front of her vanity. ¡°Roman, could you help me with my makeup?¡± ¡°Are you planning to go out?¡± Roman was surprised by Amethyst¡¯s request. It was fairly late in the night. ¡°Not really,¡± she said, ¡°Ah, could you call Pon?¡± ¡°Of course, Madam.¡± A moment later Pon arrived. ¡°You called, Madam?¡± ¡°Is Alec still in the conference room?¡± ¡°No. They¡¯ve adjourned the meeting, and he is in consultation with the heads in his office.¡± ¡°Is that so? How long will they take?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it will end soon.¡± Amethyst nodded. That was good. She had time. If he is in his office, it would be easier. ¡°Pon. I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°Of course, Madam,¡± said Pon, ¡°Anything.¡± ¡°Could you help me prepare some tea and snacks, as well as some alcohol?¡± ¡°Alcohol as well?¡± ¡°Yes. I have a use for it. Glasses as well.¡± ¡°Yes. Understood.¡± Pon left the room to prepare the things as requested. ¡°Roman, can you make it a simple kind of make up?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°The one where you seem like you are not wearing any. The ¡®natural¡¯ look.¡± ¡°Understood, Madam,¡± said Roman. Roman called another maid to help her with it. They did the best they could. ¡°Could you tie half of it and let the lower half just flow down?¡± said Amethyst to the maid assisting with her hair. ¡°Understood,¡± said the maid. ¡°As for the dress,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°The coral one I bought a long time ago from Newhenfield will do.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± So, as instructed, the maids tied half her hair up while letting her long, lush hair flow naturally. Her lips were glossy. The whole make-up made her look demure and soft and elegant. Her coral dress hugged her at the shoulders, exposing her collar. The lower half enveloped her body in a mermaid-cut. She felt nervous, like an actress getting ready for a red-carpet entrance. She was satisfied with the look when the maids were done with her. But somehow it seemed as though something was still lacking. ¡°Can you bring out my shawl?¡± she asked the maid, ¡°Preferably something lacy and slightly see-through.¡± ¡°Yes, madam,¡± said Roman. Shortly, she appeared at Amethyst¡¯s side with a lacy, sheer shawl and draped it around her shoulders. Finally, everything fit into place. It was perfect as can be. ¡°Thank you to you all for your help,¡± she said to the maids. Pon knocked at the door and announced that all the preparations were done. ¡°One moment!¡± called Amethyst and she walked to the dressing room rummaging through her things. She found what she was looking for and emerged wearing it on her wrist. All the best, she said to herself. She smiled to the maids. Roman beamed a smile back at her. She left the room confidently. *** ¡°Pon,¡± she called. ¡°Yes, madam.¡± ¡°Is Alec still in his office?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes, madam.¡± ¡°Is everyone else still with him?¡± she asked. Pon, who was pushing a trolley full of snacks, tea and alcohol, walked the corridor with her. ¡°count Citri, Count Onslow, Baron Zephyr have returned to their quarters,¡± he said. That meant that the remaining people were count Glacia, Count Renove, Count Houres and Baron Piamon. Count Glacia seemed like this pesky little fly that was always present everywhere. She felt annoyed, recalling the incident of the day. Since Count Onslow is the most senior among the nobles, he must have retired early. While Count Citri and Count Zephy, being newlyweds, would want to go back and spend time with their wives. The countesses might not be back from their shopping yet. Perhaps they are waiting for them. ¡°Madam?¡± called Pon bringing her back to the present. They had arrived at the door of the office. ¡°Wait a second, Pon,¡± she said. She took a deep breath and prepared herself. She nodded to Pon to indicated that she was ready. Pon knocked at the office door. ¡°Come in,¡± said the low voice of Alexcent which made her heart flutter. Pon glanced at her and she nodded. He opened the door for her, and she walked in. ¡°I hope I am not disturbing,¡± she said. Pon pushed in the trolley with tea and snacks. Alexcent, who was seated in his chair, leaning back, straightened at the sound of her voice. He looked at her standing there slightly stiff. ¡°Of course not, Lady Skad!¡± said baron Piamon, welcoming her, ¡°What brings you here at this hour?¡± ¡°Oh, I heard that you were still having a discussion in the office,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°It is late, and I felt like I have been neglecting my duties as a hostess. So, I brought some tea and snacks.¡± Pon was laying the said tea, snacks and alcohol upon the table in the center as she spoke. ¡°Goodness! Thank you Lady Skad,¡± said Baron Piamon, ¡°What would we ever do without you?¡± Chapter 124 Chapter 124 ¨C Teach a Lesson (2) ¡°It¡¯s nothing!¡± said Amethyst with a light laugh, ¡°I also prepared some alcohol since I know very well that some of you might prefer it to tea. But in case you need anything, please tell Pon. I have instructed him accordingly. I hope you enjoy this little treat.¡± ¡°Hahaha,¡± laughed baron Hours, ¡°Some of us certainly prefer alcohol to tea. Thank you so much.¡± Amethyst flashed them all a happy smile. ¡°Then I will leave you to your business,¡± she said, ¡°And take my leave. Goodnight to you all.¡± She bowed and turned to leave. ¡°Please, wait, Lady Skad,¡± came Baron Piamon¡¯s voice, ¡°We can¡¯t just let you leave after all you have done for us! Please join us!¡± Amethyst was betting on this. She knew that there would always be a person who can¡¯t receive something without expressing their thanks and wanting the giver to join in. ¡°Oh, I couldn¡¯t possibly,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I am sure you have important things to discuss. I wouldn¡¯t want to disturb.¡± ¡°Absolutely not,¡± said Baron Piamon, ¡°You would not be disturbing us at all. Your presence is always welcome. Besides we weren¡¯t discussing anything heavy in particular. We were just talking about light topics.¡± Amethyst began to back away. ¡°Says a person who keeps shouting and spitting while discussing ¡®light topics¡¯,¡± murmured count Glacia. Amethyst ignored it. Baron Piamon only laughed. ¡°Then we can start talking about something light,¡± he suggested, ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Count Renove?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± said count Renove, ¡°Discussing the same drab things day in and day out has been giving me a splitting headache.¡± Count Glacia leaned back in her chair and looked at Alexcent. Everyone looked at Alexcent, as though seeking his permission. Amethyst looked at him as well. She couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking. He looked at her, but it also seemed as though he was very far away. He looked angry but he looked like that every day. So, she couldn¡¯t really tell. At the sight of him, she felt anxious. His indifference was making her embarrassed and nervous. ¡°Please come and join us,¡± said Baron Piamon. As though he sensed that the duke was unwilling, he offered Amethyst his seat opposite the duke. ¡°You can sit here.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Baron Piamon,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°It¡¯s nothing at all,¡± he said. Amethyst felt that things were going as expected. She glanced at Alexcent but he still seemed very disinterested. At his reaction of cold indifference, her heart crippled. I will wait for the right time. ¡°So, what were you talking about?¡± asked Amethyst to keep the conversation going, ¡°It seemed like Baron Piamon was facing a problem.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s because of the aristocrats.¡± ¡°Aristocrats? What about them?¡± Amethyst only knew that the Skad family was pro-emperor. ¡°Well we have a river that runs between the mansion and another aristocrat¡¯s residence. And there¡¯s been a lot of fighting with Count Fendens because of it these days.¡± ¡°A fight? Is it bad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as a war¡­but if you see the map here from our estate to the city, to send the goods we must cross this bridge. But to cross the bridge, you need to pay a toll charge to Count Fendens.¡± ¡°A toll charge? But who built the bridge?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°We did, of course. Because we needed it.¡± ¡°Then you can charge the fee as well, can¡¯t you?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°After all, you built the bridge with your money.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Lady Skad, Count Fendens has far more supplies being sent to the city as compared to the baron. They can¡¯t be compared. So, there is no point even if the baron was to charge a fee,¡± said count Glacia in a tone that suggested she was explaining it as though to a child. Amethyst studied the map carefully. ¡°What about crossing over the mountain?¡± ¡°The size of the supplies is of a substantial size,¡± explained Baron Houres kindly, ¡°Apart from that, there are bandits in the mountains, and that poses a problem.¡± Amethyst studied the map again. There was a huge river, and a bridge between Baron Piamon and Count Fendens. Baron Piamon¡¯s estate was surrounded by mountain ranges except for the river, so there seemed to be no way to the city unless they passed Count Fendens¡¯ estate to send their supplies to the city or took to the mountains. Even if they were to build another bridge, it would be on Count Fendens¡¯ territory. Even if they were to use ships, they would have to pass count Fendens¡¯ territory. She could understand why baron Piamon was frustrated. Amethyst didn¡¯t have any suggestions that could be helpful. ¡°That¡¯s why Baron Piamon is pestering the Duke to help with Count Fendens,¡± said count Glacia. ¡°Pestering! Count Glacia, you are so cold!¡± said Baron Piamon, ¡°I lose at least half of the profit to the toll charge. This is tyranny!¡± Count Glacia simply shrugged. Then she looked at Amethyst and asked. ¡°What about you Lady Skad?¡± she asked, ¡°what do you think?¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Amethyst blinked. ¡°On what baron Piamon just shared,¡± said count Glacia, ¡°maybe you could also share your views regarding it. You might have a better idea for it.¡± Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Count Glacia did not really have that high of an expectation for a good answer from Amethyst. She was just doing this to put Amethyst in a spot. Besides, what would a pretty Lady of the Household know anything about politics anyway? ¡°Ah, no,¡± said Baron Piamon, ¡°That¡¯s alright. We shouldn¡¯t worry Lady Skad with unnecessary discussion.¡± Seeing how the duke was very quiet, Baron Piamon came to Amethyst¡¯s rescue and tried to wrap up the conversation. Amethyst, meanwhile, stared long and hard at the map, focusing on the problem at hand. ¡°If it was up to me,¡± she said, finally after a long silence, ¡°I would dig through.¡± If there were already trade in gems, that meant there was a mine and miners. It wouldn¡¯t be like mining for gems, but the miners could be paid to dig through the wall to create a passage to be used by baron Piamon and his people. It would be difficult but in the long term, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad investment. ¡°Dig through¡­,¡± said Baron Piamon, ¡°what do you mean?¡± ¡°I would dig through the mountain,¡± she continued, ¡°Of course, it needs a great deal of planning to dig through in a way that it doesn¡¯t collapse the mountain from the inside but makes a hole big enough for the carriages to pass. Perhaps a tunnel to deliver the goods.¡± ¡°A tunnel?¡± said Baron Piamon, thinking to himself. ¡°Yes,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Regarding the situation right now where you don¡¯t have an alternate route, a tunnel seems like the most logical solution, albeit a little difficult. It might require immense, time, cost and effort but when you look at it, it might prove very beneficial in the long term.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± said Baron Piamon staring at the map in a newfound way. Count Renove seemed intrigued by the suggestion. ¡°As long as we manage to¡­ cross the mountain one way or another,¡± said Count Renove, ¡°It is all grass fields right up to the capital, owned by nobody. It would save us time as well since we might not have to take the longest route. The best thing would be that we wouldn¡¯t need to cross through Count of Fendence¡¯s estate! We could completely bypass it and make our own way!¡± Count Renove looked at Amethyst in admiration. ¡°Lady Skad, you are amazing! As expected, of course.¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t do anything at all,¡± said Amethyst, modestly, ¡°I am glad I was able to assist in any way.¡± ¡°No, Lady Skad,¡± said Baron Piamon, ¡°You are a genius! This was my biggest dilemma overshadowing the annual festival this year, and you solved the problem instantly! I should have consulted you sooner. Thank you so much for your expertise!¡± Baron Piamon¡¯s eyes sparkled, and he looked at Amethyst with respect. Count Glacia, meanwhile, didn¡¯t share the happiness of others. She wore a sour expression. Serves you right, thought Amethyst smugly. She, however, wished Alexcent would say something. Sitting opposite her, his elbow was draped on the armrest of the sofa, propping his chin on his fingers. His face looked impassive, as though none of this mattered to him. I wonder how long he is going to be like that. Did I do something wrong? Alexcent¡¯s silence always made her doubt herself. ¡°If the duke grants the permission for this idea at the next meeting,¡± said Baron Piamon, looking cautiously at Alexcent, ¡°We can get started right away.¡± Every mountain in the empire belonged to the emperors. So, the mines also belonged to the emperor. Even if the land was unclaimed, nobody had the right to deforest it or use it in any other way before seeking permission from the emperor. Alexcent stared long and hard at Amethyst. It was an awkward sort of moment. Why? Why are you looking at me like that? Just say something¡­ anything, thought Amethyst. The moment was too overbearing, so she broke the gaze first and looked away. Alexcent, still looking at her, gave a curt nod. Baron Piamon, satisfied that his conflict had been resolved, started filling the glasses with alcohol. ¡°Now that the problem has finally been resolved,¡± declared Baron Piamon, ¡°Can we just take a glass each in celebration.¡± ¡°Now we can all properly taste the alcohol.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m relieved I no longer have to hear Baron Piamon complain! My ears were starting to shrivel.¡± The atmosphere started to lighten, and everybody was relaxed and getting friendly. Amethyst seized her opportunity. She felt sorry to baron Piamon for what she was about to do but he was the only one who seemed to be on her side, so she needed him. Besides, she had resolved his problem. He owed her. So, she apologized mentally to baron Piamon. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s this alcohol!¡± said baron Piamon, recognizing the taste from the night of the feast. ¡°Oh, yes!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°It¡¯s the one you released recently. I had it brought here.¡± ¡°So considerate of you, thank you so much!¡± said the baron, happily. As baron Piamon raised the glass to his lips, Amethyst looked at the alcohol in longing. ¡°Even though I can¡¯t join you for a drink after¡­ what happened,¡± she said, ¡°I quite liked the taste.¡± ¡°Ah, I see,¡± he said as he downed it. ¡°The scent was very sweet,¡± said Amethyst sadly, ¡°I am rather sad I can¡¯t have it again.¡± Baron Piamon looked at her full of pity. ¡°Well, maybe you can try a very small glass¡­,¡± he suggested. ¡°Really?¡± said Amethyst, brightening up, ¡°Yes! Maybe I will! Just a little.¡± ¡°What?!¡± said Alexcent. He had been so quite that at his sudden voice, Baron Piamon flinched. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 126 Chapter 126 After the duke¡¯s remark, everyone fell silent, except for Baron Piamon who dared to say, ¡°Never mind, My Lady,¡± he spoke in wry smile, ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t.¡± He hiccupped as he had swallowed too fast, startled by Alexcent. ¡°No,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Thank you so much for offering. I can¡¯t be so rude as to refuse.¡± ¡°But,¡± said Baron Piamon hurriedly. He still remembered that night. He didn¡¯t want to risk Alexcent¡¯s wrath. ¡°But what if it¡­ like before¡­¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s alright,¡± assured Amethyst, ¡°This time I know what to expect so I wouldn¡¯t gulp it down like last time.¡± She looked at Pon. ¡°Pon, can you pass me the smallest glass?¡± Amethyst received the glass from Pon and held it out to Baron Piamon. ¡°Would you be so kind to pour me some?¡± she asked, sweetly. A vein throbbed in Alexcent¡¯s forehead. ¡°Of course,¡± said Baron Piamon, pouring her a glass, ¡°But you really must drink only very little.¡± Baron Piamon was too preoccupied to glance towards the duke but count Renove and count Houres looked at Amethyst and the Duke, curiously. Amethyst brought the glass up to her lips. She spared a fleeting glance at Alexcent, his jaws were clenched. To provoke him further, she looked at her glass and took a sip, relishing the sweet taste on her tongue. She took little sips. Alexcent was still in the same posture, his reaction unchanged. Maybe this isn¡¯t enough, thought Amethyst. That¡¯s alright. You asked for it, Alec! She placed her glass down on the table. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s so sweet I could die drinking it,¡± she said, ¡°It¡¯s the kind of alcohol that everybody loves.¡± Baron Piamon, who had been anxious that she would gulp it all down like last time, visibly relaxed as she put her glass down. ¡°Is that so?¡± he said, ¡°I am glad you like it.¡± ¡°Once it¡¯s officially released, would you let me know?¡± she asked. ¡°I would like to buy some.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± said baron Piamon, ¡°You will be the first to know.¡± ¡°It would make a great present for acquaintances,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°You really think so?¡± said baron Piamon, ¡°I couldn¡¯t ask for more!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°It¡¯s such fine quality. I am sure it will be much loved by everybody.¡± ¡°Yes! You really are amazing, Lady Skad,¡± said Baron Piamon, ¡°You have a good eye for tastes. If the word goes out that even you recommend it, the sales will peak!¡± ¡°Oh, you flatter me,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I am sure it will get good reviews from everybody.¡± Amethyst continued to praise Baron Piamon¡¯s alcohol, while Count Renove and Count Houres prayed for the baron¡¯s wellbeing as they looked at silent and cold Alexcent. ¡°Your Excellency,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°Your glass is empty. Let me pour you a drink.¡± Has she finally snapped? Count Glacia wondered. To think she continues flirting with Baron Piamon. Maybe she is desperate after that visit in the afternoon. How pitiful! I had no idea she would fall apart so easily. I didn¡¯t even have to do much work. Count Glacia poured the drink for Alexcent. She was happy that there was nothing in her way anymore since Amethyst seemed to have turned to Baron Piamon. Meanwhile, Amethyst blood boiled when she saw Count Glacia trying to cozy up to Alexcent. She stilled herself. I have to be rational, she said to herself, I cannot be swayed by Count Glacia¡¯s antics. I have got to hold it together. She gathered herself but it was just as well that her face turned reddish. She was already feeling the effect of alcohol even after a small sip. She decided to use that to her advantage. ¡°Oh my!¡± said Amethyst,¡± I feel rather warm¡­.¡± She fanned her face. She brushed her hair back. She swept her hair and pretended like she couldn¡¯t bear the hair falling on her back. She leaned back and shook her hair. She combed through them gently with her fingers. She gathered them at the top of her head and tied them into a bun. He made it seem very casual because that was part of the trick. Her shawl had slipped from her shoulders as she did her hair. It had slid down to her arms exposing her neck and bare shoulders. ¡°Ah, it feels cooler now,¡± she said, fanning herself again. She smiled and turned to Baron Piamon again, pretending to be very attentive to whatever he was saying. She occasionally indulged a chuckle at his jokes. She glanced at Alexcent every now and then, meeting his gaze and directing him a small smile. This should do, thought Amethyst, but why does he still seem so indifferent? Does he really not care anymore? Every time she glanced at him, he still looked impassive. He looked rather arrogant, leaning on the sofa and drinking down the alcohol that Count Glacia had filled for him. The only movement was him tipping the glass to his lips. Count Renove and Count Houres looked on cautiously and hoped the duke wouldn¡¯t smash the glass at them. There were now two veins throbbing at Alexcent¡¯s forehead. Amethyst was starting to worry. Does my charm not work on him at all? Or does he simply not care? Count Glacia, however, was smug. Seeing his wife openly flirting with another man didn¡¯t do anything to stir Alexcent. He barely seemed to react. It made her feel hopeful. To aggravate Amethyst, count Glacia sat so close to Alexcent and stroked his thigh, making it seem accidental. Amethyst felt her anger flare and sparks ignited in her eyes, momentarily. But she bit her lips and restrained herself. I really wasn¡¯t going to take it all the way, thought Amethyst, but if this is how it¡¯s going to be, I am going to go all out. I am Sharon Stone. There was a reason as to why Amethyst had chosen this particular dress. The sides of the dress were split so when she moved, it showed her thigh. She pretended to listen to Baron Piamon when a groan escaped her lips. ¡°Oh, I am so sorry,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I think the drink is getting to me.¡± She chuckled. She felt Alexcent¡¯s gaze on her. Her whole body was aware he was looking at her, but she still didn¡¯t turn to look at him. It was as though his gaze bore into her. She lifted her left leg and crossed it over her right. The femme fatale pose. The hem of the dress ran down her thighs, exposing them partly. She was wearing high, black heels which dazzled in the light. She had deliberately chosen the heel to go with the dress because it accentuated her height. She let one of her heels hang loosely from her toes. The black heel emphasized her pale skin. Her face was slightly red, her eyes looked unfocused and her lips were red. A few strands of her hair hung around her face. Her neckline and collarbone were exposed. Her shawl wrapped delicately around her lower arms. The dress hugged her body tight and glistened in the light. She knew she looked attractive, but she wondered whether this was working on Alexcent. All her attention was focused on him even if she wasn¡¯t directly looking at him. But it seemed he hadn¡¯t changed at all. It didn¡¯t seem like he intended to move his posture anytime soon. Amethyst felt doubt gnaw at her mind. She felt disappointed and anxious. I am such a fool. Why did I dress myself up so much when he doesn¡¯t even care? What should I do? Is he really not interested in me anymore? Her eyes lost focus and she quivered slightly. This is so stupid. Maybe I should just go back¡­. Her mind was blank. She felt miserable. But she felt a strong hand on her wrist. ¡°Excuse us,¡± said Alexcent, pulling her up. ¡°Come with me.¡± With those words, he left the office abruptly, pulling Amethyst roughly along with him. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 ¡°Your Excellency! The tyranny of Count Fendence is getting worse every day,¡± complained Baron Piamon, ¡°Not too long ago, he nearly ripped off half of our earnings! At this rate our household will not be able to take it much further. This means they are looking down on the Skad household. We must show them who we are.¡± ¡°Ahem,¡± Count Renove cleared his throat, ¡°Baron Piamon, what do you mean we have to show them who we are? Do you mean that we should start a war?¡± ¡°Count Renove, if need be, we must go to war!¡± ¡°Well¡­that is really extreme.¡± Baron Piamon continued to barrel on with his complaints. He was determined to hear a response from the duke regarding his plight. ¡°Your Excellency! If war is not an option¡­then please support us with your knights! We should at least intimidate them.¡± ¡°You foolish man, that is the same thing! If you send out the duke¡¯s knights, then it¡¯s the same as declaring war against another noble household!¡± ¡°Then at least share a possible solution!¡± Ever since the start of the annual festival, from conference meetings to consultations, Baron Piamon had only complained about this one thing. It was starting to annoy Alexcent. Momentarily, he indulged in the idea of beheading the lot of them. Even as Count Renove and Count Houres calmed Baron Piamon and tried to talk about other things, Alexcent¡¯s annoyance with him didn¡¯t end. He reminded himself that he needed them on his side for the safety and stability of the throne. The thought of having to deal with these nitwits saddened him more. Then, he felt a presence outside the office. Someone was shuffling outside the door. He guessed one of them was Pon, he faintly heard the voice of the other¡­ It can¡¯t be! He thought. There was a knock at the door. He allowed them to come in. He had been so bored with all this. As the door opened, his heart dropped a beat. The person he had wanted to see the most. For whom did she dress up so prettily, he mused. Count Glacia, Count Renove, Count Houres and Baron Piamon, would assume that for Amethyst, this was the usual attire to receive guests as the Lady of the Household. But Alexcent knew. He knew she had taken time and effort to get dolled up which she didn¡¯t normally do. She despised tight dresses and heels. But she looked like a goddess in his eyes, right at that instant. Her lips were voluptuous and red, tempting him to bite it. Why do you do this to me? Why are you seducing me like this? As much as he tried to still his mind, his body reacted differently. He could feel himself becoming hard. He longed to hear her gasping. Her moans would contrast drastically to the annoying whines he had had to put up with. This is just driving me crazy, he thought, this is the first time I have held myself back from her for the longest time. It has been so many days. I wish she would leave fast. I can¡¯t take this anymore. But Baron Piamon invited her to stay longer and she obliged. And she wouldn¡¯t sit next to him! She accepted a seat between Baron Piamon and Count Houres. Does this mean she no longer wishes to stay close to me? He pretended not to be affected and stayed silent. He felt something indescribable. He didn¡¯t want her to be here right now, because she affected him so much. But at the same time, he longed for her so much. And she wouldn¡¯t even sit next to him! He felt enraged, and he felt annoyed at her for torturing him like this. Fine, he thought, let¡¯s see how far you go. With massive effort he suppressed his emotions. But when Baron Piamon offered her alcohol, he reacted instinctively. He didn¡¯t want her to drink and fall sick like last time, but as she sipped it, he felt helpless. As he watched her sip the drink, he wished her lips were on his, instead. He tried hard not to focus on that. He tried to calm himself. He breathed in deeply. He gazed at her flushed cheeks. Every night, he had imagined her in his arms, these past few days. Being away from her was agonizing. He wanted to look at that flushed face and make it blush. He frowned. She pulled her head back and let her hair flow. His jaws were clenched. He longed to stroke that soft hair. He wanted to feel their strands between his fingers. He tried hard to calm himself. It was so hard to stay calm and rational and not give into his instinct, which would be to sweep Amethyst off her feet and take her to bed. He sighed. He wanted to plant kisses on that pale, exposed neck and shoulders. He wanted to paint them all with reddish marks from his ministrations. The sight of her was tempting him beyond rationality. I wonder if I could¡­. He wished she was as bothered as him about this, but she seemed to have eyes only for Baron Piamon. He glared at the baron, who had managed to ensnare her attention. He wanted her eyes on him, not the baron! Shall I just throw his glass in his face? Alexcent pondered for a while. It will break something or the other, but it would hardly kill him. He twirled the glass in his hands and took another drink. Should I or should I not? He contemplated. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 128 Chapter 128 (Rated 18) He wished he could push away count Glacia who was clinging so close to him. Momentarily distracted, he heard a soft groan escape from Amethyst¡¯s lips. His eyes snapped back to her. Alexcent couldn¡¯t decide whether it was resentment or passion raging inside him. Just who the hell are you moaning for? He disliked everything at that instant. The meeting, this night, the alcohol, even her. She was decked from head to toe in a very sensual dress that she wouldn¡¯t even bother to touch under normal circumstances. Where the hell did she find a dress like that? He would have very much wanted to tear it off of her, if only¡­ His pupils widened as she crossed her left leg over the other, part of her legs exposed. He couldn¡¯t think anything anymore. His rational sense had abandoned him. He couldn¡¯t think. It all happened in a flash. He downed the drink in one gulp, placed his glass on the table and stood up. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her up. ¡°Excuse us,¡± he said. ¡°Come with me,¡± he said to Amethyst. Her skin was warm. He walked out of the office pulling her with him, a bit too roughly. ¡°Alec,¡± she said, ¡°Wait¡­¡± He didn¡¯t let go. He walked down the corridor. His hand gripped her wrist so roughly. But her protests only made him walk faster. She stumbled in her heels. ¡°Alec, please,¡± she said, ¡°My feet¡­¡± He made no response. He seemed to not hear her. I wonder if he has gone mad, she thought. Is he very angry? I was only trying to get him to pay attention to me. Amethyst¡¯s eyes welled up. I don¡¯t want to face him when he is this angry and I don¡¯t want to be alone in my bed anymore. She tried to shake off his hand. But his grip was like steel. She yanked her hand. Alexcent grabbed her waist and pushed her roughly against the wall. Then his mouth found hers. His tongue explored her mouth. His lips were hot on hers. A low, satisfied moan escaped Alexcent¡¯s lips. It felt like her lips on his quenched all his unending thirsts. His heart thumped in his chest. ¡°Alec¡­,¡± she mumbled. His one hand, which was on her face, slid down tracing her neck, her collarbone, down to her chest. Amethyst felt a moan escape her. She wanted to speak but his frantic kiss left no room for words. She gasped for air. She uncurled her hands from his hair and pushed lightly against his shoulders. ¡°W-wait¡­¡± He reluctantly pulled away. ¡°Why?¡± he said, hoarsely, ¡°Are you going to deny that you were trying to seduce me?¡± Amethyst looked up at him. His red eyes glistened, full of hunger and desire. She was comforted by that look of longing. ¡°I am not denying anything,¡± she said, ¡°I was definitely trying to seduce you.¡± Alexcent¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°Well, it worked,¡± he said as his hands fumbled with her dress, trying to untie it. ¡°No!¡± she said, sharply. She grabbed his hands, stopping them. Alexcent looked puzzled. ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Not here,¡± she said, ¡°Not in the corridor! What if someone¡ª¡± He lifted her in his arms, impatiently. Amethyst instinctively grabbed his shoulders. It was so amusing to Alexcent that she had seduced him and when he had finally given in, she was worried they were in the corridor. ¡°Alec!¡± she protested, ¡°I can walk on my own.¡± ¡°Not fast enough,¡± he said, ¡°With those heels.¡± Well, why were you dragging me so hard just a moment ago? Amethyst thought and smiled. He walked briskly. Amethyst raised her hands from his shoulders and wrapped it around his neck. She leaned on his chest. ¡°Ash, I am walking as fast as I can, damn it,¡± he said, ¡°Don¡¯t do anything more.¡± Amethyst smirked. She raised her head and placed a kiss on his neck. ¡°Ash¡­,¡± he whispered. She nibbled at the nape of his neck and bit it, leaving a mark. She would leave a mark so that everybody knew he was hers. Alexcent groaned. He finally reached the door of her bedroom and flung them open. He placed her down and closed the door. She pushed her against the wall and kissed her. Amethyst wrapped her legs around his waist, and he hoisted her up. ¡°Now, Alec,¡± she whispered, ¡°Please, hurry.¡± Alexcent was surprised. She had never allowed him to touch her before except when on their bed. She urged him on and Alexcent was happy to oblige. His hand slid down and pulled her dress up and touch her. As always, she doesn¡¯t wear anything underneath! He felt the thread of his reason break and he pushed her harder against the wall and bit her on her neck. Amethyst moaned. The shock of it was so great. She no longer had heels on her feet. He licked her neck trying to soothe the sharp pain of his bite. ¡°Alec¡­,¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t hold back her screams of pleasure anymore. It was a given that it would be heard down the corridor if anybody passed by. Alexcent noticed that the restrain she usually showed was gone, he didn¡¯t mind that a bit. She was wild today. Amethyst took hold of his shirt and tore it open. The buttons scattered on the floor. His bare chest was exposed, and she stroked it. She caressed his nipples which were hard. Alexcent moaned. He shuddered. He grabbed her chin and kissed her passionately, exploring her mouth with his tongue, unable to hold it in any longer. The kiss became frantic. Amethyst¡¯s hand slid down from his chest to his waist. She unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his pants. She caressed the warm bulge between his legs. She stroked it. ¡°Ash¡­,¡± he mumbled at her neck. His hot breath tickling her. She felt satisfied with his disorientation, but she wanted more. She squeezed his bulge and felt him tremble. She squeezed him harder. She slid her hands inside his cloth and found bare skin. Alexcent moaned and gasped. She stroked it and it became harder. She began to tease him, gently stroking it and caressing him like he usually caressed her. She was enjoying initiating this and she was definitely relishing the small sounds Alexcent made. As though he couldn¡¯t take it any longer, he banged his hand on the wall. He grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head, holding her in place. ¡°Ash¡­,¡± he barely managed to speak, ¡°No more games.¡± He then lifter her and thrust inside her. Amethyst gasped. She buried her head into his shoulder as a sharp pain accompanied the pleasure. Her body trembled. ¡°Are you alright? Do you want me to stop?¡± he asked. ¡°Oh, please,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Don¡¯t stop now!¡± He let out a breath and gently began moving his hips in a rhythm. Amethyst¡¯s body thumped against the wall. Recalling their longing and the culmination reaching this one moment, they held each other hungrily. As he thrust inside her, Amethyst left crimson scratches on his back. Alexcent carried her to the sofa. He was ever so gently thrusting inside her, afraid to cause her pain, but his desire burned within him even more. He lifted her up and placed her on the table beside the sofa. She lifted her leg higher and placed them on his shoulders, so he could move more freely. Her consideration undid him. His thrusts began to get rigorous and harder and both of them gasped for breath. Their moans were testament to the pleasure they felt. The distance had made them even more passionate. The pleasure came in waves and disoriented them. The sound echoed off the walls of their rooms, the bathroom and even the corridor outside. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Alexcent woke up very early. It was his normal routine. He was an early person. At first, he felt confused and wondered where he was. It had been a while since he found someone nestled in his arms, sleeping peacefully. Amethyst. She looked so vulnerable. He pulled up the covers over her and stroked her scattered hair. He combed through them gently with his fingers, trying to untangle them. A strand caught between his fingers and Amethyst stirred. ¡°Mm¡­ hurts,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Sorry,¡± he whispered against her ear. She didn¡¯t respond. She must have fallen sleep again. He tucked her in the covers as best as he could and got out of the bed, leaving her to sleep. ¡°Mm¡­ don¡¯t go,¡± mumbled Amethyst, perhaps sensing the disappearing warmth. Alexcent sat back on the edge of the bed. She was talking in her sleep. ¡°Shh, go back to sleep,¡± he said, stroking her cheek. ¡°I will see you later.¡± He kissed her on her cheek and picked up the gown. The scratch marks on his back disappeared underneath the gown. After a while, Amethyst opened her eyes, drowsy from sleep. He was already gone. She wondered if everything had been a dream. She extended her hand out to feel the space beside her. She felt relieved to sense the last lingering remains of his warmth. She smiled to herself. She pulled his pillow close and hugged it to her. It smelled like him. She breathed in his scent. She then sat up on her bed. ¡°Ro¡­,¡± she tried to call. Her throat was sore. Well, I suppose that is expected after how much screaming we did last night. She blushed. She cleared her throat and tried again. ¡°Roman?¡± The door opened and Roman entered. ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± she said. ¡°Where is Lunia?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°She has been waiting for you to wake up, Madam,¡± said Roman. ¡°Oh,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Could you tell her that she can come in.¡± She didn¡¯t get out of the bed. She found that she had no energy left to do that. She was completely exhausted despite having slept a while. ¡°Madam,¡± said Lunia, as she entered. ¡°How have you been feeling?¡± Lunia smiled. Despite the warm smile, Lunia seemed tired. Her dark circles seemed deeper than usual. She must have had a hard trip with the other ladies, thought Amethyst. ¡°Lunia!¡± she cried happily, ¡°How was the trip to Newhenfield? Did everything go alright?¡± ¡°Oh, it was great!¡± said Lunia, ¡°The trip was great, all thanks to you, Madam.¡± Lunia paused and then smirked. ¡°I heard you had an amazing time as well¡­ yesterday.¡± ¡°Sorry?!¡± exclaimed Amethyst, unable to stop herself blushing. ¡°Well, everybody knows you two had a great time,¡± said Lunia, ¡°The whole mansion heard it, I think.¡± If Amethyst could have blushed even more, or could feel any more embarrassed, she would have. Lunia smiled brightly at her. Her smile made Amethyst feel relieved. ¡°I am hoping that it will put her in her place. You did good.¡± said Lunia. Amethyst didn¡¯t need to ask who she meant. ¡°The problem is that she is not the kind of person who will be affected so much by such things, though,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°She is very hard-headed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Which brings me to the thing I wanted to talk to you about. You have to be prepared for the upcoming ball.¡± ¡°Ball?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Lunia, ¡°You need to make things clear once and for all. Set it in the stone, so to speak.¡± Amethyst smiled awkwardly at her exaggeration. ¡°Oh. Madam,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Did you get the duke¡¯s approval for your participation in the hunting match?¡± ¡°Oh, I will get it soon,¡± said Amethyst. I completely forgot about that, thought Amethyst. I forgot everything because of everything to do with Count Glacia. I will ask Alexcent later. She was annoyed that she had to seek permission. Couldn¡¯t she have the freedom to decide on what she wanted to do? ¡°I heard that you resolved a big issue of national importance,¡± said Lunia, beaming at her, ¡°The conference might end sooner than expected. So, the next agenda is to prepare for the ball. But before that, since you were interested to take part in the hunting match, you need to be invited specifically by the duke.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± If it¡¯s the same Alec from last night, I¡¯m sure he will allow it. Amethyst was very confident that it wouldn¡¯t pose a problem at all. *** After Alexcent headed to his own room and took a bath, he changed into his uniform and walked to the conference hall. Gen, who had been waiting for him to wake up, walked with him. ¡°Congratulations,¡± said Gen. ¡°What for?¡± asked Alexcent, turning to Gen while they walked. ¡°For the battle scars,¡± said Gen, pointing to the bite mark visible on Alexcent¡¯s neck, along with the scratches. The marks were visible above the collar and Gen continued teasing him despite it. ¡°You never sustained a single wound even in the war,¡± he said jokingly. ¡°Ahh,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°What can I do? This opponent was too strong. I lost this battle, but I quite like these scars.¡± Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Gen shook his head at the duke¡¯s reply, as they entered the conference room. Unlike Gen, who could tease Alexcent about it, and Alexcent, who appeared nonchalant about it, the other nobles were extremely uncomfortable and didn¡¯t know where to look. The thoughts going through their minds went something like this: ¡®I had thought Lady Skad was a very na?ve young lady¡¯, ¡®She seems to be more like a fox¡¯, ¡®The duke is amazing but Lady Skad must be truly formidable to leave such scars on him¡¯. Nobody dared speak their thoughts aloud. After the duke and Amethyst had left the office yesterday, Count Renove and Count Houres had reprimanded Baron Piamon. ¡°What on earth were you thinking?¡± count Renove had asked. ¡°If this leads to a fight¡­,¡± Count Houres had said, ¡°Did you not see the look in the duke¡¯s eyes?¡± ¡°My sentiments exactly,¡± Count Renove had said, ¡°I was so anxious that he was going to smash the glass. You really are so clueless, flirting with the lady like that!¡± ¡°Do you think I would ever risk my own life if I knew it?¡± said Baron Piamon, sadly, ¡°I didn¡¯t know. I was trying to make her feel better and not embarrass her. If I had rebuked her, it would have been the death of me! You didn¡¯t even try to help me. You all are so mean.¡± ¡°Ahem,¡± Count Renove cleared his throat, ¡°We are very sorry for not coming to your aid.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± said Count Houres, ¡°We are really sorry Piamon.¡± He patted him on his shoulder. ¡°What do I do!¡± lamented Baron Piamon, ¡°Do you think this will affect his judgement on the tunnel construction?¡± Count Glacia had directed Baron Piamon a cold glare for all his whining. Baron Piamon looked at the duke with scared eyes. Surely, the duke would punish him for whatever happened yesterday. Alexcent turned to him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about your approval,¡± he said to Baron Piamon, ¡°Do a thorough analysis then report everything from design ideas to construction. The scale, foundation, the construction itself, the excavation method. Make sure to hire specialists and create a proposal.¡± Baron Piamon was shocked into silence. Eventually he found his voice. ¡°Yes, of course!¡± he stammered, ¡°Thank you so much!¡± Alexcent had already found Amethyst¡¯s tunnel idea very logical, and he wasn¡¯t going to dismiss that idea anyway. Baron Piamon, who had barely slept a wink, seemed to come back to life, finally. ¡°Next,¡± said Alexcent. The meeting proceeded smoothly and in a very fast pace. Contrary to yesterday, count Glacia remained silent throughout the meeting today. *** ¡°No,¡± Alexcent, who had returned to Amethyst¡¯s room after the meeting, answered curtly. ¡°Alec, please,¡± begged Amethyst, ¡°Don¡¯t be like that¡­¡± ¡°I said no,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°And why exactly?¡± ¡°Just¡­no.¡± He rubbed the towel on his wet hair, attempting to dry it. He sat at the edge of her bed. Amethyst yanked the towel from his hand and rubbed his head for him, instead. ¡°I won¡¯t put myself in danger,¡± she said, ¡°You will be there anyway. Please, I will be very careful.¡± Alexcent didn¡¯t respond. He sighed, wearily and took the towel back from her. Why do you need to be so stubborn? Amethyst thought. Since her persuasion wasn¡¯t working, she decided to drop the act. ¡°Just tell me why,¡± she implored, ¡°Why is it that you don¡¯t want me to participate?¡± ¡°Ash¡­,¡± he said, ¡°Just¡­no.¡± ¡°I at least deserve a reason,¡± she persisted. Now they were having a disagreement due to the hunting match. It seemed as though words didn¡¯t get through to him. He had never rejected her requests outright. Even when she had wanted to learn swordplay, he had never rejected her. Is there really no other way? Amethyst thought sadly. Amethyst was angry. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a no from me today, too,¡± she said and pulled the covers over herself and turned away to sleep. ¡°Ash¡­,¡± he said softly. Oh, goddam it, don¡¯t call me like that! She covered her ears. His sweet voice wasn¡¯t going to woo her! ¡°Ash¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me like that,¡± she said. ¡°Ash, listen to me.¡± ¡°I am sleeping.¡± I wish she would let it go just this once, he wished. Alexcent took of his robe and threw it aside. He then pulled her to him, cover and all, wrapping his arms around her. ¡°Goodnight, Ash.¡± Amethyst did not reply. *** ¡°He said no,¡± sobbed Amethyst, clinging onto Lunia, pretending to cry as a last resort. ¡°Clinging to me won¡¯t change it, you know,¡± said Lunia, who wasn¡¯t fooled. ¡°Lunia!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°But why? Why can¡¯t I go? Is there no other way at all?¡± ¡°Well, how would I know? Seems to me, there is none,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Anyway I will remove the hunting match from your schedule.¡± ¡°No! No! No!¡± said Amethyst, stubbornly. Lunia sighed and tried to change the topic. ¡°Madam, more importantly, you need to focus on the upcoming ball!¡± said Lunia, ¡°It¡¯s just around the corner. Please don¡¯t tell me you have forgotten about it.¡± ¡°The Ball?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I have already instructed Pon to prepare everything the same as last year,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°What¡¯s there to do more about it?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Well¡­ it seems that the other ladies are rather looking forward to it. Like the tea party, you did it so differently, everyone was so excited. I mean, if the ball is the same as last year, there won¡¯t be a problem. But I am sure the ladies will be a tad bit disappointed since they are all looking forward to it.¡± Amethyst frowned. ¡°How was it last year?¡± she asked. ¡°Same as every year,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Invites are sent out not only to the nobles here but also to other nobles all around the capital. There is dancing, food, people huddle together and chat in their own little groups and then they go back.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ sounds extremely dull,¡± said Amethyst. Amethyst thought it might not be very dull for her since it would be her first time attending a ball but if this was done every year, the others would be sick of it by now. Time was very short for her to come up with something exciting and new. What have I been doing all this while, really? Amethyst tapped her cheek with her forefinger and contemplated for ideas. She had a gleam in her eyes after a while. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 I have an idea! Thought Amethyst. I can do it like that movie! A smile appeared on her face. I can prepare it in that way. It doesn¡¯t even take much time! And it will be so mysterious. ¡°Lunia,¡± she said, ¡°I have an idea.¡± ¡°Do tell,¡± said Lunia. ¡°The invites have been sent out already, right?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then can you prepare as many masks as the invites?¡± said Amethyst, ¡°make them all identical.¡± ¡°Of course, but masks?¡± asked Lunia. ¡°Yes,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Remember that they all need to be identical. No need to make them to cover the entire face, just the eyes and the nose. Mass producing masks with same design shouldn¡¯t be difficult.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± said Lunia, ¡°What do you intend to do with so many masks?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I intend to distribute them to all the nobles who attend the ball. It will be a pre-requisite of attending the ball so they will be handed a mask from the time they reach here and get out of their carriage. Have everyone informed that they would have to wear the mask or they won¡¯t be allowed an entry to the ballroom.¡± ¡°We are seriously going to do it?¡± asked Lunia. ¡°Yes!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be fun? Nobody will recognize the other because everyone will be wearing the same kind of mask. Wouldn¡¯t it be thrilling to not know who you are dancing with?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think people will be fooled,¡± said Lunia, ¡°They can still recognize their partners even if part of their faces is covered.¡± Well, true, they might recognize their partners, thought Amethyst, but not everybody. I wonder if they will fight because of it or fall for another. Amethyst played with various possibilities in her head happily. There is no way I wouldn¡¯t recognize Alec. But if Alec doesn¡¯t recognize me then perhaps, I can trick him into letting me join the hunting match. Amethyst laughed aloud. ¡°It seems like you have become similar to the duke in mind games,¡± said Lunia. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a compliment,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°It is,¡± said Lunia, smiling. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem so,¡± said Amethyst, aghast. ¡°It is!¡± insisted Lunia. Amethyst stared at her with disbelief but Lunia cleared her throat and changed the topic of their discussion. ¡°Then I will make the arrangements and have the masks prepared,¡± she said, ¡°Is there a color that you want the masks to be?¡± ¡°Black!¡± said Amethyst. ¡°It should be black.¡± *** The meetings continued and while Alexcent was busy handling them, Amethyst spent her time with the other ladies, inviting them for tea or taking a stroll in the garden. Her schedule was manageable. The days passed in the same manner and the meetings came to a halt after the conflicts and discussions had been resolved. Thanks to Amethyst who had contributed her idea for the biggest problem of them all, the meetings ended earlier than the previous years. A few days later, it was time for the much-awaited ball. On the fateful day, the ladies didn¡¯t step out of their rooms in preparation for the event. Amethyst, too, got up early in the morning in preparation for the busy day ahead. Roman and Lunia were diligently helping her get ready for the big event. Amethyst was just about done with her bath and massage and was just donning the bathrobe when a maid knocked and rushed inside her room. ¡°Madam!¡± cried the maid, ¡°There is a problem.¡± Amethyst wondered what had happened that required the maid to react so dramatically. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s¡­,¡± stammered the maid, ¡°It¡¯s count Glacia¡¯s dress¡­.¡± Count Glacia again! She has been quiet for a few days. I knew the peace wouldn¡¯t last. What has she done now? Amethyst felt very uneasy. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her dress?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Her dress is red in color,¡± said the maid. ¡°What?!¡± Lunia exclaimed. It even startled Amethyst. ¡°Are you sure? Is this information credible?¡± asked Lunia. ¡°Yes,¡± said the maid, shrinking at Lunia¡¯s stern voice. ¡°Even the design is the same as the Lady Skad¡¯s.¡± Honestly, she is trying just too hard, mused Amethyst. First the baby¡¯s breath. Second, provoking me regarding separate rooms that I and Alexcent used. And now, this. Amethyst had suspected for a while now that there was a spy among them who worked for Count Glacia. Roman and Lunia would never do something like that. It has to be some other maid. ¡°Madam, what should we do about the dress?¡± asked Roman bringing her out of her thoughts. I need to take care of the problem at hand first, decided Amethyst. There wasn¡¯t much time left. She only had a few hours. If she wore the same dress, others would start comparing them. She was the Lady of the house. It would be like those pictures on the internet with celebrities wearing the same clothes but looking so different. One would always look better than the other. And since it would be the ex-mistress and the current wife, it would invite too many gossips and far too bothersome rumors. Count Glacia was beautiful and she could pull off anything she wore so elegantly. Amethyst knew that she looked average when compared with her. If they emerge wearing the same dress for the ball, she wouldn¡¯t be able to make her own statement. Besides, she didn¡¯t want to let Count Glacia win at any cost. And she wanted to enjoy this ball for a change. ¡°Madam, there isn¡¯t much time.,¡± said Lunia, ¡°You must decide fast.¡± It was too late to prepare another dress. None of her attires were fit for the ball as Amethyst usually preferred casual attires. What should I do? Amethyst worried. ¡°Roman,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Go choose the fanciest gown that you find in Madam¡¯s wardrobe. There is bound to be one that looks good.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Roman and hurried to the wardrobe. ¡°Wait!¡± said Amethyst. Everyone stopped in their tracks. ¡°You three!¡± she said to the three other maids that were in the room. ¡°Please go outside the mansion and find me a suitable dress. I will reward the one who finds it with a bonus. Make sure the color is anything other than red.¡± ¡°Yes, madam,¡± intoned the maids and left in a hurry. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Amethyst needed them out of her sight. She didn¡¯t trust anyone except Roman and Lunia. She needed the spy somewhere far away from her so they wouldn¡¯t parrot her plans to Count Glacia. ¡°Madam, I don¡¯t think anyone can procure a good dress from the boutiques in such a short time,¡± said Lunia. ¡°I know,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Then why did you send them?¡± asked Lunia, surprised. Amethyst smiled. ¡°Because we need to seize the crisis by its throat and turn it into an opportunity.¡± She opened the door of her bedroom and walked to Alexcent¡¯s room. She closed the door behind her. It was the first time she had entered his bedroom. He always came to hers so there wasn¡¯t a need for her to come here. His room was neat and tidy. Not like hers with stuff strewn all over the place. He always teased her that her room was more like a pigsty. This bedroom was like its owner: arrogant, cold, thorough¡­ and overwhelming. She reminded herself that time was short, and she had no time to look around. She walked straight to his dressing room followed by Lunia and Roman, who were very confused. Amethyst chose a white shirt without extravagant detail and the notched lapel vest that Alexcent always wore with his uniform. She headed to the display cabinet where Alexcent¡¯s accessories were laid out. She chose the golden badge with the Skad emblem, the one he always wore when he went to the palace. ¡°Lunia, Roman,¡± she called. ¡°Yes, madam,¡¯ they intoned. ¡°Lunia, please go and inform Gen that I will be a little bit late. Tell him to inform Alec that he can head to the ballroom first,¡± she said, ¡°make sure he does this no matter what.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± said Lunia, glanced at Roman and left the room. ¡°Roman,¡± called Amethyst, ¡°Please find a maid with the quickest hand at sewing. Preferably someone who can get things done in a few minutes.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± said Roman and left in a hurry. Amethyst went back to her room and waited for them. Shortly, Lunia returned. Roman came back with two maids on her tow. ¡°Will you be able to alter this vest so that it can fit me?¡± asked Amethyst to the maids. ¡°Just reducing the fit around the waist could work for the vest,¡± said one of the maids. ¡°That will do for now,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Reduce the length of this shirt and the sleeves to fit me as well.¡± ¡°Yes, madam,¡± said the maids, ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°How long will it take?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take too long madam,¡± said one of the maids, ¡°A couple of minutes.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Then I leave these clothes in your care.¡± After the maids got to their work, Amethyst went to her dressing room and chose a tight-fitting pants and boots. ¡°Roman,¡± she called. ¡°Yes, madam?¡± said Roman. ¡°Could you help me with my hair?¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Tie it up and leave no loose strands. Up high in a ponytail.¡± ¡°Of course, madam,¡± said Roman and got to work. ¡°Lunia?¡± called Amethyst, ¡°Could you help me with the make-up? I want the lips to be red.¡± ¡°Of course, madam,¡± said Lunia, as she powdered Amethyst¡¯s face and worked with rouge and lipstick. A few minutes later, the maids presented her with the finished clothes tailored as per her request. ¡°Thank you for your hard work,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I apologize for the rush.¡± ¡°Not at all, madam,¡± said the maids, ¡°It¡¯s our honor.¡± Amethyst wore the altered shirt and unbuttoned the top three buttons, so that the collar draped a little off her shoulders. It was a large shirt but with the waist and the sleeves tailored to her length, it added an appealing amount of volume to the outfit. She wore the tight vest over the shirt and pinned the gold Skad emblem on her front. She then wore her skinny pants which hugged her body. It was her riding pants but right now, it didn¡¯t matter. It would do the job well. She tucked the front of the shirt into her pants while she left the back flaring out. She then wore her long black boots. Really, I do have killer legs, thought Amethyst, admiring herself in the mirror. ¡°Madam¡­,¡± said Lunia, in awe, ¡°You look like a knight!¡± ¡°But will you really be wearing pants to a ball?!¡± asked Roman, outraged. ¡°Well, there is no choice,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Will¡­will you really be alright like that?¡± asked Lunia. ¡°I will be fine,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I am supposed to be the Lady of the Household. So, it is by my invitation everyone is coming to the ball. I can do as I please.¡± ¡°It does suit you,¡± said Roman, ¡°The outfit.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Lunia presented Amethyst with a black mask. ¡°I had a spare one, just in case,¡± she said. ¡°Really Lunia,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°You always save the day!¡± Amethyst looked at the mask in her hands. In movies, masked ball was very common. She had chosen this for her own benefit. She wanted the ball to be a place where everyone could enjoy themselves without being conscious about how they dressed or how pretty they looked. Amethyst didn¡¯t want to spend her time worrying about whether she looked pretty like the other ladies instead of enjoying her time. This way, with everyone practically seeming like strangers, everyone would be comfortable. If things had gone as planned, she would have worn her beautiful red dress and danced the whole night with him¡­. Well, too bad, she thought, can¡¯t be helped. She brought the mask up to her face. ¡°Now, shall we go?¡± She wore her white gloves and walked to the impending ball. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 As Amethyst entered the hall full of golden decorations, all eyes focused on her. There had been murmurs that the duke had showed up early without Lady Skad by his side. And now people whispered in low voices behind their masks seeing her now. There was silence as she walked down the room, her boots echoing off the floor. The eyes of the people followed her every step. The atmosphere was tensed. It was obvious that she was in the duke¡¯s own clothes. The vest and the huge shirt were testament to that. It was clear that she was from house Skad. The gleaming golden emblem was proof of that. Nobody had the audacity to wear the duke¡¯s clothes and badge except the bold Lady Skad. Amethyst felt self-conscious but she didn¡¯t stop her stride. She walked confidently. She walked towards the tall man, with a glass in his hand, who stood by a woman in a red dress. She could tell it was him at one glance. His platinum blond hair shone in the light and his red eyes glittered under the mask. He was in his uniform. It set her hear pounding. That man is surely not good for my heart, she thought. How can someone be so beautiful and affect me so? It is just too unreal. Even with his mask, his charm wasn¡¯t diminished. Perhaps the mask made people bolder because there were more ladies than usual flocking around him. There was one woman whom she didn¡¯t want to see. The black-haired lady in a red dress who was standing too close to him. None other than Count Glacia. Perhaps Alexcent sensed her presence or the murmurs and whispers got to him, because he turned and looked at her walking to him, completely bewitched. His red eyes met her green ones and he swore out loud. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± he asked. Amethyst stopped just a few paces from him, ignoring his question. Her face was covered in a mask but everything else marked her. His shirt, his vest, his badge. It sent a message to everyone on who she was. Nothing could be clearer than this. It was a message, a statement. Gen was glad to see her. He had been ardently albeit politely trying to fend off those crowding around Alexcent. And he was failing but now that she was here, everyone only had eyes for her. She did half his work without even lifting a finger. Gen was grateful. Amethyst took a step forward. She stood and looked at Alexcent, eye to eye. Then she took a dramatic bow, one hand behind her back and another offered to Alexcent. ¡°Good evening,¡± she said, ¡°I am just a fella passing by. May I have the honor of this dance with you, my beautiful lady?¡± There was no way in hell that he didn¡¯t recognize her. But with Alexcent, you never knew what he would do. Her heart started thumping against her chest. She looked up and met his eye. His red eyes looked at her questioningly¡­ suspiciously. Those around him wondered how he would respond to being called a ¡®beautiful lady¡¯. Alexcent wasn¡¯t much known for politeness and patience. ¡°Alright,¡± he declared and placed his glass on a tray. ¡°Thank you!¡± said Amethyst, chuckling. Alexcent accepted her hand and she led him to the center which served the purpose of the dance floor. Eyes turned towards the pair heading there. When they reached the center, Amethyst placed her hands on his waist and pulled him towards her. She led the dance and Alexcent obliged. Everyone was stunned and watched in awe as the pair danced. ¡°I wonder what you are up to,¡± whispered Alexcent in her ear. ¡°I am not ¡®up to¡¯ anything,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°I just want to enjoy the ball.¡± Alexcent wrapped his hands around her waist and dipped her into a dive. ¡°I highly doubt that,¡± he said as he helped her upright again. He then raised her and swung her in an arch and set her down again. ¡°Really!¡± she said with a smirk, ¡°I never do anything out of line.¡± Alexcent burst out laughing at that. ¡°Fine,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°If you insist, I will tell you. I want something.¡± ¡°Anything,¡± he declared. ¡°I want to be invited to the hunting match,¡± she said as Alexcent twirled her around. He made a turn and faced him again. ¡°Don¡¯t cut me off again, I¡ª¡± Alexcent grabbed her by the waist and raised her up into the air. ¡°Alec!¡± she said, ¡°Let me down!¡± ¡°You called me a ¡®beautiful lady¡¯,¡± he said, ¡°Let me show you my beauty.¡± ¡°Alec!¡± she said, ¡°Are you really going to keep being this stubborn?¡¯ ¡°Maybe?¡± he said with a smirk, looking up at her. ¡°Alec!¡± she glared at him. He let her down on the floor. She stomped her booted foot on his toe. ¡°Ow!¡± he cried. ¡°Oh, my¡± twirled Amethyst, ¡°I seem to be not very well-versed in dancing.¡± Amethyst stuck out her tongue. He pulled her to him, and they swayed in rhythm to the music. He held her so tightly that she felt nearly suffocated. The dance looked more like a fight as people watched dazedly. Amethyst tried to push him, but he wasn¡¯t letting go. So, she kneed him between his legs. ¡°Agh!¡± cried Alexcent as he let go. Amethyst escaped his arms and maintained a distance. ¡°I thought I was going to be suffocated to death!¡± Alexcent laughed. ¡°Come on, Ash,¡± he said, ¡°I would never kill you. Did you really have to knee me there?¡± He pulled her in, and she obliged. She leaned on his chest as they swayed to the music. ¡°So, let me go to the hunting match.¡± He stiffened. People were just a little far away to hear their whispered conversation, but they were in awe of Amethyst. Thus, went their comments: ¡°Really,¡± said a lady, ¡°Lady Skad truly is amazing.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± said the other, ¡°The ball was never this much fun before.¡± ¡°I am sure a masked ball was her idea.¡± ¡°I like how we are all practically strangers here because we can¡¯t really be sure who is behind the mask.¡± ¡°Did you see the duke laughing?¡± said yet another, ¡°I don¡¯t think I have ever seen him laugh like that!¡± ¡°Lady Skad can truly achieve impossible feats.¡± Compliments flowed generously from everyone except the lady in the red dress, who was unable to join them in allocating praise so freely. She couldn¡¯t even smile. ¡°No,¡± whispered Alexcent. His tone of voice was final, inviting no arguments. ¡°Really?¡¯ asked Amethyst looking up from his chest. She made the most pitiful face. Alexcent sighed. ¡°Really,¡± he said firmly. Is he a wall or something? He never seems to budge. Amethyst sighed in defeat. She backed away a few paces and created a little bit of distance between them. They looked at each other, neither one wanting to budge. None willing to change their minds. Amethyst took his hand gallantly and placed a kiss at the back. ¡°Hope you have a wonderful evening, My Lady,¡± she said. Then she turned around and left the ballroom. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Leaving him alone in the ballroom, Amethyst returned to her bedroom. Well, he would hardly be alone, seeing how everyone is flocking to him. Thinking he would return, she changed fast and got into bed to sleep. She pulled the covers over her head and closed her eyes. A while later, she felt a presence beside her, but she paid it no mind and fell asleep. *** Slap! The loud sound of a slap filled count Glacia¡¯s room. Habe cradled her swollen cheeks and sobbed. She tasted blood on her lips. Count Glacia couldn¡¯t restrain her rage and hit Habe again. ¡°How dare you lie to me?¡± said the count through gritted teeth. ¡°I wasn¡¯t lying,¡± pleaded Habe, ¡°I don¡¯t know why Madam changed her outfit at the last minute.¡± ¡°You still dare to make excuses for your failings!¡± yelled count Glacia, raising her hand again. Habe closed her eyes and instinctively recoiled. Count Glacia¡¯s maid rushed between the count and Habe. ¡°Count!¡± said the maid, ¡°Please calm down.¡± ¡°How do you expect me to be calm?!¡± yelled Count Glacia. ¡°She is a personal maid to the Lady Skad,¡± explained the maid, ¡°If there is an injury on her face, she will be questioned. Lady Skad might take this personally.¡± Count Glacia had trained as a knight and was a formidable woman. Her maid rushed to interfere because she knew things might get out of hand if the count couldn¡¯t control her temper. Count Glacia glared at her maid, then at Habe and reluctantly lowered her raised hand. ¡°If you did not lie, then explain to me how this happened,¡± said the count, ¡°Are you secretly betraying me to Lady Skad?¡± ¡°No!¡± sobbed Habe, shaking her head, tears spilling from her eyes. ¡°I joined as a personal maid to Lady Skad only recently for the annual festival. I wasn¡¯t aware of the details before that. I never lied to you.¡± Count Glacia turned to glare at her maid. Her maid lowered her head unable to meet the eyes of the count. Her rage was only to be expected since she had wanted a maid very close to Lady Skad, not someone who had no useful information about her. ¡°Of them all, you brought me this worthless kid!¡± the count said to her maid. ¡°I apologize, count,¡± said the maid, ¡°I have made a terrible mistake. I wasn¡¯t sure.¡± Habe looked at the maid trembling in fear. ¡°Madam never has anyone by her side,¡± she said, ¡°All of us were gathered to attend to her for the annual festival only.¡± ¡°What?¡± said the count, glaring at Habe. ¡°Is that true or are you just spouting nonsense that doesn¡¯t have any basis in reality?¡± ¡°It¡¯s true!¡± said Habe. ¡°You can ask anyone. She normally doesn¡¯t have anyone attending her.¡± From the looks of it, Habe didn¡¯t seem to be lying. There was no point in finding another maid then, seeing how nobody would know much about Amethyst if she didn¡¯t keep personal maids to attend her. ¡°Fine,¡± said the count, ¡°You may leave.¡± Habe left the room crying. Count Glacia frowned as she considered what to do next. ¡°Nothing is going the way it should!¡± said the count, ¡°The hunting match will be my last chance.¡± ¡°What should I do with that maid?¡± asked the maid. ¡°Leave her be,¡± said the count, ¡°She is useless. She has received bribes from me so she wouldn¡¯t dare open her mouth. She will only be branded a traitor. And as you said, she is Lady Skad¡¯s personal maid at least for the duration of the festival. It will be best not to harm her.¡± The maid nodded. Count Glacia was desperately in need of some help. She had realized that the young Lady of the House was not as na?ve as she had expected. If only Dajal was around I would not need to deal with these worthless rats! I wouldn¡¯t need to involve myself in these petty ways to get information in the first place! Dajal had been very convenient for any job she needed done. She couldn¡¯t let things slip out of her grip this annual festival. She needed to make sure she had control over the Skad house, and over the Lady Skad, otherwise everything she had earned would disappear. She wasn¡¯t going to back down so easily. I have lost much and worked hard to reach here, thought Count Glacia, angrily, I am not going to let a kid spoil all this! Count Glacia was of the opinion that whoever dominated the annual festival would wield power over everything. She desperately needed people on her side to win. She couldn¡¯t possibly make amends with the other ladies; they had never liked her. It would be faster to have Dajal reinstated instead. After all, Dajal¡¯s predecessors had always served the Skad family. If I manage to convince the duke somehow, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to have Dajal brought back. ¡°Has there been any news on what I asked you to find out?¡± the count asked her maid. ¡°After much investigation¡­,¡± said her maid, haltingly, ¡°It seems Dajal has left us as a guide of god.¡± Count Glacia was taken aback. ¡°What?! Left as guide¡­,¡± she said, ¡°He is dead?!¡± Chapter 135 Chapter 135 ¡°Yes,¡± said the maid, hesitantly. ¡°How did it happen?¡± asked the count, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a mistake!¡± ¡°No,¡± said the maid, ¡°The temple identified and verified that it was him.¡± The temple was never wrong in verifying the dead. All guides of god rested in the temple in their tombs. ¡°How did he die?¡± asked the count. ¡°It is¡­ uncertain,¡± said the maid, ¡°Some say it was an accident. His carriage overturned and crushed him. Some say he fell into a river. Nobody seems to know for certain, but everybody saw his corpse.¡± Count Glacia could only think of one person who could have made it happen. ¡°Duke Skad!¡± she exclaimed. Only he was capable of something like this. It was something he would do. Did he really kill Dajal because he crossed his wife? Wondered count Glacia, it can¡¯t be! Is the duke really sincere about his feelings towards¡­? Count Glacia wrapped her arms around herself as she suddenly felt a chill down her spine. It felt like the end of Dajal was a warning to her, too. *** Lunia reported the happenings of the ball of the previous night to Amethyst since she had left very early. ¡°The praise for last night¡¯s ball is endless,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Everyone compliments you on doing such a good job with it.¡± ¡°I am glad everyone enjoyed it,¡± said Amethyst, absentmindedly. She wasn¡¯t really listening to Lunia. She looked at Habe who stood attentively with the other maids, with her head bowed. She looked downright miserable. Amethyst was concerned about her bruised face and injured lower lip. So, it was Habe after all, thought Amethyst sadly. She had been suspicious since Habe had asked about her favorite flower before count Glacia bought all the baby¡¯s breath. But she still felt bitter seeing Habe so miserable. As the Lady of the Household, Amethyst had banned the use of violence in the mansion after firing Dajal. Any kind of violence was intolerable to her. However, it was clear that Habe had been beaten. And there was only one person who could have done it. Someone who was furious that her plans were failing. The one who had approached Habe for personal information about her. Habe is foolish to sell out information in this manner but count Glacia needs to be dealt with. How dare she lay a hand on my people? Amethyst seethed in anger. As an employer, it fell on her to make sure her employees felt safe. ¡°Habe,¡± she called. ¡°Yes, madam?¡± said Habe raising her lowered head in surprise. ¡°Why is your face bruised?¡± asked Amethyst. All the maids, including Roman and Lunia turned to Habe. ¡°I¡­ I fell down and got hurt, madam,¡± stammered Habe. ¡°Lunia?¡± called Amethyst. ¡°Yes, madam?¡± said Lunia. ¡°Do those bruises look like the ones you get when you fall down?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°No, madam,¡± said Lunia, ¡°If she had fallen, her skin would have been scraped rather than turn blue like that.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Habe? Do you have anything more to add?¡± ¡°I am sorry, madam,¡± said Habe, ¡°I misspoke. I bumped into something. I wasn¡¯t looking¡­¡± Se trailed off. She knew it was futile. ¡°Habe, it¡¯s a little too far-fetched that your lips got busted so badly just by bumping into something,¡± said Amethyst, sadly. ¡°If you feel uncomfortable uttering it, shall I venture a guess?¡± Habe looked down, anxiously. Her knuckles white. ¡°You sold my information to Count Glacia, didn¡¯t you?¡± asked Amethyst, calmly. ¡°You told her about the attire I was going to wear for the ball. When I opted for another attire in the last minute, she was enraged and raised her hands on you. Am I wrong so far?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s not true,¡± stammered Habe. ¡°I take it that it was you who told her about my favorite flower?¡± said Amethyst, ¡°And other¡­ personal matters. What did Count Glacia offer you in return?¡± Habe saw that it was useless to deny it since Amethyst was so calm and sure of everything she said at that instant. Habe dropped to her knees and sobbed. ¡°Please forgive me, madam,¡± she pleaded, ¡°Just this once.¡± ¡°Tell me the truth, Habe,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°All of it is true. Whatever you said,¡± sobbed Habe, ¡°She told me that it would be simple and harmless information. She said it would never hurt you. I was a fool. I will never do something like this again. So, please forgive me this once.¡± ¡°What did she offer you in return?¡± asked Amethyst again. ¡°A necklace and a brooch,¡± said Habe. ¡°Did she give it to you herself?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes,¡± said Habe, ¡°She gave me the ones she was wearing at that time. She said it suited me better.¡± ¡°I see,¡± said Amethyst, calmly. ¡°Do you still have them?¡± ¡°Yes, madam,¡± said Habe with bowed head, crying. Amethyst turned to Lunia. ¡°Remind me,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°What did I say the punishment for violence would be?¡± ¡°Immediate dismissal,¡± said Lunia. ¡°Hm,¡± pondered Amethyst, ¡°Can this be applied to the extended household members?¡± Chapter 136 Chapter 136 ¡°Yes, madam,¡± said Lunia, ¡°you are the Lady of the House. You have equal rights and power as the duke. However, since Count Glacia is the head of her own estate, the duke will need to consent as well.¡± ¡°Then I guess dismissal might be too much, but I can surely teach her a lesson,¡± decided Amethyst. ¡°That would be much better,¡± said Lunia. Amethyst stood up. ¡°Fine,¡± she said, ¡°Lunia. Habe. Follow me, both of you.¡± Lunia and Habe did as instructed. Lunia looked calm but Habe seemed terrified and confused. She was unsure what would happen now, and she couldn¡¯t stop crying. Amethyst stopped in front of Count Glacia¡¯s door which wasn¡¯t very far from her own. Amethyst glanced at Lunia. She nodded. Lunia knocked on the door, lightly. ¡°Come in,¡± said a voice from inside. Lunia opened the door and stood aside. Amethyst entered the room. Count Glacia seemed very surprised by Amethyst¡¯s unexpected visit. She caught herself just in time and welcomed the Lady of the House inside. ¡°Do you have some time you can spare?¡± asked Amethyst, doing away with the pleasantries and getting straight to point. ¡°Of course,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°How can I help you?¡± ¡°I will be very clear,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Did you use violence against my maid?¡± Count Glacia turned her head to look at Habe standing beside Amethyst. Seeing how Habe was sobbing, Count Glacia assumed that the girl had told Amethyst everything. It did not exactly feel as dramatic as violence to Count Glacia but she saw no use in denying it now. ¡°Yes,¡± said count Glacia calmly. But she was calculating the possible outcomes of this situation in her head. She was trying to find a way to get out of this state of affairs. Amethyst looked at Count Glacia. ¡°Since you have admitted it honestly,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I will make things easier for you. Why did you hit her?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know the child was your maid,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°I simply punished her for stealing my jewelry.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± sobbed Habe, ¡°I didn¡¯t steal anything!¡± Habe was so worried that it was her word against the count¡¯s, but she didn¡¯t want to be accused of something she didn¡¯t do. Count Glacia glared at her and Habe fell silent in fear. ¡°A crime that she denies ever committing,¡± said Amethyst, calmly. ¡°Well. I¡¯m not sure whose words have more credibility,¡± said Count Glacia mockingly, ¡°A lowly maid or myself, a count of an estate and a member of the household.¡± Amethyst wanted to laugh in Count Glacia¡¯s face seeing her pulling ranks to discredit a maid. Her origin wasn¡¯t much different. But Amethyst held her tongue. She had no intention of attacking somebody based on their past. ¡°I intend to listen only to facts by putting ranks aside for now,¡± said Amethys, ¡°For argument¡¯s sake, let¡¯s say Habe stole your jewelry. If she had stolen it, and you caught her and reprimanded her, it is logical to assume you must have taken your things back. Let me see them for myself. I want to see how beautiful they must have been to tempt a maid in this manner.¡± At Amethyst¡¯s sudden request, Count Glacia seemed taken aback. ¡°I¡­ I assumed she must have really wanted it, so I let her¡­ have it after I reprimanded her,¡± stammered Count Glacia. ¡°From what Habe has told me, it was a necklace and a brooch, is that correct?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°Yet, you let her have such valuable things despite claiming she was trying to steal them?¡± ¡°Yes¡­,¡± said Count Glacia, unsure of where this was going. ¡°Wow! Count Glacia you are so kind!¡± mocked Amethyst, ¡°She ¡®stole¡¯ such valuables from you, and you forgave her after a few slaps. Such generosity!¡± Count Glacia¡¯s face stiffened at the mockery. Lunia, Habe and the count¡¯s maid observed the scene in silence, not daring to say anything. ¡°Yes,¡± said Count Glacia adamantly, ¡°So what if I did? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Oh, is there?¡± intoned Amethyst, ¡°Not at all, Count Glacia. Not at all. I am simply surprised by your consideration.¡± Count Glacia ignored the jibe. ¡°I am flattered by your attention,¡± she said. ¡°I think you should be careful henceforth,¡± said Amethyst as a warning. ¡°Excuse me?¡± said Count Glacia. ¡°Since you are so kind, what if the other maids hear of this and try to steal more of your valuables?¡± said Amethyst, looking at Count Glacia levelly. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°I always keep my valuables safely locked, it will be impossible for anyone to steal¡­,¡± Count Glacia trailed off. She knew she had made a horrible mistake. Amethyst smiled while Count Glacia tried to laugh it off. She felt foolish for being so careless. But Amethyst wasn¡¯t one to let things slip. ¡°I can¡¯t quite understand,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I wonder how Habe managed to steal your valuables which is always safely locked and impossible to access as you just said. Habe isn¡¯t very skilled on breaking the safe and such. Perhaps you were wearing it on your personage and Habe tried to snatch it off you, which frankly seems like a stretch. You used to be a knight, and everyone knows it, so that sounds even more impossible. Unless¡­ you willingly gave it to Habe. But then, what motive would you have in doing something like that?¡± ¡°She might have taken it when I wasn¡¯t looking!¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°How would you know if she is skilled in stealing things or not? You have valuables too. How do you know they aren¡¯t missing? That child might have already nicked things and hidden them.¡± ¡°Which is even more confusing,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Habe has access to my room even when I am not present. I might have more valuables in my room since I live here, and you might have only packed some. If Habe was a thief, wouldn¡¯t it be easier and rational for her to steal from me because amidst all the jewelry I might not even notice some things missing? And yet, Habe has not stolen from me.¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Amethyst chuckled. ¡°I mean if you were a thief, would you find it logical to steal one or two valuables from a number of them so that it won¡¯t be very noticeable?¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Or would you steal a brooch and a necklace from someone who would notice it instantly?¡± ¡°That¡­ it¡­,¡± stuttered Count Glacia. ¡°If you want to weigh the worth of the jewelry,¡± continued Amethyst, ¡°I am sure the jewelry Alec gifted me can¡¯t be compared to what you currently have. He recently gifted me an entire shop¡¯s worth of jewels and accessories which I haven¡¯t even had the chance to open and keep track of¡ª¡± ¡°Lady Skad!¡± exclaimed Count Glacia, ¡°What is it that you are trying to say?¡± ¡°I am here to warn you,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°If you ever raise a hand to the people in this mansion who work under me, I will not sit back and watch. This time, I am letting it go but I hope there will not be a repeated occurrence of such behavior. I am sure you are very smart, and you are able to understand and remember this.¡± Amethyst glared at the count and the count glared back at her. Neither of them seemed willing to budge. Surprisingly, it was Count Glacia who relented after a while. ¡°I will, Lady Skad,¡± said Count Glacia. She knew that she shouldn¡¯t cross the line, especially not in the presence of Lunia, who was once the duke¡¯s aide. ¡°I am glad you understand,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I am thankful for your time.¡± She directed a comforting smile at the count and turned to leave. Lunia hurried ahead to open the door for Amethyst. Count Glacia was filled with rage. She flung the vase on the table which shattered against the wall in a thousand tiny pieces. The beautiful flowers fell on the carpet. Count Glacia stomped on them reducing them to a mess. She believed she could destroy any flower she liked, but her belief was challenged today. Amethyst seemed more like a weed, unbreakable. At this state, she would lose everything if she didn¡¯t find a solution. She tried to calm herself and contemplated her options. ¡°Count¡­¡± said her maid cautiously. ¡°I need to repack for the hunting match,¡± said count Glacia. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°A dress!¡± said count Glacia, ¡°The dress that I didn¡¯t wear for the ball would be good.¡± Count Glacia had previously bought a very beautiful dress especially for the ball. She had chosen the other red one to embarrass Lady Skad and left the dress untouched. ¡°Of course, count,¡± said the maid. ¡°This will be my last chance,¡± said Count Glacia, ¡°We need to prepare thoroughly for the hunting match.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± said her maid, and hurriedly left to make the necessary arrangements. Count Glacia thought that if she couldn¡¯t break the flower, she will have to ruin it so that the butterfly would never seek it out. Never. Perhaps if a new better flower was by the butterfly¡¯s side, it would relent and give in to the wiles of the flower one day. *** Habe followed Amethyst closely as they left the count¡¯s room. ¡°Madam,¡± she said, ¡°Thank you so much. Thank you for believing in me, I will never¡ª¡± ¡°I think you have misunderstood something, Habe,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I never said I have forgiven you.¡± Habe looked frightened. She silently followed Amethyst to her room. The duchess sat on the sofa. Habe stood in front of her anxiously while Lunia stood next to where Amethyst was seated, awaiting her decision. At a short distance, Roman stood silently with the other maids. ¡°Lunia?¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Yes, madam?¡± said Lunia. ¡°At times like this, what is the most suitable punishment?¡± asked Amethyst, pressing her temples as though the whole affair was causing her a bad headache. ¡°The most suitable punishment would be dismissal, madam,¡± said Lunia. Habe looked downright miserable. ¡°Please madam!¡± she got down on her knees and pleaded, ¡°Give me another chance. I will never disappoint you again. Please, I beg of you!¡± Hearing Habe plead didn¡¯t make Amethyst feel too good. ¡°I see,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I will terminate Habe¡¯s contract.¡± ¡°Madam, please,¡± sobbed Habe. Lunia was taken aback. ¡°Sorry?¡± she asked. Amethyst had never taken a drastic measure as dismissing an employee before. She had assumed Amethyst would either suspend or cut some percentage of pay for Habe. ¡°Is something wrong with that?¡± asked Amethyst, looking at Lunia. ¡°Not at all, madam,¡± said Lunia hurriedly. ¡°Dismissing you on the spot would be unfair,¡± said Amethyst to Habe, ¡°So I will give you three months. Habe, you should find a suitable job within these three months. After which, I would like you to leave this mansion.¡± Amethyst turned to Lunia. ¡°Lunia, have a retirement fund prepared for Habe¡¯s years of service, and until the duration of the festival, pick another maid.¡± ¡°Understood, madam,¡± said Lunia. Amethyst looked at Habe still on her knees. ¡°Habe, I would like you do go back and work in the side buildings and stop working in the main mansion.¡± ¡°Please madam!¡± pleaded Habe, miserably, ¡°Please forgive me this once.¡± Amethyst sighed. ¡°Habe, please get up from there,¡± she said to the maid still on her knees, ¡°Doing this won¡¯t change anything. You have to take responsibility for your actions. You should have thought about this when you bargained with the count. I am already giving you a chance by not having you dismissed immediately.¡± Chapter 138 Chapter 138 ¡°Please, madam,¡± sobbed Habe. Amethyst sighed. ¡°What you did cannot be overlooked, Habe,¡± she said, ¡°This is not a simple mistake that I can brush off. It is betrayal towards me and the mansion. I cannot allow someone like that to remain here. I am sorry.¡± ¡°I am so sorry, madam,¡± said Habe, ¡°But I will never¡­: ¡°Habe,¡± interrupted Amethyst, ¡°A tremendous amount of energy and effort is required to build trust. And similar effort id required to maintain that trust. However, it doesn¡¯t take even a second to destroy that trust. You should remember that wherever you go. There will be no employer who will tolerate being betrayed.¡± ¡°Madam¡­,¡± cried Habe ¡°You may leave,¡± said Amethyst dismissing her. Habe kept kneeling on the floor, sobbing. Amethyst gestured to Roman, who helped Habe off the floor and escorted her out of the room. ¡°I¡­ was a little surprised, madam,¡± said Lunia, when only two of them remained in the room. ¡°What about?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would go as far as to dismiss her immediately,¡± said Lunia, cautiously. ¡°It is for her own sake,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°For her own sake?¡± asked Lunia, confused. Amethyst nodded. Lunia was further puzzled. She felt that if it was for Habe¡¯s sake, Amethyst could have given her a pay cut but allowed her to keep her job. Lunia knew for a fact that nowhere else did the noble treat their employees as kindly as here in the mansion. She found Amethyst response a tad bit odd. Lunia looked at Amethyst in confusion. ¡°What do you think Alec would have done if he found out about this?¡± asked Amethyst. It dawned on Lunia what Amethyst meant when she said it was for Habe¡¯s sake. ¡°He would definitely execute¡­¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°If he found out about this kind of betrayal and negligence in the mansion, he would definitely have her killed in anger. Count Glacia might not suffer as much as Habe. She is only a maid whereas the other one is a count.¡± The duke was very adamant and strict when it came to people who betrayed him. He never tolerated traitors. Habe had sold personal information about Lady Skad, at that. There was no way the duke would tolerate something like that and Amethyst knew this very well. Nobody could stop Alec from killing someone in anger. ¡°Make sure this incident remains a secret,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°It should never reach Alec¡¯s ears.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± said Lunia, ¡°I will try to keep others from gossiping about it, but it might not be possible for long.¡± ¡°Just make sure this isn¡¯t talked about for at least three months,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°So that Habe gets to leave safely.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± said Lunia. Amethyst still worried that if it reached Alec¡¯s ears even after Habe was gone from the mansion, he would still try to punish her. Or maybe not. Since she wouldn¡¯t be his employee any longer. The only choice Amethyst could provide was for Habe to find a job and leave before things got disastrous. *** ¡°Madam, I hear that the hunting match preparations are almost coming to an end,¡± said Lunia. ¡°Yes, that seems to be the case,¡± said Amethyst absentmindedly. Why should I even care anyway? Amethyst seethed. It¡¯s not like I will get to go to the match. ¡°Madam, you should begin planning on things to keep the ladies occupied once the hunting match begins,¡± said Lunia. ¡°We could just do more tea parties,¡± said Amethyst, very dully. ¡°Or we could drink and pass out.¡± Lunia sighed as she watched Amethyst, who was splayed out on the sofa, disheartened. It seemed that she had lost her motivation to do anything at all. ¡°Madam, the hunting competition will last, at the least, for ten days,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Do you plan on drinking tea every day for ten days? You will only receive complaints. The relationship that you worked so hard to build with the other ladies might be¡ª¡± ¡°What?!¡± exclaimed Amethyst, interrupting Lunia. ¡°Sorry?¡± said Lunia, confused. ¡°You said the hunting match lasts for ten days,¡± said Amethyst sitting up. ¡°Well, yes,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Usually that is how long they last. But this time the meeting ended earlier than expected so it might be possible that the hunting match might go on longer.¡± Amethyst had thought the hunting match lasted just one day. She sat up straighter, the gears in her mind working again. ¡°Ten days¡­,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°So, Alec won¡¯t be returning to the mansion for ten whole days? Or will he come and go?¡± ¡°They will put up tents on the grounds,¡± said Lunia, ¡°The duke and the nobles would not be visiting the mansion for the duration of the match.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± mumbled Amethyst. Then he will be alone with Count Glacia for ten whole days! Amethyst thought. It¡¯s won¡¯t be just the two of them, of course but still¡­. And yet, he won¡¯t let me attend the hunting match. Do they have something going on between them? Amethyst only wanted to test her swordplay at the hunting match. She wanted to see how much she had learned, and the hunting match had been the perfect opportunity. And Alexcent refusing her every attempt didn¡¯t make things easier. She was the type of person who got more curious when she was told to not to something. Besides he wasn¡¯t even going to come back until the end of the hunting match. It was a situation similar to letting your husband go to overseas business trip with other female staff. The wife had to be understanding because it was work and other staffs were present but if that staff was Count Glacia¡­ This won¡¯t do at all, thought Amethyst. But Alexcent won¡¯t let me near the hunting grounds. What should I do? ¡°Lunia,¡± she called, ¡°This is a matter that needs to be handled with highest form of confidentiality. Please inform the other ladies yourself.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± said Lunia. Amethyst whispered the instruction into Lunia¡¯s ears. Lunia¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. She felt that her madam was a very terrifying person. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to take the knights with you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a hassle.¡± Amethyst was seeing Alexcent off. He was about to depart for the hunting match. ¡°But¡­¡± began Amethyst. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Are you only taking Gen with you?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°It¡¯s convenient for me that way,¡± said he. Amethyst stared at him for a while. He claimed that taking knights with him was a hassle. Unlike the other nobles, only Skad household seemed to have very less guards. Alexcent was making the journey with Gen alone. ¡°Then travel safely,¡± said Amethyst with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt or anything.¡± Alexcent stared at her, puzzled about that smile. ¡°What?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°That smile,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°It worries me. It almost looks like you are planning something.¡± ¡°Is it a crime for me to offer you a smile and wish you a safe trip?¡± said Amethyst. ¡°No,¡± said Alexcent, unconvinced, ¡°I will be back soon. Don¡¯t cause trouble while I am gone.¡± ¡°Well, no promises here,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Ash,¡± said Alexcent, wearily. ¡°Okay, okay!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Now go. Everyone must be waiting for you.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± said Alexcent, stroking her cheek, ¡°I am sure nothing will go amiss but¡­ take care of yourself.¡± If you are that worried, why won¡¯t you let me come with you? Amethyst grumbled inwardly. She nodded, otherwise Alexcent would never move from the spot. Finally, he got on his horse. He smiled at her and sent his horse into a gallop. Gen and Alexcent rode away. ¡°Now that the naggy one is finally gone,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°We can get started.¡± ¡°Madam,¡± said Lunia, worried, ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Lunia, don¡¯t you think about backing out at the last minute! Who was the one who told me to come up with a good plan to keep the ladies entertained?¡± ¡°I¡­,¡± Lunia sighed, ¡°Alright. I will go and gather the ladies.¡± ¡°Great!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I will go get ready as well.¡± Lunia nodded and hastened to prepare everything. Amethyst made her way back to the mansion with Roman. A few moments after, the ladies were all gathered at the entrance. ¡°Are you all ready?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Of course, Lady Skad!¡± intoned the ladies ¡°I am so excited,¡± said one of the ladies, ¡°My goodness! Camping!¡± ¡°My sentiments exactly!¡± said the other, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Lady Skad, we would have just been locked here doing nothing.¡± ¡°You have no idea how hard it was for me to keep it a secret!¡± *** A few days ago, everyone had been surprised when Amethyst shared her plans during a secret meeting. ¡°Camping?!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Lady Skad, and how does one do that?¡± Countess Onslow asked with enthusiasm. ¡°We put up a tent in the mountains or the fields, cook for ourselves, sing and dance. We salvage and live off what we find. That¡¯s camping!¡± ¡°Without any maids?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in letting the maids do everything?! We can cook our own soup, grill our own meat¡­we split up the work and share the load.¡± ¡°Well that is true,¡± said Baroness Renove, ¡°I have only ever received services from the maids. I think it will be fun to try to do things on our own for a change.¡± ¡°Baroness Renove, it will be so fun,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°At night, we can build a bonfire and gather around drinking tea, talking, singing and watching the stars.¡± Surprisingly, the normally quiet and timid Baroness Zephyr joined in enthusiastically. ¡°It sounds so romantic! Watching the stars!¡± she exclaimed, ¡°Lady Skad, when do we prepare?¡± ¡°I will have everything arranged,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°All you have to do is pack comfortable attires. Don¡¯t pack dresses. Mighty uncomfortable in the woods.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°I really love this year¡¯s annual festival!¡± *** Alexcent disapproved of her going to the hunting match, he had said nothing about camping. So, she wasn¡¯t really breaking her word or going against him. She was simply skirting the loopholes. After all, attending to the noble ladies was solely her responsibility. So, Alec cannot object to this either. Amethyst, ever so cunningly, prepared for the camping trip in secret with help from Lunia and Roman. Once Alec and the other nobles were gone, she gathered the ladies. They were ready for their own camping trip! ¡°No!¡± exclaimed Pon, who blocked their way. They were unexpectedly ambushed in their departures. ¡°Please, madam,¡± he said to Amethyst, ¡°Please don¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°Move aside, Pon,¡± said Amethyst with a sigh. ¡°No, you mustn¡¯t do this!¡± said Pon, desperately, ¡°It is very dangerous. How could you expect the ladies to sleep outside without anyone attending to them? Without servants or guards! Please reconsider.¡± ¡°It will be fine, Pon,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I will take Roman and Lunia with us. Are we good now?¡± ¡°Madam,¡± said Pon in disbelief, ¡°That is not what I mean. If the duke finds out¡­¡± ¡°Pon!¡± interrupted Amethyst, ¡°It is my responsibility to keep the ladies engaged while the others are away for their hunting match. As the Lady of the Household, I don¡¯t think I need to seek approval for this.¡± Pon lowered his head. ¡°Now, move aside.¡± ¡°Madam, please,¡± pleaded Pon, ¡°The woods might be full of wild animals. It is physically unsafe for ladies to venture out.¡± ¡°How insolent!¡± thundered Countess Onslow, ¡°How dare a servant try to stop Lady Skad? Isn¡¯t this an example of mutiny?¡± ¡°It seems so, Countess Onslow,¡± Countess Citri chimed in, ¡°Servants seem to have no respect for the Lady Skad.¡± Pon was stunned and speechless as he watched the timid and shy ladies that he had served for years turn assertive and side with the Lady Skad. ¡°No, my lady,¡± stammered Pon, ¡°I am simply concerned about your safety. The woods are dangerous.¡± Chapter 140 Chapter 140 ¡°Please,¡± begged Pon, ¡°Please hear me out for once.¡± ¡°Since when do we need to seek your approval?¡± roared Countess Onslow, ¡°I didn¡¯t know the butler held such authority in the duke¡¯s mansion!¡± ¡°Countess Onslow,¡± said one of the ladies, ¡°This man seems to be undermining us.¡± ¡°No!¡± said Pon, ¡°I don¡¯t mean it like that. I would never¡­¡± The skirmish continued. From Pon¡¯s perspective, the possibility and fear of the duke¡¯s wrath outweighed the anger of the ladies, so he was adamant on his stance. ¡°Then how dare you ignore Lady Skad¡¯s orders?¡± bellowed one of the ladies. ¡°Yes. This is questioning her authority!¡± added another. Before Amethyst could step in to diffuse the situation, the ladies had cornered Pon with accusations. Poor Pon, thought Amethyst. Does this mean the ladies truly like me? I like them too, as a matter of fact. But Pon might cry if I let this continue. She felt touched by their concern for her, but Amethyst decided to step in for Pon¡¯s sake. ¡°Pon,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I know you are worried and understandably so. But I assure you, we are going camping in a safe place devoid of wild animals. I have prepared for it to be like that. We aren¡¯t going deep into the mountains. Do you really think I wouldn¡¯t have thought these things through? I would never put the ladies in danger.¡± ¡°Of course not, madam,¡± said Pon, ¡°I am sure you have prepared everything meticulously, like you always do. But future is always uncertain. Nobody can know what might befall you.¡± ¡°As long as we are safe, there are no objections from your side, is that correct?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Madam, what do you¡ª¡± But Amethyst didn¡¯t wait for him to finish. She turned to Roman. ¡°Roman, I want you to get the commanders of the knights,¡± she instructed, ¡°the 1st and the 2nd divisions. Please get them fast.¡± ¡°Yes, madam,¡± said Roman as she hastened to do as told. Amethyst didn¡¯t want to give in. If safety was the priority, the knights could provide that. As long as we are safe, Pon can¡¯t hold us back. If I can¡¯t pull ranks in a situation like this, then what use is it? The knights gathered at the entrance of the mansion as ordered and were puzzled to find the ladies gathered there as well. They bowed respectfully as they face Amethyst. ¡°Hilder Kourn, Commander of the Knights, at your service, madam.¡± ¡°Sir Hill,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I am sure you are aware that the duke is out on a hunting match.¡± ¡°Yes, madam,¡± said Sir Hill. ¡°Then I ask you,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°In his absence, who has the authority in this mansion?¡± Sir Hill genuinely looked perplexed now. He looked at Pon and sighed. Pon tried to gesture to Sir Hill but he didn¡¯t quite understand what the butler wanted from him. ¡°You, madam,¡± answered Sir Hill, ¡°You hold the highest authority in the duke¡¯s absence.¡± Amethyst beamed at Sir Hill. ¡°Very well,¡± she said, ¡°As the lady of the House, I command you Sir Hill, Commander of the Knights, Sir Buer, Commander of the 1stdivision, Sir Leyrian and Sir Marcus, Chief of 2nd division, to accompany and ensure the safety of the ladies as we go camping.¡± ¡°What?!¡± exclaimed Sir Hill. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± asked Amethyst looking at him levelly. ¡°No, madam,¡± said Sir Hill, composing himself, ¡°Did you say camping? Where, if I might ask, are you planning to set camp?¡± ¡°Just a bit further away from the mansion grounds,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I suppose we will be somewhat close to the hunting grounds.¡± So, this was what Pon was trying to tell him, thought Sir Hill, anxiously. They want to go camping near the hunting grounds where the duke didn¡¯t take even his knights. If the duke finds out¡­. He didn¡¯t want to think about the duke¡¯s wrath, but he couldn¡¯t disobey the Lady Skad¡¯s orders. She was right, she was the highest authority present right now in the mansion. ¡°Understood, madam,¡± said Sir Hill ordering his knights to prepare for departure. The knights bowed respectfully. Pon covered his face with his hands and turned a slight shade of grey. ¡°Are you happy now, Pon?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°The knights will keep us safe.¡± Pon had no other choice. If he resisted further, it would signify disobedience. He couldn¡¯t cross the line and be accused of disloyalty. He simply prayed they would return before the duke. ¡°Yes, madam,¡± said Pon, ¡°Please take care of yourselves.¡± The other ladies cheered for their little victory. They boarded their carriages that had been waiting before anyone else objected to their outing. ¡°Madam,¡± called Pon. ¡°Yes, Pon?¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Please make sure you are accompanied by the knights at all times,¡± said Pon. ¡°Of course,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Everything will be fine.¡± Pon looked long and hard at Amethyst. She always had a knack for finding trouble. He sighed and surrendered. ¡°Once you reach near the hunting grounds,¡± said Pon, ¡°You will find a barrier that was erected to prevent the wild animals from crossing over. Please never cross that barrier. Please promise me.¡± ¡°Barrier?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes,¡± said Pon, ¡°You will know it when you see it. It is very apparent. Can¡¯t miss it.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Do you promise?¡± asked Pon again. They won¡¯t run into the duke as long as they don¡¯t cross that barrier, though Pon, as a last resort. He wasn¡¯t going to let her go until she promised. Amethyst sighed. ¡°Pon,¡± she said, ¡°Do you know that sometimes you can be even more protective than Alec?¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 141 Chapter 141 With those words, Amethyst walked to her own carriage. Lunia and Roman checked on her one last time and got into their own carriage. The carriages left the mansion for their much-anticipated camping trip. They travelled without stopping but the sun started setting even before they reached the hunting grounds. ¡°Oh dear,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°The sun has already set. I don¡¯t think we can put up tents today.¡± ¡°Will we be sleeping on the streets?¡± asked one of the ladies. ¡°It might be fun,¡± said another. They seemed excited at the prospect. Sir Hill stepped in. ¡°I don¡¯t think it is viable for the ladies to sleep on the streets,¡± he said, ¡°It might be a little uncomfortable, I am afraid you will need to sleep in your respective carriages.¡± ¡°That¡¯s absolutely alright, Sir Hill,¡± said one of the ladies, ¡°Some of us travelled months to reach the duke¡¯s mansion. We are used to sleeping in carriages.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said another, ¡°A day or two of discomfort is nothing to shy away from.¡± The other ladies chimed in and had a hearty laugh. Sir Hill wondered how they could be so happy and excited on having to sleep outside. They were perplexing to him. ¡°But what about the knights?¡± asked Countess Onslow, ¡°They came on horseback, they don¡¯t have a carriage to sleep in.¡± ¡°Perhaps we can spare two or three carriages for them,¡± suggested Amethyst, ¡°We ladies can huddle together.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± said Sir Hill, ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. Please don¡¯t trouble yourselves. We will guard you tonight. Please do not worry. We can go without sleep for a night. We are trained for it.¡± ¡°The Commander is right,¡± said Sir Buer, ¡°We sometimes marched in the war without sleep for a whole week. Please don¡¯t trouble yourselves. We will be fine.¡± ¡°Then we will spend the night in the carriages,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°and continue travelling once the sun is up. Sir Hill, we are in your care.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± said Sir Hill, ¡°Please don¡¯t worry.¡± Sir Hill followed by Sir Leyrian, Sir Buer and Sir Marcus went to patrol the perimeter while the ladies prepared to sleep in their carriages. Lunia and Roman approached Amethyst. ¡°Madam, will you be alright?¡± asked Lunia, ¡°Won¡¯t you be too uncomfortable?¡± Lunia was worried because Amethyst had never spent a night in the carriage. This was her first time sleeping outside the mansion. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Lunia,¡± said Amethyst, gratefully, ¡°What about you? Will you two be alright sleeping in a carriage? It must be quite tight.¡± ¡°We are alright,¡± said Roman, ¡°Please don¡¯t worry about us.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± said Amethyst teasingly, ¡°Perhaps it is better that way. You two, together.¡± ¡°Madam!¡± said Lunia, perplexed, ¡°It¡¯s not like that!¡± Amethyst laughed. ¡°Alright,¡± she chuckled, ¡°Goodnight. See you tomorrow.¡± Amethyst tried to drag herself to sleep. What a relief! She mused. The trip was good so far. I had thought the ladies might get into a fight with each other but nothing of the sort happened. They are very considerate people. Feeling relieved that the knights were protecting them, Amethyst drifted off to sleep. The next morning when she woke up, the ladies were already up and full of smiles. They greeted each other and shared the fruits they had packed for the travels. They shared their food with the knights and thanked them for their service. With that they continued in their journey. They travelled at a faster pace as they had been unnecessarily delayed yesterday with all the dramatics with Pon. The carriages finally arrived at the grounds near the hunting match. It was past lunch time. Amethyst stepped out of her carriage. ¡°It¡¯s so refreshing!¡± she said, taking a deep breath. The air was fresh and full of life. ¡°Beyond that river is the hunting ground,¡± said Sir Hill, pointing at a distance. ¡°No one is allowed to enter the grounds without permission. You can see the red border from near that stream. The wild animals won¡¯t be able to come to this part of the woods because of the river and the barrier that has been set up. But, for your own safety, you must never cross the river.¡± Amethyst nodded. ¡°Can we drink from that river?¡± she asked, ¡°Is it clean enough to drink?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± said Sir Hill, ¡°The water here is fresh and pure. The mansion makes sure to check it very strictly.¡± ¡°That is a relief,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°What should we do now?¡± asked Countess Onslow. ¡°First, we will build the tents,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Otherwise we will have to sleep in the carriages like yesterday.¡± ¡°Does anybody know anything about setting up tents?¡± asked Baroness Renove. Oh, no, thought Amethyst, I didn¡¯t consider that when I made the plan. I only had the touch tent that springs into shape when flung to the ground. But there aren¡¯t such kind of tents in this world¡­. Amethyst looked at Sir Hill, awkwardly. Perhaps he can teach us how to set up tents! The ladies followed her gaze and looked at Sir Hill too. He seemed taken aback with all the sudden attention. ¡°We will put it up for you, madam,¡± he said, chuckling. ¡°I will help,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Just tell me what to do and I will do it.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± said Sir Hill, declining respectfully, ¡°Please don¡¯t trouble yourselves. It¡¯s alright. We will set it up for you.¡± He gathered the knights around to instruct them to set up the tents. Chapter 142 Chapter 142 ¡°Then let¡¯s start preparing the food,¡± said one of the ladies. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°Roman, will you give us a hand?¡± ¡°Yes. Madam.¡± While the knights put up the tents, the ladies decided to prepare the food. Baroness Zephyrs, Countess Houres and Roman went to wash and prepare the ingredients at the river while Countess Onslow, Countess Citri and Amethyst tried to get the fire started. ¡°First, we will need dry twigs and leaves¡­¡± said Amethyst, trying to recall the lessons on camping from her school days and the things she had read on the internet about camping and fire. ¡°I¡¯ll go and gather the dry twigs and leaves,¡± volunteered Countess Citri. ¡°Don¡¯t go too far,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Of course!¡± Countess Citri replied brightly. She walked to the periphery near the place where the knights were putting up the tents and gathered any twigs or dry leaves she could find. ¡°Lady Skad, do you think you can do it?¡± Countess Onslow asked cautiously. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure¡­,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°but all we can do now is keep trying.¡± Amethyst took two dry twigs and started to rub the two together. But there was no sign of any fire or even smoke. Is this not the way? I would have watched some YouTube videos in my previous life if I had known this was going to happen. She rubbed until her arm started to feel sore but still, there was no sign of any fire. Meanwhile, Baroness Zephyr and Countess Houres returned with the washed and ready ingredients for the food. They all gathered around Amethyst and observed. Sensing that the twigs weren¡¯t enough, Amethyst picked up two stones and hit them together. But it only made a very loud clanking sound without a spark. Nothing she did worked. She couldn¡¯t get the fire started. ¡°It¡¯s¡­not working,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Shall we just eat them raw?¡± said one of the ladies, ¡°Some of these vegetables can be eaten raw.¡± ¡°Yes, I think that is best!¡± said Amethyst, gratefully. These ladies are so optimistic, thought Amethyst, what would I have done without them? Sir Hill and Sir Buer, who had just finished setting up the tent, approached them.¡°Madam,¡± said Sir Buer, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Trying to get a fire started¡­,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°But it is not working.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± said Sir Buer, ¡°If you will allow me.¡± He gestured for them to move back from the twigs. He unsheathed his sword and place it on the twigs, lightly. After a heartbeat, a sudden flame roared to life and the twigs caught fire. ¡°How did you do that?!¡± asked Amethyst, impressed. ¡°My sword contains fiery pyro blasts,¡± said Sir Buer, ¡°It gives off the energy of fire when fighting.¡± It was that simple! Amethyst thought, feeling like an idiot. ¡°Well, you should have told me!¡± she said. ¡°I apologize,¡± said Sir Buer, smiling awkwardly, ¡°I was putting up the tent and didn¡¯t know you wanted to make a fire.¡± ¡°Now that the fire is set,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Shall we cook?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± said one of the ladies, ¡°I am hungry.¡± ¡°I will help,¡± offered Roman. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°I am going to get some water.¡± She picked up a large bucket and headed to the river. ¡°Madam, please,¡± said Sir Hill, ¡°I will do it.¡± ¡°No, Sir Hill,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°You have already helped me so much. I can do it.¡± ¡°But it will be very heavy,¡± said Sir Hill. ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± said Amethyst, gratefully, ¡°We¡¯ll handle it from here. We left our maids behind for that. If you do all our work, there will be no point to all this.¡± ¡°But¡­,¡± hesitated Sir Hill. ¡°Stay here,¡± said Amethyst, smiling. ¡°And wait for us to cook something delicious.¡± Amethyst walked to the river with the bucket. She washed her hands and rinsed the bucket. She looked at the other side of the river. Just as Sir Hill had said, there was a translucent reddish aura around the river. Knowing that Alexcent might be on the other side of it made her heart race. If I cross the river, I can see him! Amethyst mused and sighed. Not today. Today was a day to enjoy camping with the ladies. Amethyst carried the bucket full of water back to the camp. ¡°Are we all set?¡± she asked as she reached the camping site. Sir Leyrian leapt to his feet and took the bucket from her hands. ¡°Yes!¡± intoned the ladies. ¡°Roman, please pass me the chicken,¡± said Amethyst. Roman passed her the bowl of chicken and the vegetables. Amethyst shifted the chicken and vegetables to a pot and filled it with water. ¡°Now all we need to do is wait for this to boil,¡± she said. Chicken soup is the best and easiest dish to cook while camping. Boil it and garnish it with some salt, pepper and other spices and done! Amethyst thought. It would have been nice if there was some rice too. While they waited for the chicken to boil, Roman prepared some tea and handed it around. Lunia handed out some cookies and bread. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Sir Hill, on behalf of the knights. ¡°So, how do you like it?¡± asked Amethyst, cautiously. ¡°What?¡± asked Countess Citri. ¡°The camping,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I know it hasn¡¯t been ideal. But do you like it so far?¡± Amethyst was worried that the ladies might complain because they had never done it before. Having to do all the work, having to cook and put up tents. She was scared that they might have found it tiresome. ¡°Well, for me,¡± said Countess Citri, looking into the fire, ¡°It¡¯s the first time I have done something like this, so it is so much fun! It reminds me of my childhood. I used to be out and about, collecting leaves and flowers, getting mud all over me because I would always be hunting for stones near the river. I never thought I missed those things this much. It feels like I am young and free again.¡± Chapter 143 Chapter 143 ¡°Me too,¡± said Baroness Zephyr, smiling bittersweetly, ¡°My father wanted me to become a knight. Not because he had high hopes for me but because everybody else was doing it. I would sometimes run away from the training grounds into the woods. I would wander around collecting wildflowers and climbing trees. Eventually I quit swordsmanship because it wasn¡¯t for me.¡± ¡°I honestly can¡¯t believe you had such a childhood! You are so soft spoken. I can¡¯t imagine how hard it must have felt being made to undergo taxing swordplay,¡± said Countess Onslow, ¡°But I was the same. I was headstrong, free and wild. I would get lost in the woods and never come out of there if I could help it. So, this is quite fun for me.¡± She looked at Amethyst. ¡°What about you Lady Skad?¡± Amethyst thought about it. She had gone on trips with her friends but there had always been trouble. Some of them wouldn¡¯t like the food, others would complain about the tickets being expensive, and others would hate the hotels where they stayed. It had been fun but there were always complaints and she couldn¡¯t enjoy her time fully. This trip so far had been so much fun and fulfilling. She was grateful to the ladies for being so considerate and accommodating despite small obstacles they had faced. They all seemed to enjoy the little things and it made her feel at ease. She wanted to get to know them better. ¡°Of course, I love it!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I enjoyed this trip with you all so much. Please call me Amethyst. ¡®Lady Skad¡¯ just feels so distant.¡± ¡°Even so¡­,¡± said one of the ladies, ¡°How can we¡­¡± ¡°Well, we came all this way, away from the mansion, and away from all the formalities, didn¡¯t we?¡± said Amethyst, ¡°If we are still caught up with titles, then there would be no point to such a casual outing.¡± ¡°Then, please call me Mariana,¡± said Countess Onslow. ¡°Alright, Mariana,¡± said Amethyst, as Countess Onslow chuckled. ¡°Call me Angela,¡± said another lady. ¡°My name is Leticia.¡± ¡°I am Christine.¡± ¡°Call me Sienna.¡± They introduced themselves and chuckled, feeling at ease with each other. A delicious smell started emanating from the boiling pot. Amethyst added the spices and let it simmer for a while. The chicken soup was ready! ¡°Let¡¯s serve this to the knights first,¡± said one of the ladies. ¡°They helped us so much. They didn¡¯t even sleep. They must be hungry, and tired.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Angela, can you pass me the bowls?¡± ¡°Here you go,¡± said Angela. It felt awkward to call each other so casually. But it was a pleasant kind of awkwardness that they were getting used to. *** ¡°How is the barrier?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°They are all in place,¡± said Gen. ¡°We will arrive at the tent soon.¡± ¡°The preys have all gathered?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°The traps have been set around the perimeter,¡± said Gen, ¡°They will gather around eventually, lured by the bait.¡± Alexcent and Gen finally arrived and headed to the duke¡¯s tent which had been set up. The knights of Count Onslow who had been sent to inspect the perimeter arrived outside the tent. ¡°We are here to report,¡± they said. ¡°Just in time,¡± said Gen, ¡°It will probably be the report from the perimeters.¡± He invited the knights inside the tent. The knights bowed to the duke. Alexcent acknowledged them with a nod. One of the knights, probably the leader, walked up to Gen and whispered into his ears. Gen nodded and the knights left in a hurry. Gen looked pale. He stood there not being able to form the words to inform the duke about the new developments. I guess this is what they mean when your mind goes blank. Alexcent looked at Gen. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked. He had never seen Gen so flustered. ¡°I¡­uh¡­ it¡¯s,¡± Gen stammered. What should I do? I don¡¯t want to die. Gen tried to think of a way to break the news gently. He was scared. He should have gone out with the knights as well. Alexcent glared at Gen impatiently. ¡°Spit it out, will you?¡± ¡°Apparently, M-madam is here right now,¡± blurted Gen. ¡°What?!¡± thundered Alexcent. Gen took a step back. He felt threatened by Alexcent¡¯s angry glare. ¡°My Lord,¡± he said, ¡°Please calm down and think it through first! Madam hasn¡¯t entered the barrier.¡± ¡°You think that makes a difference?¡± roared Alexcent. ¡°My Lord¡­¡± ¡°In the end, she¡­¡± he felt his fury flare. The vein on his forehead throbbed. He gritted his teeth. Is that why she had smiled like that? Alexcent seethed. Amethyst! Why do you always go against me? If she was in front of me, I would just break her so she wouldn¡¯t be able to think anymore. He took a deep breath. ¡°Where is she?¡± he asked, coldly. ¡°She is beyond the river,¡± said Gen, ¡°She put up some tents¡­¡± Alexcent strode out of the room and got on his horse. He took hold of the reins and galloped away, leaving Gen in the dust. Gen felt guilty even though none of it was his fault. He got on his own horse and followed Alexcent. *** Hearing the sound of galloping horses, Amethyst looked around. She saw a figure on the horse coming closer to their camping site. It was, undoubtedly, Alexcent. As he got closer and she could see him clearly, she was filled with worry as well as happiness. Alexcent jumped off the horse hastily and walked towards her in long strides. Gen followed closely behind. Amethyst was scared. He looked furious. He looked like a knight in the battlefield ready to decapitate his enemy. She had never seen him this angry before. The sight of him made her hold her breath. This is bad, she thought. She decided to speak first so she could calm him down before anything turned disastrous. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 ¡°Al-Alec! What brings you here?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°What brings me here?!¡± shot back him, furiously. ¡°Yes¡­¡± said Amethyst. Alexcent laughed without mirth. He looked around at the knights, the noble ladies, Lunia and Roman. All of them cowered at the periphery avoiding his eyes. The situation looked dangerous. ¡°Go back right now,¡± he commanded, ¡°All of you.¡± Amethyst hadn¡¯t expected to be welcomed with open arms, but she had thought she wouldn¡¯t run into him so soon. She wasn¡¯t even planning on entering the hunting grounds. She had just wanted to wait for him till the hunting match was over. No, said a voice in her mind. I wanted to¡­ coincidentally run into him. I was vying for luck to make us meet. Some part of her wanted him to come looking for her. Like now. She wanted to be the one by his side instead of Count Glacia. But he wanted her to go back! ¡°N-No!¡± said Amethyst. ¡°What?¡± said Alexcent, his voice dangerously low. Don¡¯t back out now, resolved Amethyst. This is my right. ¡°This is simply one of the events of the annual festival, and has nothing to do with the hunting match,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°This is purely to build on our friendship!¡± ¡°So?¡± said Alexcent. ¡°So, you have no right to tell me what to do,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°You ignore everything I say,¡± said Alexcent, threateningly, ¡°You speak of rights while you cross every line? I will say this one more time. Go back with your group before I get even more furious.¡± ¡°Your Excellency,¡± said one of the ladies, coming to Amethyst¡¯s defense, ¡°It isn¡¯t that dangerous. We intent to stay away from the barrier.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said another, ¡°We will obediently stay away. So please¡­¡± Alexcent directed them an angry glare. ¡°Since when have the extended households become so rude?¡± said Alexcent, ¡°How dare you go against me?¡± The noble ladies visibly shrunk before his rage. ¡°We apologize,¡± they muttered. ¡°Then go back,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°All of you.¡± The ladies walked towards their carriages. This trip was a socializing effort between the families. Besides Alexcent would never harm his own family, extended or not. But his command was absolute. No one dared go against it. Seeing the ladies walk back to their carriages with slumped shoulders ignited a fury in Amethyst. She had planned this whole trip solely because of him but after she had spent time with the other ladies, everything wasn¡¯t about him. She had liked spending time with the ladies, and she had begun to love this camping trip. Her camping trip. She didn¡¯t want to go back. She couldn¡¯t understand why Alexcent barred her from coming anywhere near the hunting match while Count Glacia was allowed in the match. Even now he was opposing her so strictly. He was so rude to the ladies and he dared humiliate her in front of everyone. Why did he have to win every time? Why was it that any thing she did was always met with his disapproval? ¡°I-I said n-no!¡± said Amethyst, her fists clenched by her side. Why the hell do I have to stutter? Amethyst reprimanded herself, inwardly. But it was understandable that she was scared. Alexcent gave off a very threatening and dangerous aura. It was perilous to go against him while he was furious. ¡°Amethyst!¡± exclaimed Alexcent. Did he just shout out my full name? Amethyst stared at him in disbelief. She had always been ¡®Ash¡¯ for him. He had only ever used her full name on the first day they met. She trembled. She felt tears spring into her eyes. He tried to hold back her tears. I can¡¯t cry¡­ not now. She clenched her jaw and gritted her teeth. She wasn¡¯t going to lose. ¡°Go back to the mansion immediately,¡± said Alexcent, his tone icy. ¡°I said I don¡¯t want to go back,¡± said Amethyst, her voice cracking. ¡°I am not going back. This was supposed to be our camping trip until you ruined everything.¡± She knew that the trip was ruined already but she continued to resist. She didn¡¯t want to always be afraid of him and cower in a corner. She wanted to stand her ground. ¡°Lunia!¡± yelled Alexcent, while he continued to glare at Amethyst. ¡°Yes, My Lord,¡± said Lunia. ¡°You are fired,¡± he said. ¡°Alec!¡± exclaimed Amethyst as she grabbed his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t do this. It¡¯s not her fault, so why are you punishing her?¡± ¡°Not trying to stop someone they serve from bad decisions is in itself a mistake,¡± said Alexcent as response. ¡°Alec!¡± she cried, but he only glared at her. ¡°Get out of my sight this instant,¡± he said to Lunia, still glaring at Amethyst. Amethyst tugged at his arms. ¡°Please,¡± she said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, Madam,¡± said Lunia. ¡°Lunia!¡± said Amethyst, sobbing now, ¡°Please don¡¯t go.¡± ¡°I am sorry,¡± said Lunia, ¡°I am thankful to you for everything. Please take care of yourself.¡± Lunia bowed to her and the duke, respectfully and turned and walked away. Gen rubbed the bridge of his nose. Oh, Lunia, he thought, so, in the end you caused trouble for yourself. He was sad to see her go. Amethyst glared at Alec tearfully. Hatred filled her eyes. Tears ran down her cheek. She wasn;t trying to hold them in any longer. Alexcent met her glare heartlessly. Alexcent looked at Sir Hill. Sir Hill, in turn, nodded respectfully. ¡°Sir Hill,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°You are¡ª¡± ¡°I will go!¡± cried Amethyst, ¡°I will go. Just don¡¯t do this anymore. Please.¡± Alexcent looked back at her, trying to meet her gaze but Amethyst looked away. She had nothing but hatred to offer him. ¡°When you dare to go against me, you should expect the consequences of your actions,¡± he said. Amethyst didn¡¯t respond. She seethed in anger and hatred. Alexcent sighed. ¡°Gen,¡± he called, ¡°Please escort Amethyst and the other ladies back to the mansion.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord,¡± said Gen. ¡°Pack up,¡± said Alexcent to the knights. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± said Gen gently to Amethyst and escorted her to her carriage. Hill and the other knights began dismantling and packing up the tents. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Amethyst cried in the carriage as it headed back to the mansion. Gen, who was seated opposite her, offered her his handkerchief. ¡°Please,¡± he said politely as she tried to decline. ¡°Th¡­ thank you,¡± sobbed Amethyst. At his kindness, she burst into tears anew. She cried for a long time at the disastrous day. She cried for Lunia too, how could he do that? He humiliated me in front of everyone. What did I even do that was so wrong? Poor Lunia! She wiped at her tears. I hate him! I will never forgive him. Never! Finally, her tears subsided, and she thought about it. He told me not to come. Maybe I should have listened. I wish that bastard could be a little more honest and explain things to me, so I understand why. Because of me, Lunia is gone. He never called me Amethyst before. He must really have been furious. Everything is ruined! The festival! Amethyst, forgetting that Gen was in the carriage, let out a scream of regret. Gen heaved a weary sigh. ¡°It seems this time, you really crossed the line,¡± said Gen. ¡°Even you think that?¡± asked Amethyst, sadly. ¡°Did I really do something wrong?¡¯ ¡°Yes,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what was so wrong about it,¡± she said, ¡°Why was he so furious? I didn¡¯t know he was that obsessed with a stupid hunting match.¡± That¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t his monster-like self to be seen by you, thought Gen. But he couldn¡¯t say that aloud. ¡°It is not only because of the hunting match,¡± said Gen, calmly. ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°Everything that happened has to do with that stupid match.¡± ¡°The hunting match is just a competition on the surface,¡± explained Gen, ¡°It is like putting on a show. It is a, in essence, a cruel eradication of beasts.¡± ¡°A show?¡± said Amethyst with a snort, ¡°Obviously. Men love showing off their power by killing innocent animals. I am not surprised.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± said Gen, ¡°It is a form of warning to the other heads of the households. If they were ever to go against him or the empress and commit treason, they know what¡¯s waiting for them. It serves as a warning and a reminder to never cross that line. They see him in action in the hunting match.¡± Gen looked at her. ¡°Why do you think the duke puts up with the other heads of the households when he doesn¡¯t really need them?¡± ¡°Well,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°For business. They have their estate, and their trade. It helps the kingdom, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, they do,¡± said Gen, ¡°But the duke doesn¡¯t really need them for that. He can achieve all that alone. They are more of a nuisance to him, to be honest. They only create and whine about useless problems. Even so, the reason he holds the annual festival to keep them entertained is only because they are the pro-empress faction.¡± Amethyst was listening to him quietly now. ¡°They just act as a shield against the anti-empress factions. There are very few nobles in the pro-empress factions, so he withstands their petty complaints and desires in the annual conference. He suppresses his rage against these petty things and takes it all out during the hunting match. It always serves as a reminder that keeps the other heads of the households in their line. They see not a human but a formidable monster during these times.¡± ¡°A monster? In what way?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°The exact meaning of the word but in the form of a metaphor,¡± said Gen, ¡°It is not an ordinary hunting match. The beasts are killed in the most cruel and violent way. And none are as cruel and terrifying as the duke. I am sure he wouldn¡¯t have wanted you, most of all, to see him like that. It¡¯s not a very nice sight. I try not to barf when I have to see it. Same goes for the others. Everyone is always terrified when they see the gruesome sight.¡± ¡°And how am I supposed to know this without anybody ever telling me the truth?¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I only thought the hunting match was a friendly match between the heads of the households. It is not my fault that I knew nothing of it.¡± Gen nodded. ¡°Not one member of the staff is aware of this. Nobody, who hasn¡¯t been on the hunting match themselves, knows what the hunting match truly entails. Except for me.¡± ¡°What about Lunia?¡± asked Amethyst, thinking of her sadly, ¡°She was his personal maid, was she not?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she knew,¡± said Gen, ¡°Even Sir Hill, who is the leader of the knights, doesn¡¯t know about it.¡± That sent another pang of guilt and sadness through Amethyst¡¯s heart. If Lunia had known this fact, she would have stopped me from planning the trip at all costs. And now, she lost her job, and it is all my fault. Chapter 146 Chapter 146 ¡°Then you should have told me!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°If only you or Alec could have explained things to me, I wouldn¡¯t have planned the camping trip! Alec just kept constantly rejecting my requests and never gave me a reason!¡± Gen nodded. ¡°If I had known things would go this far, I would have duly informed you,¡± he said, ¡°But, Madam, please don¡¯t worry about Lunia. When his anger settles, he will call her back.¡± ¡°Do you really think so?¡± she asked, daring to hope a little. ¡°Yes,¡± said Gen, ¡°She is very skilled in her work. The best there is. And he knows that too. Nobody just gets to be a personal maid to the duke if they weren¡¯t worth their mettle.¡± That¡¯s a relief, thought Amethyst. She felt reassured because this was coming from the stoic Gen. ¡°Madam, may I say something?¡± asked Gen. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± said Gen, knowing that he would say it even if she said ¡®no¡¯. He was adamant like that. ¡°Do you know why he lets Count Glacia remain by his side even when all the heads of the households hate her?¡± he looked at her. ¡°It is because she never crosses a line with him.¡± ¡°Really?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Not even once?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Gen, ¡°His limit of patience is never tested.¡± ¡°So, you are implying that I shouldn¡¯t cross the line as well?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes,¡± said Gen, ¡°But it seems he has more tolerance for you than the others combined.¡± ¡°But not on days like today,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Yes,¡± said Gen, ¡°Just not today.¡± Amethyst nodded. ¡°Thank you for telling me,¡± she said, ¡°I stand corrected though. If any of this was ever explained openly, I would have been careful.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± said Gen. After that, they rode in silence. The carriage drove without rest all the way and they reached the mansion much earlier. When she got out of her carriage, she saw none of the ladies outside or their carriages. Since it was already dark, they must have gone to their respective rooms. ¡°Madam, please go ahead and rest,¡± said Gen. ¡°Are you leaving right away?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes,¡± said Gen, wearily, ¡°His Highness will need someone to order around.¡± ¡°Can you wait a while?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°Just an hour or a few minutes.¡± ¡°Yes, of course,¡± said Gen, ¡°I think I will rest a while too. I need to be off on horseback.¡± ¡°Please do so,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I will be back right away.¡± She ran to her bedroom. She still felt like Alexcent, not her, had gone overboard. He wouldn¡¯t talk to her about anything and then would explode in that manner. But she felt that even unknowingly she had been too stubborn and apologize to him. A memory came unbidden to her mind. ¡°Apologizing is your choice, but forgiving is mine,¡± she had said, ¡°You can apologize as you wish, and I will forgive you if I wish.¡± Why the hell did I say that back then? Amethyst thought. To think one day, my own words would haunt me. What if Alec doesn¡¯t forgive me? I hope he lets Lunia back to work, at the least. Amethyst reached her bedroom. She grabbed a pen and a paper and sat at her desk. She wrote a letter to him. She explained everything in her letter and also reprimanded him for not telling her things and apologized for everything. She was about to leave the room with the letter to hand it over to Gen when the drawer beside her bed caught her eye. She opened it and took out the compliment board. It had nine stamps on it. he had carried it around with him all the time till he earned five stamps and then had kept it in the drawer after that. She took it and stamped the tenth stamp. The reward for the tenth stamp was supposed to be her greeting him when he came home. She intended to head out and welcome him on the day of his return. She picked Alec¡¯s sword from where it leant against the nightstand and left her room. She walked to the entrance of the mansion where Gen was waiting for her. ¡°Gen!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Sorry for making you wait.¡± ¡°No problem, Madam,¡± he said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t waiting very long.¡± ¡°Will you pass this to him?¡± she said, handing the envelop to him. Gen accepted it. ¡°Of course,¡± he said, ¡°May I ask what it is?¡± ¡°A letter to wish him luck,¡± said Amethyst, rolling her eyes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I was just joking, Gen,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°It¡¯s an apology letter, of sorts.¡± Gen smiled. To think she is joking even after everything happened. I guess that is what makes her invincible. He put the letter in his pocket safely. ¡°Give him this as well,¡± she said, ¡®I am sure he will need it to fight the beasts.¡± ¡°So, this was with you all this time?¡± asked Gen. ¡°Understood. See you after the match.¡± ¡°You take care of yourself too, Gen.¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Have a safe trip.¡± ¡°Thank you, Madam,¡± said Gen and bowed respectfully. He got on his horse and left. Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Alexcent felt anxious in his tent. He had been pacing since he got back. He had been so angry at that moment that he had gone overboard. He had sent her home crying. Her eyes had been so full of pure hatred when she had looked at him. ¡°Damn everything,¡± he swore. Damn it, damn it! He tried telling himself that it was her own fault for going against him. But he felt pathetic. He was angry at himself for his own behavior. And then he felt guilty for shouting at her. He felt guilty for humiliating her. He felt a presence outside his tent. ¡°Come in,¡± he said. ¡°Your Excellency,¡± said Count Glacia as she entered his tent. ¡°Can you spare a bit of your time?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, briskly. Count Glacia considered this to be her last chance. There was no one around. It was only her and the duke in the tent. She had heard that Lady Skad had followed the duke and set up camp beside the river close to the hunting grounds and the duke had been furious. He had looked terrifying when he returned to his tent. She had known that Lady Skad had been sent back. This was her chance to take advantage of the situation. Count Glacia took off her cape in the tent. She had worn a sensuous dress for just this moment. Seeing Count Glacia did nothing but worsen his already glum mood. Really? Trying to seduce me now at a moment like this¡­ does she really think this is an opportunity? Alexcent sighed wearily, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Count Glacia walked towards him. ¡°I heard you were alone,¡± she said, ¡°I wanted to comfort you.¡± ¡°Comfort me?¡± said Alexcent with a mirthless chuckle. ¡°Yes,¡± said Count Glacia. She stroked his forearm with a finger, trailing his blue veins till his rolled-up sleeves. ¡°I thought you might need it.¡± her hands trailed up and rested on his chest. ¡°Need you really do that?¡± he said in a low voice. ¡°Let me comfort you,¡± she said as she brought her lips closer to his. Alexcent grabbed the hand resting on his chest and grabbed hold of her hair with his other hand yanking her head away from his face. Count Glacia cried out in pain. ¡°Since when have our relationship reached a state of comforting each other?¡± he said, icily. He pulled at her hair roughly. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s not like that!¡± she cried. ¡°Really?¡± said Alexcent, ¡°Then what is this? Do you think you could comfort me? When have I ever given you that impression?¡± Alexcent let go off her roughly and she stumbled to the ground. Count Glacia sobbed. She didn¡¯t understand why she couldn¡¯t be the one for him. She always looked at him with admiration, respect and love, and all she got in return were rejections and cold glares. She had chosen a very wrong time for this. Alexcent¡¯s rage that he was trying to suppress so badly was all directed towards the nearest target: Count Glacia. ¡°I have warned you before,¡± he said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to lose everything you have worked so hard to earn, do not cross the line with me.¡± He glared at her. ¡°I am sure you have found out by now about Dajal. Have you?¡± ¡°Y-yes,¡± said Count Glacia, tearfully. The first thing she had done when she had arrived in the mansion was to find out about the whereabouts of Dajal. He had always been useful in carrying out her plans. When she had not found him, she had conducted her investigations to find out that he had died. An accident, some had said. He had been drunk and rode the carriage off a cliff. But she knew better. Nobody knew about his death except her. Alexcent mentioning Dajal to Count Glacia was a clear warning. There won¡¯t be forgiveness next time. ¡°Lady Skad is beyond that line as well, do you understand?¡± he said. ¡°I said do you understand?!¡± ¡°Y-Yes, My Lord,¡± stammered Count Glacia as she looked up and met his furious eyes. ¡°Get out of my sight,¡± said Alexcent. She got up, grabbed her cape and hurried out of the tent. How dare she! Alexcent thought. He was filled with irritation and anger anew. She dares to place her hand on my personage. He had a bad feeling where Count Glacia¡¯s hand had been. He thought about Amethyst. He laughed. The thought of her always filled him either with rage or passion. Her sneaky plans, her stubbornness. She always had to go against him and test his patience. He wanted her right now. He shook his head. He had to control his urge to run back to her immediately. A knight came looking for Alexcent at that moment. ¡°Your Excellency,¡± said the knight. ¡°What?¡± barked back Alexcent. ¡°The Velacerovs has taken the bait,¡± said the knight. ¡°Just in time,¡± said Alexcent, with a sinister smile. *** Growwlll As Gen rode through the forest, he heard the roar of the beast echo all around him. The hunt must already have started. Gen steered the reins of the horse towards the source of the sound. He found the heads of the households and their knights already there. A Velacerovs! Gen thought. Of all the beasts¡­. Velacerovs was a monster invincible against most magic swords. They were very large, and their shells were practically impenetrable. And the duke was there, fighting the beast with his bare hands. The beast charged at the duke with its two sharp horns. ¡°When did it start?¡± asked Gen. ¡°Last night,¡± answered one of the knights. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Oh dear, thought Gen, even for a fighter as formidable as the duke, fighting the Velacerovs alone with bare hands would be too much. The duke was fighting the beasts with brute force without using any attack magic. Gen knew that using magic for the fight would render the purpose of the hunting match useless. This was done to warn the nobles of the power he held over them not about the magic he wielded. ¡°My Lord!¡± cried Gen and threw down the sword he held down the canyon. Alexcent looked up at Gen¡¯s voice. He released his grip around the Velacerov¡¯s horns, stepped on its head and caught the sword. ¡°Just in time,¡± he said. He had gifted the sword to Amethyst who had returned it to him once more. It brought a smile to his face. Welcome, he greeted the sword. A red glow emanated from the sword. It settled firmly into his grip. A thrill went through him. With the sword in his hands, he ran towards the Velacerovs. When the barbaric butchering of the beast began, some heads of the households averted their eyes or completely turned away from the scene. Alexcent was overcome by bloodlust. It was difficult to distinguish which was human and which was the actual beast. He had such bloodthirst in his eyes that even the Velacerovs looked pitiful in front of him. The duke leapt up from the canyon and stood before them, blood dripping to the floor. All the heads of the households bowed their heads and greeted him. Everyone was more polite and gracious to him than they had been before. Count Glacia was no exception. Gen observed the scene. Seeing how Count Glacia made no inclination to approach Alexecnt like she did every time, Gen assumed something must have happened last night. Something has changed, thought Gen to himself, the atmosphere is different than before. Alexcent walked towards Gen. ¡°How is she?¡± he asked. ¡°I escorted her safely to the mansion,¡± said Gen, ¡°I have something to give you.¡± Alexcent nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day,¡± he declared. Everyone let out a sigh of relief at his declaration. Everyone had suffered in agony at the sight of blood drenched Alexcent and the stench of the dead beast. Alexcent grabbed the reins of his horse and slowly walked to his tent. Gen made his way into Alexcent¡¯s tent after a while to find him showered, clean and calm. ¡°Madam told me to pass this to you,¡± said Gen, extending the envelope. ¡°Ash?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Gen, ¡°I will take my leave. Please rest.¡± Alexcent carefully opened the envelope after Gen had left. It had a letter and a paper card inside. He unfolded the letter, which read: [Alec, I simply thought it was purely just a hunting competition, so I couldn¡¯t understand why you were so adamant at not letting me attend. You could have explained things to me. I¡¯m so sorry for being stubborn and not listening to your warnings. I¡¯m reflecting sincerely, so please don¡¯t be angry anymore and be careful not to get hurt and return safely to me.] The paper card was the compliment board that she had given him. It now had ten stamps. He had never received a letter of apology like this before. A handwritten letter¡­ how adorable! Alexcent thought, with a smile. The way she had written his name moved him. It felt like he could hear her voice through the letter. He sighed in contentment. He didn¡¯t want anyone to see him like this, so content and happy. *** ¡°Roman!¡± called Amethyst. Now that she had rested and gained her energy, she intended to take on her responsibilities with gusto. ¡°Yes, madam.¡± ¡°Since Lunia is not around, I will need all your help this time.¡± ¡°Of course, madam,¡± said Roman sadly. Amethyst knew how she felt. She took Roman¡¯s hands in her own. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she said, ¡°I will do whatever it takes to get Lunia back. But before we do that, we need to wrap up the festival before the duke gets back.¡± ¡°Yes. Madam,¡± said Roman, ¡°I will do my best to help you with anything you need.¡± ¡°Great!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Call Pon for me.¡± ¡°Yes, madam,¡± said Roman. She came back with Pon. She instructed them to arrange things to wrap up the annual festival. ¡°Then Pon, please go ahead and prepare it as I have instructed,¡± she said, ¡°We need every hand on deck since we don¡¯t have enough time to do it at our leisure.¡± ¡°Understood, madam,¡± said Pon and bowed. ¡°Roman,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°When you are finished helping Pon, please inform the ladies.¡± ¡°Yes, madam,¡± said Roman. The mansion¡¯s garden was bustling with people and movement. Everyone was busy. The merchants came and went and the maids in the household were busy moving and carrying things around to fulfill Amethyst¡¯s instructions. A large tent was set up in the middle of the garden and a preparation for the campfire was made in front of the tent. To one side, chairs and tables were set up. The preparation was finished successfully and on time because everyone contributed to the work that needed to be done. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 ¡°Roman, please call the ladies now,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Yes, madam,¡± said Roman and ran off. After a while, she ushered the ladies to the garden. ¡°Oh my! What is all this?¡± ¡°Countess Citri, welcome!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I thought we could continue with our camping trip that we had to leave so suddenly.¡± ¡°Here?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°are you disappointed?¡± ¡°No, of course not!¡± said Countess Citri, hugging Amethyst. After they had been shouted at by the duke, she had been worried about Amethyst. She had seen that it had upset the duchess more than the others. ¡°Lady Skad!¡± ¡°Countess Onslow, Baroness Renove, welcome!¡± ¡°What is all this?¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to sleep here today?¡± ¡°Is this a sequel to yesterday?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°If you could consider it so, then I¡¯d be grateful. So, what do you say?¡± ¡°We love it!¡± ¡°Then please change into something comfortable,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I¡¯ve laid out some comfortable clothes inside the tent.¡± ¡°Alright! Thank you so much.¡± Soon Baroness Hours and Countess Zephyr arrived at the garden as well. ¡°Oh my! Lady Skad, when did you prepare all this?¡± ¡°I had plenty of help. Now, please change!¡± The ladies obliged. They changed into comfortable attires and gathered around the campfire. ¡°The food is already set behind, on that table,¡± said Amethyst, gesturing to the table loaded with food. ¡°Please feel free to eat whenever you want.¡± Countess Zephyr turned around to look. ¡°Wow, you¡¯ve prepared so much.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Since I have prepared so much, you must eat a lot, Sienna! Don¡¯t hold back.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha. Okay Amethyst.¡± ¡°This is rather nice? Right, Maria?¡± ¡°Yes! I wonder why we didn¡¯t think of it before?¡± ¡°It may be a garden¡­but it¡¯s nice.¡± ¡°Yes, I think it¡¯s nicer because it¡¯s with you all.¡± Countess Onslow looked up at the sky with a smile and others did the same. ¡°Wow! The stars are already showing!¡± ¡°I think there will be plenty to see on a day like this.¡± ¡°Yes. I hope so.¡± Roman passed out a shawl to each of the ladies. ¡°It¡¯ll start to get chilly once the sun sets. So please be careful not to catch a cold.¡± ¡°Oh my, thank you Roman,¡± Countess Citri replied with a smile. ¡°Your maid is so observant and considerate.¡± She said to Amethyst. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s someone I treasure a lot,¡± said Amethyst smiling at Roman, who in return, looked flustered at the compliment. With a cup of warm tea in hand, everyone looked up at the starry sky. Even though not much was said, it was evident that everyone felt at peace. It was a meaningful day where their friendship became stronger. *** It had been ten days since Alexcent had left for the hunting competition. It was about time for the match to end and for him to come back home. But there was no news of it. Amethyst felt uneasy. Did something happen? Did he get hurt? No, someone would have informed me, or he would have been back, she thought. Or is it because he is still angry at me and doesn¡¯t want to come back? Days passed like this with anxious thoughts filling her mind. Amethyst waited for him anxiously. She wasn¡¯t the only one. The other ladies felt worried about their husbands as well. If they had departed for the mansion, the news would have already travelled. She put down her spoon. Soon the entire mansion was affected by Amethyst¡¯s mood. Nobody seemed to be in high spirits. The staff carried out their duties diligently and kept quiet. Then two days later, Pon sought Amethyst out. ¡°Madam!¡± he called. ¡°Yes, Pon?¡± said Amethyst. She was in the garden, drinking tea with the other ladies. ¡°I have received news that the duke has left the hunting ground with the other nobles,¡± said Pon, ¡°They are heading back to the mansion.¡± ¡°Really?!¡± relief flooded through Amethyst, and so was it for the other ladies. ¡°Yes!¡± said Pon. ¡°Is anyone injured? Is everyone fine?¡± ¡°There was no mention of any injury,¡± said Pon, ¡°So I¡¯m sure they are all safe.¡± ¡°When are they expected to arrive?¡± ¡°Earliest tomorrow afternoon.¡± ¡°Tomorrow¡­alright.¡± Amethyst felt sulky at the mention of tomorrow instead of today. ¡°But what a relief that they are all coming back safely, Lady Skad!¡± Countess Onslow squeezed Amethyst¡¯s hand in comfort. ¡°Yes¡­¡± said Amethyst but she still couldn¡¯t help but worry. When she had parted ways with Alexcent, he had been furious at her. She had written him an apology letter, but she didn¡¯t know if he would forgive her. Soon the news about the duke¡¯s party and their return spread through the mansion. There was also a change, he would be arriving sooner than expected. So, around dinnertime, Amethyst prepared herself to meet him on his return. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Since she had promised him the reward of her greeting him home, it was important that she went out to the entrance early to wait for him. Her heart raced and her palms felt sweaty. What should I do if he is still angry? I need to talk to him about Lunia. She wiped her hands on her dress, but it was pointless. Her anxiety knew no bounds. After apprehensively standing at the entrance for the longest time, she heard the horses approaching. Her heart thumped loudly, and her mind went blank. Soon, she was able to see Alexcent on his horse. The carriages followed behind him. As they came nearer, Amethyst came down the stairs. He got off from his horse and offered the reins to the coachman. ¡°Welcome back,¡± said Amethyst, cautiously approaching him. Alexcent paid her no mind. He turned to the knights and guards. ¡°Good work,¡± he said, ¡°Go ahead and rest till tomorrow.¡± The knights, guards and the nobles bowed and disappeared. They all looked exhausted. It must have been a rough trip, thought Amethyst. ¡°A-Alec?¡± Amethyst called. He looked at her momentarily and walked away towards the mansion. Did he not receive my letter? She turned to Gen, who shrugged as if to say he had no idea why he was acting like this. Count Glacia got out from her carriage, bowed to Amethyst and walked to the mansion as well. Amethyst was surprised. No retort, nothing? Did something happen between them? Feeling even more anxious, Amethyst followed Alexcent. She soon caught up with him.¡°Alec, you didn¡¯t get hurt, did you?¡± ¡°No.¡± His cold voice stabbed at her heart. ¡°Th-that¡¯s a relief. You must be tired.¡± He made no response. Her heart ached from his distant behavior. She tried her best to think positively. Maybe he is just too tired to deal with things right now, she reassured herself. ¡°Of course you are!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Silly me. It has been twelve days after all.¡± Still, no response. Only silence greeted her. What should I do? Can¡¯t mention Lunia right now, but I have to at least try, she thought. ¡°I¡­ I know you are very tired, but can we talk?¡± she said, hesitantly, ¡°I won¡¯t take much of your time. It will just be a minute, I promise.¡± He stopped walking. ¡°I need to shower first,¡± he said. They had arrived near his bedroom. She had forgotten where they had walked. I mustn¡¯t be too impatient. He is tired and angry. I shouldn¡¯t push him. ¡°Of course!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I am sorry. Can we talk after you shower¡­?¡± ¡°No,¡± said Alexcent, briskly, ¡°I want to rest. I have had a very long and tiring day.¡± He walked into his room and shut the door leaving Amethyst in the corridor. Amethyst was just going to walk back to her bedroom when Count Glacia came into view, who was walking to her own room. Amethyst turned around. She didn¡¯t want her to see her being rejected right now. Amethyst walked into Alexcent¡¯s bedroom and shut the door behind her. The sound of running water came from the bathroom. He must be showering. Amethyst bit her nails and paced the bedroom. She gathered her courage and walked up to the bathroom door. She needed to do this. ¡°Alec,¡± she blurted before she lost her guts, ¡°I am sorry to disturb you. But since you don¡¯t have enough time¡­ I just wanted to say something. Won¡¯t take long¡­can you listen while¡ª¡± The bathroom door suddenly opened, and a hand pulled her in. She found herself pinned to the wall, wrapped in his arms. He grabbed her chin and kissed her deeply. His kiss was frantic and hurried. His tongue devoured her insides, and his lips were hot on hers. She wrapped her hands around his neck and gave in to the kiss. Amethyst¡¯s breath came in gasps as she tried to breathe. ¡°Sometimes I wish you were my enemy,¡± said Alexcent in a voice full of desire and passion. ¡°Someone I could invade with no qualms.¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t know what to say to that. ¡°I can¡¯t bear it sometimes,¡± he said hoarsely, ¡°I can¡¯t see what you are thinking. I can¡¯t predict what you are going to do. And sometimes I can¡¯t bear that but¡­you are always on my mind.¡± He was confessing his affections for her in such a twisted way. ¡°I don¡¯t think that is a good idea,¡± said Amethyst. Alexcent laughed. Throughout the hunt, she was always on his mind. Even when the hunting match ended, he only wanted her. He wanted to fly to her side. After killing the beasts, he still felt unsatisfied. He had travelled back as fast as he could without taking any breaks in between. He was able to shorten a day¡¯s journey to only half a day because he had travelled non-stop. When he saw her at the entrance, some twisted part within him had whispered, shouldn¡¯t you fix her? Maybe you shouldn¡¯t let her behavior slide this time. It seemed he could never stay angry at her. This was the only time that he had a reason to be angry and not relent. If he let this slide, he would never be able to stay angry at her. So, he had pretended to be mad. Her worry had been too adorable. Seeing her follow him, trying to talk to him and being as bold to enter his room and demand to talk was just too amusing. Her voice had undone him. Even when he tried to, he wasn¡¯t able to repress his desire until he opened the bathroom door and pulled her in with him. Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Amethyst looked up at him as he gazed at her. His soft, platinum blond hair was dripping wet, and his red eyes were full of desire. His hands entrapped her on either side. His body pressed her to the wall. And Amethyst felt desire stir within her. ¡°Really,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°what should I do with you?¡± He unzipped her dress and pulled at it. She lifted her arms so that he could pull it off. With a thud, the soaked dress fell to the floor. The water dripped down his chest. Even though she had seen him like this almost every day, it still felt like she was seeing him for the first time. Her heart raced. She felt like an idiot and felt afraid that this moment would soon disappear. She wanted to freeze time. Her hands reacted of their own accord. She placed her right hand on his heart and felt his heartbeat. She brought her left hand up to his lips and caressed them. She slowly looked up at him. His red eyes gleamed through his platinum blond hair which dripped with water and fell into his eyes. Alexcent tasted her fingers on his tongue. She had waited for this every night. She took her hands from his lips. But Alexcent grabbed her hands and kissed her palm and licked her fingers. She could feel his wet, hot tongue on her fingertips. He kissed her wrist, her inner arms and then her collarbone. His lips dropped down to her chest. He sucked her there tearing a gasp out of her. He pushed her against the wall and kissed her chest, nibbled at her. His lips trailed down to her waist. Her mound swelled from his constant teasing. ¡°A-Alec,¡± she mumbled. His lips trailed down to her thigh; he was crouching now. He lifted one of her legs and draped it across his shoulders and kissed her on her most private parts. She felt his tongue exploring her, sucking her. She squirmed. ¡°Alec¡­ ahhh,¡± she moaned. Instinctively, she grabbed his hair and pulled him closer. He invaded her insides and continued tasting her, tickling and sucking her. Every time he moved his tongue, it set her on fire. He teased the most sensitive areas tearing moans from her lips. Sometimes, he would kiss her gently as though he was afraid he might break her, while other times he sucked so roughly that she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. His tongues moving inside her set her afire and she moaned. Soon he found the bulge and licked it and sucked it so hard that her legs gave away as a hot liquid poured out of her. Alexcent held her body aloft. ¡°Not yet, Ash,¡± he whispered, ¡°We are far from done.¡± ¡°Mmm,¡± she mumbled. Alexcent took her hands and placed them around his neck. He took her legs and placed it around his waist and slid his member inside her. She closed her eyes, satisfied with the feeling of him inside her. He moved vigorously as though he had never touched her before. The water ran down their intertwined bodies as he thrust inside her. Soon, with the sound of the water and skin on skin, their loud moans filled the room. *** Amethyst opened her eyes. She realized that something was different. The ceiling was different. She realized that she wasn¡¯t in her bed. Oh my! This is¡­ Alec¡¯s room, she thought. She sat up and looked around. It felt unusual to be waking up in his room. The bathroom door was wide open. The floor was wet, and the towels were thrown haphazardly on the floor. Alec¡¯s room was usually so neat and organized that the objects in the room scattered around the floor felt very weird to see. We were so excited yesterday that¡­ She blushed and looked around guiltily. She felt his arm on her thigh. He was still sleeping peacefully. He must have been so tired. Alexcent was always the first to get up in the morning. Amethyst was not a morning person and had never ever gotten up before him, except today. Of course, he must be. Fighting a beast for over ten days¡­ It feels nice to see him sleeping like this. She touched his eyelashes gingerly, afraid she might wake him up. ¡°Don¡¯t just look at me like that,¡± he said suddenly, ¡°Why don¡¯t you give me a morning kiss, at the least?¡± ¡°Did I wake you?¡± said Amethyst, leaning back. ¡°I am so sorry.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± he mumbled. Alexcent sat up and stretched a little. He then looked around at the state of his room. ¡°What a sight,¡± he said, ¡°Well, in my defense it was uncontrollable.¡± He smirked. ¡°Alec¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°My clothes¡­¡± Amethyst spoke. ¡°They¡¯re all wet. What do I do now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This is your bedroom. I need to go back to my room, but I can¡¯t go back stark naked.¡± She explained. ¡°Then you can just to stay here.¡± Alec said with a smug smile. ¡°Alec, I can¡¯t stay here forever.¡± ¡°Then we can ask someone to bring your clothes,¡± the duke suggesting asking a staff. ¡°No!¡± Amethyst declined profusely. ¡°What do you mean no?¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing!¡± Amethyst exclaimed. He looked at her, unable to understand. ¡°I mean, if it was my room, it would be okay. But how can I ask someone to bring it to your room? It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about?¡± ¡°You might not be shy about it but I am.¡± It was widely known that he entered her room after they got married, but not her. She didn¡¯t want to hear the rumors¡­ that the Madam couldn¡¯t hold herself back any longer and went into the duke¡¯s room and slept there. She could already imagine the gossip going around amongst the employees. No matter what, she had to return to her room without getting caught. ¡°Then what shall we do?¡± ¡°That¡­I¡¯m not too sure.¡± Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Alexcent smiled and got out of bed. ¡°Wh-where are you going?¡± Without answering her question, Alexcent entered his dressing room. ¡°Alec, you¡¯re not going to get dressed and leave me behind, will you?!¡± Amethyst wrapped the bedsheet around herself and followed him to his dressing room, anxious at his silence. ¡°Alec!¡± He had already put on his pants and shirts, and was amid tucking it in. ¡°I just need to move you to your room without anyone knowing right?¡± Move? Am I some kind of object? But his suggestion caught her interest. ¡°¡­Ca-can you do that?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Without skipping a beat, Alexcent walked towards her in large strides and lifted her into his arms. ¡°Kyah!¡± ¡°Shh! Be quiet. I thought you¡¯d be embarrassed if you get caught?¡± Afraid that she would fall out, she wrapped her arms around his neck. He then started to move towards the door and out into the corridor. In case anyone recognized her, she buried her face in his chest. Does she really think no one would be able to recognize her? Who else would I carry in my arms but her? Alexcent wondered to himself. Then, he started to take the few steps towards her room. Just then, Count Glacia came out of her room, one located next to his majesty¡¯s. She seemed surprised, but as Alexcent placed a finger to his lips to signal her to be quiet, she nodded shortly and stayed in the same spot. Alexcent leisurely opened Amethyst¡¯s door and entered her room. ¡°Who was that just now?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I thought I heard someone¡­¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t anybody.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Alexcent carefully placed Amethyst on the bed. ¡°Now, are you happy?¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you,¡± She flushed a little. ¡°Now rest.¡± ¡°What about you? You told them to take a rest until today.¡± ¡°I need to get ready to wrap things up.¡± The annual festival would come to an end once the hunting competition ended. It meant that the head of the household would be leaving soon, so he had to get ready for that. ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t overdo it.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As Alexcent was about to get up from the bed, Amethyst grabbed a hold of his arm. ¡°Alec, about Lunia¡­¡± Oh my, I almost forgot. ¡°Ah, Lunia is probably waiting for you to get up.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I told her to return last night.¡± ¡°¡­huh?¡± Amethyst¡¯s eyes widened and she was busy thinking in her head. Last night? When? When we were doing that? Alexcent laughed lightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but while you were asleep, I went to my office for a bit. Don¡¯t have any weird thoughts.¡± Alexcent gently grabbed Amethyst¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll really be off.¡± ¡°¡­Alec, thank you,¡± as she thanked him, Alexcent stroked her hair then left. As soon as he left, Amethyst quickly went to her dress room and wore her undergarments. Then she lay back in her bed as though she had slept in her room from the start. Her preparation was perfect. Then Amethyst called for Lunia. However, Amethyst forgot that she had left her soaked dress on Alec¡¯s bathroom floor. *** With the other household heads having been busy getting ready to go back, they only appeared on the last day. Carriages were lined up at the mansion¡¯s entrance, ready to depart. Amethyst stood next to Alec as they got ready to bid them farewell. The first to say goodbye was Count Glacia, the lady coming forward to say goodbye to Alec and Amethyst. ¡°Thank you for everything.¡± ¡°Yes. Good job.¡± As Alexcent accepted Count Glacia¡¯s greeting, she approached Amethyst to say her goodbyes as well. ¡°Lady Skad, thank you for everything so far. If I have upset you in any way, please forgive me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. There was nothing like that.¡± Amethyst was relieved that she wouldn¡¯t have to see her again, and so she decided to become merciful. ¡°Really? You are truly kind as the rumors say. Then I will see you next year, Lady Skad.¡± Count Glaica bowed and greeted her respectfully. It was an ordinary greeting, but Amethyst had turned grey. Because of the mention of next year, she had lost all the colour from her face. Next year Amethyst would not be here any longer. I will no longer be Lady Skad¡­I¡­what have I done? The person who would soon be gone from this place was Amethyst, not Count Glacia. She was the person who would need to disappear from his side. With everything given to her for her needs and to fool the eyes of others, she had gotten too engrossed in this marriage. What if they were the ones who are supposed to be together? But because of my greed, that won¡¯t happen! What should I do if I¡¯m the one who messed up his life? She couldn¡¯t help but think that she had made a big mistake by putting her greed first. She felt guilty, knowing that she would soon be gone in a few months. Alexcent wondered why Amethyst was frozen to the spot with all the colour gone from her face. Wondering if something had happened between the two of them again, he glanced at Lunia. Lunia shook her head to signal that she wasn¡¯t aware of anything. ¡°¡­Lady Skad, are you okay?¡± Count Glacia cautiously asked Amethyst who stood frozen and pale. ¡°¡­Ah! Yes. Have a¡­safe trip Count Glacia.¡± But even after she said goodbye, Amethyst was unable to smile. Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Everyone else simply assumed that she was sad to say farewell to the ones she had grown attached to. However, Gen, who had been watching the whole situation a step away, could understand and guess the reason. As Count Glacia boarded her carriage, the other ladies started gathering around Amethyst. ¡°Lady Skad, it was such a wonderful annual festival. See you again.¡± ¡°Yes. Have a safe trip, Countess Onslow.¡± ¡°I enjoyed myself as well. Next time please come to visit us! Then I will entertain you all too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so glad, Countess Citri. Please take care.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­Lady Skad.¡± ¡°And I, Lady Skad.¡± ¡°I was more thankful, Countess Houres, Baroness Zephyr.¡± Instead of saying anything, Baroness Zephyr came and hugged her instead. Then everyone was busy taking turns, giving her a hug. ¡°Any longer and it will delay the trip.¡± The eldest Countess Onslow tried to disband the farewell. Even as the ladies got on the carriage, Amethyst continued to wave, and the ladies mirrored her from their carriages. With that, the annual festival came to an end. *** Perhaps it was due to guilt, but after everyone had left, Amethyst no longer smiled. She was unable to. Now that the annual festival ended, everything returned to normal. Roman returned to the side mansions, Lunia was busy taking care of things on behalf of Amethyst. Amethyst, like before, spent her days quietly without any maids by her side. ¡°I¡­think I will go for a walk.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Once again, she was about to go on a walk without a maid when she ran into Pon. With a short nod as a greeting, Pon was about to walk on by as usual but stopped in his tracks seeing how Amethyst looked gloomier than usual. Perhaps this is why people say that people¡¯s vacancies are more obvious when they are not there. Pon, who had been silently observing how depressed Amethyst grew after the annual festival, decided to engage her in a conversation today. ¡°Madam, are you going for a walk again today?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The weather isn¡¯t good today. Why don¡¯t you take a rest for today?¡± Amethyst looked up at the sky. As he had said, the day looked gloomy. ¡°It¡¯ll be a short one.¡± ¡°Then perhaps you should take an umbrella with you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I won¡¯t take long.¡± ¡°Madam¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Pon tried to stop her out of concern, but Amethyst politely declined and headed to the garden. As she walked, Amethyst unraveled the tangled thread of thoughts in her head. I¡­might go back to my original place any time¡­ What if I ruined everything because of my own greed? Her guilt had taken form as a sword and was directed towards her heart, scarring her. I feel like I¡¯ve messed up his own fate with my own hands. The thought made it difficult for her to breathe. His frequent smiles too, made it harder for her. What am I supposed to do now?But it¡¯s a contract marriage to begin with. I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t be concerned even if I were to disappear one day¡­Yes, nothing will change. I just need to take care of my heart. At the thought of only having to take care of herself, she felt sadness creep into her heart. This confused her. Was it from her anxiety that she could disappear any day? Or was it from the agony of changing his fate? Unable to put a finger on it, she stopped in her tracks. Then suddenly a familiar crying sound reached her ears. It sounded like the sound of a baby crying. For sure, it¡¯s the sound of a baby crying¡­! I wonder why of all times, now? Is this really a sign for me to go back? At such a thought, she felt her heart drop. She let out the breath she was holding. She finally eased her heart and looked around. Walking the maze-like garden, she walked closer and closer to the sound. She swayed, feeling a bit faint. Amethyst grabbed a hold of a branch with shaking hands. Her anxiety was reaching its peak. ¡°Shhh¡­ there, there. Don¡¯t cry,¡± said a voice, ¡°You just need to bear it a little longer. It will be fine. Alright?¡± She turned to the source of the voice and found a maid holding a baby. The baby seemed to be around a year old. Amethyst sighed with relief. The apprehension at the pit of her stomach had disappeared. Thankfully, she wasn¡¯t hearing voices in her head. She shook her thoughts off and tried to call out to the maid softly so that she didn¡¯t scare her away. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked. ¡°M-Madam!¡± cried the maid in surprise. She was frozen at the spot and was trembling in fear as though she had been caught doing something wrong. She held the baby closer to herself. ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± assured Amethyst, ¡°I heard a baby cry while I was taking a walk. Is that your baby?¡± ¡°I am so sorry, madam,¡± stammered the maid, ¡°I didn¡¯t have anyone one to look after her and couldn¡¯t leave her behind, so I brought her with me. Please forgive me.¡± Amethyst tried to console the maid who apologized profusely. ¡°It is absolutely fine,¡± she said, ¡°I was just concerned.¡± ¡°My baby isn¡¯t feeling well,¡± said the maid sadly. ¡°Oh no,¡± said Amethyst, worriedly, ¡°Why did you come to work? You should have taken a day off.¡± ¡°I was intending to do that,¡± said the maid, ¡°But I had a lot of task to complete. I didn¡¯t want to cause any inconvenience.¡± Her reply made Amethyst sad. Being responsible and hardworking was a commendable trait but right now it would only make things worse for the maid and her sick baby. Amethyst could sympathize with the maid. She could understand how she felt because she had been through something similar. When her child or herself had been sick, she had had to send them to the nursery after feeding them some medicine and head back to work even if she was sick herself because the employers had given her no choice. People would prefer to not hire mothers because they thought mothers took too many leaves. Sometimes she would exhaust her sick leave to care for her child, and when she fell sick, she couldn¡¯t afford to ask for extended leave. Hearing the words and helplessness echo back to her made her sad. She closed her eyes and sighed. The world wasn¡¯t just full of wicked people like Dajal and Count Glacia, there were people like this maid too. Responsible, kind and helpless. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 154 Chapter 154 ¡°Even so, you said your child is sick,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°How bad is it?¡± ¡°It is not very bad. She has a slight fever, but I couldn¡¯t really leave her at home,¡± said the maid, ¡°I apologize. I will complete all my task diligently and will not inconvenience anyone.¡± Some maids in the mansion were given accommodation in the mansion but some, who had families of their own, lived outside. They came to work in the morning and left at the end of the day. ¡°Do Roman and Pon know about this?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°No,¡± said the maid, ¡°I have not told anybody. I only had tasks in the garden, so I brought her with me. I didn¡¯t know you would be out on a walk because the weather seemed bad. Please madam, please don¡¯t tell anyone of this. I will be chased out of here. I can¡¯t afford to lose this job. Please.¡± If Roman or Pon knew about this, the most they could do would be to let her take the day off. The maid must have realized this because she looked at Amethyst apprehensively. ¡°This is exactly why I made the group rotation for tasks¡­,¡± Amethyst mumbled to herself. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°If this happens again, just take the day off,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°It¡¯s alright to take the day off, the mansion will manage.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it and go and take care of your baby for today,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°But I need to finish the tasks assigned to me,¡± said the maid. ¡°The child is suffering,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Drop by an infirmary on your way back. Get some medicines for the child. Don¡¯t worry about your tasks until the baby recovers. Go now.¡± ¡°But madam¡­¡± ¡°I will handle things with Roman and Pon, so don¡¯t worry,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°T-Thank you, madam,¡± said the maid. ¡°Thank you so much.¡± The maid¡¯s face brightened with relief. Amethyst looked at the baby. The baby¡¯s cheek was covered with tears and mucus. The child had just stopped crying. She looked flushed. ¡°Can I carry her for a second?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°She looks so cute, and I am concerned that she is crying again.¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t know why she felt sympathetic towards this baby. Maybe I feel bad because she is sick. ¡°It¡¯s is absolutely alright if you don¡¯t want me to.¡± ¡°No,¡± said the maid, ¡°Of course you can carry her.¡± The maid walked towards her and passed the child into her arms. The baby didn¡¯t seem to mind the arms of a stranger because she wasn¡¯t crying in Amethyst¡¯s arms. Amethyst rocked the child gently. ¡°Good girl,¡± she cooed. The baby¡¯s smell made her feel nostalgic. ¡°She is so sweet.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said the maid, smiling, ¡°She is not very well, otherwise, she is always smiling.¡± ¡°She is pretty just like her mother,¡± said Amethyst. The maid blushed at the compliment. The baby had inherited her light brown hair and blue eyes. ¡°Thank you,¡± said the maid, ¡°Is she heavy?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°You said she had a fever?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said the maid, ¡°I did give her some medicine, but the fever isn¡¯t going down.¡± ¡°For babies with fever, it is important to cool them down,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Layering clothes will trap the heat and make it harder for their body temperature to go down. During the night, use lukewarm water instead of cold water to wipe them to bring down the body temperature. And don¡¯t keep the room too dry, try to make it humid by placing wet towels around the room.¡± The maid looked at Amethyst. ¡°How do you know so much about babies, madam?¡± asked the maid. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a child yet,¡± said the maid, ¡°but you seem to know so much more than I do¡­¡± Oh dear, I must have gone overboard, realized Amethyst. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s because¡­,¡± stammered Amethyst, ¡°I had younger siblings. I had to help my mum to take care of them when they were sick.¡± ¡°Your mum?¡± asked the maid, confused. Amethyst realized that she had said something wrong. I seem to be going down the rabbit hole of lies and doing it very badly. Amethyst passed the child gently back to the maid and tried to change the conversation. ¡°You should take the child and go home quickly before her condition worsens,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Quick!¡± That seemed to distract the maid. ¡°Ah, yes madam,¡± said the maid, ¡°Thank you so much. I will get going.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget to drop by the infirmary,¡± reminded Amethyst. ¡°Yes, madam,¡± said the maid, walking away. ¡°Wait!¡± called Amethyst. The maid stopped and turned around. ¡°Yes madam?¡± ¡°There might be many more days that might be rougher than today,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Just don¡¯t give up.¡± The maid smiled. ¡°Thank you, madam.¡± ¡°Stay strong,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Now get going!¡± ¡°Yes, Madam. Thank you.¡± The maid bowed and left. Amethyst stood there and looked at the spot for a long time. After leaving the maze-like garden, this open spot had helped her breathe. The child crying and the scent that lingered in the air. She looked down at her own hands that had carried the child. She sighed and looked up at the sky. Everything felt like a sign. As though, everything was telling her that she had to go back soon¡­ I wonder what¡¯s the problem. Why do I feel sad? Amethyst wondered. Is it because of that sick baby? The nostalgia? Or is it because I have to leave him behind? Unable to understand her own feelings, she felt frustrated and suffocated. She turned back to look at the path where she had just walked. She was bitter that she felt so alone again. Just then, tiny droplets of rain began pelting down. Shortly, the rain was pouring down and soaking her. Amethyst didn¡¯t try to avoid it. The coolness of the rain calmed her. Getting soaked in the rain and the maid reminded her of something from the past. When she was young, she would sneak out of the house without telling her mother and play in the rain, getting soaked. The entire aisle would be empty because everyone would be inside avoiding the rain. The world felt like it was only hers right then. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 She would take off her shoes and socks and patter bare feet down the cement floor, jumping into puddles. The rain felt so nice and freeing and later she would catch a cold. Mum would always scold me for getting sick, she thought, with a bittersweet smile. The memory was nostalgic. She looked around the garden. It was as empty as the aisles near her home. She liked the silence disturbed only by the pattering of the rain. She felt part of the garden, the earth. The smell of the wet soil and foliage felt wonderful. She closed her eyes, taking it all in. After a while, she realized that the rain wasn¡¯t hitting her at all. She opened her eyes and found Alexcent by her side. He pulled her closer to him as he shielded her from the rain. He had brought an umbrella with him. ¡°What are you doing standing about in the rain?¡± he said, ¡°What if you catch a cold?¡± Alexcent had left for the palace as he had been delayed by the festival. He seemed to have just gotten back. ¡°Did you just get back?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I was about to head back¡­,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°why did you come out?¡± ¡°I heard you left without an umbrella, so I came looking for you.¡± ¡°I was just walking back but it rained so suddenly,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°What were you thinking about?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°You had a sad smile on your face.¡± ¡°Just some memory from when I was young,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°When you were young?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°Tell me everything.¡± She smiled. It didn¡¯t seem uncomfortable to share about her childhood with Alexcent. ¡°When I was young,¡± she began, ¡°On the days it rained like this, I would run around barefoot in the neighborhood.¡± ¡°Barefoot?¡± ¡°Yes. I liked running barefoot in the rain,¡± she said, ¡°I would run around and play in the rain. I would be soaked through. My mum would scold me if I caught a cold. I was just reminded of that¡­¡± I really sound like a crazy, thought Amethyst after she said it. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have shared too much. She cautiously looked up at him, gauging his reaction. She was worried what he might think of her. ¡°Are you saying you want to run barefoot right now?¡± he asked, amused. ¡°No!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°I guess Countess Lohikin didn¡¯t scold you enough,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°What?¡± asked Aethyst, confused. ¡°Seeing how you are getting soaked in the rain even when you are all grown up,¡± he said, ¡°She didn¡¯t scold you enough. You might catch a cold.¡± He took her hand in his. ¡°See? Your hands are freezing! We should go back, and you need to eat something warm. That should warm you up. Something warm on a rainy day¡­ Amethyst realized something at his words and grabbed his hands. ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Alec, let¡¯s go and cook something warm and yummy.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± said Alexcent and followed her seeing her so enthusiastic. Walking side by side with Alexcent in the rain made Amethyst feel very warm inside. She felt a sense of peace. Whenever she was with him, nothing else seemed to matter. It felt like the clouds in her mind were finally clearing and her mood brightened. Once they reached the mansion, she headed to the kitchen straight away instead of her bedroom to change. Alexcent followed her. ¡°May I interrupt for a minute?¡± she asked the cook and the maids in the kitchen. ¡°My Lord, My Lady!¡± exclaimed the staff, ¡°What brings you here?! You should have called us if you needed something.¡± ¡°What I need right now is this whole kitchen,¡± said Amethyst with a warm smile. ¡°Sorry, My Lady?¡± asked the cook, confused. ¡°Are you all very busy at the moment?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Then is it alright if we borrow the kitchen for a while?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Of course!¡± Alexcent leaned back on the wall. ¡°You should first go back and change,¡± he nagged, ¡°What if you catch a cold? Why did you come here all wet?¡± ¡°You are the one who said we should have something warm,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°If you are going to stand there and nag at me, go back to your room first.¡± Alexcent grumbled at that. Amethyst chuckled. ¡°I need some ingredients,¡± said Amethyst to the cook, ¡°Where can I find them?¡± ¡°Ah, please follow me,¡± said the cook, ¡°I will show you the pantry.¡± Amethyst followed the cook into the pantry which was well-stocked with all kinds of ingredients. She gathered an armful of the ingredients she needed and returned to the kitchen to cook. ¡°Alec, if you aren¡¯t going to go back,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Then go wash your hands and lend me a hand.¡± ¡°Madam, please allow us!¡± exclaimed the staff not able to bear the though of the duke helping out in the kitchen. Amethyst laughed. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly fine,¡± she said, ¡°We will handle things here. So, please take go and rest for a while. Or you can even leave for a few hours.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°That would be best,¡± said Amethst, ¡°I know you will be too nervous and fretful and unable to rest with the duke here, right?¡± ¡°No, madam!¡± said the cook. ¡°Hurry and go!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Before the duke stops you!¡± ¡°Will you be alright?¡± asked the cook. ¡°Of course!¡± said Amethyst, bidding them farewell. The cook looked at Alexcent nervously. He gave a brisk nod. The cook must have felt relieved because he visibly relaxed and made his way out of the kitchen. Alexcent then went to the sink to wash his hands. ¡°If you are done washing hands,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Peel the potatoes.¡± She handed him a bowl of potatoes. She boiled some water and added some ingredients to make the broth and left it to simmer on the fire. She took some flour, mixed it with water and kneaded it into a dough. On rainy days, warm soup is best, decided Amethyst. I want to make noodles but it¡¯s difficult. She looked over at Alexcent peeling the potatoes with an intense look on his face. She burst out laughing. His hands were so large, and he was struggling to peel the potatoes because it kept slipping from his hands. ¡°Alec,¡± she chuckled, ¡°If you are done with the potatoes, come over here and help me with the dough.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± he said. ¡°Go wash your hands once again,¡± she instructed. ¡°Alright,¡± he said and made his way to the sink. It was surprising to see how obedient he was in the kitchen. Maybe I should always have conversation with him in the kitchen, mused Amethyst. Chapter 156 Chapter 156 ¡°Just keep kneading this dough until it is smooth,¡± instructed Amethyst. ¡°What is ¡®kneading¡¯?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°You keep pushing it with the heel of your hand,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°How long?¡± he asked. ¡°Until it gets smooth and soft,¡± she said. She showed him how to do it the right way. Leaving him with the dough, she went over to check the broth. It needed to boil a little more. Meanwhile, she chopped the potatoes, zucchini, and carrots. She also diced some spring onion to go with the broth. ¡°How is it going?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°How is what?¡± asked him. ¡°Kneading, is it doable?¡± she asked, ¡°Are you having fun?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said, ¡°It¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°Weird?¡± asked Amethyst, curious. ¡°It is soft, and smooth, and white. It feels like human skin,¡± he said. ¡°What?!¡± exclaimed Amethyst and burst out laughing. ¡°Don¡¯t get lustful over a dough! Bring it here.¡± ¡°How dare you?¡± joked Alexcent, ¡°Who is even getting lustful?¡± He brought the dough over to Amethyst. Amethyst added the potatoes in the broth first. They would take the longest to cook. She waited for the broth to come to a boil. She took the dough from Alexcent and tore small chunks of the dough and put them into the broth. ¡°See?¡± she said, ¡°You tear small chunks and put them in the broth to cook. Can you do it?¡± ¡°I will try my best,¡± he said. ¡°Here, give it a try,¡± she said holding out the dough to him. Alexcent tore a small chunk, but the dough was sticky enough to get stuck on his hands. He was shaking his hands to get it off his fingers, hoping it would get unstuck and drop into the broth to no avail. ¡°Ash,¡± he said. ¡°What?¡± Amethyst turned to find him struggling. He had shaken his hands so hard that the dough had flown into his hair, some had landed on his shoulders, too. She burst out laughing. ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s sticky,¡± he complained. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t shake your hands,¡± she said, chuckling. ¡°Hold still.¡± She picked the pieces of dough from his hair and shoulders. ¡°You are impossible!¡± she teased, ¡°I will do it. Give me the dough. Pass me the chopped vegetables from there.¡± She gestured to the plate of vegetables on the table. Alexcent grumbled and passed her the plate. Amethyst poured all the vegetables into the broth and seasoned it with salt and pepper. After a while, Amethyst said, ¡°Hhmm¡­ Looks like it¡¯s done. Smells great!¡± She took the pot and placed it on the table in the kitchen, ¡°Come and sit down, Alec.¡± ¡°You want to eat here?¡± he asked. ¡°Sure,¡± she said, ¡°It¡¯s better to eat it while it¡¯s still hot. Come.¡± He walked over to the table and sat down opposite to her. ¡°Try it and tell me how you like it,¡± she said as she took her share in a bowl. Alexcent gingerly scooped a spoonful and ate it. He furrowed his brow. ¡°How is it?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ slippery and¡­ soft,¡± he said. Amethyst laughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it chewy?¡± ¡°Do you like this?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± she said, ¡°Don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± ¡°I like it very much,¡± she said as she brought another spoonful to her mouth They ate in silence. When Amethyst finished her share and looked at Alexcent¡¯s bowl, she found the vegetables and cooked dough still in his bowl. He had only eaten the soup. He always tells me not to be picky with my food¡­ and now¡­ Amethyst found it amusing that even Alexcent had something that he couldn¡¯t finish. *** That night Amethyst changed into her night shift and laid down on the bed. As she closed her eyes she was reminded of the maid and the baby she had encountered in the afternoon while taking a walk. She remembered what she had said to her. ¡°There might be many more days that might be rougher than today,¡± she had said, ¡°Just don¡¯t give up.¡± What she hadn¡¯t said was, don¡¯t run away like I did. She hadn¡¯t exactly come to this place out of her own freewill, but she had indeed used it as a place where she could run away from her life. She had been a mother. And she had wished to leave everything behind and disappear. She felt guilty and felt like she was a bad mother. These thoughts kept hovering in her mind, and it was a long while when she finally fell asleep. Her dreams were restless. She wore a frown on her face. In the dream, she was in Amethyst¡¯s body, standing in the middle of the living room. There were crumbs of biscuits on the table and chair, the clothes were strewn all over the floor and the toys were scattered haphazardly. There was a pile of rubbish at the corner of the room that hadn¡¯t been taken out for days. A shadow formed under her and started to grow huge. The shadow was so huge that it turned into a dark figure that yelled at her: ¡°Instead of whining all the time, why don¡¯t you quit that work of yours and focus on the house? That would solve everything!¡± That¡¯s not it. I¡¯m just asking for a little help¡­just with the dishes, or taking out the rubbish, just a little bit of help¡­. ¡°Are you the only person working? Everyone else lives the same way. Everyone else is doing it so stop acting all high and mighty!¡± yelled the dark figure. I just want you to understand that I¡¯m facing challenges¡­ ¡°And you should give mother a call. And visit her. Must I remind you? Why can¡¯t you act like a real daughter?¡± Then should I act like your sister? Should I sleep in, refuse to cook and just eat what is laid out for me and neglect everything? ¡°If you¡¯re that sick, then go see a doctor! Really you are such a vicious person.¡± When do I even have the time to go to a doctor when I have to do everything? And is it a crime to fall sick? I just want some words of comfort. Just your words¡­ ¡°What is wrong with the house? I need to rest once I come home¡­but look at this, what do you even do all day?¡± I want to rest too. After work, I¡¯m tired too. I hate my suffocating life. I want to run away. Amethyst groaned in agony in her sleep. Alexcent woke up, startled by the sound, and looked at her. She was tossing and turning and groaning as though in pain. She was covered in cold sweat, and tears were streaming down her face. ¡°Ash?¡± he called gently. ¡°I¡­want¡­ run away,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Ash,¡± said Alexcent, a little louder, ¡°Wake up.¡± He tried to shake her awake. ¡°Ash!¡± Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Amethyst suddenly opened her eyes and looked around her. This isn¡¯t my home. I need to go back. My children! ¡°I n-need to go back¡­,¡± stammered Amethyst. Although awake, it seemed she hadn¡¯t come to her sense because she was mumbling to herself. Alexcent looked at her with concern. ¡°I n-need to go b-back,¡± she mumbled to herself again. ¡°Ash,¡± he said, holding her. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°I need to go,¡± she said again. ¡°Where do you need to go, Ash?¡± he asked gently. I need to go back and take care of them. I can¡¯t neglect them. I am a mother. Amethyst threw the covers aside and ran out of the room. She ran down the corridor and down the stairs. She reached the lobby of the mansion. Where is it? Where do I go? She hesitated before running out of the front door. My children! I must quickly go back. I need to go¡­need to go! Someone seemed to be shouting her name, but she only heard it distantly. She ran barefoot. The pebbles cut her sole, but she ignored it. She only had one need. She needed to go back to her children. She kept stumbling and running. The neatly trimmed trees, the sculptures, the fountain were a blur. She ran and ran. Someone kept shouting her name from behind. Her tears streamed down her face, but she didn¡¯t stop. A hand grasped her. She struggled. She had to go. She needed to go quickly otherwise she wouldn¡¯t be able to move forward at all. She struggled against the hand that was holding her with all her strength, but the grip was like iron, unwilling to let go. She kept hearing her name being called distantly. ¡°Ash,¡± it said ¡°No¡­,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Ash! Listen to me,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°No! Let me go! I need to go,¡± she cried. ¡°Ash! Please!¡± he said, frantically, ¡°Please wake up!¡± She was exhausted after the struggle and dropped down to the ground. Somebody held her close as she cried in his arms. ¡°Ash, it¡¯s alright,¡± he said. The name brought her back to her sense. I am Amethyst. Tears rolled down her cheeks and blurred her vision. She looked up at the person holding her close. ¡°Alec?¡± she stammered. ¡°I am here,¡± he said gently. ¡°I am here, Ash. It¡¯s alright. Everything is alright. I think you had a nightmare.¡± He wiped her tears and stroked her back to calm her down. Amethyst wrapped her arms around him and cried anew. After a long time, she calmed down. She had two thoughts warring in her mind. She needed to go back but she didn¡¯t want to either. ¡°Alec,¡± she sobbed. ¡°Shh, it¡¯s alright,¡± he said. He caressed her back, trying to soothe her. Calmed by his voice, she buried her face in his neck. When she finally calmed down, she saw Pon, Lunia and Gen standing a little distance away. Everyone was looking at her with worry in their eyes. She felt bad for scaring them. She pushed herself away from Alexcent¡¯s arm. ¡°I am so sorry,¡± she said to them, ¡°I am alright now.¡± Her white night dress was covered in mud. Her feet were bleeding with small cuts all over them. She felt embarrassed. ¡°I am sorry,¡± she apologized. Alexcent was too busy studying her face to reply. He looked immensely worried. She had to say something. She had to come up with some kind of explanation. ¡°It was just a dream, like you said,¡± she said to Alexcent, ¡°A nightmare. I was scared¡­¡± She wished it was just that, a nightmare, and nothing else. Alexcent lifted her up in his arms and carried her back to the mansion. ¡°Call the doctor,¡± he said to Pon. ¡°Understood,¡± said Pon. ¡°I am alright!¡± said Amethyst. ¡°You are hurt,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°I am not hurt very badly to need a doctor at this hour!¡± she protested. She couldn¡¯t trouble the doctor for something like this and that too, at this hour of the night. ¡°Pon, call the doctor,¡± said Alexcent again. ¡°Wait, Pon!¡± said Amethyst. She turned to Alexcent. ¡°Alec, please! I just want to go to sleep quickly. Can we call the doctor tomorrow, instead?¡± ¡°Fine,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Thank you.¡± He turned to Lunia and Pon. ¡°Fetch some hot water and towels,¡± he instructed. He then carried Amethyst to her bedroom. *** ¡°How is Madam?¡± asked Gen, who had been waiting in the study for Alexcent to arrive. ¡°She just fell asleep,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± said Gen. ¡°Gen,¡± called Alexcent. ¡°Yes, My Lord?¡± ¡°I want you to investigate the Lohikin family,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°Especially the Count and any of the extended families. Anything and everything related to Amethyst.¡± ¡°Yes. Understood.¡± Alexecnt was worried at what she had said. She had mumbled that she needed to go back but wore a terrified expression while saying it. What could be so terrifying about going back to¡­ where she needed to? ¡°Look into violence or abuse in the family,¡± instructed Alexcent. ¡°Investigate all other possibilities as well.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± said Gen. To Alexcent, it looked like trauma from abuse. If not, why was she so terrified? Maybe she wanted to run away from someone. After she had gotten married, she had never once gone back to Count Lohikin. If she had been abused constantly, she would feel the need to instinctively return to the perpetrator because she would feel like she had no other choice. Alexcent looked furious. ¡°My Lord?¡± said Gen, hesitantly. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because of the expiration date drawing near.¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°The expiration date for the duration of your marriage contract.¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Alexcent stared at Gen. ¡°Why do you think that?¡± ¡°When Count Glacia bid her farewell hoping to meet next year again,¡± said Gen, ¡°Her complexion turned pale.¡± ¡°Really?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°Yes,¡± said Gen, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why she thinks she needs to go back¡­¡± Now when I think about it, she didn¡¯t look too well after that, thought Alexcent. She doesn¡¯t smile much either. Alexcent¡¯s fury disappeared and he visible relaxed. ¡°How do I extend the contract?¡± he asked. ¡°Well, I think you probably have to talk about it with her,¡± said Gen, ¡°You didn¡¯t really draw up a formal contract.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Alexcent, brightening, ¡°We didn¡¯t really have a formal contract. It was just verbal. Then what if I nullify the agreement?¡± ¡°Well, that would be a little problematic,¡± said Gen, ¡°You both didn¡¯t write and sign a contract in the formal manner, but a verbal contract is still a contract.¡± ¡°Then look into it,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°Figure out a way by which we can nullify the entire contract, verbal or otherwise.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord,¡± said Gen. *** Ever since the event of last night when Amethyst ran out in her sleep, she was being coddled and cared for more than necessary. Even before everything, the care that they showed her had always been excessive but now¡­ ¡°Madam, please watch out. You might trip and fall!¡± Excuse me, I¡¯m not learning to take my first steps. ¡°Madam, you might cut your hand! Let me do that for you¡± Seriously? You want to flip the pages of my book? Everyone seemed to be getting overly protective of her these days. They treated her like a fragile glass doll. Amethyst sighed. Wherever she went, maids were hovering around her making it impossible to spend her time in peace by herself. At this rate, it is better to have Roman and Lunia by my side all the time like in the annual festival! In the end, she dismissed the endless maid hovering around her and decided to keep Roman and Lunia by her side just so she could breathe a little. ¡°Madam, what¡¯s concerning you?¡± asked Roman one day when Amethyst sighed sadly. ¡°Nothing,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I just feel suffocated because everyone hovers around me treating me like I am going to break down any time.¡± ¡°Everyone is just worried,¡± said Roman, ¡°And I think that is the way they show their loyalty to you, I think. I am sure it will subside after a few days.¡± ¡°I know,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°And I am grateful for it but¡­ they fret so much at anything I do. I can¡¯t even do anything anymore without someone stopping me.¡± ¡°Shall we go for a walk, if you want?¡± asked Roman. ¡°Even that!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°If I take three steps out of my room, Pon will appear out of nowhere and stop me.¡± Roman chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Just then Lunia entered the room with an armful of things. ¡°Madam! Look at all these things,¡± said Lunia. ¡°What is all this?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°I looked into it,¡± said Lunia, ¡°Apparently drawing is good for soothing your nerves.¡± ¡°Lunia, are you treating me like a patient too?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°No!¡± said Lunia, ¡°But since you can¡¯t go for a walk, I thought you would be bored in your room.¡± Lunia lay the canvas on the table and placed a brush, a pencil, and a palette beside it. ¡°Why don¡¯t you give it a try?¡± she said, ¡°You must be bored and it seems like a good idea. It might be fun!¡± ¡°Shall I?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes!¡± said Lunia, ¡°You might turn out to be an artistic genius. You never know.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°But it¡¯s boring if I do it alone. Then let¡¯s do it together!¡± ¡°Us too?¡± asked Roman. ¡°Yes!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Like Lunia said, you might have a talent that you didn¡¯t know about.¡± Lunia seemed hesitant at first but soon both agreed. Roman squeezed a bit of pain on the palette while Amethyst picked up the pencil to sketch something. *** Alexcent returned to his room late at night after preparing for the Royal Hunt and the new Congress. He found some pictures hung on the walls of the corridor that led to his room. ¡°What is this?¡± he asked. ¡°These days, Madam has taken to painting,¡± informed Pon. ¡°Really?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°Yes,¡± said Pon, ¡°Apparently painting and drawing are good for the nerves. She enjoys it very much.¡± ¡°I see,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°So Ash drew every one of these?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Pon. Alexcent smiled. ¡°She never has a dull moment in her life, does she?¡± he said, fondly, ¡°She always does something or the other. It¡¯s a source of entertainment for me. Where is she?¡± ¡°She went to bed early,¡± said Pon, ¡°Should I inform her of your arrival?¡¯ ¡°No,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Let her sleep.¡± Alexcent appreciated the paintings on the wall. He stood fixated on a particular painting. It looked a little bit like a person and a bit like a monster. Alexcent frowned. ¡°What is this odd-looking painting?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°Ah! Madam said it is a portrait of you, My Lord,¡± said Pon. ¡°What?! How so?¡± exclaimed Alexcent. ¡°Ahem. I suppose her artwork carries its own uniqueness that I dare not judge,¡± said Pon. ¡°Was it her idea to frame them in the corridor?¡± ¡°No. That was my idea,¡± said Pon proudly. ¡°It¡¯s to showcase Madam¡¯s talent.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting a pay cut this month,¡± grimaced Alexcent. ¡°Sorry?!¡± Pon didn¡¯t feel that was fair, but he couldn¡¯t say it to Alexcent. He followed Alexcent with slumped shoulders. ¡°Have a room prepared where Ash can paint in peace,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Yes, My Lord,¡± said Pon, and lamented at another late night of work. Chapter 159 Chapter 159 It was bright in the morning when Amethyst work up. Unlike other night where Alexcent would sleep with his arms tightly wrapped around her, she had slept well yesterday. It seemed Alexcent thought she would run away in the middle of the night and would hold her close to reassure himself. She wished he could forget about it, but it seemed like that wouldn¡¯t be happening any time soon. Nonetheless today, she woke up with a calm feeling and felt like she would be able to paint better. Lunia and Roman were not by Amethyst¡¯s side today, they had to attend to their respective duties in the mansion. Pon led Amethyst to the studio that Alexcent had instructed him to prepare for her. ¡°This way, madam,¡± said Pon, showing her the way. Amethyst gasped as she steeped into the studio. ¡°My goodness!¡± she exclaimed, ¡°This looks like an art museum.¡± ¡°It was prepared in a hurry,¡± said Pon, ¡°It is rather lacking. I will fill the remaining space by evening today.¡± ¡°No, no,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°This is more than enough. Thank you, Pon.¡± ¡°You should be thanking His Excellency,¡± said Pon, ¡°It was his idea.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± said Amethyst, gratefully, ¡°But you are the one who did all the work. I am sure Alec just gave the orders. So, thank you, Pon, for all your hard work. It is truly beautiful.¡± ¡°Ah¡­,¡± said Pon, at a loss for words, ¡°You are welcome, My Lady.¡± Pon was touched by her appreciation for his efforts. He excused himself and let Amethyst look around the studio. Amethyst was rather embarrassed of her own work amidst these beautiful paintings, but they inspired her to add more colors in her own work. Her paintings soon improved. Well, there are so many abstract pieces in the world. Perhaps mine can be counted as one. Lunia was right. Painting and drawing did help soothe and calm her nerves. She hummed as she prepared a palette and set up the canvas. Just then, she heard snippets of conversation through the wall. It was probably the maids talking. Amethyst could now hear more of the conversation from the other side of the wall. ¡°Don¡¯t you think his lord seems much brighter these days?¡± said one of the maids. ¡°Yes!¡± said another, ¡°I have only seen him glaring and frowning. But these days, he actually smiles.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all thanks to the lady,¡± said yet another, ¡°I used to be terrified if I even saw him passing by. But now, it doesn¡¯t feel as intimidating.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± said the maid, ¡°But now seeing him smile makes my heart beat faster¡­ what should I do?!¡± ¡°Look at her, there she goes again.¡± ¡°You should understand a bit,¡± said another maid, ¡°He is the country¡¯s best-looking man.¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t help but smile as she heard their talk through the wall. ¡°But to be honest, I never imagined the lord would marry her.¡± ¡°Neither did I. I always thought he would marry Lady Roelter. Compared to her Madam is¡­¡± ¡°There you go again! If we ever get caught talking like that by Mr. Pon, we get into trouble.¡± ¡°Pfft! It¡¯s not like we¡¯re creating a rumor or anything. We¡¯re just talking amongst ourselves! You used to say that Lady Roelter and His Excellency looked like a match made in heaven.¡± ¡°That was eons ago¡­.!¡± Lady Roelter? This was the first time Amethyst was hearing the name. She got curious. She put her easel down and walked to the wall and placed her ear against it to hear better. ¡°I mean just between us, remember how passionate the both of them were?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ before that incident, Lady Roelter came to the mansion every day, right?¡± ¡°Yes, seeing the two of them together was like looking at a beautiful painting¡­¡± Incident? Visit every day? Amethyst frowned. She pressed her ear harder to the wall. ¡°Incident? What incident?¡± ¡°Ah, I suppose you don¡¯t know since you joined only recently. It must have been the engagement announcement between Lady Roelter¡¯s brother, Duchess Roden and Emperor Belice, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure the Empress didn¡¯t know about their relationship¡­ but what can they do since she announced her marriage with Duke Roden. They had to break up.¡± ¡°I heard that the lord rejected the lady the next day of the royal wedding.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. After that incident, the lady was sick for a couple of days! There was an uproar in the Roden family. That was what their maid told me, anyway.¡± ¡°But¡­ didn¡¯t the duke like Count Glacia?¡± ¡°Oh my, how na?ve! For the royals, taking multiple lovers isn¡¯t a problem for them. And please, how can you compare a member of a well-established royal family to a Count from the countryside?!¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true. Lady Roelter is famously known across the country for her beauty.¡± Lady Roelter prettier than Count Glacia? Amethyst thought. She must have been a vision. Duke of Rhodes, the Great Priest. The head of the aristocracy. The only Ladyin such a family¡­ ¡°But isn¡¯t Lady Roelter studying overseas right now?¡± ¡°They say it¡¯s studying but isn¡¯t it really more of a trip for her to get over her broken heart?¡± ¡°And the duke got married while Lady Roelter decided to wed abroad at the same time. I wonder what would happen when Lady Roelter hears about this?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Are you saying there will be some love triangle going on? Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself!¡± ¡°Well, I am just curious. I am not saying that will be the case. But it happened in the previous mansion I worked in¡­¡± ¡°Hey! Move your hands too! Hurry up and get this done. Mr. Pon these days is very cranky. He will chase us out you know.¡± ¡°Speaking of Mr. Pon, he really is amazing. Not long ago¡­.¡± The topic of conversation changed to Pon and Amethyst quietly walked back to her chair and picked up her brush. But she couldn¡¯t focus on what was in front of her. She sighed and placed the brush on the table and bit her nails, anxiously. Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Roelter. To think she used to love somebody. Wasn¡¯t it supposed to be Count Glacia? Perhaps I was supposed to get Alec together with Lady Roelter and not Count Glacia. Am I really possessed by a novel that I have never read? To connect him with a heroine who hasn¡¯t even appeared yet. Amethyst thought. It wasn¡¯t just any relationship either, put a passionate one that couldn¡¯t come true. Was that why Alec never married until he met me? Was it because he wasn¡¯t able to get over her at all? Amethyst sighed. She must have been a vision of beauty. They must really have looked like a painting. If she was the kind of beauty that the whole nation acknowledged, then she is incomparable to me, or even Count Glacia. I am comparing myself with others again, she reprimanded herself. When she was younger, she had always been compared to her younger sister, on looks, on studies, on capabilities¡­ It left a bad taste on her mouth. When she grew a little older, she developed a habit of comparing herself with her friends, and their parents against hers. She got frustrated at the different standards of living, got jealous of her friends on things she couldn¡¯t have, and they could. The older she got; it became an obsession. Everybody around her became a subject for comparing herself against. People her parents knew, her friends, her cousins, her university batchmates, her work colleagues¡­. She got into a habit of comparing herself wit them and depreciated herself repeatedly. No matter what I do, I will always be nothing. She was so convinced of it that she felt like a failure. Gradually she lost all motivation to attempt anything in life. So, she started giving things up and ran away from things she couldn¡¯t confront. Her self-esteem had gone so low that she agreed to marry whoever her parents chose. She felt he was more than good enough for her and would never deserve anyone better. Her marriage life turned out to be so difficult because they both weren¡¯t compatible with each other. She tried hard to live up to his expectations, to try and make her marriage work. She didn¡¯t want to fail in that too. She was afraid if she failed this then there wasn¡¯t anything in life that she could achieve. She persisted until she couldn¡¯t anymore. And so, I ran away¡­ Stop, she chided herself. I wish I could erase the memories of the past. She accepted the fact that Count Glacia and Lady Roelter were better and prettier than her. When compared to her, she didn¡¯t have anything. But it is in the past, she reassured herself, I am jealous of them, obviously but I cannot project everything on them and ruin my own life. I must get a grip on myself. There is no use in torturing myself because of it. She realized that she would have to accept that and move on. She would have to find peace within herself if she wanted to be happy. But another problem lingered: Contract Marriage When the time comes, she would have to leave the palace anyway. Or, maybe with the end of this contract, her time would be up in this world and she would return to where she came from. But it is so painful to think about that. I can¡¯t bear to see him with anyone else. The thought of him happy with someone else feels brutally painful¡­ A tear rolled down her cheek. *** Alexcent had worked late into the night the day before. He had taken this day off to rest. He planned to take Amethyst out to the lake in the middle of the city and spend some time with her. Hopefully she will feel better after spending some time outside, thought Alexcent. He got ready and called for Pon. ¡°Where is Ash?¡± he asked. ¡°She is in the studio,¡± informed Pon. Alexcent nodded. ¡°Have a carriage prepared,¡± he said, ¡°I will be going out with Ash today.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± said Pon and left to do his bidding. Alexcent walked to the studio. He imagined how excited she would look with the idea of going out. She forgot to knock and opened the door to walk right in. As his gaze fell on her, he realized she way crying. His red eyes flashed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he said and reached Amethyst in two strides. Amethyst was taken aback and unable to utter anything. ¡°Who did this, Ash,¡± he said, angrier than ever, ¡°Tell me. Why are you crying?¡± Amethyst wanted to say something, but her mind was blank with the shock of Alexcent appearing so suddenly. ¡°Pon!¡± called Alexcent in fury. Pon rushed into the room but was surprised and completely unaware of the reason why Amethyst was crying. When he saw her last, she was happy and humming lightly as she prepared to paint. Meanwhile, Amethyst had no idea how to explain the current situation. What am I going to say? That I am jealous of his past lovers? Or that I am sad because I am in love with you and the thought of going away is breaking my heart? ¡°I¡­,¡± she sobbed. As she was unable to form any coherent sentence, Alexcent wrapped his arms around her. The sight of her in sorrow made him furious with everything. Each tear drop tore his heart. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you can¡¯t tell me right now,¡± he said, gently, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± He stroked her hair trying to soothe her. He carried her into his arms and walked to her room. He placed her on her bed. ¡°Ash¡ª¡± ¡°I¡­ hate you,¡± stammered Amethyst and turned away. TL: More will be updated this week! Happy New Year! If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Alexcent was back into is gloomy mood these few days. He was in a very, very bad mood. A few days ago, Amethyst had told him she hated him in an outburst and started to avoid him. Whenever he tried to make some conversation or ask for her advice, she would always say: ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know since I¡¯m not that lady.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure some other accomplished lady would be better suited to give you suggestions.¡± She always mentioned ¡®that lady¡¯ in whatever she said. A few days ago, when returning to the mansion from the palace, he had seen a beautiful flower shop. He had stopped the carriage and gone in. The shop had so many varieties of flowers. He remembered what she had said when he gifted her an earring. ¡°I¡¯ll be happier if you give me a present you choose on your own next time. He was unable to fathom why Amethyst was in such a bad mood. But she liked flowers. So, he would do his best. As Gen opened the door to the flower shop, the overhead bell rang, and the owner of the shop rushed to the front to greet Gen and Alexcent. ¡°Welcome!¡± said the owner of the shop. Alexcent was looking at the flowers inside the shop. ¡°Give me this, this and this,¡± he said indicating three different flowers. ¡°Ah, may I ask how you would like it to be prepared? A flower basket or a bouquet¡­,¡± the flower shop owner was gathering the flowers Alexcent had pointed at. ¡°Make it a bouquet,¡± said Alexcent briskly. ¡°Of course,¡± said the owner, ¡°I will have it prepared as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Wait, this is nice too. Add this and that,¡± said Alexcent indicating different flowers. ¡°The bouquet might appear very big with so many flowers, is that alright?¡± asked the owner. Alexcent nodded. ¡°The bigger the better. Add that red flower and the blue ones, too. Ah, the yellow ones as well.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Alexcent had no interest in flowers and had never learnt their names. So he pointed at the ones that looked pretty to him. The owner tried to keep his pace with picking the floers as directed by Alexcent. He was getting greyer by the second. ¡°And lastly, baby¡¯s breath,¡± said Alexcent. He didn¡¯t forget to add her favorite flower. ¡°Of course,¡± said the owner, ¡°By the way, My Lord, this is meant to be a bouquet, right?¡± ¡°Yes, why? Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Not at all. Please wait a minute. I will prepare it for you. Excuse me one moment.¡± The owner cowered away at Alexcent¡¯s fierce gaze and started to pack the flowers. He seemed to be trying his hardest to make the mismatch of flowers aesthetically pleasing as possible. Soon, a bouquet was prepared. It was very large and heavy. Alexcent looked satisfied. He gestured to Gen to pay the owner and get the bouquet. Gen was standing there in a daze. Should I think highly of the owner for making such an odd-looking bouquet without asking questions under the duke¡¯s gaze, or should I judge him for not holding his ground as a professional of this field and advising the duke against such an outrageous bouquet? Gen thought and sighed. He paid the owner but couldn¡¯t help feeling that the Prince¡¯s taste was lacking in terms of flowers. Of course, he didn¡¯t say it out loud. Alexcent boarded the carriage and sat carefully near the bouquet so as to not spoil it. The carriage finally started towards the mansion. *** When Alexcent presented her with the bouquet, Amethyst received it with much difficulty. It was large and exotic but looked so mismatched. It had so many brightly colored flowers that looking at the bouquet directly made anyone dizzy. ¡°Alec¡­did you pick them yourself?¡± asked Amethyst. Obviously, thought Amethyst, I doubt any florist would willing make a bouquet like this. ¡°Of course.,¡± he declared proudly, ¡°I picked them all myself.¡± He looked at her cautiously. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Amethyst felt happy and touched but she didn¡¯t quite know what to say to that. It was adorable to see that someone who was deemed perfect had his flaws as well, but still made an effort to do something like this. She studied each flower. Suddenly, an image of Lady Roelter flashed through her mind. The large exotic flower reminded her of the lady. All fancy and exotic. I wonder if he had given her flowers, thought Amethyst. I am sure he didn¡¯t give her a monstrous bouquet like this. Maybe he gave her a nicely done bouquet to please her. She sighed. She wondered why all her thoughts ended in jealous towards Lady Roelter. She didn¡¯t want to torture herself and Alec like this. But thinking about him making efforts to woo another lady made her hate him to no end. She hated herself, too for being unable to appreciate and accept him. ¡°Thank you. But I¡¯m sure some other lady would have liked it better.¡± Her reply was disheartening to Alexcent. It made him fear engaging her in conversation altogether. Since the duke was in a very bad mood, all the staff walked on thin ice. They feared that he was returning to being the old grumpy version of himself. Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Pon was torn between the two. He was busy supporting his angry Lord and taking care of the staff who were in fear. But he wanted to find out what happened to Madam to turn her so sour. She was at the center of this. No matter what he did, he couldn¡¯t understand what had actually transpired. He felt useless and hopeless. Pon truly hoped that whatever had hurt madam, she would soon recover from it and get over her anger. Pon was wondering about it when a maid blundered into his office. ¡°Mr. Pon!¡± she stammered, ¡°Please forgive me! I have done a terrible thing.¡± Pon sat her down and tried to calm her so she could talk about whatever happened. After listening to her, and finally understanding the situation, he quickly went to Alexcent¡¯s office. ¡°My Lord,¡± said Pon as greeting. ¡°What is it?¡± barked Alexcent. ¡°I have a reason to believe that Madam is angry about Lady Roelter,¡± said Pon, cautiously. ¡°Roelter?¡± said Alexcent, ¡°What about her?¡± He flipped through the documents in his hands and barely listened to Pon. ¡°Well,¡± said Pon, ¡°It seems the maids were chatting among themselves on cleaning duty and Madam overheard their conversation. They must have spoken about you and Lady Roelter¡¯s relationship in the past. I am very sorry, My Lord. I have reprimanded and warned them.¡± ¡°What?!¡± exclaimed Alexcent. ¡°Fire them immediately. Those imbeciles!¡± Alexcent strode to Amethyst¡¯s room without waiting for Pon¡¯s response. *** Amethyst was in a dilemma. She made excuses to avoid him, but she couldn¡¯t avoid him forever. She wanted to reconcile and see him again but whenever she faced him, she couldn¡¯t help but hate him for everything. She hated seeing him trying to make conversation with her. She was just his wife by contract which would be ending soon anyway. She felt guilty for getting jealous. But she couldn¡¯t help it. Amethyst heaved a weary sigh and flipped the pages of the book she was trying to read. Somebody knocked on her door. ¡°Ash,¡± came the voice before the door slowly swung open. Amethyst looked up from her perch to see Alexcent then turned back to her book, ignoring him. ¡°Amethyst,¡± he said, ¡°I think there¡¯s been a mistake. Roelter and I weren¡¯t anything.¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t?¡± she said as she looked up at him again. She was seeing his face for the first time in several days. Just looking at him made her heart flutter. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, brightening, ¡°Roelter and I weren¡¯t romantically involved in any way. She is like a sister to me. That¡¯s why she often came to visit.¡± ¡°I wonder if she shares your thoughts,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Everyone seems to think you two were a match made in heaven.¡± Amethyst turned back to her book. What is this¡­ do I even have the right to be jealous? Amethyst wondered. ¡°That¡­ I wouldn¡¯t know,¡± he said, ¡°I can¡¯t speak on behalf of her. But Ash, on my part, it is certain that Roelter was never anything to me more than a younger sister.¡± Amethyst continued to ignore him. ¡°The reason I allowed her to keep visiting was because of Belice,¡± he said. ¡°The empress?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes, Belice was secretly in love with Roden and I was trying to help them,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°I am sure Roelter felt the same way. We were both trying to find a way to help our siblings. So, she came by with her brother and Belice and Roden could see each other more. Roden cares for his sister deeply so he would always visit with Roelter by his side. I thought nothing of it. The moment Belice announced her engagement with Roden, the visits decreased. I was unaware that it had cause a misunderstanding with the employees.¡± Amethyst trembled. Alexcent found himself a fool for making excuses and justifying to Amethyst. But feeling embarrassed and foolish was better than not being able to be with her. Alexcent approached her and kneeled so that he was on level with where she was seated. He gently took her hand in his. He was relieved that she didn¡¯t snatch her hand away from his so he placed a kiss on her hand. Amethyst looked at him, surprised. He continued to trail kissed on her palm, her wrist, her arm¡­ Amethyst was no longer angry. She giggled as his kisses ticked her. ¡°Alec,¡± she giggled, ¡°Stop it.¡± He looked up at her. ¡°Did you really think I was in love with Roelter?¡± he asked. Amethyst felt stupid not that she knew the whole story. She didn¡¯t respond. Her whole demeanor gave it away thought. Alexcent smiled. She was jealous. How adorable! ¡°Were you perhaps jealous?¡± he asked teasingly. ¡°No!¡± said Amethyst hurriedly. ¡°I think you were,¡± said Alexcent with a smirk. ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t!¡± said Amethyst, blushing. Alexcent chuckled. He got up and placed a kiss on her forehead, her cheeks, and her lips. He kissed her so passionately that Amethyst forgot about everything. But it wasn¡¯t enough, his hands were pulling at her clothes. She stalled him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked. ¡°It¡¯s still daylight,¡± she said. ¡°Please,¡± he said, ¡°I don¡¯t care. You haven¡¯t let me near you for the past few days. I can¡¯t hold back anymore. Ash¡­¡± His voice felt so soothing and loving uttering her name. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 163 Chapter 163 His caresses made Amethyst moan and Alexcent lifted her up and took her to her bed. How is he not angry at me for being jealous? Amethyst wondered. Am I allowed to be jealous? Please don¡¯t give me hope. Amethyst¡¯s mind was full of questions and musings, but she couldn¡¯t voice them out. As Alexcent tugged at her clothes, she spoke, ¡°Alec, I am still angry at you.¡± He groaned because he was already turned on. If he didn¡¯t get to make love to her today, somebody would die. ¡°What should I do to make it up to you?¡± he asked. ¡°Embrace me, tenderly,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Until I am okay.¡± So that I forget everything else and only remember you. She blushed. Alexcent grinned and whispered in her ears. ¡°As you wish. That is exactly what I want.¡± He leaned down and lifted her skirt. He stroked her slender legs and kissed her feet. He trailed his kissed slowly to her inner thigh. Finally, his lips reached her center and he kissed it. Amethyst gasped and flinched at the sudden touch. She tried to squirm away, but his hand held her tight. She could feel his hot breath at her center from outside her underwear. His hands caressed her. She was already wet. ¡°I haven¡¯t even got started and you are already wet,¡± said Alexcent with a chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± exclaimed Amethyst. He licked her and teased her over her underwear. ¡°Alec¡­mm,¡± mumbled Amethyst, ¡°Stop.¡± Amethyst looked down at him, he was still teasing her. She sat up and pushed him down. She got on top of him, with her legs on either side of his waist. She could see that he was already hard. She gyrated her hips at is waist. Usually, she would have welcomed his caresses but not today. She needed it to be more stimulating, rough and passionate. Is this too passionate? She asked herself. I want to feel so much pleasure so that everything else will be blinded by it. She unbuttoned his pants and pulled it halfway down. She pulled his underwear down, revealing his bulge. Amethyst stroked it and grabbed it and brought it to her center. The sight aroused her even more. She had forgotten to take off her panties in a hurry. Normally, it would be Alexcent undressing her. She pulled her panties down getting ready for the act. Alexcent folded his hands over his shoulder and propped his head on it, observing her flustered demeanor as though he was watching a spectacle. She had never initiated something like this before. This felt new to him. He was amused. Amethyst felt daunted at the sight of his thing. She wasn¡¯t able to make it enter her. ¡°Alec, help me a little,¡± she implored. But he didn¡¯t budge. She was still staring at her with a smirk on his face, challenging her to figure it out on her own. She rubbed her thighs at his bugle, urging him. Has she ever wanted him this much before? Alexcent thought. He decided to enjoy the moment a little more. Amethyst leaned down and kissed his chin. ¡°Please,¡± she whispered. She then kissed him on his lips. He could feel her wetness as she rubbed against him. Alexcent resolve was weakening as he heard her moan. ¡°Alec, mm,¡± she whispered, ¡°Please¡­¡± Alexcent couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He grabbed her behind and entered her. He held her tightly as she arched her back. A low scream-like moan escaped from her lips. She trembled as he filled her. ¡°Try moving,¡± he said, hoarsely, ¡°Slowly.¡± Amethyst heeded his instructions. She moved her hips up and lowered it slowly. She kept repeating the motion. ¡°Ah,¡± Alexcent groaned, ¡°You are doing it right.¡± He moaned. The praise mixed with his moans sent Amethyst reeling. She moved faster. The contact ignited a heat in her and both moans filled the room. Amethyst still wasn¡¯t satisfied. She wanted more. She took his thrusts faster and moved her hips harder. ¡°Alec,¡± she mumbled as her strength gave away and she slouched forwards on him, trembling. ¡°Alec,¡± she stammered, ¡°I can¡¯t hold on anymore.¡± Alexcent sat up and embraced her. He held her and thrust his hips into her. Their lips found each other and kissed passionately. The only sound that filled the room was their rough breathing and the thrust of their bodies intertwined with each other. Amethyst climaxed and slumped forward. ¡°Ahhh,¡± she moaned. Alexcent stopped. He slid out of her and turned her around so that her back faced him. ¡°Alec,¡± she said. ¡°Just a little more,¡± he said. ¡°No!¡± she said and turned to face him. Alexcent let her go at her sudden refusal. ¡°Not like this,¡± she said, ¡°I¡­ today¡­¡± He looked at her with concern wondering whether she had worn herself out. ¡°I want to look at you today,¡± she said, ¡°I want to look at your face when you do it.¡± Relieved, Alexcent obliged. He happily stole kisses from her lips as he thrust inside her and made her moan. This was Amethyst¡¯s futile attempt to remind herself of herself. As long as she could look at him, she could fool herself that she was Amethyst. Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Early next morning, she opened her eyes. She felt exhausted and her whole body felt sore, but her mind was awake and clear. Her dream. The one that he had called a nightmare that night when she had been unable to calm down or fall asleep, it lingered every day. Her mind wouldn¡¯t rest. Her past and her guilt, that she tried so hard to suppress, would appear and torment her again. The more Alexcent tried to embrace her, the guiltier she felt. She reminded herself that she couldn¡¯t let things go further. This has to stop. She knew it. She accepted it. And yet, whenever she looked at her with such a tender gaze, she felt her resolve waver. She knew she couldn¡¯t wish for his heart no matter how much she wanted to. So, every day she reminded herself of it and suppressed her desires. Her guilt was always at the corner of her mind, adding to the weight that she already felt crushing her. Her guilt grew bigger side by side with her desire and it felt like it would overwhelm her any day now. I need to stop this, she thought to herself. She knew better but her heart couldn¡¯t bear to outright reject him. She was always craving and wanting him by her side. She cursed herself for not being resolute, but she also didn¡¯t want to let him go. She felt like she would collapse from wanting him and constantly reprimanding herself for her desires. Amethyst stared at his sleeping form beside her. His hands wrapped around her body. ¡®You¡¯re the one who should be careful not to fall in love with me and cling on. It¡¯s a nuisance.¡¯ Alec had said before. Amethyst frowned at she was reminded of an old memory. He would never really love me for who I am, she thought, so, it should be okay. It is okay as long as no one know how I feel. Maybe he already has another lover destined for him. Because it is not me. Please allow me to love him as much as I can until the contract period is over, she prayed, I will make it so that it will be as before but please¡­ let him only look at me until then. She didn¡¯t even know who or what she was praying to. But she felt desperate. Her plea was sincere. He was so beautiful. It made her heart ache with fondness just by looking at him sleeping peacefully. She placed a soft kiss on his cheek and snuggled close to him and tried to sleep. *** Alexcent felt chirpy in the morning. He felt happy and light. He walked with spring in his steps out of Amethyst¡¯s room. Since I took the day off yesterday, I will be very busy today. Oh, first¡­ He went into his own room cheerfully. ¡°Pon,¡± he called. ¡°Yes, My Lord?¡± ¡°Give the maid her job back,¡± he said. ¡°Sorry?¡± said Pon, confused. Then remembered he had been told to fire the gossiping maids. ¡°Oh, understood.¡± Pon realized that the duke was in a very good mood today. He was contended the whole day until he received an invite that he couldn¡¯t decline and his scowled turned ever menacing, again. *** ¡°Oh my! Lady Skad, please come in,¡± Empress Belice welcomed Amethyst to her tearoom, ¡°You have gotten even prettier than the last time I saw you.¡± Amethyst and Alexcent had been invited to the Empress¡¯ palace for tea in the imperial garden. Well, she had been invited to tea while Alexcent had work in the palace today. ¡°Your highness, please call me Amethyst,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°And thank you for honoring me with your time. I am so very grateful.¡± ¡°My, my. I can¡¯t possibly address you with your name,¡± said Belice, ¡°It was different before but now you are officially Lady Skad It was different before the wedding but now you are officially Lady Skad, but please be at ease here.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you,¡± said Amethyst. Empress Belice seemed to be in a very cheery temperament today. She directed a beaming smile at Amethyst. ¡°I am very disappointed,¡± declared Belice. ¡°Why are you disappointed?¡± asked Amethyst with worry. ¡°How is it so difficult to get to meet you?¡± asked Belice, ¡°How could you not visit me even once at the palace? We promised to get along like sisters.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I am sorry,¡± stammered Amethyst, ¡°I just assumed you would be very busy¡­¡± ¡°No matter how busy I am,¡± said Belice, ¡°I will always make time for you. Lady Skad.¡± Could I really have sauntered into the palace and asked to meet the empress whenever I pleased? Amethyst wondered. Is that what it means to be a duke¡¯s wife? Amethyst was at a loss. She didn¡¯t know what to say to Belice. ¡°I will remember it next time,¡± she said, finally, ¡°And I will make sure I visit often.¡± Belice beamed brighter and nodded. ¡°Does Alexcent treat you well?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°He is very doting and attentive.¡± ¡°I am so jealous!¡± said Belice, ¡°I heard you turned the table on the nobles?¡± Amethyst blushed. Belice was talking about the fireworks. ¡°Ah, I¡­¡± Amethyst stammered, ¡°I pestered him. It wasn¡¯t his fault.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± said Belice, chucking, ¡°I am just surprised that there is such a side to Alexcent.¡± Belice glanced at Alexcent, who was casually sipping his tea pretending that he hadn¡¯t heard anything. I wonder if he really doesn¡¯t care about this conversation or just pretending, thought Belice. ¡°By the way, Lady Skad,¡± said Belice, turning to Amethyst, ¡°Will you be attending the hunting match hosted by the imperial family? I am really looking forward it for the first time in a long time. I would love for you to attend.¡± Before Amethyst could reply, Alexcent intercepted. ¡°She will not be attending it, Your Highness,¡± he said, briskly. ¡°Why?¡± Chapter 165 Chapter 165 ¡°Maybe she¡¯ll be ill then?¡± Alexcent confidently gave a nonsense reason. Belice and Amethyst could not stop laughing. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. He actually believes you¡¯re going to get sick at the hunting contest in three months?¡± Belice questioned. ¡°Alec! What kind of stubbornness is this?¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. Alexcent leaned toward Amethyst and whispered in her ear. ¡°Just wait, I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t even be able to get up the day before the hunting competition.¡± How dare he! To say such things in public? Amethyst thought, blushing. Seeing how Belice insisted on her attending, the hunting competition must be quite different from the annual festival. Even if she wasn¡¯t going to participate, she wanted to at least be a spectator. Amethyst glared at Alexcent. ¡°Your majesty, my husband is only looking out for my safety. I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be sick, but I can¡¯t go if my husband doesn¡¯t wish it. Perhaps if it is a royal order, I can¡­¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a royal order!¡± Belice replied immediately. ¡°Belice!¡± Alexcent was shocked. ¡°I shall personally send Lady Skad an invitation with my royal stamp on it,¡± Belice said, defiantly. ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll be punished for not abiding to her majesty¡¯s command.¡± Alexcent could be defiant as well. ¡°What?!¡± Belice was not expecting him to stand his ground. She laughed. ¡°Then I suppose I should include punishment for rude behaviour as well.¡± ¡°What rude behaviour?¡± Alexcent asked, as he started to get worried. ¡°Recently, I don¡¯t like how you steal everything away.¡± ¡°Steal? What are you talking about?¡± Now Alexcent was really concerned ¡°Well¡­you¡¯ll just have to wait to find out.¡± The women laughed. Belice and Amethyst took turns, making up imaginary crimes to tease him with. No matter how good Alexcent was as a politician and businessman, his skills were of little help when the two women banded together to ridicule him. ¡°Please allow it. I don¡¯t have to be a participant. I¡¯ll just watch.¡± Amethyst grasped his hands and looked at him with eager eyes, to which Alexcent approved reluctantly. ¡°If you promise not to leave my side¡­then I will think about it.¡± ¡°I will never, never, NEVER leave your side!¡± ¡°Lady Skad I think you¡¯d do well as a businesswoman,¡± Belice smiled. She seemed satisfied with Alex¡¯s change in decision. *** After their tea time with Belice, they prepared to return to the mansion. Amethyst was reminded of something. ¡°It¡¯s technically still office hours, right?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Alexcent replied. ¡°Then do you think father will still be in the palace?¡± Alexcent had been suspicious of Count Lohikin due to specific events that had occurred. He had not yet received his report from Gen regarding the incident, so he treads cautiously with Amethyst. ¡°Why?¡± he asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not very often that I come to the palace so I thought I should drop in and say hello. He¡¯d be upset if I didn¡¯t see him.¡± ¡°Are you sure that would be all right?¡± Alexcent inquired. What does he mean by that? Amethyst thought. Does Alec already know that the man is not my real father? Of course, he doesn¡¯t. If he did, he would know that I¡¯m not the real Amethyst. ¡°Wha-what do you mean if that¡¯s okay?¡± Amethyst stumbled over her words. So there really is something about Count Lohikin. Alexcent was now suspicious of Amethyst¡¯s reaction. She has a tendency to stutter when she wants to hide something. I better get Gen to hurry up with that report. ¡°Nothing,¡± Alexcent replied simply. Amethyst was beginning to get anxious. There was no way he could suspect her. But he was hiding his expressions and that definitely meant he¡¯s on to something. If he realizes that I¡¯m not Amethyst, what will happen to me? She had begun to panic. Will I be chased out? He might kill me! But he promised to spare my life. I¡¯d better be careful not to get caught by him. ¡°I miss my father.¡± Amethyst tried to play to his sympathy. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see him before we go,¡± Alexcent conceded. As they walked, with Alexcent leading Amethyst, you could feel the tension between them. The two headed to the administration office where the Ministry of Finance was located. Amethyst¡¯s eyes widened. She had never been to the administration offices before. The buildings were enormous. They were clearly a representation of the glory of the empire. Inside, they stopped at a door with the name Count Lake Lohikin engraved over his title, the Vice Minister of Finance. Amethyst knocked. ¡°Yes, come in,¡± a voice called from the interior. As they entered, Count Lohikin rose from his seat and greeted them warmly. ¡°Amethyst!¡± ¡°Father!¡± Amethyst quickly ran to his side and embraced him ¡°What brings you here?¡± he asked. ¡°I had an audience with the Empress, so I thought I would drop by to see you before I headed back.¡± ¡°I see. Now let me take a look at your face!¡± Amethyst took a step back and looked into Count Lohikin¡¯s eyes. ¡°My darling, I nearly forgot what you looked like.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, father, for not visiting you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. As long as you are doing well, that¡¯s all that matters. But do try to contact me from time to time.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Amethyst embraced her father in a warm hug and pressed her face against his chest. It was a calculative move to show Alexcent that she was close to her father. It would alleviate his suspicions. ¡°You always were the independent one,¡± her father said, holding her tight ¡°I¡¯m your daughter, it comes naturally,¡± she laughed. ¡°If you¡¯re not too busy, can you stay for a while before you go.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have work?¡± ¡°No matter how busy I am, I can always make time to chat with you,¡± Count Lohikin smiled. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 166 Chapter 166 I didn¡¯t realize the true Amethyst was so popular, she thought.Everyone says they will make time for me, no matter how busy they are. ¡°Then I guess I can stay for a bit.¡± Count Lohikin only then seemed to acknowledge Alexcent¡¯s presence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. How awful of me. I only greeted my daughter. Pardon my rudeness, Prince Skad. Please take a seat.¡± ¡°Do not worry about it,¡± Alexcent replied, politely. Amethyst held on to Count Lohikin¡¯s arm as they sat on the sofa, side by side. ¡°Do you still have to work late most days?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°No. I have a bit more freedom as Congress has not gone into session yet.¡± ¡°Mother had been concerned about your health from the late nights. I hope you are feeling more like yourself?¡± ¡°Of course! What about you, are you well?¡± Count Lohikin studied Amethyst¡¯s face, watching her reaction to his question. ¡°I¡¯m probably the definition of health,¡± she replied, realizing she may have made a mistake. ¡°¡°Oh darling, don¡¯t you recall when you were younger!¡± Count Lohikin reminded her. I don¡¯t know anything about when I was younger. Was I ill a lot? Maybe, he didn¡¯t notice my slip up. Let¡¯s just try to pass it smoothly. However, Alexcent showed interest and didn¡¯t let the topic go. ¡°When she was younger?¡± he asked. ¡°She was always a weak child, often developing fevers. That¡¯s why my wife and I were always concerned. We doted on her and spoiled her too much, which is why she tends to be bull-headed sometimes.¡± ¡°Father! There¡¯s no need to say such things.¡± Amethyst was aghast at what she was hearing. Count Lohikin laughed. ¡°I guess I¡¯ve embarrassed you now.¡± Thankfully, Count Lohikin hadn¡¯t spoke of a specific memory. Amethyst sighed at narrowly avoiding a crisis. ¡°That must be why you were scolded by the countess,¡± Alexcent teased Amethyst. ¡°Sorry? Really, is there anyone who grew up without getting scolded some time?¡± Amethyst was feeling attacked. ¡°I see,¡± Alexcent smirked. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else! And stop teasing me.¡± Amethyst had got her back up and the others felt it was time to move to a new topic. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that,¡± Count Lohikin agreed, trying to quell the situation. ¡°How is life at the mansion? Is it difficult? I¡¯m curious, since you don¡¯t have any experience.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine and I¡¯m doing well. Everyone treats me kindly. There is no need for you to worry,¡± Amethyst assure her father. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Count Lohikin seemed genuinely concerned. ¡°Recently I started drawing.¡± Amethyst, once again, quickly changed the topic of conversation. For the rest of the afternoon, they spoke of trivial things. Alexcent seemed relieved that he had misinterpreted things but couldn¡¯t let go of the nagging feeling that something was amiss. *** After the close call with her father, Amethyst swore to herself that she would live every day as if it was her last and loved Alexcent every moment she could. For once, she was awake when he got up in the morning. She sat up and leaned against the headboard, watching Alexcent dress. She asked, ¡°Are you going to be late today?¡± ¡°Probably not,¡± he answered ¡°Then you¡¯ll be here for dinner?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll try.¡± ¡°Trying is not good enough,¡± she nagged. Alexcent laughed. ¡°Alright, I will be here.¡± He kissed her and exited the bedroom to start his day. He didn¡¯t dislike the change he was seeing in Amethyst, but still wasn¡¯t fully content as there continued to seem to be a distance between them. It was still pitch-black outside, and no one else was awake. Gen showed up at his office to give the day¡¯s report. Alexcent sighed heavily, causing Gen to hesitate. A sigh was always troublesome, and Gen wondered what the matter was. Gen finally mustered up the courage and asked, ¡°What is it my lord?¡± ¡°Something is wrong with Ash,¡± Alexcent replied. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gen had no idea what Alexcent was talking about. ¡°How should I put it? It¡¯s like she¡¯s rejecting me?¡± Gen couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°Did you sleep in separate rooms last night?¡± ¡°No. It was great. Last night, Ash was on top.¡± ¡°My Lord! I apologize, but I do not wish to hear about the private details of the happenings in your bedroom.¡± Alexcent ignored Gen¡¯s protests. ¡°Looking up at her from below was heart-stopping beautiful. And furthermore¡­.¡± ¡°My Lord!! Please!¡± Gen shuffled uncomfortably. He just wanted to make his report and leave. ¡°But something is not right. We¡¯re so close, and yet it feels like she¡¯s pushing me away.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Gen asked. ¡°Precisely. What do I mean by that?¡± Alex knew she wanted him, but it was like she won¡¯t give over her heart. Does she want me just for my body? Alexcent thought. I hope that is not the case. ¡°My lord, please focus.¡± Gen desperately tried to get the man back on track. ¡°Sorry.¡± Alexcent tried to clear the thoughts from his head. ¡°Pleas continue.¡± Gen placed a document in front of him. ¡°This is the list of the newly recruited knights. They will be arriving at the mansion shortly, so we need to prepare for their welcome and accommodations. ¡°I see. Is it that time of the year already?¡± Alexcent had completely lost track of the days. ¡°Yes. They need to be settled in the mansion before the hunting competition begins.¡± ¡°How many are there this year?¡± ¡°Five. As always, we recruited the minimum number. Their skills should be adequate.¡± ¡°Skills are a given. Is there one that stands out?¡± Alec was hoping for a champion. Best novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 167 You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 167 ¡°Hmm¡­not really.¡± Gen referred to the documents. ¡°The only one that stood out was having someone from the Royal Academy¡¯s senior martial arts graduating class join the Order of the Prince, not the Imperial Knights.¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s unusual.¡± Alexcent was curious. Originally, it was the standard that seniors and second-class graduates were the first to join the Imperial Knights. In addition, if it was someone who graduated from the academy, it meant that he was a nobleman. It was unusual that such a knight would choose to join the Order of the Prince instead of the Imperial Army. Among the mercenaries, joining the Order of the Prince was much more meaningful than being a knight for the Imperial Army. They selected knights based on ability. But, for the aristocrats that valued honour, it was a different case. Because of this difference in values, there were more knights from lower social tiers, than knights from aristocratic families in the Order of the Prince. Their bond, loyalty, and solidarity were said to be of the highest value in the empire, particularly since the duke insisted on only collecting outstanding knights. ¡®Recently, I don¡¯t like how you steal everything away,¡¯ Belice had said. Now I know what she was referring to ¨C the knights. Alexcent became aware of the situation. He confirmed the personal information of this particular knight from Gen¡¯s documents. ¡°For the welcoming we¡¯re having Ash with us, so relay that to Lunia.¡± Alexcent said as he studied the report. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Gen agreed. The appointment ceremony of the knights was one of the important ceremonies by the royal family. It was the first time the knights met their lord. Lady Skad played a large and important role. During the appointment ceremony she only needed to be present. However, the celebration event after was to be managed and run by her. It was her opportunity to impress the other royal families, as well as meet and greet all of the new knights. Alexcent passed the documents back to Gen and asked, ¡°Is the report on Count Lohikin still not ready?¡± ¡°Actually, it is. That was my next order of business.¡± Gen took out another file. ¡°There wasn¡¯t anything unusual to report. It¡¯s already what we know.¡± ¡°I see. I guess I was wrong.¡± ¡°However.¡± Gen continued. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Apparently, Lady Skad has always had a weak body, ever since her childhood,¡± Gen reported. ¡°I already knew that.¡± This confirmed what Alexcent had heard in Count Lohikin¡¯s office. ¡°But, after being seriously sick before the royal ball, she has steadily become healthier.¡± ¡°Royal ball? You mean the first day I met her?¡± Alexcent remembered the day clearly. ¡°Yes. She apparently had an extremely high fever a few days before the event, but since then she hasn¡¯t been ill.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Alexcent wondered what would have caused such a drastic change. ¡°Perhaps she was suffering from spiritual sickness?¡± ¡°I doubt it. If she did then she would have become one of the Goddess¡¯ guides before she turned 20.¡± A spiritual sickness was imposed on those who weren¡¯t related to the Goddess, yet had somehow inherited her blood. Even if they didn¡¯t become a wizard, they would inherit excellent spiritual communication skills, and sometimes become overwhelmed by the strength of them. Usually, they would not be able to withstand this power and burn out, relegating them to become a member of the Goddess¡¯ guides. For a moment, Alexcent worried that was what Amethyst had. But, since she was past the age of twenty, there could be no way. As Gen said, she just had a weak body. ¡°I must tell Pon to keep an eye on her.¡± Alexcent wanted Amethyst looked after, in case her sickness returned. ¡°Of course. Also, about the contract you mentioned previously. There is little difference trying to annul a verbal contract and changing it to a written one. The legal effect is no different. It will be difficult to invalidate this contract, unless there is a justifiable reason.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Alexcent was disappointed with this news. ¡°Alright. Good work.¡± ¡°If there is nothing else, I will take my leave for the day.¡± Gen began to exit. ¡°One last thing,¡± Alexcent said, stopping the man. ¡°Ash will be attending the royal hunting competition, so please make sure to add her.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After Gen left the office, Alexcent couldn¡¯t help but continue to feel anxious about Amethyst, which made him extremely uncomfortable. *** ¡°Madam, the appointment ceremony of the Skad Household knights will be held in a couple of days,¡± Lunia informed Amethyst. ¡°Appointment ceremony?¡± Amethyst had not heard of this. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s where new knights for the house are appointed. This year you must attend. Which means you must dress formally.¡± ¡°Formal?¡± Amethyst became anxious at what Lunia¡¯s definition of formal may mean. ¡°It¡¯s not overly grand. Your gown will be similar to your usual party dress, but adorned with a few different types of medals,¡± Lunia explained to her ¡°Wait. What do you mean by different types?¡± Alexcent was confused. ¡°There are different types of medals for formal wear. There are the ones you adorn on your shoulder, and the others go around your arm or chest,¡± Lunia described. ¡°You mean the sash-like things people wear diagonally across their bodies?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Yes. If you had been appointed a knight then you would wear a sword as well but, since that isn¡¯t the case, that won¡¯t be necessary. Amethyst laughed ¡°It sounds complicated. Do I own any medals? I don¡¯t recall receiving any.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never formally attended a royal event so you haven¡¯t had to wear it, but after your wedding the empress awarded you with medals which are now being kept in the safe. You¡¯re considered first rank, the same as his lord.¡± ¡°First rank?¡± Amethyst did not know what that meant. ¡°Yes. You can consider it one of the highest ranked medals the empress can bestow.¡± You can read the novel fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 168 You can read the novel online free at novelhall.com Chapter 168 Amethyst couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Just because I¡¯m Lady Skad, to think I would receive such a thing. That¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°Madam, that is common tradition.¡± ¡°Too many things are common tradition, that¡¯s the problem.¡± Amethyst never knew what was expected of her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll make sure the preparations are thoroughly organized.¡± ¡°Thank you. Then I¡¯ll leave it to you, Lunia.¡± ¡°The welcoming ceremony will be more important than the appointment ceremony.¡± ¡°Welcome ceremony?¡± How much more was there? ¡°The welcoming ceremony is managed by you, Madam, in honor of the new knights.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that I need to prepare the events of the welcoming ceremony?¡± Amethyst knew she wouldn¡¯t have the first clue what to do. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Maybe you could organize it exactly like the year before. I don¡¯t know anything about this event.¡± Amethyst was at a loss. ¡°Exactly like the year before?¡± Lunia was beginning to understand that Amethyst wanted to minimize her efforts again. ¡°That won¡¯t do?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not impossible. Didn¡¯t you form any friendships with the knights when you practiced your swordsmanship? I think it would be best if you put in some effort, that¡¯s all.¡± Lunia¡¯s words made sense. They were the knights whom she spent time with since she came to the mansion. Amethyst had learnt her swordsmanship with their help, so now it was her turn to return the favour. ¡°Where will the ceremony be held?¡± she asked. ¡°Since all the knights are attending, it should be in the larger banquet hall.¡± ¡°All the knights?¡± Amethyst¡¯s eyes widened. There were a lot of knights. ¡°What¡¯s the total number?¡± ¡°The Skad household knights consist of ten units. The number of people in each unit depends on the group number. The first unit consists of ten knights, while the second unit consists of twenty and so on,¡± Lunia explained. ¡°So, then the tenth unit has 100 knights?¡± ¡°Right now, it¡¯s 95. The soldiers that harassed the maids have been dismissed,¡± Lunia looked enraged when she brought that fact up. ¡°There are relatively fewer first knights. Does that mean they are considered the most elite unit?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°You can think of it similar to a tournament bracket,¡± Lunia said. ¡°New knights start in the tenth unit and progress up the ranks step by step, according to their abilities. There are lead knights in each unit, while Lord Hilder is the lead of all units. Including the new knights, there are 571 soldiers in total.¡± Even though that sounded like a lot, Amethyst thought about the size of the mansion they had to protect. Lunia continued. ¡°The knight¡¯s skills are outstanding. Our household probably has the most elite soldiers. Even lower-level knights here are worth a hundred soldiers from other households. They can¡¯t come close to the knights of other noble families.¡± Sir Buer, the commander of the first Division, does not seem like he¡¯s worth a hundred soldiers, Amethyst thought. I guess I shouldn¡¯t judge him based on appearance. After all, if Buer is the first division commander he must be really skilled. ¡°I¡¯m assuming we should prepare a feast for the dinner?¡± Amethyst started thinking of possibilities. ¡°Let¡¯s prepare a lot of greasy, meat dishes.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that your personal craving?¡± Lunia was smirking. ¡°No!¡± Amethyst protested. ¡°Please don¡¯t be upset, it¡¯s a common stereotype to think that knights only like meat.¡± ¡°Then we should go vegan?¡± That didn¡¯t sound right to Amethyst. Lunia pondered for a moment before replying. ¡°I guess we should prepare mostly meat dishes.¡± ¡°Told you.¡± Amethyst smirked back. ¡°For the decorations, we should use the vendor Floria. She is really good.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll get some quotes from Floria.¡± ¡°Is there anything I should be thinking about?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Since you¡¯re already on friendly terms with the knight, you might want to pay attention to the seating arrangements.¡± ¡°Seating arrangements?¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t believe how much there was to consider when planning a party. ¡°Just like royal families,¡± Lunia explained, ¡°Ranks are very important amongst knights. Which means the seating arrangement is very important.¡± ¡°Can we go with round table seating?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Sorry?!¡± ¡°It must be uncomfortable being so hierarchical. Must we do that while eating? Just place everyone around circular tables so we can all eat as equals.¡± ¡°We could, but if you make the unit leads eat with their men, there could be issues,¡± Lunia said. ¡°How was it done last year?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Along the long table, at the front, the leads of each unit sit according to their ranks. Then the newly appointed knights take their seats at the tables in front. This shows honour to who is in charge.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we try having myself, Alec, the unit leads, and the new knights at the long table; while the rest sit freely at round tables. If that doesn¡¯t work, we can change the location and come up with a better seating plan.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Amethyst spent the rest day in Lunia¡¯s company going over every other minor detail of this very important event *** The day of the ceremony arrived, and Amethyst was preparing herself to welcome the guests. Since she had to wear formal attire, Lunia had instructed for Amethyst¡¯s corset to be laced three times tighter than usual. ¡°Lunia, I feel like I¡¯m going to vomit my gut¡­.¡± Amethyst was in serious pain. ¡°Please stay still. And don¡¯t say such things in front of the knights.¡± Amethyst groaned loudly as the straps were pulled even tighter. ¡°Miss Lunia! Madam seems to be suffering so much. Shall I stop?¡± Roman, who was tightening the corset from behind, asked worriedly. Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 169 Chapter 169 ¡°Miss Roman, you¡¯ve only tightened it three times! More, more!¡± Lunia was unsympathetic. ¡°Lunia, I hate you!¡± Amethyst cried, as the corset was tightened again, eliciting several more screams. After the corset was fully fastened, Amethyst donned a red shoulder strap bearing a medal made from gold. If I only had a tiara, I¡¯d look like a queen, she thought. The white dress she wore had a double layer of frill and was accentuated by the sash; and the gold medal dazzled in the sun. Roman and Lunia had certainly done this a few times before and Amethyst had a chance to relax since they were completed early. As they waited for the appointment ceremony to begin, they heard a commotion outside the window. Amethyst peered through the glass. Five men, in the uniforms of knights, were jostling each other as they maneuvered to stand in a line. Amethyst hadn¡¯t met all the knights, but these certainly looked like the new recruits. ¡°The new knights are here,¡± she announced. ¡°I was wondering why they were so loud? They seem to be high in spirits.¡± Lunia had joined Amethyst at the window. She pointed out a knight with a full head of bright, brown hair brushed back neatly. ¡°Ma¡¯am, that new recruit over there!¡± ¡°What about him?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°He¡¯s the one who graduated with honours from the academy this year, but he joined the Order of the Prince instead of the Imperial Knights.¡± ¡°If he graduated with honours, he¡¯s probably very skilled. Why is it such news that he joined the Order of the Prince?¡± Amethyst was curious. ¡°Most of the graduates from the Academy are the children of nobleman. It¡¯s the highest honour for them to join the Imperial Knights. But, for some reason, he picked the guards of a noble family, specifically the Skad family. It¡¯s not usual and everyone is talking about it.¡± ¡°Really? Why did he pick the Skad family?¡± Amethyst wanted an explanation ¡°No one knows. His family has a long history of being Imperial Knights, so it was expected that he¡¯d either pick the Imperial Knights or at least the guards for his own family. He won¡¯t give a reason as to why he made this decision.¡± Lunia continued to watch this new knight as she explained. ¡°He hasn¡¯t told anyone?¡± Amethyst wondered. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just a private person. What is the big deal that he joined the army of the Skad family?¡± ¡°The duke only picks knights with the highest level of skill. To tell you the truth, even if you graduated with honours from the Academy, you wouldn¡¯t even come close to meeting the level of the knights here. Hence, there have been no noblemen amongst our forces. ¡°Ah, so this knight would be the first?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Lunia confirmed. ¡°So that¡¯s why it¡¯s such a hot topic. The first nobleman knight of the duke¡¯s family.¡± Amethyst was impressed. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s the second son of the Marquis Crenson. His name is Barden Crenson,¡± Lunia confirmed Barden Crenson? Amethyst thought. Where have I heard that name before? It must just be a common name. Lunia turned from the window and went back to her instructions for the ceremony. ¡°After greeting the new knights, give them your hand.¡± ¡°My hand? Is it for a handshake?¡± Amethyst really didn¡¯t know what she was doing. ¡°No. The knights will kiss the back of your hand in loyalty to the household.¡± ¡°Do we really have to do that?¡± Amethyst was not impressed. It had felt strange when the Baron Piamon had kissed her hand before. ¡°Think of it as a pledge,¡± Lunia assured her. ¡°All right.¡± Amethyst was still unsure. There was a knock at the door and Alexcent entered the room. Unlike his usual attire, he was wearing a black uniform decorated with gold stripes and the same shoulder strap and medal that Amethyst wore. The sash was adorned with many more medals, weighting it down. Amethyst eyes widened. Alec certainly cleaned up nicely. The suit just accentuated his handsome face, making her speechless. ¡°You look fabulous!¡± Amethyst uttered, her heart beating fast. ¡°Of course, I do,¡± Alec joked. ¡°Are you ready to go?¡± He extended his arm for her. He had never offered his arm before. Was it because he saw her lock arms with her father? She entwined her arm with his, and he seemed satisfied. As they walked, all she could register was the blood thumping through her veins. She felt like a girl in her teens. She must have been flush in the face from her pounding heart. The ceremony was being held in a training facility. The Chief Commander, Sir Hill, led the formation of knights into the building. Everyone had an air of majesty and courage, in their crisp uniforms and polished swords. They didn¡¯t seem like the same people that had joked around with her while she was learning swordsmanship with them. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Read novel online free fast updates at novelhall.com Chapter 170 Chapter 170 The new knights that would be receiving appointment letters looked nervous compared to the seasoned knights. Amethyst and Alec stood at the front, waiting to greet the knights. Gen made his way to the front of the stage, as he would be the master of the ceremonies. Amethyst nodded greetings to Sir Hill, Leyrian, and Buer, who all stood at attention and were the signs of professionalism. As she scanned the soldiers, her eyes fell on Lunia who was wearing a uniform and standing between the division commanders. Lunia¡¯s eyes met hers and she responded with a funny smile. Lunia was a tenth division commander. That¡¯s how she knew so much about the new knights. She wasn¡¯t just an assistant. Lunia definitely hid this fact to surprise her. Amethyst replied with a ¡®you got me¡¯ smile. As the ceremony went on, Amethyst slowly looked over the knights one by one, greeting them with a nod if her eyes met anyone¡¯s. She could feel someone watching her. Scanning the crowd her eyes me the one Lunia mentioned ¨C Sir Barden Crenson. Why does he keep looking at me? Does he know me? She tried to avoid looking at him, but his gaze continued to stay on her. It felt awkward. It was beginning to bother her, so she shifted her focus to Alec. Her body began to calm as she looked into her husband¡¯s eyes. Alexcent mouthed the word ¡®What?¡¯ and his face showed concern. Amethyst nodded slightly to let him know that she was all right. Gen¡¯s quick progress through the appointment letter presentation ended with the greetings from the duke and duchess. The new knights stood in front of Alexcent and Amethyst the moment their names were announced. ¡°Barden Crenson!¡± Gen called. Crenson? The name nagged at Amethyst¡¯s mind once more. Marquis Crenson! My god! Barden Crenson was the man that I had almost been promised to in marriage!Amethyst remembered her father talking about the family as he planned an arranged marriage. She hadn¡¯t known his name, but her father had mentioned it was Marquis Crenson¡¯s second child, so it must be him. That¡¯s why he was staring at her. He knew her. So why did he come to be a knight with the duke? Barden¡¯s never met her and doesn¡¯t know her name. As Amethyst was lost in her thoughts, she could hear herself being addressed. She refocused and realized Lunia was trying to get her attention. ¡°Hand! Give him your hand!¡± Lunia was hissing from the side. Smiling foolishly, Amethyst held out her hand tentatively. Barden kneeled, as was proper, and kissed the back of her outstretched hand. Then he returned to his original post. The rest of the knights were called upon in succession, greeting Alexcent and kissing the back of Amethyst¡¯s hand. Alexcent¡¯s mood seemed to darken after every kiss, and she could see the pinnacle of jealousy by the last. The knights could sense his mood and became nervous as they didn¡¯t know why. There was a general unease amongst them when the ceremony was over. The knights disappeared as quickly as they could. Amethyst caught up with Lunia, before she left. ¡°Lunia! How could you?¡± Lunia laughed. ¡°Were you surprised?¡± ¡°Of course! My goodness, you¡¯re a knight!¡± ¡°It¡¯s an interlock. With the assistant position.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not just an interlock!¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t believe how humble Lunia was being. ¡°Division commander! Why didn¡¯t you tell me? You should¡¯ve told me when I was training!¡± ¡°There was no reason too, at the time. Even though I¡¯m a division commander, my skill is the lowest. The Duke and Chief Commander Hill are teaching you personally, so why would I butt in?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have wanted to learn from Alec or Sir Hill. I would have liked to learn from you. I¡¯m really disappointed.¡± Amethyst was putting Lunia on. She figured, since Lunia tricked her, she would trick Lunia. ¡°Huh?! Ma¡¯am, please forgive me,¡± Lunia started protesting. Amethyst ignored her pleading and continued. ¡°I guess my skill was so pitiful, that you didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with me.¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± ¡°I had such hard time learning from Alec who has no skill in teaching.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Lunia didn¡¯t know what else to say, as she watched Amethyst begin to tear up. Then the tears turned to giggles. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Alexcent asked, having joined the ladies. ¡°I¡¯m messing with Lunia,¡± Amethyst said, laughing harder. ¡°Ma¡¯am!¡± Lunia realized that she¡¯d been played and gave Amethyst a look of resentment. ¡°Is today¡¯s schedule over?¡± Amethyst asked ¡°Yes,¡± Lunia replied, still recovering from the joke that had been played on her. ¡°Well then, Sir Lunia, I¡¯ll see you later.¡± Amethyst gave her a mocking salute. ¡°Of course. Ma¡¯am,¡± Lunia replied, through gritted teeth. Amethyst and Alexcent, leaving Lunia behind, grasped hands and head off to the Duke¡¯s Mansion. Chapter 171 Chapter 171 After they had got into bed, Alexcent could not stop kissing Amethyst¡¯s hand. Does Alec have a fetish? Amethyst wondered. He has not stopped touching my hand since we go here. Ouch! He had bit the back of her hand. ¡°Alec? My hand. It feels swollen.¡± Alexcent silenced her by pressing his lips against hers. He opened her mouth with his forceful tongue, which he ran along her teeth and then brushed the inside of her cheek. Each of Amethyst¡¯s nerve cells flinched and she trembled. ¡°Al¡­e¡­!¡± she moaned. He clamped on to her with a ferocity, as if he had desire flowing through his veins. Amethyst could tell that he would not be dissuaded from intimacy. Alexcent pulled her closer to his chest. ¡°Alec,¡± she gasped, trying to catch a breath. Alexcent lowered his head, lifted her chin a little and put his lips on hers once more. She instinctually cupped his face with her hands as their tongues tangled with each other. Alexcent revealed one of her full breasts, his fingers twisting and caressing her nipple. His other hand made its way between her legs, rubbing at the entrance to pleasure with a finger. Her legs spasmed with joy as she moaned in his arms. It took no time for his finger to become slippery with her juice. ¡°You¡¯re so wet already,¡± He whispered in her ear. ¡°Don¡¯t say¡­that,¡± Amethyst sighed ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s embarra¡­.. uhhhhh!¡± One of his thick fingers made its way inside of her. ¡°As if this could be embarrassing,¡± Alexcent said, slyly. A second finger entered her. Amethyst instinctively closed her thighs as the pressure built inside. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Alexcent admonished her. ¡°But!¡± Amethyst gasped. ¡°If you don¡¯t open your legs, my finger will be inside forever.¡± His fingers spread her wide and he put his long, middle finger deep inside. The motion made her gush even more. ¡°Please!¡± Amethyst pleaded, while letting out rough breaths. ¡°Open,¡± He spoke again. Amethyst¡¯s thighs slowly opened at his command. Alexcent seemed pleased and took out his finger as she had wished. Amethyst shook, on the verge of orgasm and the juice that was created came out all at once, soaking the bed. ¡°See, you¡¯re already so wet.¡± His finger immediately thrust back in, which he began to shift in and out as he massaged her cl*t. Amethyst¡¯s hips rocked with the motion of his hand. ¡°Alec! Now!¡± Amethyst cried. The thought of him inside of her was more then she could handle. Her desire had reached its limit and she began to feel dizzy. Alexcent, at her urging, positioned himself above her and thrust himself inside. The heat of the moment made short work on him, and soon he had filled her with his seed. Alex looked Amethyst in the eyes and smiled. ¡°See, you and I are connected like this.¡± Amethyst, who was embarrassed by s*x talk, blushed and cried, ¡°I told you, don¡¯t say things like that!¡± *** The welcoming ceremony didn¡¯t occur right after the appointment ceremony. Usually, it happened between seven to ten days after. Amethyst picked the eighth day, as that seemed to be the normal time frame. The decorations, for the ballroom had been arranged with Floria, the flower merchant. The kitchens had been instructed to prepare a wide variety of meat dishes. She also arranged for an endless flow of alcohol, following Pon¡¯s advice. Everything seemed to be proceeding smoothly. Amethyst decided to take a break. She changed into comfortable clothing and headed to the training room. Strangely, it was empty. Without a sparring partner, she would only be able to practice her postures. It had been a while since she wielded a sword and she hoped she hadn¡¯t forgotten any of her technique. ¡°Your elbow¡¯s too high.¡± The booming, bass voice made Amethyst jump. She lowered her sword and turned her head. Standing in the doorway was Barden Crenson. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were learning swordsmanship,¡± he said. ¡°Yes, my lord, though it hasn¡¯t been for very long. I¡¯m just learning it as self-defense.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, please use informal speech. I may be a noble but I don¡¯t have a title, so you don¡¯t have to address me formally.¡± ¡°All right. Then can I just call you Sir Barden?¡± ¡°Please do.¡± ¡°Do we know each other?¡± Amethyst wanted to see if he knew who she was. ¡°Yes, no. No.¡± Barden seemed confused. ¡°Your answer is very strange,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s first time I¡¯ve met you in person.¡± ¡°So, do you perhaps know? That there was once talk of marriage between us?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Yes. I wanted to meet you,¡± Barden replied I see. That¡¯s why he kept staring at me, Amethyst thought. Was he perhaps attracted to me? Maybe he had wanted the marriage to go through. That can¡¯t be true. ¡°Did you pick the duke¡¯s family just because you wanted to meet me?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Don¡¯t miscomprehend. The reason I came to the duke¡¯s family was because of someone I like.¡± Like? So, there¡¯s someone he likes. Amethyst had almost made a fool of herself. ¡°Someone you like?¡± She was curious who it was. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 ¡°Yes.¡± Barden was blushing. It appeared he had a secret to share but was also apprehensive to reveal it. Amethyst wasn¡¯t sure how to proceed. He had said he wanted to meet her, so was this person he spoke of is someone close to her? ¡°Is the person you speak of someone related to me?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Barden looked around wildly to make sure no one had heard. His face was now a bright crimson. Amethyst couldn¡¯t think of who it would be. She thought of the possibilities ¨C Lunia, Roman. But she had no idea where they would have met Barden. ¡°I can¡¯t guess who it is,¡± Amethyst said, giving up. ¡°It¡¯s someone close to you, but I¡¯m not going to tell you who it is. I just wanted to meet you and the duke. That¡¯s why I picked the family. So, will you pick up the sword? If it¡¯s ok, I¡¯d like to teach you a few techniques.¡± ¡°Sure! It¡¯s not like there is anyone else here to teach me right now.¡± ¡°The knights are relieved for a rest period between the appointment ceremony and the welcoming ceremony,¡± Barden explained. ¡°Really? I didn¡¯t know that.¡± Amethyst felt sorry that she wasn¡¯t allowing Lunia to have a break. ¡°Could I ask you to check my posture?¡± ¡°Certainly. The first thing I noticed, when I came in, is you raise your arms too high. It¡¯s a weak defense and if your opponent it stronger, he will break through your block.¡± Barden corrected Amethyst¡¯s form and then had her going through the various posture, correcting them one at a time. *** ¡°Lunia, go rest now!¡± Amethyst commanded. ¡°Pardon? What do you mean by rest?¡± Lunia wasn¡¯t sure where this demand was coming from. ¡°I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s a rest period for the knights until the welcoming ceremony. Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°Right now, I¡¯m your assistant, not a knight.¡± ¡°You were a division commander before that!¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right. I have nothing to do, anyways,¡± Lunia said. ¡°It¡¯s not all right. It¡¯s your vacation until the welcoming ceremony! Rest!¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s a lot to prepare still, for the welcoming ceremony,¡± The servant protested. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of all that, so don¡¯t worry,¡± Amethyst assured her. ¡°Ma¡¯am, how are you going to take care of all of it? You only have Roman as a maid. I don¡¯t have to rest long. I¡¯ll just relax for half a day.¡± ¡°No! Rest for at least five days,¡± Amethyst was insistent. ¡°I refuse!¡± ¡°Then, four days! I can¡¯t do anything lower.¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t believe they were bargaining about relaxing. ¡°I¡¯ll rest for a day. I can¡¯t do more.¡± This had become a battle of wills, and Lunia was the stronger of the two. ¡°Really, Lunia? How could you? If anyone heard about this, they would curse me for being a bad employer!¡± Amethyst was clearly getting upset. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll think about it, if you look after all of my duties while I rest for four days.¡± Lunia knew that Amethyst hadn¡¯t thought this through. She could see the look on Amethyst¡¯s face as realization set in about how much Lunia actually does. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll¡­ do it,¡± Amethyst said, with much trepidation. ¡°Ma¡¯am, you¡¯re planning on procrastinating and then giving it to me after four days, aren¡¯t you?¡± Lunia knew Amethyst too well. Amethyst laughed hesitantly. She had been caught. ¡°No,¡± she lied. ¡°It¡¯s harder to do it all after four days. From my perspective.¡± Lunia wanted to make her feel guilty. ¡°But the other knights are all resting.¡± Amethyst was out of excuses. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll rest for two days and come back.¡± Lunia could tell this wouldn¡¯t end unless she compromised. ¡°Ok, two days!¡± Amethyst agreed. After kicking Lumia out, Amethyst sat on the sofa and thought about the newly recruited knight, Barden. Someone he like in the duke¡¯s household? Someone close to her? Amethyst wondered who it was. Probably Lunia, who else was closer? Since both Lunia and Barden were, knights they could have met before. How much could a man sought after a woman that he would refuse the honour of being a royal guard and come here? It must be more than lust, it must be love. Amethyst let out a small giggle, thinking of this mystery. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Amethyst jumped. Alexcent was peering down at her from over the back of the sofa. ¡°When did you come in?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Just now. What were you thinking about so deeply that you didn¡¯t notice me coming in?¡± ¡°That¡¯s none¡­!¡± Amethyst looked at Alexcent with an interesting and surprising thought. Why did I think it was only a woman that Barden could love? Amethyst realized. ¡®I just wanted to meet you and the duke. That¡¯s why I picked the family,¡¯ that¡¯s what he said. Alec is the only one who¡¯s the closest to me. Everything fits perfectly! It has to be Alec! Unfortunately for Barden, Alec isn¡¯t gay. For some reason, Amethyst felt sorry for Barden. If what she thought was true, she would be sad to see his heart break. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Because I know best how Barden feels¡­ how it feels to be in love. A love that cannot be fulfilled. Such a pity. On the other hand, Alexcent observed Amethyst. He wanted to bring up the subject of adjustment of the contract date since Gen had suggested it can be prolonged if both parties agree to it. It looks like she is in a good mood today, thought Alexcent. I must tell her. Alexcent thought today was best to talk about it since Amethyst looked happier. She was smiling more today. ¡°Ash.,¡± he called. ¡°Yes?¡± she said. She turned to Alexcent. ¡°Regarding the contract¡­,¡± he said hesitantly, ¡°I have something to say.¡± ¡°The contract?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Amethyst felt her heart drop. Why is he mentioning it now? Did he notice that I love him? Is that why he¡­ When it came to love, she realized she was no different from Barden. Her chest constricted. She was worried and confused by her feelings for Alexcent and how it might complicate matters. I better say something before he does¡­ ¡°The contract period can be¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± interrupted Amethyst. ¡°What?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°I will make sure I follow the deadline,¡± she said, ¡°So don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Alexcent was silent. He looked her in the eye gauging her emotions. ¡°Alec?¡± she stammered. ¡°Fine,¡± said Alexcent and strode out of her room. Amethyst knew whenever he got cold and distant. ¡°How heartless!¡± she mumbled, ¡°He didn¡¯t need to remind me of it.¡± Amethyst felt sad and desolate. ¡°I should make sure that he doesn¡¯t know it in the future,¡± she resolved. *** ¡°Gen!¡± roared Alexcent. ¡°Yes, My Lord,¡± said Gen appearing at his side. He wondered what the matter was. The duke sounded very menacing at that moment which worried him ¡°Go and find out again,¡± ordered Alexcent. ¡°What?¡± said Gen, ¡°My Lord.¡± ¡°Find out how to annul the contract!¡± shouted Alexcent. ¡°Just figure out a way. No matter what it takes, even if it means changing the law. Just find a way!¡± Gen looked at him puzzled. Did the negotiation with Madam go badly? Gen wondered. That¡¯s odd. From what I have seen so far, they both seemed so in love with each other. Did she refuse? I really can¡¯t understand what might have happened to anger him so. ¡°Understood,¡± he said and took his leave. Alexcent, alone in his office, seethed in anger. Weren¡¯t we both fond of each other? Alexcent wondered. Maybe she wasn¡¯t! You knew it already. Alexcent recalled her in his arms at night. She had never given herself fully to him Maybe she never wanted me. Maybe she only wanted me for a fixed period of time. Alexcent slammed his fist on the table. This is driving me crazy! *** In the last few days, Amethyst and Barden had become close. One of the reasons was that he taught her swordsmanship when the other knights were on vacation, but the major reason was because she knew how he felt. They had formed a bond from loving the same person. They both understood the unrequited love and the pain of it, where one lived in agony to never reveal how one felt. ¡°Lord Barden is this okay?¡± asked Amethyst, hefting the sword and standing in the posture he had taught her. ¡°Yes,¡± said Lord Barden, ¡°Your posture improved every day, My Lady.¡± ¡°I think that is because you are a very good teacher,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°You flatter me,¡± Lord Barden chuckled, ¡°Besides, you have a better mentor than me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Who? Alec?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes. I heard you learnt swordsmanship from His Excellency.¡± ¡°Oh please! Alec only ever criticizes me! He thinks everyone is as good as him so when I don¡¯t do well, he is surprised.¡± ¡°Haha, is that so?¡± said Lord Barden, ¡°It is still a dream of mine to train under him. For someone as ordinary as me, he is an idol, a legend.¡± Ah¡­ Why am I talking about Alec when I know how Barden feels about him? Idiot! Amethyst chastised herself inwardly. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I just¡­¡± trailed off Amethyst. ¡°No, no, don¡¯t be!¡± ¡°Barden,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Maybe I can put in a word about you to Alec.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Would a duel be okay? If you want, of course.¡± ¡°What? No! It¡¯s alright, really.¡± Yes! Amethyst thought. Maybe I can make them meet like this. Even if they can¡¯t share many things together, this much should be okay. Even when Barden rejected the help, Amethyst could see him blushing a little, his eyes sparkling. Just as I thought¡­ It was odd that with Count Glacia, Amethyst didn¡¯t want to share anything. But she didn¡¯t feel the same towards Barden. Is it because I met Barden after I realized my own feelings for Alec? I am no longer bothered by comparing myself to others. Maybe that was why I am able to just see Barden for who he really is, instead of feeling angry and jealous. Perhaps that is why I want to help him. I want to help him meet Alec, even for the shortest period. Barden seems like he would be content with just that. I know what it feels like, thought Amethyst, longing to meet someone you love. Being content with just seeing them from a distance. I know very well how that feels. Yes, it will be good to let them get close enough for a duel. ¡°It¡¯s absolutely alright,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I will ask him.¡± ¡°If he declines,¡± said Barden, ¡°Please don¡¯t stress yourself out, my lady.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± Amethyst was touched by his concern for her. ¡°Barden, join us for dinner today,¡± offered her. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 174 Chapter 174 ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m inviting you to dinner today.¡± ¡°I know,¡± said him, ¡°But why?¡± ¡°It will be good if we all sit and eat together,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°He might agree to the duel too, seeing you there.¡± It¡¯s better for them to get acquainted with each other first. ¡°It¡¯s really alright,¡± said Barden, ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°Please, I insist,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together.¡± ¡°I, uh¡­¡± Barden was at a loss for words. He didn¡¯t know how to refuse Amethyst. ¡°You can think of it as a reward,¡± suggested Amethyst, ¡°For teaching me swordsmanship.¡± ¡°I taught you because I wanted to,¡± said Barden, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this. I am fine, really.¡± ¡°It is impolite to keep refusing an offer,¡± teased Amethyst. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Then I will see you later.¡± Barden reluctantly nodded. Amethyst smiled brightly and left the training ground. *** ¡°Why are you here?¡± Alexcent¡¯s low voice asked. He then turned to Amethyst. ¡°Did you just come back?¡± he asked. Amethyst received him in her drawing room. He glared at Barden, who bowed respectfully. ¡°Greetings, My Lord,¡± said Barden, ¡°I am Barden Crayson. I am the newly appointed¡ª¡± ¡°That was not my question,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°Is there a reason why you are here?¡± ¡°My apologies, my lord,¡± said Barden, ¡°I was invited by her Ladyship for dinner.¡± ¡°Invited?¡± asked Alexcent as he turned to Amethyst. ¡°Yes, Alec,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I invited him.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Yes,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°During the holiday, Barden taught me swordsmanship. So, in return, I thought I could invite him to have dinner with us as a token of gratitude.¡± Since when did she began calling him by his name so casually? Alexcent was displeased with the present situation. He observed them. An unidentifiable tension flowed between them. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Come sit down. We can talk and eat.¡± Where the hell is Lunia? Alexcent thought. Why is this guy sitting here at all? The current situation wasn¡¯t doing anything to improve his mood. The fact that another man was here at Amethyst¡¯s drawing room irritated him to no extent. A man she called by his first name. Amethyst grabbed his arm and pulled him down to a chair. Roman and other maids served the food. If Lunia was here, she would have steeped in to stop Amethyst but without her, nobody could stop Amethyst. Roman felt the tension in the room. She was so nervous that she moved very carefully around the table so she wouldn¡¯t aggravate the situation by any of her mistakes. She feared the duke. ¡°Barden taught me really well, you know?¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I think he is very skilled at teaching.¡± Amethyst thought that praising Barden would help get him on Alexcent¡¯s good side. That would definitely bring them closer. ¡°Is that so?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°Yes,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°He explains everything step by step, making it easier to learn anything.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised to see my skills later, Alec.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t really do anything much,¡± said Barden, ¡°Madam had strong foundations, so I simply helped her to adjust a few forms and postures.¡± ¡°Aww, how humble,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°You really are skilled and qualified. You graduated top of the class from the Royal academy, and you don¡¯t lack in looks as well as character. How perfect you are.¡± Unaware of Alexcent¡¯s feelings, Amethyst praised Barden to the skies but would make eye contact with Alexcent occasionally and direct a smile at him. Alexcent felt himself becoming more and more upset. He was getting angry, but he kept himself in check. He wanted this dinner to end quickly so he could go away. Otherwise, I might just snap his neck right now. Roman, who was carrying the food and serving near them, was at a loss for words as she watched Amethyst at the table. She hoped for the dinner to end quickly, otherwise the knight actually might get killed. Somehow only Amethyst seemed to be the one unaware of the tension that even Roman had sensed. ¡°Which was why I was wondering, Alec, why don¡¯t you have a duel with Barden?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A duel,¡± Amethyst answered curtly. Alexcent stiffened. ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°Then you can do it when you are free,¡± persisted Amethyst, ¡°Besides you agreed to a duel with Count Glacia at her request. Why are you rejecting my request?¡± ¡°Count Glacia was¡­¡± He trailed off. He was speechless. Why did I duel Count Glacia if it wasn¡¯t for you? How can she accuse me without understanding why I did it? Alexcent was too upset to explain himself. ¡°Anyway, I can¡¯t. I am very busy,¡± said Alexcent. He glared at Barden. He was the reason for all this. ¡°Madam, it¡¯s really alright,¡± said Barden, ¡°A meal like this is more than enough.¡± ¡°I improved a great deal, thanks to you,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°I want to repay you somehow. If there is anything I can do to repay you, don¡¯t hesitate to tell me.¡± What the hell is she saying? Seethed Alexcent. He was already dissatisfied that two of them were practicing together. But thinking about her so willing to help him personally left a bad taste in his mouth. Should I just snap his neck and make it look like an accident? That sounds like a good idea. ¡°If that is what you really want, then I will make sure to set some time aside,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Really?¡± asked Amethyst, surprised. ¡°Yes,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Thank you, Alec!¡± exclaimed Amethyst. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± said Barden, gratefully. Barden was so delighted. He didn¡¯t think this was possible at all. Amethyst turned to Barden. ¡°Good luck!¡± Nobody knew of Alexcent¡¯s intentions. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 ¡°Barden, thanks again for the sword practice,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Thanks to you, I finally managed to correct my posture.¡± ¡°Pease don¡¯t mention it,¡± said Barden, ¡°You invited me to such a great dinner and gave me the opportunity to indulge in a duel with His Excellency. There is nothing that can be compared to what you have done for me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my way of repaying you for your help,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you that I have this honor. No everyone can dream of having a duel with the Lord,¡± said Barden, ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you that I get this opportunity!¡± Barden sounds so happy, thought Amethyst, If I had known how happy this would make him, I would have helped sooner. ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner together today as well!¡± offered Amethyst, walking at Barden¡¯s side after swords practice. ¡°What? No, no, it¡¯s okay!¡± said Barden hurriedly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that he is your idol,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Let¡¯s dine together today. You will get to meet him again.¡± ¡°No, no, really, it¡¯s fine,¡± said Barden. ¡°Oh, come on!¡± insisted Amethyst, ¡°I am fine with it. Just come.¡± I don¡¯t think Madam can become a knight one day, thought Barden. Amethyst had a remarkably low ability to read the room. Knights are supposed to understand the situation by reading the tension and people around them. She had failed to notice the way Alexcent had stared daggers at him, yesterday. Barden couldn¡¯t help but think that she was just too clueless to be able to be a knight. ¡°No. It¡¯s really alright. Yesterday was more than enough.¡± Barden politely declined. ¡°You need to keep seeing each other to get fond of one another.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there is a need to grow fond of each other.¡± ¡°Oh my, don¡¯t say that. I¡¯m well aware of how you feel about¡­¡± Amethyst trailed off. Barden realized that something was wrong then. And it was necessary that he correct it before things got worse. He stopped walking and turned to Amethyst. ¡°What do you mean you know how I feel?¡± asked Barden, confused. ¡°I am a pretty observant person,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°You mentioned about the one you like.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± said Barden. He didn¡¯t understand the relevance of him liking someone with the current conversation. He looked at Amethyst getting more and more confused. ¡°It¡¯s Alec, isn¡¯t it?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°The one you like.¡± ¡°What?!¡± He couldn¡¯t tell if he had heard right. ¡°I am not that narrow-minded,¡± said Amethyst hurriedly, ¡°I should have figured it out sooner¡­¡± ¡°Wait¡­ wait a minute,¡± said Barden. Barden took a deep breath. It was hard to keep up with her thoughts. Is that why she was trying so hard to praise me to the duke? Was she trying to get me closer to¡­? Barden turned to Amethyst. ¡°I am sorry for the misunderstanding,¡± said Barden, ¡°The person I like is Lady Lohikin, not the duke!¡± *** Alexcent signed the stack of documents, piled up next to him on the table, that Gen had brought in. He felt a strange presence. He set the documents aside and got up from his seat. I definitely felt her there, but also someone whom I despise. He walked to the office window and peered out. He saw that Barden and Amethyst were engaged in an intense conversation a few paces away from the front door of the mansion. It¡¯s him again. Alexcent scowled. Gen walked to where Alexcent was and followed his gaze outside wondering what had caused him to get up so abruptly in the middle of signing the documents. Isn¡¯t that Madam¡­ and Barden Crayson? He looked at Alexcent to see him scowling at the two. He sighed. Seems like someone¡¯s going to get it today. He is the heir of Marquis Crayson, so it will be troublesome if he dies. Wait¡­ Barden Crayson! He recalled running into Count Lohikin and Marquis Crayson in the corridor on their way to meet the empress. ¡°Ah!¡± exclaimed Gen. Gen belatedly realized he should have kept his mouth shut. ¡°What is it?¡± asked Alexcent. Nothing passed his notice. ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­,¡± said Gen. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like ¡®nothing¡¯ to me,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Haha,¡± stammered Gen, ¡°Truly, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Seeing how Gen was adamant at avoiding his gaze and changing the subject, Alexcent cornered him. ¡°Gen,¡± said Alexcent threateningly, ¡°Tell me what it is.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Gen, I am in a very bad mood right now,¡± said Alexcent, ¡°So, don¡¯t irritate me more. For your own good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Barden Crayson.¡± ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°He is the eldest son of Count Crayson.¡± ¡°So?¡± asked Alexcent, ¡°I am really losing my patience here.¡± ¡°I believe that Madam had been engaged to someone else before she married you,¡± blurted Gen. ¡°What?!¡± Her previous fianc¨¦¡­ Alexcent turned back to the window. Barden was looking at Amethyst earnestly as he spoke. Even though Alexcent couldn¡¯t hear what he was saying, he knew Barden had come to the mansion to meet Amethyst for sure. But why? To reclaim his fianc¨¦? Does Amethyst feel the same way? So that¡¯s why¡­ Chapter 176 Chapter 176 ¡°My lord?¡± called Gen, cautiously. Alexcent smiled and then laughed like a madman. Gen trembled looking at him. He felt that his lord had gone mad finally. That was why she gave me her body but not her heart, thought Alexcent. She pushed me away because of him¡­ His smirk disappeared. He became cold once again. He was no longer her Alec. He was just her contractual husband whom she shared a contract with for a time. He could no longer be her Alexcent anymore even if they had shared passionate nights together. ¡°My lord,¡± said Gen hurriedly, ¡°It was probably arranged by her parents. I did hear that Madam had declined it.¡± No matter how hard Gen tried to repair the damage, Alexcent no longer heard him. Alexcent raised his hand in a gesture and Gen fell quiet. He saw down on his chair and continued with signing the documents. *** Meanwhile, Amethyst was busy trying to understand what Barden had said. Lady Lohikin. So, was it her sister? ¡°Oh my!¡± exclaimed Amethyst, ¡°My sister? Merril?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Barden, hesitantly. He blushed, proving her correct. He had said it was someone close to me and he really wanted to see me. So, it was Merril all along. This guy really omits important details¡­ ¡°Barden?¡± said Amethyst. ¡°Yes,¡± said Barden. ¡°Do you often get misunderstood by the ones around you?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Oh¡­ how did you know?¡± he asked. Ha¡­ just as I thought. Amethyst stared at him. If he had explained to her in detail, she wouldn¡¯t have done awkward stuffs. ¡°I guess¡­there is something wrong with me¡­ like I thought.¡± Barden¡¯s shoulders drooped. ¡°That is only because you never mentioned the subject in your speech!¡± ¡°Is¡­ is that so?¡± ¡°Yes! Didn¡¯t you know? Wait¡­you didn¡¯t do that to Merrill, did you?¡± There was only silence. At her words, Barden¡¯s face crumbled. He really looked all gloomy. What should I do with this guy? ¡°Did she reject you?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°No!¡± said Barden. ¡°Then?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve not confessed yet¡­..¡± Amethyst sighed and turned to the door. Ignoring it seemed the best thing to do right now. She was about to enter through the front door when Barden caught her. ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± ¡°About what?¡± Amethyst asked indifferently. Unlike earlier, where she had felt sorry for him and empathized with him, her heart had now turned cold. ¡°It¡¯s not because I wanted to be in your good books,¡± said Barden, ¡°I just wanted to get together with Lady Merril no matter what¡­and I wanted help¡­but that¡¯s not why I came to the mansion.¡± I am pretty sure it is, thought Amethyst. ¡°Lady Merril often talks about you.¡± ¡°About me?¡± ¡°Yes. She said that she respected you for never giving up despite your weak body¡­.¡± Oh no, I have no memory of the past that I might have shared with Merril. What should I do? Amethyst worried. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure how my sister saw me.¡± ¡°She mentioned how you never gave up and constantly tried to take care of your appearance¡­ And that she is proud to have a sister with a high self-esteem who she will always emulate¡­¡± Isn¡¯t that more of a curse than a compliment? thought Amethyst. Momentarily, the image of Merrill smiling at her across the dining table back in the Lohikin mansion flashed by. The sparkling eyes that looked up to her were honest without lies. Her smile was warm, too. ¡°Which is why I¡¯ve always wanted to meet you,¡± said Barden. ¡°Well, now we¡¯ve met.¡± Amethyst tried to turn around again. ¡°Then do you think you could help me a little¡­¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°I mean¡­with what I¡¯ve mentioned before.¡± Amethyst tilted her head. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask if I¡¯m often misunderstood by others?¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s because you don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I had no idea. Until you told me.¡± ¡°Then tell me what exactly you want my help with. See you¡¯re forgetting the most important subject, again.¡± ¡°Ah! I¡¯m sorry.¡± Barden struggled to say something, but he was unable to continue. Out of frustration, Amethyst spoke up, ¡°If you are going to ask me to help you to get together with my sister then I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help you.¡± ¡°Ah, no! That wasn¡¯t what I¡­ I am well aware of my shortfalls and that I will never be good enough for Lady Lohikin. I¡¯m not trying to ask for such a thing¡­¡± ¡°No, no. It is not because I find you to be not good enough. I may be Merrill¡¯s sister but I can¡¯t agree to help you without knowing how Merrill feels. What¡¯s most important, after all, is her feelings.¡± Barden¡¯s face fell again. Like a lost child. Oh, if I wasn¡¯t weak on such expressions. No, if only Barden wasn¡¯t a pure handsome man, then I wouldn¡¯t have been so weak-hearted. ¡°Fine!¡± said Amethyst, ¡°For now I¡¯ll teach you how to start a conversation with a Lady without being misunderstood. Will that do?¡± ¡°Yes! Of course. Thank you for that!¡± Overjoyed, Barden hugged Amethyst. At that moment, somebody shouted. It was Lunia. She ran towards them and grabbed Barden by the collar and pulled him away. Lunia had so much strength that she yanked him a few paces away. Wow, I heard she used to be a knight. I guess she didn¡¯t become a division leader for nothing. I shouldn¡¯t mess with her. Amethyst was so happy to see her friend back after such a long time. ¡°Lunia!¡± she exclaimed, ¡°Are you back already? I missed you so much.¡± ¡°Yes, I am back,¡± said Lunia, ¡°But more important than that, what are you doing here like this?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Amethyst, confused. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Lunia continued to hold onto Barden¡¯s neck and asked, ¡°What if someone were to see! Who do you think you¡¯re hugging? How many lives do you think you have?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, my lady. It was a mistake,¡± Barden insisted. Lunia released her grip on Barden but did not stop staring at him. Amethyst spoke up. ¡°Lunia, it¡¯s all right. This is just a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Madam?¡± ¡°Barden was just teaching me some swordsmanship while the other knights were away,¡± Amethyst explained. ¡°Even so, you must be careful with how physical it gets.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Amethyst assured Lunia with a smile. She could tell Lunia still had some hesitation and would probably never to leave her side again. ¡°Barden.¡± Amethyst turned to the man beside her. ¡°I¡¯ll see you next time. It¡¯s late.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡± Barden nodded his head in farewell and exited the training room. ¡°What does he mean by he¡¯ll look forward to it?¡± Lunia asked, after he left. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I received some help from him, so I¡¯m just repaying the favor.¡± ¡°What exactly happened¡­while I was away?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Amethyst assured her. Unfortunately, after they returned to her chamber, Roman filled Lunia in on everything that occurred. Amethyst could do nothing but sit and listen as Lunia went on a tirade for the next several hours. *** ¡°His lordship has already left for the banquet hall,¡± Lunia informed Amethyst. ¡°Really?¡± Amethyst had assumed he was still working in his office. He had been spending most of his time there lately, and not seeing him had upset her. But ever since the talk of the contract, she didn¡¯t want to bother him with her feelings. ¡°Then I guess we can go straight to the banquet hall once we¡¯re ready.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± Lunia agreed. ¡°Let¡¯s speed things up, then. I don¡¯t want to keep the knights waiting.¡± Roman and Lunia rushed to prepare Amethyst for the party. She donned an open shoulder dress, which showed the curves of her body. It was the color of dark chestnuts and was the perfect dress for the welcoming ceremony. Her hair was simple, pulled back into a bun on the top of her head. Roman chose a variety of non-extravagant accessories and presented them to Amethyst to choose which appealed to her. ¡°I think I¡¯ll not wear any. It¡¯s not like there will be another noble lady present. I don¡¯t think it would appear suitable if I were too glammed up.¡± Amethyst rejected all of the jewelry, except her wedding ring. Once they were finished, Amethyst headed towards the banquet hall where the welcoming party for the knights was being held. *** Seeing Alexcent seated on the sofa in his office, Gen approached him. ¡°My lord, your lady has already left for the banquet hall.¡± Alexcent looked unhappy and remained seated in silence, a deep frown creasing his face. ¡®I¡¯m sure she dolled up for everyone to see,¡± he mumbled to no one in particular. ¡°And I¡¯ll be bothered without even knowing it.¡¯ ¡°My Lord, it¡¯s time for you to go,¡± Gen insisted, but still getting no recognition. ¡°My Lord!¡± ¡°What?¡± Alexcent finally looked up. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to go.¡± Alexcent showed no signs of moving. Gen sighed, losing his patience. ¡°If it bothers you that much, then you can just steal her back. I¡¯ll support you. Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯re best at?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m best at?¡± There was a change in Alexcent¡¯s eyes. Gen¡¯s suggestion had finally got through to him. ¡°Right! I can just steal her back. I didn¡¯t think of that.¡± Satisfied with his decision, Alexcent got up from his seat. Gen held up Alexcent¡¯s uniform jacket, so that he could slip his arms in. ¡°Well, since it¡¯s Marquis Crenson¡¯s family, it may not be easy to compensate them for the loss. But he¡¯s not the eldest son, so things should work out,¡± Gen explained. ¡°I suppose.¡± Alexcent seemed satisfied. Heleft the office with a determined look. *** All the knights who had already entered the banquet hall were looking around with bewilderment. Some even rubbed their eyes to make sure it wasn¡¯t a hallucination. ¡°Captain, this is the palace where they¡¯re having the welcoming ceremony right?¡± Buer asked. ¡°I believe so,¡± the captain replied, unsure. Buer laughed. ¡°To think there would be flowers? Look at the tables! It looks like a doll house.¡± Leyrian picked one of the decorated flowers out of a centerpiece and held it to his nose. ¡°I¡¯m sure Lady Skad put in a lot of effort.¡± ¡°But flowers? This is awkward.¡± Buer looked disgusted. The knights looked around the banquet hall, where petals covered the floor in layers. The walls and tables were strewn with a variety of carnations, Campanella roses, and ranunculus flowers. The colors made the hall shine. It was a far cry from the usual welcoming ceremonies that involved getting drunk and performing mock battles that always ended with some bloodshed. ¡°Why are you all standing around? Take your seats!¡± Amethyst had come upon the group of knights crowded at the hall entrance. A scattering of startled replies erupted from the crowd: ¡°Ah, My Lady!!¡±, ¡°You¡¯re here!¡±, ¡°We were just¡­¡±. ¡°Is something out of place?¡± Amethyst asked the group. ¡°Of course not!¡± They all seemed to answer as one, then stumbled over each other as they scrambled to enter. The knights seated themselves, with close companions sharing tables. I guess Alec isn¡¯t here yet, Amethyst thought, seeing that his chair was empty. She took her seat at the center of the long table. As they waited for the food to be served, Lord Hill spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re looking especially beautiful today, my lady.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Amethyst replied, awkwardly. As if they could sense how uncomfortable she was, The duke and Gen entered the hall. Alexcent¡¯s eyes met hers as he entered, and she smiled. He turned his gaze away instantly and took his seat without a word. I wonder what it is this time? Amethyst thought as she studied the flower arrangement in front of her. He refused to look at her and sat expressionless while studying the knights. Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Since Alexcent wasn¡¯t paying any attention to her, Amethyst turned to study the knights as well. Her eyes met with Barden, who was sitting at the table in front of her. She smiled at him and Barden nodded, greeting her back. She felt Alexcent stiffen beside her. Even though it was a welcoming ceremony, it was not overly grand. The banquet began with a brief introduction, words of blessing, and a word of determination by the new knights, ending with a speech by Lord Hill. Alexcent remained silent throughout the proceedings. It was awkward and tense. Finishing his speech, Lord Hill came over to the table and addressed Amethyst directly. ¡°Thank you, Lady Skad, for this grand banquet. We are deeply touched. The flowers in the hall are very beautiful.¡± Lunia, who had been listening to Leyrian whisper to her, spit out the wine she was drinking. Leyrian glared at Lunia, who realized everyone had turned to look at her. Lunia bowed her head apologetically. ¡°Precisely, Leyrian.¡± Buer said, ¡°I never knew I needed three forks and three spoons to have one meal.¡± The rest of the knights erupted in laughter. In the past, the welcoming ceremony was really just a raucous party. Food would be brought out in heaps on platters, and everyone would drink and eat and tell crude jokes. The knights had never attended a formal ceremony before. Amethyst could sense the awkwardness in the air but didn¡¯t know where it was coming from. She turned and tugged at Alexcent¡¯s sleeve, who had yet to acknowledge her. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± she asked. Alexcent glanced briefly at her and simply replied, ¡°No.¡± Amethyst was certain he wasn¡¯t being truthful, but he wouldn¡¯t offer any more. She had no idea what he was angry at her about. Frustrated, she helped herself to a slice of meat that had just been delivered to the tables by servants. Pretending not to care, Amethyst grabbed her knife and fork and cut the meat into smaller pieces so that it would be easier to eat. The juices were savory and perfectly cooked Amethyst looked up to see how the knights were enjoying the feast and burst out laughing. Except for Barden, who was raised in a noble household and taught in the ways of etiquette, everyone else used their forks as makeshift spears, skewering hunks of meat that they tore pieces off with their teeth. The room fell silent at the sound of Amethyst¡¯s laughter. In order to avoid a scene, she stabbed her meat as well and dug into it with an eager bite. The knights cheered as their lady loosened up. Not everyone approved of her getting along with the knights. Alexcent, who was feeling frustrated by Amethyst¡¯s constant smiling, wiped sauce from around Amethyst¡¯s lips with his thumb. He then licked it off as the knights cheered more. Amethyst flushed red by his sudden act. In an attempt to hide her embarrassment, she reached for a glass of wine, which Alexcent immediately took from her and set on the far side of his plate. She turned in shock to him. ¡°No,¡± was all he said. Amethyst glared at Alexcent. She couldn¡¯t believe that he was being so domineering to her in front of everyone. ¡°I would just like one glass,¡± she asked, politely. ¡°I said no.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What do you mean why? Don¡¯t you remember the last time?¡± Alexcent had a point. ¡°That was liqueur. This is wine.¡± Amethyst knew that one glass wouldn¡¯t affect her as the other alcohol had. ¡°Wine is an alcohol too,¡± Alexcent informed her. ¡°Even so, you drink as you please. It¡¯s mean not letting me drink,¡± Amethyst pouted. ¡°My Lord, isn¡¯t one glass okay?¡± Hill called from the table. The knights had overheard the interaction. ¡°You¡¯re being too strict on a day like this. Since when was wine considered alcohol!¡± Buer added to the conflict. ¡°Madam, even one sip is dangerous. I¡¯m sure you already know.¡± Lunia, surprisingly, decided to agree with Alexcent. ¡°Lunia whose side are you on?¡± Amethyst jested with Lunia, when out of the blue, someone has decided to join the fun¡­ ¡°Would you like to have my drink instead? I can¡¯t drink alcohol so this juice should be fine.¡± Barden offered his glass to Amethyst. Suddenly, Alexcent emptied the glass of wine into his mouth, then grabbed hold of Amethyst¡¯s chin and brought his lips to hers. A gush of wine flowed from his mouth to hers, droplets running down her chin from the sudden, forceful move. She quickly swallowed before she choked on the liquid. Amethyst felt her entire body flush, as Alexcent sat back as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. Oh my god! He¡¯s crazy! she thought, completely embarrassed. Amethyst was unable to look anyone in the eye. Some hesitant snickering began amongst the knights and there were a few comments of ¡®get a room¡¯. At Amethyst¡¯s expense, the mood in the hall had once again lightened. After the meal was concluded, everyone freely went back and forth amongst the tables, laughing and chatting. The sound of glasses bumping could be heard echoing throughout the chamber. Amethyst, Alexcent, and Gen remained at the table, and occasionally knights would approach to greet them, but quickly left when they could sense the tension between the royal couple. Amethyst resided to simply watching the knights have fun. There were times when it was more enjoyable to watch the crowd, instead of being a part of it. This was how she felt now, being too embarrassed to be a part of it. Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Lunia, who was emptying another glass of ale, looked quite happy to be a knight today, instead of someone¡¯s personal aide. Meanwhile Buer had jumped on top of a table and was chugging straight from a barrel of wine. From below the knights were cheering him on. Beside her, Alexcent observed Amethyst watching the knights. He admired how her white skin contrasted with the black dress she was wearing. Her scent wafted over him, and because they weren¡¯t alone, it made him impatient. Even at this moment, he felt himself lust for her and it was difficult to act as though it was not affecting him. Which was why he continued to drink out of frustration. Amethyst was starting to get worried as she watched him down glass after glass, so when he refilled, she reached out to grab his arm. ¡°Aren¡¯t you drinking a little too much, too fast?¡± she asked as she tried to take away his glass. With a loud smack, Alexcent instinctively slapped her hand away. Her eyes widened at the clear rejection. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Embarrassed, Amethyst apologized immediately. Amethyst felt upset seeing him act with such disdain. Just a while ago he was kissing me and now, he won¡¯t even let me lay a hand on him, she thought. I really can¡¯t understand him. Her eyes began to tear up. She couldn¡¯t cry in front of all the knights. She needed to distract herself. The knights must have made a wager as they compared their abs next to Buer and cheered each other on. It was an amusing sight, but Amethyst could not laugh. Her mood had reached its lowest point. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you go back,¡± Alexcent said without looking at her. ¡°Sorry?¡± She hadn¡¯t realized he was speaking to her at first. ¡°Go back to your room.¡± ¡°But the ceremony isn¡¯t over yet,¡± she pleaded. ¡°Do you really want to stay and watch a strip show?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°No!¡± Amethyst realized the knight¡¯s drinking was causing their actions to get out of hand. ¡°Then go.¡± It was clear that Alexcent had no inclination to leave with her. Amethyst stood from her seat and looked one last time at the party. Lunia was quite drunk by this point and was egging the other knights on. It was clear she would be leaving alone. She wanted to ask Alexcent to come with her, to return to her room and be with her, but she was afraid she would just be rejected once more. I think it¡¯s true that you become weak when you love someone, she thought as she left. I¡¯d never suffered this heartbreak from him before. Now I place meaning in all of his words and actions. How saddening is that? She was aware that everything Alexcent did was an act. The kissing, the wiping sauce from her mouth, it was all to hide the fact that they were in a contract marriage. She was really alone. As she walked the corridor, she felt tears gather. Stopping at one of the large bay windows, she looked up at the night sky. The crescent moon illuminated the glistening droplets rolling down her cheeks. ¡°Are you going back already?¡± The soft voice addressed her and she quickly wiped the moisture from her face. Turning, she faced Barden standing in the corridor behind her. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m tired and wanted to get some rest. What about you Barden?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really like these kinds of events, so I¡¯ve escaped.¡± ¡°More like you don¡¯t like drinking,¡± Amethyst corrected him. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right.¡± Barden smiled, then noticed her red eyes. ¡°Why have you been crying?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crying, I¡¯m just¡­¡± The tears she had been trying to hold back burst forth by Barden¡¯s concern. He walked up to Amethyst and embraced her. ¡°If I recall correctly, you told me I should always lend my shoulder if I see a woman crying,¡± Barden said, gently. ¡°That¡¯s only applicable to the person you love. Not someone like me,¡± Amethyst sobbed into his shoulder. ¡°Why does that matter? There is no decent man that would ignore a damsel in distress.¡± Amethyst wiped her tears. ¡°Thank you. I needed to be comforted by someone.¡± ¡°Those tears, are they because of the duke?¡± Barden asked. Amethyst felt speechless. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to answer Barden¡¯s question. ¡°Well¡­that is¡­¡± As she searched for an answer, there was a sudden movement from behind her and Barden crumpled to the floor. They were both so engrossed in the conversation that neither had sensed the approach of the figure behind them, or the fist that flew through the air, connecting with Barden¡¯s jaw. *** ¡°I said you should steal her back and all you¡¯re doing is chasing her away.¡± Gen, who had been seated next to Alexcent, commented on Amethyst¡¯s quick exit from the hall. ¡°Shut up,¡± Alexcent replied in anger, gulping down another glass of ale. All he could picture was Amethyst laughing at the other men. And then there was that smile towards Barden. It made him furious. He even kissed her in front of that man to prove that Amethyst was his. I have never been like this. Why do I resent her? he thought. Leaving Gen, he followed Amethyst from the room. In the glow of the moonlight being cast on the castle hall, he witnessed the silhouette of two lovers in an embrace. As they separated, he saw Amethyst smile. He lost all of his senses. With an uncontrolled aggression, he launched himself at the man, his fist flying through the air. Barden crumpled to the ground and Amethyst was on him, holding him back from continuing his assault. ¡°Let go!¡± Alexcent tried to shake her off. ¡°Alec! Stop! What are you doing?¡± Amethyst cried as she struggled with her husband. Barden lay on the ground, moaning with a cut on his lip. ¡°What am I doing? What are you doing? Why were you hugging Barden?¡± Alexcent was enraged. Amethyst didn¡¯t know what to say. She couldn¡¯t tell him how upset she was about his treatment of her, or that Barden was simply comforting her. She couldn¡¯t possibly say these things out loud. But her silence just infuriated Alexcent more. Alexcent shook Amethyst off and grabbed hold of Barden. Barden clinched his eyes shut as Alexcent lifted his arm to punch him again. ¡°Alec, please don¡¯t!¡± Amethyst quickly wrapped her arms around Alec and begged for the man to stop. She couldn¡¯t control her emotions and her tears erupted once more with a wail. ¡°Are you crying because of him right now?¡± Alexcent couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. ¡°No! It¡¯s not like that!¡± Amethyst pleaded. ¡°No? You¡¯re crying because of him, so what do you mean it¡¯s not like that?¡± The duke yelled.He released his grip on Barden and ran his fingers through his hair, managing to restrain himself. ¡°Alec¡­¡± Seeing her desperate eyes he gave in. ¡°F*ck.¡± He turned and disappeared down the corridor. Amethyst knelt beside Barden, who was lying on the floor. ¡°Are you alright?¡± she asked, helping him up. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°You¡¯re bleeding¡­.¡± Barden wiped the blood off with the back of his hand as though it was no big deal. ¡°Madam Lunia had warned me¡­but it¡¯s my fault for ignoring her warnings.¡± ¡°But¡­ Barden you were just comforting me. I¡¯m sorry that you got hurt because of me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m more worried for you, my lady.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s already¡­.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Nothing. Do you think you can get up?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Barden brushed his pants and stood up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry and thank you,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going first.¡± ¡°Are you sure you will be alright? His Excellency seemed very angry¡­.¡± Amethyst smiled sadly at Barden and tried to brush it off indifferently. She gave him a curt nod and walked in the direction where Alexcent had gone moments before. She was constantly living in fear that she might disappear one day, so she knew that she didn¡¯t have much time. Even a day is so precious to me. I don¡¯t have time to quarrel with him. Every second, every minute was so precious to her right now. Amethyst rushed to open her bedroom door, but there was nobody inside. It should have been obvious to her. She turned around and opened his bedroom door, nobody was there as well. The only place left was his office now. She headed that way. Seeing the light through the space at the bottom of the door, she felt her heartbeat loudly against her chest. She wondered why the sight of him getting angry somehow made her feel happy. She couldn¡¯t help but hope that his anger meant something. She had tried so hard to find any meaning in all this. Without knocking, she opened the door. The creaking sound was particularly loud. He was seated on the sofa with his eyes closed. Because of his anger, there were frown lines on his face. His jacket was thrown haphazardly on the floor and several of his shirt buttons had come off and rolled around on the floor. Sitting against the backrest, his elbow rested on the armrest, and his fingers swept his forehead. Sensing a presence, Alexcent looked up and saw her. Every time, she took a step towards him, he felt each nerve of his body tingling. ¡°Go to bed,¡± his hoarse voice rang. Amethyst ignored his words and continued to approach him. His red eyes studied her. His stare gave her goosebumps. Amethyst stood in front of him. Then she sat herself down on his lap. If he refused her, then there was nothing she could do, but hoping that he wouldn¡¯t, she placed herself in his arms. Thankfully he did not reject her. But neither did he embrace her. With her straddling him, she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck. Even then, he did not move. ¡°Alec,¡± she cautiously called out his name. There was no response. ¡°Alec,¡± she tried again. ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand. Barden was just trying to help me.¡± ¡°Misunderstand?¡± he barked. ¡°Yes. Something got into my eyes, and I was crying. So, he was just trying to help me¡­¡± For the first time, she lied to him. No. I myself am a lie¡­. ¡°Ha, how laughable!¡± said Alexcent, ¡°Do you really expect me to believe that?¡± ¡°If not, what are you going to do?¡± ¡°What?¡± As Amethyst provoked him, Alexcent turned to look at her. She smiled as their eyes finally met. She snuggled close to him and placed her head on his chest. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°No.¡± This time she placed her lips on his bare chest that showed through the partly unbuttoned shirt. ¡°Ash¡­¡± She licked at it. ¡°Stop¡­it.¡± ¡°Do you not like it?¡± she asked. Alexcent did not answer her. Amethyst decided to be bolder. She bared her teeth and bit his chest lightly. ¡°Ahh¡­¡± With a moan, she felt him stiffen beneath her. She was happy that he was aroused. ¡°Ash¡­¡± ¡°Alec¡­¡± Just calling each other¡¯s names made them ache for the other. ¡°Ash¡­stop.¡± Alexcent grabbed Amethyst¡¯s arms and pushed her away. And I was full of hope like an idiot again¡­. Him rejecting her like this made her tear up. ¡°I¡¯m not confident that I can be gentle today,¡± Alexcent whispered in Amethyst¡¯s ear. ¡°That¡¯s okay¡­¡± She replied in a whisper. Alexcent held back his laugh and bit her ear lightly. Really, I can never win over you, thought him, you might be probably the only person I enjoy losing to.Alexcent ripped her black dress and lowered his lips to her chest. ¡°Ahhh,¡± moaned Amethyst as he bit her there. ¡°Al¡­lec.¡± Alexcent sighed and got up. Amethyst got to her feet and faced him. He took her hands and placed it on the sofa. ¡°Bend over,¡± he said. ¡°What?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°Why?¡± She hesitated. But Alexcent grabbed the back of her head and made her bend over. He unbuckled his belt and pulled down his pants. He then bound Amethyst¡¯s wrists on the sofa and secured it with the belt. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked. ¡°I told you,¡± He said, hoarsely, ¡°I can¡¯t be gentle today.¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 181 Chapter 181 ¡°But!¡± she looked at his belt that held her wrists. With a mixture of excitement and concern, she turned to face him. But his hands turned her head away, facing the front. ¡°Don¡¯t look,¡± he said. Don¡¯t look at my ugliness¡­ With her hands tied and her face resting on the cushions, her hips were raised. ¡°Alec¡­?¡± she stammered. Alec appreciated the view momentarily, before bending over to place his lips on Amethyst¡¯s neck. Amethyst felt a chill. She closed her eyes. His lips travelled down her spine. With her hands tied, she felt extremely sensitive about every touch. ¡°Hmm!¡± His lips were already enough to entice her. She was already dripping wet. Proving that she was ready. Alexcent stopped his foreplay, grabbed her hips and pushed himself deeply inside. Amethyst cried out in pain and continued crying out between short, rough breaths. Alexcent did not stop. He indulged in the tightness of her warm insides and continued to thrust. ¡°It hurts¡­ahh!¡± He bent over and placed his chest on her back. Then he placed a finger in her open mouth. Amethyst bit his finger to bear the pain. Alexcent had no mind to notice her pain. He continued to thrust in throes of passion. Her shuddering and shaking body was a sight of relish and he continued his thrusts. Her moans mingled with cries of pain made him smile. The office was filled with lewd sounds of their wet bodies and moans of one another. Here she is so passionate in my arms, but to think none of her belongs to me¡­ Alexcent frowned as he embraced her. *** The next day, when Amethyst opened her eyes, she was in her bedroom. But I was in the office¡­ She couldn¡¯t recall what happened after, but she knew that he must have carried her to the bedroom. ¡°Gah¡­¡± she cried out in pain every time she moved. Roman rushed in noticing her awake. ¡°Madam, your bath is ready,¡± said Roman. ¡°Thank you. Roman.¡± Amethyst entered the bath with Roman¡¯s help. After some time in the warm water, her body felt better. She wore simple and comfortable clothes. She then headed to the training grounds. She wanted to loosen the muscles that felt cramped because of Alexcent. Maybe everybody had been drunk the other night, nobody was in the training ground yet. ¡°Phew¡­,¡± she looked at the sword in her hands and prepared her stance. Just then she was Alexcent walking towards her. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you resting?¡± he asked. ¡°What about you?¡± she retorted. ¡°I heard that you were here.¡± Those words brought a smile to her face. ¡°I wanted to loosen the muscles that got cramped because of someone.¡± Amethyst explained. ¡°Then you should get a massage. Are you sure working out will do the job?¡± ¡°I took a long bath.¡± ¡°I thought I made you unable to get up¡­ I think your stamina is improving.¡± An image of his body pressed against her while breathing roughly passed in her mind. ¡°Really!¡± Amethyst looked away, trying to hide her embarrassed feelings. ¡°Grab your sword.¡± He commanded. ¡°But aren¡¯t you busy?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°But I still have time to make up with you.¡± I wonder why he¡¯s making my heart flutter. Reigning in her feelings, Amethyst turned around and grabbed her sword. Amethyst felt Alexcent right behind her as he grabbed her sword together. She felt the tight muscles of his chest against her back. What should I do¡­? She was constantly reminded of last night. How he had filled her in from behind. Amethyst stiffened as her ears turned red. Amethyst swung her sword around haphazardly as her body had become rigid. ¡°Ha, Ash. You don¡¯t call this an improvement, right?¡± ¡°Ah¡­no¡­it¡¯s because you!¡± Amethyst turned around to face him, feeling frustrated as he criticized her. Ah, this posture is the same as¡­.! Oh gosh! Amethyst bit on her lip and tried to avoid his gaze. But Alexcent was enjoying the current situation as he watched her flustered. Seeing her flinch at the smallest change in his posture brought out the playful side in him. He stood right up against her, who had her back facing him, closing the gap between them. With one hand, he groped her chest, eliciting a moan from her. ¡°Hmm, Alec¡­.¡± As her eyes tried to avert his gaze, he grabbed a hold of her chin and kissed her. He indulged in the kiss as she called out his name and as she flung her arms around his neck. Then sensing a presence, Alexcent stopped himself and pulled her with him. He led her to the back of the training ground where the area was forested. He pressed her against a tree. ¡°No, Alec¡­ what if someone sees us.¡± ¡°Says the one who seduced me¡­there¡¯s no time to go back to the bedroom.¡± ¡°No¡­I wasn¡¯t seducing you¡­¡± As his knee pressed against her, Amethyst could no longer suppress herself and moaned out loud. His large hands found their way into her pants and shirt and touched her soft skin. Amethyst was unable to do anything as she felt more aroused. But she was conscious of the open space as opposed to her bedroom. She wanted to give in, but her rational mind told her to stop. ¡°Ha, Alec¡­! No¡­hmm, ah¡­.!¡± Amethyst grabbed his large hands and pushed it away from her shirt and placed them around her waist. Alexcent was displeased, but since this was what she wanted, he had no choice. He would have to satisfy himself with just kisses. Sensing a presence, a short distance from them, Alexcent decided to be a little bolder. He lifted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist. If someone saw them from the back, they would be easily misled into thinking something lewd. He didn¡¯t care. It was as though he wanted to flaunt this. That she was his. First, I need to get rid of him, he thought. In his determination was his belief that if he couldn¡¯t have her then he would not give her to anyone else. Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Barden, who had not drunk like the other knights the night before headed towards the training ground. He found no one there. I thought I saw someone here¡­ He wondered if it was the trick of his eyes. He grabbed his sword. Even though he had graduated at the top of his class, his skills were so worthless. He had been aware that he wasn¡¯t the best, but he didn¡¯t know that the gap between the skills were so large. He had felt so embarrassed when Lunia had single-handedly restrained him without any difficulty. He hadn¡¯t even been able to lift his head. Even if she was the lead of a group, he should have offered a better fight to begin with. He resolved not to take a single day off and to practice every second to improve himself. He wanted to be best when it came to swordsmanship. He didn¡¯t want to fall behind. He focused his energy and collected it to be sent to his sword in the form of a blue flame. ¡°Ah!¡± Hearing the sound, his focus was broken. He looked around but saw no one. He grabbed his sword again and he heard a sound again. He realized it came from the forest, so he headed that way. He walked towards the direction of the sound, sword at the ready. He saw that the branched of one of the trees shook violently. He wondered if someone was hurt and needed help. But as he got nearer, he saw what the matter was, and he flushed a deep red. My goodness! He covered his face with his hands and turned around and quickly fled the scene, embarrassed. He chastised himself for not being able to differentiate between cries of help and cries of passion and quickly made his way away from the forest. *** ¡°Ash.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Ash.¡± ¡°Mmm¡­¡± As he woke Amethyst, who was lying in his arms, she whined because she didn¡¯t want to get up. These days, she slept more than usual. ¡°Ash,¡± he called again. ¡°Mmm¡­ yes?¡± Amethyst finally opened her swollen eyes. Alexcent dropped a kiss on her cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t come to the training grounds today,¡± he whispered. ¡°Why?¡± Amethyst asked as her eyes almost closed again. ¡°Just don¡¯t.¡± ¡°There you go again¡­saying something without a full explanation¡­¡± ¡°Anyways, don¡¯t leave the room today.¡± ¡°Even the room?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°No.¡± Alexcent sighed and pinched her cheeks. ¡°Please for once, will you listen to me?¡± ¡°Ha¡­it hurts¡­¡± Amethyst opened her both eyes and sat up. She lifted her hands as though asking for a hug but when Alexcent went in, she pinched his cheeks instead. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°It hurts, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Alexcent nodded. ¡°Well, me too.¡± ¡°Pfft, alright, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Alexcent hugged her gently and stroked her back. ¡°I won¡¯t go to the training ground today. But staying in the room all day is too stuffy.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Alexcent found her answer agreeable, kissed her on her forehead and left the room. Alexcent left to start his daily activities. Amethyst, who no longer felt sleepy, tied her hair into a ponytail and got out of bed as well. Since he told me not to go to the training ground, shall I read in the office? Or, go for a walk? Ah, maybe I should practice shooting! Just then, Lunia entered her room, her legs wobbled a little bit as she walked. ¡°Oh, Lunia, long time no see!¡± ¡°Haha, madam. My apologies.¡± Lunia must have had quite the time with her hangover as she looked paler than usual. ¡°It¡¯s fine! It happens.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your understanding.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much planned for today. I was thinking of going to read then practicing my shooting.¡± ¡°Shooting?¡± ¡°Yes. Since there will be a hunting competition arranged by the royal household soon, I thought it would be good to get in some practice.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think practice will be of much use, my lady¡­.¡± ¡°Lunia¡­¡± Amethyst glared at Lunia, well aware of her lacking skills herself. ¡°Ah, my apologies. Then I will inform them to have the shooting grounds ready.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Amethyst ate the breakfast Roman had prepared and headed to the office. Hmm¡­. I think I recall seeing a book on shooting around here somewhere. She walked around looking t the titles of the book. Ah, found it! Amethyst grabbed three books: ¡ºGuide For Point Shooting¡» ¡ºAll About Great Shooting: Explained by the Best Hunters¡» ¡ºA Friendly Guide to Hunting¡» She piled the books in her hands and left to her bedroom. Then seated at the table, she opened them one by one. Every time she flipped a page, she was amused. So, there are different types of hunting based on your target. For large animals I guess they corner them in a group of two to three. Wow this is a great tip. I best stay away from large animals. She flipped through the books and penned down the ones that she felt were important. She was so engrossed in her book that she was startled when Lunia rushed in shouting frantically. ¡°My Lady, it¡¯s an emergency.¡± Chapter 183 Chapter 183 ¡°Why? What is it?¡± She was breathing roughly so she seemed to have come in a rush. ¡°That¡­I think you should go to the training ground right now.¡± ¡°Training ground? What is it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ His Excellency and Barden are having a duel.¡± ¡°Oh that¡­¡± Ah, is that why he told me not to come to the training ground? But why did he not want me to see it? I want to see it, but he told me not to come to the training ground¡­ ¡°Lunia, I¡¯m not going to the training ground today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that!¡± Lunia grabbed a hold of Amethyst, frustrated at her reaction. ¡°Madam, you see his lord, his lord¡­.¡± ¡°Alec? What about him?¡± Lunia swallowed a hard. I need to stop him and the only person that can do it is Madam, but how do I explain to her¡­? Lunia decided to speak straightforwardly. ¡°It is a duel but not in the normal sense¡­¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I have led armies to war with his lord in the in the battlefield before¡­,¡± said Lunia, ¡°His eyes. He intends to kill¡­¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Yes, he has lost himself,¡± said Lunia, ¡°The lord intends to kill Barden.¡± ¡°No way! Why would Alec do that?!¡± ¡°That I wouldn¡¯t know! Do you know of anything?¡± asked Lunia. ¡°No. But¡­.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°He told me not to come to the training ground this morning!¡± ¡°Oh no!¡± ¡°Lunia! Lead the way!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± With an uneasy heart, Amethyst followed Lunia¡¯s lead and ran towards the training ground. *** ¡°I believe I promised you a duel, previously?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Barden, who was full of determination, stood in front of Alexcent. ¡°Today seems about right.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Well, wait till the end to thank me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be able to duel with you, my lord!¡± Hill, the leads and all the knights were gathered in the training ground to witness the duel. Everyone was focused on the duel between Barden, who graduated from the top academy of the Empire, and Alexcent, the best magician of the Empire. But why is Gen in the training ground? Hill found it strange because Gen never came to the training ground. Sensing Hill looking at him, Gen turned to Hill. He nodded towards him, acknowledging his presence. The nod said too many things to ignore. ¡°Oh god no!¡± exclaimed Hill and turned to the duel. He should have stopped the duel, but it had already begun. Barden collected all his energy and let it flow to his sword. It emitted a pure blue aura that resembled him. ¡°To think you have this kind of skill¡­how surprising!¡± Alexcent pretended to be surprised and grabbed his sword. Then he let his own energy flow to his sword. A redness, similar to the color his eyes, wrapped Alexcent¡¯s sword and his entire body. Barden was taken aback by the amount of energy he was exuding. He really intends to duel with me whole-heartedly, how amazing! Barden, who had never been to the war, was a rookie when it came to such things. He naively believed that Alexcent was going to give it all to test and teach him. He was unaware that Alexcent had other intentions. Buer and Leyrian noticed then that something was off. They approached Hill and asked in a whisper. ¡°Captain, shouldn¡¯t we stop them?¡± ¡°How are you going to stop a duel that¡¯s already begun?¡± ¡°But¡­Isn¡¯t he trying to kill him?¡± ¡°If we leave it like this, Barden will die.¡± ¡°Which is why Gen is here.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Buer glanced over and studied Gen¡¯s face. ¡°Then¡­.!¡± ¡°Yes. I suppose¡­Gen will take care of things afterwards. We are simply here to serve as witnesses.¡± At Hill¡¯s last words, Buer and Leyrian shut their mouths. The sound of swords clashing filled the grounds. I should play around with him for a while then deal with him. The blue flaming sword narrowly passed over Alexcent¡¯s shirt. Hmm¡­. If I don¡¯t want to buy the suspicion of the Marquis, should I at least give my arm? Alexcent, who had avoided the sword without a single attack, hit the blade flying toward him as if he had made up his mind. His eyes changed. It lost its radiance and turned cold. His eyes started to register objects and people as the equivalent. His eyes were no longer the eyes of a human and looked at others as though they were objects that moved. Barden¡¯s hands started to shake from fear. In fact, his entire body seemed to tremble. Even so he tried his best to wield his sword. He was well aware that he had no chance of beating the duke. He never had that much of an expectation, but he had thought that he could at least offer a good fight. His goal from the start had been to at least cut away a button of his shirt. He pretended to avoid Alexcent¡¯s strike and attacked hitting his hand. ¡°Gah!¡± Alexcent cried out as he grabbed a hold of his torn shirt. His blood stained his shirt red. Blood dripped from his arm. ¡°My lord are you alright?!¡± exclaimed Barden. Alexcent calmly turned to Barden dissuading him from running to him. ¡°This duel is not over yet,¡± he said. ¡°But you are bleeding¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a duel,¡± said the duke, ¡°You can¡¯t afford to care about enemies and their injuries in a duel, Barden.¡± Alexcent raised his sword with the other hand and charged at Barden. ¡°You should take care of your neck,¡± said him in a low voice, ¡°It won¡¯t be there the next time.¡± Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Barden was overwhelmed with the sudden brutal attacks from Alexcent. The power he transmitted changed as the blades clashed. Alexcent attacked recklessly. Did he just¡­ ah¡­ really. Barden was terrified and Alexcent was too mad to notice anything. Gen, meanwhile, was getting bored, he wished Alexcent would ¡®get it over with¡¯ soon so he could get back to work. Gen was about to yawn when a figure darted past him in full speed. His eyes widened. She was so fast, and he had been inattentive, he wasn¡¯t able to hold her back. Alexcent had had enough of putting up an appearance. He raised his sword for the final strike on Barden. ¡°STOP!¡± Ash¡­. Amethyst stood between him and Barden and Alexcent changed the direction of his strike and made his sword veer right and hit the ground. There was a huge rumble and the ground cracked. Red smoke drifted up from the cracks in the ground. Amethyst¡¯s eyes widened at the dents and cracks in the ground made by Alexcent¡¯s sword. Did he really intend to kill Barden? But why? Why would he¡­. Amethyst¡¯s gaze was fixed at the cracks on the ground. She couldn¡¯t look away. A cold shiver ran down her spine. He really wanted to kill¡­ Lord Hill and a few other knights sighed with relief. They were grateful that Amethyst had stopped the duel, but Gen seemed like he was trying very hard to suppress his anger. Because whatever happened next, it would be on him. Alexcent would vent his anger out on him. Alexcent¡¯s furious voice resonated throughout the training ground. ¡°Are you out of your mind?!¡± he shouted, ¡°Do you know how dangerous that was? You could have died!¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± shot back Amethyst, ¡°What about you? Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°Is this why you told me not to come to the training ground?¡± Alexcent studied Amethyst. How had she found out? Alexcent looked around to see Lunia at the sidelines, who bowed apologetically to him. Goddamn it! Alexcent tasted bitterness in his mouth. He faced Amethyst. ¡°Really, can¡¯t you ever listen to me just once?¡± ¡°No,¡± retorted Amethyst, ¡°Especially not when you are planning a murder.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± laughed Alexcent, mockingly, ¡°Since, to you, he is¡­¡± The person you love¡­. The bitterness reached Alexcent¡¯s heart. He couldn¡¯t brig himself to say it aloud. If he did, it would become real, and she might leave him forever. Look at me being jealous. I am a fool! Finding the whole situation frustrating, he barked at Barden, ¡°Let¡¯s end the duel here.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord,¡± he said, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Well¡­you should thank her.¡± Alexcent threw his sword on the ground and turned to leave. But Amethyst caught hold of him. ¡°You are hurt,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s nothing?¡± she said, ¡°You are bleeding!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Just be quiet,¡± she said. ¡°Gen! Call a doctor immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lady,¡± said Gen, hurriedly. ¡°I said there is no need!¡± thundered Alexcent towards Gen. Amethyst raised her hand and slapped him on the back. Everyone present there looked on in shock. ¡°Really,¡± she said, ¡°Don¡¯t act like a child. If you don¡¯t listen to me and get treated, that slap will land on your cheeks next!¡± Amethyst raised her hand to prove her point. ¡°Really?¡± he asked, ¡°Is this how you treat an injured person?¡± ¡°If you know that much,¡± she continued, ¡°Then shut your hole and get your wound treated.¡± Why would he let himself get injured? Amethyst seethed. She put Barden aside in her mind and focused on Alexcent who was stubbornly refusing to get treatment even after getting hurt. Both Amethyst and Alexcent just kept bickering among themselves not willing to back down. ¡°I think we should go somewhere else,¡± interrupted Gen, ¡°This isn¡¯t the place for this.¡± He wasn¡¯t able to watch them anylonger. Hill, Buer, Leryan and Lunia were all awkwardly witnessing the couple¡¯s fight, along with other knights and soldiers present in the training ground. Amethyst realized that they were indeed creating a scene. She grabbed Alexcent by his wrist and pulled him with her. ¡°Come with me.¡± Alexcent, thankfully, didn¡¯t protest and obediently followed her. When they disappeared from sight, everyone else began to talk. ¡°Her Ladyship is indeed amazing,¡± said one. ¡°I think she is probably the strongest and fearless among us.¡± ¡°I have never seen someone talk with His Excellency that way and live to see another day.¡± Hill, Buer, and Leryan approached Barden. Leryan offered his hand to Barden, who took it and helped himself off the ground. ¡°I¡­,¡± began Barden, shaken, ¡°I almost died. Did he really mean to kill me?¡± ¡°Well¡­ what matters is you are alive.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡± stammered Barden, ¡°He was really going to¡­.¡± He turned pale. ¡°Did you do something to offend him?¡± asked Buer, worriedly. ¡°Never!¡± said Barden, ¡°I would never do something like that. I respect him too much.¡± ¡°Think again,¡± urged Leryan, ¡°The prince wouldn¡¯t never try to kill you if you haven¡¯t done anything directly to offend him. Is it something related to Her Ladyship?¡± ¡°Actually¡­¡± said Barden, ¡°On the day of the welcoming party¡­.¡± Barden was reminded of the events of that day. *** ¡°Roman! Hurry and bring clean gauzes and ointment to dress the wound!¡± ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± said Roman and hurried away. ¡°You sit here,¡± Amethyst instructed briskly. Alexcent obeyed silently. ¡°Here, My Lady,¡± said Roman, arriving with gauzes and ointments. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Place it here on the table and go see if the doctor has arrived.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± As Roman left, Amethyst stood in front of Alexcent and unbuttoned his shirt. She took off his shirt cautiously so that it wouldn¡¯t hurt his arm. She looked at his arm and looked away. Fortunately, the wound wasn¡¯t very deep, and the bleeding had stopped a little. She sighed. ¡°Really¡­,¡± she mumbled. She felt like she would burst into tears. She somehow felt like this was all her fault. She cleaned his wound with warm water and wiped it with cotton and disinfectant. ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± she asked, lightly dabbing at the wound. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 185 Chapter 185 ¡°No.¡± ¡°Really¡­ why would you¡­.¡± She was lost. She forgot what she was thinking of asking him. Oh right, Barden. ¡°Why do you hate Barden so much?¡± she asked. ¡°I don¡¯t hate him.¡± I want to kill him, thought Alexcent but didn¡¯t say it aloud. He didn¡¯t particularly hate Barden, but he did want him gone from their lives. ¡°Then why are you particularly mean to Barden?¡± asked Amethyst, ¡°If you don¡¯t hate him, did you casually decide to kill him just for fun?¡± ¡°I wonder why.¡± Alexcent clamped his mouth shut after that and refused to respond. Amethyst was frustrated that he was acting this way. If he doesn¡¯t hate him, then why¡­. Amethyst, in her annoyance, put a bit more pressure on the gauze accidentally when covering the wound. ¡°Ugh.¡± Alexcent frowned but Amethyst focused on his wound. ¡°Why do you care so much about Barden?¡± he asked. Amethyst hands working busily covering his cut, stopped. She looked up at him, confused. ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t lie,¡± said Alexcent. He grabbed her waist and laid her on the bed. ¡°Alec¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me,¡± he said roughly. ¡°You¡­.¡± His eyes burned with frustration. Do I really have to say it out loud? Alexcent scowled. He wasn¡¯t able to understand why he wasn¡¯t able to say it out loud. Why was it so difficult? He was unable to look her in the eye. He thought that if he did, she would know and she would leave him. She would choose Barden over him. ¡°Alec¡­.¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t know what was going on in his mind. He called out his name cautiously. She saw that his wound was bleeding again. ¡°Move aside!¡± she exclaimed and straightened her dress. She pressed the gauze down on his and to stop the bleeding. ¡°You are so careless. Don¡¯t move!¡± There was a knock at the door. It was the doctor. Amethyst was relieved. As the doctor treated his wound, she stayed by his side. ¡°Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t very deep,¡± said the doctor, ¡°As long as you are careful, it will heal quickly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°See, I told you it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± said Amethyst sternly, ¡°You just keep quiet.¡± The doctor awkwardly finished his work. ¡°Then, I will be heading back.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you so much,¡± said Amethyst. After the treatment was over, the doctor left. Amethyst and Alexcent were alone in the room. She turned to him fiercely, but Alexcent turned away from her. She couldn¡¯t understand why he was acting this way. Amethyst was being very careful these days because there seemed to be this unknown issue between them. But she was becoming frustrated as Alexcent continued to act cold towards her. She had many things that she had hidden from him, so she couldn¡¯t really criticize him when she herself was unable to tell him everything honestly. She approached him carefully. She wrapped her arms around him taking care to not touch his injured arm. ¡°Please, take care of yourself,¡± she said, ¡°Don¡¯t get hurt.¡± He didn¡¯t respond to that. ¡°It upsets and worries me when you get hurt.¡± Alexcent wrapped his uninjured arm around her. ¡°Alright. I am sorry.¡± If you get hurt or anything goes wrong, I always feel like somehow, it¡¯s my fault. It scares me. Amethyst was unable to voice out her thoughts. They stayed in each other¡¯s arms in silence for a while. *** ¡°How does your arm feel now?¡± asked Gen ¡°It¡¯s feels okay,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°What do you intend to do now?¡± ¡°About?¡± ¡°Barden¡­¡± ¡°Nothing for now.¡± Alexcent handed out signed documents that had needed his approval to Gen. She gets so sad with such a small injury on me, thought Alexcent, I wonder what might happen to her if something were to happen to Barden. The thought of her being in agony was unbearable to Alexcent. In the end, he could only do what would make her happy. After that day, Alexcent was changed. He was cautious with his actions and behavior. He felt disconnected and distant. He continued to seek her in bed but nothing beyond that. Amethyst assumed it was because their contract was going to end soon so he was distancing himself from her. She made sure to not cross any line herself as well. The invisible wall began building up between the two. *** Amethyst, who just finished her swords practice, did not immediately return to her room today, instead she took the longer route. Walking along the forest path behind the training ground, she enjoyed the stroll in the gentle wind which distracted her from her painful thoughts. The forest path soon led to a trail. She stopped at a tree and sat down, closing her eyes and leaning against the trunk to rest a bit. She listened to the rush of the win and the rustle of the leaves. The chirping of the birds made her feel at peace. She could hear the knights training on the ground. She loved the smell of the grass. Everything felt tranquil but her heart was still disturbed. She felt incomplete. ¡°I thought I was the only one who knew about this secret place.¡± Amethyst opened her eyes at the voice to see Barden. ¡°Barden?¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Due to the sun, she could only make out his silhouette. ¡°I didn¡¯t know this was a secret place.¡± ¡°Haha, I was just joking. There really isn¡¯t a place like this where you feel so at peace.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re right.¡± Barden offered her a small package. ¡°Would you like to try some?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s cookies.¡± She opened the package to try some. Chapter 186 Chapter 186 There were hand-made cookies in cute shapes. ¡°Wow! It looks delicious.¡± Amethyst¡¯s eyes glistened at the sight of the sweets. ¡°Sit down. Let¡¯s eat these together.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine, ¡± ¡°What do you mean you¡¯re fine? If you came all the way here with the cookies, you must have a taste of them as well.¡± Barden sat a little distant from Amethyst, perhaps feeling shy. Slowly, he picked the cookies she was offering him and put them in his mouth. So did Amethyst. ¡°How is it?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but ask as the duchess finished her first bite. ¡°Mm, it¡¯s delicious. It¡¯s not too sweet, and I like the texture. It¡¯s very savory the more I chew. Who made this?¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Pardon? Barden, you made it yourself?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a hobby of mine.¡± Barden flushed. ¡°Wow, what an admirable hobby.¡± With this sudden praise, Barden smiled a fraction. ¡°Is that so? When I was at the academy, I was teased a lot for not being suitable enough as a brave knight. Hence, I abstained from baking always¡­¡± ¡°What? But with this skill, it must be something you¡¯ve done more than once or twice.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not to that extent. Whenever I was having a hard time, I tried to bake and now, my cookies have finally become an edible standard.¡± ¡°Edible?¡± Amethyst shook her head, ¡°Don¡¯t lie! It¡¯s really good!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°By the way, Barden, do you have hard times too?¡± ¡°Well¡­of course. When things don¡¯t work out the way you want it to¡­ like when the person you like doesn¡¯t know how you feel¡­¡± Oh, that¡¯s right. He has a crush on my sister. Maybe it¡¯s because we are like-minded? Somehow, I just can¡¯t hate him. ¡°Haha, I see. I think I know how that feels.¡± Hearing her reply, Barden asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been curious since before. How is your relationship with the duke?¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Ah, I apologize, my lady. I simply¡­ can¡¯t help but feel concerned since you¡¯re a family member of the woman I like.¡± ¡°We¡­¡± His question was both simple and difficult to answer. Even though they were believed to be husband and wife, their marriage wasn¡¯t real at all. What¡¯s more, he was someone she loved but couldn¡¯t love for everything will come at end soon enough¡ªwhen the contract reaches its finality. Her heart started to ache from being unable to speak the truth. Barden, sensing her discomfort, broke the silence first. ¡°If you feel uncomfortable, you need not answer me. You¡¯re not obligated to tell me.¡± Amethyst nodded, finding it hard to say the right words. He must find it weird. Or maybe he¡¯s already guessed what kind of relationship we are in. Instead of answering his question, Amethyst changed the subject. ¡°Since when have you liked Merril?¡± ¡°Well¡­When I was in the academy taking accounting as one of my minor modules, I knew then.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Every time during the lesson, her sparkling attentive eyes stood out. I was amazed at how passionate she was for such a boring class.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Once I ran into her in the library. We started talking about the lesson¡­and met regularly after that. Everytime we did, she talked about her sister.¡± ¡°About me?¡± ¡°Yes. She said while she easily gives up on everything, she said you always do your best in everything. So, she was motivated to follow your footsteps to try her best not to give up.¡± Was I like that? I guess Amethyst¡¯ past was very different from mine. She must have loved herself a lot. Momentarily, she wondered how the original Amethyst loved herself. She wondered what kind of person she is and how was she so confident. Now that I think of it I¡¯ve never had a deep conversation with Merril, so I¡¯ll take the time to talk to her next time I visit. Looking at the man before her, she felt fondness over him. He was a good person, and Amethyst wanted to help him the best she could. ¡°Ah, Merill likes to snack on things. She will always grab the cookies in the morning and place them on her plate. If not, she will steal them all.¡± Barden listened to her with keenness, ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, it you get the chance you should give her your handmade cookies. She might like them.¡± ¡°But, if a knight who should be yielding swords, gifts her a cookie she might find it weird¡­¡± ¡°Oh my, what do you mean?! From where I¡¯m from, guys who cook are the big hit! They call them SGC.¡± ¡°SGC?¡± ¡°Yes, Sexy guys who cook!¡± Barden had a blank expression on his face as he said, ¡°Pfft, this is the first time I¡¯ve heard of such a thing. I didn¡¯t know guys who cook are popular in the mansion.¡± Ah, oh dear. That was a near miss. There were times when she made a big slip like this as she spoke of things that were out of context here. Fortunately, Barden seemed to have misunderstood. ¡°By the way Barden, did you realize that your conversation skills has gotten better?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, you can converse pretty naturally now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, my lady.¡± ¡°Me? I didn¡¯t do anything.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve let me speak so casually and naturally.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­then try to continue this conversation.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Barden, can you teach me this recipe?¡± ¡°On how to make cookies?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s yummy so I want to make them myself.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± The two continued with their conversation which was full of nonsensical things. Their laughter rang occasionally, and their hearts at ease. But there was one person who couldn¡¯t laugh at the picture of the two people having a great time. It was Alexcent who was staring at them from afar. Chapter 187 Chapter 187 After hearing from Roman that his wife had not yet returned to her room, Alexcent headed to the training grounds. Seeing how she wasn¡¯t there he searched for her and when he did, he stood frozen. Seeing her smiling, he turned his heavy footsteps around. *** That night, Amethyst waited up for Alexcent and greeted him as he came back from his study. ¡°You aren¡¯t asleep yet.¡± ¡°I was waiting for you.¡± ¡°Go to sleep.¡± He said dismissively but Amethyst wasn¡¯t willing to let him go just yet. As he headed towards the bed, she grabbed a hold of his arm. ¡°Wait, are you very tired?¡± ¡°No.¡± His frown not betraying what he felt inside. ¡°Then come over here and take a seat.¡± Amethyst pointed towards the table. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Since we haven¡¯t had the time to talk much lately. I know you¡¯re busy but still¡­¡± There were finger foods and wine laid out on the table. It was intentionally prepared for sure. ¡®It¡¯s you who don¡¯t have the time to talk. Since you¡¯re busy with Barden.¡¯ Alexcent wasn¡¯t up for it, but he went to the table as she wanted. ¡°Gen says you¡¯re busy preparing for the royal hunting competition¡­.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Has your arm healed?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Glad it¡¯s healing.¡± Alexcent brought the glass to his lips. It wasn¡¯t a bad wine but somehow the after taste was bitter. ¡°Ah, try some of this. Don¡¯t drink on an empty stomach.¡± Amethyst picked a cookie from the plate and placed it in his mouth. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not too bad.¡± ¡°Really? Isn¡¯t it tasty? Guess who made it?¡± ¡°Who made it?¡± ¡°Barden.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± As Amethyst revealed who, Alexcent froze, unable to swallow nor spit out the cookie in his mouth. ¡°He bakes as a hobby. The more I look at him, the more I think he¡¯s a good person.¡± ¡°He has a considerate side too¡­and seeing how he never misses out on a day of practice he also seems diligent.¡± Amethyst continued. ¡°I think he¡¯s a good husband material. What do you think?¡± Amethyst asked with glistening eyes. Alexcent scoffed at her words. ¡®Ha, unbelievable. What do I think? She thinks I¡¯m condoning it just because I¡¯m remaining silent.¡¯ Alexcent drank up all the wine in his glass, placed it on the table with a bang and spoke. ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± With those words he left her bedroom and left a startled Amethyst all alone to wonder what had happened. *** The next day, Lunia asked her a question out of the blue. ¡°My lady, are you perhaps hiding anything from me?¡± ¡°Hiding?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Amethyst thought hard after listening to Lunia¡¯s question, but nothing came to mind. ¡°Alright then. Let me ask directly instead.¡± Lunia took a deep breath. ¡°Why are you on such good terms with Barden?¡± ¡°Barden?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Mm, well¡­I wouldn¡¯t say we¡¯re on good terms but more like I¡¯m helping him out?¡± ¡°Helping? With what?¡± ¡°Mmm¡­I can¡¯t really say¡­.¡± ¡°My lady!¡± I guess it¡¯s okay if Lunia knows right? Well, Barden didn¡¯t say it¡¯s a secret and tell me not to tell anybody. As long as I don¡¯t mention the details. ¡°Fine¡­but only you should know.¡± ¡°Yes. Understood.¡± Amethyst whispered the answer to Lunia. Of course, she didn¡¯t mention who his one-sided love was. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying, that you are helping him out with his unrequited love¡± ¡°Yes. Barden isn¡¯t good with his words, so he seemed to have suffered quite a bit. Like on how to talk comfortably with women or talk to others without getting misunderstood. I¡¯m teaching him a few stuff like that.¡± After hearing Amethyst, Lunia was speechless and burst out laughing. It was far from what she had expected. After hearing from Roman that the prince had left the bedroom angrily, Lunia couldn¡¯t understand why Madam was keeping Barden so close and had decided to ask.¡®What? Teach him how to talk to others without being misunderstood?! Really, what should I do with our dear lady¡­¡¯ Lunia finally managed to talk. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in a place to help Barden. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s because the duke¡± ¡®No. Why should I meddle with this. Besides¡­it¡¯s not every day you get to see the duke rage in jealousy.¡¯ Lunia, still holding a slight bit of a grudge from the previous incident, decided to prolong the situation a little longer and have her little revenge. ¡°Yes Lunia?¡± ¡°Oh, nothing my lady!¡± ¡°A-alright. Anyway, Lunia, make sure to keep it a secret!¡± ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± But the thing about secrets, once they¡¯re out, everyone is bound to know. *** Several days had passed but ever since then, there was no chance of running into Alexcent. Amethyst felt his presence in the night but that was all. By the time she opened her eyes, he was long gone. Because of that Amethyst was extremely unhappy and starting to feel annoyed. ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The head of the knights wishes me to relay a message.¡± ¡°Sir Hill?¡± ¡°Yes, he says after training today they will be eating what you like at the training grounds, and wonders if you would like to join them.¡± What I like? Ah, intestines! It was good news. She was craving for a good chew to relieve her stress. ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Then I will relay the message.¡± Amethyst got up from her seat and headed straight for the kitchen. She asked for the chef¡¯s permission then prepared onions, garlic, potatoes, etc. Things that would be good to grill together and then headed to the training ground. ¡°Have you started already?¡± ¡°Not yet. We just got the fire going.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Amethyst walked towards the corner of the grounds where the knights were huddled around. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 188 Chapter 188 As usual Hill, Leyrian, Buer, Marcus and Barden were there. ¡°Wow, even Barden is here.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s at the mansion, he needs to have his welcoming ceremony!¡± ¡°Welcoming ceremony?¡± ¡°Yes. Apparently he hasn¡¯t had grilled intestines before.¡± ¡°Really? This amazing stuff?! Barden you¡¯ve truly not lived.¡± Amethyst said to the flustered Barden. ¡°What? My lady, have you had this disgusting looking stuff before?¡± The fellow asked in surprise. ¡°Ha, look at this lad,¡± said Buer, chuckling. ¡°Our lady can¡¯t have enough it! She loves it so much.¡± ¡°What?!¡± asked Barden, perplexed. ¡°Haha, Barden once you try it you won¡¯t be able to get over this dish!¡± ¡°Tada, I brought some alcohol to go along as well!¡± Marcus revealed a bottle from his arms and shook it. ¡°My man! You sure know how to enjoy!¡± Buer wrapped his arms around Marcus¡¯ shoulders in excitement. Amethyst clapped her hands and cheered as well. ¡°Now hurry and flip it! Be careful, don¡¯t burn it.¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry, my lady. We have mastered the art of grilling, thanks to you.¡± ¡°Ah, don¡¯t forget to grill the onion! And the potatoes!¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Leyrian quickly put the vegetables on the grill. Just as the intestines were turning golden brown, Marcus opened the bottle of alcohol and poured everyone a glass. Amethyst took this as the opportunity and grabbed a glass for herself. ¡°Now, cheers!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± How exciting! It¡¯s been a while, thought Amethyst. She knew that her current body was low on tolerance when it came to alcohol. So, instead of gulping the whole thing up, she sipped at it. But even with such a small amount, she got tipsy after a while. She felt great. Her body felt light. She was full of energy. ¡°One shot!¡± ¡°Madam you can¡¯t even down your first glass!¡± ¡°Haha, count me out! I¡¯m already quite drunk already!¡± ¡°Alright, just this once!¡± ¡°Yes! Now, cheers!¡± The food was cooking, and the atmosphere was cheery. Alexcent spotted Pon the moment he returned. Pon looked worried. ¡°What is it?¡± asked the duke. ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s nothing, my lord,¡± said Pon. Alexcent was about to turn and head to his study when Roman came looking for Pon. ¡°Pon!¡± she called and then she saw Alexcent, ¡°My lord.¡± She bowed. ¡°You are Ash¡¯s maid, aren¡¯t you?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± ¡°Then why are you here?¡± he asked. ¡°Sorry?¡± asked Roman, confused. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be by her side?¡± asked Alexcent. ¡°I was just running an errand¡­¡± ¡°An errand?¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± ¡°You have a skill of making me ask twice. I don¡¯t quite like that.¡± ¡°I-I apologize, my lord,¡± said Roman, terrified. ¡°Madam asked me to get some more liquor from Pon, my lord.¡± Pon looked nervous. With Roman, blurting out everything, he thought that the damage had already been done. ¡°Liquor?¡± asked Alexcent. He turned to Pon. ¡°Why is that, Pon?¡± ¡°They are having a mini party in the training ground, my lord,¡± said Pon, hurriedly, ¡°With grilled meat and some alcohol. I think they much be low on the latter.¡± Roman looked at Pon. Pon swallowed his nervousness. ¡°I apologize, my lord,¡± said Roman. ¡°Lead the way,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Roman led the way to the training grounds, terrified. Alcohol! Alexcent seethed. She can¡¯t hold her liquor and yet¡­. Even though Alexcent had promised himself that he wouldn¡¯t care about her too much, the word ¡®alcohol¡¯ broke his resolve. Because he knew better than anyone else how she had the lowest tolerance for it. With every step he took towards the training ground, he felt his rage growing within him. ¡°Drink, drink!¡± ¡°Drink what? We¡¯re out of alcohol!¡± Marcus complained. ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry. Roman will be back shortly with more!¡± ¡°My lady! you are so generous!¡± ¡°While we wait, why don¡¯t we play a game of truth or dare?¡± Lunia, who had joined them just a moment ago, suggested. She should have been stopping Amethyst, but here she was, encouraging her instead. ¡°Truth or dare? That sounds fun. Who¡¯s going to go first?¡± ¡°Barden of course!¡± Leyrian and Buer shouted at the same time. Barden tried to refuse but it was too late. ¡°Now, now, if you refuse to question, you will have to drink a whole glass!¡± ¡°What the hell? Since when was that rule created?¡± ¡°Just now!¡± This is so fun! Amethyst laughed as she sipped on her glass. ¡°Now, tell me honestly. Who¡¯s the one you moon over every day?¡± Buer asked with a smirk. ¡°What?¡± Oh my, how did they know that? Amethyst almost spilled her drink. She looked at Lunia, who shrugged her shoulders. Haha. Sorry, Barden. Amethyst looked away as Barden looked at her with resentful eyes. ¡°Are you going to drink? Or tell the truth?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Barden, who couldn¡¯t drink, seemed to be in a dilemma. Oh no, should I help him out? But I can¡¯t drink as well. What should I do? I can¡¯t believe Lunia did that! She promised to keep it a secret! ¡°This won¡¯t do. Fill the glass! Two times!¡± Marcus emptied the bottle; the glass was full. ¡°You might die if you drink this. You better tell us. It¡¯s quite strong.¡± ¡°Hey and you never know, we might be able to help you out. Even though he looks like that, Leyrian is pretty popular with the ladies.¡± Buer leaned into Barden and whispered devilishly, trying to get him to spill the beans. Barden must have been nervous. ¡°Well¡­ the person I like is¡­ Lo¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± A furious voice boomed in the air. It felt like a thunderclap that shook everyone sending cold shivers down their spine. Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Everyone turned from Barden to the source of the voice. Alexcent looked furious. The vein on his forehead throbbed. ¡°Hic!¡± Amethyst was equally surprised as everyone else by Alexcent¡¯s sudden appearance. She almost choked on her drink and had fits of hiccups. While everyone went silent and quiet, there was always one person who never could read the room. As always, it was Buer. ¡°Oh man, it was just about to get fun¡­. you came too early!¡± ¡°What?¡± thundered Alexcent, with fists clenched. Hill and Leyrian tried to stop him, but Buer was too tipsy to understand the situation. ¡°Barden was just about to tell us who his one-sided love is.¡± Alexcent looked at Amethyst. Amethyst was trying to suppress her hiccups. She didn¡¯t notice him glance at her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious as well, my lord?¡± ¡°Buer, enough¡­you¡¯re drunk.¡± ¡°Come one, you said you were curious too!¡± Hill quickly tried to step in but it was no use. Everyone hoped someone would put a stop to this before someone got killed. Buer seemed fated to depart this world before his time. ¡°Ha, you all really¡­.!¡± As his rage reached its limit, Alexcent gathered his power. Even though he knew well not to use magic for an attack, he didn¡¯t care and strongly felt the urge to wipe out the entire place. ¡°No, no!¡± Hill, who was the only one sober, tried to stop him but Alexcent seemed set on wiping out the entire ground. ¡°Hic!¡± Amethyst who couldn¡¯t hold it back, hiccupped loudly. Alexcent turned to look at her. It was probably a good thing that Amethyst was dead drunk. Somehow, she found the courage to talk to him. Without hesitation she spread out her arm and walked towards Alexcent. ¡°Hehe, Alec, Hic!¡± ¡°Just how much did you drink!¡± Her hazy eyes already told him the answer. ¡°I didn¡¯t drink that much¡­.¡± She stumbled. Alexcent let go of his power and supported Amethyst before she tumbled to the ground. ¡°Hehe, my very handsome husband! Hic!¡± ¡°Ash, get a grip!¡± ¡°Ah, why? I like how I¡¯m feeling now¡­you never show me your face anymore. You¡¯re so busy.¡± ¡°Stop¡­¡± Alexcent saw her drunk and tipsy and acting this way for the first time. He didn¡¯t know how to react. ¡°No! I want to drink some more!¡± ¡°Ash!¡± ¡°Are you getting mad at me?¡± As Amethyst asked in a sad voice, Alexcent started to sweat. He tried to get a grip on himself and replied, ¡°No¡­ I am not.¡± ¡°Hmm, I think you -hic- are.¡± ¡°I told you I am not mad at you.¡± ¡°Yes, you are¡­.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡± ¡°Then you drink with me too.¡± ¡°What?¡± Amethyst wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head on his chest. ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­. You had too much to drink. Let¡¯s go in, alright?¡± Why the hell is she being so adorable? Alexcent looked around. Hill, Leyrian and Marcus were cheering her on inwardly so that the duke wouldn¡¯t pay attention to them. Feeling the encouragement in their gazes, Amethyst smiled. ¡°Please, drink here. With me. Hic-¡± ¡°Ash¡­ you¡¯re drunk.¡± ¡°I know¡­ but everyone is curious.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°About Barden¡¯s crush,¡± she said, ¡°Hic. Aren¡¯t you -hic- curious too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Because I know it, thought Alexcent. His heart ached. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I already know.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I¡­ just know.¡± Amethyst hugged Alexcent even tighter. ¡°Hehe, I know too! Hic.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you do.¡± Alexcent looked down at her sadly. Seeing her smile so unguardedly made his heart ache even more. ¡°How unexpected that you knew too, Alec!¡± I wonder if he truly knows how I feel. I wonder if that¡¯s why he¡¯s been avoiding me. ¡°Alec¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I like being in your arms¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°No¡­I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn.¡± Amethyst continued to cling onto Alec and, turning her head, called out to Barden. ¡°Barden!¡± Amethyst called. ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± ¡°I wanted to take your drink for you¡­but I can¡¯t¡­.¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°So, tell us¡­.¡± ¡°Ash, enough. You¡¯re drunk.¡± Alexcent tried to stop her, but she didn¡¯t listen. ¡°Everyone¡¯s curious¡­. or are you going to drink the whole glass?¡± ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then tell us. If not Buer will torture you forever. You won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight.¡± Barden looked nervous. He knew it was true. But he wondered what he was so afraid of. It wasn¡¯t a wrong thing to confess one¡¯s love and speak the truth. ¡°I¡­,¡± began Barden, ¡°I¡­ the person I love is¡­¡± Everyone turned to Barden. ¡°Lady Lohikin,¡± said Barden, finally. Alexcent closed his eyes and scowled. I should have killed the bastard earlier. Everyone turned to Amethyst. She laughed in Alexcent¡¯s arms. Everyone had a surprised, almost shocked look, on their faces. Buer seemed to be taken aback to even utter a word. ¡°Hmm? Why are you looking at me?¡± asked Amethyst drunkenly. ¡°So¡­the person Barden loves is Lady Lohikin? Is it you Madam?¡± asked Lunia, as though she didn¡¯t know. Lunia was sure that the prince would have misunderstood so she wanted it to be clear once and for all. ¡°Haha, Lunia¡­,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°he said Lady Lohikin! I¡¯m Amethyst Skad.¡± ¡°What?¡± Alexcent quickly looked down into her eyes. Chapter 190 Chapter 190 ¡°I¡¯m already married to you, idiot,¡± mumbled Amethyst, ¡°So I¡¯m not the one. I¡¯m¡­ sleepy.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t sleep yet!¡± Alexcent grabbed her shoulders and shook her awake. Amethyst¡¯s eyes drooped. ¡°It¡¯s my sister,¡± she mumbled, ¡°Merril¡­ Lohikin.¡± ¡°Ash?¡± called Alexcent. Her arms around his waist loosened and she stumbled. Alexcent lifted her in his arms. ¡°Alec¡­ I¡¯m sleepy¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Sleep.¡± ¡°Hmm. Alright.¡± Alexcent carried her out of the training ground. ¡°Everyone is on probation for a week,¡± he declared as a warning. ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± said Hill, accepting it humbly. It was the lightest punishment that Alexcent could give. ¡°Everyone, leave.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± they intoned. Alexcent carried Amethyst to her bedroom, laid her down on the bed. He dismissed the maids. He looked at her sleeping form. So, it was Merril? He had blamed her for no reason at all. He hated himself. He stroked her cheeks. Amethyst mumbled and smiled in her sleep. He didn¡¯t know wat he was feeling anymore. He had been so hurt and angry and now he felt like he had the whole world for his own. Not everything. She wasn¡¯t his. The one he wanted the most. ¡°Mmm, Alec¡­¡± mumbled Amethyst. I want you whole, Ash, thought Alexcent. I want to make you mine. Alexcent laid down with her and pulled her close to him. He hugged her tightly never wanting to let her go again. *** Amethyst opened her eyes. The splitting headache reminded her of yesterday. What did I do? ¡°Looks like you are awake,¡± said someone. She turned at the voice, but she didn¡¯t see Roman or Lunia there. He was there already neatly dressed. ¡°Alec?¡± she said, surprised. How long has he been there? Oh no, he is going to nag at me again for drinking. It wasn¡¯t just the drinking. It was also what she did after getting drunk. Blood rushed to her cheeks in embarrassment. She couldn¡¯t get out of bed either. Alexcent walked to her and sat on the edge of her bed. He put a hand on her forehead. ¡°How¡¯s the headache?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Her head hurt from the hangover but if she said it hurt, he would yell at her. ¡°Just a little¡­ it¡­¡± Alexcent sighed. He lifted her up and sat her on his lap near the table where medicine, food and water were laid out. ¡°Drink,¡± he said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You said it hurt right?¡± he said. ¡°This¡­¡± she remembered the bitterness of the medicine. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste good.¡± ¡°Drink it anyway,¡± he said, ¡°It will help.¡± He lifted the bowl of medicine to her lips as though he was going to make her drink it one way or another. ¡°Alright, I will drink it.¡± She took the bowl from his hand and stared at the dark, bitter liquid. ¡°Ash¡­¡± She put the bowl to her lips and gulped the medicine down. She gagged. ¡°Here,¡± he said and put a small piece of chocolate in her mouth. It was sweet. He stirred the soup and lifted a spoonful to her lips. ¡°Here,¡± he said. ¡°You drank too much, and your stomach is empty.¡± ¡°I will eat it myself.¡± ¡°No.¡± Amethyst was perplexed. She opened her mouth and ate the food. She had expected him to be furious today but somehow, he looked happy. The happiest she had seen him in these few days. He looked very pleased as she ate her food. ¡°How is it?¡± he asked. ¡°Mm¡­. it¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡°Here, take more.¡± ¡°Alec aren¡¯t you uncomfortable?¡± asked Amethyst. She had been sitting on his lap for a while now. ¡°No. Are you?¡± ¡°No, but¡­ your legs might get numb¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. You¡¯re not that heavy. Keep eating.¡± Is today a special day? Amethyst wondered. Is he buttering me up to scold me later? He fed her and she ate but she was still suspicious of all this. ¡°You are forbidden from going to the training ground for a while.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°Why?¡± he said. ¡°You tell me. You still want to go to the training ground after what happened yesterday?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­. No.¡± She remembered all the embarrassing things that happened yesterday. She didn¡¯t think that she could face any of the knights, especially Barden. ¡°Right¡­,¡± she said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I can go there for a while.¡± ¡°Good.¡± He seemed pleased. But what would she do all day? She will get very bored. There was a hunting tournament too! She will have to practice shooting to be perfect in it. ¡°Looks like I won¡¯t be able to go to the training ground anyway. I have shooting practice.¡± Alexcent turned stiff at Amethyst¡¯s words. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hunting tournament soon. So, I have to prepare myself.¡± Amethyst expected him to swear in anger. ¡°Do you¡­ really have to go?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to, then I¡ª¡± ¡°But you want to.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll have Gen make the arrangements.¡± ¡°Really?¡± asked Amethyst, shocked. ¡°Yes.¡± Her heart beat fast. Was it because f the medicine or the hangover? Was it because Alexcent was much happier today? He seemed a completely different person. Was it because he let her join the hunting tournament which he always opposed so vehemently? S he couldn¡¯t really figure him out. Being with him was always like this, it wasn¡¯t good for her heart. She was scared he might find out how her heart raced whenever she was with him, so she kept a little distance when they embraced. Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Tang¨C! As she pulled the trigger, there was a sound of chemical explosion that echoed throughout the shooting ground. After two more shots, the ground fell silent. ¡°My lady! You hit the bull¡¯s eye again!¡± said Lunia, ¡°You are doing really great!¡± Amethyst, who was still aiming at the target, lowered her hands to the ground. She blinked a few times. Aiming with one of her eyes closed had strained her eyes. ¡°Was it a bull¡¯s eye?¡± ¡°Yes! You¡¯ve hit it 3 times already. It¡¯s not easy to hit the bull¡¯s eye this quickly. Also, your other 7 shots were almost in the center, too! That is great progress!¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! You have a knack for shooting.¡± Lunia took the target board brought by the custodian of the shooting ground and showed Amethyst. She showed her the holes cluttered in the middle, made by Amethyst. It didn¡¯t look very bad. ¡°Can I take this? I want to show it to Alec.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead. This is a skill to be shown off.¡± Amethyst was happy with Lunia¡¯s compliments and wanted to show off her skill to Alexcent. ¡°Alec should be in his office right now. I don¡¯t think he is going to the palace today.¡± ¡°Right now, he¡¯s at the training ground,¡± said Lunia. ¡°Training ground?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He had forbidden her from going to the training grounds for a while and he was there, instead. Amethyst was curious. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I was told that he had assembled the knights for a special training,¡± said Lunia. ¡°Special training?¡± ¡°Yes. The duke is leading the training personally.¡± ¡°Then all the knights should be there.¡± ¡°Not all,¡± said Lunia, ¡°The division leaders and the elite knights might be there.¡± Amethyst thought that for Alexcent to lead the training personally for the division leaders and alite knights, it must be a very important training. What was Alexcent preparing them for? ¡°Really?¡± said Amethyst, ¡°Then I shouldn¡¯t go now. I¡¯ll just get in the way.¡± ¡°No way! Everyone will probably welcome you. They might, in fact, be wishing for you to come.¡± ¡°Me? Why?¡± ¡°Probably because you¡¯ll be their savior.¡± Lunia smiled. ¡°So, should I go?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes. Of course!¡± Amethyst nodded. She can come back if she was told to go anyway. Amethyst made her way to the training ground. The target board paper fluttered in her hands. The atmosphere in the training ground was tense due to heat and aggressiveness. ¡°Please!¡± Buer, who dropped his sword, sat down on the ground as he lowered his body to pick it back up. ¡°Get up!¡± Alexcent yelled. ¡°My lord!¡±¡± ¡°We¡¯re just getting started and you¡¯re giving up already?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been half a day!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know since when the knights became so lenient and lazy in their practice.¡± ¡°No, my lord! I didn¡¯t mean that.¡± ¡°Then get up!¡± Buer, at Alexcent¡¯s order, gritted his teeth, grabbed his sword and got up. Leyrian and Hill got into their stance. Alexcent could fight 100 soldiers alone without breaking a sweat. With high-ranking knights coming together at him, he was still going strong. Hill, Leyrian, and even Buer went at him with all their skill and might. I know it¡¯s the duke, but how is he not even breaking a sweat? Have we really become lazy? There is no way! I have trained every single day for this. He truly is a monster! With the training going on from early morning, their legs started giving way. ¡°Losing your strength just with this much practice?¡± taunted Alexcent, ¡°My knights truly have become lazy. The duke¡¯s formidable knights are really no more.¡± ¡°No, my lord!¡± ¡°Never!¡± They yelled simultaneously, ¡°Then brace yourselves. You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d stop at this, did you?¡± Everyone was surprised at Alexcent¡¯s words. Of course I knew it! I will never drink again in my life. They were suspicious that only the division leaders and the elite knight, Marcus, were called for the training. The knights who were present on that day. They were surprised when the duke had declared probation as punishment for them. It had seemed a really light punishment knowing the duke. That was just a front. The knights groaned as they lifted their swords. They all ran at Alexcent with their swords in the air. The sound of metal clanging filled the training ground. Amethyst, a step away from the grounds, hesitated. ¡°Maam, what¡¯s wrong?¡± asked Lunia. ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know if I should go in. I don¡¯t want to bother them. I think it¡¯d be better for me to wait till after they are finished with the training.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you watch it quietly?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You came all the way; it would be a waste to just turn around and go back. You can watch them train without being seen. You can show it to him later after the training.¡± ¡°R-really, can I do that?¡± ¡°Of course. I am sure you want to see how he is when he practices his skills, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes¡­,¡± nodded Amethyst. During the duel with Count Glacia, she had run away. When he was fighting Barden, she was busy trying to stop him. She was very curious about his fighting skills. Her heart pounded even imagining him like that. She so wanted to see him focused on his work. Lunia smiled and led Amethyst away towards the edge of the training ground, hidden from view. ¡°Come his way,¡± she said, ¡°I know a place where you can watch them without being seen.¡± ¡°A place where I can see them, but they won¡¯t see me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Lunia, ¡°You can see the entire training ground, but nobody can see us.¡± ¡°Was there always such a place?!¡± ¡°Of course!¡± If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Lunia led her to a place which was dense with trees and bushes. It looked wild. The grasses there were so overgrown that they reached her waist. Lunia looked around the area as though trying to find something. She found a patch of grass which was sparser than the ones around it and combed the place with both hands to reveal a big hole among the bushes. A peephole! I wonder why there is such a place near the training ground. ¡°Lunia! This¡­¡± Lunia laughed. ¡°Yes! This is the place I used when I was still training. I am sure a few of the newly anointed knights know of this place, too.¡± The fact that the always uptight and law-abiding Lunia having such a rebellious side made Amethyst laugh in happiness. ¡°Madam, please crouch down and follow me,¡± said Lunia. ¡°Okay.¡± As Lunia crouched down and crawled through the hole, Amethyst followed suit. ¡°We will come up to the training ground through this. Please be careful to not cross it fully otherwise we will get caught. We should watch from around here somewhere.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± whispered Amethyst. She soon joined Lunia in sitting behind the bushes. As Lunia had said, the arena was clearly visible, but the bushes hid them from view. The sound of clashing swords filled the air. It gave Amethyst goosebumps. She saw Alexcent in the arena fending attacks. Contrary to how she had imagined him, his cool and his calm was gone. He looked fierce. She was almost afraid of him. His face looked foreign, close to alarming. His eyes were red, and they looked crazy. His lips were tightly shut. The only thing that he emanated was the intent to kill and crush. There was no hint of a smile on his face. It wasn¡¯t just him. Everyone around him had the same aura. They were no longer recognizable. The knights who had laughed and joked with her always looked transformed into something unfamiliar. They were all tensed, focused and ready to kill. ¡°I am sure there won¡¯t be a time in the future to see him like this. He is the best in battle. He is able to identify his opponents¡¯ weakness at an instant and attack very swiftly,¡± said Lunia. ¡°He doesn¡¯t turn into a monster as people say though, it is just an analogy people use because he is indomitable when fighting.¡± Amethyst recalled Buer and Gen calling him a monster in battle, only now she knew what they had meant. Alexcent looked like the same human but somehow completely transformed. She felt shivers run down her back and wrapped her arms around herself for comfort. I have been so reckless, she thought, I squeezed his cheeks and playfully hit him on his back¡­ She realized that his restraint, even in his anger towards her, was greater than he would show anyone else. Clang! Leyrian¡¯s sword fell to the ground and another duel came to an end. Hill must have realized that things were futile the way they were and started to strategize. ¡°Marcus! Lugent!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Join in as well!¡± Marcus, who was watching from a few paces away, clenched his sword and entered the arena. Other knights followed as well. ¡°Marcus, you handle the back with Buer.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± At Hill¡¯s orders, Marcus directed his energy towards his sword. ¡°The rest take either side. One blow is all we need. Even a scratch on his sleeve will be considered a success. Aim for the right sleeve.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Even if one of them could just touch the duke with their sword, the duel would end. Otherwise, it seemed today¡¯s duel would end only with someone¡¯s death. When the knights joined and made for Alexcent, Amethyst covered her mouth resisting a scream. She was struggling not to make a sound. If she did, they would be caught. ¡°Madam? Is everything okay?¡± asked Lunia, worried for Amethyst. Unlike her, Lunia looked very calm and composed as though she saw this on a daily basis. ¡°Even if it is Alec¡­ six people to one is too much. They are all skilled knights¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nothing will happen to the duke.¡± ¡°But¡­ Alec isn¡¯t even using his usual sword that he is comfortable with.¡± The knights all had their swords imbued with magic, but Alexcent only used an ordinary sword. ¡°My lady, the ones you should actually be worried about right now are the knights. If His Excellency fights with his own sword, nobody would come out of this training alive. He knows this so he is being lenient with them.¡± Amethyst turned to look at the knights. She realized that Lunia was right. The knights didn¡¯t look very good. Alexcent appeared to be at ease, while his opponents already looked tired. Even so, she felt worried. In a duel, lives were at risk. Alexcent glanced at the bushes where they were hiding and turned back to the knights, his lips turned up in a smile. Amethyst was startled. She didn¡¯t miss it. He looked this way! Did he see me? Have I been caught? Chapter 193 Chapter 193 She had been looking at him, so she was pretty sure he looked this way. She had seen him smile a little. She looked at Lunia to see if she saw it too, but Lunia was looking at the knights, so she wasn¡¯t sure if she saw Alexcent¡¯s gaze too. Did no one see it? Or did I imagine it? She could hear the knights panting and didn¡¯t move much out of fatigue. On the other hand, Alexcent deflected Hill¡¯s attack with only one arm. Hill appeared composed but his hands were shaking. Seeing ow Alexcent wasn¡¯t deflecting his attacks immediately, it seemed Hill was indeed strong. Buer took it as an opportunity and ran towards Alexcent. Alexcent pushed down on Hill¡¯s attacks and hooked his leg to his, because of which Hill lost his balance momentarily. As Buer advanced, Alexcent pushed the stumbling Hill towards Buer. Buer couldn¡¯t slow his momentum and collided with Hill. Alexcent stepped aside anticipating their clash and fall. Everything seemed to happen in the blink of an eye. ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Buer wrapped his hands over his head, while Hill grabbed his chin as he moaned in pain. ¡°Tsk.¡± A dust wind blew past, and Alexcent stood there leisurely. Amethyst who had been tensely observing the whole thing finally loosened her clenched fist, unable to watch any longer as she got up. ¡°My lady?¡± ¡°I-I need to go back. I don¡¯t think I should stay any longer.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. Next time¡ª¡± ¡°Madam, I am so sorry!¡± said Lunia, as she pushed Amethyst out of the bushes and towards the arena. She was exposed and everyone looked at her. Lunia followed her into the arena out of the bushes. Amethyst flushed a deep shade of red when she felt everyone¡¯s eyes on her. ¡°Lunia!¡± she glared at her. ¡°I am so sorry,¡± apologized Lunia, ¡°I fell¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean you fell? You just pushed me!¡± ¡°I would never!¡± said Lunia, pretending to be aghast. ¡°Lunia!¡± exclaimed Amethyst. She was about to scold her when she was interrupted with another voice. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± asked Alexcent as he approached them. Instinctively, Amethyst turned to face him, her skin covered with goosebumps. ¡°Well¡­ I¡­ um,¡± she stammered. What should I do? He would get angry. He told her not to come to the training grounds and she didn¡¯t listen. Why do I always end up making him angry? ¡°Her ladyship said she wanted to show you something, so we came to visit,¡± said Lunia. Amethyst was thankful. Her mind had gone blank. ¡°Something to show me?¡± he turned to Amethyst, ¡°What is it that you want to show me that made you crawl through the bushes instead of taking the main entrance?¡± ¡°Madam,¡± said Lunia, ¡°You should show it to His Excellency now.¡± Lunia smiled at her fearfully and nudged Amethyst. ¡°Uh¡­ yeah¡­ it¡¯s not really that important. I just practiced my shooting¡­.¡± Now that she was here, rambling about showing her results felt so foolish. She felt like a kid showing off her exam paper to her friends. It felt very awkward. Seeing her hesitate, Alexcent took the target sheet from her hands. ¡°Hmm,¡± he said, ¡°You did very good. Better than expected of a beginner at shooting.¡± She had expected him to get angry at her for appearing at the training ground. But this unexpected praise surprised and confused her. ¡°By any chance, did you hit your head?¡± ¡°What? Why would you say that? Do I look like someone who would allow myself to be hit by amateurs?¡± ¡°Then why¡­¡± ¡°What do you mean why?¡± he said, still looking at the target sheet. ¡°Wow! This truly is amazing. I have never seen someone hit the center so cleanly.¡± Amethyst thought that he was just testing her now. ¡°Liar! You are teasing me, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Is it really that difficult to accept a compliment from me?¡± he asked. ¡°I am telling you the truth. You did a really great job.¡± Amethyst scowled. Alexcent laughed and ruffled her hair, messing it up. He then turned to Hill. ¡°Let¡¯s end the practice for today.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± said Hill and bowed respectfully, followed by the other knights. ¡°No! It¡¯s alright. You can continue. Don¡¯t stop because of me. I was hiding in the bushes because I didn¡¯t want to get in the way.¡± ¡°My lady!¡± shrieked the knights in unison. Amethyst wondered what the fuss was about while Alexcent glared at the knights. Lunia, Hill and the knights avoided his gaze and turned away pretending to be busy with something. Alexcent was amused and Amethyst looked adorable to him as she struggled with the situation. Really, she always made him laugh at the most unexpected things. ¡°You really didn¡¯t need to hide, though,¡± he said, chuckling. ¡°But¡­ you said I am banned from entering the training grounds for a while.¡± ¡°Hmm, that I did. But when do you ever listen to me?¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°But still¡­ you are not finished!¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± said Alexcent, raising his hands in surrender. ¡°You can do as you please.¡± ¡°Really?¡¯ ¡°Of course!¡± he said, ¡°So, what do you want to do? Do you want me to continue training? Or, we could go back.¡± Amethyst slowly looked around at everyone. Everybody looked at Amethyst with a desperation in their eyes. ¡°Shall we go back then?¡± asked Amethyst. ¡°If you wish,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Chapter 194 Chapter 194 With that, sighs of relief could be heard from many. Alexcent ignored it. He wrapped his hand around Amethyst¡¯s shoulders and walked out of the training ground together. As they walked away, she was curious about something. ¡°When did you realize I was hiding there?¡± she asked. ¡°From the very start,¡± he said. I knew it! She hadn¡¯t imaged him smiling. As they walked back to the mansion, she looked at him. His scary demeanor from a while ago was gone with no trace. She wondered how he could be fierce a while ago and so warm now. Amethyst grabbed his hand and pulled it down from her shoulders and locked her fingers in his. Alexcent looked at her fondly. She as clinging to him with a desperate plea to never change. Amethyst did not want to lose his affection towards her. *** After they left, Lunia was ambushed by Hill, Buer, Leyrian and Marcus. ¡°Lunia! You escaped all on your own. How heartless!¡± ¡°Yes! You are the worst!¡± ¡°You were the one who suggested this punishment, but we are the only ones who suffered!¡± ¡°Lunia! Do you even know how brutal it was today?¡± Surrounded by them, Lunia tried hard to come up with excuses. ¡°I didn¡¯t skip the training intentionally! I had a duty to serve her ladyship!¡± protested Lunia. ¡°That is just an excuse! I wasn¡¯t even present on that day and still I had to go through all this!¡± ¡°Exactly! You are a section leader as well, but you skipped training. You have forgotten your loyalty!¡± Gaff, the third section leader, said. Lugent, fourth section leader, nodded vigorously. ¡°Thanks to you, we got a very fierce training. We improved our skills greatly!¡± said one of the knights mockingly. ¡°Let us help you improve your skills as well.¡± Lunia, helpless, shouted, ¡°That is why I brought Madam here!¡± ¡°What? Now you are just trying to worm your way out. What has that got to do with anything?¡± ¡°If I had been training with you all, we would still be going at it even now until and unless someone dropped dead,¡± continued Lunia, ¡°Which is why I begged Madam to come here today! I helped you and you lot are so ungrateful!¡± ¡°Is that really true?¡± asked one of the knights. ¡°Yes!¡± said Lunia, ¡°Tell me why I would have brought Madam here out of the blue then? She was unwilling to come here. She resisted but I convinced her. She was just about to head back. I pushed her in the arena seeing you all were suffering. If the Lord found out that I pushed her in the arena, he would surely kill me! I risked my life, more than any of you, to help you. And you all are so ungrateful!¡± Everyone turned to each other. Lunia¡¯s words made sense. Hill embarrassed tapped her on her shoulder. ¡°Good job!¡± he said, apologetically. ¡°Whatever,¡± said Lunia, scowling. ¡°You should have said something earlier,¡± said Buer, scratching the back of his head. ¡°Really? Would any of you had let me get a word in at all? You all just cornered me and started shouting!¡± ¡°If the Lord ever orders me to take your head, I promise to make it swift and painless,¡± said Leyrian, in gratitude. He lacked a sense of humor so one had to understand that that was the greatest token of gratitude he could offer. ¡°What the¡­! You call those words of consolation?!¡± shouted Lunia. *** As the day of the royal hunting competition approached, Amethyst¡¯s target shooting skills improved greatly. In addition, the screams of agony from the knights in the training grounds also increased. Amethyst eagerly looked forward to the competition. Alexcent had mixed feeling about it. He was glad that she was happy but queasy of her taking part in it. Irrespective of how he felt, the time flew, and the awaited day arrived. The hunting competition hosted by the emperor was open to everyone whether they belonged to the royal household or not. Usually, the women hated the hunting, so they gathered with family members and enjoyed the tea while looking at the competition from a little further away. Most families, who didn¡¯t get along, pretended to do so in these competitions so many people were gathered for the event. Commonly, women were expected to use guns rather than swords to maintain decorum. But many women who had trained themselves to be knights used swords instead. Nobody could dare to tell them otherwise. After the Empress¡¯s welcome speech, everyone mounted their horses and began the hunt. The Royal Hunting competition was a free and open event. It was more like a festival than a competition and women joined in as well and enjoyed it as anyone would. It was the largest and most famous even in the Sehar Empire. Since the Duke of Skad was participating with Lady Skad, everyone¡¯s eyes were on them as this was their very first official outing after their marriage. ¡°Ash, be careful,¡± warned Alexcent. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You should go to the front at all times.¡± ¡°Come on, stop nagging. If you keep being like this I¡¯m going to go home.¡± ¡°Believe me, nobody would be as happy as me if that happened.¡± He replied quickly. ¡°Now you are just being mean. I haven¡¯t been out of the mansion for a long while, you know.¡± ¡°Fine. Just be careful. Don¡¯t fall off your horse. Believe me, that happens more often than not.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Alexcent was busy giving her tips and advice, but Amethyst seemed more excited than cautious of the risks. People whispered among themselves as they watched the duke who was always by his wife¡¯s side. The noble women seemed to enjoy watching them and found that the rumors were true. The scary duke had finally fallen irrevocably in love. On the other hand, the young women who had admired the duke felt jealousy and envy towards the pair whenever Alexcent and Amethyst showed affection towards each other. Some of the ladies expressed their hostility openly. One of whom was Arin, the Marquis of Keston. Arin had always proud about her beauty. She could have been at par with Count Glacia. When Count Glacia had been by Alexcent¡¯s side, Arin wasn¡¯t able to express her affection for the duke. But when she had heard about their separation, she had wanted to seduce him and be married to him even. She had always secretly admired Alexcent and was never given the chance to confess. When a party was held to commemorate the completion of the Bellician Palace, she had taken it as a golden opportunity to catch the eyes of the duke. She had thought it was the blessing of the god, but a young count Glacia had appeared out of nowhere and swept the duke away. And now the duke was married! It has left her fuming. What do I lack compared to that ugly girl! Arin had backed away because of Count Glacia. The lady had been of higher social status than her so it would have been difficult for her to oppose them. But she had never expected to lose the duke to someone like Amethyst. Arin believed Amethyst wasn¡¯t really of great beauty or even social status. Arin was just looking at the opportunity because Count Glacia, who was compared to her a level higher than her in the social hierarchy. She had not been holding her breath to lose the duke to someone like Amethyst, who couldn¡¯t keep up with her beauty, let alone her status. Arin¡¯s pride was deeply wounded. She was angry at herself and embarrassed. She had become a joke to those who once expected her to be the next Lady Skad. When people are blinded by envy and jealous, they do something foolish. That was how Arin was right now. I will scare her a little, she thought. If she can¡¯t take this, then how would she ever expect to be the wife of a duke? With a sly smile, Arin headed towards the gun storage keeping her eye on the duke and his wife. Amethyst, on the other hand, was unaffected by the people whispering about her. She was wholly focused on the hunting. She couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh when she realized that many people looked at her. She ignored them. There would be no end to this. She couldn¡¯t try and please everyone, anyway. She tried her best to direct a bright smile towards everyone, at the least. Yes, there¡¯s no need to become friends with everyone. I¡¯m just here to enjoy my time with Alec. They hadn¡¯t spent much time together since Alec had been busy with the preparation for the hunting competition. She, therefore, had no energy to waste on other people. This was their first outing and she wanted to take full advantage of it. They had, of course, gone to the palace a few times for tea, but that was all. The monsoon season had offered even fewer chance for them to be together. Amethyst was excited for this moment with Alexcent. He looked regal on his horse. Even the horse took to its owner and stood there in full elegance. She watched him fondly. She watched his hands clench around the reins and flushed a deep red. She recalled those strong hands around her many a times. ¡°Ash, we should avoid the river side. These days it¡¯s been raining a lot so the currents will be strong. It will be dangerous.¡± Alexcent steered his horse towards Amethyst. ¡°Of course,¡± responded Amethyst, still embarrassed about her drifting thoughts. She steered the horse away. He followed. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t go in too deep.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she said as she pulled the reins and led the horse in a trot. ¡°Ash¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°Yes?¡± she turned around to look at him. Alexcent placed his index finger to his lips, signaling her to be silent. The he pointed towards the bush a few paces in front of her. She looked carefully. It looked like a fox was behind the bush. ¡°Slowly¡­¡± he urged. Amethyst nodded and led her horse slowly forwards. Her prey had noticed the change and was trying to escape. Amethyst cornered her prey successfully. She raised her gun at the prey and aimed. Once the prey was in sight, she pulled the trigger. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Crack! There was a sound, but the shot didn¡¯t happen. The gun powder remained shattered on the armor of the horse. The horse was startled and reared up in pain. It lifted its front legs and thumped them on the ground. ¡°Ash!¡± The horse shook its head and ran towards the river. Amethyst held onto the reins. The horse kept running and all Amethyst could do was scream. Alexcent, who had been watching Amethyst from a few paces away, led his horse on a gallop and followed but it only made matters worse for her already agitated horse. The horse kept rearing up and trying to throw Amethyst off its back. It neighed nervously. At this rate, the horse would go into the river with Amethyst on it. Alexcent sped up his horse and headed to the river instead so that he could stop the horse on its track. He stopped, blocking Amethyst¡¯s path. ¡°Ash,¡± he said, ¡°Take its rein and turn its head to the opposite way. As hard as you can. Hurry!¡± Amethyst, almost sobbing in fear, grabbed the reins and pulled on it as hard as possible to turn its head to the other side. She used all her might to pull on it. With a few protesting neighs, the horse came to a stop. The horse was still agitated, it wouldn¡¯t stop pacing. Alexcent had reached too close to the river where the ground was soft. The horse¡¯s sudden gallop had collapsed the bed and the river flowed out surrounding Alexcent and his horse with water. He and the horse fell as the ground cracked. ¡°Alec!¡± Amethyst felt terror. She screamed for help. The knights, who had come to guard them in the first place, reached her. Amethyst tried to run after Alexcent but Hill stopped her. ¡°Madam! You can¡¯t. It¡¯s dangerous!¡± ¡°Alec, he fell. Please,¡± she stammered, ¡°I need to save him. Let me go!¡± Her cry echoes through the forest. ¡°Madam!¡± said Hill, ¡°Please calm down. If you go, both of you will be in danger. Please calm down.¡± ¡°Please¡­,¡± Amethyst sobbed. ¡°Please save him!¡± She held onto Hill and cried, tears streaming down her face. Hill, who had always seen the duchess laughing or smiling or making trouble, was shocked to see her so broken. He had never seen her this despairing before. ¡°The river overflowed so it does look a little bad,¡± said Hill in a gentle voice, ¡°But the duke will be fine. Please don¡¯t worry. Something like this will not harm the Duke.¡± Amethyst, with teary eyes, looked at Hill. ¡°How can you tell me not to worry when someone is drowning?!¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s the duke. He will never drown. He is a strong swimmer.¡± Hill eventually instructed his subordinates to search the lower portion of the river. ¡°Madam,¡± he said to Amethyst, ¡°Leave it to us. Please go back to the tent and take care of yourself. You don¡¯t look very¡ª¡± ¡°No!¡± Amethyst interrupted, ¡°I can¡¯t! I won¡¯t! I will stay here.¡± ¡°The ground collapsed, it¡¯s dangerous for you here.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I have to see Alec. I will stay here until I know he is okay. If something happens to him then I¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. But the Duke entrusted me with your safety. That is my utmost priority. Please leave this to us and go to somewhere safe.¡± Amethyst kept sobbing. Emperor Belice and the royal guards arrived after having gotten the urgent message about the situation. ¡°What happened! Where¡¯s Alexcent?¡± Belice got off her horse looking worried and angry. ¡°Honorable Empress,¡± said Hill addressing Belice, ¡°May the blessing of the goddess¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright!¡± snapped Belice, ¡°Formality isn¡¯t important right now. Where is Duke Skad?¡± ¡°The Duke was swept by the torrents as the riverbank collapsed. We are searching for him at the lower river, Your Majesty.¡± Belice frowned and gave a brisk order for the royal guards to help them and walked to Amethyst. She helped her up from the ground. ¡°It will be fine. He will be okay,¡± said Belice, trying to soothe Amethyst, ¡°Come with me. The riverbank collapsed, so it¡¯s not safe for us here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault!¡± sobbed Amethyst, ¡°I insisted on coming here. I shouldn¡¯t have been so stubborn. I put him in danger. What if something happens to him?! Please, Your Majesty, please help him!¡± Amethyst held onto Belice and bawled. Belice felt like she should take Amethyst away from here. But right at that moment, a voice said, ¡°Goodness! At this rate, you¡¯d think someone had died.¡± The Duke, soaked from head to foots, took the cape offered by one of the knights and walked to Amethyst and Belice, dripping wet. ¡°Alec!¡± Amethyst ran to him. As she opened her arms to hug him, he stepped back. Amethyst looked at him, confused. ¡°I can¡¯t have you getting wet. You will catch a cold.¡± ¡°You aren¡¯t the one supposed to be worrying about me right now!¡± Amethyst¡¯s knees buckled under her. The worry and her nerves being on end had reached its limit finally as she saw him in front of her. She staggered. Alexcent supported her. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re ok, Duke Skad. Are you hurt?¡± ¡°No, Your Majesty. I am completely alright. I am so sorry for making you worry.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re fine. You should rest for a while.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Alexcent wrapped his arms around Amethyst¡¯s trembling shoulders and turned to Hill. His eyes burned with anger. ¡°Investigate the guns and the gunpowder in the weapon area immediately. Someone tampered with them for sure.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°What?!¡± said Amethyst, surprised. ¡°Really?¡± Alexcent leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Amethyst¡¯s forehead. His lips were hot on her skin. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that,¡± he said gently. Alexcent told her not to worry but his voice mixed with worry itself and anger did little to convince her. He was angry of the fact that it could have been Amethyst who would have drowned. But Amethyst worried about his lips. They had felt so hot. Maybe he was coming down with a fever. ¡°We should go back,¡± she said. He nodded. They both got into the carriage which had been summoned and headed back to the Duke¡¯s mansion. The hunting event continued without them, but the rumor spread that the Duke had been swept by the current of the river and the participants were given an urgent notice to stay away from the collapsed riverbank. Out of all other nobles, Arin looked downright terrified of the news. Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Alexcent caught a very high fever that night. Amethyst felt anxious because his skin was burning and there was no indication of it cooling down. She refused to leave his side and took care of him as best as she could. She was still afraid something might happen to him. She blamed herself as she stayed by his side. She soaked a towel in cool water and wiped him in an effort to bring down his temperature. She changed the sheet when it was soaked with his sweat. She fed him warm soup and refused to sleep. Pon was worried she might also fall ill if she kept this up but no matter what he did, Amethyst adamantly refused. He couldn¡¯t stop her either. Alexcent would occasionally open his fever-laden eyes as he felt her touch on his skin. He couldn¡¯t make out much of anything but wished that the one by his side was Amethyst. He closed his eyes again. Don¡¯t leave me alone, Ash. Alexcent had never had anyone by his side for long. It wasn¡¯t like he never felt sick, he did. But often he just kept it to himself and showed it to no one. His younger self had always thought that was better. That he would be stronger if he refused to depend on anyone else. If he showed his weakness, then everyone would pounce on him. He had grown up like that. But today, it was okay. It felt safe for her to be by his side. It felt warm that she cared for him. He disliked making her worry about him, but he somehow felt touched that she did. Just stay with me, Ash. As the fever spread, Alexcent fell asleep again. He was thinner than before. Amethyst worried about his state. She couldn¡¯t get rid of the feeling that it was all her fault. I insisted and that¡¯s why this happened to you. I was selfish¡­ I am sorry. You were in danger and I couldn¡¯t do anything. It was strange to think of someone, who bested elite knights without breaking a sweat in the arena, being in danger. He had almost died swept away by that torrent. The fever wouldn¡¯t go down at all. Everything felt like a warning to Amethyst. If she didn¡¯t do her duty, it would be his life at stake. Maybe this world was being torn down because the story wasn¡¯t proceeding as planned. His lover shouldn¡¯t be me. Not me. It seemed that this world was sending her a warning. Amethyst frowned and closed her eyes. What should I do? I don¡¯t want him to be with someone else¡­ She wasn¡¯t sure that she could accept that fate. She didn¡¯t want to. She wanted to ignore the original story and stay by his side, always. That¡¯s why I asked you. Begged you to let me do whatever I want for the duration of the contract. Everything felt cruel. She was in pain. Her heart ached. She was feeling guilty, but she didn¡¯t want to let him go ever. She couldn¡¯t bear seeing him with someone else. She couldn¡¯t just disappear like nothing happened. She loved him. This was crueler than her previous life. *** Belice was worried. She had received a message that the Duke had been in bed with the fever for the past few days. She decided to pay a surprise visit to his mansion. Belice was worried as she received a message that Alexcent was in bed for past few days, so she unofficially secretly visited the Duke house. She was worried because she had never seen Alexcent sick before. Pon wasn¡¯t even surprised by the Empress¡¯s visit. ¡°Welcome, Your Majesty,¡± he declared. ¡°You are always the same, Pon,¡± she said, ¡°I am not the Empress, at least not here. You can skip the formality.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Majesty,¡± said Pon. Belice smiled. It was good to be home. ¡°How is Alexcent?¡± she asked. ¡°His fever is down but he is still not very conscious.¡± ¡°Maybe I should go back if he is in no state to meet me.¡± ¡°How about meeting the duchess?¡± suggested Pon. ¡°Of course, but why?¡± ¡°That is because¡­. You will see,¡± said Pon as he led Belice to the drawing room. Pon let her know that he was more worried about the Duchess and her health. Roman notified Amethyst of Belice¡¯s visit. Amethyst looked at Alexcent once and quietly went to the drawing room to meet her. As Amethyst walked in, Belice was shocked. Just as Pon had said, Amethyst seemed to be in a worser state than anyone else. ¡°You don¡¯t look so well. I know you have been worried about the duke¡¯s state for the past few days¡­¡± Amethyst opened her mouth to respond but then burst into tears. Belice sympathized with her state. Amethyst thought she would feel better if she shared this with someone. So, she rambled on. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I don¡¯t know how I became like this. I don¡¯t know what I should do. It hurts me so much when I think about Alec and the state, he is in. If I want the best for him, I should¡­ but I can¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t want to. I feel like I am being selfish and greedy ad endangering him. He was hurt! He is still suffering.¡± Belice listened to her intently. She was attentive to her every word. If this was what it took to make her feel better, then she wanted to listen to her. ¡°Your Majesty¡­. I dream¡­ I dreamt that¡­. It wasn¡¯t a dream, but I don¡¯t know what to call it. If I don¡¯t call it a dream, then I wouldn¡¯t know how to explain everything. In the dream, I was raised as someone else¡¯s daughter. I became someone else¡¯s wife. And a mother. I wasn¡¯t all unhappy, but I wasn¡¯t happy either. I was happy sometimes when my children called me ¡®mom¡¯, when they smiled at me. I felt such affection and happiness. But then at some point in time, I started feeling trapped. I felt that living became harder every day. I wished I could disappear like I didn¡¯t exist in the first place¡­ and then¡­ I did.¡± Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Amethyst, even amidst her sobbing, continued. ¡°That dream felt real so I couldn¡¯t ignore those children. But even then, I loved him¡­ even though I knew I shouldn¡¯t, but I kept getting greedy¡­¡± She had tried to ignore it but the more she did, the harder it became. She felt guiltier as she conveniently tried to ignore everything. She had thought that the feeling might disappear if she kept ignoring it, but it wouldn¡¯t go away. It always lingered in her mind and came back stronger. She knew it. She realized what she feared, and, in the end, she faced the truth that she had hidden for so long. ¡°It isn¡¯t just a dream. It is a reality. Every night I prayed for it to be a dream, and him to be my only reality. It was my most ardent wish. I wish it so that I could face him with confidence. I prayed that I could somehow ignore everything. But¡­ it doesn¡¯t work that way. My children are my reality, and he is the sweetest dream. But this world keeps sending me signs and warnings that I have to wake up. What should I do? I can¡¯t get too close to Alec, but I can¡¯t live far away from him. I want to be with him, desperately but he is someone I can¡¯t have.¡± Amethyst kept rambling and crying. Belice looked at her with sympathy. She was so sad watching her fall apart in so much pain. She looked at her. ¡°Amethyst, the only thing I can say to you is this: a person has one soul. At birth, to make at one soul, you put so many pieces of yourself. That one soul was made by being intertwined with him and many other fates. Those small pieces are also called human¡¯s ego. Amethyst, can¡¯t you believe that this right here is the reality and that the guilt is simply dream?¡± Amethyst had no idea what Belice was saying but it somehow made her feel like she knew everything about her, at that moment. There was no way she would know¡­ Amethyst shook her head. She wouldn¡¯t know. ¡°There is no way,¡± said Amethyst, ¡°If that was a dream, how could it have felt so real?¡± ¡°What feels so real about it?¡± asked Belice, ¡°Do you remember the appearance of your children hat you feel so guilty about? If you met them now, would you recognize them?¡± ¡°O-of course,¡± she said, haltingly, ¡°Of course I can! I am their mother¡­.¡± Amethyst was in tears as she tried digging through her memory. What did my children look like? Thick, double eyelids¡­ wait¡­ did they have double eyelids? What color were their eyes? Black? Dimples? No, they don¡¯t have dimples! Boy or girl? She couldn¡¯t remember. She couldn¡¯t remember them. But how is that possible? No matter how hard she tried, Amethyst couldn¡¯t remember the faces of her children. Even when she thought about them, they were vague and blurred. It was like an abstract image she tried hard to put into perspective. She distantly remembered feeling happy when her children were laughing. Why? Why can¡¯t I remember them at all? Everything was confusing now. Amethyst slowly raised her lowered head and looked at Belice. ¡°Belice?¡± she called. Belice smiled at her sadly which confused Amethyst even more. But there was no more conversation. Amethyst couldn¡¯t move from the spot for a long while even after the emperor left the room. She sat there and didn¡¯t move. Amethyst didn¡¯t understand Belice completely, but she realized something. She had to leave him. She could no longer lie to him. She could no longer face him. She couldn¡¯t just ignore her children like this, just to be with him. She didn¡¯t have the acceptance of helping him find someone else while hiding her own feelings. But she couldn¡¯t seem him hurt. She couldn¡¯t see him in any more danger because of her. She couldn¡¯t take it anymore. So, the best thing she could do would be to leave him, for all their sakes. *** After Belice¡¯s visit, Alexcent opened his eyes the next morning. Amethyst was asleep with her head on the side of the bed. It seemed that she had stayed up all night taking care of him. Looking at her asleep, he felt touched. He stretched his hands and stroked her hair and kissed it. He was careful not to wake her. Amethyst, however, opened her eyes. ¡°Hi, Ash,¡± said Alexcent gently. Amethyst was obviously happy and relieved that he felt better but she couldn¡¯t respond. The morning sun fell on him and his eyes shone. He looked at her with the same tenderness with which she looked at him. She hoped that was enough. ¡°I love you,¡± he said. Her heart was full. She was happy with his confession, but she instinctively knew she couldn¡¯t accept it. You shouldn¡¯t love me. I am full of lies. You should meet your destined lover and love her instead. You will be safe and happy. Amethyst thought that this was all a mistake. Yes, he is just mistaken. She didn¡¯t have the heart to tell him that he should wait for his destined lover. That she ignored her own children and tried to keep him for herself. She hoped he could know everything from just looking at her. Now, she was trying to run away because he loved her, and she loved him back. I am a bad mother, a bad woman and a very selfish human being. Amethyst was elated by his confession, but she pushed down and buried her own feelings. ¡°Do you even know how long you have been sick?¡± she said, ¡°I was so worried! Gen is working overtime! I am going to call Gen. You stay right here and don¡¯t you dare move.¡± Amethyst left the room in a hurry. She is evading me. He looked at her flustered and bewildered person leaving the room with a smile. ¡°Well, even if she doesn¡¯t love me, it doesn¡¯t feel too bad.¡± There was plenty of time. He just needs to do better so she can love him back. He shouldn¡¯t hurry and force it on her. He had no intention of letting her go. She would eventually come to love him. Alexcent got up from bed, feeling lighter and better. Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Amethyst picked a few jewels she had gotten from him. ¡°Roman, now that the duke is awake you can go back to your previous duty.¡± ¡°Pardon? Ma¡¯am, is there something I did wrong? If so, I¡¯ll fix it¡­.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s just it I like it the way it was before. And you were only supposed to help me with the annual festival.¡± ¡°But ma¡¯am¡­.¡± Roman looked sad. ¡°Just be responsible for your previous duty! And this!¡± She gave her a jewel box. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a gift. You helped me a lot during the annual festival. And I didn¡¯t even have a chance to thank you. Thank you for everything.¡± ¡°No Ma¡¯am! I can¡¯t take this. I didn¡¯t stay by your side to get something like this¡­¡±¡± ¡°I know, just think of it as a bonus. It¡¯s a token of my gratitude so I will be upset if you don¡¯t accept it.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± Amethyst placed the box in her hands. Roman, reluctantly, accepted it. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I only picked ones that will suit you.¡± Amethyst turned to Lunia. ¡°Now, Lunia is next!¡± ¡°Huh? Me?¡± ¡°Yes! I have a gift for you too.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯d appreciate it if the gift is the duke¡¯s sword that you are holding on to. Haha!¡± ¡°Oh no, I gave that back to the duke already.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Lunia winked. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me earlier!¡± winked Amethyst back, joking with her. Lunia and Roman didn¡¯t notice that Amethyst addressed Alexcent by his title instead of his name. Amethyst gave them their gifts and sent them back to their previous duties. She then made her way to Alexcent. ¡°Pon,¡± she called. ¡°Yes, Madam?¡± asked Pon. ¡°Where is the duke right now?¡± ¡°In his office, Madam.¡± ¡°Seriously? He just got better! He is indeed a workaholic.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± ¡°Thank you for everything you have done for me, Pon.¡± ¡°Pardon? Why are you thanking me? It¡¯s my duty.¡± ¡°Still, thank you.¡± ¡°Of course, Madam. My pleasure.¡± Amethyst smiled warmly at him and headed to the office. Pon stood there, confused. Amethyst, in front of the study¡¯s door, breathed in and out to calm herself and knocked. *** Amethyst took a deep breath as she knocked on the door. This will be the last time I call on you, she thought. Bracing herself, she entered as she called out his name, ¡°Alec.¡± Alexcent, who was sitting at his desk reading a document, looked up. He had a faint smile on his face. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked. ¡°I have something to say to you.¡± Amethyst steadied her voice. ¡°It must be important,¡± Alexcent laughed. ¡°Yes. How did you know?¡± ¡°You came here yourself.¡± He was correct. If it was only casual conversation, she would have waited for him in her chamber. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s something very important,¡± Amethyst confirmed. Alexcent closed the document he was looking at, rose and went to her side. They stood there for what felt like forever and Amethyst fought to hold back the tears. Finally, she found the courage to force out the words, ¡°I think we have to end our contract.¡± ¡°What¡­. Why?¡± Alexcent looked like he had been struck by a blow that came from nowhere. He grasped the back of a chair to steady himself. ¡°You remember? That even if I love you¡­. I¡¯ll be leaving you.¡± ¡°Ash!¡± ¡°Please. Honour the terms of the contract.¡± Amethyst was not going to be swayed by emotion. ¡°No! There¡¯s still time left on the contract!¡± Alexcent pleaded. ¡°Alec. The moment you said you love me¡­. no, how can I stay here when you say you love me? We can¡¯t be together anymore.¡± ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s because I love you? Then pretend you didn¡¯t hear it.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t do that. Especially now that I know how you feel. It¡¯s too much.¡± Amethyst was finding it more and more difficult to control the tears, but she had to be strong. ¡°Ash, you don¡¯t have to be burdened with this. So please¡­¡± Alexcent was having less control of his emotions, as his eyes began to turn red and brim with tears. How could he explain that he didn¡¯t intend to fall in love with her? His heart ached at this entire situation. ¡°It¡¯s not just because of that. But I can¡¯t accept you without being myself. We¡¯re both going to be unhappy if we continue this charade.¡± Amethyst needed to end this entire conversation. ¡°What do you¡­. Ash, please!¡± Amethyst could not handle any more of Alexcent¡¯s pleading and turned to leave. This was the only choice she could make for him, but she could tell that he didn¡¯t understand the reasons behind her decision. ¡°You¡¯re doing this because I love you? Because it¡¯s against the contract?¡± Alexcent continued. The distance between them that had always been there, just in the shadows, now became an uncrossable chasm. He felt like he was being sliced by a hundred knives and there was nothing he could do about it. ¡°You¡¯re just confused,¡± he rasped, his throat clenched with emotion. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Amethyst replied, her back still turned to him. Her hand was on the knob of the door but she still struggled to open it. ¡®I¡¯m surer than ever. I love¡­.¡¯ ¡°Even so, it should never have happened.¡± Amethyst held strong in her decision. ¡°I know. Please, don¡¯t be like this, Ash.¡± He could feel his life slowly draining from him, all from a few words spoken by Amethyst. ¡°My mind is made up. I¡¯m leaving you.¡± Amethyst¡¯s heart was pounding. ¡°All right,¡± Alexcent said, defeated, yet inside he still screamed for her not to go. He couldn¡¯t see her face but wondered if this was just as hard for her as it was for him. ¡°Please, just let me go in peace. Promise me.¡± Amethyst swallowed the sob that was threatening to burst from her throat. ¡°I¡­promise.¡± Alexcent could barely get the words out. Amethyst turned back to him, and he could see that her face bore just as much pain as he felt, even though she was the one who was saying goodbye. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave tomorrow¡­husband!¡± She looked up into his face for the last time and surrendered for one final kiss. Alexcent embraced her, kissing her passionately as his tears mixed with hers. They closed their eyes and held on to each other, knowing this would be the last. I¡¯m sorry. But you should never have loved me. We should never have loved each other. The only thing I can do is leave you. And with that last thought, Amethyst forced herself away from Alexcent¡¯s arms and left. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Later that evening, Alexcent called Gen into his office, as the assistant was getting ready to leave. ¡°Gen, give Amethyst ten years¡¯ worth of revenue and operation fees and the Hazen castle in Mir city, as well as the Louvelle castle in Der city.¡± ¡°Your highness! Why¡­.¡± Gen could not believe what he was hearing. ¡°She¡¯s leaving tomorrow. So please have it done before you leave.¡± Alexcent spoke the words as if this was simply business. ¡°Pardon?! Why is ma¡¯am¡­ there¡¯s still time, aren¡¯t you going to stop her?¡± Gen could not believe this was happening. Alexcent, staring ahead with no light in his eyes, whispered quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t want her to feel burdened. Yes, those holdings should be enough from me. Also, we leave for the palace immediately.¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± Gen shut his eyes and answered. He couldn¡¯t see any expression in Alexcent¡¯s face. All he could see was a reawakening of the old ¡®Duke of Blood¡± he hadn¡¯t seen since the war. There were not going to be good times ahead. *** It felt like a storm was approaching. Belice couldn¡¯t sleep well since she had returned from the Duke, tossing and turning in her bed. She turned once more to see a dark shadow enter the room. The guards would never let anyone in at this hour. Her heart stopped with fear ¡°Belice.¡± Alexcent emerged from the shadows, a man who appeared in extreme pain. He collapsed at the side of her bed, crying. Belice immediately rose to sit next to him. ¡°Alexcent! What are you doing here at this hour? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°She left. Belice! Oh, Belice!¡± Alexcent was wailing like a madman. ¡°Left? What do you mean?!¡± ¡°My heart feels like it¡¯s going to burst. I wish it would burst, right now, and end everything. If I can put her out of my head, stop thinking about her, that would be best. But I can¡¯t. I want her to come back. I¡¯ll just have to wait. Belice, I¡¯m going to wait for her, forever. Please, Belice. Help. Help me. Help her. I beg you. My first and last plea to you, big sister.¡± Belice had no idea how to respond. He had never referred to her as big sister. She had no idea that he had cared for Amethyst so much. ¡°Alexcent, calm yourself and tell me what happened. I can¡¯t help you if you don¡¯t talk to me clearly.¡± ¡°I made a deal with her.¡± ¡°A deal? What do you mean?¡± ¡°I had a contract marriage with her. I promised her that by the contract of marriage, I would help her become someone else, to live a new and free life.¡± Belice couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. ¡°But then I started to love her, so she left. I was so stupid.¡± ¡°You were.¡± Belice was not going to pretend any different. A contract marriage. What was he thinking? Alexcent lifted his face to look at her. He appeared to be in so much pain that Belice¡¯s heart began to ache on his behalf. ¡°I can¡¯t let her go like this,¡± Alexcant began muttering again. ¡°I¡¯m going to wait, whether she¡¯s coming back or not. I¡¯m going to leave my side empty forever more, so she can come back anytime. I need your power. I need you to make sure her family doesn¡¯t worry about her. Create some excuse so no one will doubt her disappearance. Then she¡¯ll have to come back to me! I can¡¯t do this alone, but you can do this for me!¡± ¡°Ah, Alexcent. What am I going to do with you?¡± Belice patted Alexcent on the head as he sobbed into her knees. She shook her head, amazed that Amethyst had left him. Amazed that her brother was so easily reduced to a blubbering fool who wouldn¡¯t stop begging for her help. This was going to be a long night. And tomorrow, Belice would make sure that a rumour was spread, saying that the Duchess Skad had travelled abroad to study on the Empress¡¯ recommendation. *** Gen and Hill stood in the duke¡¯s office, sweating nervously as they went through reports. ¡°Arin is the daughter of Marquis Keston?¡± Alexcent asked coldly, like a machine with no emotion. ¡°Yes,¡± Hill answered. ¡°A few people saw her coming out of the armory on the day of the hunting tournament.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not enough evidence,¡± Alexcent stated. ¡°We interrogated her based on the evidence and she admitted that she tampered with madam¡¯s gun. She was scared that you had been hurt, so she admitted it willingly. Also, the fact that there was some gunpowder on her hand when she didn¡¯t hunt made her guilt clear.¡± Hill swallowed nervously as he awaited Alexcent¡¯s reaction. Especially when he referred to ma¡¯am, as Amethyst¡¯s name was now forbidden to be uttered. Alexcent looked over the document in front of him. ¡°I see. Gen, take care of the Marquis.¡± ¡°Your Highness, Maquis Keston is Duke Roden¡¯s subordinate. To bypass the order of authority and remove his title, all because of his daughter, isn¡¯t it too much?¡± Gen immediately closed his mouth, scared, as he saw Alexcent¡¯s face. His eyes were filled with bloody madness. ¡°There are many people that can replace the Marquis. The Empire¡¯s duke almost died because of him so I¡¯m sure Sir Roden would understand.¡± Alexcent stated, coldly. ¡°As you wish,¡± Gen and Hill both answered quickly. Duke Skad had become a dangerous man. Tomorrow, one noble family would disappear as if they had never even existed in the Sehar Empire. Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Amethyst arrived at Mir city to her new home: Hazen castle, Alexcent¡¯s summer cottage. Hazen castle, which stood on a high cliff overlooking a beach, had the most magnificent view of the town and the ocean crashing against the rocks below. Amethyst slept for a few days and cried like a mad person for another few. Then the cycle would repeat all over again. The few days she could bring herself to get out of bed, she spent walking on the beach. She tried what she could to put Alexcent out of her mind, but whenever she closed her eyes, he was there. Sometimes she would see him from the corner of her vision. He appeared in the faces of every person she met. In the night, she envisioned the shadows to be him, holding her close. She just couldn¡¯t let go. The sand between her toes were hundreds of grains of regret. No matter how much she tried to brush it off, some remained. Looking out at the peaceful, calm horizon she cursed her heart for not being the same. She begged the god to stop this pain, but knew no one was listening. ¡°Lady, if it¡¯s not too rude, could I speak with you for a moment?¡± Amethyst looked up with her empty eyes to the sound of the unfamiliar voice. A well-groomed man stood beside her on the beach. ¡°I noticed your beauty as you walked along the beach. I was wondering if I could interest you in dinner tonight?¡± The man gave her a false smile. Lies, Amethyst thought. I don¡¯t look beautiful. I look like a crazy person. She shook her head and without saying a word, walked away from the man. The stranger lost his smile, becoming upset for being ignored, and grasped Amethyst¡¯s arm to stop her from leaving. Amethyst became enraged and withdrew the small pistol she carried with her, aiming it at the man¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! No one can touch me, not unless its him!¡± ¡°Lady, calm down¡­.!¡± The man raised his hands and stepped back from her sudden anger. She could see the shock on his face, but all she could think was that this man saw her as a wealthy woman of rank that he could prey upon. And his attempts to charm her almost got him killed. This man could see her as she currently was: crazy. Amethyst lowered the gun and returned to Hazen castle as the man ran for his life the other way. As she entered the hall, a servant spotted the pistol in her hand. ¡°Ma¡¯am! Why do you have that?¡± ¡°This?¡± Amethyst asked, only realizing now that she still held the gun. ¡°Some crazy bastard was trying to take advantage of me.¡± ¡°There are many tourists in this city and some of them are not on their best behaviour. Also, there will be a festival soon so it¡¯s just going to get more crowded. Next time, ask one of us to accompany you.¡± ¡°Next time? Will there be next time?¡± Amethyst had drifted into her own thoughts again. ¡°Pardon?¡± The servant seemed confused about what she was referring too. ¡°Never mind. I would like to wash up so can you please prepare a bath, and then I¡¯ll be ready for dinner.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± The servant left to arrange for hot water. After meeting the random stranger, it became clearer. There was only one person she would ever let touch her again. She knew that if she went back, it would only make thing worse than before. But she needed to go back. Amethyst went to her chambers and disrobed. Standing in front of the mirror naked, she looked at her reflection. No matter how much she tried to envision her former self, she was no longer Heeyeon. So why was she being so cruel to herself? She just couldn¡¯t let anything go. She lowered herself into the hot bath water that had been brought up from the kitchen. The scent of flowers wafted up from the oils that had been added to the water that surrounded her. She leaned her head back against the side of the tub and dreamed of her old world. Only it wasn¡¯t a dream, it was a nightmare. The same daily life, same patterns, a relationship that never got better. Everything there suffocated her. And at the end of the dream, Alex was always there, with his red eyes, offering his hand and smiling kindly. No matter how many times she had this dream, it always ended with Alex. The thought was always there, at the back of her mind. If she went back and confessed everything, would he accept her? Would he accept that she was actually thirty-six years old, a mother and from another world? She had a lover in that world and if that lover showed up, she would disappear. Could he accept that? She wanted so desperately to ask Alex if he could still love her, despite all of that. But that would be the most selfish thing of all. She didn¡¯t want him to be in danger because of her anymore. There were a billion reasons not to go back to her old world, but there were also so many reasons not to go back to Alexcent. The thoughts were making her dizzy. Or perhaps it was just the heat from the bath. She stood up from the tub, sloshing water across the floor. Without drying herself, she wrapped her body with a soft robe and returned to the bedroom. Crossing the chamber, she opened the doors to the balcony and stepped out. Chapter 202 Chapter 202 The night was dark, as the stars lay hidden behind a cover of clouds. She could not make out the sea that lay in front of her. It was like her future. Nothing but the wind and the sound of waves crashing into the cliffs. She lifted her face to the breeze to cool her aching head. Do I really have anything to go back to in my old world? she thought. She could go back at any time, but was there a point? The darkness overtook her then. She took a step up on to the balcony wall. Standing teetering on the edge, she ignored the danger that lay one step in front of her. The waves and the rocks beneath her beckoned, as if they were ready to accept her into their embrace. Her thoughts were a jumble. Let me go back. If I disappear from this world, then I can go back. I need to go back now! I will no longer long for Alex and there will be no more pain. She wobbled on the wall, barely able to keep her balance, when a thought struck her. What if I can¡¯t go back? What if everything, instead, just ends? A wave of fear overtook her. A gust of wind almost toppled her from the rampart and she hurriedly stepped back on to the balcony, crying. Her entire body shook as she held on to the wall with trembling hands. She didn¡¯t want to go back to her world. She wanted to go back to Alex. *** ¡°Your Highness, we received the news of ma¡¯am¡¯s safe arrival in Mir city,¡± Gen reported to the duke in his office. He had assumed that Alexcent would want to be the first to know of her safe arrival. Alexcent simply replied, ¡°Ok.¡± ¡°And also, we assigned a servant who can be trusted to take care of her.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done well,¡± Alexcent answered, still not looking up from his work. ¡°According to a report, some random stranger seemed to hit on her.¡± Gen mentioned. The duke looked up at this, and Gen started to feel uncomfortable. ¡°And?¡± Alexcent prodded, showing a hint of concern at this. ¡°Thankfully, she used the pistol that she had to get away.¡± ¡°Pistol?!¡± Alexcent laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we taught her. Increase the security in Mir city.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already made the arrangements as the town festival starts soon,¡± Gen assured him. ¡°Town festival? Interesting. Is Pian still in the palace?¡± ¡°Huh? Yes. He¡¯s still in the palace somewhere. Why are you looking for a wizard?¡± Gen had no idea what Alexcent was up to. ¡°Tell Pian to start preparing a transformation potion.¡± ¡°Your Highness! That¡¯s a very dangerous potion. There¡¯s immense pain and with your royal bloodline you will¡­¡± Alexcent cut Gen off abruptly. ¡°Tell him to prepare the potion as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Gen answered unwillingly. He left the office in search of the wizard. The magic potion Alexcent had asked for changes a person¡¯s appearance, but comes with immense pain. Especially anyone like the duke who comes from strong, royal bloodlines, where the potion¡¯s side effects are even worse. Even so, the duke needed the potion. He wanted to see her again, and this festival gave him the opportunity. The pain of not seeing her was worse than the pain the potion would give to him. Alexcent stood up from his desk and went to the window. Staring blankly at his reflection, he began to sob quietly. *** ¡°Why is it so busy outside?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Ma¡¯am, the town festival started today,¡± her servant answered. ¡°Ah! I¡¯m assuming this is the festival you spoke of a few days ago.¡± ¡°Would you like to join in the festivities?¡± the servant asked. ¡°Join? Can I?¡± Amethyst was intrigued. ¡°Of course. You just have to wear a mask and you can join in whatever events you wish to in the town square. There are many interesting things to be seen.¡± ¡°Why a mask?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°It began with some noble family in the capital. They started wearing masks to hide their identities amongst the commoners and the style ended up becoming a trend for everyone who attends.¡± This was a golden opportunity for Amethyst, who had avoided public gatherings since her encounter with the stranger on the beach. She would be able to enjoy the festival, and no one would know who she was. She donned the black mask, handed to her by the maid, and placed it over her face. Liking what she saw in the mirror, she left the castle and headed for the city. The streets were full of people, all wearing fabulous and exotic masks. Amethyst hadn¡¯t realized so many people lived in the city. Or were they mostly tourists? She followed the sounds of music and excited laughter to the central square of the city. There, she was amazed to find dozens of men and women dancing in the open air. Everywhere she looked, the people had smiles on their faces. Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Even though the dancer¡¯s faces were covered in masks, she could tell that they were smiling. Amethyst watched the lovers dance, with their graceful movements of separating for a moment and then coming together again. As she observed the flowing footwork, she was reminded of her wedding reception and dancing with her husband. Her eyes began to brim, once more, with tears. The scene before her was too much and she turned to leave. Standing in her path was a man in a mask. His black eyes bore into her. Black eyes were not common in the people here, and it made her stop in interest. The man approached her. ¡°Madam, please excuse my rudeness.¡± He held out his hand and before she realized what she was doing, Amethyst had taken it and was led to the dancing area in the square. His hand was hot to the touch, yet it sent a chill through her. As the couples twirled in their dance around them, the man stood still, gazing into her eyes. Nothing seemed to exist, except those eyes. Time no longer had any meaning. It was him. Though the eyes beneath the mask were as black as darkness, they were so similar to Alexcent¡¯s. Yet even his hair was jet black, so there was no way this was the same person. But Amethyst could not stop thinking of him as she stared into those eyes. Her heart was beating fast. The man looked at her as if he would devour her at any moment. The man slowly raised her palm to his lips. His breath was warm as he gently kissed her hand. Amethyst felt dizzy. Alec had always consoled her by kissing her palms when she was agitated. There was no way this could be him. Amethyst felt like she was going crazy, thinking every man she met looked like him. Amethyst quickly took back her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t dance. I think you should look for someone else. Please excuse me.¡± Amethyst quickly turned from the man and ran into the crowd. Stopping to catch her breath once she was out of sight, she opened her hand where he had kissed it. The warmth of his breath was still there. She started to shake. Get a hold of yourself! she thought. Shaking her head, she started running, once more, back to the castle. *** Amethyst couldn¡¯t eat and stood, looking at the sea, from her bedroom balcony. There was no way it was him, she thought, picturing the black hair and eyes. Yet, this strange man would not leave her mind. There was something in his eyes that was just so similar. She laughed at how foolish she was being, but something deep down inside of her wanted it to be him. Her heart ached at the thought. She needed to get this man out of her mind. I¡¯ve finally gone crazy! Amethyst frowned. Will every man I meet make me think of him? She felt anger that no matter what man she was with, they will always be him. Maybe she should just take the next man she met, as she would just see Alec in his eyes. The thought disgusted her. She picked up the pistol that was lying on her bedstand. Caressing the barrel with a trembling finger, dark thoughts invaded her mind. Closing her eyes tightly, she shook her head and forced herself to calm down. Tears streamed down her face, until there was no more moisture left to cry. A realization came to her. This castle was his. No matter where she went, his presence was always here. No wonder she couldn¡¯t stop thinking of him. Looking up, she saw darkness in the window. How much time had passed? All of a sudden, it was the dead of the night. Amethyst stood up, her eyes blank and distant. Without a thought, she left her chamber and headed down the hall. The castle was silent, as everyone lay sleeping. Exiting through the kitchens, she wandered into the warm night of the back gardens. Clothes were still hanging on lines, drying from the days wash. Amethyst took down a set of worn clothing, obvious that it belonged to one of the servants. She covered her head with an embroidered handkerchief. When she had transformed her attire, she headed to the castle gates. The guards were watching for strangers trying to get in, not leave, the grounds. No one saw her slip out. After this night, no one in the castle would see Amethyst again. *** The man with the black eyes had stared after Amethyst for a long time when she disappeared into the crowd. He walked slowly, his head bowed in regret, towards the carriage that was parked on a quiet corner several streets over. ¡°Did you meet her?¡± Gen asked, from within. The man who took off his mask. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is she well?¡± ¡°No. She has got thinner. Tell them to take better care of her meals.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Gen agreed. The man climbed into the carriage. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty. Your transformation will be over soon, and the pain will come again,¡± Gen said, worryingly. ¡°I know.¡± Alexcent said, resting his head back against the carriage seat and closing his eyes. It¡¯s probably less painful than not being able to be with her, he thought. Behind his closed eyes, he could still see her as she rushed away into the crowd. In his mind, he should have stopped her. Kissed her forever, so that she could not leave. The carriage rumbled through the city gates and headed back to the capital. Before they made it home, the pain came, as if his skin was being ripped from his body. Alexcent held his breath and fought the urge to scream. His body oozed cold sweat, as Gen watched helpless. When the process was complete, he sat once again with his own face. The Duke Skad. Gen, letting out a breath of relief, spoke. ¡°Your Majesty, there¡¯s something you should see.¡± Alexcent knew it must be urgent to have it brought up in the carriage. He looked over the document handed to him by Gen. ¡°That son of a bitch,¡± he growled. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the temple immediately.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Gen replied. He gave an order to the driver and the carriage took off towards the capital at full speed. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 204 Chapter 204 ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Celios politely greeted Alexcent as he entered. Alexcent didn¡¯t like the man before him, but he was of the bloodline of the Goddess. ¡°Life must be good for you,¡± Alexcent said, smugly. ¡°Is that so?¡± Celios asked. ¡°Your face is bright.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all due to working very hard for the Empire, and you.¡± Celios stated, arrogant as always. That is a bunch of bullshit, Alexcent thought. The two men glared at each other, trying to remain polite but looking like they were ready to kill each other. ¡°That has nothing to do with me. It¡¯s thanks to Her Majesty the Empress.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s not wrong either.¡± Celios smirked, agreeing with Alexcent. ¡°So, is that why you took so much?¡± ¡°Pardon? I¡¯m not sure I know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Celios acted confused. He already knew the moment Alec visited the temple. The reason why he was looking for him. ¡°Ha, trying to act clueless.¡± Alec could tell that Celios knew the reason he was looking for him. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste time, you know that we¡¯re not on that kind of terms.¡± ¡°Is that so? But I really don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± Celios refused to give up the charade ¡°Celios.¡± Alexcent¡¯s voice took on a deep tone of warning. ¡°Are you referring to the Empress donating to the temple. Is that a problem?¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying you don¡¯t know the reason why the Empress donated that much to the temple?¡± Alexcent was getting furious. ¡°Especially after you met her. I would think you would know, better then anyone else, what kind of a person I am?¡± ¡°Your Majesty. You¡¯re making it sound like I blackmailed the Empress into donating. That¡¯s disgraceful. You know just as well that the Empress wouldn¡¯t give in to blackmail.¡± ¡°Celios, I¡¯m warning you. My patience is waning thin.¡± Alexcent said. I should have killed this rat. I won¡¯t take much more of this arrogant behaviour. The two men glared at each other in silence. ¡°Yes, I know you better than anyone.¡± Celios finally broke the tense moment. ¡°I¡¯ve known you since you were a baby. But it appears to me that you¡¯ve lost some of your common sense since your marriage. Shouldn¡¯t you have gone to the Empress, rather than come to me?¡± ¡°What?¡± Alexcent didn¡¯t know what he was getting at. ¡°You¡¯ve came to the wrong place. It was the Empress who initiated the donation after meeting with me. Perhaps she felt it necessary and that should be something to speak to her about. What is your reason for coming to me?¡± Alexcent frowned. He was confused at what was happening. He certainly seems confident at the fact that Belice donated the money for a different reason. Belice, what did you do? What are you trying to hide? Alexcent stood up. ¡°Well, it appears that you¡¯re not going to tell me what it is. If I find out that you¡¯re playing me, I¡¯ll be back.¡± Celios wasn¡¯t stupid enough to show the hand that he was holding. He knew something that would ruin Belice and he intended to hold on to it. Perhaps, Alexcent would need to confront Belice after all. But scandals like this were dealt with firmly and with no mercy. Alexcent had just wanted to remind Celios of that. He turned and left the office. The moment Alexcent was out of sight, Celios called in a priest. ¡°Find me someone who is good at finding missing people,¡± Celios instructed. ¡°Pardon? You mean a searcher?¡± the priest asked ¡°Yes. And find me the best.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± If the Duke has found out, then it¡¯s only a matter of time, Celios thought. He will try to destroy all the evidence, so I have to find it before he does. I¡¯ll need to move fast. *** Gen quickly joined Alexcent¡¯s side as he left the High Priest¡¯s office. ¡°What did he say?¡± he asked. ¡°He kept changing the subject. I think we should go to the palace now,¡± Alexcent replied. The document Alexcent had read in the carriage back to the capital was a report of an immense amount of money being transferred from the Empress¡¯ personal vault to the temple, specifically Celios. Each time the High Priest Celios visited the Empress, there was a donation, and this led Alexcent to the temple. But now it seems the Empress was paying to keep Celios silent, rather than blackmailing him. ¡°Your Majesty, I have something to tell you before we go,¡± Gen interrupted Alec¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°Madam has disappeared,¡± Gen reported, hesitantly. ¡°What?!¡± Alexcent stopped and glared at Gen. ¡°The night after you went to the town, she left the castle without anyone knowing. Should we search for her?¡± Alexcent pressed on his temples as Gen was speaking. The voices started swirling in his head again. Why now? Why are you so keen on leaving me? You wanted to leave me at all costs, you must have disliked me that much! Is that why you abandoned me? This news was the worst timing and it seemed like everything in Alexcent¡¯s life was falling apart. Ash! I need you now! Why are you running from me? Alexcent tried his best to calm his mind and answered, ¡°Not right now. It¡¯s more important that we see the Empress.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Gen answered, concerned. As they started walking again, Alexcent could not abandon the thought that everything and everyone he had ever known was disappearing. Where did it go wrong? He thought in despair. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 It was the week when congress was returning from a hiatus. The palace was busy with servants preparing for the meetings. Belice had just ended the morning schedule with a simple meeting amongst the nobles. Before going to her next appointment, she headed to her personal study to rest. She turned to Karune, who walked along next to her, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the reason of absence for Duke Skad?¡± ¡°None, that I know of. I was just told that he wouldn¡¯t be attending.¡± ¡°Really? Nothing else?¡± ¡°No, Madam.¡± Alexcent, who was a workaholic, had never missed a meeting where it was the Empress and the nobles coming together. No matter how casual the meeting, he was always there by the Empress, like he was her protector. He would stand beside her and observe the noble¡¯s reactions. If anyone showed the slightest sign of disrespect, he gave them a warning. Since Amethyst left, Alexcent had become more withdrawn, which caused Belice to be a little worried about his absence. She wondered about the reasons for him not being there as they arrived at her study. ¡°I would like to be alone for a bit,¡± she informed Karune. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Then I¡¯ll come before the next meeting starts.¡± Karune turned and walked up the hall. Belice opened the door and immediately felt a tension in the air. Inside, sat Alexcent, with no formal invitation, glaring at her. ¡°Talk,¡± was all he said in greeting. Belice stared blankly at Alexcent, not knowing what this intrusion was about. ¡°Duke Skad,¡± she started. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I¡¯m honoured that you would show me your face personally when you didn¡¯t bother to show up at the meeting. Have you been well? I¡¯m doing fine, thank you for asking. Shouldn¡¯t we at least have a greeting? I¡¯m an Empress before being your sister. Even if it¡¯s just the two of us¡­¡± ¡°Belice,¡± Alexcent cut her off with a warning voice. ¡°Duke Skad, I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. To say ¡®talk¡¯ after just randomly showing up? Talk about what?¡± Belice was becoming annoyed. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to play with words,¡± Alexcent stated. ¡°I also have no such intention.¡± ¡°Really? Good.¡± Alexcent handed a document to Belice, who took it, glaring at him in frustration. Scanning it, her face slowly turned stern and dark. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it was a purely a donation.¡± ¡°Alexcent.¡± Belice lifted her head and looked at him. ¡°So, tell me. What does that son of a bitch have on you?¡± Alexcent demanded. ¡°Don¡¯t call the High Priest a son of a bitch,¡± Belice snapped back. Alexcent gave her a death glare. ¡°If you try to change the subject, I won¡¯t hold back. So, tell me the weakness.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing,¡± Belice responded, hesitantly. She was definitely afraid of revealing something. ¡°Nothing? So, you donated that much money for no reason? Every time Celios came for a visit? Belice, do you think I¡¯m stupid?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s just doesn¡¯t concern you. Please, ignore it.¡± ¡°Ignore it? You don¡¯t think it concerns me? I decide whether or not if it concerns me. I have no intention of ignoring this, so you better tell me the truth.¡± ¡°Duke Alexcent Skad if you continue to be rude¡­!¡± Belice was trying to give off an air of authority, but it had no effect on Alexcent. ¡°Duke Skad? There must be something you¡¯re hiding, Your Majesty the Empress, if you are talking like this. Celios was right.¡± Alexcent didn¡¯t even try to hide the sarcasm when he addressed his sister. ¡°You spoke with Celios?¡± Belice turned a pale white. ¡°Yes. He told me to come to you. So don¡¯t try to hide anything.¡± Belice frowned and avoided Alexcent¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that, Alexcent. It¡¯s really just¡­just once, this once, ignore it and let it go. Please, as a favour to me.¡± Alexcent approached Belice. He didn¡¯t know what she was afraid of and what she was trying so hard to hide. What possibly could she be hiding? he wondered. He grabbed hold of her arms and locked eyes with her. She was unable to look away from the anger in his gaze. ¡°Belice, you didn¡¯t use magic, did you?¡± It was the only thing he could think of. The magical ability that only a child of a goddess, and the Empress, has. The ability to alter, destroy or control a soul. The ability that is banned from use because it tampers with a person¡¯s dignity, morality and ethics. It was the only thing that the High Priest Celios could hold over the Empress. Encroachment magic. Her eyes opened in fear. He knew he had stumbled across the truth. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Alexcent was at a loss for words. ¡°Damn it, why would you?¡± ¡°Alexcent, it¡¯s not what you think!¡± ¡°Really? Then what is it like? Tell me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Belice could not utter an explanation. ¡°You really used that evil magic? You thought you could do whatever you want with a human¡¯s soul?!¡± Alexcent could hardly look at his sister. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that!¡± ¡°Then what is it! What¡¯s the reason Celios was threatening you!¡± Alexcent shook Belice¡¯s body with rage. ¡°Did you forget that your magic is different from other magic? Your throne could be in danger because of that magic! Do you know what would happen if Celios even speaks a word to the nobles? Those hyenas will tear you apart!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s no way they will find out.¡± ¡°Stop with the bullshit! You have no idea what kind of a rat Celio is. Tell me the truth. What did you really do?¡± Alexcent was screaming in his sister¡¯s face. ¡°Alexcent, please!¡± ¡°Tell me !!¡± ¡°I did use the magic, but I didn¡¯t alter a soul.¡± ¡°Then you destroyed one?¡± That was the worst offense of all. Belice stood with her mouth wide open, but no sound would escape. Alexcent realized that if she had destroyed a soul, there would have been no evidence left. Celios would never have know. That left only one option. ¡°It¡¯s not that. You revived a soul.¡± Belice shook her head, but her denial was more of defeat then obstinance. Alexcent knew he had the right answer. ¡°Who did you revive? Tell me!¡± Belice struggled to get out of Alexcent¡¯s grasp, but he just gripped her tighter. ¡°Alexcent, please stop asking. I did it all for you.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Who was it? Just tell me that. I¡¯ll take care of the rest!¡± It took a moment for Alexcent to process that his sister just said that she had done it for him. His mind was spinning. Voices from the past echoed within the confines of his brain, it were of Amethyst¡¯s. ¡°I need to go back. I have to go back.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, Madam became much healthier after being sick before the ball.¡± ¡°I just can¡¯t accept you without being who I truly am. Then we both will become unhappy.¡± Chapter 206 Chapter 206 ¡°Was it her? Did you revive Ash?¡± Alexcent asked. Belice remained silent, her red eyes staring at him in fear. He could see that she was trembling, scared of the truth being revealed. He released her hands and stepped away from her, realizing the seriousness of what she was saying without uttering a word. ¡°What¡­¡± ¡°Alexcent, it¡¯s not what you think. Listen to me,¡± Belice pleaded. ¡°What did you do?!¡± Alexcent controlled his words, even though he was screaming in the void of his mind. ¡°Alec!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that! Don¡¯t call me¡­ You¡­ Do you know what you have done?¡± ¡°Alexcent, I¡¯m sorry but that¡¯s not all.¡± Alexcent couldn¡¯t hear anything. Belice was holding on to him and speaking, but the static in his head prevented him from hearing a word. There¡¯s no way, no! He kept repeating the same words to himself, hoping in his heart that it wasn¡¯t true. He shook his head, clearing it of the ranting, and turned towards Belice. ¡°Just tell me it isn¡¯t so. Tell me it isn¡¯t. Tell me it wasn¡¯t her! That everything is a lie.¡± Alexcent was holding on to Belice in desperation. He collapsed to his knees. With trembling hands, he barely held the hem of Belice¡¯s dress as he collapsed forward with his head resting on the ground. ¡°Please, tell me it wasn¡¯t her.¡± Tears fell from his eyes, dampening the carpet below his face. His shoulders trembled and Belice lifted a hand to console him, but stopped herself. In his current state, any consoling would only agitate him more. Memories of words spoken in the past rebounded in Alexcent¡¯s head, attacking his senses. ¡°When the time comes, I will no longer be a duchess nor a child of a count. You have to give me alimony!¡±, ¡°What¡¯s the point of a guard when I¡¯m not a duchess. I need to be able to protect myself, so I¡¯m learning self defence when I have a chance.¡¯ Alexcent controlled a burst of manic laughter. She had been giving him clues all along, but he wouldn¡¯t allow himself to hear it. He just wanted to hold her. He had told her that he loved her. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have loved me.¡± Those final words of rejection split through his skull like thunder. She was right. Love would never have been allowed. Everyone saw him as a monster. Every time he was victorious in a war, the people called him a monster. He could only hear the words so many times without his subconscious telling him that he really was one. He began to not care. Emotion only got in the way. So, he lived like a monster. Killed all emotion. Killed all relationships. Killed any remaining humanity that still cowered inside of him. He became a devil that was alive but not living. Until he met her. ¡°Don¡¯t let others determine your life. You are yours.¡± The words that had saved him entered his mind, attempting to quell the noise in his head. It had been a chance for him to regain his humanity. This was why Amethyst was so important to him. It had been the first time he had felt love, and he didn¡¯t want to let that go. If he released that small lifeline to humanity, he would revert back to the monster he had once been. He couldn¡¯t live that way again. He would have done anything to keep her love with him, but even that was being snatched away by the realizations that had come to light. He did not want to believe any of it. Was he being greedy, ignoring the consequences that would come for his last chance to hold on to humanity? Life was so harsh and cruel. His rational mind said there was only one action remaining. Find the evidence and destroy it himself. No one could know what she meant to him. The secret needed to die with him. He knew what he had to do. His shoulders shuddered for a while as his sobbing quelled. Bottling his emotions, Alexcent slowly stood up. He stared straight into Belice¡¯s eyes. ¡°Does she know? That she is¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t get the words out. Belice stood there silent. ¡°I see.¡± Her silence was all the answer he needed. ¡°Belice, I despise you. But don¡¯t worry. You are my sister; my loyalty will never change with you.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Belice could sense a change in him and was deathly afraid. His face was cold, a deep darkness now occupying his eyes. Belice could see the return of Alexcent¡¯s old self. This was the face of the killing machine, the man who could end the lives of humans without a single hesitation. It was the face of fear. The mask of the monster had returned, as if it was back where it always belonged. Alec clenched his fist then opened it. This is what he always was and would always will be. He could never be human. ¡°What do I mean? The thing I do best. And the thing only I can do. You know what kind of a monster I am.¡± Without another word, Alexcent walked past Belice and headed towards the door. Belice, her face having gone ghostly pale, grabbed at Alexcent¡¯s arm. ¡°No! Alexcent! You can¡¯t kill her!!¡± She knew, too well, what he meant by what he does best. She had been by his side since his birth. She, unfortunately, knew better than anyone. There was only one way he knew how to get rid of things he thought dangerous to him and her. He found and destroyed the evidence and killed everyone that knew about it. No hesitation, no second thoughts. If you want to support the Lunar Letters team, you can do so by pledging to us on Patreon and get to read advanced chapters of our novels! Patreon is not compulsory. Patrons are able to read ahead, but chapters will still be released to the public at a later date. This is only one way to financially support the team and keep the site running. Thank you very much! Chapter 207 Chapter 207 ¡°Belice, you had to know that it was going to be like this. Now observe the consequences of your actions. What you did to me.¡± ¡°No, no! It¡¯s not like that! Alexcent! She wasn¡¯t like that! She did nothing wrong. So please¡­.¡± ¡°Whatever she is, even if it¡¯s not her fault, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that she¡¯s is dangerous to you and me. That, just that alone¡­.¡± Alexcent threw Belice¡¯s arms off, as he became emotional again. With one last look, he turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Belice collapsed to the floor, bawling. * * * Gen, could not believe the sight that was exiting the palace. Alexcent¡¯s bloodshot eyes and the fury in his face made him step back. The aura of madness, once again, surrounded the man. ¡°Find her.¡± Alexcent spat out to Gen, fury in his voice. ¡°Pardon?¡± Gen was taken aback by this sudden change in the duke. ¡°Find her. By whatever means necessary.¡± ¡°By her, do you mean the Duchess?¡± Gen asked. ¡°No, find Amethyst Lohikin.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry? Amethyst¡­Lohikin?¡± Gen was not sure why Alexcent was referring to the Duchess by her maiden name. This was serious. ¡°Report to me as soon as you find her,¡± Alexcent continued, as if nothing was amiss by what he just said. ¡°Yes. I most certainly will. I have something else to report. I just received word that Celios has released searchers.¡± Alexcent pushed down the rage that was bubbling up inside him. His eyes twitched and his face hardened even more as he tried to control the anger. ¡°By all means, you must find her before Celios.¡± ¡°You mean, the person Celios is looking for is madam, I mean Amethyst Lohikin?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Gen could not understand why everyone was so eager to locate the Duchess. ¡°Her existence is only by the weakness of the Empress.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Gen was not expecting that. ¡°Celios will try to find her and hide her, offering protection from us. We must find her before him. Find her and get rid of her, before the truth is revealed.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!! That means¡­.?!¡± Gen could not speak the words. How could they just end her like this, without any mercy? There hadn¡¯t been a single day since she left that Alexcent hadn¡¯t pined over her loss. And now he was trying to kill her? It didn¡¯t make any sense. ¡°Release the search teams. I want them to depart immediately, and report to me the moment you find her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure everything is as you command,¡± Gen assured him, with some reluctance. Alexcent wasn¡¯t going to explain his reasoning behind this change of heart and Gen wasn¡¯t about to ask for fear of his own life. But looking at the players in this charade: Celios, the Empress, and Amethyst, he had a good idea of what was going on. He just didn¡¯t dare put it into words. *** Celios was racked with uneasiness since Alexcent had come by. There was no doubut that he needed to move first. A priest knocked on his door, then ushered in three tough looking individuals. ¡°Are these the ones?¡± Celios asked. ¡°Yes,¡± the priest answered, indicating the men. ¡°They¡¯re mercenaries who specialize in searching for people, just as you asked.¡± ¡°You will be able to find anyone that I¡¯m looking for?¡± Celios asked the men. ¡°Yes, High Priest,¡± they answered. ¡°Anyone?¡± Celios had to be sure. ¡°Yes,¡± they answered again. ¡°You vouch for their abilities?¡± Celios asked the priest. There could be no mistakes. ¡°Yes. I have been informed that they have never failed in a mission and have completed them all with great speed.¡± ¡°Fine. You may leave.¡± As the priest left, Celios turned to the men remaining. ¡°I have a job of the utmost importance and secrecy. You must not reveal to anyone who you are searching for.¡± ¡°Let us know the target. I assure you it will be completed without the knowledge of anyone but ourselves.¡± The leader of the group assured Celios, and the other men nodded in agreement. Celios had to trust these men. ¡°Her name is Amethyst. Her last name is Skad, but she might be using Lohikin, which is her maiden name. She has green eyes, long, reddish blonde hair, and a slim build. I was told that she went to study abroad, but I don¡¯t know exactly where. Can you find her with this little information?¡± ¡°We have worked with less,¡± the mercenary assured Celios. ¡°Good. You will do. Bring her back. Alive!¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± The men had assumed this was an assassination. ¡°You don¡¯t want her killed?¡± ¡°No! She must be returned alive. Bring her to the temple without anyone knowing. It¡¯ll be best if she isn¡¯t hurt, but if there is no other way, then so be it. But it must not impact her life.¡± ¡°We will do as you say,¡± the men assured Celios. ¡°Here,¡± Celios set a heavy bag upon the table. ¡°This is the deposit. If you succeed, I¡¯ll give you five times more.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t let you down,¡± The lead mercenary picked up the bag, determination in his eyes. Celios nodded to them. Then the men disappeared from the room, as if they had never been there. The duke must have hid her somewhere. To suddenly send the duchess away on study? There¡¯s no way. He¡¯s definitely trying to rid himself of the evidence. I must find her before all trace of her is gone. Celios leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes, the thoughts of his next steps echoing in his head. Chapter 208 Chapter 208 9 months ago. High Priest Celios finished his nightly prayers and returned to his private room. Yawning with exhaustion, he changed into his night clothes and crawled into bed. Pulling back the sheets, his eyes fell upon a black envelope laying on his pillow. It had been deliberately placed there for him to find. Clutching it to his chest, he wildly looked around the room. The grand temple was heavily guarded. His heart raced, realizing that someone not only was able to sneak into the temple, but into his private chambers as well. Realizing he was alone; he opened the envelope. It contained only one word: [Tonight.] Celios was immediately awake and renewed with some energy. Removing a box from beneath his bed, he took out the simple clothing of a peasant. Changing into them, along with a black cape, he was ready to leave for this important and secretive meeting. For a High Priest, like him, to wear regular clothes instead of the traditional robes was strange. However, it was a necessity for his actions this evening. He made his way though the hidden tunnels beneath the temple. They had been dug as a secure escape route in case of a siege. This wasn¡¯t the first time he had made use of their escape. At the exit, in a wooded area miles from the temple, a black carriage awaited him beneath the trees. Celios quickly entered the vehicle, and it took off at a breakneck speed. It stayed on back roads, so as not to be seen by anyone, and rumbled the distance to a small cottage in the middle of nowhere. Celios exited the carriage and entered this building, the actual location in the kingdom being a mystery to him. ¡°Am I late?¡± Celios asked the man guarding the entrance. ¡°No. Everyone has just arrived, so we have not yet begun. The host and dealer today is Four,¡± the guard informed him. A man, a woman, and the host known as Four were the only other individuals in the cottage. On these nights, no one went by their actual names. Each person took their seat at a table and Four began to shuffle a deck of cards, as the chips were distributed. Antes were place into the centre of the table and two cards were dealt to each player. ¡°Well, shall we raise the stake? I bet twenty.¡± The man to Celios¡¯ right was coming out aggressive. ¡°Of course,¡± Celios followed, matching the bet. ¡°Yes.¡± The woman matched the bet as well. Four also nodded. Four was a notoriously aggressive gambler as well. ¡°Is this going to be another lucky day for you, Four. You seem to be winning everything.¡± The woman, known as Two, was trying to use flirting as a tactic to distract Four. ¡°I have not.¡± Four did his best to ignore her obvious ploy to throw him off his game. ¡°Please be gentle. At this rate, I won¡¯t have any money to bet.¡± Two batted her eyes at Four, causing him to laugh. Yet, despite her attempts, Four quickly took the hand. The wins and losses for each player fluctuated throughout the night. The stress of the high stakes game brought out different reactions from each of the players. Celios observed the nervous laughter, the biting down on cigarettes, and the excessive drinking, taking all of them as possible tells. ¡°Damn!¡± Four finally lost a hand to One. The pot drained him of all the money he had won up until that point. Four began shaking his leg out of anxiety. Celios took note of this, as he prepared to use this information to his advantage. He needed to win a few hands himself. Strangely though, it seemed that all of the players were down from their original stakes. He had no idea how that was possible. ¡°Celios, it¡¯s your turn.¡± Four seemed to be speaking at him from a distance. ¡°Celios!¡± He regained his consciousness at the sound of someone calling him. He had been about to deal the next hand. What happened? Looking around, he found himself staring into the concerned face of a priest. He was lying in his bed, in his sleeping chamber, in the temple. He had no recollection of how he had got back. ¡°What time is it?¡± Celios asked, feeling extremely disoriented. ¡°First prayer will start soon,¡± the priest replied. It was unlike him to sleep in for so long. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡± The priest nodded and left the chamber so that he could dress. Sitting up in his bed, Celios realized he held something in his hand. Looking at the piece of paper, he saw that it was a bill for an immense amount of money that he owed to the winning player of the previous night¡¯s game. His head began to pound from anxiety. Celios hurriedly changed into the robes of the High Priest and left his chambers, making his way to the temple for prayers. Even as the sermons were read and the hymns sung, Celios¡¯ head swirled in chaos. This wasn¡¯t the first time he had such a large loss. In fact, it seemed to be more loss than winning for quite some time. Once again, he knew that there would be no way to cover the debt unless he dipped into the week¡¯s donations. He had been embezzling the temple donations for some time now. With extended peace in the land, the people had been able to amass a large amount of wealth that they happily donated to the temple. Strangely though, the temple continued to become poorer. So far, no one expected the reason to be Celios. Chapter 209 Chapter 209 When morning prayer ended, Celios made his way to his office. In the hallway he encountered Hemon, a professor who had become a disciple and was put in charge of caring for the World Tree, speaking with another priest. Celios continued past, when something in their conversation caught his attention. Hemon mentioned about being concerned for the World Tree. The World Tree was the most important feature of the temple. It was said that the Goddess slept in the World Tree and so it was considered extremely sacred. Most of the visitors were drawn here so that they could observe and pray beneath its branches. If there was something wrong with it, it could have far-reaching implications. Celios had no choice but to stop and find out what was going on. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Celios asked the men. ¡°Ah, Celios,¡± the priest greeted him, ¡°Greetings, Celios, the Guardian of the Goddess,¡± Hemon announced, bowing. ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± He shook his hand, indicating that Hemon didn¡¯t need to be so formal. The deputy priest, Hermon, spoke like he was exhausted but was adamant in keeping Celios in a conversation he deems important. ¡°It means nothing at all.¡± Celios dismissed him. ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s nothing!¡± Hemon was clearly agitated. ¡°This is an incredible discovery!¡± ¡°You need to stop with this gibberish,¡± the priest was having none of it. ¡°It¡¯s just a coincidence.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a coincidence?¡± Celios asked. The priest gave up and indicated for Hemon to go ahead. ¡°The number of leaves falling from the World Tree and the amount of the dead being brought to the temple are the same every day!¡± Celios frowned. He regretted having asked his question. Hemon seemed to be spouting utter nonsense. ¡°It¡¯s the same every day?¡± Celios asked, unenthusiastically. ¡°And when did you discover this?¡± ¡°Four days ago,¡± Hemon answered ¡°It¡¯s only been four days?¡± It would seem that the priest was correct in being annoyed from this conversation. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who dug up all the ground around the World Tree, in attempts to research something absurd before!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Hemon began, before Celios put up a hand. ¡°Never mind. Stop.¡± Celios¡¯ head still hurt from whatever occurred to him the previous night, and he had no more patience. ¡°I¡¯m going to my chamber to rest.¡± Without saying another word, he turned and left the two men to continue their ridiculous conversation. He needed to sleep if he was going to be able to attend the afternoon prayers. *** Hemon had always been different than other people, even when he was a child. When he became obsessed with something, he would tenaciously dig in. His thirst for knowledge paved the way for him to become a professor of the sciences. His strange teaching style was popular with his students, and he became quite renowned. Then, unexpectedly to all of the staff and students of the university, he suddenly retired from teaching and became a disciple at the Grand Temple. No one had understood his decision, but when they discovered that his duty was to maintain the World Tree, they understood his reasoning and knew they would not be able to hold him back. They were right. All of his study and research were now concentrated on the World Tree. He had so many theories that he needed to examine, but he knew that he would not have been allowed anywhere near the World Tree, unless he became a disciple at the Grand Temple. Now that he was an initiate, he was clear to do all the research needed. The first mystery he began to explore was why the leaves on the World Tree turned golden after receiving sunlight. He had been studying the phenomenon for almost six months and he was no closer to an answer. For once in his life, Hemon was at the point of giving up, until he spotted the red leaf. He didn¡¯t know why he had never seen it before. The leaf was a vibrant green one second then, in a heartbeat, it turned red and fell to the ground. Hemon, at first, thought that the World Tree may have been struck by some form of illness. The main sign for plant illness was to look at the roots, so Hemon began digging the ground away from the base of the tree. He dug over thirty holes, being careful not to touch the roots themselves, and numbered the soil samples for further research. It was as far as he had been able to proceed before a priest named Cameron discovered his actions. ¡°Disciple Hemon!¡± The anger was apparent in the priest¡¯s voice. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Hemon stood in shocked silence among the holes he had dug. He did not know how to respond to this clear violation of the World Tree. ¡°You have nothing to say?¡± Cameron asked, his arms crossed in frustration. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s for research.¡± It was all Hemon could think of. ¡°Didn¡¯t you come to the Grand Temple to become a priest? What do you mean by research? You still haven¡¯t let go of the outside world? If you want to be a scientist, then you have no place in this order.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It won¡¯t happen again.¡± Hemon didn¡¯t know how to explain the importance of what he was doing. ¡°Of course, it won¡¯t! If something like this were to happen again then we would be forced to send you to away from the temple!¡± Cameron¡¯s faced expressed how serious he was. ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± ¡°Then stick to your duties. And fill up these holes before anyone else sees them.¡± Cameron stood glaring at Hemon, making sure the job of refilling the holes was completed to his satisfaction. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 From that time on, Hemon had to resort to studying the leaves that fell from the tree. On most trees, the leaves would fall all at once from the changing seasons or from a strong wind. But the leaves of the World Tree only fell in small numbers, no matter the season or the weather. Three one day, then five the next. There had to be a pattern. He observed this activity for several days, and then, contrary to what had been happening, a large number of leaves turned red and fell all at the same time. Counting the leaves he retrieved from the ground, he numbered them to be thirty-one. Why so many all of a sudden? Harmon decided to return to his chamber to think over this mystery. In the temple proper, the disciples were rushing back and forth in an unusual commotion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Hemon asked a priest as he hurried by. ¡°Apparently there are a large number of corpses being brought in,¡± the priest replied. ¡°Corpses?¡± ¡°Yes. There was an accident at a construction site in one of the districts of the new city. Many workers were hurt and there are a number of casualties.¡± The temple was where the dead were taken before being buried. The priests of the temple prayed over the bodies, and left offerings that would allow god¡¯s guides, which were what the spirits of the recently deceased were called, to ascend to heaven. Hemon said a silent prayer for the wounded. Even though he had only become a disciple by name so he could study the World Tree, his heart ached during time like this. Maybe his time here at the temple had affected him more than he was willing to admit. Entering his chamber, Hemon looked over the red leaves he had gathered. So strange¡­, he thought. A flash of intuition went off in his head and made him gasp. He stood quickly, leaving his chamber and rushing to the Shrine of Rest where the bodies would be gathered. Fighting to catch his breath, he stopped a priest exiting the shrine. ¡°Has the Prayer of Rest started yet?¡± he asked. ¡°We¡¯ll be starting shortly. The last of the bodies has just arrived,¡± the priest informed him. ¡°How many souls will become god¡¯s guides today?¡± Hemon asked. The priest looked at Hemon curiously, and answered, ¡°Thirty one.¡± Hemon¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°I knew it!!¡± he exclaimed. He quickly thanked the priest and returned to his chamber. ¡°Could it be a coincidence? If it¡¯s not¡­¡± Hemon spoke to the silence of the room as the hairs on the back of his arms quivered with curiosity. ¡°I¡¯ll have to confirm this tomorrow, but I¡¯m sure that I am right.¡± *** ¡°Celios!¡± ¡°Greetings to you, everlasting goddess!¡± Celios formally greeted Belice as she entered with a large smile on her face. ¡°That greeting doesn¡¯t please me too much,¡± Belice informed him when hearing such a noble title. ¡°Is that so?¡± Celios laughed. ¡°But it¡¯s not wrong. What brings you here, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°I have a favour to ask of you.¡± ¡°Of me?¡± Celios¡¯ curiosity was piqued. ¡°Yes,¡± Belice replied, a knowing smile on her face. ¡°You did know that Sir Skad got married recently?¡± Belice asked the priest. ¡°Yes, of course. It¡¯s about time,¡± Celios answered. ¡°I was wondering if you could bless them with a prayer, Celios?¡± Celios nodded. It was standard for noble who became married to be blessed with a prayer for everlasting happiness. It made sense, as the High Priest, for him to do the blessing on the highest ranked noble, not to mention the brother of the Empress. A lower-level priest would just be considered an insult. ¡°As is proper, especially since Your Majesty, the Empress, is asking personally.¡± Belice smiled. ¡°Thank you, High Priest.¡± Belice nodded to her assistant Karune, who took out an envelope and handed it to Celios. ¡°Since you are honouring us with a prayer for a blessing of everlasting happiness, I should return some gratitude to you,¡± Belice informed him. ¡°If you insist.¡± Celios took the envelope happily. Since it was a donation from the Empress, the richest person in the empire, it should be an amount larger than the weekly donations combined. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Your Majesty, I¡¯ll pray with my dearest heart!¡± Celios said, though he was thinking how this donation could erase some of his debt. Unaware of how her money would be used, Belice smiled and nodded. She was naively pleased with how this transaction worked out. *** Celios waited anxiously outside the temple, waving as the carriage that was carrying the Empress disappeared like a dot on the horizon. As soon as she was out of sight, he turned and made his way quickly to his office. He needed to know the amount of money he was currently holding in his hand. He could relax for a while, knowing his debts had been handled. In the hall before his office, he once again heard a familiar conversation. ¡°Disciple, let it go. How many weeks have you been ignoring your chores and staring blankly at the World Tree?¡± It was Cameron, once again admonishing the disciple Hemon. ¡°There¡¯s no way! There¡¯s no way, my research is wrong.¡± Hemon was off spouting his gibberish again. It was almost the exact same conversation as the last time Celios had encountered these two, but this time Hemon seemed even more frustrated. Celios would have asked Hemon to leave the temple long ago, but knew he had bought himself a position as a disciple with a donation of an immense amount of money. This bought the man some leeway in his actions, but Celios¡¯ curiosity was piqued as to what it might be this time. ¡°Did something happen again?¡± Celios asked the men. ¡°Celios!¡± Hemon jumped in surprise ¡°Greetings to Celios, the Guardian of the Goddess.¡± Cameron, once again being formal, bowed as he addressed Celios. Taking the hint, Hemon bowed as well. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± he said, as if the simple answer would address the matter. ¡°If it¡¯s nothing then why is your face so gloomy?¡± Celios asked. Cameron interjected when he saw Hemon struggling to explain himself. ¡°It¡¯s about the World Tree again, the same nonsense we heard before so you should not need to concern yourself with this matter.¡± ¡°My research is not nonsense, Cameron,¡± Hemon seemed particular hurt by the accusation. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Stop.¡± Cameron had heard enough. ¡°So, you¡¯re referring to the research on the number of god¡¯s guardians compared to the number of fallen leaves?¡± Celios was pretty sure he remembered the whole situation from before. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Cameron is correct. You¡¯re still doing that nonsense?¡± Cameron seemed even more embarrassed then Hemon at Celios¡¯s question. ¡°My apologies, my Lord.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not nonsense!¡± Hemon cried again. ¡°Hemon, that¡¯s enough. Do you know who you¡¯re speaking to?¡± Cameron always had a hard time controlling his anger. Celios waved his hand to calm Cameron down. ¡°If it¡¯s not nonsense, then why are you so gloomy?¡± he asked. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been trying to tell you. The falling leaves that matched the god¡¯s guardians stopped being correct about four weeks ago.¡± ¡°Is that so? But it was correct before that?¡± To Celios, it was obvious that this phenomenon was just a coincidence. ¡°Yes.¡± Celios shook his head in frustration and gave a signal to Cameron to take care of this on his own. Turning to leave, Hemon stepped in front of him. ¡°But it¡¯s become correct again!¡± Hemon announced. ¡°Only once, but since that day it went off, it¡¯s become correct again!¡± Celios how this man could not see the pure coincidence before him. Maybe if he appealed to this man¡¯s sense of mysticism, Hemon would leave this matter behind. ¡°There are many miraculous things in the world that happen on a daily basis,¡± Celios told the man. ¡°This is probably a sign from the Goddess to tell you to stop trying to fulfill your personal desires and stop being lazy with your duties of maintaining the World Tree.¡± Chapter 211 Chapter 211 The mythology of the Goddess sleeping in the World Tree was simply a story that had been told for thousands of years but, in truth, it was simply a tree that just changed the colour of its leaves. Still, men like Hemon chose to believe in fairy tales, and Celios was more curious about the amount of the donation given to him by the Empress. Hemon could only nod. He understood the warning hidden in Celios¡¯ words, and allowed the conversation to be put to rest. Celios smiled, happy that this was once again taken care of and hoped it would be the last. He turned and went into his office, leaving the men behind. Closing the door, Celios slowly counted the bills in the envelope. No one knew how much of a gambling addict he was, though he was certain some of his closest assistants were suspicious. However, his reputation was as large as the Empress, so no one would dare questions him. To the priests and disciples, his word was above the laws of man. With a final tally, Celios smiled. This amount would certainly cover a portion of his debts and allow him to continue in the games. And exactly two days later, as if the universe just knew, a black invitation appeared, once more, on the pillow in his bed chamber. Celios slammed his fist on his desk. All he needed to do was ignore the invitation, but temptation always overpowered his senses. Besides, the notice that fell off his desk still listed outstanding debts. The host of the games was like a beast looking for prey. He played to Celios¡¯ addiction, giving him a loan so Celios could continue spiraling into debt. The interest owing was calculated hourly and compounded at an increasing rate. With the speed that it accumulated, Celios might have to hand over the Grand Temple soon. That was something he would need to stop at all costs. If he were removed from his position, he would lose his other important source of income. Celios was a purveyor of divine rituals. The people of the Empire knew the rituals to be prayers for the sick and dying by the priests of the temple. But the divine rituals Celios offered were much more insidious. To the evil citizens of power, he offered up the young disciples, boys or girls, as sex toys for a hefty fee. Celios headed the operation, aided by a group of priests loyal only to him. There was no way that he could abandon this enterprise. However, everything seemed to be working against him. Just this past week, one of the young disciples that had been bought from him, wounded his purchaser in an attempt to escape. He was killed for his actions, and returned to the temple as one of God¡¯s Guides. The incident was made to look like an accident, but some of the priests were beginning to talk about the strange circumstances. Celios really needed to be careful with how he proceeded. A quick way out of this mess would be to sell off some of his personal wealth. However, it was incredibly difficult to find a broker who was able to keep his mouth shut. If word got out that he was in financial trouble, again all the filth of his life would come to light. His only saving grace is to hope for another large donation, such as the one made by the Empress. But who else had the kind of money to donate like the Empress? Thoughts started to circulate in Celios¡¯ mind. I could ask Her Majesty for a favour, but I am all out of excuses. Perhaps I could find a reason to blackmail her. After all, even though she is the Empress, she¡¯s still human. There must be a skeleton in her closet. This was the kind of underhanded scheming Celios was good at. Even if whatever evidence he discovered was quickly cleaned up by Duke Skad, nothing would be traced back to the temple. This was his answer! Celios rang a bell that was hung next to the door of his chamber. Within moments a disciple arrived. ¡°Did you ring, Your Grace?¡± the disciple asked. ¡°It seems like I haven¡¯t been praying enough for Her Majesty. I¡¯m going to start a prayer cycle for her, so can you please go to the palace and retrieve the Empress¡¯ schedule for the last few days.¡± ¡°Her schedule?¡± It was obvious that the disciple didn¡¯t understand the connection between a prayer cycle and the Empress¡¯ schedule. ¡°I need to be thorough in the cleansing prayers. The salvation of Her Majesty, the Empress, is the utmost importance of the Empire. So, I need to know all of the transgressions that she has encountered in the last few days, even if it is the smallest thing.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± The disciple seemed content with Celios¡¯ explanation. ¡°Please try and get the schedule as unobtrusively as you can,¡± Celios added. ¡°Why?¡± The disciple looked confused again. Celios laughed. ¡°We can¡¯t have it known that we had become lax in our prayers for the Empress, can we?¡± ¡°That makes sense. I¡¯ll get it done.¡± After the disciple left, Celios was finally able to relax. Even if it¡¯s something very small, Celios was certain that he would find something that he could use. Then he would have the answer to all his problems. For now, all he could do was wait. Chapter 212 Chapter 212 The disciple returned the next day with the report Celios asked him to retrieve. He scanned the schedule of the empress¡¯ activities for the last several days. His heart sank. Even though she had been incredibly busy, there didn¡¯t appear to be anything he could use. The only thing that seemed slightly out of place was the number of time that she visited the Tower of Silence. The Tower of Silence was a private structure of solitude in which only the empress could enter. No other living person had seen the interior or what it was that the empress did while she occupied it. Most thought that she simply used it as a temple for praying to the Goddess. After all, the empress was considered the descendant of the Goddess, so there was nothing strange in spending a large amount of her time praying. Looking once more at the report, Celios noted that since the tenth day of the fifth month of the year 6193, the Empress stopped going to the Tower of Silence. There may not be anything strange about this fact, considering how busy her schedule was. She probably just needed time to rest. There was still nothing corrupt that Celios could draw from the schedule. He set the report down in frustration. There was one last page included in the documents he was given. It was a report written by the Empress¡¯ personal doctor. She had been ill the day she stopped going to the Tower. Again, there was no reason to find anything strange with this fact. He threw the papers across the room in anger. What should I do, he asked himself when another voice entered his mind? It was the words Hemon had spoke. The number of god¡¯s guardians coming to the temple and the number of leaves falling from the World Tree are the same every day! Celios sat up with a start, awareness striking him. The caretaker of the World Tree had said that the count only went wrong once. Celios quickly checked the date that Hemon had said the error occurred with the schedule of the Empress. How could I have missed this, Celios thought in victory. He stood up with a new found excitement. He had discovered the evidence he needed. *** Celios approached the door to Hemon¡¯s chamber. Looking around to make sure that no one was in sight, he knocked at the portal. When there was no answer, he opened the door and entered. The room was a chaotic mess of pictures and books, most that Celios could not decipher the meanings of. Various scientific apparatus littered the floor. Hemon was definitely doing some in depth research. Celios started sifting through the mess, searching for any document that would verify his thought. He opened a notebook that was sitting on the desk. Inside the cover was a hand-drawn picture that showed the entirety of the World Tree. In incredible detail, Hemon had recorded the branches that grew out in all directions, the leaves that changed with the light, the roots that jutted above the ground, even the texture of the bark. Each section of the tree had a thorough explanation scribbled next to it. He even went as far as to notate the taste of the soil around the tree. Celios shook his head. This Hemon was a strange individual. Opening another notebook, Celios found a listing of numbers that corresponded to days of the calendar. Celios assumed that these were the figures of the falling leaves. This would be the information he was looking for. Finding the particular day in question was easy as Hemon had drawn a huge circle around it. Celios pocketed the notebook and left the chamber. Celios returned to his office, after asking a novice to have the priest Cameron meet him there. Cameron entered, and bowed while addressing him formally. ¡°You asked for me, Celios, Guardian of the Goddess?¡± ¡°Yes. I have a favour to ask of you. Could you please fetch me the Book of Rest?¡± ¡°Of course. Why do you require it?¡± The book listed all of the people that became God¡¯s guardians and it wasn¡¯t often that Cameron was asked to provide it. Only Cameron, whose duty it was to maintain the book, and the High Priest had access to its contents. ¡°I feel like I haven¡¯t been paying attention to those that have passed,¡± Celios said. ¡°Since I¡¯ll be doing a prayer cycle for the Empress, I felt that I should offer prayers for them as well,¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± agreed Cameron. ¡°Then, should I bring the Book of Rest from the other temples as well?¡± ¡°No. The Book of Rest from the Grand Temple should be sufficient. I¡¯m not getting any younger.¡± Celios didn¡¯t want to appear too eager. ¡°Ah, yes. It probably would be too much to pray for every soul of every temple,¡± Cameron agreed. Celios was glad that he didn¡¯t push the topic any further. ¡°I¡¯ll bring it right away.¡± ¡°Thank you. And regarding that disciple that maintains the World Tree, Hemon. Please have him assigned to another temple as soon as possible. All the strange talk about the World Tree. I just don¡¯t feel comfortable with him here.¡± ¡°He really is a good worker, despite his ridiculous notions about falling leaves,¡± Cameron argued. ¡°But what if something were to happen to the World Tree, with all his crazy experiments,¡± Celios countered. ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯ll make the arrangements.¡± With nothing left to discuss, Cameron turned and left the office. Celios relaxed a little. Once Hemon was gone, only he knew the connection of the World Tree to the Empress. He didn¡¯t need this professor revealing the knowledge before he was ready. This situation would be his alone to exploit. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 When Cameron returned with the Book of Rest, Celios quickly compared the dates in the Empress¡¯ schedule, Hemon¡¯s notepad, and the Book of Rest. It was the same in each. On the tenth day of the fifth month of this year, when the Empress stopped going to the Temple of Silence, eleven leaves fell but the number of God¡¯s Guardians that came in were only ten. Celios smiled to himself as he quietly closed the Book of Rest in satisfaction. His suspicions had been confirmed. There was no way this could be a coincidence. Unfortunately, it also wasn¡¯t concrete proof. The type of magic Celios suspected the Empress of using was only conjecture. He had never seen its use and there were no records of it in the temple library. He would need to figure out some way to make the Empress admit it herself. He would need to speak with her and see if he could detect some falsehood in her words. There would have to be some reaction from the guilt within her, he just needed to make her show it. Celios opened a small safe in the corner of his office and put the evidence he had acquired into it. Realizing it would look suspicious if he didn¡¯t return the Book of Rest back to Cameron, he took the tome back out, locked the safe, and went off in search of Cameron as if nothing was amiss. *** Celios was already waiting in her office when the Empress returned from attending to her duties. As she came in, he stood and bowed to her. ¡°At your service, Everlasting Goddess.¡± ¡°Welcome, Celios.¡± The Empress was surprised to see him. ¡°Your Majesty. I hope that I am not interrupting anything important?¡± ¡°Not at all. And even if you were, I always have time to speak with you, Celios.¡± Belice sat behind her desk, giving him a welcoming smile. There was always a radiant presence around the Empress, that made her seem safe and approachable. She had the aura of the Goddess herself. But there was definitely something off today, as if she had a suspicion to why he had made this unexpected visit. ¡°How are things, Celios?¡± The Empress asked. ¡°Is everything well with the temple and the World Tree?¡± The Empress always made a point of asking about the World Tree, considering its importance to her kingdom. Celios looked back at Karune and the guards who still occupied the office. He wanted to have this conversation alone, so there was nothing distracting the Empress. ¡°I think it would be best if you dismiss everyone,¡± he told her. Belice nodded to Karune. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Karune was suspicious. The Empress was never to be left alone, but she insisted. Karune rose and motioned for the guards to leave. He then closed the door to the office as he exited himself. ¡°I heard you haven¡¯t been going to the Tower of Silence recently?¡± Celios asked the Empress outright. Belice¡¯s smile changed when he mentioned Tower of Silence. She had taken on the regal pose of an unbreakable Empress. But she didn¡¯t show any sign of agitation or shock from his question. ¡°I have had so much on my schedule lately that I don¡¯t have the chance.¡± It was a plausible explanation, but Celios decided to go straight for the attack so that she didn¡¯t have time to think of any further possible excuses. ¡°I see. A problem has occurred. It seems that a God¡¯s Guardian has lost its path.¡± ¡°Lost its path?¡± Belice wasn¡¯t sure what Celios was referring too. ¡°Yes. A God¡¯s Guardian that was scheduled to come to the Grand Temple never arrived.¡± ¡°That certainly is odd, but I don¡¯t see how I can help.¡± Belice¡¯s face was rock solid, not giving away any reaction except for a slight displeasure at having her precious time being wasted. God¡¯s Guardians were being maintained by the Grand Temple, not by the palace. There was no reason for Celios to be enquiring about the missing body here. She had no idea what this was about until Celios spoke again. ¡°How strange that this happened just after you stopped going to the Tower of Silence. To be precise, it was on the tenth day of the fifth month.¡± Celios said, closely examining the Empress¡¯ face for any reaction. Unfortunately, her composure was unwavering as she spoke again. ¡°That is very interesting, but I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know anything about this. Why don¡¯t you stop speaking in code and tell me what is really on your mind? ¡°Your Majesty, I don¡¯t believe what I say is code at all. If Your Majesty, by any chance, used magic to lead a God¡¯s Guardian¡­.¡± ¡°Celios.¡± Belice cut him off as a warning. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I would suggest that you abandon this line of thought immediately.¡± The Empress still did not show any sign of guilt. She was simply providing a warning for Celios to not say anything that would be considered blasphemy. ¡°But the two events occurred simultaneously. They could not have been a coincidence, so that¡¯s why I was informing you.¡± ¡°Why could they not have been a coincidence?¡± The Empress certainly wasn¡¯t going to show her hand easily. ¡°Did you know that the number of fallen leaves from the World Tree is the same as the number of God¡¯s Guardians that come to the Grand Temple every day?¡± Celios asked. Belice stared at him, unblinking. ¡°So?¡± she calmly answered. ¡°There has only been one day that it was different. That day was the day you last went to the Tower of Silence.¡± Still not a single reaction from Belice. Celios was starting to become frustrated. ¡°So, what you are trying to accuse me of is that I used magic to take away a God¡¯s Guardian?¡± ¡°Yes. The Tower of Silence is only accessible by you. No one knows what you do in there. And after you made a habit to visit the building daily, to suddenly stop going. To anyone, that would look suspicious.¡± ¡°So, if you¡¯re saying that I used magic, what is your evidence?¡± The Empress was challenging him now ¡°As I mentioned to you earlier, we have the World Tree.¡± Celios smiled. This might just work. Chapter 214 Chapter 214 ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The woman looked to be around Amethyst¡¯s age and was working in the field next to her. Amethyst had kept quiet and concentrated on her work, so she hadn¡¯t expected one of the other workers to speak to her. ¡°Name?¡± Amethyst wasn¡¯t sure how to answer. She hadn¡¯t thought about what she should call herself now. She was no longer Heeyon, like in the past, and she certainly couldn¡¯t call herself Amethyst any more. ¡°Yes, name? I¡¯m Ancy. It¡¯s good to meet you,¡± the woman smiled as her hands dug into the dirt of the field. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Carol.¡± It was the first name that came into Amethyst¡¯s mind. ¡°Nice to meet you, Carol. I haven¡¯t seen you around here before. Where are you from?¡± ¡°From Mir City. I just arrived here.¡± Amethyst had been travelling for several days, when she found this opportunity to do some work for a little bit of money. ¡°Really? Do you have a place to sleep tonight?¡± Ancy inquired. ¡°Not really.¡± She had been sleeping under the trees since she had left and could really use a bed. ¡°Then sleep with us tonight. It¡¯s the middle of the farming season so all of the workers sleep at the farm.¡± Ancy seemed very welcoming. ¡°Would that be all right?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Sure, if you have nowhere else to sleep? Otherwise, you¡¯ll have to go into the town to find a place but you wouldn¡¯t get there before dark, even if you leave now.¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t like the idea of trying to travel in the dark and welcomed the offer. ¡°I¡¯m in your debt. Thank you.¡± ¡°No need. I¡¯m happy to have the company of someone my age. Most of the workers are much older, so conversation can be a little boring. I¡¯ll let Bishon know that you¡¯ll be joining us.¡± ¡°Bishon? Do you mean the big, tough-looking man who offered me the work?¡± Ancy nodded. The woman seemed friendly and it appeared they were welcoming to strangers, so Amethyst smiled in agreement. *** They finished the day¡¯s work just after the sunset. Amethyst cleaned up with Ancy at the riverside. ¡°Was your hair always that short, Carol?¡± Ancy was admiring her new style. Amethyst had cut it off before she left Hazen castle. She thought it would be easier to maintain and also to help hide her identity. ¡°Yes,¡± Amethyst lied. ¡°I find that long hair gets in the way when working.¡± ¡°Really? Seems like you would have nice hair. You should consider growing it.¡± Amethyst just smiled. The two women finished cleaning and headed back to the worker¡¯s dorm. Inside the small structure, a number of mattresses were placed on the floor, facing each other, and they were full of workers sleeping. ¡°There¡¯s a spot there,¡± Ancy whispered, pointing to a corner. They made their way carefully through the sleeping forms and lay down on the last remaining mattress. As Amethyst started drifting off, Ancy turned to her. ¡°The work will be done here tomorrow and we¡¯ll be travelling back to the mansion. If you have nowhere to go, would you like to come with us?¡± she asked. ¡°The mansion?¡± Amethyst was curious. ¡°Yeah. The mansion is where our employer lives. If I ask Bishon, he might allow you to join us. He¡¯s the employer¡¯s right-hand man. It could give you a steady job.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Amethyst said, intrigued. ¡°All right. Goodnight, Carol. Sleep well.¡± ¡°You too, Ancy.¡± Ancy fell asleep almost instantly. Amethyst closed her eyes and listened to the steady breathing of the workers around her. It may have been from exhaustion or the relief that she may have found a place to start a new life. Whatever it was, she slept soundly, without having a nightmare, for the first time in days. *** ¡°Hey, Short Hair!¡± Bishon called Amethyst over. ¡°Come here and help us remove these weeds.¡± Amethyst went into the farmland. Bishon had taken to calling her Short Hair as a sign of affection. She squatted down with the rest of the workers and started yanking at the stubborn weeds. It was necessary to remove all of the invasive plants before seeds could be lain for the next batch of crops. Bishon came over to where she had crouched down in the dirt. ¡°Hey, Short Hair,¡± he called. ¡°Yes?¡± Amethyst answered, looking up from her work. ¡°I heard from Ancy that you don¡¯t have a place to stay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. I don¡¯t really have a place to go to.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a good worker and I like you. Would you like to keep working with us?¡± Amethyst hesitated. She wasn¡¯t sure she was cut out to be a maid. The employer¡¯s mansion was probably large and busy. ¡°We¡¯re going to the mansion for now,¡± Bishon continued, ¡°but soon there will be more work and we¡¯ll go to another farm.¡± Amethyst was glad it wasn¡¯t house work Bishon referred to. She seemed more suited for the manual labour of the fields. ¡°I would love that and would forever be in your debt,¡± she answered with a smile. ¡°What debt? I¡¯m offering you work. We¡¯ll leave at dawn. Glad to have you aboard,¡± Bishon smiled and left her to her work. He seemed to be fond of her and she was happy that she had found a place where she was welcome. Smiling, she went back to weeding. Chapter 215 Chapter 215 That night, everyone fell asleep quickly again, except for Amethyst. She was physically exhausted from the work, but her mind was working overtime. The employer, whose mansion she was headed to, was probably a noble. That made her think of all the people she had left behind. Lunia, Roman, Pon, Hill, Leyrian. Even dull-witted Buer and annoying Gen. She missed them all. And Alec, the one she missed the most. Amethyst pulled out the necklace she had carefully tucked under her shirt. The wedding ring with the pink diamond hung on the chain. She kissed it softly. For some reason, she was able to leave everything else behind, except for this ring. It was her last attachment to him and the way she could remember when her heart ached the most for him. Clutching the ring, she drifted off to sleep. ¡°Carol!¡± Ancy was shaking her awake. ¡°We¡¯re leaving for the mansion now.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Amethyst rose, quickly brushed her hair and tied a bandana around her head. As she didn¡¯t have any other belongings, she was ready to leave almost immediately. Outside, a series of horse-drawn carriages waited for the workers. She and Ancy climbed into one of the last ones and sat facing each other. As the carriage rumbled away from the farm, Amethyst¡¯s eyes drifted closed once more. She wasn¡¯t used to the fatigue of manual labour. But perhaps all of this work would help push away the thoughts of her past that haunted her every night. Ancy shook her awake again, after a few hours of travel. They were passing through a small town, filled with people browsing market stalls and greeting each other in the warmth of the day. Ancy pointed at a large manor house situated at the base of a mountain. ¡°That¡¯s the mansion where our employer lives. We¡¯re almost there.¡± Amethyst nodded and looked at the mansion Ancy was pointing at. Even from afar, she could tell it was well maintained. It wasn¡¯t as big or luxurious as the Skad Mansion, but it had charm. The carriage drove past the attached houses of the village centre, went passed what seemed to be a market, and followed a steep road up to the mansion. The carriage pulled around to the back of the mansion, stopping in front of a small door, which the workers entered after stepping down from the carriages. Ancy, instead of following the others, headed down a path to a series of cottages built in the back lot. The workers who did not labour in the mansion lived out here. Each cottage was small, with comfortable beds and a few storage chests. They roomed two people, and Amethyst was going to be staying with Ancy. ¡°We will be going to another farm tomorrow, so you should rest up today. It¡¯ll be tough work, once again, tomorrow,¡± Ancy said as she laid her bag down on the bed closest to the door. Amethyst, who had no bag to unpack, sat on the edge of the other bed and watched. As they discussed the farming operations, there was a knock on the door to the cottage. ¡°May I come in?¡± a gruff voice called from outside. ¡°Yes! Come in,¡± Ancy called, opening the door for Bishon. ¡°What brings you here?¡± she asked. ¡°Short Hair,¡± Bishon said, nodding to Amethyst. He removed a pouch from his pocket and tossed it to her. The clinking of coins could be heard, as she caught it from the air. ¡°Payment for the work you did for us the last couple of days.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Amethyst replied. ¡°Also, this.¡± Bishon brought in a larger sack that he had left outside the door. ¡°Extra clothes to change into.¡± Amethyst was in shock. She had not only received a wage, but clothes that she didn¡¯t even expect to get. She could finally change into something that wasn¡¯t dirty or torn. ¡°Thank you for your kindness,¡± Amethyst said, smiling at Bishon. ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡± Although he appeared a gruff man, Bishon gave off an air of shyness. As he was done making his delivery, he quickly turned and left the cabin. ¡°Seems like Bishon likes you. He¡¯s picky with who he allows to work with him,¡± Ancy said, after the man had left. ¡°He seems like a good person,¡± Amethyst agreed. Ancy laughed. ¡°You won¡¯t be saying that tomorrow, after you worked another day with him.¡± Amethyst laughed as well. She looked through the sack she had been given and picked a few items to change into. The clothes had the distinct scent of being cleaned and dried in the sun. ¡°Carol. I¡¯m going to the market for a bit. Would you like to come?¡± Ancy had finished unpacking all of her belongings and Amethyst put away the few articles of clothing she had been given. ¡°Market?¡± Amethyst assumed it was the one she had seen from the carriage as they drove in. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to come back for a while, once we leave for the farm tomorrow. There are a few things I need to pick up. Would you like to stay here or join me? Amethyst couldn¡¯t think of anything she needed, but staying behind would just cause the guilt of leaving her other life behind to enter her mind once more. Besides, she had money now. Perhaps she would find something once she got there. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll come,¡± Amethyst said, standing to leave. *** There weren¡¯t many merchants, as it was only a small town, but the variety each merchant carried was quite vast so there was a lot to look at. Amethyst followed behind Ancy as she explained what many of the local items for sale were. Listening her talk kept Amethyst¡¯s mind occupied, so she didn¡¯t mind. ¡°This clothing is from the capital,¡± Ancy informed her. ¡°How do you know?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°It¡¯s too stylish to be from around here,¡± Ancy explained. ¡°Wait! Let¡¯s stop by that store for a bit. There¡¯s something I need there.¡± Ancy pulled Amethyst through the door into a shop that specialized in snacks. Ancy seemed to be in heaven, looking over the vast selection of chocolate, candies, and salty goods on display. ¡°What are you going to get, Ancy?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I have to be picky. If I pick the wrong thing, it won¡¯t taste good.¡± A voice echoed through Amethyst¡¯s mind. ¡°Order everything on the menu.¡± She could still picture Alec¡¯s face that night. She hated these random memories, as the longing of him always made her sad. She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the images. ¡°So, you like sweet thing as well, Ancy?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°It¡¯s more for emergencies, than liking it,¡± Ancy replies ¡°Emergencies?¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t know what she was referring to. ¡°Farm work is hard. You can¡¯t always get by with the food provided at the job sites. It¡¯s better to have some emergency rations in case you start to feel tired.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t candy be better than chocolate?¡± Amethyst suggested. ¡°Chocolate melts when it gets hot.¡± ¡°That is probably a good idea,¡± Ancy agreed. ¡°Or buy a bit of chocolate to eat right away, and the rest can be candy for the work site,¡± Amethyst continued. ¡°That sounds good.¡± Ancy began to choose varieties of candy from the shelves. As she waited, Amethyst watched the children staring in through the window and dreaming of the sugar highs they could get if only their parents would let them buy something. Chapter 216 Chapter 216 The children tried not to lean on the window with their dirty hands, in order to not smudge it. Amethyst felt sad that these children were desiring candy that they clearly could not afford. She turned back to the chocolate displays and an idea struck her. Pulling out the pouch of coins she had been given as a wage, she walked over to the clerk behind the counter. ¡°I would like to buy as much chocolate as this money will allow me to,¡± she informed the man. ¡°As you request.¡± The clerk began filling a bag with a selection of different flavoured chocolates. ¡°You¡¯re getting chocolate? But you told me to buy candies?¡± Amethyst just turned and smiled at Ancy. ¡°Just a moment,¡± Amethyst said, stopping Ancy as they exited the shop. She walked over to the children who were still staring into the candy shop window. She knew that it wasn¡¯t right for a stranger to be giving candy to kids, but she just couldn¡¯t help herself. ¡°Hi,¡± she said, startling the children. ¡°Hello,¡± the girl answered shyly. The boy, the younger and smaller of the two, hid behind his sister. Amethyst smiled at how cute these two children were. ¡°Could you do me a favour?¡± she asked them. ¡°A favour?¡± The kids certainly seemed suspicious, but also curious. ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s nothing big. The truth is, I¡¯m not supposed to eat chocolate but I couldn¡¯t control myself and bought some. I tried to return it, but they wouldn¡¯t let me because it¡¯s food. But I¡¯ll get scolded if I take it with me.¡± The children¡¯s eyes widened in shock ¡°Scolded? But you¡¯re an adult!¡± Amethyst laughed. ¡°Adults can also get scolded if they do something wrong. So, I was thinking maybe you and your brother would like this chocolate.¡± ¡°Us?¡± The girl asked, certain she had heard Amethyst¡¯s request incorrectly. ¡°Yes. Are you not allowed to eat it? Are you allergic to chocolate?¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t want to harm these kids. ¡°No. Mom always buys us one chocolate whenever it¡¯s our birthday!¡± The girl quickly answered, excited. ¡°Really?¡± Amethyst smiled. ¡°Can we really have the chocolate?¡± the boy asked shyly from behind his sister ¡°Of course.¡± Amethyst handed over her bag of chocolate. The girl seemed hesitant to take the bag, even though she wanted desperately to eat the chocolate. Ancy spoke up, as she came to stand next to Amethyst. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the granddaughter of Mr. Parcy?¡± ¡°You know Grandpa Parcy?¡± The girl seemed happy at this news. ¡°Yes. He works at my master¡¯s stable. I work there as well. So does this lady. We¡¯re friends with your grandpa, so don¡¯t worry about taking the chocolate.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The girl asked, still unsure. ¡°Really,¡± Ancy replied, smiling. ¡°Then¡­thank you,¡± the girl replied politely, smiling as well. ¡°No, thank you,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°Now I won¡¯t be scolded.¡± The girl clutched the chocolate to her chest. ¡°If our grandpa finds out, we¡¯ll be scolded as well. But don¡¯t worry, we can eat it in secret and won¡¯t tell anyone.¡± Ancy winked at the girl as Amethyst said her goodbyes. The two ladies headed off, back to the manor, as the children ran off in the other direction with their prize. ¡°Mr. Parcy? Would he actually scold them for eating some chocolate?¡± Amethyst asked Ancy. Ancy laughed. ¡°The old man is a bit stubborn. He nags all of us workers, not just his grandchildren, that if we fill up on sweets, we won¡¯t eat our meals. That¡¯s probably why they are only allowed chocolate on their birthday.¡± Amethyst took in all of the people and shops around her. ¡°This place seems very friendly,¡± she said, feeling content. ¡°You think so? The town is small, so everyone basically knows each other. They probably know what their neighbour ate for dinner last night. By the way, are you sure you wanted to spend all your wages on a couple of children?¡± ¡°Sure! I don¡¯t have use for it.¡± Amethyst had no regrets about her purchase. ¡°Then shall we go back, since you appear to be out of money?¡± Ancy joked. ¡°Of course.¡± Amethyst thought about the smiles on the children¡¯s faces as they headed back to the manner. It helped quell some of the guilt still residing inside her *** Alexcent arrived at the farmland that Gen had reported to him, after travelling some distance from Hazen Castle. ¡°It seems like they have already left,¡± Gen said. ¡°The land is empty.¡± Alexcent¡¯s pain in his head returned. The only thing they had to go on now were the traces of wheel tracks left in the dirt ground. The grooves were quite deep, so the carriages must have been transporting something. It would most likely be crops or workers. He searched the area, but there was no sign of footprints, and the fields were already bare. That would mean they transported the crops first, to make sure they got into storage before they spoiled, then they came back for the workers. If Amethyst had been amongst them, she would have most likely been transported to the nearby town. Alexcent dusted off the dirt on his hands and turned to give orders to Gen. ¡°She probably headed into the town in the next valley, as that is where these carriages were headed. Check every house. We need to find her, no matter how long it takes.¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± Gen agreed. ¡°Also, make sure to keep your intentions quiet. We don¡¯t want the chasers to know that we are also looking.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± Gen assured him. They returned to their horses and began following the wagon trail. Alexcent¡¯s emotions were still conflicted. He was on his way to kill her, but he didn¡¯t know what would come when he actually saw her again. The town they arrived at was well-maintained and quaint. Alexcent and Gen rode into the main square. The market was quite busy at this time of day. Gen took the horses to board them while they were in the town, as Alexcent sat on the edge of the fountain to wait. He carefully observed the people as they passed by with their packages. After a few minutes, he could sense that he was being watched. He turned to find two children standing on the other side of the fountain, staring at him in curiosity. Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Alexcent gestured for the children to come over. They pointed at themselves as if to ask if he was motioning to them. Alexcent nodded, and the kids shuffled over to him nervously. ¡°Perhaps you can help me. Have you seen a woman, new to this town, with reddish-blonde hair and green eyes?¡± ¡°No!¡± The girl blurted out her answer with no hesitation. ¡°Really?¡± Alexcent was suspicious at how quickly the girl answered. ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no one like that in this town!¡± The girl assured him. She then grabbed her brother¡¯s hand, and they ran off in fear. Amethyst was definitely here. The instant the girl blurted out the answer without even thinking gave him certainty that she was lying. His heart began beating quickly with the thought of what he would do when he found her. *** ¡°Sister!¡± the boy cried as he was pulled along by the girl. The girl stopped once they were clear of the market and turned to him, out of breath. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°Why did you lie to that man?¡± the boy enquired. ¡°The green eyes, it was the person who gave us choco¡­.¡± The girl hurriedly silenced her brother. ¡°Quiet! What if someone hears!¡± The boy nodded and she removed her hand from his mouth. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a lie.¡± ¡°But the person he was looking for, it was that woman who gave us chocolate, for sure,¡± the boy insisted. ¡°We didn¡¯t see her today! Understand? If we admit that, grandpa will find out that we ate chocolate. Then we¡¯ll be scolded. Do you want that to happen?¡± ¡°No!¡± The boy suddenly looked frightened. ¡°Good. So, let¡¯s go home now.¡± ¡°I thought we were going to be waiting in town for mom today?¡± The boy looked confused again. ¡°We¡¯ll just wait at home today. I¡¯ll give you some more of the chocolate on our way home.¡± The girl always knew how to motivate her brother. He smiled at the word chocolate and took hold of her hand once again. The girl began to forget how scary that man looked. How he seemed to have wanted to hurt the nice woman who had given them chocolate. She hoped, by telling the man that they hadn¡¯t seen the woman, that she wouldn¡¯t get found. After all, she wasn¡¯t a bad person. *** It was the middle of the night when someone began hammering on the door. A flickering, red light came through the window, casting eerie shadows across the floor. Shouts could be heard from the yard outside. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ancy shouted, as she rose to open the door. One of the workers stood outside in a panic. ¡°There¡¯s a fire in the mansion! Come help!¡± ¡°Oh my God!¡± Ancy cried. Amethyst quickly got dressed, along with Ancy and they rushed out into the chaos of the night. Black smoke was pouring from the windows of the manor as flames licked the night sky. ¡°What are you doing, just standing there?!¡± a worker shouted as he ran by. ¡°Bring a bucket of water! We have to calm the fire! Hurry!¡± Ancy and Amethyst grabbed buckets and ran to the lake at the back of the property to fill them with water. Workers were running back and forth in fear. Somewhere someone was screaming. As they were hurrying to the house with their full buckets, a maid came hurtling out of the night. ¡°Help me!¡± she screamed, at no one in particular. ¡°Please, someone help me find the young master!¡± Amethyst looked around but no one else seemed to be paying attention to her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± she asked, trying to calm the panicking woman. ¡°I can¡¯t find the young master. I don¡¯t think he got out! What should I do?¡± ¡°Those men over there, they seem to be organizing the rescue. Go tell them!¡± Amethyst ordered. The maid ran off towards the men. Amethyst, hearing that it was the young son of the master, decided not to hesitate. She quickly ripped off the edge of her skirt, soaked it with water, and used it to cover her nose and mouth. Then she ran straight into the inferno that used to be a mansion. The fire seemed to be only on the second floor, so Amethyst was able to make her way through the smoky halls of the first floor. She kept pressed against a wall so that she wouldn¡¯t lose her way, opening every door she came across. ¡°Young master!¡± she cried, as she stumbled through the smoke. There was no sign of the boy on the first floor, so she tentatively headed up the stairs. The smoke was thicker here, but still no actual fire. It must be contained to one of the rooms, or maybe the attic. Like before, she made her way along a wall, testing doors for heat and then opening them to search inside. As she opened the third door, she fell back, screaming. Lying inside was the body of a woman surrounded by a pool of blood. She had been stabbed in the back, obviously killed by some intruder. Perhaps that was who started the fire. As Amethyst scurried to leave, she heard voice coming from further down the hall. ¡°Did you find her?¡± a man asked. ¡°Not yet!¡± another answered. ¡°We need to hurry before the whole house goes up in flames!¡± the first man growled angrily. These men were clearly looking for someone. Amethyst had no idea who they were, but she had a feeling that she¡¯d be in danger if she was discovered. She could hear footsteps approaching, so she quickly smeared blood from the floor over her clothes and lay down beside the dead woman. As the footfalls echoed outside the door of the room, Amethyst closed her eyes and held her breath. ¡°Damn! We¡¯ve already been in this room.¡± The man¡¯s voice sounded right beside her. She tried hard not to panic. ¡°She¡¯s not here. Let¡¯s get out before this place burns down.¡± As the steps of the men disappeared down the hall, Amethyst carefully got up. She almost threw up from the smell of blood and smoke. She needed to get fresh air before she passed out. As she made her way back down to the first floor, she heard the voices once again, as well as sobbing. It appeared they had found one more person in the house. Pulling close to the wall she quietly made her way to the entrance of the kitchen, hiding just outside so she could hear the conversation. Chapter 218 Chapter 218 ¡°Please, don¡¯t kill me,¡± the unknown woman pleaded. ¡°Just tell me where you¡¯re hiding her.¡± It was the same man as from upstairs. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are talking about,¡± the woman cried. ¡°The woman, who once called herself The Duchess, was with your workers. She should be here, somewhere in the mansion!¡± Amethyst¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She covered her mouth and stopped from moaning. Oh my god! I¡¯m the one they¡¯re looking for! Amethyst realized now that the woman¡¯s corpse up the stairs had hair colour similar to hers. She needed to find out who these men were. As quietly as she could, she peeked around the corner. There was a man in a black mask threatening a maid, who was kneeling in front of him. He had a knife that he waved around in front of her eyes. Behind her stood the other man, also masked. She did not recognize either of them, but she knew she needed to get away. Turning, she headed back to the front entrance to escape. In her desperation to flee, she stumbled and knocked over a table in the hallway. Footsteps were approaching through the smoke behind her. The men had heard. She dove to the closest doorway she could find and shut herself inside. This room had large windows that opened. It was her means of escape! Pushing herself through the open portal, she tumbled into the bushes outside. She didn¡¯t have time to contemplate who or why someone was trying to kill her, as the sounds of the house collapsing from the blaze thundered in the night. Getting to her feet, she dashed to the back of the manor and hid herself in the crowd of workers who watched sadly as the manor erupted in a fireball. At the back of the crowd, there was a small boy riding on the back of an older man. The boy¡¯s clothing was quite nice which made Amethyst believe that this was the young master. She wondered if the older man was Grandpa Parcy. Regardless, she was glad that the young lord was safe. Amethyst needed to leave this area, before anyone else was hurt. Her heart ached for the woman who died because of her. Turning from the friends she had made with these workers, she disappeared into the forest behind the manor and started running towards the mountains. *** The chasers gathered in a field to report their findings. They had been given a lot of information from the people of the town who had seen a lady similar to the appearance of the Duchess. The two men who had been sent to search the manor house arrived. ¡°Captain!¡± the men greeted their leader. ¡°Did you find her?¡± the captain asked. ¡°We couldn¡¯t find the woman,¡± the searchers admitted. The captain frowned. ¡°Everyone said that she had been with the workers. I don¡¯t understand.¡± Another searcher came running out of the darkness. ¡°Captain! A woman has been caught running through the forest.¡± ¡°It must be her! Bring her to me!¡± The captain felt victorious. The chaser left and within moments he returned with a woman in tow. He threw her to the ground at the feet of the captain. The woman was sobbing in fear. ¡°Show me your face, my dear.¡± The captain commanded. ¡°Please don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t kill me.¡± The woman was trembling. ¡°Look at me. Now!¡± The captain had lost his patience. The lady lifted her head and looked at the captain, tear streaming down her face. The captain frowned in frustration. ¡°That¡¯s not her.¡± The woman seemed a little relieved at his words. ¡°Really?¡± the searcher seemed disappointed. ¡°It¡¯s not her?¡± ¡°It is not the Duchess Skad,¡± the captain repeated. ¡°Find the bitch! My knighthood was taken from me because of her!¡± ¡°What should I do with this one?¡± the searcher asked, indicating the woman on the ground. The woman knew of their existence, so the had to kill her. After all, the High Priest had said to do this quietly and leave no trace. ¡°Get rid of her,¡± the captain said. The woman started screaming, ¡°No! Please don¡¯t kill me! Please!¡± The searcher lifted the woman by her hair, dragging her into the field as she struggled to get away. ¡°And make sure to burn the body. We don¡¯t want anyone to find her.¡± The screams of the woman disappeared into the darkness. ¡°The rest of you, get back out there and find her!¡± the captain ordered the rest of the searchers. The men in masks headed back out into the night. The captain was eager to get his hands on the Duchess. A few months ago, she had removed him from Duke Skad¡¯s army because he made unwanted advancements on a maid. Getting kicked out of an army was an unthinkable shame and a dishonour for any knight. He had become a mercenary for hire and found out about the job required by the Grand Temple to search for someone. He was shocked to be brought into the presence of the High Priest himself. He was even more shocked when he found out that the job was to chase the Duchess. He wasn¡¯t informed as to why the High Priest was searching for her, nor did he care. This was his opportunity for some revenge. Even though he said to bring her back alive, I can¡¯t let her go without a scrape. The captain smiled at the thought of getting his hands on her. He was deep into a fantasy of what that moment would be like, when one of the searchers returned. ¡°Captain, another woman was spotted running towards the mountains,¡± the searcher informed him. ¡°How do you want us to proceed?¡± ¡°Chase her.¡± This had to be the Duchess, and if it wasn¡¯t what was one more body? Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Amethyst knew she couldn¡¯t go into the town. She would just get someone else killed, if they didn¡¯t catch her first. Her only option was to run into the mountains, where she could hide until it was safe. Her arms and legs were covered in scratches from the branches of trees and her breath burned in her chest, but she didn¡¯t dare stop. Who is it that¡¯s trying to kill me? Her mind kept cycling through all of the possibilities and it kept coming back to Alec. She couldn¡¯t believe he would be that vindictive. She stumbled over a rock, adding some more scrapes to her legs. She stopped for a moment, her breath heaving and raspy. There was a tree nearby that had a cavity amongst its roots. Amethyst crawled inside, curling up to rest for a few moments before continuing on. ¡°I found a trail!¡± The voice echoed from the forest back the way she had come. They had found her already! Amethyst covered her nose and mouth to try and hide the sounds of her heavy breathing. ¡°I don¡¯t see the trail any more. She must be hiding nearby. Search the area!¡± There were sounds of multiple individuals moving amongst the trees, branches breaking as they searched every bush and thicket. Please! Let them give up and move on. Please, don¡¯t let them find me! Amethyst clenched her eyes shut in fear. ¡°So, this is where you¡¯re hiding!¡± Amethyst opened her eyes in panic to look into the face of a masked man peering down into the hole she had curled up in. She scrambled out of the roots on all fours, desperate to escape, but the men surrounded her. One of the searcher¡¯s twisted her arm behind her, making it impossible for her to break the strong man¡¯s grasp. Her fight training shouted to her that there was always a weakness to exploit in any combat situation. She reacted quickly, twisting under her arm to face the man who had a hold of her, and slammed the palm of her hand into the bridge of his nose. He released his grasp as blood fountained from the broken mass of cartilage. As Amethyst turned to run, another man blocked her path. ¡°Insolent until the end. You always were,¡± the man snarled at her. Amethyst stared at the man in the mask. Did she know him? He clearly knew her. As if to answer her question, the man lowered the mask that was covering his face. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember me? How rude. I never forgot you for a moment.¡± The man pointed at his pupils with his index and middle finger, then pointed those fingers at Amethyst. With an evil smile, he crossed his neck with his thumb. It was clear, the message he was giving: I¡¯m watching you and you will die if you try anything. She had seen that signal before. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Amethyst gasped ¡°So, you remember now?¡± It was the knight she had expelled from the army. Was he seriously trying to kill her, just because she had proclaimed justice for the maid he had defiled? It didn¡¯t make sense that he would go to such extremes. ¡°The punishment was fair!¡± Amethyst said to him. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me because you couldn¡¯t control yourself with that maid.¡± The man laughed ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m just following orders. Of course, the possibility of some revenge was just bonus.¡± Orders? From who? Amethyst¡¯s mind was in chaos, trying to figure this all out ¡°You know? I seem to be aroused. Perhaps it was because you never let me finish with that maid all those months ago.¡± In two quick strides, the man was upon her, pressing his body close to hers. ¡°Please, don¡¯t!¡± Amethyst gasped. She struggled in his clutches, but he just held on tighter. ¡°They told me to bring you back alive,¡± the man whispered, his breath hot in her ear. ¡°But they didn¡¯t say anything about not touching you.¡± Amethyst stared into the man¡¯s eyes. Her vision was becoming bleary from the tears that were welling up. She needed to get away, but the man held tight with one hand as he attempted to remove her clothing with the other. He had her pinned against a rock, and the groping hand had now made its way underneath her shirt and was squeezing her breast. The pain made her wince as he bruised her sensitive areas. She was helpless. ¡°Don¡¯t fight it. Soon you¡¯ll be screaming my name in pleasure and begging me not to stop.¡± He moved in to kiss her, as his hand worked to remove his pants. There was a grunt and Amethyst¡¯s vision turned red. Blinking her eyes clear, she saw the man looking in shock at a stump where his hand used to be. Blood was spouting in beating jets. The hand in question, now lay amongst the leaves on the ground. Both Amethyst and the now one-handed man began screaming at the same time. Another masked individual stepped into their view, his sword drawn and dripping with blood. He was a large man, with light blond hair falling down his back. It was Alec. All of Amethyst¡¯s senses told her it was so. Her heart felt like it would explode from her chest. He had come. Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Alexcent killed the man with no hesitation. Before the blood could drip off the end of his sword, the chaser had become a God¡¯s Guardian and fell to the floor. He slowly turned around and faced Amethyst. She was mouthing his name in silence; shock having taken her voice from her. He observed that her hair had become shorter, her face thinner. The clothes she wore were dirty and torn and her hands were covered in scratched. She was not the same woman he remembered. When she had left, he had hoped that she would still live a privileged life. There is no reason I should still be worrying about her, he thought, fighting his emotions. Her green eyes stared at him and he stared back, but he could see in her face that she saw the aggression in his expression. She could sense the anger and despair. She could see that he despised the truth about her. She knew that he was here to kill her. Despite that, she did not seem afraid. She seemed to accept her fate. She knew why he had to do what he came to do, and that made his heart ache even more at his decision. Amethyst slowly closed her eyes in acceptance. Alexcent put the tip of his sword against her neck, resting it against the vein that pulsed slowly with her heart beat. He didn¡¯t like how calm she was. He didn¡¯t like that she wasn¡¯t begging for her life. I¡¯m just returning everything the way it should have been. She had meant to be a God¡¯s Guardian. Alexcent grasped his sword tightly. All he needed to do is flick his wrist, slice the vein and everything would go back to normality. Time seemed to stop. He was frozen, unable to complete the job. To an outsider, it would be like observing a portrait. A woman on her knees, ready to accept her fate, and a killer unable to complete the death blow. The sword began to tremble in his hands, as if the weight of it had become too heavy to hold, and Alexcent dropped the blade to the ground. As she opened her eyes, wondering why her life had not yet ended, Alexcent pulled her to her feet and clutched her in his embrace. The voices in his head still demanded that he kill her, but he ignored their cries and held her tightly. It was only then that Amethyst began to tremble, as relief flooded her body and she embraced him back. He wanted them to just disappear into a void where he could hold her forever, but he knew that could never be. Alexcent refused to let go. He was afraid that if he looked once more into her green eyes, he would never again let her leave and that meant her life would always be in danger. So, he kept embracing her, prepared for what was now his only other option. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Gen¡¯s voice broke the silence of the moment. Alexcent slowly released his arms and stepped back. ¡°I can¡¯t break the promise that I gave to you,¡± Alexcent said softly to her. ¡°What I do is not from love, but from duty. You must leave this kingdom all together. Go somewhere far away, where no one here will ever find you again. Where I will no longer have to make the decision I make now.¡± And without another word, he turned and disappeared into the night. *** The reason Gen had always been a successful assistant to the duke was that he was completely thorough in everything he did. For every task he handled, he always considered two different scenarios and then made sure to have a plan for whatever scenario occurred. That way, he could always change his approach depending on what decision Alexcent decided to proceed with. This backup plan had saved the duke in a lot of situations in the past, as it would now. Gen knew, that when Alexcent came face to face with Amethyst, he would either kill her or not be able to. He had prepared for both possibilities. And as he suspected, Alexcent was unable to go through with the execution. After Alexcent walked off into the night, Gen approached Amethyst. ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± he said softly, looking at her blood-stained clothing. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Amethyst, who still stood in a state of shock, looked up at his voice. ¡°No,¡± she said hesitantly, looking down at her body. ¡°This isn¡¯t my blood.¡± Gen nodded in understanding. He reached within his jacket and removed a pouch of gold, which he handed to her. ¡°You¡¯ll need this in your travels. Find some place nice to settle down in.¡± Amethyst looked at the bag that was placed into her hand. By the weight, it felt like it was a significant amount. ¡°No matter where you go, you¡¯ll have to have some identification. I obtained this for you.¡± Gen handed her an ID card. ¡°Put whatever name you choose to start using in the blank space on the card and keep it with you. It should allow you to not have any trouble with authorities. This will be the last duty I perform for you. Stay safe and be well.¡± Gen bowed and followed Alexcent into the darkness of the night. *** Alexcent, who had started running into the void without knowledge of where he was headed, stopped in exhaustion. The harsh wind that blew through the night only added to the coldness of his soul. He took deep breaths, trying to calm the chaos of his mind. The silver moonlight shone down on him, trying to comfort his soul. The monster inside of him had other ideas. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Gen said, appearing out of the night. He always had been a good tracker. ¡°Did you help her?¡± Alexcent asked. Event though his original intention had been to kill her, he could not help but worry about her. There had been so much blood. Chapter 221 Chapter 221 ¡°Thankfully, she wasn¡¯t hurt,¡± Gen assured him. ¡°I made sure she was taken care of so that she could travel to somewhere far off and settle into a new life.¡± ¡°Search the area and kill any other chasers or those who have been working with them. Make sure to do it quietly, but do not leave a single person who could harm her alive,¡± Alexcent ordered. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Gen would make sure he handled it personally and would not chance giving the command to someone else. Alexcent was determined to eradicate any evidence that could lead back to him or Belice. Gen whistled into the darkness and a dozen shadows, the men they could trust who came with them, followed him into the night. Alexcent took a deep breath, preparing himself for the next steps, then got on his horse and rode to his target. Gen and his band of killers made quick work of the chasers that were in the area. As they completed the burial of the bodies, a thought occurred to him. He isn¡¯t¡­? How did I not see his intentions? ¡°I have to go after the duke,¡± Gen told the men around him. ¡°Finish burying the evidence. Make sure you leave no trace. Then return to the castle.¡± The men assured him everything would be completed fully. Gen quickly mounted his horse and went after the Duke. He hoped that he wasn¡¯t too late. *** Alexcent reigned in his horse in front of the Grand Temple. Tying his steed to a tree, he drew his sword and entered the concourse of the temple proper. The priests within looked up in surprise at the intrusion. The closest priest gaped at the sight of a drawn weapon. ¡°Duke Skad!¡± he shouted in anger. ¡°You are in a holy space. You can¡¯t bring a weapon in here!¡± ¡°Silence,¡± Alexcent growled. ¡°Fetch me Celios.¡± ¡°What are your intentions with the High Priest?¡± the man enquired. ¡°That is none of your business.¡± Alexcent glared at the man. ¡°None of our business! Even if you¡¯re royal blood, your orders mean nothing here. This temple bows only to the Goddess!¡± The priest was not threatened at all by Alexcent¡¯s demands. ¡°Is that so? Then I¡¯ll find him myself.¡± Alexcent moved to enter the inner chambers of the temple. He pushed aside the priests who tried to block him, strode down a corridor, and entered the prayer hall. It was empty. Another door led from the chamber to the offices and living quarters. As Alexcent was about to pass through, the door opened from the inside and Cameron stepped through. ¡°Duke Skad! Stop!¡± Cameron shouted. ¡°Who are you?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°I¡¯m the deputy priest. Why are you acting like this, entering the temple as if it was a battle field?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need you, deputy priest. Bring me Celios!¡± ¡°What do you want with the Grand Priest?¡± Cameron demanded of him. ¡°I will give you one guess.¡± Alexcent held up the sword he was holding. The tip glinted red from the blood of the last man he had killed. ¡°Tell me what the high priest has done,¡± Cameron said, trying to calm the situation. ¡°Or I could just kill you all, one by one, until you bring me Celios,¡± Alexcent threatened. ¡°It would be pretty convenient. You would not have to move the bodies very far for the ritual of submitting them to become God¡¯s Guardians.¡± ¡°Sir!¡± Cameron¡¯s face bleached of all colour. ¡°Go find him. You must know where he¡¯s hiding. Now!¡± Cameron could not see any other option. ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll show you to his chamber.¡± ¡°If you try to help him escape, I will burn this temple to the ground,¡± Alexcent warned the priest. Cameon paused at that statement. ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± he pleaded. ¡±The Goddess Frosty sleeps here in the World Tree.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very precise. I would never do anything to harm the World Tree.¡± Fire glared in Alexcent¡¯s eyes. Cameron could tell that he was serious about destroying everything but the World Tree. Alexcent followed Cameron down several halls to the living quarters. They stopped at a door on which Cameron knocked. ¡°Celios! It¡¯s Cameron.¡± His voice wavered with nervousness. From inside, there was only silence. ¡°I¡¯ll let us in.¡± Cameron found a key on a ring at his belt and unlocked the door. The chamber inside was vacant. ¡°Celios,¡± Cameron called. ¡°It figures he has a secret passage.¡± Cameron turned at the sound of Alexcent¡¯s voice to see the huge painting of the World Tree opened outwards. Behind was a stone passage leading into darkness. ¡°Where does it lead?¡± ¡°Under the outer wall of the temple,¡± Cameron admitted. ¡°Here is your High Priest. A man who leaves his fellow priests in danger and runs away. Think on that.¡± Alexcent patted Cameron¡¯s shoulder, then headed to the chamber window. Opening it, he lept to the ground outside. Cameron ran to the window, but saw no sign of the duke, as if he had vanished in thin air. He had no idea what was going on, but felt it best to return to the concourse to assure the other priests that everything was all right. The other priests had once again huddled against a wall, as the duke had made his way to the front entrance and was once again blocking their exit. I thought he was after Celios, Cameron thought. Why is he back here? Cameron didn¡¯t hide his confusion and approached him. Either way, he thought it would be best to lead the duke out. ¡°My Lord. As you clearly saw, Celios isn¡¯t in the Grand Temple. Please stop threatening us and leave.¡± Cameron demanded. ¡°Are you sure that you had no help with Celios¡¯ escape?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about this. Please!¡± ¡°There was no way that I would be tricked by such a simple ruse,¡± Alexcent assured him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean?¡± Cameron said, confused. Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Alexcent looked over the priests that were surrounding the concourse, trembling in fear. ¡°I could sense something was not as it should be the first time I came through here. Someone doesn¡¯t belong.¡± He grabbed a hooded priest, who had kept his head down, and threw him to the concourse. ¡°I can always smell a villain.¡± Alexcent pulled back the hood of the priest, revealing Celios trembling in fear. Cameron moved to help the High Priest up, but Alexcent stopped him short with the blade of his sword. ¡°Not so fast. It¡¯s about to get fun.¡± ¡°How dare you do this!¡± Cameron shouted in anger. ¡°How dare you bring violence into this holy house and threaten the Guardian of the Goddess. The Empress will not tolerate this!¡± Alexcent laughed. ¡°The Guardian of the Goddess?¡± He looked down at the trembling man before him. ¡°Celios, do you believe that is what you are?¡± ¡°I serve the Goddess! How dare you insult the High Priest!¡± Celios spat. He couldn¡¯t show any weakness in front of the other priests. ¡°High Priest you say.¡± Alexcent considered these words. ¡°And you feel that you have the same power as the Empress herself? Why should we follow you?¡± ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Celios asked. ¡°You claim you inherited the Goddess¡¯ blood, don¡¯t you? That you are an instrument of good?¡± Alexcent smiled, then lowered his head to Celios¡¯ ear and whispered so only he could hear it. ¡°You¡¯re too late. I got rid of the evidence you were looking for. Your search team won¡¯t be coming back.¡± Celios¡¯ eyes widened. Did he actually kill the Duchess? There was no way he could let her live without shaming himself, but to think he would kill his wife with his own hands. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing left to take care of,¡± Alexcent continued whispering. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Celios couldn¡¯t help but shout the words out loud. Alexcent pointed at Celios¡¯ head and said, ¡°This is the end, Celios.¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m the High Priest. You don¡¯t have the authority to pass that sort of judgement!¡± ¡°High Priest? How pathetic. You are as flawed as any man, even worse in your case particularly. How dare you claim to be on the same level as us.¡± ¡°The Empress won¡¯t let you be! The citizens of the Empire will never forgive you!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Celios. I would worry about your own soul now.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me! I¡¯m sorry!¡± Stupid old man, to ask for his life now. ¡°I should never have saved you before,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°What? When!!¡± ¡°Eight years ago, when I came into power, you were the only member of the senate that I kept on. You would not even have been here if it wasn¡¯t for me. You are only alive now, because of me. And that gives me authority to end your life when I choose.¡± Alexcent raised his sword ¡°No! Please don¡¯t kill me! I don¡¯t have to be the High Priest! If you let me live¡­¡± Alexcent knew that the mind became more terrified, the closer to death it approached. He wanted Celios to suffer every moment. He wanted the other priests to know who was in power. He stepped on Celios¡¯ shoulders, forcing him to his hands and knees. Then lifted his sword high. ¡°Sir Skad, you can¡¯t!¡± Cameron yelled, as the sword waivered in the air above Celios¡¯ neck. ¡°We¡¯ll see if the Goddess will allow you to become a Guardian,¡± Alexcent snarled, as the sword plummeted. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Gen shouted, running through the entrance of the temple. He was too late, as Celios¡¯ head rolled across the floor. The decapitated body sank to the ground, the stump of the neck spouting blood across the temple floor. Gen, looked at the head of the High Priest staring back at him from the ground. Hill, Buer, and Leyrian entered the temple behind him, but there was nothing left to do. The priests of the temple fell to their knees and cried, wailing prayers to the Goddess. Alexcent stood like a statue in the centre of the room, blood slowly dripping off the blade of his sword which he held, in a limp arm, at his side. Everything had changed. The world had turned on its head. Gen approached Alexcent slowly, knowing what he had to do, and met the killer¡¯s furious eyes ¡°Alexcent Frostin du Skad, you are under arrest for murdering the High Priest.¡± Gen said, as he tried to control his voice from shaking. ¡°I am aware that this has no connection with the Skad Family as you acted upon your own will. You will be imprisoned in the cells of the palace, as befits your royal status.¡± Alexcent dropped the sword and lifted his hands up high. ¡°You will be given a trial as also befits your royal status. You have the right to appoint someone to represent you, should you so wish. Do you understand?¡± Gen waited for an acknowledgement from the duke. Alexcent nodded slowly, while staring at the floor. He knew what the consequences of his actions would be and was prepared to face them with dignity. ¡°Escort the prisoner to the dungeons of the palace,¡± Gen said, motioning for Hill, Buer, and Leyrian to take him away. They stood staring at him in disbelief. ¡°Now!¡± Hill and Buer went to Alexcent, taking him by the arms. ¡°Our apologies, My Lord,¡± they said in shame. Alexcent did not fight them. As the duke was escorted outside, Gen approached Cameron who still knelt on the floor weeping. ¡°You should not make known what occurred here today until the Empress has spoken with you.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Cameron asked. ¡°I¡¯ll just say it¡¯s for the Grand Temple¡¯s best interest,¡± Gen warned him, then turned and left the temple and the carnage behind him. The soldiers were waiting outside, with Alexcent chained in the back of a wagon. There was no emotion in the man¡¯s face. It was as if all humanity had left his body with the swing of a sword. Gen mounted his horse, and they began the journey back to the palace. Chapter 223 Chapter 223 ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty, Empress Belice!¡± The pounding on the door occurred as she was about to extinguish the lamp and turn in for the night. She donned a robe and called for the visitor to enter. ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty,¡± Karune said as he entered and bowed. ¡°May I approach?¡± Belice motioned for him to rise and Karune went to Belice to speak softly into her ear, so that the news could not be heard by any possible spies. Belice¡¯s eyes widened. She clenched her fists in anger and yelled, ¡°Where is he now?¡± ¡°Sir Gerald Artin is escorting him to the palace.¡± Karune said. ¡°Gen is personally taking care of the situation?¡± Belice asked. ¡°That means he will make sure no one interferes with the duke.¡± She rubbed her temples with her fingers. ¡°Tell a group of trusted soldiers to quietly retrieve the High Priests¡¯s corpse, and make sure they inform the deputy priest to keep quiet on this situation until further notice.¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°As there will be a trial, inform Sir Roden. But make sure not a word of this reaches the common people until the verdict is told.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡± They both knew how the nobles would react. They would demand execution. The news of this, plus the news of the High Priest¡¯s death, could cause riots across the entire kingdom. ¡°Lastly, make sure that no one has access to the Duke except me while he is in his cell.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Karune bowed and left the empress¡¯ chamber. As the door closed behind him, Belice collapsed on her bed. Alexcent, what have you done? she thought. Are you really that eager to die? You killed Amethyst and now you wish to spend eternity with her? Belice gazed out the moonlit window. The silver light shone upon a land that was now completely different than the day before, yet it was the same moonlight as it always had been. ¡°Why is this world so cruel?¡± Belice whispered into the night. *** ¡°We¡¯ll take it from here.¡± Palace guards from the empress were already waiting when Gen returned to the Skad manor with the prisoner. ¡°On the empress¡¯ order, no one will have contact with Duke Skad except her.¡± Gen willingly let them take Alexcent, unable to argue a command from the empress. He watched as they took the duke away to be placed in a cell in the farthest corner of the dungeon, devoid of light. There he would sit, alone. The palace cells were reserved for nobles, which usually meant they held the people who had committed treason against the empress. Because of the severity of the crimes, the cells were cold and rough. It was simply a stone chamber, without a bed or even a blanket. The cells had been designed and constructed by Alexcent¡¯s family. He laughed at the irony of being a prisoner in them himself. A flicker of light in the darkness indicated that he had a visitor. He squinted into the sudden brightness to discern the identity of the human form in front of his cell. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Gen had made his way to the dungeons, despite the orders of the empress. Gen always had a way of getting around the rules, which is what made him such a good aide. ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to keep cleaning up after you if you continue to act without thinking.¡± Even though Gen liked to make jokes in serious situations, Alexcent did not have any humour left in him. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he said sternly. ¡°Don¡¯t what?¡± ¡°Do anything.¡± Alexcent would not look up. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Gen could not believe that Alexcent was giving up. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything about me. Go back and declare a state of emergency. Try to keep the Skad house from falling, that is all.¡± Gen did not know what to say. The state of emergency measures had never been used before. He didn¡¯t think there would ever come a time that they would be needed. And now¡­all because of one woman. He secretly wished he could turn back time and destroy the moment he introduced Amethyst to Alexcent. ¡°Gen?¡± Alexcent finally looked up, having not received an answer from the man. Gen had no choice; he always followed his master¡¯s orders. ¡°As you wish, my Lord.¡± *** Gen immediately called upon Hill and Pon when he returned to his office. There was much to discuss, and this meeting could have serious ramifications. ¡°Duke Skad will be put on trial as quickly as possible.¡± Both men nodded. They had heard the news already. ¡°The empress has claimed that this event was not sanctioned by the rest of the Skad family. The nobles may not believe this.¡± ¡°This is the best opportunity for the nobles to take down the Skad family,¡± Hill said. ¡°Correct. So immediately, the Skad Family will go into a state of emergency and close all doors.¡± This was an extreme option, meaning that they cut all ties with the outside world. No business, no visitors, no contact. They would be completely isolated from everyone and everything. ¡°We have to be prepared for whatever the result of the trial ends up being. Pon, choose the necessary employees to allow us to survive and terminate the rest of the contracts.¡± ¡°I will do that right away,¡± Pon agreed. ¡°Sir Hill, every knight, including yourself, is now ¡®fired¡¯.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Hill accepted this command without any hesitation. Being fired was to show the other nobles that they were no longer in the command of the Skad family and therefore not a threat. In truth, it was all a ruse. Being unemployed, but considered highly skilled, the other noble families will scramble to hire them. Once they ingrain themselves amongst the competing noble¡¯s armies, they will act like spies and monitor the situation from inside. If there is any sense of treason or attack by a competing family, they can sabotage it instantly. Once you were a soldier with the Skad family, you are always a soldier with the Skad family. ¡°Gen, what will you do?¡± Pon asked. ¡°I will prepare for the trial.¡± He had not been asked to be Alexcent¡¯s representative, but he couldn¡¯t let him go down without a fight. ¡°You¡¯ll have your work cut out for you,¡± Hill mentioned with a shake of his head. ¡°The duke does not have much of a chance.¡± ¡°Yes, the result doesn¡¯t seem like it will be good, but I¡¯ll have to try my best. You have your orders. I need to run one errand before we close our doors for good.¡± Hill and Pon nodded and left the office. *** The carriage carrying Gen rumbled down the bumpy road towards its destination. Gen watched for the stone wall that indicated they were close to the spot. He tapped on the sliding window, indicating for the horseman to stop. Gen exited the carriage. ¡°I¡¯ll go alone from here,¡± he informed the driver. ¡°Are you sure? There is nothing around here,¡± the driver asked, looking at the surrounding forests. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, and I can make my own way back, so please return to the manor.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The carriage turned in the clearing and made its way back to the manor, leaving Gen alone amongst the shadows of the setting sun. Gen walked down the roadway some time before coming to a large mansion. A high wall surrounded the building, indicating that someone important lived there who did not wish to be disturbed. Gen found a spot where a tree had grown right next to the wall and used its trunk to scale to the top of the structure. He could see light coming from the windows of the house that stood inside. He watched for movement until the shadows had taken over and darkness fell. As the wind rustled the trees quietly, Gen made his way into the yard surrounding the building. To everyone, Gen only appeared as the duke¡¯s aide. Very few knew that he was skilled in techniques of stealth and shadow. He was only one of a few people who were strong enough to face Alexcent on a battlefield without the use of magic. Hill may be the captain of the knights who fought in the day, but Gen was the captain of the shadow warriors who fought at night. Preparing himself, Gen headed towards the mansion and the person he was here to see. Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Duke Michen mui Roden sat in his office in the late hours after everyone had gone to bed. He couldn¡¯t sleep because of the urgent message he had received from the empress. She had reached out to him, not only because he was the ranking noble of his family, the strongest of all the noble families, but he was also the empress¡¯ fianc¨¦. She had chosen him, out of all her potential suitors, because she knew him to be a fair and just man. He never allowed his personal life cloud his judgement when it came to business matters. Still, he couldn¡¯t help but worry about the empress¡¯ state of mind concerning her brother. Even he had trouble making sense of what Duke Skad had done. He had been going over all the possible scenarios in his head when there was a knock at the door. ¡°Enter,¡± Michen said, wondering who was awake at this hour. A man entered who was not of his house. Duke instantly reached for the knife on his desk that he used to open message. ¡°Who are you?¡± he demanded. ¡°Greetings, Duke Roden. My name is Gerald Artin.¡± The personal aide of Duke Skad. Michen glanced at the darkness out the window. This man certainly wasn¡¯t let into his home by his butler. To show up in the middle of the night like this meant that Alexcent¡¯s aide needed to meet in secret. Michen smiled. ¡°Are you a skilled spy? Or are the Roden family¡¯s defenses that bad?¡± ¡°To tell you the truth, it¡¯s both.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Michen made a note of upping his security in the morning. ¡°Please sit,¡± Michen said, indicating a chair. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I prefer to stand.¡± ¡°So why are you here, showing up secretly in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you know that it¡¯s about Duke Skad,¡± Gen answered. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that I have nothing to say on the matter. If he is innocent, the trial will vindicate him. If he is found guilty, there is nothing that I can do. His punishment will be served. You must know that I believe in the fairness of the system.¡± ¡°That is precisely why I came here.¡± Michen stared at Gen. ¡°So, what then is the reason for your visit?¡± ¡°I would like you to review his case.¡± ¡°Review?¡± ¡°Yes, we can¡¯t have the duke falsely accused?¡± Michen was annoyed. ¡°I don¡¯t see why. There were dozens of witnesses that saw Duke Skad enter the Grand Temple and kill the High Priest.¡± ¡°Just take a look at this? And then I¡¯ll leave the decision up to you.¡± Gen took out a document from his coat and placed it on the desk in front of Michen. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re a fair person, I would like for you to know the whole story and not be swayed by the unjust rumours of the other nobles. I¡¯ll await your response.¡± Gen bowed to the duke. Michen looked down at the envelope he had been given and when he looked back up, Gen had disappeared as if he had only been a figment of his imagination. Michen blinked in surprise, then used the knife he had been holding to open the envelope. As he read the document enclosed, his face began to increasingly scowl. The document was a thorough analysis of all of Celios¡¯ wrongdoings and wicked enterprises. There was enough evidence enclosed to support all of the accusations. Celios, apparently, was a horribly evil man. Michen set down the document. He could only imagine what the empress will say about this. He needed to see her as soon as he could. * * * Flashback ¡°Your Majesty, did you memorize it?¡± Michen asked ¡°Memorize what?¡± Belice smiled mischievously. ¡°I told you to memorize the Empire law from article 9 paragraph 1 and on. You did do it, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Ah, that. I was busy, so I forgot about it.¡± Belice was always trying to get away with things. Was it because he, as a teacher, wasn¡¯t much older than her? It was a struggle, trying to teach the royal children. ¡°You can¡¯t be like this every time. One day, you will become the empress. You need to be a role model to the citizens.¡± Michen was tired of having this same conversation every time. ¡°You don¡¯t have to memorize Empire law to become a role model,¡± Belice insisted. ¡°And besides, I can just read it in the Code of Laws, so why do I have to memorize it?¡± Alexcent, who was sitting beside her, laughed. ¡°You¡¯re so stupid. What would a noble say if the empress had to stop a meeting to look up a law in a book?¡± ¡°Did you memorize it all?¡± Belice asked in a huff. ¡°Of course, I did. The Empire Law article 9 paragraph 1. All citizens are equal in front of the law and the Goddess Frostin regarding their life politically, economically, socially, and culturally, regardless of their class. Paragraph 2. Citizens that take the life or harm the body of another citizen, through criminal activity, will be judged by the law regardless. Paragraph 3. Unless dictated through legal procedure, no citizen shall be punished, killed, nor put into forced labour. Paragraph 4. Every citizen¡­¡± ¡°No way!¡± Belice was staring at Alexcent with her mouth hanging open. ¡°Should I repeat it?¡± Alexcent asked, smugly. ¡°You are so annoying!¡± ¡°You¡¯re calling me annoying for memorizing a law that you can¡¯t memorize because you¡¯re stupid?¡± ¡°What? Stupid? Why you¡­!¡± Belice tackled Alexcent, knocking him to the ground ¡°You¡¯re the one who called me annoying first!¡± Alexcent shouted back as they rolled across the floor. ¡°Stop! Why are you always fighting?¡± Michen pulled the wrestling children apart. He was seriously considering teaching them separately, as they always fought when they were together. ¡°You did very well, Alexcent. Please take this time now to memorize the law, Your Majesty.¡± Belice pouted. ¡°You¡¯re always telling me to study! I¡¯m so sick of it.¡± Chapter 225 Chapter 225 ¡°Sick of studying? A great empress never stops studying. Knowledge is the protection to all situations. Only death is immune, for it comes to us all.¡± Michen needed to bring Belice back on to the right track. ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee that I¡¯ll become a great empress,¡± Belice argued. ¡°You have to become a great empress and rule the Empire with grace and dignity,¡± Michen instructed. ¡°This is the only way for the Empire to continue to grow and prosper.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. Instead of becoming a great empress, I¡¯ll just find a smart man to be my husband. Then I don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Michen didn¡¯t know what to say. How could she throw away her power to some imaginary husband, only because she didn¡¯t like to study? Her immaturity and sense of not caring was a hurdle he would need to overcome. ¡°You¡¯re so stupid!¡± Alexcent was laughing uncontrollably. ¡°What noble would want to marry a stupid empress? And even more, what kind of sin did that man commit to be stuck married to you?¡± ¡°What? Stupid? Why you!¡± Belice attacked her brother once more. ¡°Please. Stop fighting!¡± Michen cried. End of Flashback * * * The memories were still fresh in his head, as if they only happened yesterday. Belice was so young and na?ve. But there was the spark inside of her that he continued to nurture. His respect slowly turned to love. Alexcent would have been the better choice as emperor. He had all of the traits, all of the skills. It was only the fact that he was the younger sibling that kept him from the throne. Still, as their teacher, he treated them as equals. He was ready to protect both of them, however he could. Gen came to him with the evidence, because Gen knew that he would know how to leverage the knowledge to help all parties involved. He would not be swayed by personal connections. Knowing how he would proceed, Michen began to write a message that would be delivered to every noble family. *** The moonlight shone through the tiny window, the silvery harbinger of death illuminating the tiny cell. Alexcent sat against the damp wall, his nostrils thick with the stench of black mold. He was awake but had been motionless for hours. The sound of a door and the sudden flicker of a torch flame indicated that someone was entering the dungeon. ¡°You¡¯re dismissed until I return.¡± It was the voice of Belice, instructing the guards to leave them in private. Belice stepped up to the bars of his cell. The light from the torch appeared to radiate from her entire body. ¡°Alexcent,¡± she called softly. He lifted his head and gazed right through her with emotionless eyes. ¡°Welcome,¡± he replied in a monotone growl. ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± She asked in a wavering voice. She was clearly uncomfortable with the entire situation. ¡°Maybe,¡± Alexcent mumbled, shrugging. Belice took a deep breath and asked, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just continue on as you would if none of this had happened. All your troubles are now gone. You and she can both continue to live without a worry.¡± ¡°Wait! Alexcent, you didn¡¯t kill her?¡± Belice could see a flicker of hope. ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡± In essence, what he said was the truth. Amethyst was dead to the world. A stranger had taken her place. ¡°Alexcent! Tell me the truth! What happened?¡± ¡°Gen was right. This worked out the best for everyone.¡± ¡°Alexcent, I don¡¯t care about what Gen believes.¡± ¡°Think about it. If she hadn¡¯t become my wife, if I hadn¡¯t loved her, she would¡¯ve been some stranger and I would have had no hesitation in killing her. It would have been her that lay dead on the ground, instead of Celios. Still, she¡¯s dead. Amethyst Lohikin no longer exists. Neither does Amethyst Skad.¡± Belice found an ember of hope in Alexcent¡¯s words. For a moment, she felt a spark of joy ignite within her. ¡°Alexcent! Thank God. Really, thank God. I¡¯m just going to get you¡­.¡± ¡°No.¡± Alexcent cut her off with a stern voice. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You have to kill me.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? If she¡¯s alive, I can exile you and you can be together!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? I¡¯m the last evidence. The evidence to what you did. You have no choice but to get rid of me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll betray me.¡± ¡°Belice. The moment I let her live, I already betrayed you. I need to protect you at all costs.¡± Alexcent refuse to look at her as he spoke. ¡°That¡¯s not betrayal. That¡¯s being a man in love. I¡¯m going to help you get out of this, no matter the cost.¡± Belice was trying very hard to hold back the tears. ¡°No. You have to be an empress.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already an empress.¡± ¡°Not an empress in name only, but the all-powerful empress. One that can¡¯t be challenged by any means. By killing me, the bloodline ends at you. There is no one else to take the throne, so no one will challenge you. You will be the one and only supreme ruler and I am giving that to you.¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Belice was uncontrollably weeping now. ¡°I can¡¯t kill you for this.¡± ¡°Your feelings are irrelevant. You will kill me and become the sole empress. It is time to put emotions aside and make this happen.¡± ¡°No. I can¡¯t. I will not be known as the empress who executed her family.¡± Belice could not believe what she was hearing. ¡°Belice.¡± Alexcent¡¯s voice took on a pleading tone. ¡°Don¡¯t make me do this,¡± Belice croaked out between sobs. ¡°Belice, look at me.¡± Belice looked at her brother through clouded eyes. He smiled at her and took her hand through the bars. ¡°Please end this. If I can¡¯t be by her side, then I no longer have a reason to live. I don¡¯t want to spend my days lamenting over what could have been. I¡¯m scared, Belice. I¡¯m scared of living out this life alone. So, please end it. Please. Take this pain from me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not over¡­I¡­you¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know what else to say. Alexcent, knelt on the cold stone of his cell, still grasping her hand in his. ¡°Your Majesty. This is your time to become the complete empress. The stubborn, strong, solid empress that no one ever imagined could succeed on the throne. Do this. For me.¡± Then he kissed the back of her hand. It was a kiss of farewell. Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Time didn¡¯t seem to have meaning any more. Belice did not visit Alexcent again, after he pleaded for her to take his life. The next time she saw him was at the trial. ¡°All rise.¡± The court secretary announced Belice¡¯s entrance as she stepped into the chamber. She would oversee the trial, as was her duty. ¡°Bring in the prisoner,¡± the secretary called. Two guards brought Alexcent in, chained at the wrists and ankles so that he couldn¡¯t run. They placed him in a chair in the center of the chamber, facing the empress. To the right of her sat a contingent of priests from the High Temple. To her left was supposed to be where the representatives of the noble houses sat. The only one that was there was Duke Roden. ¡°Duke Roden,¡± Belice addressed him. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Where are the other noble¡¯s representatives?¡± Belice asked. ¡°I will be representing all of the noble¡¯s wishes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I assume that you have formal permission to vote on their behalf?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Duke Roden passed over the signed documents from all of the noble houses, showing their signed consent. This was the only way that he could ensure the interest of both the empress and Duke Skad. Belice nodded, after reviewing the documents she had been given. She then turned and addressed the priests ¡°Who will be the representative from the Grand Temple?¡± she asked. ¡°Your Majesty, I, the deputy priest, Cameron, will be.¡± The priest stood and bowed to her. ¡°Very well. Let us begin.¡± ¡°Your Supreme Majesty.¡± The interruption came from the few people who were in attendance in the observation seats. Gen stood, making his presence known. ¡°What is it?¡± Belice asked, annoyed at this blatant breach in protocol. ¡°Your Majesty, if you will allow it, I, Gerald Artin, would like to defend Duke Skad.¡± These proceedings only allowed nobles to be involved as defence. Gen may be part of Duke Skad¡¯s household, but he was not of royal blood. Laws did not allow him to be heard unless called on as an official witness. Belice needed to hold strong to the laws, despite her feelings. ¡°Disallowed,¡± she said bluntly. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Gen had not thought that the empress would refuse, considering how close he was in relationship to the duke. ¡°If you say anything more, I will have you imprisoned for contempt,¡± Belice said in a stern voice. Gen sat down slowly. He could not believe that the empress was being this harsh, especially since it was her brother who sat before her. ¡°This trial seems straight forward,¡± Belice began. ¡°I don¡¯t want these proceeding to be dragged out so let us begin.¡± Belice nodded to the secretary. The secretary stood and announced the beginning of the trial. ¡°The trial of Alexcent Frostin du Skad, accused of murdering the High Priest, Celios will commence. The plaintiff, deputy priest Cameron, you may address the court.¡± Cameron stood and addressed the empress. ¡°Your Majesty. Duke Skad entered the Grand Temple last night, with his weapon drawn. He threatened multiple priests, demanding that the High Priest be brought before him. After discovering the whereabouts of Celios, he viciously and without mercy, took the High Priest¡¯s life. This is a disgrace and sacrilege to the Grand Temple and the entire Empire. High Priest Celios is a leader of the people and highly respected. To take an innocent life is a crime, to kill someone of Celios¡¯ status is treason. The High Priest is the Guardian of the Goddess, and the empress is the representative of the Goddess. This attack was an attack on you as well, Your Majesty. The representatives of the Grand Temple ask for nothing less than Duke Skad¡¯s execution.¡± Belice looked to Alexcent. ¡°Duke Skad, you have heard the Grand Temple¡¯s position. Do you have any objections to the facts as they were presented?¡± Belice had addressed her brother as calmly as she could, but in her mind, she was screaming for him to deny it. She wanted him to fight for his life. Alexcent simply replied, ¡°No.¡± Belice breath caught in her throat. She blinked to keep the tears from falling again. Turning in her seat, she addressed the lone noble representative. ¡°As the head of the nobles and the representative of all the noble houses, do you have anything to add, Sir Roden?¡± Duke Roden stood slowly and answered. ¡°I have nothing to add, Your Majesty.¡± Belice clenched her fists beneath the table where no one could see. She quietly spoke the words that she dreaded to say. ¡°I agree that killing the High Priest Celios, the Guardian of the Goddess, is an act of treason against the empress and all of the citizens of the Empire. To kill the High Priest is to kill the citizens¡¯ hope and faith and killing the citizens¡¯ hope and faith is to kill the empress.¡± Belice struggled to not be sick to her stomach as she spoke the words she was forced to say. Chapter 227 Chapter 227 There was a silence that seemed to stretch until eternity, before Belice announced her decision. ¡°Here is my verdict. Alexcent Frostin du Skad, I hereby sentence you to death.¡± ¡°Your Majesty! You can¡¯t!!!¡± Gen yelled, rising to his feet. His protest went unnoticed from the cheering that erupted from Cameron and the priests of the Grand Temple. Alexcent calmly accepted the decision. It was the short and precise trial he wanted. Everything was over. He felt relieved that he could now be free from the pain. ¡°Your Majesty, could you wait on making the sentence final, for a moment?¡± Duke Roden had risen to address the Empress, his face serious. His sudden words brought a silence to the court and everyone focused their gaze on him. ¡°Wait, Duke Roden? Do you not agree with my decision?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I do. But¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± Belice asked, angry that she had been second-guessed. Duke Roden took a deep breath before answering. ¡°I think you should know why Sir Skad had to kill High Priest Celios.¡± ¡°What?¡± Cameron bolted to his feet, furious. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Belice asked. ¡°Your Majesty, please look at these documents.¡± Duke Roden handed a file to the secretary, who passed it over to Belice. The room was silent as she reviewed the contents, her face becoming angrier as she looked at page after page. She began rubbing at her temples as her lips trembled in outrage. The documents listed dates and monetary amounts, clearly showing the money Celios had been stealing from the temple donations. The pictures were even worse. They were so horrible and dirty she could barely look straight at them. ¡°Are these documents real?¡± Belice asked Duke Roden. ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s no surprise that you doubt the documents. The photos were taken by magical means, which means it would be impossible to fake. You know this to be true.¡± In all of the photos there was Celios, naked and engaged in s*xual orgies both with other priests and with children who lived at the temple as disciples. Holy men sodomizing both boys and girls. Belice thought she was going to be sick. She glared with disgust at Cameron and the other priests. Cameron stood confused, unknowing to what the documents contained. ¡°As you can clearly see, there is a report about how Celios provided young disciples to various nobles as s*xual toys, using the excuse of divine power ceremonies. As the head of the nobles, I will ensure that the guilty parties are brought to justice. Your Majesty, I beg you consider Celios¡¯ actions before finalizing sentencing.¡± Duke Roden sat back down, satisfied. ¡°There is no way! The divine power ceremony is not used like that! Duke Roden is lying!¡± Cameron was red in the face from fury of the allegations. ¡°No? Can you say that after seeing this dirty and horrific evidence?¡± Belice threw the photos at the priests. The sheets of paper flew around the court like flower petals in the wind and fluttered to the floor. Alexcent glared back at Gen without a word. He knew where these documents had originated from. Gen could feel the chill from that stare and did his best to keep calm. Cameron did not know how to respond. It was clear that the High Priest had been a sinful and evil man, but even Celios couldn¡¯t be condemned like this without a fair trial. If Duke Skad didn¡¯t get a proper sentence for murdering the High Priest, regardless of Celios¡¯ actions, then this trail would send a clear message about the position of the temples within the Empire. ¡°The fact that Duke Skad killed the High Priest does not change! If you want to discuss the High Priest¡¯s crimes then you must do it in front of the law! The merciless slaughter of Celios was not right!¡± ¡°Silence, Cameron!¡± Belice shouted in rage. ¡°From now on, no one speaks without my permission!¡± Belice turned to Duke Roden. ¡°Where did you get this information?¡± ¡°It came from the household of Duke Skad, Your Majesty,¡± Duke Roden replied. Belice knew if she asked Alexcent, he would deny everything, so she turned to the next best source. ¡°Gen!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Gen answered, rising. ¡°I give you permission to speak. Tell me everything!¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty. As you can clearly see, Your Majesty, the High Priest¡¯s crimes are great. I felt that Duke Skad would have an unfair trial if all of the information was not known, so I provided Duke Roden with this evidence.¡± ¡°By the looks of it, your investigation had been going on for some time. What is your reason for only revealing it now?¡± All of the actions involving Amethyst and her brother would have bee avoided had she known these details earlier. She felt a twinge of resentment at Gen for not coming forth sooner. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Gen explained, ¡°the High Priest was the Guardian of the Goddess, and loved by the citizens. It would have brought chaos to the Empire, had I revealed his actions before the proper time. I continued my investigations until I knew I could condemn him without destroying the peace of our lands.¡± ¡°You make an excellent point, Duke Roden. What are your thoughts on the situation at hand?¡± Belice asked. ¡°It is true that Duke Skad killed the High Priest, Celios. Duke Skad should be punished severely for his crime. However, Celios¡¯ crime was also enough for the High Priest to be executed, which Duke Skad has taken care of. Of course, to execute Celios without a trial is against the law of Empire. Duke Skad should have an extreme punishement, but execution seems to be too harsh.¡± ¡°Is this your personal opinion?¡± Belice asked. ¡°Or all of the nobles in agreement to this?¡± ¡°The noble¡¯s agreed for me to represent them, so my decision stands as the decision for all, Your Majesty.¡± Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Belice turned her attention to the priests. ¡°Cameron.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Cameron stood. ¡°Are your opinions still the same?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. Duke Skad should be executed.¡± One side wanted execution and the other wanted something less harsh. How was Belice to decide. She looked now at Alexcent. ¡°Do you have any change of heart as to your position?¡± Alexcent, knowing what she meant, slowly shook his head. His eyes pleaded with her to not be swayed and honour his request for a quick death. Belice¡¯s lip trembled. ¡°I hereby amend my sentence. Alexcent Frostin du Skad, I demote you to a bureaucrat slave.¡± She said softly. The priests began shouting in outrage. ¡°No! This can¡¯t be!¡± Cameron¡¯s protests were ignored. ¡°But,¡± Belice continued, ¡°there is no one in the Empire that doesn¡¯t recognize you for the man you are. Therefore, by the mystical powers of the Empress, I will strip you of your magical abilities and alter your appearance. After this day, no on except a select few will know of your true identity.¡± Alexcent protested with his eyes at this punishment, but did not utter a word. ¡°Also, in order to keep the peace of the Empire, everything that has occurred in this room today shall be kept in confidence, or you shall be punished accordingly. High Priest Celios¡¯ death will be announced as natural causes and a funeral befitting his status shall be performed.¡± ¡°This is outrageous! He was wrongfully murdered and you want to disguise it as a natural death! Your Majesty, please!¡± Belice turned her glare on Cameron. ¡°Wrongfully?¡± ¡°Yes! He was murdered! This is murder!¡± Cameron insisted. ¡°Fine. Then shall I tell the citizens why Celios was murdered? Think of the backlash on the temples and your fellow priests. I am certain that none of you here today were involved with the disgusting behaviour we were shown proof of. But if it becomes public knowledge, I would have to eradicate all worship to the Goddess and raze your temples to the ground. Think carefully on your next actions. I am trying to do what I can to save your order. Don¡¯t think that I will not enact retribution on the other priests involved.¡± ¡°M, my apology. Your Majesty.¡± ¡°All present, hear me. I am the descendant of the Goddess and Empress to all. Any who go against my rule will be punished to the extreme ability of the law. I do not care about your status in society. All are equal when it comes to justice.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± The cry came in unison from all present, as the entire room went down on one knee before her. ¡°Cameron, I thank you and your fellow priests for their understanding in this matter. I would ask now that you return to the temple and make the preparations for Celios¡¯ burial.¡± After the priests filed from the room, Belice nodded to the secretary who closed the doors behind her as she left. Only Duke Roden, Gen, and herself would have knowledge what happened next. She turned to Alexcent. So, you live, a stranger, until the end. Just like her, she thought. She approached Alexcent without a sound, and he closed his eyes in despair. Standing before him, she raised him up from his kneeling position. The room was silent. She took hold of his wrists, massaging them in a circular motion with her thumbs. A red glow began to emit from her hands and it was drawn into Alexcent¡¯s body. ¡°With this light, I will seal your power, alter the very nature of your being, for eternity. This power can not be broken except by my hand. From this moment on, your nature will be gone and your mind and body will not be the normal. That power will be forever unless the seal is allowed to be broken, and only my power can break the seal. From this moment on, Alexcent Frostin du Skad will be dead.¡± The red glow grew and encompassed Alexcent¡¯s body until he shone completely with a radiant light. His blonde hair turned to an ashen grey, like the clouds before a storm. His red eyes, vibrant with the power he once held, extinguished and became dull. His features shifted and contorted until an unrecognizable man stood before them. Where Belice had held his wrists, a mystical symbol encircled each of them, black and permanent. Belice¡¯s body wracked with chills and her vision trembled. She stumbled as dizziness overtook her. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± the man who once was Alexcent reached out to steady her. ¡°I¡¯m all right,¡± Belice said, as she leaned against him waiting for the weakness to pass. She whispered softly in his ear, so only he could hear. ¡°You wanted to die, so Alexcent died. Find her. Start a new life. Be happy.¡± Pulling herself back from the man before her, she turned to Duke Roden. ¡°This man here is now a slave by the eyes of the people. Please find him a noble house to service that will treat him with dignity.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Duke Roden bowed then removed the newly-born slave from the room, as Gen followed. Please, Belice mentally called after him, heed my advice. Find Amethyst. Chapter 229 Chapter 229 ¡°Why did you do it?¡± Alexcent growled at Duke Roden. He was furious that he would be forced to live a life he didn¡¯t want. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Roden asked. ¡°Saving me. This would have been the perfect opportunity for the nobles to eliminate one of the most powerful houses.¡± ¡°Maybe. But no teacher would destroy such a talented disciple as you. I also have a duty to her Majesty, to find a way to preserve her family. Love is more powerful than duty.¡± Duke Roden patted Alexcent on the shoulder, then made sure that he was following behind him. ¡°You¡¯re of lower status than I am now. Don¡¯t forget to act your part.¡± Alexcent looked at Duke Roden, displeased with his new role. Gen approached before they left and Duke Roden gave them some space to sat their goodbyes. ¡°My Lord, I am sorry this did not end with better circumstances.¡± ¡°I thought I told you not to do anything, Gen. Really, to have such a disloyal subject.¡± Alexcent felt betrayed by Gen¡¯s actions, but knew he did everything out of loyalty. He didn¡¯t mean what he just said and he didn¡¯t know if he should smile or cry. ¡°I will wait, my Lord. I¡¯ll find away to return you to your formal glory.¡± ¡°Lord? I¡¯m a slave now. Don¡¯t wait for something that will never happen.¡± ¡°Then can I stop being formal to you?¡± Gen asked, with a wry smirk. ¡°Not in the least.¡± Alexcent said, smiling. They laughed and embraced each other in farewell. Then Alexcent turned and left with Duke Roden to be placed with a noble family and hidden from the rest of the world. *** After weeks of travelling aimlessly across the Sehar Empire, Amethyst settled in a city called Hutchmoon, on the border of the Empire. It was certainly larger than the villages that surrounded it, but did not come close to the size of the capital. As it lay on the border, there were significant options of lodging for travellers. From luxury hotels to communal housing and a series of choices in between, Amethyst was slightly overwhelmed. Amethyst decided to rent a room long-term in a respectable house until she decided on a more permanent location to settle. The house was on the outskirts of Hutchmoon. It backed on to some beautiful landscapes, such as river and mountains, and was a popular tourist area. Once she settled, she enquired on a realtor to help locate a permanent home. While waiting on the realtor to contact her, Amethyst decided to take a walk. The warm, spring-like weather was perfect for a stroll. As she stepped out of her door, she ran into the caretaker, Gigs, who was sweeping the porch. He was a friendly, middle-aged man who was always pleasant to her, especially since she paid for an entire month up front. Most renters only stayed a night or two. ¡°Heading out, are you?¡± Gigs asked with a smile. ¡°Would you like me to arrange a carriage for you?¡± ¡°No, thank you. I think I¡¯ll go for a walk in this lovely sun,¡± Amethyst replied. ¡°I see. Enjoy your time out.¡± Gigs gave her a silly bow and waved goodbye as she headed off. The money Gen had given her to survive on was a fair sum. They were rare gold coins that had been minted to commemorate the establishment of the Empire. The value of each amounted to more than the traditional coinage and allowed her some luxuries. The identity card he gave her now bore the name Carol, which was the identity she was now going by. However, she had found it unnecessary to make use of it, as she found that by providing enough money up front bypassed many rules. She was enjoying a life where she didn¡¯t have to harvest potatoes to afford food to eat and could stay in a room that always had hot water. She may not have a personal maid, but Gigs was always ready to assist her in whatever she needed. Amethyst hadn¡¯t originally thought of settling here. She had only intended to get as far away from the capital as possible, so she bought a ride on the public carriage that travelled across the Empire and ended up in this border city. On her first day here, she stood on the banks of the wide river and looked into its depths. She knew if she continued her journey across the river, she would leave the Sehar Empire. That would probably have been the best option, but she still couldn¡¯t let Alexcent go. If she left the Empire in which he lived, it would be final and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do that. So, she decided to settle here and make herself a permanent home. The river sparkled brilliantly in the afternoon sun, as she walked leisurely along the shore. The air was fragrant with yellow and purple wildflowers that grew from the banks. A man approached over the hill, waving and smiling brightly. He called the name she now used. ¡°Carol!¡± Chapter 230 Chapter 230 It was the realtor, Mr. June. He had arrived early for their meeting. ¡°Hello, Mr. June,¡± Amethyst greeted him. ¡°Did you walk? I would¡¯ve sent a carriage to you, had I known.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right. I had felt like going for a stroll, since the weather was so nice. Thank you for letting me know about the house that has become available.¡± Mr. June was eager to make a sale with her, so contacted her as soon as house that suited her wants opened up. ¡°No problem at all. Would you like to go see it? It¡¯s not far from here.¡± ¡°Yes, please,¡± Amethyst said eagerly. Mr. June motioned for her to follow. They entered a market district and Amethyst admired the quaint shops and restaurants that were in the area. This square definitely got a lot of visitors. ¡°It¡¯s here,¡± Mr. June said, stopping in front of a building on the corner of the square. The building was two stories, with a small shop and space of an outdoor terrace on the first floor and the living quarters above. ¡°It was originally used as a small food market, but could be set up for any sort of business.¡± Amethyst was excited to see the rest. Even though she had enough money to live comfortably, she couldn¡¯t just sit around and do nothing. She needed to keep herself occupied, to keep her mind out of the past. By opening a caf¨¦, she could fill that void. From what she could tell by the exterior, Mr. June had found a location with all of the details she had requested. The front faced the river and a view of the mountains, which was a must. Mr. June unlocked the door and they entered the interior. It was in excellent condition, for a building that had been empty for some time. The wooden floors were scuffed heavily from the foot traffic of customers, but that could be simply fixed with some polish. The cabinets and oriental wallpaper were dated, but could be easily replaced. ¡°It¡¯s in much better condition than I thought it would be,¡± Amethyst stated. ¡°The store had been run by an older couple. When the wife took sick, they closed the business and moved to a smaller home. They had been quite proud of this store and kept up with repairs, so there won¡¯t be much to fix. Would you like to see the second floor?¡± ¡°Yes. Please,¡± Amethyst said in glee. The old stairs were so well maintained that there wasn¡¯t even the creaking that usually plagued older stairwells. Amethyst could tell that the previous owners took really good care of this place. The stairs opened to a hallway with entrances on each side. On the left, an open arch led into a small kitchen. Next to the kitchen, a doorway opened to the master bedroom. Across the hall were a smaller bedroom and the bathroom. The end of the hall opened to the living area. Amethyst envisioned using the large bedroom as her sleeping chamber and the smaller bedroom for storage. It was the perfect amount of space for a single person. Back on the first floor, Amethyst could imagine where she could set up the caf¨¦¡¯s kitchen and cash area. There would be enough room for three tables and enough space for waiters to move between them. As she was dreaming of the possibilities, Mr. June spoke up. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± he asked. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure yet. I¡¯ll have to think on it.¡± ¡°Really? I was certain you were going to like it.¡± Mr. June seemed discouraged. Of course, Amethyst thought it was perfect. It was everything she had been looking for. But she learned in business that you should never be too eager about a purchase. It makes negotiating a lower price that much easier. ¡°How is the security?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°The building has a magical defense system. You can activate it with a button.¡± Mr. June opened a small panel in the wall and showed her the blue jewel that powered the security. ¡°Simple right? All of the buildings have a similar security system. As well, there is a large city guard presence in the area, since this is a tourist sector. ¡°What about sewage?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Your water comes straight from the city aqueducts and all sewage is drained well away from the city to eliminate diseases and rats. The city systems are maintained regularly to avoid any leakage.¡± ¡°How about heating?¡± ¡°Once again, that is controlled by magic,¡± Mr. June explained. He opened another panel containing a green jewel. Activating it, the interior of the building instantly began to warm. ¡°The jewel was replaced recently, so you should have no issues with it for at least two hundred years.¡± Mr. June had adequately covered any concerns that Amethyst might have had. She squealed inside with glee. She had found the perfect building for her and was excited to begin this next stage of her life. ¡°Everything inside seems to be in perfect condition,¡± Amethyst stated. She exited the front of the shop to look again at the exterior. She measured the small terrace. She could fit another two tables out here. There was also room for a swing chair, so she could sit and enjoy the view of the river. The sunsets would be magnificent from this location. The streets were kept clean of dirt and the air was sweet from the multitudes of gardens. The city certainly kept this area maintained on a daily basis. Everything was perfect. Amethyst held the overwhelming joy within her as she turned to Mr. June with a small smile on her face. Chapter 231 Chapter 231 ¡°If it¡¯s the price that¡¯s the problem, should I see if I can get the owner to come down a bit on the amount? They were in a hurry to sell, so they may be wiling to negotiate.¡± Mr. June was doing all he could to make this sale. Amethyst perked up. ¡°Really? That would be great!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll contact them. Wait here a moment.¡± Mr. June went into another room to contact the owners by magical means. Amethyst used the time to envision the look of the caf¨¦ some more. She felt it would be best to remove the wallpaper and paint the walls white. It would give the caf¨¦ a nice, clean image. The wooden floors she would definitely keep. The rest of the items would most likely require a professional to fix them. Amethyst made a mental note to ask Gigs if he knew of anyone who could help her. Mr. June returned to the room with a smile on his face. ¡°The owners said they would be willing to lower the price slightly. It will be hard to find something better than this offer. If you need a renovator, I may be able to find one for you that works for a reasonable fee. So, if there is nothing else, are you ready to sign?¡± Mr. June was quite the salesman. He anticipated her every need. ¡°How much of a discount could you get me for a renovator?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°If you arrange them through me, then you¡¯ll get at least 20% less,¡± Mr. June told her. ¡°And I¡¯m assuming that they do good work? I don¡¯t want any mistakes.¡± ¡°Of course! They will also do any regular maintenance that is needed. They have quite a few clients in this area.¡± Amethyst was sold. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll sign the contract.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so glad to hear it.¡± Mr. June shook her hand vigorously. ¡°Then let¡¯s go to my office and sign that contract.¡± They stepped out of building, locking the door behind them. With both of them feeling light with joy, they hailed a passing public carriage and headed back into the city centre. *** With the contract signed and money paid, Amethyst was able to get right to work on the renovations. The interior designer arranged by Mr. June was quick and efficient. He gave suggestions to Amethyst on everything, from the furniture and decoration, right down to the dishes. He had a good sense in design and gave her everything that she asked for. Thanks to him, Amethyst was able to focus her attention on the menu for the caf¨¦¡¯s kitchen. Amethyst headed upstairs to a desk in her room, took out some paper and began planning the foods she would serve. She wasn¡¯t that skilled at cooking and would probably need to hire a chef eventually, though she had searched out recipes in her past life to cook for her children. She started with brunch options. She could make a series of teas infused with different fruit juices. It was a healthy option, which is what many people were looking for these days. The teas could be served hot or cold, so would be good for any season. And she could get fresh fruit daily from the market, so there would be no issue with supply. Also, they were easy to make so she wouldn¡¯t need to hire a professional barista right away. Since she had been informed that the renovations would be complete in about a month, she realized that she would need to start the fruit fermenting now so that it would be ready in time. She decided to go to the market tomorrow to see what was offered. She was worried about dessert options as she didn¡¯t have any skills in baking. Maybe she needed to hire a professional cook sooner, rather than later. At least she had something to work on while the renovations were being completed. It kept her mind focused and not wandering back into the past. * * * Amethyst exited the carriage at the market before heading to her shop. She had brought along some assistance today and smiled as Gigs stepped out of the carriage next to her. Her first stop was at a store to purchase glass jars, in order to begin fermenting the fruit. She needed proper canning jars that sealed tightly so the fruit would not spoil. The larger jars were too big to carry, so she handed the smaller jars to Gigs and arranged for the big ones to be shipped to her store. The next stop was the grocery. Amethyst approached the counter and smiled at the clerk. ¡°I would like to purchase some sugar please,¡± she told the man. ¡°Sugar? Certainly. We have quite a selection. Which type would you like?¡± the clerk asked, indicating the bins of sugar behind him. Amethyst looked overwhelmed at the multitude of options. ¡°Would you like to sample some?¡± the clerk asked, seeing Amethyst¡¯s bewilderment. ¡°Yes, please,¡± Amethyst said, relieved. The sugars were organized by colour, from traditional white sugar to exotic black sugar. The clerk gave a tiny spoonful of each type to both her and Gigs. They started with the black sugar. ¡°What do you think, Gigs?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have a natural flavour. The aftertaste is a little too rich, as well.¡± Gigs had described it perfectly. ¡°I think so too,¡± Amethyst agreed. The sugar tasting continued and after they were half way through the options, she felt like her tongue was paralyzed. Her stomach didn¡¯t feel very good either. In the end, Amethyst settled on the standard sugar she had always used. ¡°I think I will just go with the natural sugar, please,¡± she informed the clerk. The clerk nodded then brought out five more options. Apparently, there wasn¡¯t only one type of natural sugar. ¡°The highest quality natural sugar is produced right here in the Empire,¡± the clerk explained, as he pointed to each type. ¡°More of a middle-class sugar comes from Botten Kingdom. The brown sugar is handmade, so my supply is limited. This natural sugar is scented. And this final one is a favourite to be used in tea.¡± Amethyst resisted, due to her queasy stomach, but forced herself to taste the high-quality sugar and the Botten Kingdom product. ¡°They¡¯re quite a bit different,¡± the clerk said. ¡°They sure are. I actually think the Botten Kingdom product is a better taste.¡± Chapter 232 Chapter 232 ¡°Botten Kingdom has the biggest sugar production and it is also their main export. Even the high-quality sugar of the Empire can¡¯t compare to it.¡± ¡°It seems so. The aftertaste is clean and not too sweet. What do you think, Gigs?¡± Gigs choked down another mouthful of sugar. ¡°I think so too. Even the price is less for the Botten Kingdom¡¯s product. That will definitely help with your costs. I think you should go with the Botten Kingdom¡¯s sugar.¡± ¡°This is all, for natural sugar options?¡± Amethyst just wanted to be sure. ¡°It is all we carry¡¯¡± the clerk assured her. ¡°There are cheaper sugar products out there, but our store only sells the farm products that are certified by the trade guilds in Botten Kingdom. Also, we have a contract with the Botten guilds to mainly deal in their sugars, so we can supply it at a lower cost than other stores.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy a small pouch each of the Empire and the Botten product. Then I can decide after testing it with the fruit juices.¡± Amethyst thought this would be the best option. ¡°Also, after I have decided, I¡¯ll be needing a regular supply. Do you deliver?¡± ¡°Certainly! Just let us know when you have decided.¡± The clerk handed the pouches to Gigs to carry. After exiting the shop, she needed the last item, which was fruit. ¡°Gigs, do you know the best place to buy fruit around here?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°There are a series of fruit stalls down that alley. Follow me.¡± Gigs headed off, with Amethyst following closely behind. * * * They had finished their shopping at the market. Amethyst had all of the fruit she needed and had signed a contact at a bakery for regular deliveries of bread. Once she was able to bake the bread herself it would be a better experience, but for now that was too much work. ¡°Gigs, thank you for everything today. It was a lot of work following me around,¡± Amethyst said after they had dropped off all of the purchases at her caf¨¦. ¡°It was my pleasure! I¡¯m glad I could help you,¡± Gigs said, smiling ¡°This is for helping me today. Thank you, again.¡± Amethyst handed him an envelope with some cash for his troubles. ¡°This is very generous. I¡¯m the one who should be thanking you. Please, call me any time you need help.¡± ¡°I certainly will.¡± Amethyst gave Gigs a quick hug and waved goodbye as he got on a carriage for home. She looked at all of her purchases piled on the table and realized how exhausted she was. Cleaning and preparing the food could wait until tomorrow. She sat on a chair to remove her shoes from her swollen feet. Massaging some feeling back into them, her mind suddenly returned to Alec massaging her feet in the evenings. She stopped rubbing and closed her eyes. Have you met someone to make you happy? she thought. And are you making her as happy as you made me? As she imagined him with some woman she didn¡¯t know, her heart began to ache. She still resented him for telling her to leave, even as he had hugged her passionately. She resented herself for missing him. Amethyst ran upstairs to her bed, throwing herself upon it and puling the blankets over her head. She decided to just sleep. It was the only way to stop thinking of him, unless he decided to haunt her dreams as well. * * * Timing was perfect. The fermentation of the fruit juices was complete around the same time that Amethyst was informed the interior designing was completed. This news aligned perfectly with the contract on her rental house ending. Gigs, always the gentleman, helped her move the last of her possessions over to the caf¨¦ and her new home above. The workers had designed the interior perfectly to her requests. The wood floors had been polished to a sheen and the white wall brightened up the entire interior. The kitchen and cash areas contained all of the most modern equipment. The adjustments to her living quarters on the second floor truly felt like home. All Amethyst had left was to choose a name for the caf¨¦. She had no idea what to use. She had thought of Star Caf¨¦ or Caf¨¦ Bean, but those just didn¡¯t fit. Finally, she decided to keep it simple and call it Carol¡¯s Caf¨¦. As she was thinking about the sign design, she spotted someone she knew passing by outside. Running outside, Amethyst called out, ¡°Erina!¡± For the entire week that Amethyst had been living in her new home, she noticed the mother and daughter passing by the caf¨¦ at the same time every day. She decided to introduce herself one day and ask if they would like to sample the fruit drinks she had designed. From then on, they had become good friends. ¡°Carol!¡± Amethyst lifted the child who ran to her. Her mother, Pauline, laughed. ¡°Erina, not Carol! I told you to call her auntie.¡± ¡°Auntie?¡± Erina said, awkwardly. ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Amethyst said, giving the child a hug. ¡°Hello, Carol. You¡¯re still not open?¡± Pauline asked. Amethyst laughed, embarrassed. ¡°I still haven¡¯t finalized the name.¡± Pauline looked frustrated. ¡°Pick already. How many days has it been? The cherry juice I tasted was good. You need to start selling it. Erina said she wanted to taste it again.¡± ¡°If Erina wants it then she gets it. I don¡¯t need to open the caf¨¦ for that.¡± Amethyst invited the ladies inside. ¡°I was thinking of naming the business Carol¡¯s Caf¨¦. Nice and simple.¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± agreed Pauline. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you¡¯re headed to work and Erina is off to the temple?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Yep!¡± Erina said as she gulped down a glass of cherry juice. Pauline was a maid for this region¡¯s ruling family, Veolense. Her daughter Erina was taken care of by the temple while Pauline was at work. The city did have an official school, but it was only affordable by the rich. The lower classes had to resort to the temple for their children¡¯s education. From what Amethyst heard, the temple took good care of the children so they weren¡¯t running around the streets with no place to go. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about opening the caf¨¦ by the end of this week,¡± Amethyst informed them. ¡°Good, I¡¯ll be your first customer,¡± Pauline announced. ¡°It would be my honour!¡± Amethyst said. She set Elina down and the two ladies made their way out of the store. Amethyst waved goodbye to them from the entrance, then went back into the store. Chapter 233 Chapter 233 A few days later Amethyst was ready to officially open. Her stomach was turning with a mix of excitement and nervousness as she put up her open sign. Maybe she should have done a cutting ceremony. She went inside and cleaned the tables and floor for at least the tenth time. Unfortunately, for all of her excitement, she didn¡¯t have a single customer the entire day. She was ruined, or so she thought. She hadn¡¯t expected a mad rush, but to not have a single person come in? At least she still had significant savings to see her through, if this entire venture was a bust. She sat down at an empty table, disappointed. There was nothing she could do now except close and hope the next day would be better. She lept in surprise as the jingle of the bell on the front door rang. She looked up in joy. As they promised, Pauline and Erina entered with smiles on their faces. ¡°You finally opened! Congratulations, Carol!¡± Pauline said in glee. ¡°Pauline, Erina! Welcome!¡± Amethyst stood to give them hugs. ¡°Please say we¡¯re not your first customers?¡± Pauline looked concerned. Amethyst laughed. ¡°As a matter of fact, you are. Please, sit!¡± ¡°People probably haven¡¯t heard about the cafe yet. You¡¯ve done a beautiful job with the place. You¡¯ll have many customers soon.¡± Pauline seemed sure of that fact. ¡°Thank you for saying that. Let me prepare something delicious to eat. You can have dinner while you¡¯re here!¡± ¡°Should we?¡± Pauline asked Erina. Erina nodded enthusiastically, while smiling. ¡°Auntie.¡± Erina spoke up. ¡°Yes?¡± Amethyst asked. Erina shyly handed her a small bouquet of flowers. They were common flowers that grew by the road but Amethyst still became overwhelmed with emotion and teared up. ¡°Congratulations on your store opening.¡± Erina said, having practiced those words all day. ¡°Erina, thank you so much!¡± Amethyst lowered herself to a knee and hugged Erina. The flowers made the entire disappointment of the day disappear. ¡°I was wondering who she was going to give the bouquet to.¡± Pauline smiled as she patted her daughter on the head. Amethyst was suddenly overcome with sadness, as she looked at the child. She had to distract herself. ¡°Ok! Wait a bit! I¡¯ll cook us a nice dinner.¡± Amethyst retrieved an empty jug from behind the counter to put the flowers in, which she displayed in the centre of the table. Then she went back to the kitchen to prepare the meal, humming to herself in celebration of her first customers. She prepared a feast of thick-carved meat and warm bread that had been delivered from the bakery. On the side she tossed a salad with a sweet raspberry dressing. There was Erina¡¯s favourite cherry juice and fresh fruit for dessert. She brought the food to the table where they could have a magnificent view of the sun setting over the river. ¡°Thank you so much, Carol! This looks delicious,¡± Pauline said as Erina gulped down her cherry juice. ¡°Pauline, you look a tired,¡± Amethyst said, noticing the dark circles under her eyes. ¡°Really? Probably because I have had a lot of work lately.¡± ¡°It¡¯d be nice if you found some time to rest,¡± Amethyst suggested. ¡°I guess I¡¯ve just been nervous about opening the store,¡± Amethyst admitted. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Pauline decided to switch the topic. ¡°A new slave was brought into the mansion that I work at.¡± ¡°A slave?¡± ¡°This is a slave that has got everyone¡¯s interest. It¡¯s probably because he¡¯s really handsome. There¡¯s a lot of talk amongst the maids.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Amethyst enjoyed this king of gossip. ¡°Have you seen him?¡± ¡°Just once.¡± ¡°What do you think? Do you think he looks handsome?¡± ¡°His ashen hair and grey eyes make him look really distinguished,¡± Pauline admitted, blushing. Amethyst had to control herself to not make a joke. She didn¡¯t know all of the details, but Pauline¡¯s husband spent most of his time away and Pauline admitted to getting lonely. She still loved her husband, but this was the first time Pauline expressed a reaction to another man. ¡°Are you attracted to him too?¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t help herself. ¡°Absolutely not! He¡¯s really handsome, but not my type.¡± ¡°Why are you getting so worked up?¡± Amethyst smirked. ¡°Maybe there is something there.¡± ¡°Carol!¡± Pauline gave Amethyst a look and nodded towards Erina. Amethyst could tell that Pauline was not comfortable having this conversation in front of her daughter. Amethyst felt bad for joking with her, but luckily Erina was too involved with pushing her food around her plate to pay any attention. ¡°Ok, ok! I¡¯ll stop. Eat. I made a lot! If you want any more meat, just let me know!¡± ¡°Ok. Thanks.¡± Pauline seemed grateful that Amethyst had changed the topic. Turning to Erina, she said, ¡°Erina, you can¡¯t just drink the juice. Please eat some of the meat.¡± After the meal was done and they had their fill, Pauline and Erina headed home before it got late. Amethyst closed the store behind them, then did the dishes and cleaned up. She turned on the security magic and headed up stairs to bed. Her body wasn¡¯t sore, but she still felt exhausted. After taking a nice hot shower to relax, she threw herself onto her bed. She seemed to melt into the warmth and comfort of her sheets. The sadness overcame her once again, as she drifted off to sleep. Would tomorrow be a little better? She certainly hoped so. Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Amethyst, though sound asleep, tossed and turned in the midst of a dream. She was sitting at a dining table, arguing with two children because they refused to eat their steamed broccoli. Her own food remained untouched, as she did everything she could to get the children to eat. She didn¡¯t blame them, she wasn¡¯t a fan of broccoli herself, but she had to make sure they were getting healthy food. Finally, she gave up and told them, in frustration, that they could just starve. The scene shifted to the bathroom. She had filled up the tub for the children to take a bath. As they splashed around in the water, she went out to the kitchen to finish the dishes. She had only time to clean two plates before she could hear them fighting. They weren¡¯t able to play nicely with each other for more than a few minutes. They had started shouting in anger and calling her name She peeled off her rubber gloves and threw them across the room in frustration. Storming to the bathroom, she tried to console both of the kids at the same time, but it was difficult to get them to calm down. She didn¡¯t want to be constantly scolding them, but she also couldn¡¯t condone their behaviour. She just didn¡¯t know what to do with them. She wanted to cry. Was she a bad mother or was this normal behaviour in other families? She couldn¡¯t help but think that she didn¡¯t have the skills to raise children properly. Her confidence was shot and she needed help. She begged them to stop as she cried, rocking back and forth, telling herself everything would be fine. Being a single mother was too much. Sometimes she wished for the weekend to be over so that she could send the kids back to their father. She never had any time to herself anymore. It was as if she had given over to a life of servitude. The scene changed again. In the living room, a man lay on the sofa and played on his smartphone as he always did. He seemed unaware of the mess and chaos around him. There were beer bottles and dirty glasses everywhere. Old food boxes and soiled clothes covered the floor. None of this concerned the man, as he retreated into his own little world. It was as if the sofa and his phone were the only things that existed in his surroundings. Amethyst got upset while cleaning up the beer bottles, dirty dishes, and food crumbs. She was getting angry at the lazy man on the couch, who wouldn¡¯t even help her with such small tasks. She felt it unfair that she had to do all of the work. I want to disappear, she thought. I want all of this to be over! If she disappeared, everything would become his responsibility. She wanted to see how he would do without her, to know how hard it was to be in her position. Frustrated, she opened the front door and stepped out to the front porch. The glow that was cast by the moonlight split and coalesced into the forms of her two small children. They tormented her from the front lawn. ¡°That¡¯s why you abandoned us?¡± they said, their voices echoing in unison. ¡°Because you felt frustrated? Because you were tired? Does it feel good that you ran away?¡± The voices grew louder in her head, until she couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. ¡°No! I didn¡¯t abandon you!¡± she yelled at the apparitions. ¡°I wanted to run away, but I didn¡¯t mean for it to actually happen.¡± She hadn¡¯t thought that she would actually disappear. Now, in the reality of this new world, Amethyst moaned and tossed in her sleep. If anyone had been present to listen, they would hear her mouth over and over that she was sorry. That she was wrong. Her body shuddered with sobbing, and the memories of this dream would, once again, had her asking for forgiveness as she struggled to wake. *** It was approaching dawn when Amethyst awoke, and the dull light made shadows out of the objects in her room. Her bed linen was soaked through with sweat, that made her body sticky and uncomfortable. She took a deep breath and wiped away the tears that hadn¡¯t dried from her eyes yet, relieved to be out of the dream that haunted her every night. Only it wasn¡¯t a dream. It was the reality of her past. She had tried to comfort herself that the memories would become faint over time. Only that didn¡¯t happen. The longer time went by the more painful the memories became. She knew now that this was her penance for the guilt of the family she had abandoned, and she deserved it. She rose and went into the bathroom to shower away the film of moisture that still clung to her body. Then she stripped the bed sheets to wash. After dressing and fixing her hair, she went into the kitchen to make some breakfast. She had just sat down to a hard-boiled egg and some fruit when there was a frantic knocking on the entrance door downstairs. Amethyst had no idea who would be at the caf¨¦ at this hour, but the knocking seemed quite urgent. Amethyst headed nervously downstairs, envisioning a thief who wanted to rob her. In the gloom of the morning, she could make out a small figure outside of the entrance. ¡°Auntie?¡± The soft voice of Erina called fearfully into the caf¨¦. Amethyst quickly turned off the magical security and opened the door. Erina was panicking and tears were streaming down her dusty cheeks. For some reason she was barefoot and didn¡¯t have a jacket in the cool morning. ¡°Oh my god! Erina, what happened?!¡± Amethyst quickly ushered the girl indoors. ¡°Mommy¡­ Mommy¡¯s sick.¡± ¡°What? Pauline? How?¡± Amethyst sat the girl down on a chair and knelt so she was at eye level. ¡°I don¡¯t know. She¡¯s just moaning.¡± Erina struggled to hold back more tears. ¡°Is her body hot?¡± Amethyst asked. Erina nodded. Amethyst thought that Pauline had not looked in perfect health yesterday. She held the girl¡¯s hands to comfort her. This whole situation must have been incredibly scary for Erina. How worried she must have been if she ran all the way to the caf¨¦ in bare feet. ¡°Erina, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll come help. You just wait here for a moment. I¡¯ll go upstairs and get dressed and then we can go see your mother. All right?¡± Chapter 235 Chapter 235 The girl nodded, sniffling. She seemed a bit more comforted now that she was with Amethyst. Amethyst left the girl at the table with a glass of cherry juice and hurried upstairs. She quickly dressed, took some slippers from within the closet, went into the bathroom and soaked a towel in warm water, then headed back downstairs She also washed the dirt off of Erina¡¯s feet, being gentle with the scratches and cuts she had received from stones on the road and gave her slippers to wear. They were too big for her tiny feet, but at least they would give her protection from any more injuries. ¡°I¡¯m just going to get some medicine from the kitchen, then we¡¯ll head back,¡± Amethyst informed the girl. Erina sobbed and nodded. Quickly, Amethyst headed to the kitchen and gathered a wide variety of herbs and plants that had healing properties. She made sure to have ingredients to reduce fevers, pain, and something to settle digestive issues. Packing everything in a bag, she returned to Erina. ¡°I¡¯m ready to go, Erina.¡± Amethyst took hold of the girl¡¯s hand and they stepped out of the shop into the morning. As they headed up the street, Erina kept stumbling from the large slippers. Amethyst crouched down. ¡°Erina, hop on,¡± she said. ¡°What?¡± Erina was confused until Amethyst motioned to her back. ¡°Hurry. We shouldn¡¯t keep your mother waiting any longer.¡± Erina put her arms around Amethyst¡¯s neck, as Amethyst hooked the girl¡¯s legs, lifting her into the air. ¡°I can follow the route that you guide me to. You can do that right?¡± Amethyst asked over her shoulder ¡°Yes,¡± Erina answered and they headed off to Pauline¡¯s house. *** This was the first time that Amethyst had been to Pauline¡¯s house, but she didn¡¯t have time to admire the cleanliness of the d¨¦cor with Erina dragging her to Pauline¡¯s bedroom ¡°Pauline?¡± The woman was shivering and sweating at the same time and moaning in delirium. ¡°Pauline, are you all right? Can you hear me?¡± She put a hand on Pauline¡¯s forehead. It was burning hot, as she expected. She needed to get some medicine in her right away. ¡°Pauline! Pauline, wake up! You need to take some medicine!¡± Amethyst shook Pauline, but the woman did not respond. ¡°Erina, can you please get me a glass of water?¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Erina nodded and ran to the kitchen. Amethyst put a second pillow behind Pauline¡¯s head to raise her up, so she wouldn¡¯t choke on the medicine. She crushed some herbs into the glass of water that Erina brought her. Even though Pauline was unaware of what was happening, she eagerly drank the water that was placed to her lips. Amethyst was relieved. Hopefully the fever will go down and then she can figure out what other medicine Pauline required. ¡°Erina, where¡¯s the bathroom?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°There.¡± Erina pointed to a doorway on the other side of the room. Amethyst went into the bathroom and filled a bucket of water. Setting it near the bed, she then headed to the kitchen to heat a second pot of water. When it was boiling, she took the heated water and mixed it with the bucket to get a reasonable temperature. ¡°Erina, don¡¯t worry. She should be better soon.¡± Amethyst¡¯s words seemed to calm the child. She could only imagine how scared Erina was right now. Pauline was the only guardian she had, with her father being away for work. Erina watched as Amethyst dipped a towel into the water and used it to wipe the sweat from Pauline¡¯s body. It was the most she could do until the fever broke. Pauline¡¯s breathing eventually calmed and Amethyst relaxed a little. She placed a cool, damp towel over her brow then she and Erina went to the kitchen to prepare something to eat. Erina needed breakfast and her mother should eat something before taking any more medicine. Amethyst was impressed at how clean and tidy the kitchen was. Pauline seemed like an ideal mother and it made Amethyst slightly embarrassed when she thought about herself in the past. Amethyst prepared some broth that Pauline would be able to eat easily when she awakes, as well as some eggs for Erina. ¡°Erina, come have some breakfast.¡± Amethyst called when everything was ready. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± Erina said from her mom¡¯s bedside. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried about your mother, but I think she would be upset if she heard that you didn¡¯t eat.¡± Erina came out of the bedroom hesitantly and took a seat at the table to eat the eggs. Once Amethyst was satisfied that the girl was eating, she went to look on Pauline. Amethyst sat next to Pauline. The woman moaned slightly, and her eyes fluttered open. ¡°Pauline,¡± Amethyst said softly. Pauline¡¯s slowly opened. ¡°I need you to sit up and eat something. We need to get some food in your system to help the medicine work.¡± ¡°Carol?¡± Pauline croaked. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. Are you feeling any better?¡± Pauline sat up slowly and looked around. She felt the towel on her head and looked to Amethyst, who sat worried next to her. ¡°How did you know to come?¡± Pauline asked. ¡°Erina came for me,¡± Amethyst answered. ¡°Erina? Where is she now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Erina is eating breakfast. I gave you some medicine to help lower your fever, but you¡¯ll need to eat some food. I¡¯ve made some broth which I¡¯ll bring to you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Pauline gave her a weak smile, her eyes tearing up slightly. ¡°Where is the pain? Does your throat hurt? Do you have a cough? How is your nose?¡± Amethyst went through all of the symptoms she could think of. ¡°No, it¡¯s just my body aching all over. I think I¡¯ll be all right.¡± ¡°Then I know what medicine should be best.¡± Amethyst removed some additional ingredients from her bag. ¡°You would make a great a mom,¡± Pauline said. ¡°Me?¡± Amethyst left the room embarrassed and got a bowl of the broth which she brought back to Pauline. ¡°Eat all of this. I¡¯ll go check on Erina.¡± Erina, who was eating the breakfast Amethyst prepared her, put her spoon down and asked, ¡°What about mommy?¡± ¡°She¡¯s ok. Don¡¯t worry and eat.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± As Erina finished her breakfast, Pauline came out of the bedroom. ¡°Mommy!¡± Erina jumped up and ran to Pauline, giving her a big hug. ¡°Pauline! Why are you out!¡± Amethyst went to help Pauline as she stumbled. She was still too sick to be wandering about. Chapter 236 Chapter 236 ¡°I have to go to work,¡± Pauline said faintly. ¡°What?! You can¡¯t work!¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. ¡°What do you mean? I don¡¯t have a choice. I have to go to work to get money.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t go to work like that! You¡¯re too sick, you need to rest. You need to keep taking medicine so your fever doesn¡¯t come back.¡± Amethyst began leading Pauline back to the bedroom. ¡°Carol, I can take the medicine and go to work. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°Nonsense! You had high fever all night. Go lie down!¡± Pauline shook her head. ¡°If I don¡¯t go to work, I¡¯ll be fired. I can¡¯t hunt for new work while taking care of Erina. Carol, please!¡± ¡°I understand, but you¡¯re too sick to work. Just rest for one day.¡± ¡°I really can¡¯t. To be allowed to leave work earlier to take care of Erina, I promised to work every day. If I don¡¯t go today, I¡¯ll definitely get fired.¡± A contract like that was binding. Pauline had no choice but to go work, but Amethyst was scared that she would get sick again, and this time it would be much worse. Erina couldn¡¯t understand what they were bickering about and clung to her mother with wide eyes. Amethyst had an idea. ¡°Fine, Pauline. Come take your medicine, then get in bed and rest.¡± ¡°Carol¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go work your job.¡± ¡°What?¡± Pauline stopped and looked at Amethyst, confused. ¡°I¡¯ll go to work for you,¡± Amethyst repeated. ¡°Be serious! Why should you work for me? And what about the caf¨¦?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Erina is worried. You need to stay home, so she knows that you¡¯re going to be all right.¡± ¡°Even so¡­¡± Pauline laid back down on the bed, unsure what Amethyst was proposing would be a good idea. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the caf¨¦. There are no customers anyway. I won¡¯t go bankrupt for closing it for a day or two.¡± ¡°You would actually do this for me?¡± Pauline began to tear up. ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re my caf¨¦¡¯s biggest customer, and right now my only customer! Also, we¡¯re friends. That¡¯s enough of a reason.¡± ¡°Carol, I don¡¯t know what to say. Thank you so much.¡± Pamela began sobbing, both out of relief and frustration. Amethyst tucked her into the bed. ¡°Now, Pauline, you stay in bed. And make sure to take your medicine. Erina, can you please clean up your dishes in the kitchen.¡± Erina nodded and went back to the kitchen to clean off the table. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything. You just rest and get better. I¡¯ll take Erina to the temple and go to your work.¡± ¡°Carol, thank you.¡± Amethyst was hopeful that by taking away all her responsibilities as a mother, she would be able to relax and heal. She knew that mothers refused to be sick, even when they were. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about a thing. I¡¯ve worked as a maid before.¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t tell her that it was only for a few days, but she was sure she would be fine. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡± Amethyst pulled the blanket up to Pauline¡¯s chin and exited the bedroom. ¡°Erina,¡± she said to the girl, who had cleaned up the breakfast dishes nicely and had stacked them in the sink. ¡°Get ready to go to the temple. Should I help you dress, or can you do it on your own?¡± ¡°Auntie, can I just stay with mommy? Do I have to go to the temple? I don¡¯t want to leave mommy alone.¡± Erina looked at the floor as she shyly asked her questions. Amethyst¡¯s heart clenched. This girl loved her mother very much. ¡°Erina, I know how you feel but mommy needs rest. If you stay, she¡¯ll feel like she needs to spend the day cooking and playing with you and won¡¯t get the rest she needs to get better. We need to give her time to sleep so she can get healthy. Do you understand?¡± Amethyst could see the sadness in the child¡¯s eyes, but Erina nodded in acceptance. ¡°Good. Now let¡¯s go get ready.¡± ¡°I can get ready on my own,¡± Erina said proudly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll prep some food for mommy to eat during the day, while you get ready. Let me know when you¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± Erina smiled and ran to her room to dress. Amethyst prepared another pot of soup that just needed to be heated up when Pauline was ready. She then finished cleaning the dishes and had put them away when Erina came back into the kitchen, dressed and ready to go. After saying goodbye to Pauline, they left the house and walked hand in hand to the temple. In front of the entrance, Amethyst crouched down to give Erina a hug. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about mommy. She should be feeling much better when you get home. You just have fun with your friends today, okay?¡± Erina nodded, then turned and entered the temple. Amethyst waited and watched as the child disappeared through the doorway. She then stood a while longer and contemplated the temple. This was the place that the people came to pray to the Goddess, hoping for blessings and repentance to their sins. Amethyst used to pray for forgiveness about her past, but the guilt was too much, and she stopped going. There was nothing, in her mind, that should be forgiven. She shouldn¡¯t be saved. What parent could be forgiven for abandoning their child? The nightmares every night, as much as they pained her, were her due punishment. Sighing, she turned from the temple and headed down the road to the Veolense mansion, the local lord¡¯s manor, where Pauline worked. Chapter 237 Chapter 237 ¡°So, you¡¯re going to work on behalf of Pauline?¡± The head maid looked at Amethyst with suspicion. ¡°What is your relationship with her?¡± ¡°We¡¯re friends.¡± The maid laughed. ¡°Is that so? Have you done this kind of work before?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve worked as a maid for a short time.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The maid didn¡¯t seem like she believed Amethyst, studying her small frame. ¡°Fine. But since you are not officially employed, I won¡¯t be giving you wage.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine. I only ask one favour. Don¡¯t fire Pauline for this.¡± Amethyst wanted to make sure her friend was safe. The head maid scratched her head with a pen, considering the request. ¡°Fine.¡± She accepted. They needed the labour. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet. The work will be hard. There will be a lot of laundry, as the workers will be coming down from the mountain today. You can go to the washing stations by the lake in the back grounds. What did you say your name was?¡± ¡°Carol.¡± Amethyst headed to the lake at the back of the property with the other maids who were assigned to do laundry. The Veolense family owned a huge mansion and an immense amount of land. The property was located on the outskirts of the city, at the base of the mountain. She passed the large gardens and came upon the shores of the lake. It was so far from the mansion that the mountain seemed to loom right over them. The first thing Amethyst noticed was the piles of laundry waiting for them on the shore. She couldn¡¯t believe that they did everything by hand and didn¡¯t use a machine. The process was very old-fashioned. There were a dozen barrels full of fresh water from the lake. The laundry was placed inside the barrel and then a maid would get into the barrel and clean the laundry with their feet. Amethyst, like other maids, took off her shoes and emerged herself into a barrel to start stepping on the laundry. If they used their hands, it would take more than a month to get through all of the piles. Also, they would most likely destroy their wrists with all of the wringing. As she stomped out the dirt from the clothes, the water quickly turned a muddy brown. As she hung the first load to dry, drained the dirty water, and refilled the barrel, she wondered what the workers did that would make the clothes so dirty. She repeated these actions at least a dozen times as sweat poured down her face. Soon all of the laundry hung on ropes to dry. There was a nice gentle breeze, which would speed up the drying process. Amethyst was exhausted, but proud that she survived the day. How long had it been since she did such physical work? She would definitely sleep well that night. As she sat on a rock to rest, someone grabbed her wrist, roughly, from behind. Amethyst turned in fright. Standing behind her was the man with the ashen hair that Pauline had told her about. *** Alexcent no longer had a name. He was now known by number 24885. A slave was not dignified with a name. He had stayed hidden at Duke Roden¡¯s mansion for a few months. Michen thought people would be suspicious if this new slave would be sent away right after he had arrived. They waited for the news of Duke Skad¡¯s sudden disappearance to die down, then felt it safe to transfer him to a different noble family. Even though he was now considered a slave, the treatment in Duke Roden¡¯s household was not bad. He wore decent clothes, had three solid meals every day, and the labour was not intensive. Once he left Duke Roden¡¯s household, it was an entirely different story. Even though his magic had been locked up, his skill as a knight was still exceptional. His swordsmanship was the best in the Empire, though he had to pretend to be less skilled than what he was, so as to not raise suspicion. Still, it was a shame to let him rot as a slave and not put his skills to work. Duke Roden decided to send him to the boundary of the Empire where he could help defend the borders from invaders if the circumstance arose. Once he left Duke Roden¡¯s care, he was shown what being a slave truly meant. The carriage that was carrying him to his destination vanished after a couple of nights leaving him stranded on the side of the road where they had camped. He would have to walk to his destination which, under normal situations would take six months to reach. Thanks to his physical condition, he made the trip in three months. When he arrived at the home of the noble family that he was to be a slave for, he was instantly beaten for being late. The slave wardens would not accept his explanation of being abandoned by the carriage driver. Now, after four days, he was still beaten daily when the sun came up. His body was covered in bruises, and some of the open wounds were becoming infected. Without magic or proper medical care, it was up to him to take care of his injuries. He headed to the lake behind the mansion to clean up the wounds. Arriving at the shore of the water, he gazed at his reflection. He didn¡¯t know if his face contorted because of the beating or from ripples in the water. His eyes were swollen, and his lips were bleeding. It was hard to look at the monster who stared back at him. He washed his face and lay down on the grass to rest. The words of his sister echoed in his mind. Even though you are a slave, please try to act with the dignity of a Duke. Protect the weak. It was hard to stand up for the other workers. They were treated like animals. He knew now what it truly felt like to be a slave. Chapter 238 Chapter 238 If I knew it was going to be like this, I wouldn¡¯t have killed Celios so quickly, Alexcent thought. He was regretting everything he had done and the memories of Belice¡¯s words made the situation even worse. ¡°Hey! 24885!¡± He heard someone calling him, so he quickly stood and brushed off the grass from his pants. He approached the overseer who was shouting his number. ¡°The carriage is arriving soon. Go help them organize the supplies.¡± Alexcent nodded. His hands could hardly grasp anything because of the pain, but if he didn¡¯t want to get hit again, he needed to do this work, and quickly. The pain was intense, and he limped through most of it, but he was able to get the job done. As he sat on one of the crates to await the carriage, he heard the faint conversation of the maids at the lake. ¡°Carol! If you¡¯re finished with the washing, hurry up and put it out to dry! We have to finish drying it while the sun is high!¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll hang it right away.¡± The voice must have belonged to Carol, but it was a voice he knew all to well. He froze. His heart began thumping wildly and his head started feeling fuzzy. Without thinking of the consequences, his legs automatically started walking towards the source of that precious voice. By the lake, where clothes flapped in the cool breeze, he could just make out the woman known as Carol. The red-tinged blonde hair sparkled in the sunlight as she hung laundry on the line. He stood silently, watching the woman before him as her hair blew in the breeze like the clothes she hung. He was certain it was her, at least he hoped that it was, but he couldn¡¯t be certain until he saw her face. If she only turned around. And what if she did? And what if it was her? What would he do? His emotions swirled with a chaotic mixture of embarrassment, anticipation, rage, and fear. He needed to know for certain. Alexcent walked up behind her and took hold of her wrist. The woman turned around in fright, and that was when he knew. The wide eyes that stared at him in shock were the beautiful, green eyes that haunted his dreams. *** Amethyst didn¡¯t know how to react to the strange man that grabbed her wrist. She had never seen this man before, but he stared at her as if he knew her. His grey eyes, glistening as if he was about to start crying, seemed familiar in the back of her mind. Then she noticed the bruises and cuts that covered the rest of his face and body. ¡°Are you all right?¡± she asked the stranger. The man seemed unable to answer and just stood, staring at her with her arm in his hand. He had bit his lip, which was trickling blood, but the man seemed unaware of this. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding,¡± Amethyst said gently. She took back her arm from his grasp and produced a handkerchief from her apron which she lifted to wipe away the blood. The man flinched slightly but didn¡¯t resist. He just stood, silently watching her as she cleaned off his face. As she finished, another man approached and grabbed him from behind, turning him around. ¡°Are you crazy! Who said you could play around with the maids?¡± the new man yelled. He then twisted the ashen-haired man¡¯s arm and threw him to the ground. ¡°Are you ok?¡± Amethyst exclaimed, as she went to try and help the ashen-haired man up, but the angry man stopped her. ¡°Stay out of my way!¡± the angry man snarled at her. ¡°But he¡¯s hurt!¡± Amethyst pleaded. ¡°So? What do you want to do about it?¡± the angry man asked in a threatening manner. ¡°We should treat him,¡± Amethyst suggested. The man laughed in amusement. ¡°Do you know who this bastard is?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a slave!¡± A slave? He must be the person that Pauline had been talking about. The ash-coloured hair was as she described. And though his eyes were swollen, she could see the ashen colour in them as well. ¡°So? What if he¡¯s a slave? It¡¯s not right to hit anyone like that!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you around before,¡± the angry man said, ¡°but know this. Slaves come from fallen families, but that wouldn¡¯t stop the masters from making you one as well. Get lost, before you have the bad luck of becoming one.¡± The rest of the maids, as well as some workers, gathered at the commotion. No one seemed to want to stand up for the injured man. ¡°Even if he is a slave, he¡¯s still a human being. He doesn¡¯t deserve this!¡± Amethyst would not back down from this bully. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± The head maid had arrived, obviously having been informed of the tensions that were brewing. She pushed her way through the growing crowd to confront Amethyst and the angry man. ¡°Just a misunderstanding.¡± The angry man had restrained his aggressive nature and spoke to the head maid with respect. Chapter 239 Chapter 239 ¡°Carol, if you¡¯re done being a hero, go finish cleaning. You have a job to do, this no time to become involved with something that doesn¡¯t concern you.¡± The gathered crowd quickly dispersed as if nothing happened. Looking at the slave on the ground, the head maid turned to angry man and said, ¡°He¡¯s supposed to be useful. If you continue like this, the most he¡¯ll be able to accomplish is eating liquid foods. Get him fixed up.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam,¡± the angry man said meekly, and he and another man dragged the slave away. ¡°Carol, you told me you¡¯ve done maid work before?¡± The head maid asked Amethyst. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Then you should know better. No matter what you see, you pretend you didn¡¯t and shut your mouth. Don¡¯t get involved. That¡¯s the best option for a servant who does not want to be punished.¡± ¡°But to hit someone like that?¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t let such cruelty slide. The head maid sighed. ¡°Slaves are required to be disciplined so that they don¡¯t disobey orders. The beatings will end soon, once he has been trained, so don¡¯t concern yourself about it. They won¡¯t kill him, we¡¯re already short staffed. Is this the first time you¡¯ve seen a slave.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amethyst hoped it would be the last. She did not approve on how they were treated. ¡°Not all slaves were slaves to begin with,¡± the head maid explained. ¡°Most slaves were once from noble families. It¡¯s rare that one becomes a slave nowadays. They would have to had committed treason against the Empress.¡± ¡°So that man committed treason?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Possibly. We aren¡¯t given details of a slave¡¯s past. Most slaves, when they are first forced to work, still try to keep their noble attitudes and think they deserve special treatment. So, we need to get that attitude out of their system. The best option has always been beatings, and after three or four days they become completely passive. This slave will follow orders soon and then the beatings will stop, so there is nothing to worry about. You need to get back to work now.¡± The head maid was right, this shouldn¡¯t be anything that concerns Amethyst. But she couldn¡¯t let a man be beaten for no reason except to make him a faithful slave. And there was something in his eyes that seemed so familiar. What was it about the ashen-haired man that bothered her so? *** After she had finished work, Amethyst picked up Erina from the temple. Stopping by the caf¨¦ before returning to Pauline¡¯s, she picked up some food for Erina and Pauline¡¯s dinner. When they made it home, Amethyst instructed Erina to wash her hand as she went to check on Pauline. The fever was almost gone and the colour was starting to return to Pauline¡¯s face. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Amethyst asked her friend. ¡°Much better. Did you have a hard day?¡± Pauline asked. ¡°Yes. But I was lacking exercise, so it was good,¡± Amethyst replied. Even though Amethyst had emphasized that it was a joke, Pauline still looked apologetic that Amethyst was going through this for her. ¡°Pauline, even though your fever is down, you should rest a few more days.¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m better!¡± Pauline insisted. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°What if you faint again? Rest some more to make sure it¡¯s out of your system.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Pauline tried to continue to protest. ¡°I told you I¡¯m fine in the job. You need to get better so you can earn a lot of money and spend it at my caf¨¦.¡± Amethyst smile mischievously. ¡°I need to maintain my best and only customer.¡± ¡°Thank you for being so good to me, Carol.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring you some food. You should eat when you take your medicine. And then get some more sleep. I¡¯ll look after Erina.¡± Pauline smiled weakly at Amethyst, as Amethyst left to prepare the dinner. Now that Pauline was starting to get better, Amethyst started worrying about the ashen-haired man. He had so many injuries and no one seemed to want to help him or treat him with any kindness. If only there was something she could do? After dinner and the cleaning had been completed, Amethyst put Erina to bed then collapsed on her own. Since she used muscles she didn¡¯t even know she had, her body was exhausted and she fell asleep instantly. ¡°Auntie.¡± Erina¡¯s voice was penetrating her subconscious. ¡°Auntie!¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t want to be pulled from her dream, but the shaking of her body caused her eyes to eventually open. Erina stood at her bedside with tears in her eyes. She had obviously been woken by Amethyst mumbling in her sleep. Amethyst sat up and hugged Erina close to her. ¡°Auntie? Are you ok?¡± the child sobbed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was only a dream,¡± Amethyst said, comforting Erina. She wiped away the tears from the girl¡¯s eyes. There was still darkness beyond the window, so she took Erina back to her bedroom and made her lie back down. She then started singing a lullaby that she remembered from her old life. ¡°Rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop, when the wind blows¡­¡± ¡°Auntie?¡± Erina interrupted, in a sleepy voice. ¡°Yes, dear?¡± Erina took her hand out from beneath the blanket and place it on Amethyst¡¯s hand. ¡°Let the nightmares disappear and only have happy dreams,¡± Erina whispered as if she was casting a spell. Amethyst cried and laughed at the same time, placing her forehead against the girl¡¯s. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered, as Erina fell back into the depths of sleep. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only *** Before heading to the Veolense mansion, Amethyst decided to stop by her house. She sat Erina down at a table with a glass of cherry juice. ¡°Erina, I¡¯m going to get changed so wait here for a few minutes.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± Erina happily drank the cherry juice as Amethyst went upstairs to change into something more comfortable. The head maid didn¡¯t seem to like that she was working on behalf of Pauline. Amethyst didn¡¯t know what she would say when Amethyst came to work for Pauline again. Heading back downstairs, she packed a bag with food items for lunch. Once ready, she took Erina¡¯s hand and they headed off to the temple. Chapter 240 Chapter 240 ¡°Carol!¡± The head maid was calling Amethyst. ¡°The workers will be going to the loading dock. So, once they leave, clean their place.¡± ¡°Will do, ma¡¯am.¡± Amethyst could sense that the head maid was getting used to her. Amethyst probably wasn¡¯t as quick as Pauline, but she didn¡¯t fool around and worked hard. Amethyst was certain the head maid was figuring out some way that she could keep her employed, even after Pauline returned. The gift of strawberry jam that advertised her caf¨¦ on the label also helped Amethyst get into the head maid¡¯s good books. Amethyst headed off to the house where the workers were lodged. The workers had left for the day, and the house was completely empty. Amethyst began to clean the premises. She had hoped the ashen-haired man might still be here, recovering, but it seemed that he went off with the other workers. She wondered how he was. She had even brought some medicinal items with her, just in case. Thinking about the mysterious man, she finished her work. *** After resting for the few days, Pauline had recovered enough to return to work. Amethyst was no longer required to go to the mansion on her behalf, so she sat around her empty caf¨¦ wondering what to do now. She would periodically open and close the front door to make sure it wasn¡¯t broken. The bells chimed merrily, indicating everything worked perfectly. So why did she not have any customers? It had been another several days, and still no one had come, except Pauline and Erina, who made it their duty to come daily. Her stomach roiled with a mix of fear and disappointment. She had heard that not everyone was suited to go into business themselves, and it appeared she was one of them. Was she ruined? She should have just used the money she had been given to live comfortably and not worry that she had wasted her time with a failed business. She thought of the cooking shows she once liked to watch and the things that made those restaurants successful. She decided to go over the menu first. The fruit teas had been her specialty. However, the ingredients were all things that could easily be purchased, and the recipe was not hard to produce, so people could make the same thing at home. So why would they want to buy it here? She needed something unique on her menu. Something you couldn¡¯t get anywhere else. Amethyst¡¯s mind was drawing a blank, until she remembered something she had seen. Behind the Veolense mansion, just off of the property, there was a grove of fruit trees. They produced a small orange fruit that she had not seen at any of the markets. She needed to see if the fruit was edible and how it tasted. As she was thinking about the strange fruits and the possibilities they might produce, Pauline and Erina walked into the caf¨¦ for their daily dinner visit. ¡°Auntie!¡± Erina cried, running over to give Amethyst a big hug. ¡°Erina! Did you have a good day today?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Yeah!¡± she said happily, taking a seat at a table. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°How about today?¡± Pauline asked. Amethyst shook her head and shrugged. ¡°It¡¯ll get better,¡± Pauline consoled her. ¡°I told a lot of people about the caf¨¦ at work.¡± ¡°Thanks! You¡¯re the only one who looks out for me,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°Me too, Auntie!! Me too!!¡± Erina insisted. ¡°Yes, yes! Erina, you are the best!¡± Amethyst patted Erina¡¯s head. ¡°Pauline, are the forests below the mountain at the back of the mansion the landlord¡¯s property?¡± Pauline thought about it and said, ¡°Probably not. If it was his, then the workers wouldn¡¯t be able to enter them at their leisure. Everyone goes into the forest to pick wild plants and mushrooms. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°I was just curious.¡± ¡°Carol, if you decide to go into the forests, just make sure you don¡¯t go in too deep. There are stories of people who don¡¯t return if they get too close to the mountain.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°What do you mean people haven¡¯t returned?¡± This news made Amethyst nervous. ¡°No one knows. Maybe they got lost. All I know is that everyone is scared to go deep into the forest.¡± Amethyst had thoughts of the worst scenarios for the rest of the dinner. She would have to be careful when she went. After dinner was completed and cleaned up, Pauline and Erina headed for home. There were still a few hours before dark, so Amethyst changed into clothes and shoes that were suitable for hiking. Filling a backpack with water and snacks, she locked up the caf¨¦ and headed for the grove. The Veolense mansion wasn¡¯t far, but since she couldn¡¯t trespass across the property, she needed to take the long way around to get to the grove. The sun wasn¡¯t overly high in the sky and there was a cool breeze, so the hike was quite pleasant. Thinking about Pauline¡¯s warning she wanted to make sure that she didn¡¯t get lost. She tied red ribbons to the branches of the trees as she headed into the forest, leaving a trail she could follow to get back out. Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Like the breadcrumbs in a childhood story she remembered, Hansel and Gretel, she made sure to leave her traces. It wasn¡¯t long before she entered the grove with the fruit trees. Looking to her left, she could see the mansion where she had worked down below. Wanting to be completed before dark, Amethyst approached the trees where she had seen the orange fruit. Seeing the fruit up close, she could tell that it was smaller than a child¡¯s fist and smelled like a tangerine. Though this was a different season than when the tangerines, that she knew, grew. The fruit certainly looked a lot like the ones she saw on a trip to Jeju island with her family, though smaller. Just to be safe, Amethyst picked one of the orange fruits and peeled it. The texture inside was similar to the tangerines she was familiar with. There were many similar things in this world from her own, but they all had slight differences. Before she tasted it, she squeezed a bit of juice on her finger and tasted it, as well as rubbing a bit on the inside of her elbow. She wanted to make sure that she had no adverse reactions to the juice. After waiting for ten minutes, nothing happened. That was a good sign. Splitting the fruit in half, she put a small piece into her mouth. She¡¯d wait to make sure that a larger quantity didn¡¯t contain any poison. If she vomited or had diarrhea then she would have to abandon this idea. She sat under a tree and enjoyed the scenery. The sun had gone low in the sky and shadows were starting to creep in. In the mansion, lanterns were lit and flickered in the windows. She could see the workers heading indoors for the evening. She wondered if the ashen-haired slave was all right. She would ask Pauline, the next time she saw her. After sitting for half an hour, she still had no reaction. It seemed that it was a simple tangerine, though it was probably called by a different name in this world. Amethyst wondered why no one else was harvesting this fruit. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The evening birds had started chirping and the shadows were growing. There wouldn¡¯t be much light left and Amethyst needed to hurry. She pulled out a sack she had packed and began picking the ripe fruits and putting them in. It was beginning to get harder to see the fruit in the trees, and as she was concentrating on her harvesting, Amethyst hadn¡¯t realized she had followed the grove deeper into the forest towards the mountain. When her sack was full, she looked up and realized she had gotten turned around and didn¡¯t know where she was. I forgot to tie on ribbons in the grove, she thought as she began to panic. The sun was almost gone and soon it would be dark. The slope of the hill should lead away from the mountain, she thought. However, the hill seemed to slope away in several directions from the place she stood. She started walking in what she thought was the right direction, but with the darkness creeping in she just felt like she was walking in circles. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only She seemed like she had been walking forever. The heavy sack of fruit was hurting her shoulders, and her breath was weak at this higher elevation. She took a break for a moment, to stop her legs from shaking, but didn¡¯t dare rest for too long. The night was now complete and she was still lost. She didn¡¯t want to go deeper into the forest but didn¡¯t know what else to do. If she waited until the morning, Pauline and Erina will notice that she wasn¡¯t at the caf¨¦ and start looking for her. Also, if she waited until the morning, she might be able to see the Veolense mansion in the daylight. Amethyst found a jumble of boulders that had a small space in the middle where she could rest and wait for day. How do I always get myself into these situations? she thought. This seemed to be the story of her life and didn¡¯t look like it would change any time soon. She stood up and walked in a circle around the boulders. She had to keep moving. It was much colder near the mountain, especially at night, and if she fell asleep, she might freeze to death. She took the water bottle out of her pack and took a sip to quench her burning throat. She didn¡¯t want to drink too much, just in case. As she raised the bottle to take another drink, she saw a flash of light through the trees. If there was light, there must be a person. Her heart jumped at the thought that she might be saved! Amethyst quickly shoved the bottle back into her bag, hefted the sack full of fruit onto her shoulder, and started moving towards the light. It seemed like the light was just past the next tree, but when she reached the spot where she assumed it to be, it was still further on. It was almost as if the light was running away from her. Amethyst was scared that whoever was moving ahead of her might disappear, so she quickened her pace, following a strange light into the night. Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Amethyst was almost running, but she seemed to be gaining on the light. She stopped suddenly, when the light ceased to continue moving. Just ahead there was a clearing, and the torch had been stuck into a holder fastened to a boulder. Next to it, in the rock face, was a metal gate. There didn¡¯t appear to be any people around, but as the light had been moving, they must have gone inside the cave guarded by the gate. Amethyst prepared to step out of the shadows and see who was in the cave. That was when he had to act. Alexcent grabbed her from behind and slapped a hand across her mouth to stifle the scream she tried to make in fear. He pulled her back into the shadows. She struggled, trying to force her way out of his hold. He turned her around in his arms, so she could see him, and put a finger to her lips indicating for her to be quiet. It was good that she recognized him as the man she helped earlier. She relaxed and nodded in understanding to his motion for silence. In the clearing, there was a creak as two men came out of the gated cave. They were dressed in armour and had swords hanging from their belts. Alexcent pulled Amethyst further into the darkness of the trees. They knelt in silence, listening to the exchange of the guards in front of them. ¡°Why does he want us to guard a place where not even wild animals dare to come?¡± the first guard asked. ¡°In case anything happens, I guess,¡± the second guard answered. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen a single living thing since we¡¯ve been here,¡± the first guard continued. ¡°Besides, it makes me nervous that the landlord told us to kill anyone who stumbles upon this cave. No matter who it is.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think we have a choice,¡± the second guard said in disgust. Amethyst tensed in Alexcent¡¯s arms. If he hadn¡¯t stopped her, she would be most likely dead now. Now all they had to do was wait until daybreak, when the guards should leave the area. As they huddled in the shadows, Alexcent breathed deeply the scent of Amethyst¡¯s hair. To think, after everything that had happened, that he would find her again. Alexcent had finished his daily work, and had decided to wait until dark to find out what was really happening at the mines. There were so many workers being sent to the mines, but his duties kept him at the loading docks, so he hadn¡¯t been able to find out what was going on inside. And from the whisperings amongst the workers, he wasn¡¯t the only one who was questioning what was actually occurring. All of the items that he had been shipping from the loading dock at the mines were expensive items, such as jewels, metals, and even magic stones. All of the mines in the Empire were the property of the empress. However, from what he remembered, this mine had neve been listed in the empire¡¯s assets. Nothing that he received, when he was Duke Skad, had ever come from this location. The only possible explanation, he could think of, was that this was a smuggling mine. He needed to know for sure, which is why he had been out in the woods tonight. When he first realized he wasn¡¯t alone, and had seen Amethyst stumbling about the woods, he had been angry. Even small children knew that it was dangerous to be in a strange forest after dark. But why was she in this forest? She always ended up in dangerous situations. Perhaps it was the world trying to rectify the fact that she had cheated death and shouldn¡¯t have been here in the first place. But the irrational side of his brain continued to want to protect her. Despite all the reasons to the contrary, he couldn¡¯t let her die. The two men in the clearing had continued their conversation. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Have you ever killed someone before?¡± the first guard asked. ¡°No,¡± the second guard answered. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even been in a battle.¡± ¡°Then it seems that you and I have a lot in common,¡± the second guard stated. ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± the first guard said, his voice shaking. ¡°Of what?¡± ¡°Of killing someone. I hope no one passes by.¡± ¡°Very funny,¡± the second guard didn¡¯t seem amused. ¡°We¡¯re guards, so let¡¯s guard. Besides, no one will even come into these parts of the mountain, thank to the rumours of horrible creatures that have been spread. So, stop worrying, and keep your eyes open.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Wait!¡± The first guard perked up. ¡°What?¡± the second guard asked. ¡°I saw a movement over there.¡± The second guard turned and looked at where his partner was pointing. They were squinting into the darkness directly towards where Amethyst and Alexcent were hiding. Alexcent could feel Amethyst shaking in terror. ¡°I¡¯ll go and check,¡± the second guard said, and started approaching the spot that they couched in the shadows. Alexcent picked up a small rock from the ground and threw it hard into the trees on the other side of the clearing. The bouncing stone disturbed a group of birds that had been nesting in the bushes and they flew into the sky in a flurry of feathers. Chapter 243 Chapter 243 The men turned to where the new sound came from. Drawing their swords, they headed to where the birds flew up. As the two men disappeared into the trees, Alexcent let Amethyst go from his hold, grabbed her hand and led her in the opposite direction from the guards. They walked through the darkness of the forest, Alexcent leading her amongst the trees and bushes. He always had good night vision and was able to maneuver through the terrain. Amethyst simply followed along at his footsteps, keeping quiet in case the guards had seen them and were giving chase. After walking for only half an hour, the trees gave way and they could see the Veolense mansion below. The lights from the mansion made the dark night seem like a bright afternoon. Amethyst stumbled with relief and Alexcent put an arm around her so she wouldn¡¯t fall to the ground. ¡°Thank you,¡± Amethyst said, relief filling her voice. Alexcent glared back at her in silence. Amethyst could tell that he was angry and shrank back from his stare. He wanted to punish her for the foolish thing she had done, but restrained himself, for he could see that she was already scared enough. Instead, he asked, ¡°What were you doing in the forest?¡± Amethyst looked ashamed, as she heard him speak for the first time. ¡°I was picking fruits.¡± ¡°Fruits?¡± Alexcent noticed the sack of orange-coloured fruit she carried over her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s fruit I like. I saw grove of trees in the forest the other day I was here.¡± ¡°The wild lands in the Empire belong to the Empress. To take fruit from the grove is to steal from the Empress.¡± Alexcent couldn¡¯t help still sounding like the duke. ¡°But the workers here pick mushrooms and wild plants all the time, so I thought it would be all right to pick fruits.¡± Amethyst had a point. Why would Belice punish anyone for picking some wild plants at the edge of the kingdom? ¡°Wait. You said all the mountains belong to the Empress?¡± Amethyst had thought of something. ¡°But those guards made it sound like the landlord is the owner of the mountain lands?¡± Alexcent looked at her. She was correct. He needed to look into this more. But he also needed to keep Amethyst out of danger. He wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she tried to investigate this herself. ¡°Her Majesty probably allowed it. Anyways, it had nothing to do with you so leave it alone.¡± He tried to sound forceful, so she would get the point. ¡°All right,¡± Amethyst answered, getting the message. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Alexcent decided to get off this topic and reached for the sack of fruit that Amethyst was struggling to hold. ¡°Let me help you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, I can carry it.¡± ¡°Lead the way,¡± Alexcent said, ignoring Amethysts words and taking the sack from her. ¡°Fine, just to the front of my shop.¡± Amethyst¡¯s shoulders were hurting and he had volunteered so nicely. They walked side by side through the night to her caf¨¦. Alexcent glanced at the sign with a smile. Caf¨¦ Carol. Amethyst took back the sack of fruit and, beside her better judgement, decided to invite Alexcent in. ¡°This is my place. Would you like to come in for a drink?¡± ¡°No, thank you. I¡¯ve been away from the mansion for too long, so I need to return before they notice I¡¯m missing.¡± ¡°I understand. Thank you so much for helping me out of the forest. Please, come to the caf¨¦ when you have a chance. I¡¯ll cook you a delicious meal as my gratitude.¡± Alexcent nodded. ¡°Just don¡¯t go near that mountain anymore,¡± he warned her. Amethyst smiled and nodded in farewell before heading into the caf¨¦. Alexcent took a few minutes to observe the doorway she went through. When the second-floor light came on, he turned and headed back to the mansion. In his mind, he could still feel her hand in his. *** Amethyst woke up, groggy and squinting in the sun that was streaming through the window. As had become her new routine, she went straight downstairs. Deactivating the security, she opened the front door of the caf¨¦. Sitting on the stoop, the same as every morning since her adventures in the forest, was a small sack of tangerines. They had begun appearing mysteriously, but it was obvious who was doing it. The ashen-haired man. She never actually saw him, but who else could it be? Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Amethyst smiled to herself as she brought the fruit inside. It was only a small bunch each day, but enough for her to enjoy some herself. She peeled one of the fruits and put a piece into her mouth. The fruit was juicy and sweet. As she headed upstairs to get ready, the front door opened and Pauline entered. ¡°Carol! You didn¡¯t forget about me, did you?¡± Pauline asked, as she saw Amethyst heading for the stairs. ¡°Of course not!¡± Amethyst said, embracing her friend. Pauline picked up the orders on her way to work, as she did today, but they were starting to become so large that Amethyst considered buying a carriage so she could make the deliveries personally. As she got the order ready, Amethyst decided next time to include some of her new tangerine juice as a sample. Maybe they would increase the orders. She handed the package to Pauline, who thanked her as she headed off to work. Chapter 244 Chapter 244 ¡°Your cold and delicious drinks are here!¡± Amethyst announced as she pulled up to the Veolense mansion in her newly purchased delivery carriage. The maids quickly lined up to get a bottle. ¡°Thank goodness! It¡¯s so hot!¡± One of the maids exclaimed. ¡°I know!¡± Amethyst called back, ¡°The weather is getting hotter lately.¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t hand out the juice fast enough to the sweating maids. She made sure to also include bottles of her new tangerine juice as well. ¡°What is this?¡± the head maid asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t order this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a new flavour. I want you to try it. It¡¯s free, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Amethyst hoped they liked it. The head maid opened the bottle of tangerine juice and took a big gulp. Her face didn¡¯t express her opinion, as she considered the taste. ¡°How is it?¡± Amethyst asked, worried that it wasn¡¯t good. ¡°What is this made from?¡± the head maid asked. ¡°It¡¯s tangerine juice. It has a lot of vitamin C so it¡¯s good for stamina recovery.¡± ¡°Vitamin C? What is that? Is it something you eat?¡± Amethyst kept forgetting that there were some things the people of this world did not know about. ¡°It¡¯s good for your body, that¡¯s all. Does it taste strange?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s very good!¡± the head maid exclaimed, smiling. ¡°Are you sure you want to give this to us free of charge?¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it. Of course, it¡¯s free. This time.¡± Amethyst winked. ¡°Just let me know how you like the taste.¡± Once the maids heard that the new flavour was free, they started to all call for one. Amethyst quickly ran out of the tangerine, not having brought enough for everyone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Amethyst announced. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure how you¡¯d like it, so I didn¡¯t bring enough for everyone. I¡¯ll bring more next time!¡± ¡°Is today the day the workers come down from the mountain?¡± Amethyst asked the head maid. ¡°Yes. They should be here soon.,¡± the head maid answered. It was only moments after that the carriage transporting the workers pulled into the mansion grounds. The maids ran over to the carriage to collect the workers soiled clothing so they could finish their day¡¯s work and rest. Amethyst cleaned up the empty bottles left behind, happy for her success. Taking a full bottle of tangerine juice that she had held back; she made her way to the lake where the workers were cleaning the dirt off their skin. The ashen-haired man was on one side of the lake by himself. As a slave, he was usually segregated from the rest of the crew. Amethyst walked up to him. ¡°Hi,¡± she said shyly. Alexcent wiped the water from his face, with his sleeve, and stood up to greet her. ¡°Hello,¡± he acknowledged back. ¡°This is for you.¡± Amethyst handed him the bottle of tangerine juice that she had saved. The man just stood silently, staring at the bottle. ¡°Hurry! Take it! Before I get in trouble for sneaking items to a slave.¡± She thrust the bottle into his hand. ¡°This is to say thank you,¡± Amethyst explained. ¡°This is made from the fruits you leave me every morning. I wanted you to taste what I did with them. It¡¯s healthy, so drink up before anyone sees it. They don¡¯t give you enough food, so you could use it.¡± Alexcent opened the bottle and drank it all at once. Amethyst watched his Adam¡¯s apple bob up and down as he swallowed. ¡°How is it?¡± she asked. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°I can see why you like that fruit. Thank you.¡± ¡°Not a problem. I¡¯m more thankful for your help.¡± ¡°Please, don¡¯t concern yourself with someone like me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Amethyst asked, but he didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Do you feel uncomfortable when I pay attention to you?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just¡­ Nothing good can come by being involved with a slave like me.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with this?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°You must have heard the rumours? What happens to people who get involved with slaves?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe in rumours.¡± ¡°But nothing bad will come with being careful,¡± Alexcent stated. He needed to keep her at a distance from him. ¡°You remind me of my younger brother¡± Amethyst said. ¡°I fell like I should look out for you.¡± ¡°Even so, leave me be. It¡¯s for the best.¡± Alexcent walked away from Amethyst. He didn¡¯t seem pleased that she had compared him to her younger brother. She wondered at what made him so angry as she watched him leave. *** The interest amongst the Veolense maids for slave 24885 was growing steadily. ¡°Did you see him today?¡± a maid asked ¡°Yes! Today the workers came back to the mansion! He¡¯s so good-looking!¡± another maid answered. ¡°Right? If he wasn¡¯t a slave¡­¡± The first maid did not have time to finish that thought, as someone approached them from behind. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± the newcomer asked. ¡°Miss!¡± The maids jumped in surprise, then instantly bowed when they realized who had come up behind them. ¡°I asked what you were talking about? I demand that you answer me!¡± Viyan, the daughter of the Veolense family was a stern woman. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°The new slave that started working at the mansion,¡± the maids answered meekly. ¡°I see.¡± Viyan instructed all of the maids to leave her chamber, as she thought about this new slave. ¡°Hey, 24885!¡± Alexcent lifted his head to see who was calling him. A maid approached from across the yard. She handed him a stack of clean clothing. ¡°Put this on, then come with me,¡± she instructed. Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Alexcent took the clothes given to him by the maid and looked at her questionably. The clothes appeared to be high quality and fairly fancy, especially compared to what he currently wore. ¡°Hurry! We don¡¯t have much time,¡± the maid insisted. ¡°Of course.¡± Alexcent went into his lodging to change into the clothes, then returned to follow the maid into the mansion. It was the first time that Alexcent had been permitted into the mansion but, as he didn¡¯t know why, he kept his eyes straight forward, rather than taking in his surroundings. Besides, he grew up in nobility. One mansion looked just like another. They reached a closed door and the maid instructed him to wait. She approached the door and knocked loudly. ¡°Come in.¡± The feminine voice called from inside. The maid opened the door and indicated for Alexcent to enter. ¡°Go in. Don¡¯t speak unless spoken to and only answer to what you are asked.¡± Alexcent walked into the room. It was a lavishly decorated room, clearly designed for the rich. On a luxurious red sofa with golden ornamentation sat a woman with long pink hair. She looked stubborn and irritated, but there was also a hint of curiosity in her eyes. ¡°You are the slave that has been assigned to our house?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Alexcent answered. ¡°You definitely are handsome, like they have all been saying.¡± The woman had a wicked grin on her face. The maid beside Alexcent flinched slightly at Viyan¡¯s words. ¡°What is your name, slave?¡± Viyan asked. ¡°24885,¡± Alexcent answered, making sure to only answer her direct questions. ¡°And where did you come from?¡± Alexcent took a moment to answer. He didn¡¯t know her intentions and wasn¡¯t sure how much he wanted to reveal. He decided to be honest. ¡°From Duke Roden¡¯s household,¡± he finally answered. ¡°Duke Roden¡¯s. I see. Thank you, you may leave now.¡± Viyan dismissed him as if this entire encounter was pointless. Alexcent turned and left the bedroom, as the maid beside him let out a sigh of relief. As he waited in the hall, he could hear the woman and the maid discussing him. ¡°I like him,¡± Viyan stated. ¡°But, Miss!¡± The maid sounded shocked. ¡°He¡¯s a slave! This time, the master really won¡¯t stand for it!¡± ¡°Oh, has father ever been angry with me? Don¡¯t worry. I just have to speak sweetly and bat my puppy dog eyes at him if he gives me lip.¡± ¡°Miss¡­.¡± The maid was insistent that Viyan not continue with this thought. Viyan laughed. ¡°All I have to say is that the slave tried to get with me. Understand? So, I have no worries about if I get caught.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°The slave has shown no interest in any of the maids, even though some have tried to tempt him. His face is like stone. What makes you think you will be different?¡± the maid asked. ¡°Really?¡± Viyan seemed intrigued. ¡°A challenge. I like him even more! Tell me, has there ever been a man who hasn¡¯t been charmed by my looks? Do you seriously think that I can be compared to the maids? It might actually be easier since he¡¯s a slave. That will be the fun of it.¡± ¡°Easier because he¡¯s a slave?¡± the maid questioned. ¡°Slaves are easier to manipulate. If I treat him well, better than he¡¯s been treated since he arrived here, he will be so charmed that he will be willing to give me anything that I ask.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The maid couldn¡¯t argue with the facts. *** It was in the morning when the manipulations began. It started with Viyan summoning him to attend her in her bedroom, instead of the proper etiquette of only allowing him into her meeting room. ¡°I¡¯m thirsty.¡± Viyan said, as she lounged in her bed. She placed a hand nonchalantly on Alexcent¡¯s waist. Alexcent sighed, ignoring her hand, and poured a glass of water which he handed to her. Viyan drank the water and spilled some down the front of her on purpose. ¡°Oh no, I spilled,¡± she said, trying to sound surprised but not doing a good job with it. Alexcent took a handkerchief from the table and dabbed it on the moistened bed sheets. Viyan looked pleased and went back to reading her book. Her eyes followed the letters on the page, without actually reading them. After a few minutes of the act, she put the book down, pulled back the sheets and stretched her legs. ¡°I can¡¯t focus on the book because my legs hurt,¡± she whined. Viyan lifted the hem of her nightgown slightly. Alexcent stood still, ignoring the actions of the woman next to him. Viyan nudged Alexcent, but he didn¡¯t move and just continued staring forward. ¡°What are you doing? I said my legs hurt.¡± Alexcent turned towards her. Viyan lifted the hem of her dress a little more. Her silky legs had now been revealed up to her knees. Alexcent looked Viyan in the eyes and simply said, ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°What?¡± Viyan was not expecting that reaction. ¡°I¡¯m a slave. I know very well what happens if I touch someone of status.¡± Viyan now understood what the maids had meant when they said he looked at women like he was looking at a stone. She decided to reason with him. ¡°I¡¯m allowing it, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°I¡¯m not all right with it,¡± He answered. Viyan lifted her dress more, in frustration. Now the inside of her thigh was completely showing. ¡°Rub it now!¡± she demanded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± He was unwavering. Viyan was furious. ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°Yes. Find someone else if you require this form of service.¡± Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Alexcent turned to leave. Viyan was shocked by his refusal, something she had never experienced before. It had been her experience that men were always smitten by her beauty and do whatever they could to simply touch her arm, not to mention the more intimate areas she was offering now. She leapt to her feet. ¡°Stop! How dare you! Come back here.¡± Nonetheless, Alexcent refused to react and continued for the door. She rushed in front of him, grabbing his arms. ¡°How dare you ignore me!¡± she screamed in his face. ¡°How dare you refuse your master¡¯s orders!¡± ¡°My master is the lord of this household, not you,¡± Alexcent replied. ¡°So, you refuse to obey to me?¡± ¡°Yes. And please don¡¯t summon me any more to do your service.¡± ¡°And now you dare to give me orders? My word is law here! You are bound to do what I tell you to do! Got it?!¡± She was starting to sound like a child throwing a temper tantrum, but she couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°Please stop,¡± he said, removing her grasp from his arms. ¡°This attitude is not becoming for a virtuous lady such as yourself.¡± ¡°I told you to obey.¡± Viyan knew she was behaving immature, but she couldn¡¯t believe that a slave would actually stand up to her. ¡°There will be serious consequences If you step outside of this room.¡± Alexcent turned back to her, prepared to argue. Viyan smiled seductively at him. ¡°That¡¯s better. Honestly, where else will you meet a pretty girl like me?¡± ¡°What part?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Viyan had not expected such a strange question. ¡°I¡¯m asking what part of you do you feel is pretty. It¡¯s not good to be consumed with pride. In my eyes, nothing I see is pretty.¡± Alexcent had looked her up and down, shaking his head. ¡°What!? Most people couldn¡¯t even dream of being with someone like me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I certainly wouldn¡¯t want to have that dream.¡± Alexcent decided the only way he could get her off his back was to be ruthless. ¡°If you leave this room, I swear you will live to regret it,¡± Viyan shouted, her face red with anger and embarrassment. Despite the warning, Alexcent slammed the door behind him as he stormed from the room. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks *** ¡°Father!¡± Viyan called loudly as she opened Lord Veolense¡¯s study door. The older man was busy checking the quality of the latest batch of jewels that had been mined. The sudden intrusion made him quickly return the jewels to a pouch and lock them into the drawer of his desk. ¡°What is it?¡± Lord Veolense asked, as he noticed his daughter¡¯s eyes on the verge of tears. ¡°Father, please kill me rather than have me live in this state of shame.¡± ¡°What are you talking about!¡± Veolense had never heard his daughter talk like this before. ¡°I¡¯d rather die than bring such shame to my family. Please, end it all now.¡± Viyan was in hysterics. ¡°I asked you to explain this state that you are in,¡± Veolense repeated. ¡°The slave, that came here a few weeks ago, he tried to rape me!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Veolense was on his feet in an instant. He didn¡¯t know how to react, as he could tell that his daughter¡¯s tears were fake. He knew she had a tendency to make playthings of the servants. Normally he would let it slide, but this was a slave they were talking about. That changed everything. If a rumour went around about a noble¡¯s daughter and a slave fooling around, it would cause not only shame on her, but on his entire family. He had to resolve it now. ¡°How dare he! Trying to ruin our family¡¯s name!¡± Veolense was furious. It has always been said that taking on a slave can ruin a family. Every noble household was reluctant to take on a slave, and Veolense was no different. He had no intention of taking a slave to begin with, but it was hard to refuse anything from the high-ranking Roden family. This was why he had shoved the slave into the mines, instead of working in the mansion where he could be seen. He didn¡¯t know when his daughter took an interest in the slave, but it was now time for that slave to disappear. It wouldn¡¯t be hard. No one would be surprised with a slave disappearing. So many of them ended up becoming God¡¯s Guardians very quickly. Many of them couldn¡¯t handle the shame of becoming a slave, since they were once nobles, and ended up taking their own lives. Even if they didn¡¯t, most died from the extreme labour and beating they were given. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°I will kill him right now!¡± Veolense stated with authority. ¡°Pardon?!¡± Viyan had not thought he would go to such extremes. She thought that the slave, at most, would get further beatings. She didn¡¯t want him killed. She started thinking of the past servants that she had taken as lovers. She had always assumed they had been kicked out but now, seeing her father¡¯s rage, she wondered if they had been killed as well ¡°How dare a slave try to rape my daughter,¡± Veolense continued raving. ¡°I will wash this shame off our family by making him a God¡¯s Guardian.¡± ¡°Wait. I don¡¯t think¡­¡± Viyan tried to interject. ¡°No. Our family¡¯s reputation depends on this, like you said!¡± Veolense was insistent. He needed to solve the problem by eliminating the source. What if the slave somehow turned his daughter¡¯s heart and ran off with her? He couldn¡¯t even think about it. Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Viyan was at a loss. It was too late to say that she had made the whole story up. She had to continue with the charade. Besides, the slave had refused her. No one refuses her. He should be dead. She did feel a twinge of disappointment though. The slave had been quite handsome, but there were plenty of handsome men in the world. Veolense called for the head of the servants, who entered the chamber. ¡°I need you to take hold of the slave, immediately.¡± Then, turning to Viyan, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything and go back to your room. I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡± ¡°Yes, father,¡± Viyan replied, bowing and leaving the study. ¡°Tell the men to beat that slave,¡± Veolense said. ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The head of the servants had an idea of what caused his master¡¯s rage. ¡°Tell them to beat him to death.¡± Veolense continued. ¡°It seems he tried to put his hands on Viyan. I¡¯m sure she influenced it, as she has before, but I don¡¯t know where this could go, so I¡¯m putting a stop to the threat right now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give them the order.¡± The head said. This wasn¡¯t the first time he had been requested to do something like this. ¡°Make sure that no word of this leaves the household. I don¡¯t want any connection of the slave to Viyan. Understand?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll make sure that it is done.¡± As the head went off to make the preparations, Veolense realized he would need to be making another donation to the temple. It was only a slave, however, so it shouldn¡¯t cost much. *** The head of the servants took two large guards and went to find Alexcent, who was washing his face at the pond. ¡°Take him,¡± the head instructed his men. Alexcent was grabbed suddenly from behind. He had no idea why he was being dragged away. The men took him to the path the servants used to get back and forth from the mansion and their quarters. Then the beating began. It was much more intense than it had been in the past and soon Alexcent was curled on the ground in a fetal position, trying to protect any vulnerable areas of his anatomy. ¡°Stop! What are you doing?¡± Alexcent could barely open his swollen eyes, but he could tell the owner of the voice. He knew that Amethyst was there. The head of the servants waved for his men to stop. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you around here before?¡± ¡°I run a caf¨¦ in the city. I came to make a delivery. Why are you beating this man so much!¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The head of the servants recognized her now. This woman was popular amongst the maids and was free to enter the grounds whenever she had business. However, this was something an outsider should have never see. ¡°This is no concern of yours,¡± the head informed her. ¡°If you¡¯re done with your deliveries, I insist that you leave. Now.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t beat him this much, even if he¡¯s a slave! It¡¯s not right!¡± Amethyst cried. ¡°We have every right. He¡¯s a thief.¡± ¡°A thief?¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t believe it. Considering how he had been towards her, there was no way he was a thief. ¡°Yes. He stole a jewel from the mine.¡± ¡°Even so, he might have been framed. How can you be sure?¡± ¡°It is not up to us to judge; we are simply following orders. Now, I¡¯ll only tell you one more time. Leave the premises immediately.¡± ¡°Not at all! I wish to speak to the master!¡± Amethyst demanded. The head of the servants nodded to the guards to physically remove Amethyst. As the two large men grabbed Amethyst¡¯s arms, Alexcent tried to stand up. The guards turned and forced him back to the ground with their clubs, beating him uncontrollably once again as Amethyst watched in horror. ¡°Stop! He might die!¡± Amethyst screamed, but the beatings didn¡¯t cease. Alexcent began throwing up blood, as the clubs started causing internal injuries. Amethyst tried to shake off the guards grasp as she cried in frustration. She looked to the servants and maids who had gathered, hoping they would intervene, but they just shut their eyes and tried to block out the horror. It was apparent that the servants were used to seeing this type of punishment. Amethyst, who couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, screamed the last option she had. ¡°I¡¯ll buy the slave!¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Stop!¡± The guards put down their clubs at the head¡¯s order. Alexcent lay on the ground unmoving. If he wasn¡¯t dead, he would be shortly without medical attention. ¡°What do you mean, you¡¯ll buy the slave? He is under the control of the Empire. He¡¯s not an object that can be purchased.¡± ¡°Then call the master. I¡¯ll make my offer to him personally. I¡¯m certain he won¡¯t refuse.¡± Amethyst certainly hoped that she was right. The head of the servants considered what she said and seemed intrigued. ¡°Wait here.¡± He quickly retuned to the mansion to summon Veolense. During the several minutes that she waited, Amethyst could see the slave¡¯s sides inflate with breath. At least he was still alive. A man with thick brown hair and a huge gut approached from the mansion. He was dressed in rich fabrics and jewels. Amethyst assumed that it was Veolense. Chapter 248 Chapter 248 ¡°Are you the person who asked to buy the slave?¡± Veolense said, as he examined Amethyst. By the way he looked at her, Amethyst could tell that he knew she wasn¡¯t noble. She tried to hold herself with an air of authority so he wouldn¡¯t dismiss her outright. She nodded to the man before her. Veolense laughed. ¡°You should know that a slave can¡¯t be sold.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t sell him and give him to me,¡± Amethyst said with confidence. Veolense looked surprised at her words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but if I do that it would cause us more trouble than it is worth. If an auditor comes, I will have to explain why I gave away a slave that was assigned to us, and I am not prepared to deal with that.¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t believe him. This noble, who could have easily dismissed her, came to meet her personally, covered in jewels. It was obvious that it was money that drive this man and he was curious to what she had to offer. ¡°Everyone has a price. How much to let this slave come with me? I¡¯m assuming that my money may change your mind.¡± Amethyst could see the slight glimmer in the man¡¯s eyes. Veolense¡¯s considered the slave lying motionless on the ground. The merchant-like tendencies started considering the value of the slave. He was going to have the man killed, which meant he would get nothing for him. But if he could make a slight profit and also get the man away from Viyan before she caused any further trouble, then selling him might just be an option. Also, by not killing him he would save the donation fee that he would have had to make to the temple. Going over all of the options, it only made sense to sell the slave for whatever money he could get. He decided to test the limits that Amethyst was willing to pay. ¡°Slaves are rather expensive. You wouldn¡¯t be able to afford him.¡± Veolense said. Amethyst smiled. She knew she had him. As soon as she had mentioned money, his whole attitude on the situation changed. However, she did not have a substantial amount of money left since it all had gone into her business. If she drained the remaining amount in her emergency fund, she would be in trouble financially. She was now at a loss at how to proceed, for it seemed Veolense was expecting a large amount for the slave. She couldn¡¯t offer too little, or Veolense would just laugh in her face and kill the slave in front of her. As she considered what to offer, she observed how the jewels he was wearing were sparkling in the sunlight. The answer came to her. This was a man who operated in the jewel market. They were an important commodity to him. Amethyst reached up and undid her necklace. The pink diamond at the end of the chain glinted back in response to the gems adorning the man. ¡°Would this be enough?¡± Amethyst asked, handing Veolense the ring that hung on the necklace. Her heart cracked. This was the last memory she had of Alexcent, but this seemed to be the moment that she would need to let him go. He would have wanted her to help this man. ¡°Let me examine it. I¡¯ll need to check the purity of the gemstone.¡± Veolense held out his hand for the ring and Amethyst gave it to him reluctantly. He took out a loupe from his pocket, that was used when examining jewels, and lifted the ring to be magnified by the lens. Holding both up to the sunlight, Veolense squinted at the minute details of the gemstone. In an instant, a huge smile erupted from his lips. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°It¡¯s real! I haven¡¯t seen any jewel this rare before. The colour, transparency, cut, weight, nothing compares!¡± Veolense could confidently say that this jewel was more valuable than any of the jewels that ever had come out from the mine. Even if he sold every jewel he owned, he wouldn¡¯t be able to buy the ring. ¡°Where did you get this?¡± he asked. ¡°Is that important?¡± Amethyst asked back. ¡°Yes. You could have stolen it. That would be a big problem for me.¡± Amethyst decided to be honest. ¡°It was my wedding ring.¡± ¡°Wedding ring? You would trade your wedding ring for a slave?¡± Veolense had never heard of such an action before. ¡°I¡¯m divorced. There is no reason to hold on to it anymore.¡± Amethyst said with a slight quiver in her voice. Veolense thought over the situation. If this had been a wedding ring, then the woman was of higher rank than she appeared to be. Her family must have fallen hard if she was now a simple merchant. She may have been left with a collection of other jewels as payment to leave her noble husband¡¯s estate. ¡°Do you have any other jewels?¡± Veolense asked. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. I was only allowed this ring when I left the household.¡± Amethyst was not about to tell him of her monetary savings. She could see that Veolense was disappointed, but this was the most she could do. ¡°So, what will it be? Are you going to sell him, or not?¡± Veloense thought about the offer. ¡°Fine. It¡¯s a loss, but he¡¯s yours.¡± Amethyst could tell that he was lying, so decided to get one more thing out of this deal. ¡°Fine. Since it¡¯s already a loss, I¡¯ll ask for one thing more. I need your men to help bear the slave to my caf¨¦.¡± ¡°Fine. All right.¡± Veolense motioned to the two large guards who had been beating Alexcent. ¡°Do as the lady asks.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± The two men lifted Alexcent¡¯s battered body on to Amethyst¡¯s carriage, then got in beside him to return to the caf¨¦ and help get Alexcent into a bed. Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Alexcent remained unconscious for five days. When he awoke, he was surprised to find himself lying in a comfortable bed. Bandages covered his wounds and a mug of liquid, containing what must be healing herbs, sat steaming on a table next to him. Amethyst entered the room. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake! I was thinking you might die.¡± She sat on the bed and felt his forehead. ¡°Your fever seems to be down. The doctor said as long as you take your medicine, you should heal and recover with no issues. He said that your body was remarkably strong.¡± ¡°Where am I?¡± Alexcent let out a painful moan as he tried to sit up. ¡°Don¡¯t move. The doctor said you shouldn¡¯t move too much. And you are in our home.¡± ¡°Our home?¡± Alexcent¡¯s heart fluttered slightly. Was he actually dreaming? ¡°I bought you from Veolense, so now you are going to live with me. I hope that is all right with you?¡± ¡°What do you mean you bought me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m your guardian now,¡± Amethyst explained. ¡°But don¡¯t think that I will treat you like a slave. I¡¯ll respect you and your wishes. I want you to live comfortably here.¡± ¡°Why are you doing this for me?¡± Alexcent¡¯s heart was pounding. If she only knew who it truly was lying in her bed. ¡°That day I was lost in the woods, if it wasn¡¯t for you, I would¡¯ve frozen to death in the mountains or been killed by those guards. Think of this as my gratitude and repayment for your kindness.¡± ¡°It was a coincidence that I found you, so you don¡¯t¡­.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Amethyst quickly changed the subject, seeing that he was about to refuse. Alexcent stared at her. She hadn¡¯t changed a bit. She always had to have the last word. ¡°It¡¯s 24885,¡± he answered. ¡°24885?¡± Amethyst repeated. ¡°That¡¯s not a name, that¡¯s a number.¡± ¡°A slave¡¯s name is only a number.¡± ¡°I see. Then I should give you a name,¡± Amethyst announced, smiling. ¡°A name?¡± ¡°Yes. I can¡¯t call you 24885.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with it,¡± Alexcent said. He couldn¡¯t reveal who he truly was. Not yet. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not fine with it. What was your name before you became a slave?¡± Alexcent shook his head. ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to think of a new one,¡± Amethyst said, looking him over. ¡°How about Gray?¡± ¡°Gray?¡± Alexcent wasn¡¯t sure about that choice. ¡°Your eyes are gray. Your hair is gray. I think Gray is fitting. My name is Carol.¡± ¡°As you wish, master.¡± Alexcent needed to play the part of a dutiful slave. ¡°Don¡¯t call me master?! It¡¯s Carol!¡± ¡°But you said you bought me. So, now you¡¯re master to me.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°No, never! I insist that you call me Carol.¡± ¡°As you wish, master.¡± Amethyst glared at the man. This whole situation tickled the back of her mind, like some lost memory. *** Alexcent¡¯s health recovered quickly, and soon he was on his feet. He woke up early every morning, quietly going downstairs. He would clean the entire caf¨¦ so that it would be ready for business when the doors opened. Everything was spotless by the time Amethyst woke and came downstairs to start the day. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°I did,¡± Amethyst answered, yawning and stretching out her body. ¡°Should I prepare lunch?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Amethyst sat at a table. Alexcent went into the kitchen and put together a plate of bread, jam and a green salad with chunks of meat in it. Bringing it out, he set it down on the table in front of her. ¡°Let¡¯s eat together.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Amethyst agreed, as he sat down across from her. They eagerly dived into the food. Amethyst¡¯s daily pattern had changed quite a bit since the man she knew as Gray had come. It started being a very comfortable life. He did all of the cleaning, cooking, dishes, and even the laundry. ¡°Today¡¯s weather looks like it will be very hot,¡± Alexcent said, making awkward conversation. ¡°Really? Then I guess I should prepare plenty of cold drinks.¡± ¡°Yes. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get them ready.¡± He seemed to want to do everything on his own, and he usually did it well. There was only one problem with this new man in her life. ¡°Eat it all,¡± Alexcent said, as Amethyst set down her fork. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m good. I¡¯m already full.¡± ¡°You only ate the meat again. You need to eat all of the vegetables as well.¡± ¡°Nagging again! That¡¯s enough.¡± Amethyst smiled, though she had been getting a little annoyed about his complaints on her eating habits. ¡°But you have to eat vegetables to¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can have the rest if you like.¡± Amethyst quickly returned upstairs to avoid any more nagging. Alexcent stared at her as she left, with a sly smile on his face. She hadn¡¯t changed a bit. * * * Like Alexcent had mentioned, the weather turned very hot. For once, her caf¨¦ was full of customers. Amethyst quickly took the orders of the three packed table, then smiled when Gray took out the food. I wish every day was like today, she thought. It was strange, but as soon as Gray arrived, the customers had started flowing in. It got to the point of being so busy, she was unable to make deliveries. Gray never smiled at the customers and was all business when he cleaned away the empty dishes. Yet the customers all watched him intently. And Amethyst realized then, the customers have all been women. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only As the customers started to thin out, Amethyst decided something. ¡°Gray, we should close a little earlier today,¡± she told the man. ¡°All right, will do.¡± Alexcent locked the door behind the last customer, as they left. ¡°Did we run out of food?¡± he asked, wondering why they were closing up. ¡°No, we have somewhere to go today.¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯ll get the carriage ready,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°Great. I¡¯ll go change and then we can leave.¡± Chapter 250 Chapter 250 When Amethyst came down from changing, Alexcent was standing in front of the carriage that she used for deliveries. He held out his hand, to assist Amethyst up into the driving seat, then went around to the other side and hoisted himself up. Taking the reigns in hand, he asked ¡°Where should we go?¡± ¡°Downtown. We¡¯ re going shopping today,¡± Amethyst informed him. Alexcent tensed up at that information. ¡°I just remembered; I have something urgent to take care of. I¡¯ll call you a public carriage.¡± ¡°Gray.¡± Amethyst was used to Gray¡¯s aversion to shopping. ¡°Yes?¡± He answered sheepishly ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Without another word, Alexcent began driving the carriage to the shopping district. *** The place Amethyst directed them to was a tailor shop that catered to men only. It wasn¡¯t high-end clothing, but all the outfits were made-to-fit and of the latest styles. ¡°Welcome,¡± the tailor greeted them with a smile as the entered. ¡°What can I help you with?¡± ¡°I am looking to buy some clothes for my friend here,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°I¡¯m thinking something that looks like a suit, but is comfortable enough to work in. Something clean but stylish.¡± ¡°You have keen eyes. That is certainly the trend, nowadays. Please wait for a moment. I¡¯ll bring out a few samples. In the meantime, why don¡¯t you look around.¡± The tailor disappeared into the back room and Amethyst started browsing the displays. Alexcent whispered to Amethyst, so the tailor wouldn¡¯t overhear him. ¡°Master, I don¡¯t need clothes.¡± Amethyst huffed in frustration. ¡°I told you not to call me that! This is an investment!¡± ¡°Investment?¡± ¡°Yes. If you hadn¡¯t noticed, there have been more customers at the caf¨¦ since you arrived. Why do you think that is?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because mast¡­ no, Carol¡¯s cooking is great?¡± Amethyst laughed. ¡°I appreciate the compliment, but no. They come to see you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Alexcent looked genuinely shocked. ¡°Yes! So, what should we do? Even though the reason is pure vanity, it has increased my sales. I need to invest in that.¡± Amethyst smiled brightly, which made Alexcent nervous at what she intended. ¡°Sorry for the wait.¡± The tailor appeared from the stock room with an armful of clothing. ¡°Can he try them on? I need to see how they look on him,¡± Amethyst asked the tailor. ¡°Of course. The fitting room is right behind you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Really!¡± Alexcent protested. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Amethyst ignored his pleas. ¡°You heard him, right? Go!¡± ¡°Carol¡­¡± Amethyst sat down on a sofa and crossed her arms with defiance. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here.¡± Alexcent¡¯s deep sigh filled the store, but both Amethyst and the tailor just stared at him in expectation. With a huff of frustration, Alexcent picked up all of the clothes and entered the changing area. As Amethyst waited for him to change and come out the tailor handed her a catalogue. ¡°Would you like to look at this?¡± he asked. ¡°If you place an order, we can deliver the items to you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful. Thank you.¡± Before Amethyst even had a chance to peruse the catalogue, Alexcent stepped out of the changing area in the first set of clothes. Amethyst frowned at the shirt. ¡°I don¡¯t like the ruffles. Next!¡± Alexcent slumped his shoulders and went back in to change into the next outfit. The second set didn¡¯t have ruffles, but they did have ribbons on the sleeves. He couldn¡¯t wear that. The ribbons would dangle in the drinks as he served them. ¡°Next!¡± Amethyst announced. Alexcent dropped his head this time. He continued changing and every outfit he displayed got a cry of ¡®Next!¡¯ from the single-person audience. It wasn¡¯t until the thirteenth outfit that Amethyst split a grin on her tired face. ¡°I like that! We¡¯ll go with that for now!¡± she cried happily. ¡°Wonderful,¡± the tailor said, also clearly getting sleepy from waiting. He measured Alexcent¡¯s sizes and went into the stock room to get the proper fits. ¡°Will that be everything?¡± he asked. ¡°Not quite,¡± Amethyst replied. ¡°What?¡± Alexcent asked in surprise, his eyes widening. ¡°That¡¯s only one outfit. You still have plenty more to try on, right?¡± Amethyst smiled cruelly. ¡°Of course! He hasn¡¯t tried on even half of them,¡± the tailor realized what was going on and decided to help with the game. Alexcent¡¯s body was like a model. Each time he came out, wearing something new, the fit accentuated a different aspect of his body. Amethyst was really enjoying the show and actually agreed on several more outfits to add to the order. Amethyst was ecstatic about their trip and couldn¡¯t stop smiling as she placed the bags of clothing in the back of the carriage. ¡°Then shall we head home?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°Not yet,¡± Amethyst answered. ¡°Really? Didn¡¯t we buy enough clothes?¡± Alexcent asked with a moan. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Yes, but we need something else. Maybe the most important thing. Dress shoes.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t need dress shoes.¡± Alexcent was at the point of whining like a school boy. ¡°Nonsense. Don¡¯t you know that dress shoes complete the fashion?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± Amethyst smirked at his temper tantrum. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± she said, then dragged him into the shoe store. Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Alexcent wore the first outfit he had tried on and the dress shoes that they bought yesterday. He wore a black apron that Amethyst had insisted on buying. Amethyst was waiting for him as he came downstairs in the uniform. ¡°Looks good! The completion of fashion is the face!¡± she announced. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that dress shoes were the completion, yesterday?¡± Alexcent grumbled. Amethyst laughed. ¡°You know what I mean.¡± Amethyst stood in front of him and fixed his hair, avoiding looking him directly in the eyes. Then she opened the buttons on his sleeves and folded them back twice. Then she opened the top two buttons of his shirt. Revealing his muscles and his striking eyes completed the ensemble. Alexcent just stood there and allowed himself to be manipulated like a doll. ¡°Perfect. Let¡¯s have a busy and productive day today!¡± she said, smiling. * * * It seemed like Amethyst¡¯s plan worked and Alexcent¡¯s popularity skyrocketed. The three tables were not enough to accommodate all of the guests and people had to eat their meals in the chairs on the outdoor terrace. For the first time ever, the caf¨¦ closed its doors on waiting guests because they ran out of food. Amethyst was resting at one of the tables, as Alexcent was cleaning dishes in the kitchen, when the front door opened to the chime of the bells. Amethyst began to turn the customer away. ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re closed for¡­¡± She turned to see that it was Pauline and Erina. ¡°Auntie!¡± Erina cried, running in for a hug. ¡°Hello Erina!¡± Amethyst said, embracing the girl. ¡°Auntie, why did you close early yesterday?¡± Erina asked. ¡°I wanted to see you, but the caf¨¦ was locked.¡± ¡°I had an errand to run in the city, so we closed early! I¡¯m sorry I missed you.¡± Amethyst kissed Erina on the cheek. Alexcent came out and lifted Erina in a big hug. ¡°She¡¯s getting heavy,¡± he exclaimed. Pauline laughed. The girl wasn¡¯t really that heavy, but his comment made Erina smile. ¡°Did you know you¡¯re the hot topic nowadays?¡± Pauline asked Amethyst. ¡°Me?¡± Amethyst seemed shocked. ¡°No, the caf¨¦! Actually, Gray, to be precise.¡± Pauline said with a smile. ¡°Did you know that every customer today was a woman?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°I¡¯m glad that sales are up, but I feel a little bitter.¡± She gave a sly smile to Alexcent. He stood next to her, blushing. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s probably because your cooking is so good. That¡¯s why they keep coming back.¡± Pauline tried to control her laughter. Amethyst laughed instead. ¡°Is that so? Then, come sit. I¡¯ll make you something delicious!¡± ¡°I love your cooking! Mom, let¡¯s eat here! Please?!¡± Erina jumped up and down. Pauline nodded to her child, and Alexcent pulled out a chair for her. ¡°Please sit,¡± he said politely ¡°Thank you,¡± Pauline replied. Alexcent then lifted Erina into the chair next to her before following Amethyst into the kitchen to see what they could make with the few ingredients they had left. Pauline had been opposed to Gray working here at first. He had been a slave and a criminal. At first, she had thought Carol was infatuated with his looks, but as she saw how he stood by Carol and took care of her, her feelings had begun to change. Amethyst and Alexcent brought out plates of whatever food there was remaining, and the dinner celebration began. There was nothing like the company of good people. Pauline kept complaining about Erina¡¯s silly actions, but they made Amethyst laughed. Alexcent even smiled as he made sure everyone had enough food. When the meal was completed, Amethyst stood to remove the empty dishes, but Alexcent placed a hand on her arm and rose. ¡°You can stay seated,¡± Amethyst said. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°I don¡¯t mind doing it,¡± Alexcent insisted. ¡°You¡¯ve done enough today. Rest.¡± Pauline stood up as well. ¡°Yes, stay seated. I¡¯ll help.¡± Pauline grabbed the rest of the dishes and took them into the kitchen with Amethyst. Once the dinner dishes were rinsed, Amethyst took a cake out of the refrigerator for dessert. ¡°I saved Erina¡¯s favourite cake,¡± Amethyst told Pauline. ¡°How are things lately?¡± Pauline asked her friend. ¡°What are you referring to?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°You two,¡± Pauline said, indicating Alexcent in the dining room. ¡°Gray and me? It¡¯s good. He listens to my ideas, does his work well, and is not so bad to look at as well.¡± ¡°Even though he¡¯s a slave, he seems like a good person,¡± Pauline said. ¡°He definitely is kind,¡± Amethyst agreed as she started dishing slices of cake. ¡°I really don¡¯t know where I would be if it wasn¡¯t for Gray.¡± Amethyst looked up and could see Pauline smirking. ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± Amethyst said, blushing. ¡°Not like what?¡± Pauline asked, snickering. ¡°What you¡¯re thinking in your head. It¡¯s not like that.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Pauline was laughing outright now. ¡°I didn¡¯t think of anything.¡± ¡°Fine then,¡± Amethyst said, returning to the cake. ¡°But is it really not like that? How about¡­.¡± ¡°Pauline!¡± Amethyst whispered forcefully. ¡°Do you know what the age difference is between Gray and me? At least ten years!¡± Even though Amethyst looked young, Gray was certainly younger. ¡°Anyways, he¡¯s like a sibling to me. A younger brother! Nothing more and nothing less. So, stop with these ridiculous ideas!¡± Amethyst thrust a dish with cake into Pauline¡¯s hands. ¡°Let¡¯s go eat cake.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Pauline said sheepishly. After dessert was eaten, Pauline and Erina put on their coats, and Alexcent unlocked the front door to let them out. ¡°It¡¯s going to rain tomorrow. Make sure to have an umbrella,¡± Alexcent mentioned as he hugged Erina goodbye. Pauline hadn¡¯t heard of any mention of rain and the sky that evening was clear. ¡°Rain? Really?¡± ¡°If Gray says so, it¡¯s going to be true,¡± Amethyst mentioned as she gave her goodbyes. ¡°He¡¯s weirdly good at guessing weather.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll make sure to have my umbrella. Thanks, Gray.¡± Alexcent nodded and the two ladies headed for home. Amethyst asked Alexcent, as he was locking up, ¡°I am curious, how are you able to predict the weather so accurately?¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°The smell of the air changes,¡± Alexcent said, as if it was common knowledge. Amethyst took a few sniffs to see if she could detect anything. ¡°I can¡¯t tell any difference.¡± ¡°The outcome of a battle is dependent on weather. It was always important to tell the differences in air.¡± Amethyst had another clue of Gray¡¯s mysterious past. He must have been a knight at some point. ¡°Go up and get some sleep.,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest of the cleanup.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Amethyst headed upstairs and decided to take a shower before Gray came up. The steam was soothing, as the hot water flowed over her hair. She thought about what Pauline had said. Did other people also think that there was a romantic interest between her and Gray. She laughed. To think that she would be with a man ten years younger than her. As she had told Pauline, he was like a younger brother, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be careful about how she acted around him. She was frustrated that this bothered her so much. As she exited the bathroom, she met Alexcent as he was coming up the stairs. ¡°Are you all finished with the bathroom?¡± he asked. ¡°I am. Good night.¡± Amethyst headed towards her room. ¡°Good night,¡± Alexcent said as she closed the door behind her. Alexcent stood outside her closed door, drawing in the scent of her skin. It was days like this when it was extremely hard not to act on the lust that boiled inside of him. He struggled with the urge to break down her door and have his way with her, but he couldn¡¯t betray her trust and kindness. Instead, he turned and went to the small room at the end of the hall that was his. It had originally been used as a storage room, but Amethyst had tidied it up and put in a bed and a clothes dresser. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was his and it was the nearest he would get to sleeping with Amethyst for now. Sighing, he headed to the bathroom to take a cold shower. *** The rain started late in the night and continued through the early dawn. Alexcent woke up to the sound of the drops pelting the roof over his head. Going downstairs, he frowned at the sheets of water flowing down the windows. There would be no opening them today. Then he noticed that he had forgotten to bring in the chairs from the terrace. Opening the front door, he rushed out to retrieve the chairs. The few moments in the downpour drenched him to the bone. It wasn¡¯t supposed to rain this hard, he thought as he looked at the empty streets in the storm. A memory of his childhood came to him. He used to love running in the puddles in bare feet, splashing the gathered water into the air. Looking around to make sure no one was around, he removed his shoes and headed back out into the rain. The paving stones were slick from the moisture as the rain pelted his face. He closed his eyes, taking in the sensation of his feet sticking to the rocks, his clothing getting heavy with moisture. A strange sensation began growing inside of him and he started to laugh. As the laughter grew, he tipped back his head to the sky. The water poured across his face, cleansing him. It was as if he had come alive for the first time. All of the chains within him were washed away. Through this baptism by the elements, he felt free for the first time ever. No longer would he have to be suspicious of those around him, thinking they were plotting to do him harm. No longer did he have to protect those beneath him. He lost everything in his life and yet, he now felt that he had more than he could ever want. All that mattered to him, at this moment, was her. And though he couldn¡¯t touch her, he could look at her, talk with her, and laugh with her. All that mattered now was her smile. Perhaps this is what it felt like to be human. To know love. It was strange how his position of power had turned him into a monster, but at his lowest he found the true meaning of humanity. He wanted to stay in this rain forever. The smack on his back broke his reverie. ¡°What are you doing standing in the rain without an umbrella?! What if you catch a cold!¡± Amethyst scolded from behind him. *** Amethyst woke up earlier than usual at the sound of rain hitting the roof and window. The drops were striking the house like thunder. She put on a robe and slippers and left her room. Noticing that Alexcent¡¯s chamber was empty, she headed downstairs. She was surprised to see the front door open and Alexcent standing soaked in the rain. Does he think that he¡¯s in a movie? she thought. He¡¯s going to catch a cold. Amethyst took out an umbrella and smacked Alexcent across the back. ¡°What are you doing standing in the rain without an umbrella?! What if you catch a cold!¡± Amethyst scolded from behind him. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He hid his awkward smile as he apologized. He followed her inside and she stopped him at the door. ¡°Wait here! I¡¯ll bring a towel. Don¡¯t even think about walking all over the floor with your muddy feet!¡± Amethyst ran upstairs and grabbed several towels. When she came back down, she handed one towel to Alexcent and the other she placed on the floor for him to stand on. ¡°Go take a hot shower. I don¡¯t need you catching a cold. Don¡¯t put your wet clothes in the basket, they¡¯ll get musty. Bring them to me and I will hang them up to dry.¡± Amethyst knew she sounded like a nagging mother, but she couldn¡¯t help it. Alexcent didn¡¯t seem to mind, though, and headed upstairs with a big smile on his face. As he was getting cleaned up, Amethyst decided to start breakfast. Soup would be perfect for a cold, wet day like this. She chopped up some vegetables and put them to cook in a pot of broth. She then proceeded to bake a doughy bread. Alexcent came down while still drying his hair. Amethyst had just finished the food. She sat him down at the table then went into kitchen to bring out the meal. ¡°You came down right on time. I prepared something hot to warm you up,¡± she announced as she brought it out. Alexcent frowned at the bowl of soup. ¡°Try it,¡± Amethyst insisted. ¡°I know it¡¯s a strange meal to have at breakfast but it¡¯s nice on a rainy day.¡± Alexcent made a depression in his bread and used it to scoop up the soup. The broth was quite flavourful and the soup warmed up his chilled body. ¡°How is it?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°It¡¯s actually very good,¡± Alexcent said, taking another mouthful. ¡°Really? I¡¯m glad. I was worried as I don¡¯t think I have made this before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve had this,¡± Alexcent informed her. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Really? Well, I hope you enjoy mine.¡± Amethyst hadn¡¯t been aware they made meals like this in the Empire. She started eating her own bowl of sujebi. ¡°I guess there will be no customers today.¡± Amethyst said to break the silence. ¡°Yes. There¡¯s so much rain, I doubt there will be anyone,¡± Alexcent agreed. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll just stay closed and rest.¡± Alexcent nodded to that idea. As Amethyst cleaned up, she noticed that he had only eaten the broth and left all of the vegetables in the bowl. I guess he didn¡¯t enjoy it as much as he said, she thought. That¡¯s the last time I make sujebi. Chapter 253 Chapter 253 It was amazing how much free time they suddenly found themselves with on this rainy day. Amethyst decided to use the time to check inventory. After all, they did have to close early the previous day because they ran out of most of the food. The cherry juice was always low, thanks to Erina coming almost every day. ¡°Gray, write this down. Cherry, lemon¡­. And mint leaves.¡± Amethyst started listing the items she needed. Alexcent wrote down everything she said and the list became very long, very quickly. They were on the last shelf, when Amethyst brought down an item from the top near the ceiling. Amethyst struggled to bring down the stack of take-out boxes. She wanted to make sure there were enough for the week. Alexcent stepped up behind her and took the basket from her hands before she dropped it. ¡°Is this what you needed?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Amethyst stepped down from the small ladder. Alexcent was still there, right in front of her. She looked up into his eyes as he gazed down at her. Amethyst blushed at their closeness. If they were any closer, their lips would come together. She quickly looked away and poked her elbow lightly into Alexcent¡¯s stomach. ¡°Can you move over,¡± she joked. ¡°Why did you hit me in the stomach?¡± Alexcent asked, rubbing his midsection. ¡°You need to take those outside. I can¡¯t get out if you just stand there. Hurry. I hate feeling trapped.¡± Amethyst felt relieved, but also a little disappointed as Alexcent backed out of the small storage fridge. She took the basket from him and set it on the counter. ¡°I need to buy cups as well,¡± Amethyst said, trying to forget what just happened. Alexcent added them to the growing list. ¡°I also need to go to the market tomorrow and see what new varieties of fruits are available,¡± Amethyst announced. ¡°Shopping again,¡± Alexcent grumbled. Amethyst laughed. ¡°Not shopping but research for new menu ideas. Let¡¯s call it studying!¡± ¡°If you say so.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to believe that hypothesis. As they suspected, there were no customers all day due to the rain. As always, Pauline and Erina stopped by at the end of the day to say hello, but they didn¡¯t stay for a meal as they wanted to get home in case the weather turned worse. Amethyst and Alexcent sat at a table, relaxing before they turned in for the night. ¡°Gray, go ahead and use the bathroom first tonight. I have a couple of things to do down here before I come up.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°I can stay and help you, if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°No, no. It¡¯s something I need to do. Go ahead and don¡¯t wait up. I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡± ¡°All right. Good night.¡± Alexcent pushed in his chair and headed upstairs. Amethyst waited until Alexcent left, then took out the financial ledger for the caf¨¦ and placed it on the counter. She figured out the latest sales and added them to the book. It had been almost a month since Gray came. Thanks to him, the sales were up, and the caf¨¦ was making a profit. Seeing the good numbers, she decided to give Alexcent his monthly wage early. She counted out the coins from her purse and put them in a small pouch. It wasn¡¯t a lot, but since she had given him a home and food there wasn¡¯t much that he needed. Turning out the lights, she headed upstairs with the pouch of coins. She didn¡¯t hear any sound from the bathroom. Thinking he had finished already, she knocked on his bedroom door. As she raised her fist, the bathroom door opened. Alexcent stopped in the doorway, with only the bottom half of his body covered in a big towel. Amethyst¡¯s breath caught. She knew he was in shape, but she hadn¡¯t realized he looked this good. She could not stop staring at his wide shoulders and rippling muscles. He must have thought she would be longer downstairs, so hadn¡¯t taken any spare clothes to the bathroom. ¡°Ummm¡­you¡¯re going to get cold,¡± she said awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Alexcent said, realizing he had embarrassed her. ¡°No need to apologize. It¡¯s not like I saw something I shouldn¡¯t. it¡¯s good. I mean¡­¡± she laughed nervously. Alexcent¡¯s flinched slightly, his fists clenched. Amethyst thought he was upset and quickly tried to rectify the situation. ¡°It¡¯s a joke. A joke!¡± she laughed Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Okay,¡± Alexcent said through gritted teeth. ¡°Could you move aside for a moment? My clothes¡­¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Sorry.¡± She moved out of the way from his bedroom door so he could get past. As he went by, she couldn¡¯t help but look down at his tight buttocks that were apparent even under the towel. She waited patiently as he closed the door and changed into clothing. He came back out quickly, his shirt only partially done up in the rush. ¡°Did you have something you wanted to tell me?¡± He asked. ¡°Ah, yes. This!¡± She handed him the pouch of coins. ¡°What is this?¡± Chapter 254 Chapter 254 ¡°Your monthly wage.¡± ¡°Wage? No, keep it,¡± Alexcent refused. ¡°What do you mean? You worked hard. You need to get paid accordingly,¡± Amethyst insisted. ¡°But you sold your expensive wedding ring because of me.¡± Alexcent had heard the story of how he came to be here from Pauline. For a time, he thought of killing Veolense for scamming Amethyst out of the ring. He also wondered if he should hate Amethyst for giving up her only connection to the past, for a man that she hardly knew. ¡°It¡¯s all right. There¡¯s nothing more precious than a person¡¯s life. This has nothing to do with that! Take it already!¡± Amethyst forced the pouch into his hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t give you more.¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t many people who would give a slave anything. Even this is too much,¡± Alexcent insisted. ¡°I told you not to call yourself a slave in front of me. Anyways, we have to go to the market tomorrow, so use this to buy whatever you want.¡± ¡°Whatever I want?¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s something you would like to have.¡± ¡°Yes, there is,¡± Alexcent said, staring at her. Amethyst did not catch the double meaning. ¡°Really? Good. We can buy it tomorrow.¡± ¡°What I want isn¡¯t something you can buy,¡± Alexcent said, trying to be clearer. ¡°Why? Is it too expensive?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°No. This is enough,¡± Alexcent sighed. ¡°If you need more, just tell me. I can give you your payment in advance. Well, good night.¡± Amethyst quickly went to her bedroom. She didn¡¯t hear Alexcent whisper softly behind that what he wanted was her. Amethyst was unable to get to sleep and just kept rolling around in her bed. She couldn¡¯t wipe Gray¡¯s half-naked body from her mind. Had she gone too long without the touch of a man. She thought of Alexcent. She could feel him now. His embrace, his skin against hers. The warmth where he touched her. Then the image of Alexcent and the image of Gray merged into one. Her heart pounded. If only she could be with Alexcent once more. She didn¡¯t even have his ring any longer to comfort her. Tears followed and they soaked the pillow her head lay on. She had vowed never to think of him anymore, but that was easier said than done. Embarrassed at herself, she wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. She forced herself to go to sleep. This was the first time that she had struggled since Gray had come. The thought of Gray stayed in her mind as her eyes closed and she drifted off into a deep slumber. *** The rain had blown away and the day was sunny and bright. The market was full of people who couldn¡¯t get out the day before to shop. Amethyst and Alexcent wandered through the market to view the fresh produce. ¡°Gray, let¡¯s go look at that stall.¡± Amethyst went to check out the piles of fruit. ¡°Welcome!¡± The merchant smiled from behind the counter. ¡°I would like to purchase some cherries,¡± Amethyst said. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Cherries? Right now, the imported cherries are a better option than the Empire¡¯s.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Alexecent asked. ¡°Well, right now the distributors in the Empire are manipulating their product. Many of them are selling poor quality stock they buy cheap from failing farms and selling it as their own high-quality product. They even change the packaging so you can¡¯t tell, or mix the poor product in with some good product so you never know. We¡¯ve had a lot of issues so we feel more comfortable selling imported product. The fruit is much cheaper and not bad quality, and the vendors don¡¯t try to con us because they need the market exposure.¡± Alexcent raised his eyebrows. Empire distributors manipulating product quality? It had been the Skad family who was in charge of marketing regulations for the Empire. They made sure the Empire¡¯s agricultural economy thrived. If this type of manipulation continued, there would be serious consequences for the Empire¡¯s agricultural sector. The economy would struggle if people turned to importing to get their goods. Something needed to be done to quell this. It would be up to Belice to fix it. Alexcent shut his eyes momentarily as he remembered his sister. ¡°How do the imported cherries taste? What is the quality like?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°It¡¯s comparable to the Empire¡¯s product. Would you like to sample some?¡± The merchant opened up a crate and took out several cherries, which he handed to Amethyst to try. Amethyst put one delicately into her mouth. She handed one to Alexcent to taste as well. The juice was quite sweet and the cherries were plump. She nodded in satisfaction to the merchant. ¡°Where are these cherries from?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°They are from Gemulani. The country borders the Empire, so they are importing a fair bit of product.¡± Alexcent verified the origin the merchant claimed with the shipping label on the side of the crate. He couldn¡¯t help it. Even though he was no longer a duke, he always felt he had to verify the claims of people around him. It wasn¡¯t as if he could do anything about it, but that didn¡¯t make him stop trying. ¡°What do you think?¡± Amethyst asked Alexcent. ¡°I think they are quite good.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not bad,¡± Alexcent agreed. ¡°I¡¯m glad you like them,¡± the merchant said, smiling. ¡°The price is about half of the Empire¡¯s usual price.¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯ll take them. Do you deliver?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Of course. We deliver anywhere. How much would you like?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take three boxes,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°Oh my, thank you. Do you need anything else?¡± ¡°I do need lemons.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Is that so? I¡¯ll show you the lemons we have.¡± The merchant went inside the store to get a box of lemons. Amethyst perused some of the other products as she waited for him to return. After she completed the transaction with the merchant and instructed him where to deliver her order, she turned to Alexcent. ¡°Shall we look around a little? It feels like a waste to go back so early after coming all the way here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t your legs hurt?¡± Alexcent asked, hoping for some excuse to end the trip. ¡°I¡¯m fine, for now.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s look around a little.¡± Chapter 255 Chapter 255 They wandered through the market stall, taking in all of the crafts, flower displays, and food vendors. In one spot, a crowd had gathered to listen to a singer. Amethyst and Alexcent enjoyed the music for a few moments then continued on to the fountain in the middle of the downtown square. Even here, a show was happening with jets of water shooting into the air in an incredible display of timing. They produced shimmering rainbows that fascinated Amethyst. She turned to Alexcent, to exclaim her enjoyment, and realized he had disappeared. She was so engrossed with the display; she hadn¡¯t even seen him leave. Scanning the crowd, she eventually spotted him coming through the people. He had an item concealed behind his back. As he approached, she asked, ¡°Where did you go? You should have at least told me you were going somewhere!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I caused you panic.¡± ¡°What if you got lost! You are such a handful.¡± Amethyst realized once again that she was scolding him like a child. Alexcent smiled and handed her a bouquet of flowers. Amethyst took hold of them, breathing in the sweet scent. ¡°I saw you admiring them.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Amethyst said, smiling. ¡°Do you like them?¡± ¡°What? Of course. Who doesn¡¯t like flowers?¡± Alexcent seemed satisfied. ¡°Next time tell me when you¡¯re going somewhere. Shall we head back now? The delivery should be arriving soon Alexcent led Amethyst back to the carriage, satisfied that his present went over well. *** As Amethyst unpacked her deliveries, she looked up to see a beautiful sunset painting the sky with pinks and reds. It was certainly a more pleasant view than the grey clouds that had covered the heavens yesterday. ¡°Let¡¯s stop for a little bit,¡± Amethyst told Alexcent. ¡°If you¡¯re tired, I can finish up,¡± he mentioned ¡°No. I just thought we could watch the sunset. The sky is so pretty. Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It sure is,¡± Alexcent agreed. Amethyst grabbed a couple of cups and a pitcher of tea from behind the counter. ¡°Can you bring two chairs out to the terrace?¡± she asked Alexcent. Amethyst followed Alexcent outside and set the tea down on a small table as he set up the chairs. They sat down and Amethyst poured the tea, handing a cup to Alexcent. The river twinkled like jewels under the rainbow sky. Yellows and purples mixed with the reds and pinks over the mountain tops. They sat for some time in silence, enjoying the view. Amethyst suddenly said, ¡°I never had time to look up and enjoy the beauty of nature before.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Pardon?¡± Alexcent wasn¡¯t sure what she meant. ¡°I mean in the world I lived in before.¡± Alexcent looked up in surprise. Maybe she shouldn¡¯t have mentioned another world. She didn¡¯t know why, but at the moment she didn¡¯t want to lie anymore. ¡°You mean the place you lived in before?¡± Alexcent said, correcting her. ¡°Umm¡­sure, same thing.¡± ¡°What was it like?¡± Alexcent was wondering if she was going to tell him about the time that they were together. He wanted to know what she still thought of the Alexcent she used to know. After all, she had run away just as he confessed his love. ¡°It was hell.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Alexcent had not suspected that answer. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. What I meant was I think I was always lonely.¡± Alexcent clenched his fists as Amethyst continued. ¡°I think I always felt pathetic, so I couldn¡¯t love myself. I didn¡¯t know how important I was. That might be why I clung onto love of other people. I wanted to be loved by my parents, to be a good daughter, so I lived according to my parents¡¯ will, rather than mine.¡± Alexcent began to relax. He realized she wasn¡¯t speaking of her time with him. He could understand her position. He had wanted to be loved by the previous emperor. Amethyst continued. ¡°I did what my parents told me to do and didn¡¯t do what they didn¡¯t want me to do. But nothing changed when I got older. I didn¡¯t want to be disliked, so I did what everyone else expected me to do. I went to school, got a job, and married.¡± Alexcent perked up at the word marriage. Was she about to discuss him? ¡°How was your married life?¡± he asked. Amethyst laughed. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure. I married not knowing anything. My husband was indifferent about me.¡± Alexcent¡¯s throat seized. ¡°In what regards?¡± he asked, unsure if he wanted to hear the answer. ¡°In almost every matter.¡± Amethyst said. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only That¡¯s not true, Alexcent thought. I was indifferent in certain matters, but not all of them. He lowered his head in guilt. Amethyst looked at him, confused by his disappointed face, but continued. ¡°I had a child.¡± Wait, what? A child? We never had a child. Now Alexcent was completely confused. There had never been a period long enough where she could have had a child without him knowing. Not unless it was before their life together. Alexcent realized that the story she was reciting was not about him. He listened intently to what she was saying, hoping to learn more about her. ¡°So, I always felt frustrated. Always agitated and lonely. I was always thinking about the pain when I looked at the children. Thinking I might not be a good mom. That they were going to suffer because they were born to me. I was scared. I realized later that the fear only had to do with me, that I might not be myself anymore. That I would live as someone¡¯s daughter, someone¡¯s wife, and someone¡¯s mother, instead of myself. I think I was afraid I¡¯d only be remembered by those labels.¡± Amethyst paused. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not sure anymore.¡± Amethyst smiled before she revealed the next part. He would probably think she was insane. But, for once, she needed to let it all out. ¡°I know you won¡¯t believe me, but I come from another world. I don¡¯t know how I came to be here. I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s a purpose for me being here at all, but I do know that this world is not my home.¡± Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Alexcent tried to control his body from trembling. She didn¡¯t come back to life, but now embodies the soul of someone from another world? Belice, what did you do? As the panic grew, Alexcent realized one thing. There would be no reason to kill her anymore. The laws forbid bringing back life to those who died. She did not come back to life; she was a different person entirely. He no longer needed to keep his distance from her. ¡°What I realized after coming here is that I have to love myself first,¡± Amethyst continued. ¡°Only then can I love someone else entirely.¡± ¡°So did you meet him?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°Who?¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t know who she was referring to. ¡°The person you can love entirely?¡± ¡°I did, but it¡¯s someone I can¡¯t love.¡± Thoughts of Alexcent swirled through her mind. ¡°Why do you think that?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°Wait!¡± Amethyst realized that he wasn¡¯t questioning her. He wasn¡¯t mocking her in any way. ¡°You believe me? You believe that I came from another world.¡± ¡°Of course. There¡¯s no reason not to.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Was this really something so easy to believe? Amethyst thought. Or is he just placating me? ¡°Why do you think this person is someone you can¡¯t love?¡± Alexcent pried. ¡°Well, I¡¯m already a wife and mother, even if it is in a different world. Also, who would accept a woman with such a ridiculous story?¡± ¡°You should still tell him.¡± ¡°Fine, even if he were to accept me, I don¡¯t know when I might suddenly disappear and return to my world. How can I ask someone to love me when I may vanish at any time? That would be selfish and cruel.¡± ¡°Disappear?¡± Alexcent hadn¡¯t thought of that. ¡°Since I came here so suddenly, it would make sense that I could disappear just as suddenly.¡± ¡°Even so, that person might not care. He might prefer to have the opportunity to love you even one more day, than live the rest of his life not knowing why he had been refused.¡± Amethyst stared at the slave she knew as Gray. Why is he speaking as if he knew the thoughts of Alexcent? He must just be incredibly perceptive. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Amethyst shrugged her shoulders. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yeah. You weren¡¯t destined to be a slave from the beginning.¡± Alexcent avoided her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Slaves are not permitted to talk about their past.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. The past is the past and you can¡¯t go back to it. No matter what my past life was, I am now a slave. I no longer have a past, just a future.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Amethyst looked sadly out the window. That sounded like something she wanted to believe in herself. *** Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks Gray was acting differently since the day they had their conversation. Before, he always seemed cautious and didn¡¯t want to come to near to Amethyst, but now things had changed. He seemed to be opening up. ¡°I can¡¯t do it,¡± Alexcent sulked. ¡°How many times do I have to teach you how to do this properly?¡± Amethyst came up from behind him, placed the tie around his neck, and showed him one more time how to make the knot. ¡°There you are.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Alexcent smiled. He seemed to smile more often now. He definitely seemed more comfortable. ¡°And the sleeves? I¡¯m not sure if I get them right.¡± Amethyst glared at him. ¡°You are so annoying,¡± she joked. ¡°You can do that much yourself.¡± ¡°But if I don¡¯t do it properly then the customers won¡¯t like it,¡± he insisted. Amethyst sighed. ¡°Come here!¡± She carefully folded back the sleeves of his shirt. ¡°The apron¡­¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Amethyst gasped, punching him lightly in the stomach. Alexcent laughed as he rubbed the pain in his abdomen. ¡°It hurts,¡± he whined with a smile on his face. Amethyst ignored Alexcent¡¯s childish whining and stormed downstairs. Some supplies had been delivered to the front door, which Amethyst dragged inside. ¡°There are crates of grapes and strawberries in the hall,¡± she informed Alexcent as he came down. ¡°All right,¡± Alexcent said. He took the crates to the stockroom, then opened the doors to the caf¨¦ to let in the first of the customers. He¡¯s messing with me again, Amethyst thought. Doesn¡¯t he get sick of it. She knew what he was up to, with the sly smiles and subtle glance when he thought she wasn¡¯t looking. And even though her heart fluttered, she did her best to ignore him. Her heart was still with the Alexcent she once knew, and she couldn¡¯t yet give it to another. She shook her head and went back to the kitchen. The bells chimed as three large men entered the caf¨¦. Amethyst had never seen them before, and they certainly did not look like her usual clientele. She came back out from the kitchen to see what the newcomers required. ¡°So, this is the place. The caf¨¦ run by a slave that all of the women seem to be smitten with.¡± The first man spoke loud enough for the entire caf¨¦ to hear. ¡°Seems like it,¡± the second man agreed. ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be much to it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see how good the food is,¡± the third man suggested The three men sat down at an empty table and before anyone had a chance to welcome them, the first man shouted, ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t you take orders here?¡± Amethyst was about to approach the table, when Alexcent shook his head to stop her and walked up to the men. ¡°Would you like to place an order?¡± he said politely to the three men. The men looked Alexcent up and down. ¡°So, you¡¯re the one that brings in all of the business by lifting women¡¯s skirts,¡± the first man announced loudly. His companions laughed loudly. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°This guy doesn¡¯t seem to remember us,¡± the second man said. ¡°How could he forget us already? That¡¯s disappointing, after we took such good care of him.¡± The first man glared at Alexcent. Alexcent didn¡¯t dare show any emotion. He clearly remembered them as the men who beat him when he worked for Lord Veolense. He looked the first man directly in the eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I guess it wasn¡¯t a memorable punch.¡± ¡°What?! Are you crazy?¡± The first man was enraged. ¡°Do you think that you¡¯re special now that you live a different life with your new mistress? You¡¯re still a slave!¡± ¡°Please place an order, or leave,¡± Amethyst said, coming out from behind the counter. Chapter 257 Chapter 257 ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you. The woman who can¡¯t seem to find herself a man, so had to resort to taking a slave to quench her lust. How about me? Am I not better than a slave?¡± The first man started making lewd gestures at Amethyst. Alexcent¡¯s eyes flared with anger. Amethyst¡¯s took hold of his arm, before he threw a punch. ¡°I don¡¯t know. From my perspective, he seems to be in better shape than you. What¡¯s the matter? Are you feeling inferior as a man since your life is worse off than this here slave?¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t help goading the men. ¡°What? How dare you speak to me like that!¡± The first man was on his feet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, are my words too big for you to understand?¡± Amethyst mocked. ¡°You b*tch!¡± The man lifted his hand to slap Amethyst across the face. Amethyst¡¯s training from her days at the Skad mansion kicked in and she planted a foot in the man¡¯s crotch as hard as she could. The man collapsed instantaneously to the floor, his face turning bright red as struggled to breathe properly. As the other two men stood up, Amethyst pulled out two guns she had hidden in the front of her apron. Normally, they sat behind the counter, in case of trouble, but she had pocketed them as soon as the men came in. ¡°I¡¯ll shoot you if you don¡¯t leave. I¡¯m quite the marksman,¡± Amethyst informed the men. ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± the second man said, helping his friend from the floor. ¡°You think I¡¯m crazy? I¡¯m the craziest b*tch around here!¡± Amethyst clicked the safety off both pistols and aimed them at the men. ¡°Get out of here now and take that groaning dumbass with you. If you come back again, I will call the village guards. Understand? Leave, now.¡± The two men held the injured one up between them and they struggled out the front door. Amethyst lowered the guns and clicked the safeties back into place. Alexcent shouted angrily from behind her, ¡°What did you think you were doing? There were three of them! How could you be so reckless? What if you had been hurt?¡± ¡°I would have shot them before they touched me,¡± Amethyst said meekly. ¡°What? Thank god they were only workers. If they had been mercenaries or knights, those guns would have been on the floor before you had a chance to use them.¡± ¡°You were about to hit them with your bare hands,¡± Amethyst complained. ¡°And I have an obligation as an owner to protect my employee.¡± ¡°What?¡± Alexcent laughed. ¡°Still, don¡¯t do that again!¡± ¡°Fine, as long as you stop nagging! And try to ignore what they said.¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t bother me in the least.¡± ¡°Then everything is good.¡± Amethyst relaxed and sat down at the table. ¡°Sorry for causing a scene,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault! Besides, I felt good after that!¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to worry about people like that. What are the guards doing?¡± Alexcent seemed angry at the situation. ¡°To think that they¡¯re not taking care of the business owners.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding. I will make the tea today.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± ¡°No. You had to deal with those rude customers insulting you. It¡¯s the least I can do.¡± Amethyst smiled and went back to the kitchen. Alexcent glared out the window, upset at the entire situation. *** That night, Amethyst showered longer than usual. She needed to wash away the stress from the day. When she came out of the bathroom, Alexcent was standing in front of her. ¡°Are you finished washing up?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes. The bathroom is all yours.¡± As she was about to walk pass by him, Alexcent took hold of her wrist. It seemed to Amethyst that it was an involuntary act. She could see the tension in his face and knew he was holding back from going any further. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°Gray,¡± she said as kindly as she could ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. Don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°Do what?¡± Alexcent asked, knowing full well what she referred to. ¡°I told you before. I love someone else.¡± ¡°But you also said it could never happen,¡± Alexcent insisted. ¡°Even if it can¡¯t happen, that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t love him.¡± ¡°Same for me.¡± ¡°What?¡± Amethyst¡¯s heart was pounding. ¡°I¡­.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Amethyst quickly stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything. I won¡¯t listen to you.¡± ¡°Why, are you scared?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°No, if I hear what I think you are going to say, we no longer can be together.¡± Alexcent looked pleadingly into her eyes desperate for some way around this situation. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything from you and can¡¯t give you anything.¡± Amethyst said. ¡°But if that¡¯s not the same for you, how can I have you living here?¡± ¡°You always avoid situations like this.¡± Alexcent blurted out before he realized what he said. ¡°What are you¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Alexcent quickly changed the subject. ¡°If I can¡¯t live here, without you, I won¡¯t do anything reckless.¡± He let go of the wrist he had been gripping rather tightly. ¡°I appreciate that,¡± Amethyst said, pushing past him and heading to her room. ¡°Who is it?¡± He asked from behind her. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The person you love but are not able to. I¡¯m curious what kind of person he is to have full ownership of your heart. I would give up easily if I knew the person was real and not someone you made up just to get me to leave you alone.¡± Tears welled up within Amethyst¡¯s eyes. Alexcent became very uncomfortable, seeing how he had made her sad. ¡°Alec,¡± she whispered quietly. ¡°Pardon?¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°Alexcent.¡± She had needed an excuse to say his name, to make his memory real once more. She burst into a stream of crying as Alexcent stared at her with a face devoid of expression. ¡°Are you happy now?¡± Amethyst wailed as she ran into her room and slammed the door. Alexcent gazed at her closed door. He could hear nothing but the pounding of his heart. A river of astonishment and happiness flowed through his body, threatening to drown him. He wanted to break down the door and exclaim at the top of his lungs who he was, but he knew he was no longer the Alexcent she knew. He was no longer the man she loved. Yet, he couldn¡¯t stop smiling. He didn¡¯t know whether he should be satisfied that she never let another man into her heart or be angry that she didn¡¯t recognize him, regardless of the change of his features. But he realized that was a ridiculous notion. Looking into the mirror, even he didn¡¯t recognize himself. Still, one thing he knew was that she still loved him. Amethyst threw herself onto her bed. She shouldn¡¯t have said his name. She knew that, but Gray had just insisted so much. She felt uneasy that the truth would get back to Alexcent¡¯s ears. There was no way that Gray knew him, right? She didn¡¯t know Gray¡¯s history, and that made her feel uneasy. Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Alexcent came to Amethyst with his tie once more, the next morning before he opened the store. ¡°I can¡¯t do it,¡± he said with a smirk on his face. ¡°If you can¡¯t then don¡¯t,¡± Amethyst replied, trying to ignore him. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Just do this, it will be fine.¡± Amethyst, frustration showing on her face, undid the top three buttons of Alexcent¡¯s shirt instead. As the top of his strong chest was revealed, Alexcent pulled the gap open more to reveal more skin. ¡°Like this?¡± he asked. Amethyst glared at him. He had said last night that he was going to give up and now he seemed to be flirting even harder. She gave him a good smack on the side of his head. ¡°Again! I told you I¡¯m not going to let this continue! I will kick you out if you keep doing this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too much.¡± Alexcent laughed, as if he didn¡¯t believe her. ¡°Whatever! Go open the store.¡± Alexcent headed off at Amethyst¡¯s order, surprisingly smiling from ear to ear. *** When Amethyst came down, the next day, Alexcent was standing in the middle of the caf¨¦ scratching his head. ¡°Why is there so much stuff?¡± he asked, as he watched, with wonder, the procession of crates containing fruit, sugar, bottles, and a slew of other necessities being delivered through the front door. ¡°In a few days we will be celebrating the Empire¡¯s founding day. There is a festival in the town. I¡¯m thinking of selling some fruit juice from a stand closer to the centre of town. I need the extra supplies so I can prepare all the product. Take the fruit into the kitchen and give it a good wash.¡± Alexcent started carting the crates of fruit to the kitchen as Amethyst checked the last box to be delivered and thanked the delivery man for his hard work. An hour later, Alexcent came out with a box full of cleaned fruit. ¡°Are you done washing them?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°They still need to be dried off with a towel.¡± Alexcent dried the clean fruit and Amethyst began cutting them into pieces. ¡°I¡¯ll help,¡± Alexcent announced. He brought a cutting board and a knife out of the kitchen and set up a station next to Amethyst. ¡°Just follow what I do,¡± Amethyst instructed. ¡°If you find seeds while cutting, don¡¯t forget to take them out. Also, give a small piece of each fruit a taste. We need to separate the sweet from the sour.¡± Alexcent bit into one of the pieces of strawberry, like she asked him to. When she looked at him, he grinned with the chunk of fruit between his lips and his front teeth, giving him a gross, dripping, red smile. ¡°Gray, do you know what happens when you fool around with someone that has a knife?¡± ¡°No,¡± Alexcent quickly swallowed the strawberry. ¡°Stop that nonsense and keep cutting.¡± Alexcent began cutting again. He had no idea why she looked so cute when she was angry. It just made him want to tease her even more. It was fine if she didn¡¯t look at him, inside he knew she was smiling. *** The fruit juice they were going to sell on the Empire¡¯s founding day was an assortment of flavours, including cherry, lemon, grape, and tangerine. Whatever they didn¡¯t sell at the festival would just be taken back to the cafe. They loaded all of the supplies into the carriage and headed downtown to their assigned booth. Lucky for them, they had been given a prime spot on a busy street. She decorated the booth with a pretty tablecloth, then displayed the varieties of fruit juice. She hoped she had done enough to get the attention of the people passing by. As the crowds began to gather, Amethyst started to worry. The festival was to last three days. What if she sold out on the first day? She began to think she should have prepared more. But, as the hours passed by, she was hoping to still sell her first bottle. It wasn¡¯t for the lack of customers; people crowded the street. It seemed like her fruit juice wasn¡¯t very popular. She was going to be left with a multitude of juice that would probably go bad if she didn¡¯t start selling. ¡°Auntie!¡± Amethyst¡¯s face brightened as she heard a familiar voice calling from the throng of people. Waving to the child who was running towards her, she cried ¡°Erina!¡± ¡°We¡¯re not the first customers, right?¡± Pauline asked, as she approached behind Erina. Amethyst laughed. ¡°Well, actually, you are.¡± ¡°I feel like this has happened before?¡± Both ladies burst out laughing. ¡°Are you here to enjoy the festival?¡± Amethyst asked ¡°Yes. We only had time to come today.¡± ¡°Auntie, let¡¯s go see the festival together! Please?¡± Erina was jumping up in down with impatience. ¡°What? I¡¯m sorry Erina, Auntie has to work,¡± Amethyst said, disappointed at seeing the child¡¯s sad face. ¡°I can watch the booth,¡± Alexcent told her. Amethyst hesitated, but Alexcent continued. ¡°You like looking around. I¡¯m all right. It¡¯s better than Erina looking sad here.¡± ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll come look around for a bit.¡± Amethyst took hold of Erina¡¯s hand, as the child grinned with joy. ¡°Shall we? Erina?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The child shouted, dragging Amethyst off through the crowd. Pauline smile at Alexcent and followed after her child. It was about an hour before Erina, Pauline and Amethyst returned. Erina was holding a balloon in her hand and had a crown of flowers on her head. Her cheeks were red from all of the excitement. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°Erina had more fun than me. Wow, I don¡¯t think I can do anything else today.¡± Amethyst collapsed in a chair behind the booth. ¡°It¡¯s hard to keep up with kids. Anyways, was it boring? Since you had to sit here and watch all the people go by without buying anything?¡± ¡°I sold them all,¡± Alexcent announced. ¡°What?!¡± ¡°I sold all the fruit juice we brought today,¡± Alexcent repeated. ¡°How?¡± Amethyst was shocked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. After you went to look around, there was a swarm of customers, and everything sold.¡± Amethyst felt absurd, asking the next question. ¡°Were all the customers women, perhaps?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Alexcent nodded. Pauline doubled over in laughter as Amethyst just rolled her eyes. ¡°Of course,¡± she grumbled. Chapter 259 Chapter 259 ¡°Carol, I think you need to give Gray a raise, or else you might lose him to another caf¨¦!¡± Pauline joked ¡°Thanks a lot, Pauline. You didn¡¯t have to hit me with the fact,¡± Amethyst scowled. ¡°Whew, sorry, sorry.¡± Pauline tried to control another bout of laughter. ¡°Anyways, since we¡¯re sold out today, let¡¯s leave!¡± Amethyst said. ¡°Come back with us Pauline. You look like your legs hurt.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say no. Thanks.¡± Pauline helped Amethyst clean up and then her and Erina climbed into the carriage with them to head back to the caf¨¦. The next day was the same, with everything selling out as Amethyst left the booth for a bit. At this rate, it seemed like she¡¯d have to give Gray a raise, like Pauline said. On the last day, Amethyst decided to not even remain at the booth. The fruit juice was sold out before noon, despite having brought extra supplies. And the only explanation was Gray. Amethyst glared bitterly at him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Alexcent asked, smirking. ¡°Nothing, never mind. Let¡¯s look around the festival, since we¡¯re sold out.¡± ¡°Look around? Didn¡¯t you do that on the first day?¡± ¡°I did, but I couldn¡¯t browse properly, as I spent most of the time chasing Erina.¡± Alexcent sighed. Amethyst knew his feelings about shopping. She tried to pique his interest ¡°There¡¯s a shooting game at one of the booths. Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°All right.¡± Amethyst smiled. ¡°Yay! On we go!¡± The shooting game was near by. ¡°I¡¯m pretty good at shooting, haven¡¯t you heard? Can¡¯t miss!¡± Amethyst joked, elbowing Alexcent in fun to try and get him to smile. She picked up the air pistol and aimed at the target. With a pop, the first shot missed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Maybe there¡¯s a problem with the gun?¡± The second shot missed as well. This time she smacked the gun. ¡°I think it¡¯s broken,¡± she announced to the man running the booth. ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s not broken! It¡¯s fine. You have 8 shots left.¡± Alexcent stood close to her and spoke in her ear. ¡°This gun has a different velocity to the gun you own. The recoil is different as well. Don¡¯t look at the middle of the board, but shoot as if you were aiming further, past the board.¡± Amethyst froze up when Alexcent¡¯s breath tickled her ear. ¡°Your body is stiff. Your shoulders can¡¯t twist like that.¡± Alexcent said. He put his hands on her shoulders, so they wouldn¡¯t move. ¡°How is your aim?¡± ¡°Good,¡± Amethyst replied. ¡°Then shoot now.¡± With another pop, the pellet struck the middle of the target. ¡°Well done.¡± Alexcent smiled brightly and patted Amethyst¡¯s head. A memory brushed her mind. This scene seemed familiar. She remembered blowing up half of the target range trying to learn how to shoot. She managed her first bullseye standing next to Alexcent like this. Her heart was beating out of control. ¡°Aim again,¡± Gray said. Alexcent fixed her posture again then told her to shoot. She released three shots in a row, all of them hitting the centre of the bullseye. ¡°Look!¡± Amethyst jumped in glee, pointing at the target. ¡°Yes, I can see it very clearly.¡± Alexcent smiled. ¡°Do you want to give it a try?¡± Amethyst asked, handing him the gun. ¡°Me? No, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Why? Are you not confident, now that you have to do it instead of coaching me?¡± Amethyst wanted him to have fun at the festival. She was hoping that he would start enjoying life a bit more, instead of saying he was fine all the time. She just wanted him to be happy. ¡°I don¡¯t know. What would you do for me if I win?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me, ask the owner.¡± Amethyst and Alexcent looked to the owner simultaneously. He laughed. ¡°If you hit all of your shots, then that doll is yours.¡± ¡°Do you want it?¡± Alexcent asked Amethyst. As Amethyst nodded, Alexcent lifted the gun and, without hesitating, aimed at the board and fired in rapid succession. The gun rattled off ten shots, all of which struck the centre of the bullseye. Amethyst felt embarrassed, trying to show off in front of him. The owner laughed, but Amethyst could tell that he was upset that they had won. ¡°Congratulations,¡± the owner grumbled as he handed over the doll to Amethyst. ¡°Great! I should give it to Erina.¡± Amethyst turned to Alexcent. ¡°Gray, you said you were a knight before becoming a slave, right?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That would explain why you were so good at shooting.¡± She just didn¡¯t want to admit that she really wasn¡¯t that great at shooting. They continued through the festival and stopped in front of a booth that had a card game. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to try that!¡± Amethyst exclaimed. ¡°No!¡± Alexcent said forcefully. ¡°They are con games. You can¡¯t beat them.¡± ¡°Really? You still don¡¯t know! I could have beginner¡¯s luck.¡± ¡°Beginner¡¯s¡­ What?!¡± Amethyst sat down beside other players before Alexcent had a chance to stop her. ¡°Welcome! Welcome! You can win any time. It¡¯s your chance to win twice the amount you bet!¡± the owner of the booth announced. Alexcent just shook his head in frustration. He decided to watch from a few steps away. He thought she needed a harsh lesson. Amethyst smiled when the dealer gave her a good hand and frowned when she got a bad one. She had absolutely no poker face and loudly exclaimed her anger or joy every time a hand was finished. Eventually she was forced to stop, once she had lost all of the money she made from selling the fruit juice that day. Amethyst got up and walked over to Alexcent, her head bowed in shame. ¡°This is why you never gamble,¡± Alexcent said, comforting her by putting an arm around her shoulder. Chapter 260 Chapter 260 ¡°I lost everything we earned today!¡± Amethyst wailed as Alexcent held her. ¡°Wait here for a moment,¡± He said, removing his arm from around her. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just wait here.¡± ¡°All right. Hurry back.¡± Amethyst watched as he disappeared into the crowd. Alexcent went back to the booth that was running the card game. He took a seat in one of the empty chairs. ¡°Welcome! It¡¯s your chance to win twice the amount you bet,¡± the dealer called. ¡°Would you like to make the game more interesting?¡± Alexcent asked the dealer. ¡°Instead of double the winnings, let¡¯s up the bet and make it ten times the winnings.¡± The dealer laughed, then realized Alexcent was being serious. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s do it.¡± He was confident that no one could beat his manipulated game. The dealer started turning the cards. After a few rounds, where Alexcent won every hand, he started gathering his winning to leave. The dealer grabbed his arm and pleaded, ¡°Wait! Let¡¯s play one more game!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already won back ten times what I lost before,¡± Alexcent informed him. ¡°I don¡¯t need to play any more.¡± ¡°How can you just leave after taking everything?!¡± ¡°What do you mean? Just fool another pushover and steal their money.¡± Alexcent turned his back on the dealer, who just stood there in shock, and returned to Amethyst who was waiting under the shade of a tree. She still looked sad, so he handed the pouch of winnings over to her. ¡°What is this?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°It¡¯s the money you lost earlier. Plus, a little extra.¡± ¡°Where did you get it? Did you steal it from the dealer?¡± ¡°No. I just begged him to give it back.¡± ¡°And he gave it to you?¡± ¡°Sure. It¡¯s the town festival. It¡¯s for fun. He even threw in a little extra as an apology.¡± ¡°Wow!¡± They headed off to see the rest of the festival. ¡°You look tired. Would you like a piggy back?¡± Alexcent joked. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Amethyst looked annoyed and picked up her pace. After browsing a few more shops, they came to the end of the festival grounds. The crowds were sparse here, as there wasn¡¯t anything to see, and it was mainly people heading for home. ¡°I guess this is the end,¡± Amethyst stated, halting her steps. ¡°Yes. Should we head back?¡± ¡°Yes. Did you have fun today?¡± She smiled, ¡°I enjoyed it. We can¡¯t work all of the time; we need to enjoy ourselves when we can.¡± ¡°Yes. I had a great time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good!¡± Amethyst seemed satisfied; her eyes lit up. Such a pleasing sight, Alexcent couldn¡¯t help but brush her cheek with his hand and she blushed in reaction. ¡°Hey, hey! Looking good!¡± Five large men, who looked like common thugs, were swaggering over to them making lewd noises. Alexcent quickly stepped in front of Amethyst to shield her. ¡°What do you want?¡± He asked the man who had addressed them. ¡°Oh, nothing. We just thought the two of you looked so cute together,¡± the thug sneered. ¡°Thank you. Now if you don¡¯t mind, please be on your way,¡± Alexcent insisted. The men laughed. ¡°Look at how polite they are,¡± the first man joked to his friends. ¡°But we do mind. And I would like you to give back the money you took from me earlier.¡± Alexcent realized then that this was the man he had gambled with. It looked like the dealer had gathered some goons to get revenge. ¡°Was it a fair game?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°Listen to this bastard!¡± the dealer said to his friends. ¡°Fair doesn¡¯t exist in gambling!¡± ¡°Just let us go. We don¡¯t want any trouble,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°Sure. Give us the money and you can leave.¡± Alexcent sighed, pushed Amethyst out of the way, and got ready to fight. He may not be able to use magic anymore, but he was still a trained soldier. As the men began to circle him, Amethyst suddenly shouted. ¡°It¡¯s the guards! Here! Here! Help us!¡± She waved her hands in the air, and the thugs turned around quickly to see where the guards were. Amethyst took her chance, grabbing Alexcent¡¯s hand and running in the opposite direction from the confused thugs. When the men realized what was happening, they gave chase. They were a lot faster than they appeared and slowly gained on the duo. Amethyst, who was tiring quickly, was suddenly lifted into the air by Alexcent, who kept on running while carrying her. ¡°Gray! You can¡¯t carry me the whole way!¡± Amethyst exclaimed. ¡°Just hang on. Otherwise, they are going to catch us.¡± Amethyst wrapped her arms around his neck and held tightly. She could see the men behind them slowly tire out and fall behind. As they widened the distance, the men yelled something she couldn¡¯t hear and then they were gone. ¡°Gray.¡± Alexcent kept on running, his adrenaline having taken over. ¡°Gray! Stop! They¡¯re not chasing anymore.¡± Alexcent stopped, panting. ¡°You can put me down now,¡± Amethyst said, realizing she was still in midair. As soon as he regained his breath, Alexcent turned on her. ¡°What were you thinking? Started running without a plan! What if you fell?!¡± ¡°Falling wasn¡¯t the problem?! How could we win in a fight where it¡¯s two versus six! Those weren¡¯t exactly small men!¡± ¡°I can beat thugs like them, even if I fought sixteen of them alone.¡± ¡°Even if you fight that well, how can you be so certain that you¡¯ll win every time?¡± ¡°Never mind. Next time, at least give me a signal before you do something like that.¡± Alexcent started heading back to their booth. ¡°You lied to me,¡± Amethyst said to his back. ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes! You said you begged for the money back?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­. Well¡­.¡± ¡°And you got ten times what you bet?¡± ¡°I just thought you¡¯d worry¡­.¡± Alexcent began to turn red in embarrassment. ¡°You told me you should never gamble! That¡¯s what you said!¡± Amethyst was furious. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Alexcent¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°So, how much did you win?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°How much did you win. Is it enough to buy some meat?¡± Alexcent burst out laughing. Chapter 261 ¡°Don¡¯t laugh! I¡¯m still angry,¡± Amethyst grumbled. Alexcent immediately shut his mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s invite Pauline and Erina over for dinner,¡± he said, hoping that would cheer her up. ¡°All right,¡± Amethyst agreed, relaxing a little. They packed up the booth and headed home. ¡°How are your legs?¡± She inquired after seeing him falter in his steps a little. ¡°They¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°I was heavy right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Realizing his mistake, Alexcent quickly took his word back, ¡°No. You weren¡¯t that heavy.¡± ¡°Yes? No?¡± Amethyst pretended to kick Alexcent. ¡°Sorry!¡± *** The founding day festival ended, and life started returning to normal. Alexcent kept trying to find a way into Amethyst¡¯s heart, but she didn¡¯t show any weakness. As he lay in his bed, he pressed into his memory all of the faces she had made that day: smiling, frowning, even glaring. Anything she did made him smile. The full moon sent silver beams into his room, that flickered on and off as clouds passed by. A strange presence made him suddenly sit upright in his bed. There was someone outside, he was sure of it. He quickly dressed and crept downstair silently, so as not to wake Amethyst. Deactivating the defense magic, he opened the front door and headed outside. Across the reflections of moonlight, on the river in front of the shop, a shadow passed. And from the darkness the shadow spoke to him. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Your Majesty.¡± Alexcent recognised the voice immediately, ¡°Gen?¡± Gen stepped out of the shadows and into the dull light of the evening. He hadn¡¯t changed a bit. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Alexcent asked in shock. ¡°I¡¯ve come to take you home.¡± ¡°Home?¡± Gen held out a sealed letter to Alexcent. It was from the Empress and bore the seal of the World Tree. Alexcent broke it open and skimmed the contents. He let out a short laugh when he realized that he was being paroled. ¡°This is earlier than I expected,¡± Alexcent said, his mind reeling. ¡°Yes. There are problems all over the empire. The Empress can no longer handle everything alone.¡± ¡°Problems?¡± Alexcent had certainly seen a few of them himself, but he thought Belice would be able to handle things a little longer. ¡°The biggest problem is the sea border with the Boron Kingdom. The problem arose after you were gone. They started to gain control of the sea. The empress did her best to stop it, but it seems a little too much for her.¡± ¡°What has Roden been doing?¡± ¡°Duke Roden is trying to solve all the other problems. Also, the empress collapsed a few days ago.¡± Alexcent looked at Gen in concern. ¡°Collapsed?¡± ¡°She¡¯s only been sleeping 2-3 hours a day. Some days, she doesn¡¯t even sleep half that time.¡± Alexcent wasn¡¯t surprised. It wasn¡¯t easy to monitor every corner of such a large Empire. Even when he was there to take on some of the work, the empress was still incredibly busy. ¡°I was hoping that everything would remain the way it was, but it appears that everything is going downhill.¡± ¡°My apologies,¡± Gen said, as if he was responsible. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. When did you want to leave?¡± ¡°We have to go now.¡± Right now? Alexcent turned his head and looked sadly at the second floor where Amethyst would be sleeping. Then he turned back to Gen. ¡°I trust you,¡± he said solemnly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I brought everything that you will require,¡± Gen informed him. ¡°We need to stop by somewhere first,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°All right, but it must be quick.¡± *** Veolense went to his office late at night instead of sleeping. He wanted to check the value of the jewels that had been mined the previous day before the next day¡¯s work began. The moment he opened his office door, he could see that someone was sitting in his chair. ¡°Who are you?! How dare you intrude into my office!¡± Veolense was scared that he had interrupted a thief. Then the form moved into the light of the lamp. ¡°You! You¡¯re the slave I sold months ago. How dare you return here!¡± Veolense was furious. Not only because this slave had broken into his house, be he actually had the tenacity to sit in his chair! The man was resting his feet on his desk! ¡°I thought you might have forgotten me, but I¡¯m glad to see that you remember.¡± ¡°What? How dare you¡­¡± Before Veolense could finish, Gen, who was hiding behind the door, came up behind him and kick out his legs, causing him to fall to his knees. ¡°What is this!¡± Veolense demanded. ¡°Greet him properly. He is the Duke Skad,¡± Gen ordered. ¡°What?¡± Veolense looked at the slave before him. ¡°You must be joking.¡± Gen kicked him in the back, making him bow on the floor. ¡°You have something of mine, and I want it back,¡± Alexcent told the prostate man on the floor before him. Veolense remembered what he had done to this slave. Whether he was really the Duke Skad or not, what was certain was that his life was in danger. ¡°There was a misunderstanding back then. I¡¯m sorry! Please, forgive me! Spare my life! I¡¯ll give you anything you like!¡± ¡°Really? Then bring it.¡± ¡°Pardon? What do you want me to bring?¡± ¡°You should know. It¡¯s not something you can sell. I¡¯ve seen the jewels that you dig up. This is even more valuable than your life.¡± Veolense¡¯s eyes widened when he realized what the man was speaking of. ¡°I can¡¯t! That¡¯s my family¡¯s heirloom!¡± Alexcent scoffed at the word heirloom. ¡°I don¡¯t know how my wife¡¯s wedding ring could be your heirloom?¡± Chapter 262 ¡°Your wife¡¯s wedding ring?¡± Veolense remembered that Amethyst had referred to it as a wedding ring when she sold it. ¡°She said she no longer wanted it! She said she was divorced!¡± ¡°Gen.¡± Gen stepped forward at Alexcent¡¯s command and promptly snapped the bone in Veolense¡¯s left arm. Veolense screamed loudly. Strangely, no one came to investigate his cries. ¡°There¡¯s no one left to save you, no matter how loud you scream. I suggest you bring me the ring before your other arm also becomes useless.¡± ¡°Wait! Wait, please! I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± Veolense grimaced in pain as he stood, cradling his broken arm. The pain made him dizzy, and he stumbled a few times before he was able to walk to his safe. He entered the password with a trembling finger and opened the latch. From within, he withdrew a metal box, which he handed to Alexcent. Inside was the ring, glittering in the lamp light. Throwing the box to the side, Alexcent safely placed the ring in his pocket. ¡°As a show of good faith for returning my ring, I will give you a warning. There will be an audit on all of the noble households very soon. I doubt you will pass.¡± ¡°Please spare my life. I gave you back the ring,¡± Veolense pleaded. He knew that he could be charged with betraying the empire for mining the Empress¡¯ lands without permission, and that betrayal comes with a sentence of death. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry.¡± Alexcent smiled. ¡°I won¡¯t kill you. But seeing how you treated me, I think I¡¯ll make you a slave. Then your life will remain, but you can suffer as I suffered.¡± Alexcent gave a chuckle as Veolense fainted to the floor. ¡°We¡¯ll leave soon. I have just one more stop. Also, when we return, I want to gather enough manpower to investigate every mountain and valley in the Empire. Anyone found who has taken advantage of the Empress¡¯ lands shall be severely punished.¡± ¡°I shall carry out your order,¡± Gen said. Alexcent quickly left the Veolense mansion, with Gen following. He had one last place to visit before the sunrise. *** Amethyst woke up to the faint sound of a horse neighing. She rose drowsily from the bed and looked out the window. It was dark still and she couldn¡¯t make out any details, but she could still hear a horse somewhere close by. For some reason, the sound made her nervous. Donning a shawl, she left her bedroom and went down the hall to Alexcent¡¯s room. She knocked lightly. ¡°Gray? Are you up?¡± she called through the door. Hearing nothing, Amethyst opened the door. The bed was empty. She closed the door and checked the bathroom, but it was also empty. Wrapping her shawl tighter around her, she headed downstairs. ¡°Gray? Are you here?¡± She called to the shadows. The caf¨¦ was silent. Shutting off the defense magic, Amethyst went outside to see if she could find the horse she had heard. She couldn¡¯t hardly see anything in the night, as there was thick fog drifting up from the river. She jumped as the horse whinnied close by. ¡°Gray? Is that you?¡± She called into the murkiness. ¡°Yes.¡± His voice made her jump as it erupted from the void of mist. Amethyst breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°You scared me.¡± Alexcent¡¯s form appeared from the fog. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amethyst became concerned by his vague answers. ¡°What happened? If it¡¯s something I can help with¡­¡± Alexcent put a hand to the side of her face. ¡°Gray?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time for me to leave,¡± Alexcent said, with sadness in his eyes. ¡°Leave?¡± ¡°I have to go back.¡± ¡°Go back? Where? Wait! Is your punishment over?¡± Alexcent nodded his head. ¡°That¡¯s good! That¡¯s really good!¡± Amethyst said, overjoyed and heart broken at the same time. ¡°You also should go back,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°What?¡± ¡°How long are you going to hide from your past?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not something you should concern yourself about.¡± Alexcent stared into her eyes. ¡°Fine. Can I at least kiss you as goodbye?¡± ¡°What?! No.¡± ¡°It will be my last goodbye. Please give me this memory.¡± Amethyst¡¯s heart almost shattered. Since she may never see Gray again, she felt that one kiss would be all right. She nodded. Alexcent took her face in his hands and kissed her passionately, his tongue entering her mouth with surprise. Amethyst at first thought to pull away, but instead she moaned and kissed him back with the same passion. It had been a long time since she had kissed a man like this. For some reason, she could feel tears leaking from her eyes. All she could see was Alexcent¡¯s face. He used to kiss her like this. She knew she should try and get away, but Gray pressed her closer. She finally gave up resisting and enjoyed the moment. When he was done, Gray quietly whispered into her ear. ¡°I¡¯ll wait.¡± Her body trembled. She opened her eyes to look at him, but he had already turned and disappeared into the surrounding fog. She felt something in her hand. He had slipped the pink diamond wedding ring on to her finger and placed a crumpled piece of paper into her hand, all while distracting her with the kiss. She opened her hand and checked the piece of paper. There were 15 stamps on it, and ¡®grant a small wish¡¯ in her handwriting beside that. Her body felt weak. He said he would wait for me. Was Gray actually Alec? There was no way. Her mind was turning in circles, remembering events that occurred. He said it wasn¡¯t the first time that he had sujebi. He knew I always avoided confrontation. Everything he did was the same as Alec. Amethyst realized she was crying uncontrollably as the sun began to rise and burn away the fog. Was he willing to wait for her to come back to him? Amethyst wiped away her tears and went back into the caf¨¦. She didn¡¯t open for business that day. Pauline and Erina came by but the caf¨¦ was closed. They knocked but no one answered so they continued home. Amethyst remained in her bed. Everything felt like a dream. Perhaps, if she fell asleep, she would wake up and everything would be back to normal. Right now, nothing was as it seemed. She wasn¡¯t sure who she was anymore. She wasn¡¯t sure who Alexcent was. Was anybody who they actually appeared to be? She wanted to leave this nightmare. However, after she drifted off to slumber, the more frightening nightmare returned. As the visions played, she moaned in her sleep, her body covered in a clammy sweat. She was back in the living room of her previous life. There was something different than before, though. She could hear the laughter of children. Looking up, the children ran past her into the kitchen. Chapter 263 ¡°Mom! Mom!¡± they called. Amethyst followed the children shouting, ¡°Guys! Mom is standing right here!¡± The children did not turn to her. They went to a woman who stood at the kitchen sink with her back to Amethyst and embraced her from both sides. ¡°Mom, mom! Look at this, I drew this,¡± one of the children exclaimed, holding up her artwork. ¡°Really? Wow! It¡¯s a masterpiece!¡± the mother exclaimed. ¡°What is this a picture of? Guess!¡± the child asked, jumping up and down. The mother thought for a moment. ¡°A puppy?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Then a cat?¡± ¡°No, no!¡± ¡°Then give me a hint!¡± The mother smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t know this? It¡¯s a frog!¡± ¡°What? How is this a frog?¡± The child began to tear up at the mother¡¯s guess. ¡°Don¡¯t cry!¡± Amethyst exclaimed. The mother knelt on one knee, so that she was at the child¡¯s eye level. ¡°You know, now that I look again, I can see it¡¯s a frog. I¡¯m sorry, I was just playing around. You drew a very good frog.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The children ran back into the living room excitedly. Amethyst felt a shiver run through her body as the woman before her stood and looked right at her. She could see that it was herself and yet not herself. This was a thirty-seven-year-old Heeyeon. The woman actually addressed her. ¡°Are you happy now?¡± Heeyeon asked. ¡°I¡¯m happy. Everything is fine. I hope you find happiness as well.¡± ¡°But, you¡¯re me,¡± Amethyst said, confused. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m you. And you¡¯re me. But I¡¯m happy now and you are not. So go look for your happiness. That¡¯s the best option for both of us.¡± ¡°You really are happy?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°I am.¡± Heeyeon smiled. ¡°And I can become happy as well?¡± Amethyst¡¯s voice trembled. Heeyeon simply smiled. Amethyst¡¯s eyes shot opened as she woke up. She couldn¡¯t tell whether it was morning or evening. A memory had come, one of Belice. There had been information that Belice hadn¡¯t told Amethyst when she first came to this world. Now that time had passed, Amethyst felt she should learn the entire story. She would need to meet with Belice. Amethyst got off the bed and started packing. Then she stopped. She couldn¡¯t just run off again, not without getting organized first. She needed to approach this one step at a time. She decided to shower, get dressed and then figure out what needed to be done. ¡°Carol!¡± Pauline and Erina walked into the caf¨¦ that afternoon. The caf¨¦ had been closed until then. Pauline walked up to Amethyst and gave her a big hug. ¡°Are you ok? Did something happen?¡± Pauline asked. ¡°No. Nothing happened,¡± Amethyst replied, mustering a smile. ¡°Were you sick? You should¡¯ve told me!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not sick.¡± Amethyst assured her. ¡°Then that¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Pauline, can you sit for a moment? I have a favour to ask.¡± ¡°Of course. What¡¯s the favour?¡± Amethyst handed Pauline a notepad. Pauline looked puzzled as she flipped to the first page. Written on the paper was the current financial state of the caf¨¦ and the inventory. The next page had a caf¨¦ manual that explained all of the other workings of the cafe. ¡°What is this?¡± Pauline asked, as she flipped to the next page. It had the recipe to make the fruit juice, detailing everything from prepping the ingredients to the fermenting period. Pauline looked up at Amethyst in surprise. ¡°What is this? Why are you showing me this notepad?¡± ¡°I have somewhere I need to go for a while. Can you take care of the caf¨¦ during that time? I have too many memories here to close it down and I don¡¯t want to give it to anyone else. I thought you would be the best fit to take it over.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Can¡¯t you just close it down for a while and then reopen when you come back?¡± Pauline looked confused. ¡°I might be gone for a while.¡± Pauline tried her best to stay calm. ¡°Are you thinking you might not come back? Is that it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be certain right now. But I do have to leave. I don¡¯t have a choice in that.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to. Just close down and make sure you come back. I can at least make sure nothing happens to the building while you are gone.¡± ¡°Pauline¡­.¡± ¡°I said no.¡± ¡°Think about Erina. You can¡¯t keep sending her off when you have to work. If you worked here, she could spend all day with you.¡± Amethyst thought that would be the point that changed Pauline¡¯s mind. ¡°It¡¯s my business, what I do with Erina,¡± Pauline said stubbornly. ¡°Of course, Pauline. You know what¡¯s best for Erina.¡± ¡°This is your caf¨¦, you can¡¯t just leave it.¡± Pauline said, on the verge of tears. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you to take care of it while I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°But you might not come back! Is it dangerous, whatever you have to do?¡± Pauline wasn¡¯t going to give up trying to convince her to stay. ¡°No. My plan had always been to travel. I received a good opportunity, and because it might take a while, I need someone trustworthy to take care of the cafe.¡± Amethyst smiled, hoping she had convinced Pauline. ¡°Carol. Do You think I¡¯m stupid?¡± Pauline looked angry now. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°What aren¡¯t you telling me? I thought you were my friend but you¡­¡± Pauline couldn¡¯t control her emotions any longer and began to cry. ¡°Pauline, I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m upsetting you. The truth is, Gray left. I woke up and he was gone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re chasing after him?¡± ¡°No. He received a reprieve and went back to his rightful place. I just think it¡¯s time I find out who I really am.¡± ¡°Carol¡­¡± ¡°Pauline. I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t tell you everything right now. But please believe, you are my friend. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you for this favour. This caf¨¦ is really precious to me and you¡¯re the only one I can trust to take care of it.¡± ¡°Will you come back when you find yourself?¡± Pauline asked, sniffing back the tears. ¡°If I have no choice but to come back, then I will return.¡± ¡°I hope that doesn¡¯t happen,¡± Pauline said. ¡°What?¡± Amethyst was shocked at Pauline¡¯s response. ¡°It seems like whatever you are searching for is very important, so I hope you find it and don¡¯t get to come back.¡± It seemed like Pauline subconsciously understood Amethyst¡¯s dilemma. She could sense that Amethyst would become so happy that she wouldn¡¯t have to come back here. ¡°I¡¯ll still miss you,¡± Pauline said sadly. ¡°But you could still come visit. You would be able to do that, right?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget to write.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll not be responsible for going bankrupt when you¡¯re not here,¡± Pauline said stubbornly Amethyst laughed. ¡°It¡¯s ok if it does.¡± ¡°How can you say that it¡¯s ok for the cafe to go bankrupt!¡± Pauline was shocked. ¡°Nothing¡¯s more important than a friend,¡± Amethyst replied. Pauline hugged Carol for a long time, tears streaming down both lady¡¯s faces. That day Caf¨¦ Carol, run by Amethyst and Gray, closed for the last time. A few days after Amethyst left, Caf¨¦ Carol, run by Pauline and Erina, opened. Chapter 264 Amethyst was heading towards the capital. She had arranged transportation on the public carriage that takes people from city to city, ending at the capital. If she hadn¡¯t been able to afford the public carriage, there was no way she would¡¯ve made it to the capital in three months. They stopped at designated hostels along the route, but she could never sleep, and during the day, she could hardly sit still. The anticipation was too much. But tomorrow, it would all end as she was on the leg of her journey. Amethyst couldn¡¯t fall asleep and stared blankly into the dark night out of the hostel window. She still was having trouble coming to the terms that Gray and Alec were the same man. She remembered the first moment she met Gray. His face was so swollen, no one was able to tell what he looked like. He had said he was a slave. That was the hardest fact to believe. There was no way that Alec would betray Belice. Sure, they had bickered but they trusted each other deeply. Amethyst looked down at the paper in her hand. This note is definitely the same one that I gave Alexcent, she thought. How else would Gray have come into possession of it? She shook her head as she remembered the time she had spent with Gray. ¡°Gray! You must broom the corner! All the dust settles in the corner. Be careful not to break the dishes when you wash them. Don¡¯t forget to wipe the sink after.¡± Was everything I said simply bossing him around? I should have treated him better. Suddenly, a chill went through her. She had told him everything about her past! The day they watched the beautiful sunset, she had talked about all of it. What did he say? She tried to recall his words and then they came to her. ¡°I think he would rather be with you and love you just once more, rather than to be refused without knowing why.¡± Did he mean it? Was that why he said he¡¯ll wait? Why he told me to come back? Is it safe for me to go back? Her heart was confused. She wanted to be happy with him, but she also couldn¡¯t erase all these questions. She didn¡¯t know if she was putting herself in danger and that made her uneasy. Belice would have the answers, and that was why Amethyst needed to meet with her first. Amethyst wanted to believe that Belice held the key. But what if she found out it had been correct all along for her to leave Alec. What should she do then? Amethyst shook her head and sat through the night in her bed, the worries battling off any chance of sleep. *** She took the first express carriage to leave at dawn and headed towards the capital at top speed. There had been a fair bit of change in the city since she had left. Many of the stores were new and not merchants she had heard of. When she exited the carriage, she felt like she had entered a whole new world. She waited patiently and entered the next carriage that would take her directly to the palace. The horseman, thinking her a tourist, dropped her off in front of the front gates. A guard, wearing a majestic suit of armour blocked the entrance. There had been a time when she could confidently walk straight into the palace, and no one would stop her. That wasn¡¯t the case anymore. She wasn¡¯t surprised. Her clothes advertised that she was now a lowly merchant. Amethyst sighed and began following the walls of the castle grounds. There had to be an entrance for servants. It felt like she walked forever. The palace grounds were huge! Eventually, she stumbled on a smaller entrance, also blocked by a guard. She couldn¡¯t just say that she wanted to meet the Empress, that would be crazy. She didn¡¯t know how to proceed. The guard, who had noticed her standing in the road, staring at the entrance, asked ¡°What is your business to the palace? If you¡¯re an employee, then you need to show me your identity card.¡± Amethyst got flustered. ¡°I don¡¯t work here, but I would like to see someone.¡± ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± the guard asked. ¡°No. But I really need to meet her. Is there any way?¡± ¡°Tell me the person¡¯s department and the reason for your visit.¡± The guard was very official. Department? Reason for visit? If Amethyst said she was here to meet Belice, the guard would tell her to get lost. There had to be another way. Perhaps if she asked to meet the Empress¡¯ secretary? She had only met him a few times, but it was worth an attempt. ¡°I want to see the Empress¡¯ secretary. The reason for my visit is sensitive. I¡¯m afraid I can only reveal the details to him.¡± If this worked, it would at least get her foot in the door. The officer studied Amethyst, his expression not reveling anything. ¡°Are you an immediate family?¡± he asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Distant relative then?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± The guard looked annoyed. ¡°He¡¯s not someone you can meet, just because you want to meet him. You don¡¯t have an appointment, and you¡¯re not family, so I can¡¯t allow you in.¡± Amethyst felt frustrated but wasn¡¯t surprised. She didn¡¯t want to give up, though. ¡°I¡¯m his acquaintance, isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°Unless you can confirm your identity, you can¡¯t come in. Now move on!¡± The guard was starting to get angry. Amethyst tried her best to remember the name of Belice¡¯s secretary. Then it came to her: Karune. She pulled out the ID card that Gen had given her so long ago. ¡°Then please give a message to Karune that his acquaintance wants to meet with him. Let him decide if he wants to meet with me. Here is my ID. Can you do that much? Please.¡± Amethyst tried to ask as sweetly as she could, hoping to change the guard¡¯s mind. The officer seemed to be surprised that she knew the name of the secretary. He took the ID card and scanned it. Looking at her face, his eyes opened wide. He suddenly seemed extremely flustered. Chapter 265 ¡°Wait here for a moment please,¡± the guard said, taking her ID and quickly disappearing into the palace. Karune, the chief secretary of Empress Belice, was going over a report collected from the diplomats of the neighbouring countries. Now that Duke Skad was back, he did not have as much responsibility but he always wanted to keep up to date with the status of the surrounding countries. There was a knock at his office door and another secretary stuck her head in. ¡°Chief secretary, someone is requesting a meeting with you.¡± Karune looked at his calendar. ¡°I didn¡¯t have an appointment scheduled for today.¡± ¡°I know, but the visitor said she needed to meet with you right away and asked to show you this.¡± The secretary handed him the ID card. Karune¡¯s eyes opened in shock. ¡°This bears the royal seal!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Who was the person that brought this?¡± ¡°It was a young lady. Her name is on the card. I believe it¡¯s Carol.¡± To Karune¡¯s knowledge, there was no one left that used that particular royal seal. The empress used the World Tree as she was basically the Goddess. Duke Skad had used this royal seal when he was a prince, but when he became Duke, he used a different seal. So why does some random young lady have this card? Karune took a closer look at the ID to make sure that it wasn¡¯t forged. The royal seal disappeared when looked at from a particular angle, so only the World Tree could be seen. There was no way one could sophisticatedly forge the magic that created that effect. The weight and texture of the card also felt correct. It was definitely real. ¡°Bring the lady in here now,¡± Karune instructed the secretary. He needed to find out who this woman was and how she came into possession of this card. Karune was worried this stranger could be a threat to the Empress. The Empress was supposed to be the only female of royal blood in the Empire, and if that wasn¡¯t true there could be a scandal. * * * Amethyst followed the secretary into the palace. She didn¡¯t think she would be allowed in so quickly, figuring she would be waiting most of the day for the ID card to get into the right hands. The secretary had greeted her politely, even though she eyed the shabbiness of Amethyst¡¯s clothes. Arriving at a door, the secretary knocked. ¡°Enter,¡± a voice called from within. The secretary opened the door and indicated for Amethyst to enter. The office was richly furnished with a luxurious sofa, a mahogany table, and an ornate carpet. Karune stood up from his desk and indicated the chair in front. ¡°Please come in,¡± he said politely. Karune watched Amethyst as she walked into the room and seated herself in the chair. As he went to sit back down, he almost fell over. ¡°You¡¯re the Duchess Skad!¡± he exclaimed in shock. Amethyst smiled as Karune recognized her. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would be remembered after all of this time.¡± ¡°How can I forget the duchess.¡± It was one of the duties of the secretary for the Empress, memorizing faces. Karune had always been the best. Amethyst wasn¡¯t surprised that he recognized her. ¡°I¡¯m not the duchess anymore,¡± Amethyst said, smiling awkwardly. ¡°Why have you come looking for me?¡± Karune asked. ¡°Actually, I wanted to meet the Empress. But as you can see by the state I¡¯m in¡­¡± Amethyst picked at her clothes in embarrassment. ¡°That¡¯s why you said you wanted to meet me.¡± Amethyst could see the understanding in Karune¡¯s face. ¡°Yes. But you weren¡¯t easy to get an appointment with either. I should¡¯ve just asked to meet the Empress, in the first place.¡± Karune laughed out loud. ¡°Her Majesty is taking a stroll right now. I know a good place for you two to chat where you won¡¯t be seen. Come with me.¡± Karune stood and held the door open for her, waiting for her to follow. *** The palace was quiet during this time of day. Belice was enjoying her stroll, having cleared her schedule for the first time in a while. Of course, whenever she had a moment to herself, Karune would show up. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Karune greeted her, bowing. ¡°What is it now? You never seem to allow me to rest.¡± ¡°My apologies. But I have someone with me who you must meet right away. It was necessary for me to interrupt.¡± ¡°I thought I had no more appointments for today?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t. This arrival came as a surprise, but it is important you see her,¡± Karune said. Belice sighed. It must be important if Karune came to find her. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll meet her in my office.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ll lead you to the private room the person is waiting in.¡± ¡°Private room?¡± This must be a really important meeting if it is being made in secret. She followed Karune and entered the chamber he led her to. Inside she saw the last face she had ever expected to. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty. I hope you have been well,¡± Amethyst said, acknowledging Belice with a smile. Belice paused, as she looked at Amethyst. Turning to Karune, Belice gave him an order. ¡°Karune, don¡¯t let anyone enter this chamber unless I say so. Also, make sure my schedule stays clear for the rest of the day.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Karune left the room, closing the door behind him. Chapter 266 Amethyst didn¡¯t waste any time. ¡°Thank you for meeting with me. I hope I¡¯m not interrupting your day. There is something I need explained and I think only you are able to do that for me. There has been so much going through my head. What is reality and what is a dream? What is the truth? I remembered that when I once came to you, you told me the information you had was all you could tell me then. So, I assumed there was more. Please, Your Majesty, tell me what it is that you only know. What am I?¡± Belice sighed. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a long story.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ok. I have more time than you think.¡± Amethyst sat, waiting for Belice to continue. Belice looked at Amethyst, then carefully began. ¡°From the beginning, the princesses reigned over the Sehar Empire. It was because only they bore a special ability. And only one princess with that ability was born in each generation. That tradition continued, until now. The previous Empress, my mother, had twins. The first time this had ever occurred.¡± Amethyst knew that Alexcent and Belice were twins already, but she let Belice continue. ¡°Thankfully, I still became the empress, but honestly Alexcent had the better skill and the stronger endowment of the ability. If he had been born as a girl, he would have become the empress instead of me. This is something Alexcent is aware of, but he is fine with the situation and still offers his assistance from the sidelines.¡± Belice¡¯s voice wavered slightly with emotion. ¡°I realized that as I became happier in my life, Alexcent went the other way. The pressures of supporting me and trying to live his own life were too much. I realized then that I had made him into a monster.¡± And with that acknowledgement, Belice broke down crying. *** ¡°I think I mentioned to you once that the guilt you held was because of your children.¡± ¡°Yes, you did.¡± Amethyst remembered the time. ¡°If your guilt is because of your children, then mine is because of Alexcent. I wanted him to know what love is. I wanted him to be happy, like I was. But his fate didn¡¯t belong in this world. Maybe that¡¯s why he was able to ignore his emotion and became cruel. I decided to use my ability to explore other worlds, for someone who could soothe Alexcent. One day, I heard someone¡¯s truthful voice through the void. A voice that called to the heavens ¡®I want to disappear. Like I never existed.¡¯¡± ¡°That was me!¡± Amethyst exclaimed. ¡°Amethyst, my ability has limits. I can¡¯t challenge the Goddess¡¯ authority. No matter what world we speak of, only the Gods can create a soul. But I thought maybe I could take a little piece of that soul. Just one small piece, out of the many that make up a complete soul. I took the piece that suffered the most pain in your world¡ªHeeyeon¡¯s. Just a single piece, to give you a chance at life. And I mixed it with Amethyst, whose soul was disappearing so you could be her.¡± ¡°A disappearing soul? Then what happened to real Amethyst?¡± Amethyst asked in wonder. Belice smiled bitterly and continued, ¡°You said your name was Heeyeon. Yes, I know who you were. I was the person who brought you into this world. The real Amethyst¡¯s life, unfortunately, ended the day you came here. She had been destined to become the God¡¯s guide. I put the piece of your soul into her disappearing one.¡± ¡°That means, even if it wasn¡¯t Amethyst, I¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Even if it wasn¡¯t Amethyst, you would¡¯ve still come into this world.¡± Amethyst couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. ¡°The person you are right now is neither Heeyeon nor Amethyst. You¡¯re a new person. So you don¡¯t have to feel guilty. You didn¡¯t run from your previous life. You were chosen to come here, and it was my duty to fulfill that choice. Actually, I think it was the Goddess¡¯ will. So, if what I did is a sin, then it¡¯s something I have to carry.¡± ¡°I was chosen?¡± Amethyst thought for a moment at the absurd notion. The only reason why I came here and met Alexcent was because of Belice? She couldn¡¯t understand what made her so important. Why this all centred around her. She had so many questions. ¡°Then what happened to the version of me that was living in my previous world?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°You already know,¡± Belice said, cryptically. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Then she remembered her dream¡ªher other self asking if she was happy like her other self was. ¡°The piece of soul that I brought was so little that it would not have even been noticed by that version of you. Your soul contains so many different versions for each aspect of your life, like when you went to work, you as a mother, you as a wife, a daughter in law, one for every different situation. It¡¯s likely that the piece of soul that created depression was the one that I took, so you¡¯re most likely living a happy life as a lovely wife, good mother, wise daughter in law, and a competent worker. I just took the one piece of soul that allows Heeyeon to live a satisfying life.¡± Amethyst didn¡¯t know what to say. It was hard to comprehend that she was a completely different person than both Amethyst and Heeyeon were. Belice could see the confusion in her eyes. ¡°Amethyst, why did you come back here now? Is it because you were curious as to who you are? I can¡¯t think that was the only reason.¡± Amethyst remained silent ¡°It¡¯s because you love someone so much, you need to overcome all of this, isn¡¯t it?¡± She thought about the past year since she first left Alexcent. She had always wanted to go back but knew that she couldn¡¯t. The endless thought of him had been an unbearable torture. No matter what she did, or how far she ran, he was always there. ¡°You¡¯re right, I love him. I love him so much that I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m Heeyeon or Amethyst or someone completely different. No matter where I was, I wanted to see him, to be by him, to be loved by him. In the end, it was always about him.¡± Belice smiled. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s most important. In the end, there¡¯s nothing more important than you obeying your feelings.¡± The empress took hold of her hands. Tears streamed down Amethyst¡¯s cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re right. That was what was always important. I¡¯m not Heeyeon or Amethyst Lohikin. I¡¯m Ash Skad.¡± Chapter 267 ¡°Welcome back, Ash. And I¡¯m sorry. For putting you through such a hard time.¡± ¡°I know. Why didn¡¯t you tell me all this earlier?¡± Amethyst wiped away her tears. Belice smiled. ¡°Then you would¡¯ve been destroyed.¡± That had not been the answer she expected. ¡°What do you mean by destroyed?¡± ¡°Even though I moved the soul in accordance with the Goddess¡¯ will, your fate has to be determined by yourself. No one could influence you until your soul and body becomes aligned. That¡¯s how delicate a piece of soul is. Although, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d leave Alexcent because you couldn¡¯t accept your fate. But that was probably the Goddess¡¯ will as well. The important thing is that you came back.¡± ¡°That means, I don¡¯t have to go back to my old life?¡± Amethyst asked with hope. ¡°You couldn¡¯t go back, even if you wanted to. The moment you decided to accept him, you have become a unique individual.¡± ¡°Then, if I go back to Alexcent, he won¡¯t get hurt, or become dangerous, right?¡± ¡°That is correct. His destiny is you.¡± So, this wasn¡¯t a world of a novel? The novel never had a female protagonist that had to be with him. Everything had changed, as she was never part of the novel. Amethyst laughed. How silly she had been, all this time. ¡°Amethyst,¡± Belice grasped Amethyst¡¯s shoulders and looked straight into her eyes. ¡°This is the place you belong.¡± Amethyst nodded, her green eyes sparkling. Then she erupted once more in tears of joy. Her heart tried to pound out of her chest in excitement. She wanted to see Alexcent. The reasons for leaving him were no more. *** The first thing Alexcent did after returning to the Skad mansion was to send a message to the Boron Kingdom. ¡°Gen, tell the rulers of the Boron kingdom that I can only use my ability in war, so if they really want to see it, I am willing to show them personally. A slaughter will begin, with the blessing of the empress. So, unless they want to turn the blue sea red, then they should sign the treaty and follow it rigorously. Make sure to put my seal on it. I¡¯m sure they will agree unless they are stupid.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord. I am also to inform you that Her Majesty is looking for you.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± He didn¡¯t want to see Belice yet, but knew he had to. She still needed to remove the seal that kept him from his powers. When he had returned, he didn¡¯t go to the palace immediately to see Belice. Instead, he concentrated on fixing all of the problems that had arose while he was away. That was more important to take care of before getting rid of the seal. The second thing he had needed to do was recall all of his household knights. As soon as they received the message that he was back, they returned as quickly as they could. Everything seemed to be going back to normal, like rusted gears that had grinded to a halt until he provided the oil. It was now time to face Belice. In the carriage ride to the palace, he went over in his mind what he would say. Even though she was his sister, the situation would still be awkward. At Belice¡¯s office door, a servant announced his arrival. ¡°You may enter,¡± She called from inside. Alexcent entered. He could feel the tension in the air even before he faced his sister. All the words he had practiced in his mind left him and he just stood there, in the centre of the room, in uncomfortable silence. It was Belice who was first to break the quiet. Belice stepped in front of him. ¡°Hello, Alexcent.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look so well, Your Majesty.¡± Belice frowned. She didn¡¯t like how he was being formal even though they were alone. ¡°Alexcent, I¡¯m sorry. I did something terrible to you. No, it was more than terrible, it was unforgivable.¡± She knew she had to apologize but had no idea how he would react. ¡°I can¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t,¡± He replied. ¡°Alexcent, I did it for everyone.¡± ¡°What do you mean for everyone? To do something so cruel and claim it was for everyone? No, everything was done for you. Look at this.¡± Alexcent motioned to his new appearance. ¡°Look at the result.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. I was cruel for my own reasons. But it affected everyone, especially you.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know what to say to you. Right now, I hate and resent you.¡± He could see Belice twinge at that remark. ¡°Alexcent, you can hate me forever; resent me. You don¡¯t even have to forgive me. But I need you.¡± She was on the verge of tears. The last part, about her needing him, was barely audible. His heart ached a little, seeing her like this. She had always been confident. He didn¡¯t like seeing her in such pain. ¡°Despite how I currently feel, I know I¡¯ll still forgive you in the end.¡± ¡°Alexcent.¡± Belice looked up, with hope, to Alexcent. ¡°I told you to be a strong empress, but all you did was cause trouble.¡± Alexcent then broke out in a smile. ¡°Hurry up and break the seal.¡± Belice laughed away her tears and grabbed both of Alexcent¡¯s hands. As she mumbled words of incantation, the complicated seal on his wrist slowly disappeared and he returned to his true form. She stumbled, the spell taking energy out of her. He quickly grabbed hold of her arms to support her. Belice looked up into the eyes she remembered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. And thank you, for forgiving me.¡± ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t all bad.¡± ¡°What do you mean? It wasn¡¯t all bad?¡± ¡°Becoming a slave wasn¡¯t all bad. And the reasons it had to be done were not all your fault, as well.¡± He could tell she had no idea what he was referring too, but just smiled in return. CH 268 After the transformation back to his previous appearance, gone was the gray hair and eyes, business in the palace quickly returned to normal. ¡°The next issue to deal with is regarding the High Priest. The position is still empty, so we need to decide who would be a good replacement,¡± Karune informed the leaders. Belice turned to her brother. ¡°I believe the deputy priest Cameron would be adequate, but what is your opinion?¡±¡¯ ¡°Do we have to appoint a high priest, Your Majesty?¡± Alexcent asked. He didn¡¯t like the position of High Priest. The individual had too much power, with the entire nation¡¯s belief behind him. He thought it would be better left empty. ¡°The mourning of Celios hasn¡¯t ended yet. It is my opinion that we should wait for the right moment, rather than hastily appointing someone. The decision is yours of course.¡± Belice knew what Alexcent was getting at. ¡°I see. The love for Celios is deep. Karune, inform the people that we, the royal family, are grieving along with the entire nation. Because of that, we deem that it¡¯s a little too early to appoint a new High Priest. We can discuss the matter at a later date.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I¡¯ll relay it to the Grand Temple,¡± Karune said. ¡°The next issue is regarding the nobles that are illegally exploiting mines owned by the empire,¡± Belice continued. ¡°I have already taken care of that myself. I¡¯ll report to you later,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°It also seems like the Empire¡¯s agricultural technology is being leaked to outside nations. I¡¯ll have to investigate a little closer.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Belice said, frowning. ¡°Karune, I¡¯ll give all of the authority to Sir Skad regarding this issue, so please assist him in any way you can.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Majesty,¡± Karune replied. Alexcent felt good that all the problems that had come up were being solved, and the empress¡¯ position was becoming stronger. * * * It¡¯s been two months since he came back, and Alexcent was getting restless. ¡°Sire, you¡¯re not leaving the palace tonight as well?¡± Gen asked as he Alexcent handed over some signed documents. ¡°There¡¯s no reason to observe the city constantly. The kingdom has settled, and the parliament is running efficiently. How about taking some rest?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, but if you wish to take a break, go right ahead,¡± Gen let out a low sigh, gave him a short salute and left his office. Alexcent put down his pen the moment he became alone. He simply needed the fresh air to quell the disappointment. He had hoped that she may come back and the fact that she hadn¡¯t made his mind go crazy. It was better to focus on work. Alexcent stood up and went to the window. He watched the sun glistening over the rooftops of the city and thought of her. ¡°You¡¯re being pitiful again.¡± Turning, he saw Belice standing in the doorway. ¡°What do you mean? I was just resting for a moment.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest at the Skad mansion. You have a place that¡¯s as big and fancy this one, so why are you hanging around here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m too busy because it seems someone screwed up quite a bit.¡± Alexcent said, smiling mischievously. Belice shook her head and laughed. ¡°Go home and rest today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Alexcent.¡± ¡°I really am. Why doesn¡¯t Your Majesty go and rest?¡± They were bickering like little kids again. ¡°Sir Skad, this is an order. Leave the palace now and rest.¡± Alexcent raised his eyebrows in disbelief. He could tell that Belice was going to stand firm. ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of disobeying me, right?¡± she said. ¡°No, Your Majesty.¡± He rubbed at his eyes, realizing that he truly did need a break and began preparing to return home. *** Pon was waiting patiently for his master to come back to the Skad mansion. It seemed like his master was spending much more time in the palace to work. Maybe he didn¡¯t like staying in the mansion because it reminded him of the Lady Amethyst. Pon kept glancing at the drawing room, hoping that Lord Skad would return soon. As if the Goddess heard his prayer, Alexcent returned, after being away for two months. Pon quickly ran to the door as he heard the carriage arrive. ¡°Sir, there¡¯s a guest waiting in the drawing room,¡± he said excitedly without even greeting his master. ¡°Nice to see you too, Pon.¡± Alexcent said mockingly. ¡°Someone is here at this hour? I¡¯m not taking any appointments. Send them away.¡± Pon just stood there, with a strange joyful smile on his face. ¡°What is it?¡± Alexcent asked. Then he realized what it could be that made Pon so happy. Alexcent¡¯s heart began to pound as he ran to the drawing room. He threw the door open with a loud bang. The woman who stood inside, her back to him, jumped in surprise. Then she turned to speak. ¡°My lord, you¡¯re finally here. I¡¯ve been waiting for such a long time.¡± Every night, a mirage of Amethyst kept visiting him. It disappeared whenever he blinked, but she always came back. Was what he was seeing now a mirage as well? If it was, he just wanted it to disappear for good. He couldn¡¯t stand the torment any longer. Alexcent blinked his eyes, unable to move. The mirage didn¡¯t disappear. It was really her. He continued to stand in shock, his heart trying to erupt from his chest. Amethyst tilted her head, wondering why he didn¡¯t say anything, then gave a shy smile and spoke. ¡°I came to make a deal with you. It¡¯s a very good deal. Would you be interested in hearing it?¡± CH 269 Before Amethyst could continue, Alexcent ran to her and wrapped her in a massive embrace, his lips pressing against hers with a hunger and intense passion before pulling back. ¡°A deal? I don¡¯t care what it is, as long as you¡¯re beside me.¡± He embraced her once more, whispering ¡°My one and only.¡± ¡°I love you, Alec.¡± Amethyst said, breathlessly between kisses. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m not too late right?¡± ¡°Too late? Never.¡± He said before placing his lips on hers once more. Amethyst let out a small moan of contentment. She had so much to ask him but, for now, she just wanted to experience his love. Unnoticed by the embracing couple, Pon quietly closed the door from the outside. ¡°Alec! Wait!¡± Amethyst was barely able to get out the words as he continued to kiss her. His passion seemed unquenchable, and Amethyst quickly spoke before things gets heated up. ¡°Alec, how would you feel if I was older than you? Would you care?¡± ¡°Age? What about it? That is the least of my concerns.¡± His eyes lowered to her bosom, and he began undoing the ribbons of her dress. ¡°Alec,¡± Amethyst continued with concern. ¡°Are you all right if I¡¯m not actually Amethyst? Even if this appearance that you see isn¡¯t who you think it is, would you still be able to love me the way I am?¡± ¡°Ash. What I love isn¡¯t just your appearance. It¡¯s what¡¯s inside. I told you before, but your face doesn¡¯t suit me.¡± Alexcent smirked to show he was teasing her. ¡°Alec!¡± She laughed and smacked him on the shoulder. As he seemed to not care about any of her worries, everything that was bothering her seemed meaningless. ¡°Alec¡­¡± She began, interrupting the kissing once more. ¡°What is it this time? It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re younger than me or older, if you¡¯re Amethyst or not, if you¡¯re from another world and not from here, even if you¡¯re a monster and not human. I don¡¯t care. You, the person standing in front of me, is the most important thing I care about. I just need you, the woman I love.¡± Amethyst seemed satisfied so she grabbed him by his collar and pulled him towards her. She kissed him even more passionately than he had. Alexcent smiled and lifted her petite body into his arms. Alexcent carried Amethyst from the office to her old chambers on the second floor. Even, with her absence, Pon had made sure to keep her room clean and tidy every day. It was as if she had never left. Alexcent carefully laid her on the bed. Just like their first night, he straddled her body and stared down into her eyes. He brushed the side of her face with his palm, gently pushing back a strand of hair. ¡°Alec. You don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve dreamed of this. I remembered this feeling every time I closed my eyes. And life felt empty whenever I woke up from the dream. I¡¯m afraid that this might be a dream right now.¡± His hands trembled. ¡°I was the same. I thought I might go insane, I wanted you so much.¡± She lifted her arms up and wrapped them around his neck. He had longed for her, just as she had longed for him. Amethyst put her mouth against his neck and bit him on the rough skin. Alexcent flinched slightly. ¡°It hurts, right?¡± Amethyst asked. Alexcent nodded. ¡°Where I¡¯m from if it hurts it¡¯s not a dream. So, this is not a dream right now.¡± ¡°You bit me.¡± Alexcent said, in shock. ¡°And you loved it.¡± Amethyst said, smiling. Then she took him once more in her embrace. *** They had not slept a moment that night. Alexcent opened Amethyst¡¯s legs and bit the inside of her thigh. There were already teeth mark in several places, but he didn¡¯t care. The pain had quickly turned into pleasure. Amethyst had climaxed numerous times, but Alexcent still didn¡¯t seem to be satisfied. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she croaked, her voice hoarse from the moans of passion. ¡°No way. I¡¯m going to get everything I have missed up to now.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Amethyst asked with exhaustion. Alexcent picked her up and turned her around. Amethyst, knowing well what that position meant, complained, ¡°I can¡¯t do it in that position anymore. I can hardly stay upright any longer.¡± Alexcent made her lie down sideways instead. He lifted one of her thighs and kissed the skin of her leg. She moaned as he began to caress her s*x with his thumb, quickly making her wet once more. Amethyst twisted her body to look at him. She could tell that he wanted to go once more. She nodded and he spread her legs wider, penetrating her deeply. Alexcent¡¯s eyes rolled back into his head as he moved in and out of the incredible warmth. Though he had come a number of times, each moment felt new and exhilarating. Amethyst¡¯s breathing got heavier at Alexcent¡¯s rhythmic pounding. The exhausting pleasure of 0rgasm shook her body once more, but still he worked her passion. His large hand was on her breast, with her n!pple between his thumb and index finger. He would alternate between squeezing hard and caressing softly. Once and a while, he would twist her buds so hard that she would scream in ecstasy. She slapped at his forearms, wanting him to both stop and go harder. She felt an unbelievable thrill from his aggressiveness. She pulled herself off of him, forced him on to his back and straddled his chest. Now Amethyst was looking down at Alexcent. His blonde hair was wet with sweat. Her kiss trailed from his forehead, the tip of his nose, and to his lips. She didn¡¯t stop there, continuing to his Adam¡¯s apple, his collarbone, his chest. Her lips brushed his strong abs and then she went further down. Now it was Alexcent¡¯s turn to groan. Amethyst smiled at him and took him into her mouth. The touch of her hands, the moisture of her mouth, and the heat of her breath brought him to the edge. ¡°Please,¡± he groaned. ¡°Not yet,¡± Amethyst said, releasing him from her lips. Alexcent almost lost his sanity, being brought to the brink and then denied satisfaction. He grabbed her by the arms, hoisting her on top of him and entering her with his throbbing shaft. His groans grew louder and louder as she thrust her hips up and down, as if this would be their last moment to ever be together. With a final wail, they cried out together as his seed erupted within her. CH 270 She was deep in a dream when she felt like someone was tickling her bare skin. Amethyst half opened her eyes and looked into the face of the person who was caressing her body. The red eyes and the blonde hair of the man lying next to her glowed softly in the light of the dawn. ¡°Alec?¡± she said, still half asleep. ¡°You woke me up.¡± There was some light laughter beside her. She rolled over into his arms. ¡°It¡¯s not time to wake up yet, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s sleep a little more.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± Alexcent said, pulling the sheets off of her. ¡°Why?¡± Amethyst shivered as the cool morning air rose goosebumps on her skin. ¡°There is someone waiting to see you,¡± Alexcent replied. Amethyst couldn¡¯t think of anyone who would be here this early. ¡°You look curious.¡± ¡°Very.¡± ¡°Well, I have no intention of letting you go yet. They can wait.¡± Alexcent grabbed Amethyst as he rolled over, trapping her beneath him. Then he began kissing the soft skin on the side of her neck. She started feeling the ecstasy once more, but she pushed it from her mind as there was something important she needed to know before she got lost in his arms again. ¡°Wait,¡± she said breathlessly, pushing him away from her. ¡°Why?¡± Alexcent asked, looking dejected. ¡°I have something to ask you.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯ll be better if you don¡¯t.¡± Alexcent said mischievously, as he pulled her on top of him. ¡°Alec.¡± Amethyst was stern, trying to show this was important. ¡°Fine. What are you curious about?¡± He asked as he caressed her back with his fingers. ¡°First. Why were you made a slave? That is, if you and Gray were really the same person.¡± ¡°Of course, I was that damn slave. The one you kept pushing away.¡± Alexcent smiled. She thought he might have been mad for being made to work so hard, but he seemed all right. ¡°Tell me, then. Why did you become that slave? Did you have a fight with Belice?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, why?¡± ¡°Do you remember that I had someone still to kill?¡± Amethyst searched her memory. She thought he had killed everyone, be then remembered there was one person he struggled with killing. Amethyst began to feel uneasy. ¡°The High Priest?¡± she asked. ¡°Yes. I killed him.¡± Amethyst stood up and stared at Alexcent. He had struggled with killing the High Priest, so why did he do it? Was it because of her? ¡°Did you kill him because of me?¡± she asked, trembling slightly. ¡°No. But, there was a reason to kill him. He wasn¡¯t someone I could kill easily, and the result was me becoming a slave. It was the least amount of punishment Belice could give out.¡± ¡°Are you all right?¡± It was a stupid question. No one could kill someone else and not feel guilty. Even if it was someone who deserved it. But she did feel badly for Alexcent and how he must be struggling in his heart. ¡°I mean, I hope you don¡¯t feel uncomfortable about it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Alexcent said, quelling her concern. Amethyst laid back down beside him and leaned her head against his chest. What he had done meant the dangerous existence of what could split them apart was now gone. ¡°Ash?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like me killing someone?¡± ¡°Not that. It¡¯s just that something like this couldn¡¯t have happened in the world I used to live in. Not without severe consequences, at least. To kill someone so easily, it is considered evil. But this place is completely different, and it is hard to accept that you can kill someone so easily.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ll have to accept it. That¡¯s the way this world is. It¡¯s to kill or be killed.¡± Alexcent said sternly. ¡°That means, you¡¯ll have to keep doing it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Alexcent accepted the fact so easily. ¡°Why?¡± Amethyst just couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°I was born to kill.¡± Alexcent looked straight into her eyes. ¡°The empress has to show a strong will and that requires being cruel sometimes. The personalities we were born with are aggressive in nature.¡± ¡°But you said Belice isn¡¯t aggressive.¡± ¡°Yes. She hesitates when she has to be strong and cruel. That could be see as a weakness to the nobles. Weakness is a good reason for them to turn on her.¡± ¡°Belice certainly didn¡¯t look cruel,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°She seemed to me to be a confident and great leader.¡± ¡°On the outside, yes. But she¡¯s too weak on the inside. But me, on the other hand¡­¡± ¡°You were raised to be aggressive.¡± Amethyst could see now. He was the protector of the empress. ¡°Yes, so I have to do the things that Belice can¡¯t sometimes. I hope you don¡¯t¡­¡± Alexcent looked away in shame. Amethyst knew what it was that he didn¡¯t say. But she certainly didn¡¯t look at him as if he was a monster. ¡°I understand. I just don¡¯t want you getting hurt. Your body or your soul.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t happen,¡± Alexcent said confidently. ¡°I trust you.¡± Alexcent put his hand on the side of her chin as she expressed her belief in him. He lowered his head and kissed her on the lips. He caressed her short hair. She could feel him tense a little. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I just miss it a little.¡± Alexcent said. ¡°Well, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m growing it back out.¡± Amethyst brushed a hand across her head. ¡°I thought I¡¯d have to care less about it, when it was short, but it¡¯s the opposite. It won¡¯t style the way I want it to.¡± ¡°Do whatever you feel is best,¡± Alexcent said as he kept playing with hair, unsure of what to do with it. CH 271 After they were done with their conversation, Amethyst finally found out who was waiting for her. As Alexcent left her chamber, she entered. ¡°Lunia!¡± Amethyst exclaimed. ¡°Hello, my Lady. My name is Lunia, and I will be serving you.¡± Amethyst leapt out of bed and tackled her with a big embrace. ¡°That wasn¡¯t nice.¡± Lunia mumbled, with a hint of a snicker. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Amethyst smiled back. ¡°Do you know how much I searched for you?¡± Amethyst looked at her as if she was nuts. ¡°I said I would resign and chase you after you.¡± Lunia was being serious. ¡°But I was stopped by Gen and scolded for my reckless behaviour.¡± Amethyst felt horrible that she caused so much trouble. ¡°Lunia, I¡¯m really sorry. I wasn¡¯t even thinking of the people around me. You see, I was¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care now.¡± Lunia stopped her. ¡°I¡¯m just happy you came back safely. That¡¯s enough for me. You¡¯re not going anywhere else now, right? You¡¯re not leaving?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Amethyst laughed. ¡°Roman will soon be here¡­¡± Lunia began. The bedroom door suddenly flew open and Roman ran in to hug Amethyst. ¡°Ma¡¯am!!¡± ¡°¡­to greet you,¡± Lunia finished, smiling. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Roman quickly detached himself and stepped back, realizing he had just touched his Mistress¡¯ body without permission. Amethyst responded with a bright smile. ¡°It¡¯s quite all right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe,¡± Roman said. ¡°I was so worried when you suddenly said you were going to be studying abroad. Then the Duke disappeared.¡± ¡°Uh, Roman.¡± Lunia said carefully. Apparently, this was a topic they were not supposed to discuss. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Roman said, backing down. ¡°Well, you know what comes next,¡± Lunia said, handing Amethyst some clothing. *** ¡°Sir Hill!¡± Amethyst was all smiles when she arrived at the training grounds in the comfortable garments that Lunia had provided for her. The knights were all gathered there. ¡°Oh my, look who¡¯s here!¡± Sir Hill announced. The knights all gathered around, welcoming her back. ¡°How is everyone doing?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Everyone seems the same as when I left.¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking a little different,¡± Sir Hill mentioned. ¡°You¡¯re a bit lighter?¡± He pointed at her hair. ¡°How is it?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Do I look more like a knight? I look sharp, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not bad,¡± Leyrian answered. The knights looked at him and he shrugged his shoulders, not caring what anyone thought. Amethyst could not stop smiling as they greeted her like an old friend who they hadn¡¯t seen for a while. ¡°So, what brings you to the training grounds?¡± Sir Hill asked. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m here? I¡¯m here to learn swordsmanship,¡± Amethyst announced. ¡°Swordsmanship?¡± Sir Hill looked to be in shock. ¡°You know, the sword ability thing. I want to learn the moves that make your opponents not able to fight. That¡¯s possible without magic, right?¡± Hill, Leyrian, and even Buer looked at one another, silent at her rambling. ¡°It is different from magic but how did you know about these moves? And why do you want to learn it?¡± ¡°I was attacked by it before.¡± Amethyst said. There was no point in beating around the bush. She didn¡¯t want to hide anything anymore. Buer was taken aback. ¡°Before? When? Who was it? How dare they! I won¡¯t let them be! I¡¯ll go and kill them!¡± ¡°He¡¯s already been taken care of by Alec, so you don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Amethyst said, hoping to calm the knight. ¡°I just¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± Sir Hill¡¯s answer cut Amethyst¡¯s words off. She glared at his abrupt answer. ¡°Why?¡± she asked. ¡°First, you have no reason to use it.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Amethyst felt that she had as much right to train as anyone else. ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± Sir Hill said in wonder. ¡°There are now five shadows that protect you without you even knowing they are there.¡± Amethyst had no idea. She couldn¡¯t even sense them. How long had her hidden guards been following her? She assumed they were there by the order of Alec, which meant they would have been there the first day she returned. ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± Amethyst said, looking around to try to spot the hidden guards. ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t know. They¡¯re very skilled. It takes a highly skilled knight to sense their presence.¡± ¡°Even so, should I not prepare myself for the worst-case scenario?¡± The knights all knew how stubborn Amethyst was. Sir Hill sighed. ¡°You have to join the order of the knights first. And you need to reach a middle-class standing, which requires a great amount of training. It might be too much for you to handle.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t know that until I try. I have a fair bit of stamina; I think I can handle it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be busy taking care of parts of the Skad family¡¯s business affairs, so you won¡¯t have time to train. Besides, there¡¯s no way the duke would even allow it.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying if I get Alec¡¯s permission, you¡¯ll allow me to do it?¡± Amethyst had him trapped. Hill caressed his beard thoughtfully, then hesitantly nodded. He had decided it would be easier to let the duke handle it, rather than trying to stop her himself. Amethyst smiled, then scanned the faces of the knights. ¡°Where¡¯s Sir Barden?¡± ¡°He¡¯s on vacation. He¡¯s probably at his home,¡± Sir Hill answered. ¡°He stayed at the Skad mansion, alone, after everyone got fired. We gave him a vacation as a reward for his loyalty as a knight.¡± Amethyst looked like Sir Hill, confused. ¡°What do you mean everyone got fired?¡± CH 272 Buer reacted as if he had been caught doing something bad. ¡°It¡¯s more a dismissal, than actual firing.¡± For knights that had been loyal to the Skad family for a long time, like Buer, they were dismissed until being recalled but, for new knights like Barden, they were fully fired. But Barden refused to leave the Skad family, as was his sworn duty to keep his promise to his master. ¡°I was wondering where you went.¡± The low voice came from behind Amethyst. She turned around. Alexcent was wearing a white shirt and had his sleeves rolled up, rather than the uniform he used to wear. It was very much the same look as when he had been Gray. ¡°Greetings, master.¡± The knights saluted Alexcent, but he ignored them and concentrated his attention on Amethyst. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°I want to learn sword techniques,¡± Amethyst replied. Alexcent looked at Sir Hill, who gulped as the attention turned on him. ¡°I was telling her that she has to be at least a middle-class knight to learn any techniques.¡± Amethyst took her chance and stepped between Alexcent and Sir Hill. ¡°So, Alec, I was wondering if I could become a knight. Not just for temporary defence, but an official knight.¡± Alexcent looked down at Amethyst¡¯s twinkling eyes. ¡°Of course, you can.¡± Sir Hill¡¯s mouth dropped open as this was not the answer he had expected. ¡°Really?¡± Amethyst began jumping in glee, to the amusement of the knights. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°But first we need to make sure you¡¯ll be able to keep up with the training.¡± Amethyst stopped jumping. She should have known. This was the Skad army. The reason they had the best knights was because of the high-quality recruitment and intense training. The only reason Alexcent said yes was because he didn¡¯t believe she would pass, but Amethyst had no intention of backing down. ¡°Of course! You don¡¯t know how hard I trained when I was learning self-defence. I discovered I have an incredible amount of stamina.¡± Amethyst looked at Sir Hill, Buer, and Leyrian to support her, but they simply stepped back to avoid the conversation. She had forgotten how frustrating they could be. ¡°Ok. Then I have to see what your stamina level is like,¡± Alexcent said. Then he lowered his head to her ear, so only she could hear. ¡°First in bed.¡± He then surrounded her with his arms and lifted her off the ground. Amethyst tried to kick her way out, but he seemed to have no intention of letting her go. He began walking away from the knights, carrying her. ¡°Alec! Let me down!¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Alec!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the perfect place to test your stamina. Stay still.¡± ¡°How is this a stamina test!¡± Alexcent didn¡¯t care about her yelling. He was laughing as she struggled. ¡°I¡¯m going to hit your butt if you don¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°If you do, I won¡¯t be happy!¡± Amethyst hollered. Alexcent didn¡¯t stop, even with her shouting. As they walked into the Skad mansion, the maids that passed them lowered their heads, blushing. To Amethyst, they were upside down, as she was now draped over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll walk! Everyone is looking!¡± Amethyst protested loudly. Alexcent lifted her hand and smacked her bottom. ¡°I told you, I¡¯ll hit your butt if you don¡¯t cooperate.¡± ¡°Oh my God! Alec!¡± Amethyst tried to cover her back side with her hands as she dangled in the air. It hadn¡¯t hurt, but she was beyond embarrassed. She felt it was better to just give up. Once in her chamber, Alexcent lowered her on to the bed. She stared at him with her arms crossed and her eyes flaming mad. ¡°If you ever do that again¡­¡± Alexcent smiled and silence her with a kiss. Amethyst could not remain angry when he did that. His lips melted the fury right out of her. She closed her eyes and savoured his taste as she put her arms around his neck. When their lips finally separated, Amethyst opened her eyes to look into Alexcent¡¯s beautiful face right in front of hers. ¡°I don¡¯t know why but I find you even more attractive when you¡¯re angry,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°What a terrible fetish.¡± Amethyst laughed ¡°I know, right? Even when you first came here, I felt the same.¡± ¡°You mean, the day you basically kidnapped me?¡± Amethyst said in surprise. ¡°Yes. Those eyes, that looked at me with such anger, were so lovely. You were the first one to look at me like that.¡± ¡°Then it was love at first sight?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Alexcent kissed her lips again. ¡°So don¡¯t go to somebody else when you have me.¡± ¡°What is this nonsense?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you the sword techniques.¡± ¡°You?¡± Amethyst said in shock. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not very good at teaching.¡± ¡°What? Ash, I¡¯ll personally show you how good of a teacher I am. Right now!¡± Alexcent grabbed Amethyst¡¯s ankle as she pretended to run from the bed and dragged her in front of him. Then he started kissing her forehead, her eyelids, nose, cheeks and every other inch of her body. *** After Alexcent left to return to his duties in the palace, Amethyst enjoyed her leisure time. There was a vase of baby¡¯s breath on the table with a short, written message from Gen, welcoming her back. It was a thoughtful gift to receive from him as he always seemed to be as busy as Alexcent. As she admired the flowers, Pon entered, looking for her. ¡°Ma¡¯am. Master told me to not say anything, but you had bid me to always tell you what I believe you should know.¡± Amethyst wondered what it was that Alec was trying to hide from her, yet Pon thought she should know about. ¡°Tell me,¡± she instructed the man. ¡°There¡¯s a ball being hosted by the Empress today. The master said that you need to take care of yourself, since you have been gone so long, and he¡¯ll be attending by himself. There are also some rumours going around that are not good.¡± ¡°Rumours?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to talk about. The rumours involve you becoming a God¡¯s Guardian.¡± ¡°Tell me exactly what the rumour is that you heard.¡± Amethyst needed to know what was being said. ¡°The exact rumour is that you went to study abroad, and then master went missing. After the master came back to the family, the rumours started. I really don¡¯t want to say¡­¡± Pon looked scared to utter the truth. ¡°Is the rumour saying that Alec killed me.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing for you to be sorry about. However, it¡¯s necessary to set these rumours straight. If I don¡¯t attend this ball, then these rumours would just grow. Thank you, for having the trust to tell me this.¡± Alec was looking out for Amethyst, but she couldn¡¯t let rumours spread that he was a murderer. ¡°All right.¡± Amethyst had made up her mind on how she was going to proceed. ¡°Let¡¯s plan to attend this event, despite what Alec says. Lunia!¡± Lunia came in from the outer chamber where she had been standing guard. ¡°There¡¯s was an invitation to the Empress¡¯ ball today. I¡¯m assuming I must have been included.¡± There was no way that Belice would have left her out. ¡°Yes. Of course,¡± Lunia replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be attending. But, without Duke Skad knowing about it.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Lunia understood what Amethyst had in mind and immediately began to help her prepare for the ball. CH 273 ¡°Duke Alexcent Frostin Skad.¡± Alexcent¡¯s name was announced as he entered the Empress¡¯ ball alone. The guests stared as he walked, whispering to each other. ¡°See. The rumour of the Duchess being spotted was false,¡± one guest said. ¡°You¡¯re right. Why else would the duke attend the ball by himself? Especially one that is hosted by the Empress,¡± another guest whispered. ¡°The Duchess really was¡­¡± a third guest began before being hushed by her partner. Alexcent heard the whispering amongst the crowd, but he didn¡¯t care about anything they said. He knew the truth and that was all that mattered. But one person would not be satisfied until he knew the truth about the Duchess. Count Lohikin. When he believed that he had lost his daughter, he relinquished his title of Count to his son, then headed directly to the Skad mansion to find out the truth. Count Lohikin couldn¡¯t believe his daughter would leave without telling him anything, especially if she was just studying abroad. But he wasn¡¯t allowed a meeting with Duke Skad. He went back to the castle gates every day and was always turned away. Then, suddenly, he was told that the duke was no longer at the palace. That was when he heard the rumours. Duke Skad had gone into hiding after murdering the Duchess. Count Lohikin began searching for his daughter, with the obsession of a madman. Since she had been said to be studying abroad, he checked with all of the academies he could think of. None of the schools had ever admitted his daughter. In Count Lohikin¡¯s mind, the rumours were formulating into the truth. Count Lohikin began to grow thin. He would sit in front of the Skad mansion and refuse to move. It didn¡¯t matter if he was drenched in cold rain, or pounded with heat until he almost fainted, he never left. When that didn¡¯t work, he took back his title from his son so he could attend this one ball and finally meet the man himself. Count Lohikin thought this was his chance. If he couldn¡¯t meet the duke one on one, then he would confront the man in front of all the other nobles. Martin, his son, had insisted that the Count didn¡¯t look well. Martin wanted to go in his place and confront the Duke to get answers about his sister. Martin had become quite the man, but Count Lohikin had insisted on being the one to do it, for the sake of the family. He didn¡¯t want the blame landing on his son. Everyone knew full well what Duke Skad could do to a person he had a vengeance against. Count Lohikin had prepared for the ball, making sure everything was just right. When the Duke Skad entered the hall, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of him. Following the Duke, the entrance of the Empress was announced. Everyone in the hall bowed as her name was announced. Belice saw Alexcent standing alone, and looked at him curiously. ¡°May the glory of the Great Empire of Sehar and blessing of Our Majesty the Empress be one!¡± Everyone in the hall shouted this greeting. Belice took her eyes away from Alexcent and smiled. ¡°Everyone, please rise,¡± Belice announced. ¡°I¡¯m very happy that you are brightening up my ball today with your presence. Please, enjoy the festivities. Let the music begin.¡± Everyone clapped and the orchestra began to play. Belice approached Alexcent. ¡°What, are you alone?¡± ¡°When was I not?¡± Alexcent replied. ¡°I¡¯m not playing your little game.¡± ¡°Game. This ball was the chance to extinguish all those nasty rumours.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about the rumours. They were all wrong in the first place. She has no reason to be to here. Especially with people, like that old man, who are looking like they want to kill me. It¡¯s safer for her to stay away.¡± Belice turned her head to where Alexcent was looking. There was an older man glaring at them from across the dance floor. ¡°Of course he thinks he lost his daughter. It¡¯s understandable. But she¡¯s back again. I mean¡­¡± Belice seemed to be lost for words. ¡°Not exactly Count Lohikin¡¯s daughter.¡± Alexcent put emphasis in his words. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s good. What about her duties as a duchess?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Alexent, she¡¯s your life partner.¡± It was when the siblings were whispering in an inaudible voice when an angry Count Rohkin stood before them and greeted them. ¡°I offer my greetings to Her Majesty, the Empress.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. Count Lohikin.¡± Belice returned the gesture and threw an amicable smile to the worried father. ¡°We haven¡¯t spoken in a while, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve been honored by your great son.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. You did a great job raising the lad. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if there were more young talents in the empire? ¡°I see. I am glad that the hard work I do for the empire, in the embodiment of my son, is appreciated. If so, please grant me a request.¡± Now, Count Lohikin was no longer addressing the empress¡ªhis eyes set firmly on the man beside Belice. Sensing the aggression in the count¡¯s voice, Alexcent raised his brows. This was no place and time to talk business, however, Alexcent respects the man and let him continue. ¡°Sure. It¡¯s a happy day after all, Count Lohikin.¡± There was a subtle tremor in Count Lohikin¡¯s voice as he uttered, ¡°Give me back my daughter¡¯s body.¡± Instantly, his words drew the attention of the people around one person. Alexcent. Did the duke killed his wife? ¡°The body of your daughter. What does that mean?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, no one believes my daughter is studying abroad. Also, no one is saying that my daughter is alive.¡± ¡°Count Lohikin.¡± Belice looked embarrassed; her eyes swiveled between the two men as she tried to pacify the count. Alexcent was not perturbed. It¡¯s true that Count Lohikin¡¯s daughter has died. Although Alexcent could not provide a body, he was willing to inform the man of his daughter¡¯s passing even if that would mean ending things with the Lohikins. But as soon as he was about to reply on behalf of Belice, a servant had shouted. ¡°The Duchess of Emesis Skad has arrived.¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze immediately focused on the woman coming into the banquet hall at the sound of a single word. CH 274 ¡°Why the face?¡± Amethyst asked. She was reunited with Count Lohikin and now have joined her husband. ¡°What face?¡± Alexcent looked at her. ¡°What is that you don¡¯t understand?¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t. You have no blood relation with him.¡± Alexcent reminded her. ¡°That¡¯s not true. I do have a blood relation,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°He does have something to do with me. If it wasn¡¯t for him, I wouldn¡¯t have met you. I want to keep a good relationship with his family as I do with mine. Alec, do you remember our promise? We¡¯ll treat each other¡¯s family well.¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be a blood relation to be a family. You can think of it like adopting.¡± ¡°All right. If that¡¯s what you want.¡± Alexcent seemed to understand. Amethyst smiled brightly and hugged him. ¡°Now it is time to enjoy the party. My Lady.¡± Alexcent bowed and offered his hand politely. Amethyst laughed. ¡°No. I can¡¯t dance.¡± ¡°You were completely fine at the annual ball.¡± ¡°I hosted that party,¡± Amethyst replied. ¡°It didn¡¯t matter what anyone said, but this is different.¡± ¡°Everyone has already seen your skill in dancing, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Alexcent took her hand and led her to the middle of the dance floor. Amethyst pretended to give in. She wrapped her hand around his waist and looked into his warm eyes as they danced. *** ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡± Amethyst said. Alexcent looked shocked for a moment. She didn¡¯t want to? It wasn¡¯t that she can¡¯t, but she didn¡¯t want to do it with him. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything yet,¡± Alexcent said, as he climbed into bed. ¡°You want to do it and I don¡¯t feel like it today.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I just don¡¯t feel like it.¡± She always seemed to reject him during a certain time every month. This was that time. He had learned his lesson, that he should leave her alone when she was like this. ¡°Well, then good night, Ash.¡± Alexcent kissed her and lay down right next to her. Then slowly he creeped his hand towards her breast. When she didn¡¯t react to the touch, Alexcent¡¯s hand slowly headed downwards. ¡°Really! You can sleep alone if you keep doing that! I¡¯ll go to your room and sleep.¡± Amethyst slapped his hand away. ¡°No, never! I just want to hold your hand and go to sleep. Don¡¯t worry!¡± Alexcent backed off. Today was not the day to anger her and really didn¡¯t want to sleep alone. Alexcent was in a bad mood, when Pon saw him the next morning. He made a mental note to warn the rest of the servants to be cautious around the master. He always seemed to get in these moods, every month around this time. Most of the servants seemed to know why. Pon approached the duke cautiously to go over the day¡¯s schedule. ¡°Good morning, master. I have a luncheon scheduled for today. A celebratory meal for ma¡¯am¡¯s safe return from studying abroad. She felt a light luncheon was in order.¡± ¡°I had forgotten that was today. Ash should feel better after seeing her parents for the first time in a while.¡± If she said they are her family, he had to accept it. ¡°I agree. Also, the Empress sent a message saying she will be attending as well.¡± Alexcent wondered what the reasoning was behind Belice attending. ¡°This will be the first formal luncheon we have hosted in a while, so please make sure that everything is up to standard,¡± Alexcent instructed. ¡°I will do so,¡± Pon agreed. *** ¡°Father! Mother!¡± Amethyst joyfully greeted the Lohikin couple. They may not be her biological parents, but they were still her parents. She took care of them as if she had lived with them her entire life. ¡°Wow! Amethyst, you¡¯ve become so pretty!¡± Mrs. Lohikin said, smiling as she embraced her daughter. She looked much better, after becoming ill from hearing the vicious rumours that had been spread around. After her husband returned from the ball with the good news, she recovered quickly. ¡°I worried so much when you went to study abroad,¡± Count Lohikin said, taking his turn to embrace his daughter. ¡°I can finally rest knowing you are well.¡± ¡°Father, I¡¯m sorry for making you worry. I still had much to learn, so I needed to be away for a while.¡± Her father laughed. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good to learn as much as you can.¡± Count Lohikin held on to Amethyst¡¯s hand and caressed it, as if he was afraid to let it go. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go make ourselves comfortable,¡± Alexcent mentioned. ¡°Yes. I know you are a busy man, so thank you for joining us. I¡¯m honoured that you¡¯re being so considerate.¡± Even though Count Lohikin was smiling, there was a bit of tension in his voice. Though he was glad for the return of his daughter, he was still angry that Duke Skad had ignored him all this time. Alexcent, though, was very considerate, as per Amethyst¡¯s instructions. ¡°Please do not even mention it. You¡¯re my wife¡¯s father, and the highest rank of her family. Just think of me as a son.¡± Count Lohikin chuckled hesitantly. Though he was happy at Alexcent¡¯s words, in the back of his mind he still felt troubled. ¡°Welcome, Count Lohikin,¡± Belice said, as she entered the sitting room. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± The Lohikin couple stood up in surprise, and quickly bowed in formal greeting. ¡°I was informed on this luncheon and thought I would join. I hope that I am not interfering in any way?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± The couple eagerly agreed. ¡°If you knew, you shouldn¡¯t have come, Your Majesty,¡± Alexcent said. Amethyst and her parents did not know how to react to his words. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Lohikins are uncomfortable enough, getting to know a new son-in-law. Having Her Majesty here might make this meeting even more awkward.¡± ¡°No, Your Majesty!¡± the Lohikins protested. ¡°Not at all! It¡¯s an infinite honour for us to meet you in person.¡± ¡°They say it¡¯s an honour,¡± Belice said, glaring at Alexcent. ¡°Belice, you can¡¯t even distinguish someone being polite to what they really mean.¡± ¡°Then what about you? Can¡¯t you think that you¡¯re the one who¡¯s making the atmosphere much worse?¡± ¡°Are you two really going to be like this?¡± Amethyst was beside hers. ¡°I¡¯m going to kick both of you out!¡± Alexcent realized what he had been doing and turned red in embarrassment. ¡°Please have a seat, Your Majesty,¡± he caved. As the Lohikins saw Amethyst taming both the empress and the duke, they felt relieved of the worry of their daughter being married into such a high-class family ¡°It seems like there should be good news soon, seeing how close you two are,¡± Count Lohikin said. ¡°Won¡¯t it be great when the heir to the Skad family is born. As these two seem to have such a good relationship, I don¡¯t think there should be a worry that it won¡¯t happen soon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. There would be nothing better,¡± Belice agreed. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll have a baby that looks just like the duke,¡± Mrs. Lohikin said, smiling. ¡°Oh my! I was hoping the baby would look more like duchess!¡± Belice said. The Empress and the parents laughed over their predictions. To them, this was entertainment. However, Alexcent had gone silent. And Amethyst felt her entire body freeze. She just sat there and listened with an awkward smile on her face. It wasn¡¯t like she didn¡¯t like children. She was just scared. She thought it would be best to change the subject. ¡°Oh my, look at me. I forgot to bring out the snacks. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°No need, dear,¡± Amethyst¡¯s mother said. ¡°The luncheon should start soon, so I don¡¯t think snacks are necessary.¡± Despite all her efforts, she was trapped. However, there was one person who appeared to feel the same way she did. The person who she least expected to be affected by this discussion. But she should have known, as he was always in tune with her feelings. It was Alexcent. CH 275 Amethyst wasn¡¯t sure how the luncheon went, as she had been in a daze the entire time. It must have gone well, as it was supposed to be simple and short but ended up going into the night. It was late before they finally sent off the empress and the Lohikins. She took her tired body and relaxed in the hot bathtub. Then she went into the bedroom and threw herself onto the bed. Alexcent entered as she was drifting off. Amethyst mumbled into her pillow ¡°I¡¯m tired tonight.¡± Unexpectedly, Alexcent grabbed her shoulders roughly and turned her over. She opened her eyes in shock to stare into his face. His eyes were so cold and aggressive. They actually scared her a little. ¡°Alec?¡± Alexcent kissed her with force. Amethyst tried to say something, but he didn¡¯t give her the chance. He ignored her struggling and ripped off the underwear that was covering her. ¡°Alec! No! Stop!¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired!¡± ¡°Tired? When aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°Alec, what¡¯s wrong? This isn¡¯t like you. I¡¯m scared.¡± She could feel his threatening breath on her. This felt more like rape than the precursor to passion. ¡°You should¡¯ve just said what was on your mind,¡± Alexcent snarled. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Is it that horrifying, the thought of having my child?¡± Amethyst¡¯s eyes widened as his words. Alexcent took it as proof. ¡°I thought it might not be true, but apparently it is.¡± ¡°No! Alec, it¡¯s not like that!¡± ¡°That was why. I thought it was strange. The reason you avoided me for a few days every month. I knew it wasn¡¯t during your menstruation cycle. You were trying to avoid the period when you were most likely to be fertile!¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Alec, listen to me.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need. It¡¯s true! That was why!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to have a child with a man who is considered a monster!¡± ¡°Alec!! Monster? That¡¯s not true!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do what you want. I always do what you want.¡± ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Who knows? You should know the best. Good night, Amethyst.¡± Alexcent gave a peck on her forehead and ran out of the bedroom. There was gust of wind that came through the opened door. We weren¡¯t supposed to be separate anymore, Amethyst thought. I thought there would only be happiness in our future. I made him misunderstand again. It wasn¡¯t like that. I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I was just scared. Amethyst spent the night alone, sleepless with her thoughts. *** After that night, Alexcent didn¡¯t come to Amethyst anymore. He would arrive back at the mansion, when it was late at night, and head straight to his office instead of the bedroom. It had been several nights of this same routine. ¡°Did he say he was going to be late tonight too?¡± Amethyst asked Pon. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. He said he has a lot of work to do, so don¡¯t wait up.¡± ¡°Where is he now?¡± ¡°The palace, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Take me there.¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, it¡¯s late. You should go to sleep. When the sun comes up¡­¡± ¡°He comes home late on purpose and goes into the palace before I even wake up! He¡¯s clearly avoiding me!¡± Amethyst was furious. ¡°So, take me to him! I can¡¯t stand it anymore!¡± She thought that she could wait until he came home and solve this misunderstanding by talking, but he avoided her on purpose. She couldn¡¯t wait any longer. She had no intention of being apart from him anymore. No matter what the reason was. *** Alexcent was sitting at a table at a men¡¯s only club, with a glass of whisky. He didn¡¯t enjoy drinking usually, but it wasn¡¯t like he couldn¡¯t. He was monitoring his intake though, as Amethyst didn¡¯t like the smell of alcohol. The word ¡®monster¡¯ kept running through his head. He didn¡¯t think his past would still haunt him. He destroyed everyone in the past so there could be no hope of someone coming after him for revenge. In truth, they were unforgivable murders. He became evil at one point and was truthfully a monster. He worried that his past was taking over once more. The woman he loved the most, even she looked at him as if he was a monster. No matter how hard he tried, he would always be a being of evil disguised as a human. Amethyst wasn¡¯t from this world to begin with, and she already had children in her previous life. For her to refuse a child there could only be one reason. It was because of him. Alexcent downed his glass of whiskey in one gulp. Since when did I want a child, he thought. Why am I so angry? A vision of a child standing next to Amethyst appeared in front of him. It would have been nice if the child looked like her. How pathetic am I? Gen carefully approached Alexcent, who was clearly intoxicated. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m sorry to bother you but I think you should head back to the mansion.¡± CH 276 ¡°Why?¡± Alexcent slurred. ¡°Well, ma¡¯am is saying that she needs to see you right away. I told her that you were working, but she insisted on going to the palace. They¡¯re trying to delay her, but¡­¡± Gen wasn¡¯t able to finish before Alexcent slapped his own face to sober up, then rose and headed back to the mansion. The moment he walked in; he could hear Amethyst yelling. ¡°If you can¡¯t bring a carriage, bring me a horse. Now!¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, a horse is dangerous to ride with the sun going down,¡± Pon informed her. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll walk then! Move!¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯ll take you tomorrow.¡± Pon insisted. ¡°Tonight just¡­¡± ¡°Everyone is dismissed,¡± Alexcent ordered, entering the room. Pon, Lunia, and the other servants quickly left. Amethyst looked at Alexcent, with his rumpled clothes and a bit of a sway in his stance. ¡°Alec, were you drinking?¡± she asked. ¡°A little.¡± Amethyst¡¯s heart fluttered as she saw him for the first time in a while. Though his hair was a mess, he was still incredibly handsome. But his cold voice hid something sinister and angry. ¡°Alec, please sit. I have something to say.¡± Amethyst pointed to a chair. ¡°It¡¯s late. Let¡¯s talk tomorrow.¡± ¡°Alec, sit! It¡¯ll only take a moment!¡± Amethyst reached for his arm to move him to the chair, but Alexcent pulled away. His refusal to be near her became too much and she began to cry. Alexcent sighed and he turned to her. ¡°Damn it, Ash, don¡¯t cry.¡± His words only caused her to start sobbing louder. ¡°Ash.¡± ¡°I knew nothing about the rumours about you before I came here! But why are you saying these things? Why are you being so cold? I was just afraid. No about you, but about me! I was afraid!¡± Amethyst continued sobbing, as she choked on the words. ¡°I was afraid that I might not become a good mother. That I might not have the right. I was just scared, so scared.¡± ¡°Ash¡­¡± Alexcent tried to interrupt. ¡°You know nothing about what it feels like to become a mother. That I might yell at the child, might hit the child, that I might be a bad mother. You don¡¯t know how scary that is! That I might get angry, just because the child is being a picky eater, or that the child is messing up the house. If the child is crying all night, I might yell to stop the crying. I¡¯m scared that I might be a bad mother.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way you would be,¡± Alexcent said, trying to comfort her. ¡°I wasn¡¯t born with motherly love to begin with. That¡¯s why I came to this world. You don¡¯t know how scary it is for a person like me to have a child. I can¡¯t be certain that it is right for me to be a mother. So, I need some time. When I¡¯m ready¡­¡± ¡°Ash. There¡¯s not a right way to be a parent. What you said is true, fatherly love should be the same as motherly love. But look at me, that¡¯s not the case. It¡¯s ludicrous to say fatherly love and motherly love to begin with. That¡¯s not the way it is. Everyone tries their best. That¡¯s what love is. Doing it together.¡± ¡°Together?¡± ¡°Yes. Together. We just have to do this together.¡± Amethyst stopped crying. She looked at Alexcent as she wiped away the moisture with the back of her hand. It was the most ironic thing for him to say the words that even he wasn¡¯t certain about, just to comfort her. ¡°You¡¯re going to help me?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°I¡¯m not good enough. I can¡¯t do this on my own, but by my side, with you helping me¡­¡± ¡°Ash. That¡¯s not the right way to say it. I¡¯m not helping you. We¡¯re doing it together. That¡¯s what a family is.¡± ¡°Together.¡± ¡°Yes. Together.¡± Amethyst felt like the impenetrable wall that held her back collapsed at the word ¡®together.¡¯ She looked deeply into Alexcent¡¯s eyes. ¡°Alec. You¡¯re not a monster. No matter what people may say, you¡¯re not a monster. I hope you don¡¯t think like that anymore.¡± ¡°I will try,¡± He said, smiling as if unsure. ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve never seen or heard of a monster that looks as handsome as you. Only in books are monsters ugly.¡± Alexcent laughed and took Amethyst in his embrace. She said he wasn¡¯t a monster. And, even though it was only the opinion of one person, he felt like his life had just been saved. Amethyst, after feeling relieved to be in his arms once more, quietly whispered his name. ¡°Yes?¡± he asked gently. ¡°Promise me to never run away again, and that we will always tell each how we feel. Even when we¡¯re angry at each other. The reason why we drifted apart, and why we had to take the long way back to each other this time, was because of a stupid misunderstanding since we didn¡¯t talk. We¡¯ll definitely be fighting more in the future, so let¡¯s not run away from each other next time.¡± ¡°All right.¡± He embraced her once more. Marriage is when two people, who¡¯ve been living different lifestyles, come together and adjust to being around each other all the time. Amethyst was only realizing the necessity of this now when Alec had said about them being together. She knew now that she did not need to run away anymore. ¡°Alec, thank you.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°For saying ¡®together¡¯.¡± ¡°It was obvious.¡± There was only one thing Amethyst wanted and that was him. You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s looked at me for what I really am. Just you. Amethyst finally felt complete. Amethyst breathed calmly in his arms, her mind clearing. Then she looked up into his eyes and said, ¡°Alec. I love you. I will always love you.¡± ¡°Ash, we¡¯re always going to love each other,¡± he replied. Always together. Those words defined everything that was in her heart. She whispered softly in his arms. ¡°We¡¯re always going to be together.¡± CH 277 Chapter 277 Belice was born with only half power. Unlike Empress Caniel, and all of the previous empresses, Belice didn¡¯t receive the entirety of the Goddess¡¯ blood. Caniel had been afraid that Belice would be looked down upon, and worried that Belice¡¯s position wouldn¡¯t solidify after she became the empress. Caniel tried her best to protect Belice and to make her throne safe to ascend to. Those who dared to question the princess¡¯ ability would be charged with treason and executed. The power of this decree was amazing. Caniel didn¡¯t let anyone, who looked down on the princess, slide. She never forgave even the smallest mistakes, and this applied to people of all statuses. From the lowest maids who served the princess to the noble families, all were monitored. Whoever didn¡¯t serve the princess in their entirety, or treated her wrong, or were impolite to her; all were all executed. She didn¡¯t allow any rumours or heresy to exist. This was the only way for the empress to protect the princess. It was an unmerciful bloodbath. After Belice got older, there were people who trembled just by being in her presence. She became a figure of terror, and that fear kept everyone in line. The need for executions began to diminish Caniel called in her attendee, Harin. ¡°The princess¡¯ palace is in chaos for some reason,¡± she informed him. Even though the princess¡¯ palace was right beside the empress¡¯, there was still quite a distance between them. To be able to sense even that smallest amount of chaos seemed to indicate that Caniel had the greatest amount of power in the empire, making her the complete empress. ¡°Apparently they are busy preparing for a teatime to be hosted by the princess, Your Majesty,¡± Harin reported. ¡°Is that today?¡± Caniel asked. ¡°Yes. It appears the princess is taking a lot of responsibility, considering it¡¯s the first one she is hosting.¡± It was the first teatime to be hosted by the princess, after turning fifteen, so it was understandable that it had gotten a little rowdy. Caniel handed over some signed documents to Harin and said ¡°Adjust my schedule today. I would like to visit the princess once teatime starts.¡± Caniel figured this would be a great way to raise the princess¡¯ appearance. She wouldn¡¯t be able to make it to all of them, but considering this was Belice¡¯s first, she felt it was necessary to be there. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Harin understood her intentions and instantly left to adjust the royal¡¯s schedule. In the palace next door, Belice couldn¡¯t calm down from the excitement, butterflies, and worry about the first teatime she was hosting. She was struggling with all of the details. ¡°The weather? It¡¯s not going to rain, right?¡± She said, even as she looked at the sunlight streaming through the window. ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s a perfect day for teatime,¡± Karune, her servant, answered. ¡°Do you think they¡¯re done prepping the tables?¡± ¡°Yes, princess.¡± ¡°According to my specifications?¡± ¡°Of course, princess.¡± ¡°Good. Did you check the attendee¡¯s confirmation?¡± ¡°Yes. Everyone you invited said they¡¯ll be attending.¡± Karune was trying hard not to laugh at Belice¡¯s anxiety. They had gone through all of this already. ¡°Princess, you must change into your dress first.¡± ¡°Ah! Right.¡± Belice knew she had been forgetting something. ¡°Nothing too fancy,¡± Karune instructed. ¡°Yes. Understood.¡± Belice had already chosen her dress, and it was pretty fancy. She couldn¡¯t let her guests down, who were expecting regality. ¡°If that is all, then I will return shortly.¡± ¡°That is, Karune. Good job and thank you.¡± Karune bowed and left. The remaining servants took down the dress that Belice pointed out to them. Lifting her arms into the air, the servants began helping her change. *** ¡°Briden! What are you doing? Why are you not ready?¡± Count Julia shouted through the closed door. ¡°I¡¯m not going!¡± The voice called from inside. ¡°What are you talking about? You accepted the princess¡¯ invitation and now you¡¯re not going? Where is your loyalty?¡± Even though he was scolding his daughter, Count Julia knew exactly what her issue was. The discussion of marriage with Marquis Meblen¡¯s son, who Briden was smitten with, was turned down. All because the young princess, Belice, had just turned fifteen. The princess had become a lady, and instantly she was the topic of discussion amongst the noble families. She would bring power, fame, and riches to the family she marries into. If one could become the husband of the princess, who would one day become the empress, their house would become the most powerful in the entire Empire. So, amongst the nobles, who had similarly aged sons, there was a stop in marriage discussions in hope they would be chosen for the princess. This included Count Julia, and he hadn¡¯t realized the impact it would have on his daughter. However, Count Julia saw this as an opportunity. Marquis Meblen¡¯s son would never be chosen by the princess. Their family was too low for her. But Count Julia knew that if Briden and the princess became close, it would raise the honour of his house and then Marquis Mable would be begging for his son to marry Briden. Briden wouldn¡¯t hear any of this logic right now. She couldn¡¯t see the big picture. So, he had to hide his true intentions and somehow console Briden enough to send her into the palace. ¡°Briden! Do I have to drag you out!¡± Count Julia shouted. The door slowly opened and Briden stood sulking at the entry. ¡°Think about your family,¡± he said to her gently. ¡°You¡¯re so overbearing!¡± Briden said. ¡°Briden!¡± ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll go! I¡¯ll go.¡± She was mad that she had to attend, but she knew that if she didn¡¯t it would bring trouble to the family. She would need to have an unbreakable reason not to go. Sighing, she closed the door on her father and began getting ready to head to the palace. CH 278 Chapter 278 The young ladies who were invited to the teatime started arriving in the gardens of the princess¡¯ palace. Belice stood at the entrance and greeted them all with a bright smile. Her voluptuous, blonde hair hung about her shoulders, and her scarlet eyes twinkled like jewels in the sun. Even though she was younger than all those invited, the guests marveled at her mature beauty. Briden also found herself staring at Belice¡¯s beauty and that just made her even angrier. As this was the first event that Belice hosted, only five families were invited. As everyone seated themselves, Belice started the teatime with a greeting. ¡°Thank you for accepting my invitation even though I know you are all busy,¡± Belice said, standing at the head of the table. ¡°We should be the ones thanking you for inviting us.¡± Count Raspy¡¯s daughter, who was the oldest present, offered in response. The rest of the girls quickly followed with adorations of their own. Everyone except Briden, who sat quietly sipping the tea that had been poured for her by one of the serving maids. Luckily, Belice didn¡¯t notice and sat down smiling to begin conversations with all of her guests. The tea party was running smoothly until the daughter of Marquis Gravias spoke up. The conversation had gravitated to the love lives of the various girls. ¡°Did you hear?¡± Lady Gravias spoke up. ¡°About what?¡± Belice asked. ¡°I heard that Count Carbe¡¯s family made a match for his daughter.¡± ¡°The Carbe family? Really?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard it¡¯s a nameless viscount from the suburbs.¡± Belice was shocked. ¡°Count Carbe¡¯s family has been a high-class family for generations. That must have been a tough decision, to make a match with someone of a lower status.¡± ¡°From the rumours I heard, the man might not even be a viscount.¡± Lady Gravias said. ¡°There is no way he is not a noble! Count Carbe isn¡¯t that na?ve,¡± Belice stated. ¡°Does Count Carbe¡¯s daughter like the man they brought for her?¡± ¡°Yes. I saw them at a caf¨¦ recently. The two of them seemed extremely close. It was nice and made my heart flutter.¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± Belice exclaimed. The young ladies got all excited. Belice continued to pretend interest in the love story of someone she didn¡¯t care much about. Briden watched the whole charade and smiled bitterly. Count Carbe, who was prideful and wasn¡¯t any lower than her family, had to bring in a match for his daughter from the suburbs? All of this was happening because of the princess, who was sitting in front of her and looking clueless. All Briden could wonder was if this was the same future she would have. ¡°It seemed like he had no choice.¡± The words fell out of Briden¡¯s mouth subconsciously, but it was enough to catch the attention of Belice and the rest of the girls. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Belice asked, realizing that Briden had said something for the first time. ¡°It was nothing, Your Majesty,¡± Briden replied, going silent again. Belice didn¡¯t push the matter but started paying more attention to Briden. The girl was annoying her, as she just sat there sipping tea and pouting. Lady Gravias tried to start up a conversation with the girl. ¡°Lady Julia, I heard you were keeping company with the second son of Marquis Meblen. Count Julia and Marquis Meblen. Aren¡¯t you both well-known families within the Empire?¡± The other girls instantly perked up and began complimenting her out of jealousy. However, they didn¡¯t know the whole story and it was certain that Marquis Meblen would squash those rumours quickly. Briden didn¡¯t want to be laughed at, so she didn¡¯t fix Lady Gravias¡¯ statement. But, because of the anger inside, she couldn¡¯t let the matter go either. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you heard this rumour from, but Her Majesty the princess is probably happier than me,¡± Briden snarled. As she mentioned the princess, the table fell and silent and all of the girls turned to look at her. ¡°What do you mean, Lady Julia?¡± Briden looked straight into Belice¡¯s red eyes. ¡°There are so many young men who would be willing to collapse at your feet, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m saying this.¡± Normally she would let it go as a compliment, but Belice could tell that Briden had different intention with her words. ¡°What do you mean by that, Lady Julia?¡± ¡°What do I mean? I mean exactly what I said. Are you not aware of the overwhelming number of young men wanting to marry you? How happy you must be.¡± ¡°This is the first time I have heard of such a thing,¡± Belice answered. She had no interest in dating, so had never thought about this. To her, it was an absurd claim. ¡°Is that so? Isn¡¯t it obvious, just by looking at what happened to Count Carbe¡¯s family? A nameless viscount as a match for her daughter. That must have been their only option.¡± ¡°How is that because of me?¡± Belice truly didn¡¯t see how this was connected. The young ladies didn¡¯t know what to do as the atmosphere became hostile. ¡°Are you saying you are not aware of how many noble families are rejecting marriage proposals, simply so their sons can have an opportunity to marry you?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know. I wasn¡¯t interested¡­¡± Belice began, shocked. ¡°How about you do take some interest, now that you know?¡± Briden spat out. ¡°Pardon?¡± Belice could not believe what she was hearing. ¡°You need to pick your husband quickly. Then there will be fewer young ladies who can¡¯t get married because of your hesitation. Since you¡¯re so beautiful, unlike us, it wouldn¡¯t be hard to catch a man¡¯s attention with a smile. Pick one now.¡± Briden was so angry at Belice sitting there in innocent shock, that she wasn¡¯t aware of how forceful she had become. CH 279 Chapter 279 Young Lady Raspy quickly spoke up, hoping to change the atmosphere. ¡°To choose just anyone for the princess. Lady Julia, you shouldn¡¯t joke like that.¡± She laughed nervously. ¡°Of course, the elegant princess should marry someone that fits her station,¡± one of the other girls spoke up. ¡°Yes! Lady Julia must be so worried about the princess. That is why she is giving her advice,¡± a third girl said. Everyone was trying their best to stay on Belice¡¯s good side. Belice turned her head and nodded at the young ladies. ¡°I agree. I¡¯m very thankful that young Lady Julia is looking out for me.¡± Belice was inwardly upset at Briden¡¯s attitude, but she had no intention of letting Briden ruin her first teatime. Unbeknownst to the girls, Harin had escorted the empress outside to join in the festivities. They stopped just behind some bushes to quietly listen in to the conversation. The empress¡¯ face didn¡¯t just become stern, but it looked like she was ready to commit an atrocious crime. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯ll immediately evict the young Lady Julia from the grounds.¡± Harin said, turning to deal with the girl. Caniel stopped him. ¡°No. We can¡¯t ruin the princess¡¯ teatime.¡± ¡°But Your Majesty,¡± Harin pleaded. ¡°The moment that young lady leaves the palace grounds, arrest her. My empathy will remain up to that point.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Harin bowed. ¡°You can announce me now,¡± Caniel ordered. Harin raised his voice and announced the empress¡¯ arrival. Belice and the other young ladies stood up in surprise and greeted the empress as she joined them. *** The news of the second daughter of Count Julia being arrested quickly spread through the empire, but in the palace everything was quiet. ¡°Your Majesty, Prince Alexcent will soon be arriving in the capital,¡± Harin reported to Caniel, who was busy working in her office. ¡°Really? Faster than I thought.¡± Caniel looked over the report that Harin handed her. ¡°According to this, he annihilated Widburgen. I¡¯m not surprised. He¡¯s just like me.¡± Caniel knew her son was strong and merciless, as she was. If only he had been born a girl, she thought. Last night, Belice had come to her chamber begging for forgiveness on behalf of Lady Julia. Caniel¡¯s head hurt from that thought. ¡°Spare no expense on the victory greeting of the army when they return,¡± Caniel informed Harin before returning to her work ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Harin replied, bowing deeply and exiting the chamber. * * * That afternoon the army, led by Alexcent, arrived at the capital. The citizens lined the streets and cheered at their glorious return. Alexcent went straight to the empress upon entering the palace, the dust of battle still clinging to his clothes. ¡°Where is Her Majesty?¡± Alexcent asked Harin. ¡°She is in her office,¡± Harin informed him. ¡°Please request an audience with her for me immediately.¡± ¡°You must be tired from a long journey, you should¡­¡± ¡°Now,¡± Alexcent demanded with a fury. Harin quickly ran to inform the empress of Alexcent¡¯s request. Alexcent turned to another servant and gave him an order. ¡°Please send this boy to my chambers. Allow him to have a bath and find him some fresh clothing to wear.¡± The servant looked over the boy with dark violet hair. He looked young and a bit shaggy. The servant seemed to be confused about the presence of this strange child, who had returned with the prince from the war, but he wasn¡¯t one to argue so he asked the boy to follow him and led him off to the prince¡¯s chambers. Alexcent walked down the long hallway to the empress¡¯ office, after Harin returned and said he was welcome to meet with his mother. Alexcent entered the office, bowing and giving the traditional greeting. ¡°Greeting to Her Almighty Majesty. Alexcent Frostin has returned to serve you. Have you been well?¡± ¡°Skip the formal greetings.¡± Caniel said, waving her hand in annoyance. ¡°You have done well on the battlefield.¡± She was cold and uninviting. ¡°It was a simple victory,¡± Alexcent informed her. ¡°Are you injured?¡± Caniel asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Caniel stood up and put down the document she had been studying. ¡°All right, let¡¯s go for a walk.¡± Caniel and Alexcent headed out of the office and out to the gardens of the palace. Caniel remained silent until they were amongst the trees. ¡°You¡¯ve grown again,¡± she acknowledged. Alexcent only offered a grunt in response. The two of them followed the path that headed to the Great Temple, situated at the far end of the gardens. Before they even got near, the power of the World Tree could be felt. Caniel stopped and turned to the servants that had been following. ¡°Everyone is dismissed,¡± she commanded. The servants bowed and headed back to the palace, leaving her and Alexcent alone. Caniel turned to him and caressed his cheek, feeling the warmth of his face. Tenderness was not something she could show in front of others. ¡°Are you sure you weren¡¯t hurt?¡± she asked again. ¡°No,¡± Alexcent assured her. ¡°That¡¯s good. I knew you wouldn¡¯t get hurt, but the concerned mind of a mother never disappears.¡± Alexcent liked how his mother worried over him, but of course he could never show it. Caniel looked at him and smiled. Then she entwined her arm with his and they continued walking. ¡°I think it should be all right for you to stop leading the battles in the Empire.¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Alec would not back down from his duty. ¡°Even though it wasn¡¯t our Empire, Widburgen is a strong country. If you were able to annihilate that kingdom, the message should be a fair warning to any other countries that oppose us. This is a necessary precaution. Your power is steadily getting stronger, and my power is steadily getting weaker.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± Alec said, unable to face the truth. ¡°You¡¯re still like the little boy I remember. You always hold on to things that are inevitable. You just can¡¯t let go.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°I told you to call me mother when it is only the two of us.¡± ¡°Mother,¡± Alexcent corrected. Caniel smiled and caressed his hand. They entered the temple and stood in front of the World Tree. ¡°It¡¯s hard to have someone you have to protect. Also lonely. Even though I know this to be the case, I have a difficult task I must ask of you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with whatever you command.¡± Caniel sighed at Alexcent¡¯s words. He never developed an opinion of his own. ¡°You always say you¡¯re fine,¡± Caniel said. Alexcent lowered his eyes without refuting her. ¡°Power doesn¡¯t have to come from strength alone.¡± Caniel tapped her temples and continued. ¡°Sometimes knowledge triumphs over power. Go and learn about politics with Belice.¡± ¡°As you wish, mother.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much time left,¡± Caniel continued. ¡°Belice lacks the strength to be an empress yet. I only have you to trust. I¡¯m sorry to burden you with such a heavy duty.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know duty better than anyone.¡± Caniel smiled warmly. ¡°My son,¡± she said, lovingly. Alexcent blushed at her devotion. ¡°Promise me one thing, that you¡¯ll protect Belice. That you¡¯ll give everything you have to keep your sister safe. Can you swear it on the World Tree?¡± Alexcent looked at the World Tree, with its white trunk and leaves that shone gold in the sunlight. ¡°I swear on the World Tree. I¡¯ll protect Belice with all my might.¡± ¡°Even if Belice does something terrible to you in the far future, always forgive her. She has a kind heart, unlike us.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The rest of the time they had together, they simply enjoyed the walk through the park. *** Belice heard Alexcent come back and quickly went to the prince¡¯s chambers. ¡°Alexcent!¡± she shouted happily as she ran into his room. He lay on his bed, resting from his walk in the gardens. ¡°Hi.¡± Unlike Belice, who was overjoyed, Alexcent acted like he had been there the whole time. ¡°That¡¯s all you can say after not seeing each other for almost a year and a half?¡± Belice said, incredulously. ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± Alexcent replied, his face remaining stone. ¡°Alexcent!¡± Belice glared at him. ¡°Well, it actually would be weird for you to greet me happily.¡± She laughed and sat down on the bed next to him. ¡°Did you get hurt?¡± she asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°It took a while this time,¡± Belice pointed out. ¡°Did it?¡± ¡°It only took you a year, last time.¡± ¡°They did cause me some trouble.¡± Belice stretched out her hands, palms up. ¡°What?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°What do you mean ¡®what¡¯? Where¡¯s my gift?¡± Belice demanded. ¡°Do you think I was on a vacation?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°You always bring back something! Do you really have nothing?¡± CH 280 Chapter 280 ¡°That thing called the Eye of Goddess or something, I was going to give you that as a gift, but they seem to keep it hidden, so I couldn¡¯t find it. So¡­¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°I got pissed off and killed them all.¡± Belice laughed, knowing that Alexcent was messing with her. Truthfully, the gift wasn¡¯t important. Even though he was away for a long time, it was still a war he was in. She just wanted to see him again. ¡°So, you were waiting for a gift, not for me?¡± Alexcent asked. He glared at her, looking upset ¡°Hey now, that¡¯s not true. It¡¯s always my loving brother first. But, since you don¡¯t have a gift, can you do me a favour?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°How can you say no without hearing it?¡± Belice asked. ¡°It¡¯ll be obvious.¡± Belice stared at him, anger rising in her. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll listen to it first,¡± Alexcent conceded. Belice calmed down. ¡°There will be a trial against young Lady Julia soon. I need you to go to mother and¡­¡± ¡°No,¡± Alexcent was being obstinate. ¡°I can¡¯t do you that favour.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even say what it was.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to tell me to ask the Empress to give her a light punishment. Correct?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Belice¡¯s cheeks blushed a little. ¡°See. You¡¯re too easy to read.¡± ¡°But Alexcent, I¡¯m asking you nicely. It was just a normal conversation I had with Lady Julia and she probably didn¡¯t have any ill intentions with what she said.¡± Alexcent shook his head. It was still a firm ¡®no¡¯. ¡°Really? At this rate, no one¡¯s going to want to be by my side.¡± Belice looked sad. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°People are being executed whenever they speak to me. So, who is going to want to speak to me in the future? Even when I become the Empress, my advisors will be too scared to give me any proper advice!¡± ¡°Belice, you still can¡¯t distinguish between sarcasm and advice? It was clearly sarcasm being spoken by a lowly daughter of a count to a princess that will soon become the Empress.¡± ¡°Alexcent, it was a misunderstanding.¡± ¡°Misunderstanding? Even though she dared to call you a whore who sells her body for a laugh?¡± ¡°Oh my god, she didn¡¯t say it like that!¡± ¡°Whatever she called you, she was lucky that I wasn¡¯t there.¡± ¡°Alexcent!¡± Belice couldn¡¯t believe how arrogant he was being. ¡°What should I say? You¡¯re just like mother!¡± Belice lowered her head, pouting. ¡°Fine! Why don¡¯t you just tell me to go find the Eye of the Goddess instead.¡± Alexcent was furious. ¡°That¡¯s easier for me than dealing with this.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need that rock.¡± ¡°Belice, you¡¯re going to be an Empress.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°The Empress needs to be cruel sometime. You can¡¯t act all nice when¡­¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± Belice stood up and left the room without looking back. *** Caniel was heading to the drawing room where Duke Roden was waiting for her. As she approached, a young man exited the room and disappeared down the hall in the opposite direction. Caniel called Harin over, who happened to be nearby. ¡°Harin.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Who is that person that just left?¡± Harin looked at the man hurrying away, then turned back. ¡°He is Sir Michen, of Duke Roden¡¯s family.¡± ¡°Michen? Isn¡¯t he the grandson that Duke Roden boasts about all the time? Why is he in the palace?¡± ¡°He¡¯s been coming into the palace with Duke Roden lately. From the rumours that have been circulating, Duke Roden has chosen him as his successor.¡± ¡°Successor?¡± Even though Duke Roden¡¯s eldest son was alive and well, he was trying to make his grandson the next duke instead. This was because his son, Sir Gason, was a well-known thug within the Empire. He was a smart boy, but had no intention on keeping up with his studies. Instead, he was causing all kinds of trouble. He was the biggest problem in the Roden family, which otherwise was considered the best family in the Empire. Caniel knew this well. ¡°It would be better for the family to give the title to someone else, rather than make that thug Gason the successor. What particular information do you know about that young man called Michen?¡± ¡°From what I have been told, he is smart, very educated and is diligent in his duties,¡± Harin informed her. ¡°So, he is definitely not anything like his father. See if you can dig up anything on him.¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡± Harin bowed. Caniel turned and entered the drawing room where Duke Roden was waiting. As the Duke stood to greet her, she got right down to business. ¡°So, I heard that you have chosen Sir Michen as your successor. Why not Sir Gason?¡± she asked, before Duke Roden could say a word. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. My son isn¡¯t fit to rule. Thankfully, he was good enough to raise an extremely smart grandson.¡± Duke Roden set down the tea he had been holding and looked some reaction in Caniel. She just smiled, so he continued. ¡°I have a request for you.¡± Caniel had been wondering what the reason was for Duke Roden¡¯s visit. She thought it might have something to do with Lady Julia¡¯s trial. She became wary at the word ¡®request¡¯. ¡°It¡¯s not anything grand,¡± Duke Roden continued. ¡°As you know, there are some nobles that are insisting my son Gason become the next duke.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Caniel already knew this but was surprised that the request had nothing to do with the trial. CH 281 Chapter 281 There were different sides being taken, regarding the succession issue. The older nobles wanted Michen to become the next Duke, and the younger nobles wanted Gason as the next duke. There was a simple reason for the young noble¡¯s decision. If Gason was the duke, it would be easier to manipulate him. Caniel really didn¡¯t want any part of the decision. This was not a matter that affected the Empress, so it was not something she should waste her time on. But the current Duke of Roden had a different opinion. He felt that this matter was of interest to the Empress. If the nobles divided over this difference in opinion, it could lead to more extreme conflicts that could affect trade and business in the entire Empire. Duke Roden needed the transition to go smoothly and the only way he felt he could achieve that was through the influence of the Empress. ¡°Your Majesty, please allow my grandson to attend the trial in an official capacity.¡± ¡°You mean you want him to sit on the board of nobles and not as an outside observer?¡± Caniel could not believe Duke Roden¡¯s directness. What he was asking was unheard of. ¡°Your Majesty, how could I ask for that? No, nothing that extreme. He¡¯s not the master of the family, yet. I simply want him to attend while seated by my side.¡± The noble seats at the board were reserved strictly for heads of the families. For a noble to allow an unconfirmed successor to sit with him would cause incredible friction amongst the other heads of state. She could not afford to turn allies against her, even if the boy were to sit there in complete silence. The issue was optics. It would give the appearance that the Empress was supporting Michen as the next duke. The only reason he could be allowed to sit there was because she had given permission. This was exactly what Duke Roden was hoping for. Caniel tapped her forehead with her finger, thinking about who would be better for the whole of the Empire and if this is something that she wanted to do. Gason the inept thug, or Michen the smart grandson. ¡°Fine, I will allow it.¡± Caniel had made her decision. She still needed Duke Roden on her side, and by opposing him in this it would cause more damage than if she tried to brush it off. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Duke Roden bowed deeply. ¡°Fine then. I will see you in court.¡± Caniel rose, indicating the discussion was over. Duke Roden quickly left, smiling from ear to ear. After the Duke exited the premises, Harin entered the study and handed Caniel a report on Michen, then retired for the night. Caniel took some time to read over the document, before she retired to her chambers. Several sentences made her chuckle. When he was attending the Academy, he saw a friend cheating during a test. He immediately reported him and the cheating student received a warning. Two years ago, he was offered a bribe attempt from the clerk of a trading post. Michen reported the man to the militia and the man was prosecuted. How adorable. He made himself appear to be the virtue of innocence. Caniel considered that this might be just for show and she needed to find out what the boy was really like. She would watch him like a hawk at the trial. *** The nobles were talking amongst themselves as they waited for the trial to begin. The topic of conversation on everyone¡¯s lips was that Sir Michen was seated behind Duke Roden, instead of being in the audience. There were mixed feelings. Some welcomed the honour granted him, but some were glaring and clearly opposed. No one was speaking with Duke Roden. ¡°Her Majesty the Empress is entering. Please rise.¡± The guard announced the entrance to the entire court. All the nobles stood and bowed as the Empress came in. Caniel took her seat in the center of the room, towering over everyone who was present. ¡°My time is precious, so I want this trial to proceed quickly and efficiently,¡± Caniel announced. The secretary quickly read off the accusation against Lady Julia: Insulting the Princess. This was one of the worst crimes that could be considered and often ended with an execution. ¡°Do we need to present testimony from a witness?¡± Caniel asked, following procedure. The secretary answered. ¡°As you were the witness to this infraction, Your Majesty, no further testimony is required.¡± No one would contradict the word of the Empress, even if she was in the wrong. Therefore, no one stood up on behalf of Lady Julia. Caniel looked to the nobles. ¡°No further testimony is required. Are there any opposing opinions?¡± Silence followed from the board of nobles. ¡°Very well. Please announce the punishment for the crime of insulting a princess.¡± ¡°Execution, Your Majesty,¡± the secretary informed those observing. ¡°Very well. As the decision has been made, Briden, daughter to Count Julia, is hereby sentenced to execution,¡± Caniel announced. Count Julia burst into tears from the observation lounge. It was because of his greed that he forced his daughter to go. He could never have imagined that it would end in her death. The guilt overwhelmed him as he watched his only daughter led away in chains. CH 282 Chapter 282 ¡°Your Majesty! My daughter wasn¡¯t trying to insult the Princess,¡± Count Julia started shouting to the Empress from his seat. ¡°Voices were raised a little while they were having a conversation, but she never insulted the Princess.¡± Caniel turned to the man in anger. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that seducing young men by smiling at them was something a lowly count¡¯s daughter could accuse the Princess of.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Count Julia was livid. ¡°Are you claiming that I¡¯m lying about what I heard?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that. But¡­¡± Count Julia was trying his hardest to save his daughter. He realized that his words would only get him into trouble, so he looked to Duke Roden for help. Duke Roden turned away. The Duke knew that the Empress was actually being kind with her punishment. In truth, Count Julia¡¯s entire family could have been executed, including him. Caniel slowly shook her head at Count Julia, indicating to him not to continue. It was a warning not to get on her bad side. She looked at Duke Roden, who she could see did not intend to get involved. She also noticed Sir Michen, who stood against the wall with a face she couldn¡¯t read. Caniel decided to test out another point of view. ¡°Sir Michen.¡± The man became alert and bowed deeply when she addressed him. ¡°What do you think of this situation?¡± Count Julia was shocked. ¡°Your Majesty, he¡¯s not a noble. He does not have a right to speak.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be fair to hear the opinion of someone who isn¡¯t nobility? Michen does not have a title, so he has no connection to the situation. Well, Sir Michen? What are your thoughts?¡± Everyone turned their attention to him. Michen looked to Duke Roden with panic in his eyes. Duke Roden nodded giving him permission to speak. ¡°From the results of previous cases, execution was the proper verdict.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. Looking at the precedents, those who insulted a Princess were immediately executed. In most cases, the entire family was executed as well. I believe you showed compassion by opening a trial and not condemning the entire family¡± ¡°There you have it, Count Julia.¡± Caniel said, turning to him. Count Julia bowed his head in defeat. He realized that if he said another word, then his family would disappear from the face of the Empire. He had to leave his daughter to her fate in order to protect the rest of his family members. ¡°I thank you for such a merciful decision, Your Majesty,¡± Count Julia mumbled. ¡°Good. That will be the end of this, then¡± Caniel said, smiling. She strode out of the courtroom and headed back to her office. ¡°Harin. Ask Sir Michen to come to my office?¡± Caniel instructed her advisor as they walked the halls. ¡°I will meet him alone. Understood?¡±¡± ¡°As you wish, Your Majesty.¡± *** In the Empress¡¯ office, Michen stood before Caniel. He didn¡¯t dare meet the Empress¡¯ eyes and his hands were trembling. ¡°Michen, from what I have heard, you are a well-educated man?¡± Caniel asked ¡°You flatter me,¡± Michen replied. ¡°Flatter? I like how modest you are. I would ask that you take over duties in educating the Prince and Princess.¡± Michen slowly raised his eyes to meet Caniel¡¯s. He didn¡¯t know what he had done to deserve the honour, but his lips spoke faster than his brain could comprehend. ¡°I refuse,¡± he said. Caniel sat down in surprise at his unexpected answer. ¡°You refuse?¡± ¡°If I have a choice in this matter, then I refuse.¡± ¡°Why would you do that? It is the perfect opportunity for you to become the next duke.¡± Caniel smiled. ¡°Yes. Even the Princess is doing well with her education,¡± Harin reported. ¡°All of her instructors are praising her. You can stop worrying, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°She has always been smart. She just hadn¡¯t put her mind to it, until now.¡± Caniel tapped the desk with her finger. She looked serious, contemplating if the time had come. Belice needed to start preparing to rule. ¡°When today¡¯s lessons are finished, bring Belice to me,¡± Caniel instructed. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Narin bowed and left the office. * * * Belice headed to the Empress office after being summoned. She saw her mother standing in the hallway. Running up to her, she tackled her with a powerful hug, showing no dignity in front of the servants. Caniel smiled awkwardly. ¡°It seems that you are becoming more childish, daughter.¡± Caniel said quietly, ushering Belice into her office and out of the view of prying eyes. ¡°It¡¯s because I am happy to see you.¡± Caniel smiled, despite her actions. ¡°I heard your studies are going well lately. I have something to show you, as a reward,¡± Caniel told her daughter. Belice was full of anticipation. They headed out of the office and travelled to the deepest part of the palace. They stopped at a door that was tall and strong, with a tree pattern carved into it that resembled the World Tree. Belice found it strange that there was no one guarding an entrance that obviously led to somewhere important. ¡°Your Majesty, is this¡­? ¡°The Tower of Silence,¡± Caniel answered for her. ¡°The Tower of Silence? But it can only be entered by the Empress.¡± Belice stared at the door in wonder. ¡°To be precise, those who are destined to become the Empress can also go in. I went in once as a Princess. I think the day has come for you to enter.¡± Belice grasped on to Caniel¡¯s arm, fear overcoming her. CH 283 Chapter 283 ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ll be right beside you,¡± Caniel assured her. Caniel waved her hand in front of the door, without touching it, and it slowly swung open. Hand in hand, the mother and daughter entered. Inside the tower was a void of darkness and silence. It was as if all sensation had been eradicated from the world. They couldn¡¯t even feel their own bodies. Yet, in some twisted paradox of their minds, they could hear silence and feel the absence of touch. It was as if they had become one with everything Belice trembled in terror. ¡®Your Majesty, I¡¯m scared!¡¯ She said the words without making a sound. Her thoughts were completely linked with her mother¡¯s. ¡®Calm yourself, Belice. I¡¯m by your side. You just can¡¯t feel it.¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t see anything!¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t try to see. Close your eyes and focus. Breathe in deep and slowly let it out. Good. You¡¯re doing well.¡¯ Belice only sensed her actions in her head. She couldn¡¯t see anything so she concentrated instead on what she wanted to experience. ¡®You¡¯re calm now. Good.¡¯ ¡®Can you see me?¡¯ Belice asked through her thoughts. ¡®I sense you. You soon will sense me as well.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m still scared.¡¯ ¡®You don¡¯t have to fear anything. This is a space outside of space-time. It¡¯s like a tunnel.¡¯ ¡®A tunnel outside of space-time?¡¯ ¡®Yes. The Goddess Frostin came to Sehar through this tunnel. Belice, close your eyes and focus your mind everywhere.¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t know how to do it. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m not a full empress yet. I¡¯m not ready.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s not true. You were able to enter because you are ready. Only those who are chosen can come in. if someone, who wasn¡¯t chosen, came in, they would be obliterated by the nature of this place. Now, focus again. What do you see?¡¯ ¡®Nothing. Wait! I can feel you smiling. Are you smiling?¡¯ ¡®Of course. I¡¯m smiling because I am proud of you. What else do you see?¡¯ Belice concentrated. ¡®I see a world. But it¡¯s not Sehar.¡¯ ¡®Yes. There are cracks in space-time that allow you to gaze on every world imaginable. But you must be very careful not to fall through or you could become stranded in a world that is not your own.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s amazing! There are so many beautiful and strange things in the world I can see.¡¯ ¡®Belice, you might find it hard right now since you are young, but once you become stronger, you will be able to see not just worlds, but all of the energies that comprise the world¡¯s existence. You will be able to see a person¡¯s soul. Manipulate it. This is a power that you must treat with the utmost respect.¡¯ ¡®Manipulate it? Do you mean I can control someone¡¯s soul however I want?¡¯ ¡®That is the power of your magic. But it is not something you can use whenever you feel like it. The power must be controlled ¡®Amazing! Can we stay and observe other worlds? There are so many astonishing things to see.¡¯ ¡®You have only seen a small part of it. But I think we¡¯ve been here long enough for today.¡¯ The door to the Tower of Silence¡¯s door opened and Belice and Caniel stepped out of the void. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Belice hugged her mother once more when she saw they had returned safely. ¡°Belice, do you know why I took you into the Tower of Silence?¡± Caniel asked. Belice shook her head in confusion. ¡°It means that your time is coming soon.¡± ¡°That means¡­¡± Belice couldn¡¯t finish. She knew what that meant. ¡°Belice, you don¡¯t have to be complete in your training. But you also can¡¯t become lazy. You don¡¯t have to stand out, but do not give up. As an Empress, you can¡¯t acknowledge your weakness as a weakness. You need to know that the throne you¡¯ll be sitting on is a hard and lonely place. I have faith you¡¯ll do well.¡± Caniel patted Belice¡¯s head. ¡°Please don¡¯t forget the person that is inside of you.¡± Belice nodded, even though she didn¡¯t fully understand. Caniel smiled at her and thought. Everything is in the hands of the Goddess now. *** Spin-off 2. The Empress¡¯s absence ¨C 5 years later. It had been a year since Empress Caniel passed away and returned to the hands of the Goddess. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Karune bowed to Belice. ¡°The coronation has not yet occured. That title does not yet befit me,¡± Belice instructed him. ¡°My apologies. Your Highness, Duke Skad sent you a message.¡± ¡°Really? What did it say?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be returning to the Empire soon.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The first thing Alexcent did, when Empress Caniel passed away, was to begin killing all those who opposed Belice. The nobles, who tried to manipulate Belice¡¯s weakness so they could take over Sehar, were charged with treason. The verdict, as always was execution. Thus, the Empress-to-be grew stronger by the elimination of almost the entire senate. Alexcent¡¯s killings began to get out of hand and he started executing unnecessary lower members of the noble¡¯s houses. Belice was enraged and was forced to banish Alexcent out of the capital, using the excuse that she needed him to monitor the border defenses. She figured this would give him time to cool down, but instead Alexcent used to opportunity to wage war on the countries surrounding the Sehar Empire. The words coming in on reports were calling him a monster or a devil. And now he was returning to the palace. CH 284 ¡°Good news, Your Highness,¡± Michen, who had been raised to the title of Duke Roden spoke. ¡°Everything is in order to proceed with your coronation as soon as Duke Skad returns to the palace.¡± Michen was shocked at the request. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that delay the ceremony even longer? Even now, you keep pushing back the coronation with the excuse that you are still mourning your mother. It¡¯s not good to keep the throne empty for too long. It might prove to be a problem with your allies.¡± ¡°Even so, I want to make Alexcent in charge.¡± Belice was adamant in her decision. Michen spoke up, seeing that she wouldn¡¯t back down. ¡°If this is what you command, we will follow.¡± Michen, her beloved teacher, used to have been someone Belice could talk to easily if she had a problem but, since becoming nobility, he kept his distance from her. She wanted very much to have a discussion with him, as she had when she was younger, but now he only saw an Empress and one to be obeyed. A servant entered silently and whispered some words to Michen who conveyed them to Belice. ¡°Your Highness, Marquis Mevelyn is requesting to meet with you.¡± The others, realizing the meeting had come to an end, took their leave and exited the meeting chamber, bowing as they left. ¡°Shall I bring in Marquis Mevelyn?¡± Michen asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Michen thought he had misheard her answer. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Send him back home. He¡¯ll most likely just waste my time talking nonsense. So, what¡¯s next on the schedule?¡± ¡°You have a meeting with the diplomats from Kestenia kingdom,¡± Michen said, checking his notes. ¡°They are waiting for you in the throne room.¡± ¡°Right, let us go then.¡± Belice rose and Michen stepped dutifully behind her. She had been the student and now she was the master. Her heart ached once more that she was no longer able to talk to him as a friend. There was a realization that what she felt might be a bit more than friendship, but once the coronation occurred those feelings would need to be quelled. Perhaps that was why she kept looking for excuses to delay the process. * * * Michen came out of the meeting room sighing. It was a struggle to look at Belice as the Empress, when all he saw was a woman. He knew that she was beyond his station, but his brain didn¡¯t seem to care. He had to look at her as his master but all he saw was a woman. He knew that he shouldn¡¯t think such thoughts, but his heart wouldn¡¯t listen. He needed to send Marquis Mevelyn away. It was apparent that the Marquis was attempting to court Belice to become her husband. For now, Belice was unaware, but eventually the man might win over her heart. He observed Belice, walking in front of him, and fought the pangs of jealousy. The girl he once taught had blossomed into a beautiful woman. But she was also losing her innocence, the thing he had admired the most. Michen longed for the woman from the past. *** Michen was given a message from a servant when he returned to his home. It detailed the arrival of Loyalterre, who had come of the age to return to the capital. Loyalterre hadn¡¯t been acknowledged by the previous Duke. She was Michen¡¯s father¡¯s bastard child, so had to live her life in exile without a name. Sir Gason, their father, impregnated a prostitute in a small town in the outskirts of the capital. Sir Gason ignored the woman, as if she didn¡¯t exist, until she was forced to appear at the Duke¡¯s mansion with her child and asked to be taken care of. The Duke refused to accept her claims. The woman ran off, abandoning the child at the palace. She had only intended to use the baby as blackmail to receive some compensation. The child was sent away to some secret location and raised as an orphan, not knowing who her family was. When the previous Duke died and became a God¡¯s guardian, Michen inherited the household. As he toured the Duke¡¯s territory, he found his half-sister. Michen felt compassion for her and told her to come to the Duke¡¯s mansion when she turned eighteen. That day had finally arrived. ¡°I wonder of there something in particular we should do? Some sort of ceremony. She has no reason to hide anymore. Take good care of her when she¡¯s arrives, as she is part of the Roden family. She won¡¯t be familiar with life in the capital.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord. We¡¯ll take great care of her.¡± The servant left to make preparations as Michen went into his office. In truth, Michen could have just ignored her, the same as the previous Duke, but he had taken a liking to her. Michen was resentful that his father had given up his name for one lustful night with a prostitute. And then the shame of a bastard child came as well. The disrespect to his family made Michen angry. But it wasn¡¯t Loyalterre¡¯s fault. She looked nothing like their father, was extremely mature for her age, and incredibly intelligent. There was no way that Michen could not acknowledge her. He decided then that he would present her to the nobles as an official member of the Roden family. With Duke Skad returning to the capital, and a coronation about to be held, this was the best time to introduce her to society. CH 285 ¡°Hello, Duke Michen,¡± the young woman smiled as she greeted her half-brother for the first time in many years. ¡°Loyalterre, you¡¯ve grown so much.¡± She had been a scrawny child, the last time he saw her, but now she was a woman. ¡°Everyone here knows me as the Duke. But you are my family. I¡¯m a little sad you don¡¯t address me as such.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know how to address you.¡± ¡°You can just call me brother.¡± Loyalterre blushed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be embarrassed. You¡¯re a Roden.¡± ¡°All right,¡± Loyalterre said, shyly. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to life here. For now, stay inside the mansion and see what noble life is all about. Once we have officially recovered your status, you¡¯ll be free to roam wherever you please. Unfortunately, as you were never registered, the process may take some time.¡± It wasn¡¯t easy to change the status from a peasant to a noble. There was a multitude of evidence required to justify the decision. Unless, however, it was ordered directly from the Empress. As the throne still sat empty, he would have to wait for Belice¡¯s coronation to use that option. ¡°I¡¯m fine with staying in the mansion. I¡¯m just thankful that you¡¯re giving me a room and clothes.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anything you need, you can ask Hennessey.¡± Michen¡¯s head of household bowed. ¡°Welcome to the Roden mansion. I¡¯m Hennessey Winter, the head of household for the Roden family. You can address me as Hennessey.¡± ¡°Loyalterre, I have some business to attend to, so I¡¯ll leave you in the capable hands of Hennessey. I¡¯ll see you at dinner?¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord¡­. Brother.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Michen smiled softly at his sister¡¯s awkwardness. She would learn quickly; he was sure of it. *** As Duke Skad entered the palace, the atmosphere became dark with fear. The servants tried their best to avoid him and if one of them happened to catch his eye, they fainted in terror. ¡°Greetings to the almighty Empress.¡± Alexcent kneeled and kissed the back of Belice¡¯s hand. ¡°Not yet,¡± Belice said. ¡°What do you mean, not yet?¡± Alexcent¡¯s voice almost growled. The people in attendance held their breaths. ¡°The coronation has not yet proceeded. I¡¯m going to have you prepare it,¡± Belice stated. Alexcent stood up and looked around the audience chamber. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of disrespect this is. You still haven¡¯t completed your coronation yet?¡± Michen stepped forward. ¡°It was Her Highness¡¯ intention, My Lord.¡± Alexcent turned to face Belice. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°For the safety of the coronation, I wanted to put someone I can trust in charge.¡± ¡°If that is your wish, I will prepare the ceremony immediately. And you can be certain that all precautions will be taken. ¡°Good. Now that has been settled, let us start our meeting.¡± The ruling board all took their seats around a circular table. Karune produced a stack of documents that had been brought back with Alexcent. ¡°Your Highness, these are the agreements that Duke Skad received from our allies.¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± Alexcent glared at Karune in regards to how he had addressed Belice. Karune broke out in a cold sweat. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Karune barely squeaked out. Belice silently shook her head in annoyance and looked over the documentation. ¡°These appear to all be favourable towards us. I will look through them in more detail later.¡± ¡°Of course. The next item of business is¡­¡± Karune looked at Alexcent to make sure it was all right to continue. More beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. ¡°Now that Duke Skad has quelled any uprisings in the country, we need to consider your future as Empress. These are suggestions of possible matches for you as husband.¡± ¡°Husband!¡± Belice looked at the list that was set in front of her. Alexcent stared at Belice and then at Michen. Michen just sat still in cold silence. Once the coronation was completed, the Empress would have to marry someone of the proper status. What Alexcent thought was going on between these two could no longer continue. Belice scowled at the list. ¡°I¡¯ll decide the best option for the Empire after the coronation.¡± The rest of the meeting was comprised of minor issues that were quickly resolved. Everyone left the meeting room except Alexcent, who held Belice back. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Alexcent asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°A husband?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s just the way it is,¡± Belice said, not seeming so sure herself. ¡°Aren¡¯t you and Michen¡­.¡± ¡°No. He¡¯s the leader of the nobles. He can¡¯t be a prince consort.¡± ¡°Is that a law?¡± ¡°Not that I know of,¡± Belice admitted. ¡°So? What¡¯s the problem? Even if the law stated differently, you could just change it. You are the Empress and the ruler of Sehar. You make the laws.¡± ¡°Alexcent, this has nothing to do with laws. The most important thing is how Michen feels.¡± Belice¡¯s lips trembled. How Michen felt was more important to her than anything. ¡°Besides, I can¡¯t tell if he likes me.¡± ¡°Whether he likes you or not, why does that matter? You can command him to marry you.¡± ¡°Alexcent, I¡¯m not you.¡± Belice could never be like her bother. CH 286 ¡°Fine, let¡¯s take a gamble on a plan then,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°Put Michen in charge of the list of candidates for the title of prince consort.¡± ¡°Alexcent! That¡¯s cruel! How could you even suggest that!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to invoke jealousy? Just do as I say.¡± ¡°What if it goes wrong? What if he really doesn¡¯t have feelings for me?¡± Belice thought this was too much of a gamble. ¡°Then, just throw yourself at him.¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other choice,¡± Alexcent said, his face stone. ¡°I really don¡¯t know why I¡¯m talking about this with you.¡± ¡°Men knows men the best. What are you so worried about? Your problem is that you think too much. You¡¯ll never achieve anything, not if you always want to be sure about the outcome first.¡± ¡°But this is different kind of problem!¡± ¡°Then, I will dismiss myself. I¡¯m busy with preparing your coronation, Your Majesty.¡± Alexcent bowed respectfully and left the meeting room. After he left, Belice sat in silence thinking about all that he had said. Even in the evening, after Belice had returned to her chamber from a long day of meetings, she still hadn¡¯t cleared Alexcent¡¯s words from her mind. Would he really be jealous, like Alexcent said, she thought? If he doesn¡¯t have any feelings for me, I don¡¯t know if I could take it. Alexcent did have a point. She wouldn¡¯t achieve anything if she didn¡¯t at least try. Belice stopped a passing servant and ordered, ¡°Please summon Sir Roden to me.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡± The servant scampered off to locate the man. * * * Michen was about to leave the palace when a servant ran up and informed him that the Empress was looking for him. He hurried back into the palace. It was unusual for her to summon him like this, after all the appointments had been completed, and he was worried that something had happened to her. He became flustered, when he realized that the servant was leading him to her bed chamber, rather than the office. ¡°Your Majesty, I have brought Duke Roden,¡± the servant announced into the room. ¡°Enter,¡± Belice¡¯s voice called from within. The servant opened the door and indicated for Michen to enter alone. Michen entered to find Belice waiting in the meeting chamber outside of her bedroom. Belice had changed into a casual dress and let her hair down to fall about her shoulders. Michen¡¯s heart stopped, as he was reminded of the princess he had fallen in love with years ago. ¡°You summoned me, Your Majesty?¡± ¡°I know you were just leaving to head for home, so my apologies.¡± ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m at you command.¡± ¡°Please, sit.¡± Belice motioned to the sofa, where she sat next to him. ¡°I have a favour to ask of you,¡± Belice said. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d be in charge of the candidate list for possible prince consorts.¡± Michen didn¡¯t say anything. He could hear a ringing in his head, and his body heated up in anger to the request made by Belice. He knew he was insane to think that he could ever be with her, but to ask this of him was like kicking a horse when it was down. He thought he had until the coronation before he had to deal with the idea of her needing to find someone to marry. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Sir Skad be a better judge of character than I would?¡± Michen asked through clenched teeth. ¡°He is, but Sir Skad is busy with planning the coronation. He told me that men know men better. You are the leader of the nobles and probably know more young men than I do, so I thought you would be the best fit.¡± There was no way that he could deny her request, so he mumbled ¡°I will do as you ask.¡± ¡°And one more request. I want this done quietly, there is no need in getting anyone too excited.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± It wasn¡¯t like Michen didn¡¯t know this was coming. She would not be allowed to go on without a husband. But for it to happen so quickly? The logic side of his brain spoke back to him, making him realize that it was actually late. The husband is usually decided when the new Empress was still a princess. Michen compressed his anger deep inside. ¡°Your Majesty, do you have a certain type of man that you desire? It might be easier to narrow down the candidates if you have preferred characteristics.¡± Belice¡¯s eyes widened. It really seemed like Michen was all right with this. Maybe she did mean nothing to him. ¡°Ideal type? I hadn¡¯t thought about it. If I had to choose something, I would say someone who is well educated. And it would be good if they were diligent.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Michen didn¡¯t see the sadness in Belice¡¯s eyes as he bowed and made his leave, heading backout of the palace. *** Michen still had his light on, in the office, late at night. He was looking at the family trees of the nobles, trying to pick out the young men that were of a similar age to the Empress. Meanwhile, his anger kept rising. He was realizing just how many available men there were in the Empire. Damn it! He swore to himself. He didn¡¯t remember when Belice had changed from a ruler to a woman he lusted for, in his eyes, but he was furious that he had to give her to someone else after now realizing it. His heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces. Michen closed his eyes, taking deep breaths to try and calm himself down. When he opened his eyes again, all he could see were the men¡¯s names on the list in front of him. He slammed his fist down on the desk. ¡°AH!¡± He shrieked in surprise behind him. She had put together a late-night snack for him while he was working late and had just brought it into the office. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t hear you knock,¡± Michen apologized. ¡°Why aren¡¯t sleeping at this hour?¡± ¡°I heard you up, working late, so I thought I would bring you a snack. I¡¯m sorry I interrupted you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Michen was embarrassed that Loyalterre witnessed his mini-tantrum. He took the snack she had prepared for him and placed it on his desk. Loyalterre looked troubled as he set down a teacup on top of a document without realizing it. ¡°If you leave your cup on that document, it might get ruined.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right,¡± Michen said, not really caring about this task any more. ¡°You sure are busy lately, always working at home as well as the palace. Is there something I can help you with?¡± Michen smiled at Loyalterre, as he saw how concerned she looked. She was a kind girl, nothing like her parents. ¡°I¡¯m fine. You should be free to do whatever pleases you. What is it that you really want to do with your life? Tell me, and I¡¯ll support you as much as I can.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t thought much about it yet. Everything still feels like a dream.¡± ¡°If you think of something, do not hesitate to let me know. I have more work to do so you should go ahead and get some sleep.¡± ¡°All right. Don¡¯t push yourself too hard. Good night.¡± ¡°Good night,¡± Michen replied, as Loyalterre left the office. Loyalterre thought about the words Michen had said. She never had any dreams about her life. She never thought that she would have a future where she would be free to follow any desires. The only thing she had to think about was where her next meal would be coming from. What do I want to do? What would it be? she thought. I want to help Sir Roden. He¡¯s always working. I need to be his strength so something doesn¡¯t happen to him and this new life goes away. I need to learn the skills he knows. Loyalterre thought of these things as she slowly drifted off into a deep sleep. CH 287 A welcome back ball was being arranged for Duke Skad. What was supposed to be a simple party turned into a magnificent feast, as Alexcent gave his input. Only the most important people were invited, so the guest list wasn¡¯t very long. But for Loyalterre, with this being her first grand ball as a noble, she was extremely nervous. Michen arrived with Loyalterre as his guest. Everyone¡¯s eyes went to him, including Alexcent. He turned to Gen. ¡°Gen. Find out the identity of the lady that came in with Sir Roden and report back to me.¡± Gen looked over at Loyalterre, who stood smiling awkwardly next to Duke Roden. ¡°As you wish, my lord,¡± Gen said, then disappeared into the crowd to find out whatever information he could. ¡°Announcing her royal Empress Belice Frostin.¡± Belice walked in at the announcement. She flinched as she saw the lady who stood arm in arm with Michen. She calmed herself from the surprise and moved to the head of the table. After opening the banquet with the customary words, Belice kept quiet and concentrated on the meal that was brought out from the kitchens by the servants. The nobles attending were feeling the awkwardness that emanated from Belice and they too started conversing less, until it was silent except for the sounds of eating. When the uncomfortable silence became too much, Marquis Mevelyn decided to break the barrier and start a conversation. He always did love to talk. ¡°I don¡¯t believe I know your beautiful companion, Duke Roden,¡± he said. Everyone had been wondering who the young lady was that Duke Roden had brought, as he was known as being single. Everyone started speaking up and asking about Loyalterre. Michen knew the Marquis had called him out as a power move, to try and reduce his favour in the eyes of the Empress. Michen had wanted to formally introduce Loyalterre after her status had been restored. He didn¡¯t want Loyalterre to be known as a bastard. But, if he said nothing now, the rumours would spread like wildfire. ¡°She is a friend of the family, who is staying with me for a while. Please welcome her as you would welcome me,¡± Michen said. Michen met eyes with Loyalterre, and nodded for her to go ahead and introduce herself. Loyalterre remembered what their butler, Hennessey, said, to speak as vaguely as possible about herself until her status had been restored. ¡°I¡¯m Loyalterre. This is my first time in the capital so I am still learning about the culture here. It is very nice to meet all of you.¡± ¡°Your first time in the capital; it is as I thought,¡± Marquis Mevelyn said. ¡°That would be why we haven¡¯t seen you before.¡± ¡°Are you staying at the Roden mansion? Then we should come by and give our greetings. Nice to meet you, Lady Loyalterre,¡± another guest spoke up The rest of the guests started adding their own welcomes to the mix, trying to curry favour. Belice, after listening to all the flattery for some time, set down her utensils and stood up. Everyone quieted down and looked towards her. ¡°I have to excuse myself. I just remembered an urgent matter I need to attend to. Don¡¯t feel pressured to leave. Please, continue dining. The rest of this ball will be hosted by my brother, Sir Skad.¡± Belice quickly left the ballroom after announcing her exit. Behind her, Alexcent chugged his glass of wine and slammed it down on the table. ¡°As you all know, I don¡¯t like when things get loud,¡± he said sourly, before returning to eating. The nobles ate the rest of the meal in silence, as the mood darkened. Loyalterre, however, couldn¡¯t help but look at Alexcent curiously. Belice quickly headed for her chambers. Loyalterre! How old is that girl? she wondered. Fifteen? Seventeen at most? Regardless of the age difference, it was depravity in her mind. She needed to be alone. *** ¡°Hennessey, sir.¡± ¡°Just Hennessey. You have to take out the sir.¡± Loyalterre mumbled something under her breath, then said again, ¡°Hennessey.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady.¡± ¡°I met someone today and¡­. he was very memorable,¡± Loyalterre said. ¡°Who was it?¡± Hennessey asked. ¡°I think they called him Duke Skad.¡± ¡°Does he perhaps have white blonde hair and red eyes?¡± Hennessey tried not to shake his head. Out of all the people, why did she have to take an interest in Duke Skad? ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Who is he? It seemed like no one would dare to speak in front of him.¡± Loyalterre had been surprised at his arrogance, yet the other nobles seemed to look up to him. He obviously had some power over the nobles. ¡°He is the only brother of the soon-to-be Empress,¡± Hennessey informed her. ¡°He did bear a resemblance to Her Majesty. That was why he acted so confident.¡± ¡°He¡¯s basically a standalone man. Some people call him the devil but, despite that, he is a great man in every way. Politics, business, economics, foreign relations, national defense. Every aspect, that he has a hand, in runs perfectly, and that is something to be admired in a leader.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Duke Skad was the type of person that Loyalterre wanted to become. That way, she would be a valuable asset in helping Michen. * * * ¡°The bastard of the Roden family?¡± Alexcent asked incredulously, after reading Gen¡¯s report. ¡°A bastard dared to come to the Royal feast.¡± That meant Michen was aiming to restore her status. He brought her so the nobility could get used to her. She was that important. He had to find out how important she was. She might be someone he could use for his own agenda. CH 288 Belice was relaxing in her chambers when a servant entered. ¡°Your Majesty, Duke Roden is requesting a meeting with you.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Belice stood up from her bed and went to the sitting room outside. ¡°Please bring him in.¡± Michen entered, holding a document in his hand. ¡°I heard you were here, so I came looking for you.¡± ¡°Yes, my rooms here are more comfortable.¡± ¡°I have something to inform you of,¡± he said. Belice understood that this was a private matter and made sure all of the servants were out of the room. Michen looked around. This room was where they spent most of their time during Belice¡¯s studies. ¡°So, what is this important business?¡± Belice asked. Michen took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s about the order you gave me.¡± ¡°Is it done?¡± Belice asked. ¡°Yes. Would you like to see it?¡± Michen handed her the document he had been holding. Belice slowly scanned through each of the pages. It was the list of candidates for the title of prince consort, just as she asked. Belice sighed, realizing his intention must be for her to marry someone else. ¡°Do they qualify with the characteristics I requested?¡± she asked as she looked over the documents. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve made sure all of the characteristics you mentioned were included.¡± Michen chose from a slew of nobles and narrowed the list down to five candidates. He scored them by family, personality, culture, education, body type, and a number of other features. He had gone back and forth a hundred times on whether he should show Belice this. He knew this was something he couldn¡¯t put off too long so decided to just get it done. Secretly, he hoped that she wouldn¡¯t like any of the candidates and just reject them all. The thing that confused him the most was the description of the perfect candidate was something he had said to her. What did that mean? Michen clenched his fists, as Belice continued to review the candidates. He decided to be bold. Even if it was treason, what he was about to do, he needed to know. He took a step towards her, as if he was possessed. Belice felt him get close and looked up at him. He took the moment. ¡°Forgive me for what I do,¡± Michen said, before placing his lips on hers. Belice¡¯s eyes widened in shock, but then closed as the passion overcame her. The documents she held crumpled in her fist and fell to the floor. Michen embraced her as she didn¡¯t reject him. They confirmed each other¡¯s feelings through the kiss, their tongues dancing with each other. Michen¡¯s breathing got heavier. So did Belice¡¯s, as she let out a satisfied sigh. A knock at the door startled them back to their senses. The single mass of entwined limbs instantly split back into two, as the jumped apart. ¡°What is it?¡± Belice called, a little harshly and out of breath. ¡°Your Majesty, my apologies,¡± a servant said, poking her head into the room, ¡°but an urgent message from the Roden mansion came. They said it was about the lady.¡± Michen frowned and turned to Belice. ¡°Your Majesty, my apologies. I¡¯ll return to hear your punishment for my actions later.¡± Belice stared into his hungry eyes and nodded. Michen quickly left. She sat alone and she began to tear up. What was she supposed to think now? He kisses her and then apologizes? The message was definitely talking about Loyalterre. She was the only lady, that Belice knew of, that was staying in Michen¡¯s house. It almost sounded like he was saying the kiss was a mistake. Belice began crying uncontrollably. * * * Michen received the urgent message that had been sent from Hennessey. Duke Skad had taken Loyalterre. Michen quickly ordered his horseman to take him to Duke Skad¡¯s mansion. What could that monster want with Loyalterre? Michen spent the entire journey worrying about the answers to that question. Loyalterre was like an innocent child. She knew nothing about Alexcent. He would kill anyone that displeased him and the fact that he took Loyalterre meant he had some sort of agenda. Michen was worried that she would be dead before he could find her. She was the only family he had left now. *** A carriage drove up to the entrance of Duke Roden¡¯s mansion. Hennessey met the servant that stepped out of the carriage. ¡°I come to escort Lady Loyalterre on Duke Skad¡¯s orders,¡± the servant announced. ¡°How rude of you to ask for such a thing without making an appointment,¡± Hennessey said, angered. ¡°My apologies. I¡¯m just following the orders I was given. Where is Lady Loyalterre?¡± ¡°She is not available. Return to your master and come back with an appointment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that is not possible.¡± Hennessey was furious with Duke Skad¡¯s servant¡¯s behaviour. The servant was acting as arrogantly as his master did. As Hennessey continued to argue with the servant and attempted to make him leave, Loyalterre came out onto the front landing. A maid had informed her of the commotion outside. ¡°Was someone looking for me?¡± she asked the men who were arguing in the laneway. ¡°Greetings, Lady Loyalterre. My name is Buer. I am here to escort you to meet Duke Skad, on his orders.¡± Loyalterre slowly looked the servant over. He was too buff to be a simple messenger. Also, he wore a sword on the belt around his waist. ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Loyalterre said, deciding. ¡°I¡¯ll get ready to leave.¡± ¡°Miss!¡± Hennessey tried to stop her but Loyalterre turned and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Hennessey. I also wish to meet him. Besides, that man is not a simple messenger. If I don¡¯t go willingly, he will probably force it. Why else would he wear a sword?¡± ¡°I will go with you,¡± Hennessey insisted. ¡°No need. When I saw him at the banquet, Duke Skad appeared gruff but still had some manners. I am sure that I will be fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t know him that well.¡± Hennessey was extremely concerned. ¡°Like I said, I also want to meet Duke Skad. I will go by myself. The orders were probably for me to come alone anyways.¡± Hennessey couldn¡¯t hide his feelings of uneasiness, but he could not force her to stay. Loyalterre disappeared into the mansion and came out a short time later, dressed in formal wear for the meeting. As they drove away, he quickly sent a messenger to reach Michen as quickly as possible. * * * Alexcent slowly looked over Loyalterre, as she sat in front of him drinking tea. She was definitely a Roden, as she gave no indication of being scared of him. He decided not to be diplomatic at all about his approach. ¡°So, you¡¯re a bastard?¡± he said straight out. Loyalterre flinched at his question and put down the tea. ¡°Yes. How did you know?¡± ¡°There is nothing I don¡¯t know in the Empire.¡± Loyalterre¡¯s eyes sparkled at Alexcent¡¯s confidence. ¡°It appears that you didn¡¯t call me to you just to check whether I¡¯m a bastard or not.¡± CH 289 ¡°You are correct. You¡¯re smarter than you look. I guess that¡¯s why Sir Roden is keeping you around. I was curious about your worth,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°Does a bastard have to prove their worth to become a noble?¡± Loyalterre asked. Alexcent laughed. ¡°I¡¯m not interested whether you¡¯re bastard or a noble. I¡¯m only interested in your worth to Sir Roden.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Loyalterre asked. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not important you know. I¡¯ll ask instead, why did you come here without any argument?¡± ¡°My reason? I came because you asked me to.¡± Alexcent frowned. ¡°To come here, without knowing me or my intentions, probably means that you have your own agenda.¡± ¡°I want to become like you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Alexcent was shocked at her answer. ¡°I want to be confident, useful, and skilled at everything I do. As I hear you are.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Alexcent asked, curious. ¡°So, I can assist Sir Roden in his work.¡± ¡°Are you enamored by him?¡± ¡°What? No! It¡¯s not like that.¡± Loyalterre waved the notion off. ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best.¡± If she had got in Belice¡¯s way, he would have had to consider killing Loyalterre. ¡°Why are you so eager to help him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a bastard. I¡¯m someone he could just ignore. I want to repay him for being so kind and giving me a new life. I heard from Hennessey that you¡¯re the most politically skilled noble in the Empire. I want to learn from the best.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know Hennessey, but he certainly knows what he¡¯s talking about.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯re going to help me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Like I said before, it depends on your worth.¡± ¡°My worth? How can I prove that?¡± Loyalterre did not know what it was that he wanted. ¡°Who knows? Worth isn¡¯t something you are born with. It¡¯s something developed.¡± Pon entered the meeting room, after knocking lightly. ¡°Sir, apologies for interrupting. I know you¡¯re in the middle of a conversation but a guest is here.¡± ¡°A guest?¡± Alexcent checked the time. ¡°Yes, Duke Roden¡­¡± ¡°Loyalterre!¡± Michen entered, before Pon had a chance to finish introducing him. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Yes, but what are you doing here?¡± Loyalterre blushed slightly in embarrassment. MIchen took his eyes off Loyalterre and glared at Alexcent. ¡°What is this rudeness!¡± he demanded. ¡°I believe you were the one who was rude first,¡± Alexcent exclaimed. ¡°How dare you bring in someone without the proper status into the palace.¡± ¡°Her status is confirmed by me, the master of the Roden family. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°Yes, so it appears to be.¡± Alexcent smiled and turned to Loyalterre. ¡°Your worth is proven. I¡¯ll send you a message soon.¡± ¡°A message? What do you mean!¡± Michen asked, having no idea what was going on. ¡°You can hear the rest from her,¡± Alexcent said, standing. ¡°I have to go to my office, so please excuse me.¡± Alexcent walked out, leaving Michen and Loyalterre behind. Michen turned to Loyalterre. ¡°Why did he summon you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. He said he wanted to check my worth. But why are you here? I thought you had important business today.¡± Michen had completely forgotten his meeting with Belice, with his worry about Loyalterre. ¡°Oh my god!¡± he panicked. ¡°We need to get you back to the mansion quickly.¡± Pon escorted them out of Alexcent¡¯s home as quickly as possible *** Alexcent headed for Belice¡¯s office when he entered the palace. A servant stopped him at the door. ¡°Tell her I am here,¡± Alexcent demanded. ¡°Her Majesty said not to let anyone in,¡± the servant replied nervously. Alexcent glared at the man. ¡°Tell her. Now!¡± ¡°But, my lord!¡± ¡°Now!¡± The servant cowered from Alexcent¡¯s deadly stare and turned to announce him in fear. He knocked lightly on the door. ¡°Your Majesty, Duke Skad is here to see you.¡± There was no answer, so Alexcent pushed the servant out of the way and opened the door. ¡°My Lord!¡± the servant protested. ¡°Wait here. Do not let anyone in,¡± Alexcent ordered, the entered the room. He followed the sounds of faint sobbing through the meeting room and into the bedroom. ¡°Belice?¡± he called, into the darkened room. ¡°I told the servants not to let anyone in,¡± Belice sobbed from the bed. Alexcent entered and sat Belice up. ¡°What is it! Why are you crying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. I haven¡¯t seen you cry recently.¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°I will decide that! Just tell me,¡± Alexcent insisted. ¡°I decided to end my infatuation with Michen today.¡± ¡°End it? Why?¡± ¡°I thought it was the right thing to do.¡± ¡°If it was the right thing to do, then why are you crying? Tell me straight up, what did Michen say?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything. He¡¯s just¡­ he just¡­¡± Belice couldn¡¯t tell Alexcent about the kiss, then Michen running of to his other woman. If she did, Alexcent would surely kill him. She started crying again. ¡°I know that he doesn¡¯t love me. And now I have to marry one of the candidates he suggested. It¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Belice.¡± Alexcent put his arms around his sister and held her tight. What was it about love that always seemed to cause pain? Alexcent had never experienced the emotion, so he simply held Belice to comfort whatever it was that she was feeling. CH 290 Belice rejected all of Michen¡¯s requests to meet, after the incident involving the kiss. Michen was getting frustrated, being told day after day that her schedule was full. He decided to wait outside of her office for when the parliament session let out. It was there that he met Alexcent, exiting the room. ¡°Her Highness?¡± Michen asked. Alexcent didn¡¯t like Michen¡¯s use of the familiar title but didn¡¯t correct him. Michen, after all, was a man of principle and despite all that had happened, Alexcent happened to like him. He just motioned with his head and said, ¡°She¡¯s inside.¡± Michen turned to go into the office and Alexcent grabbed his arm. ¡°What?¡± Michen asked. ¡°Is this one of the candidates you suggested?¡± Alexcent asked, shoving a document into Michen¡¯s face. ¡°It is. What about it?¡± ¡°Her Majesty has decided.¡± Michen felt sick to his stomach. He threw off Alexcent¡¯s hand and barged into the office. ¡°Your Highness!¡± he called, seeing Belice. ¡°I don¡¯t think I gave you permission to enter. That is extremely rude of you, Michen,¡± Belice said. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Michen greeted her, bowing. He then looked at Karune. ¡°I would like a private meeting with you.¡± ¡°I refuse. I have no reason to meet you in private anymore.¡± Belice turned away from Michen and passed a document she had just signed to Karune. ¡°Please proceed,¡± she told Karune, who bowed and left. ¡°Have you chosen?¡± Michen asked, upset that some servants still remained. He did not want to have this conversation in front of them. ¡°Chosen what?¡± Belice asked. ¡°The Prince Consort. Please, delay the decision,¡± Michen pleaded. ¡°Why? Aren¡¯t the candidates you went through, thoroughly vetted?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a candidate that I missed.¡± ¡°A candidate missing? I don¡¯t care, whoever that is.¡± ¡°Even if the candidate is me?¡± Michen was terrified at what her reaction would be. Belice looked up; her eyes wide in shock. She quickly dismissed the rest of the servants from the room. and stared at Michen. Michen slowly walked over and stood in front of Belice. ¡°I didn¡¯t have the chance to tell you the other day, as an urgent matter came up. Though, I thought I had shown you clearly how I felt.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± Belice said, her breath caught in her throat. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just have to show you again.¡± Michen leaned his hand on the desk, lowered his body, and kissed Belice. She tried to rise but he was blocking her with his body. Belice had promised herself that she was going give up on him. That she would forget him. But instead, she melted into his embrace as their tongues entwined and their breathing got heavier. Michen whispered quietly into her ear. ¡°Belice.¡± She looked into his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not sending you to anyone else.¡± Tears began to well in Belice¡¯s eyes. ¡°Belice, please.¡± Michen¡¯s voice was shaking. ¡°Choose me.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Belice whispered. ¡°You already have someone you love.¡± ¡°Someone I love?¡± Michen didn¡¯t know who she was referring too. ¡°You ran to her after kissing me that day.¡± ¡°Oh, my God. Belice, Loyalterre is my sister. My stepsister.¡± ¡°What?¡± Belice felt like she was going to faint. ¡°She was born a bastard and wasn¡¯t acknowledged by the previous Duke. Soon her status will be restored. I thought Alexcent told you. Well, damn it.¡± Michen felt like he had been played. ¡°It¡¯s a lie that you¡¯ve chosen someone, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Belice said, smiling slyly. Michen felt he had been wronged, but one look from Belice made his heart melt. ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯re the only one for me. Please accept my love. Of course, if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll have no choice but to¡­¡± Michen let the thought trail off. ¡°You¡¯ll have no choice but to what?¡± Belice asked. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to get rid of whoever it is.¡± Michen smiled to show that he was only joking. ¡°I¡¯m not losing you to anyone.¡± Belice blushed. ¡°But you¡¯re the leader of the nobles. There hasn¡¯t been a case where the head of the nobles becomes a Prince Consort.¡± ¡°Loyalterre has been going to the Skad mansion. I think she is learning from Alexcent. I might be able to pass my title to her eventually, once she is ready.¡± ¡°I can wait. I will not let anyone by my side until then.¡± Belice fell back into his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can wait,¡± Michen said, leaning his head against Belice¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I want you to be mine, so that no one else can even consider having you. People say I¡¯m a fair person, but I can¡¯t be fair when it comes to you.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s announce it for now. That you¡¯re mine,¡± Belice said. Michen smiled, his body filling with joy. He kissed her again, a kiss sweeter than all the others. CH 291 The coronation of the new empress of the Sehar Empire couldn¡¯t have been any more gorgeous and grander. Belice became the empress under the blessing of Celios the High Priest. Belice announced Duke Michen mui Roden as the fianc¨¦ of the Empress instead of the Prince Consort. It was Loyalterre who was the happiest at the news. ¡°Congratulations, big brother!¡± ¡°Loyalterre, thank you. Sit, I have something to say to you.¡± Loyalterre sat in the chair in his office, smiling happily. ¡°Soon, the documents regarding restoring your status will be ratified.¡± ¡°Many already say I¡¯m a noble.¡± ¡°But official documentation is still important. It¡¯s better to have it set in stone. I was worried about you training with Duke Skad, but ultimately it worked in your favour.¡± As Duke Skad treated Loyalterre as a noble, she was slowly accepted by the other upper-class citizens. This allowed a clear path for her to become part of the Roden family tree. ¡°Loyalterre, listen carefully. Soon a war will be declared with the Boron Kingdom. Sir Skad will likely lead it. Which means you will not be able to train with Duke Skad any more. How would you feel about studying abroad? Even though Sehar is a vast empire, it¡¯s times like this when you need a broader view of the world.¡± ¡°Really? Can I really study abroad?¡± Loyalterre said, extremely excited. ¡°I¡¯ll make you proud! Duke Skad told me ¡®No matter how smart you are, you won¡¯t know until you have actually experienced the world.¡¯¡± Michen had been worried that Loyalterre might have feelings for Alexcent. He had to be sure his worries were unfounded. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange everything for your trip. Funny, for some reason I thought you might have feelings for Sir Skad¡­¡± ¡°I did. I was severely rejected,¡± Loyalterre admitted. Michen choked on a sip of water. ¡°It wasn¡¯t long after I started going to the Duke¡¯s place that I realized it, and I confessed to him. But, he rejected me. ¡®Get lost¡¯ he said.¡± Loyalterre glared, trying to reenact Alexcent¡¯s expression. ¡°I was scared to death at that moment.¡± *** ¡°Your Majesty, we received a message that we¡¯re very close to victory.¡± Karune was reporting on the last battle with the Boron Kingdom. ¡°Of course. Sir Skad only brings victory,¡± Belice replied. ¡°Prepare for travel. To show respect for those sacrificing their lives for the Empire, I wish to be there personally to witness the last battle.¡± ¡°There will be nothing better for the moral of the soldiers than your personal encouragement,¡± Karune agreed. ¡°You honour these soldiers very much.¡± All of the other nobles agreed. Several days later, Belice travelled to the battlefield with a contingent of palace soldiers. The battlefield was covered with a blanket of corpses. Alexcent stood amongst the dead, covered in blood that was not his own. Belice witnessed the demon that everyone said Alexcent was. And she realized then that it was because of her. She ordered this. She started to become faint as the knowledge of what she had done overtook her. Belice remembered the promise she had made to her mother, that she would protect Alexcent. She had failed in that promise. She was determined now, not to ignore it anymore. She would devote her life to saving him from the pain. She would help him realize what love is. After the battle was done, Belice headed to the Tower of Silence to change her determination into a reality. * * * ¡°Is Her Majesty in?¡± Michen asked Karune. Her day¡¯s schedule had been completed, but she couldn¡¯t be found anywhere. ¡°She went to the Tower of Silence,¡± Karune replied. ¡°Again? Hasn¡¯t it been a few days?¡± Ever since the battles had stopped, Belice had been spending a lot of time in the Tower of Silence. Normally, that wouldn¡¯t be a problem, except Belice was growing thinner and paler since she had started going to the tower. Michen quickly walked to the lower depths of the Empress¡¯ palace. He stood in front of the strange doorway that was the entrance to the tower and waited for Belice to come out. Inside, Belice calmed herself, held her breath, closed her eyes, put her hands together, and focused. She prayed that she would find what she was looking for today, amongst the void. Space-time crushed all reality inside her head, as she jumped from world to world. The pain was excruciating and caused her to waiver. Belice regained her senses and started concentrating again. She was using an immense amount of magic by separating her mind from her body. As she moved to each new world, she had to pour more of her strength in. It didn¡¯t take long for her reserves to deplete once more. That was when her life started to be in danger. She had to go back. ¡®I want to disappear. Like I don¡¯t exist.¡¯ The voice drifted through the void. Belice focused the last trickle of power to the place where she could sense the words originated from. And then she found her. The door to the Tower of Silence slowly opened and Belice exited, stumbling as she walked through the doorway. Michen stood and ran to her. She looked worse than yesterday. There was a bit of blood on her lips. ¡°Your Majesty, you don¡¯t look well. You come out looking half-dead every day from the Tower of Silence. I¡¯m worried about your health.¡± Belice looked up to Michen and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s all right now. I found her.¡± Then she collapsed to the floor. Alexcent entered the palace later that night, after hearing the news, and went straight to Belice¡¯s bedroom. But he turned around and left, as soon as he saw Michen standing at her bedside looking more worried than him. Alexcent realized that he was no longer the one responsible for protecting her. He consoled himself by saying her happiness was all that mattered, and promptly left the palace. Finding it hard to leave, he looked back once to the light flickering in her bedroom window. He was relieved that she knew what love was and that she had someone to keep her safe. The thought invoked a wave of jealousy. Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he turned away as he rode off into the dark, starless night. 3. The true meaning of love letters There was no news of a child. Amethyst was relieved, as she didn¡¯t feel ready to be a mother again, but at the same time she didn¡¯t know why she was disappointed. Try as she might, she couldn¡¯t hide her sadness. She would spend her days sitting by the window, staring blankly at the scenery. Alexcent came by and carefully hugged Amethyst. ¡°Ash,¡± he whispered in her ear. ¡°I¡¯m all right,¡± she answered. Amethyst caressed the large arm that was encasing her and smiled. Alexcent kissed her on the top of the head in an attempt to cheer her up. Amethyst closed her eyes. She needed to shake off this funk. She needed to let it go, both for herself and for Alec. CH 292 ¡°Lunia!¡± Amethyst seemed like she had returned to her old self, bright and cherry. ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± Lunia answered, smiling. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be a shooter, rather than a knight.¡± ¡°A shooter?¡± Lunia gave Amethyst a suspicious look. ¡°I think guns are better than swords. Of course, I could try to become a knight, but it would be best if trained at something I already had an ability with. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°What you say is true. You do handle guns better. Are you sure you are not just saying this because of the Duke?¡± ¡°What about Alec?¡± Amethyst tried to act innocent. ¡°Well, the Duke¡¯s training is hard. He won¡¯t go easy on anyone, even you.¡± ¡°No! That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Alec¡¯s training at the break of dawn was harsh and relentless. ¡°Why are you blushing then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± Amethyst tried to hide her face. Alec¡¯s enthusiasm also carried over to the bedroom at night. There were times she thought that she would collapse from exhaustion. ¡°Well that sounds good then. I¡¯ll put the shooting range into the schedule.¡± Lunia mad a note on a document she held. ¡°But for right now, we have work. Pon is waiting.¡± Amethyst followed Lunia to her office to complete the tasks she had been assigned *** ¡°My Lord, the government session will be coming to an end. Then it will be time for the annual festival.¡± One of the advisors waited for a response. Alexcent sat in deep thought. It was Amethyst¡¯s duty, as Duchess, to greet the guests at the annual festival. Alexcent didn¡¯t like that tradition. ¡°I know. Skip the annual festival henceforth.¡± The advisors stared at Alexcent in shock. ¡°Skip the annual festival henceforth.¡± When Gen didn¡¯t respond, Alexcent raised his head to look at him. ¡°Understood?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency. I will inform Pon as well.¡± Gen bowed and left the office. Alexcent didn¡¯t like that Amethyst worked so hard to care for other people. He didn¡¯t like her caring for anyone else other than him. The unnecessary families were entertained every year to make sure they remained on the side of the Empress. He could do that without exhausting her with extra work. Pon, who received the unexpected news, went in search of Amethyst. ¡°Pon!¡± Instead, she found him first. ¡°Yes, Madam!¡± ¡°This expense doesn¡¯t seem right? Was something omitted?¡± ¡°Ah, it wasn¡¯t omitted but it is still being added. The deposit of 50% was paid for building repair. The rest will be paid after completion.¡± ¡°I see. Annual festival will start soon. We have to settle this before it starts. Please inform the staff to update it accordingly.¡± ¡°Understood, Madam. But¡­¡± Pon hesitated. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I just received a message. The annual festival will no longer be held here or anywhere, for that matter.¡± ¡°What?! Why? Who said that?¡± ¡°Gen informed me just now.¡± If Gen delivered the message, it would have come directly from Alexcent. She would talk with him later regarding this. ¡°Alright. Tell the workers to finish their work soon, anyway. But do make sure they aren¡¯t overworked.¡± ¡°Of course, Madam.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all for today,¡± said Amethyst. She wanted to wrap up the work and dismiss them when Pon cautiously spoke up. ¡°I have something to say, Madam.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°When Gen informed me earlier that His Excellency is getting rid of the annual festival¡­ it seemed as though he might be getting rid of the collateral families, as well.¡± ¡°Get rid of them? What do you mean?¡± she asked in surprise. ¡°There was an incident with Count Glacia before. His Excellency is not very pleased.¡± ¡°Count Glacia? You mean the incident with me last annual festival.¡± Pon nodded. Hm, I didn¡¯t know Alec was mindful of that. ¡°What I¡¯m worried about is the collateral families. They were being protected under Duke Skad as supporters of the Empress but if they were dismissed¡­ the nobles wouldn¡¯t leave them alone.¡± ¡°It makes sense. They will be easy target if the word gets out that they were dismissed by Duke Skad. Especially for Baron Piamon who is close to the noble count families.¡± ¡°Yes. When you, madam, and His Excellency were on absence, the annual festival was skipped under the circumstance, but this year¡­.¡± ¡°Rumors will definitely spread if the annual festival is not held even though both of us are present.¡± ¡°Yes. The news about families being dismissed will spread around and the nobles might pounce on the chance to turn them to their side.¡± ¡°It does seem like that.¡± ¡°For us, it will not really make a difference but for them¡­¡± Amethyst nodded. She understood. They were families that were being sustained under Duke Skad¡¯s care. If Duke Skad, who was their shield, happened to disappear, the nobles would immediately try to overtake them. That moment, Countess Onslow¡¯s kind mother-like face went through her mind. Also, Countess Citri, who was like bright cheerful little sister, Viscountess Houres, who was vigorous, Viscountess Renove, who was understanding, and Baroness Zephyr, who was calm like an elder sister. Amethyst smiled as she was reminded of the faces of them. She missed them and wanted to see them. She didn¡¯t want to put a few people that she was close to in danger. ¡°I¡¯ll tell this to Alec personally. So you can focus on the annual festival.¡± ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± Amethyst finished her morning work and went to the gun range. CH 293 As Alexcent walked into Amethyst¡¯s room, after showering that night, he found Amethyst sitting quietly on the bed. ¡°Alec, come sit here next to me.¡± She patted a spot beside her. He sat down beside her. His hard muscles flashed through the opening of his robe. Amethyst stared in lust at them, for a moment, then shook her head and looked up to Alexcent¡¯s eyes. ¡°Pon told me today that you aren¡¯t going to hold the annual festival?¡± ¡°It¡¯s as you heard,¡± Alexcent replied. ¡°You¡¯re getting rid of it?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°More like skipping over it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just because.¡± ¡°What do you mean just because? It¡¯s because of me, isn¡¯t it?¡± Amethyst was mad. ¡°No.¡± She stared into his eyes. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amethyst was suspicious. Sometimes she thought Alexcent tried too hard to be considerate of her, and excluded her in important decisions. She hated it, as she felt she was being treated like a stranger. Like someone not of this world. She decided not to point this out, as she thought it might start a fight. Without raising her voice, she said ¡°Then I guess that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the annual festival.¡± ¡°All right. I wanted to see it. How unfortunate,¡± Amethyst mumbled. Alexcent¡¯s shoulders flinched at Amethyst¡¯s words. ¡°I wanted to see everyone,¡± Amethyst continued. ¡°I was very excited that I¡¯d be able to see them at the annual festival. They¡¯re the first friends I had since I came here. Count Glacias is a little annoying, to be honest. But he did apologize later.¡± Alexcent sighed, realizing he had made a mistake. ¡°Alec, I want to see everyone,¡± Amethyst insisted. Alexcent didn¡¯t say anything for a while, as he stared into her eager eyes. Finally, he made a decision. ¡°All right. Just don¡¯t overdo the celebrating. It¡¯s only been a few days since you collapsed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because all night you didn¡¯t let me sleep!¡± Amethyst glared at him like it was his fault. ¡°And?¡± Alexcent opened his robe in one smooth motion. The muscles beneath still had a sheen from his recent shower. Amethyst gulped in spite of herself, as her body started tingling. She was just like Pavolv¡¯s dog. One look at his body and she immediately got horny. She tried to deny the feelings inside, out of embarrassment, and moved to crawl out of bed. Alexcent pulled her back in and she gave in to his embrace. *** As Alexcent was heading to a congress session, he heard the name ¡®Lohikin¡¯ spoken in a conversation from below the balcony he was standing on. ¡°It¡¯s real?¡± a man asked, laughing. ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought that the Lady Lohikin would become the Duchess then?¡± Alexcent stopped walking and stared down at the group of men who were unaware of his presence above. ¡°My Lord?¡± Gen asked, wondering why Alexcent had stopped. Alexcent quickly hushed Gen. From what Gen could see, Alexcent¡¯s eyes were slowly glazing over with fury. ¡°I know, right?¡± The second man seemed very full of himself. ¡°I even got a love letter from her. It was so detailed. I can show you next time, if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± the first man questioned. ¡°Of course, why would I lie about this!¡± The first man laughed in disbelief. ¡°A lover letter from the Duchess. How about that?¡±A group of nobles listened in interest to the two men¡¯s conversation. The bragging man appeared to be enjoying the attention. ¡°She probably would blush if she sees me. It¡¯s hard to forget first love,¡± the man said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. But first love of a Duchess? I¡¯m jealous.¡± Alexcent smiled, his heart fully intent on killing the man who spoke lies. To Gen, when Alexcent smiled like that, instead of showing anger, it was even scarier. ¡°Gen.¡± Alexcent growled the name. ¡°Who is that bastard?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Count Zaizen, who recently came into the title. He¡¯s been studying abroad and appeared to have lost touch with reality on his return.¡± ¡°Find these love letters from Lady Lohikin this bastard supposedly has. All of them. Bring them to me. Then arrange for Count Zaizen¡¯s death. As painful as possible.¡± Alexcent strode away after giving his order. Gen glanced at Count Zaizen and shook his head. The man would die, simply from not being able to control his tongue. * * * ¡°Ma¡¯am, the master will be arriving soon.¡± Amethyst nodded to the servant, closed the book she was reading, and tidied her hair in a mirror. She exited her chambers and headed to the main gate. As she exited the front door, she saw Alexcent stepping out of a carriage. She smiled and waved to him. Alexcent bounded towards her and picked her up in a tight hug. He seemed to be showing more possessiveness today, even though she came out to greet him every day. She patted his back to release her, as his squeeze was making it difficult for her to breathe. ¡°Alec? Did something happen?¡± ¡°No.¡± Alexcent finally let her go, as she sounded worried. He kissed her forehead. ¡°I just really missed you today.¡± ¡°What do you mean? You just saw me this morning.¡± ¡°I know. It seems like I¡¯m obsessed.¡± Amethyst laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Taking his hand, they entered the mansion. CH 294 An invitation with the Empress¡¯ seal on it arrived for Amethyst. It was an invitation to visit Belice before the annual festival. Lunia accompanied Amethyst as they travelled to the palace. As they pulled up, Amethyst still couldn¡¯t get used to the fanciness of the Bellicean Palace. ¡°Amethyst!¡± Belice said, greeting them with a smile at the front door. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Amethyst greeted her friend, as she and Lunia curtseyed. ¡°Please, don¡¯t be so formal between us,¡± Belice said, motioning for them to rise. ¡°Come sit. I¡¯ve been waiting for you. Alexcent is quite boring.¡± Amethyst laughed. ¡°How are things with you and Duke Roden? Let¡¯s all meet next time. I haven¡¯t seen him since the wedding. I would love to have a chance to get to know him better.¡± ¡°We¡¯re well. But there is some concern. Sir Roden received a message not too long ago, from Loyalterre. It¡¯s nothing, overly serious. Duke Roden had planned to give his title over to Loyalterre. That¡¯s why Loyalterre went to study abroad, to become prepared for her duties. But, Loyalterre said in the message that she discovered something else she wants to do. She wants to be an explorer, so she said she won¡¯t be coming back for a while.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice that she discovered what she wants to do with her life,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°That¡¯s true. But Michen and Loyalterre are all that are left of the Roden family. If Loyalterre doesn¡¯t succeed as head of the family, then MIchen won¡¯t be able to pass down his title to anyone.¡± ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Is Duke Roden sick?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not like that. I guess you wouldn¡¯t know. The Prince Consort of the Empress, my husband, can¡¯t be the head of a family.¡± ¡°But Duke Roden is the leader of the nobles,¡± Amethyst pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s right. So, we have only announced that we¡¯re courting and were waiting until Loyalterre is able to succeed the title to get married. But now that plan has been delayed.¡± Belice looked troubled. ¡°What did Alec say?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Alexcent? As expected, he said to change the law. It¡¯s funny how he wants me to change a law that doesn¡¯t even exist.¡± ¡°What do you mean the law doesn¡¯t exist?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°It¡¯s an established tradition. Like an unwritten rule,¡± Belice explained. ¡°Well, that¡¯s if Duke Roden was a normal master of a family. But he¡¯s the leader of the nobles. There are many enemies who are after his position. There will be a lot of chaos because of this. On a different topic, do you know who Count Zaizen is, by any chance?¡± ¡°Count Zaizen? Not at all. Who is that person? How would I know him?¡± It was certainly a name that Amethyst had never heard before. ¡°I have no idea, but the man seems to be spreading rumors that you and him were lovers. It¡¯s even circulating in the palace.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Amethyst was so surprised by this news that she didn¡¯t know how to react. Did Amethyst have another lover before I was brought over? she wondered. If she did, what should I do? ¡°Amethyst? Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes¡­No! I don¡¯t think I had a lover before I came, but now I¡¯m not sure.¡± Wait! The thoughts were coming fast and furious. If I had a previous lover, why hasn¡¯t he come forward to me when the news of the marriage spread? There was no way that a previous lover would do nothing when the Empire was all excited about the news of her engagement to Alexcent. And, even though it was Alexcent, the man would have at least sent a letter. But there was none of that, and now he was spreading rumours of their supposed tryst. ¡°It¡¯s not true,¡± Amethyst said, almost certain. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. Probably. There¡¯s no way I could suddenly have an unknown lover. He didn¡¯t try to contact me at all while I lived in the Count¡¯s place before meeting Alexcent. And Amethyst¡¯s journals had no indication she was seeing someone.¡± ¡°I see. Honestly, I didn¡¯t believe it. The only reason why I¡¯m telling you is because if Alexcent knows about this, something will be done.¡± Belice looked at her with a warning. Belice rubbed her chin in thought. ¡°¡­getting rid of the Count very quietly.¡± It wasn¡¯t even surprising. ¡°Yes¡­ he definitely would.¡± Belice sighed. ¡°I know he is my brother but I don¡¯t really condone this.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, thank you for telling me.¡± ¡°Not at all. As an Empress, I can¡¯t let anyone become God¡¯s guardian just because of their big mouth. Even thought I don¡¯t like him; he is still my subject and I have a duty to protect them.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Belice found it strange that Alexcent hadn¡¯t told her anything about it. He probably thought it didn¡¯t concern me. Amethyst¡¯s head was full of thoughts. ¡°I think we should cut out tea time here.¡± Belice chuckled. ¡°Ah, yes. Your Majesty. Of course.¡± ¡°I had a good time. You were great help. Thank you.¡± ¡°Thank you, too.¡± ¡°Please visit anytime. You know you are always welcome here.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± After bidding farewell, Amethyst left the drawing room. Lunia waited for her at the front door. ¡°Lunia.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ¡°Did you hear any rumors about me?¡± Lunia hesitated. ¡°You did.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°That means, there¡¯s no way Alec wouldn¡¯t know about it¡­¡± ¡°He probably knows¡­¡± Amethyst sighed. ¡°I need to go back fast.¡± Lunia escorted Amethyst out of the palace and ended up face to face with an unfamiliar man. ¡°Amethyst!¡± he called. The man smiled slyly and stepped closer to Amethyst. ¡°My, you¡¯ve gotten much prettier. I almost walked passed you.¡± Lunia unsheathed her sword and pointed it at the man¡¯s throat forcing him to step back. ¡°How dare you be so rude to the Duchess? Step back.¡± CH 295 The man lifted up his hands trying to placate Lunia. Amethyst gestured for her to sheathe her sword. ¡°Now this makes me a little sad,¡± said the man. ¡°You really don¡¯t recognize me? Or, is it because you choose not to? It¡¯s me, Zaizen. I didn¡¯t think I change a lot from back then. Not as much as you.¡± Zaizen? Ah, the man Belice mentioned. I don¡¯t like him being so informal with me. ¡°So?¡± Amethyst rudely asked. ¡°So? What do you mean? I was your first love¡­¡± ¡°So what?¡± Zaizen flinched and seemed quite flustered. She was so different now. She wasn¡¯t the submissive lady that he had wooed. As other people started looking over, Zaizen started acting tough. ¡°Wow¡­ indeed you have changed a lot, I didn¡¯t know the Duchess was so scary.¡± He mocked. ¡°Now you know,¡± she said briskly. ¡°Get out of my way.¡± Amethyst turned to Lunia. Zaizen grabbed her hand. ¡°Wait! You can¡¯t leave like this! It¡¯s been so long.¡± ¡°What? I can do whatever I please!¡± ¡°Is it because I left you and called you ugly? Is this your revenge? Let it go. To be honest, you were ugly back then.¡± Just what did Amethyst see in this vile assh*le? She restrained her anger. ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself. I don¡¯t have time to think about revenge on someone so insignificant that I don¡¯t even remember their faces.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t remember?¡± he said, perplexed. ¡°You begged me to go out with you.¡± ¡°Yeah right. Fat chance. Do you have any proof?¡± ¡°I have the letter you sent me. It was stolen recently but I still remember that you wrote it.¡± ¡°Oh really? I also have a hundred golden calves at home which I unfortunately can¡¯t show you.¡± ¡°What? What does that even mean?¡± ¡°As dumb as you look, no surprises there. Stop making things up. There will be consequences if you keep making things up like this and spreading your lies. You should be using honorifics with me.¡± ¡°Wow, Duchess is actually scary. Someone who should be using honorifics with. You couldn¡¯t even meet my eyes before.¡± ¡°Listen here, you dumbass. I am not only saying this to you as a Duchess but also as an ordinary person. Get your vile face out of my way and get lost.¡± ¡°What, what?!¡± Lunia examined her as she berated him mercilessly. Amethyst had watched so many dramas that the dialogues were imprinted in her mind. There was more where it came from, if needed. ¡°If you keep running your mouth, I will tear your tongue out and feed it to the dogs,¡± said Amethyst. ¡°You! How dare you?!¡± Lunia pointed the tip of the sword at his throat and pushed slightly. ¡°How dare ¡®she¡¯? Who are you to speak to the Duchess in this manner?¡± ¡°Calm down¡­,¡± said Zaizen, nervously. ¡°Hm? Forgotten already? Do you know what honorifics are?¡± ¡°Please¡­ calm down,¡± said Zaizen. ¡°Don¡¯t keep running your mouth and spreading lies, understood?¡± said Amethyst. ¡°If I ever see you, or anyone, calling me your first love, there will be consequences. Next time you see me, keep your eyes down. Got it?¡± Amethyst turned around and walked off. Lunia withdrew her sword and followed her. ¡°Madam.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°You were so amazing.¡± Amethyst glanced at her. ¡°Really? I thought you were pretty amazing.¡± ¡°No. Did you see how his face turned all blue with rage at your words?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t even look at his face. Who would look at such a vile face? Let¡¯s go. I am tired now.¡± ¡°Of course, Madam.¡± Amethyst got on the carriage with Lunia¡¯s help and quickly left the palace. *** Amethyst got back to the duke¡¯s mansion and waited for Alexcent to come back. She knew that he wouldn¡¯t believe baseless rumors about her but she would feel loads better if she could clear everything with him face to face. Alexcent, on the other hand, headed straight to the office after getting back from the palace. There was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Are you busy?¡± asked Amethyst as she pushed the door open. ¡°Not at all.¡± ¡°How about some tea?¡± Alexcent nodded. She walked over to him and observed his face. He didn¡¯t seem upset. But it was often hard to tell. She placed a tea cup in front of him and poured some tea. Then she sat down on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°Alec¡­.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I have something to ask you.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Do you know about the rumor?¡± Alexcent¡¯s forehead creased a little. ¡°Who told you?¡± he asked. He had explicitly instructed everyone to be quiet about it. Someone must have opened their d*mned mouth. There was only one person who ignored his instructions so blatantly. Ah, she did say she was going to meet Belice today. ¡°Is it important who told me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably Belice,¡± he scowled. ¡°Right. But why didn¡¯t you tell me yourself? The rumor is about me. I have a right to know.¡± ¡°It was not worth mentioning. A petty rumor someone spread to aggravate you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. It isn¡¯t worth our time or energy.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°So I hope you don¡¯t pay attention to that worthless stuff.¡± ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good then.¡± Amethyst placed a kiss on his cheek. She felt him relax. ¡°You are the only one for me, you know that. My beginning and my end.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± he pulled her closer to him. ¡°So, leave him alone, alright?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything. Just don¡¯t pay attention to it and leave him be.¡± He didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Because if you get angry and do something, then I will feel like you acknowledged the rumor to be true.¡± ¡°What? How would that even¡­¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. If you act, the rumor will get worse. People will think you got rid of him because of jealousy which will indirectly imply that the previous rumor was true. It will just get worse.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡± ¡°I know. But I don¡¯t want you chasing some man who doesn¡¯t even matter.¡± CH 296 ¡°Alec, promise me. Please.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± He looked adorable as he scowled. He didn¡¯t like it and yet he respected her wish. This man was like a beast but could be so understanding towards her. Alexcent couldn¡¯t look away from her lips. He leaned down and kissed her. His tongue explored her mouth and made her whimper. His huge hands were already at her chest, fondling her. ¡°Hmm,¡± she moaned in pleasure. His excitement seemed to reach its peak as he heard her moan. Something hard poked near Amethyst¡¯s butt. She pulled away and looked at him. She didn¡¯t understand how his body reacted so quickly. He lifted her up and placed her on his desk. He kissed her fiercely while his hand fumbled with her dress. One of his hands pulled her close while the other lifted up the hem of her dress and puller her underwear down. Her legs were open wide. He lowered his head to intimate parts and kissed her there. ¡°Ahhhhh,¡± she gasped. His tongue explored her insides. He sucked and licked right where she was very sensitive. The desk was wet with his saliva and her body fluid. Amethyst grabbed the edge of the desk as her pleasure mounted. ¡°Alec!¡± she called. He obliged. He pulled down his pants and thrust inside her. As he increased his movement, Amethyst could no longer hold the edge of her desk. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his head and hugged it o her chest. The office had turned into a bedroom, and the desk was the hardest bed. *** ¡°My Lord, I finished prepping. The moment you give the order, it will be done.¡± Alexcent tapped on the desk while listening to Gen¡¯s report. ¡°So, leave him alone, alright?¡± If it wasn¡¯t for that promise, he would have killed him in very painful way. Maybe I can inflict a pain worse than death on him. She had said, ¡°leave him alone.¡± She probably meant not to kill him. I am not breaking my promise if I let him live then¡­ ¡°Gen.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± ¡°That bastard, make it so that he¡¯ll never set his foot in the Empire again.¡± ¡°Pardon?! Why?¡± Gen was surprised. Alexcent¡¯s wish for killing that man had abated a little. ¡°Make it so that he¡¯ll be in fear of being chased his entire life. Until the moment of his death.¡± ¡°Understood. I will contact Fidorun Bank and Alst Merchant right away.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Alexcent nodded. Gen was scared of the way he smiled. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t let that man go so easily. He had been surprised for nothing. *** Count Zaizen went bankrupt due to an immense amount of debt. He had no way to pay it all off so he ran away. Other lenders refused to lend him any money. He didn¡¯t have a place to stay within the whole Empire. As for Amethyst, she assumed Count Zaizen¡¯s was off the hook and didn¡¯t care about it anymore. However, when she ran into Gen one morning, she realized that wasn¡¯t the case. Gen looked very tired. ¡°Gen,¡± she called. ¡°Ah. Yes, My Lady.¡± He bowed but he almost stumbled to the floor. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked with concern. ¡°Ah¡­ pardon? Yes. Yes! I am fine, of course.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I am just tired. I haven¡¯t been sleeping well for a few days, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°You are working too much, Gen. You will drop dead at this point.¡± ¡°The truth is His Excellency¡­.¡± ¡°Yeah? What about Alec?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll be off¡­.¡± ¡°What? Gen! Alright. Don¡¯t overwork.¡± He had wanted to say something but she didn¡¯t want to press him and make him stressed when he looked so tired. Gen changed his mind midway and walked back to Amethyst. ¡°My Lady¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡¯ ¡°I need your help.¡± ¡°Of course! Anything!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Could you write a love letter to His Excellency?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ what?¡± Gen took her hand in his and begged. ¡°Please. I beg you. Please write him a love letter. You will be saving my life.¡± ¡°Why a love letter all of a sudden?¡± she asked in confusion. ¡°Just¡­ please do it. It doesn¡¯t even have to be as many as the ones you wrote to Count Zaizen¡­¡± ¡°What?! Love letter to Count Zaizen?¡± ¡°The letter you wrote before your marriage. His Excellency saw it and he¡¯s taking out on everyone. Everyone is about to drop dead from stress.¡± How does Alec know about the letter? Zaizen had said it was stolen¡­. Oh god! Alec stole it! Amethyst closed her eyes and sighed in frustration. ¡°Gen, I didn¡¯t write that letter.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! I never wrote a love letter to anyone!¡± ¡°Well¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter. Please¡­ please write a love letter to him. It will save many people from his wrath. Please.¡± Amethyst took a deep breath. ¡°Alright. How many were there? One?¡± ¡°No way. Five in total.¡± Oh god! Amethyst of the past must really have been a writer. Five?! Why did she have to write so many? ¡°Thank you, thank you. You are my savior.¡± ¡°This is the second time you are doing this. You said the same thing last time.¡± ¡°Really? Well, it¡¯s true! Please excuse me now. His Excellency will be even more angry if I am late.¡± Gen kept calling her a savior so she won¡¯t be able to refuse his requests. Amethyst sighed. ¡°Good luck with work, Gen. You certainly are working hard!¡± ¡°Thank you for your acknowledgement, My Lady.¡± He walked away. Amethyst shook her head in resignation. What am I ever going to do with this man¡­? Amethyst now faced a difficult task ahead. How do you even start a love letter? She wondered. I never even dated long enough to learn it! What should I do? She felt overwhelmed. Amethyst chewed on her fingernails. Gen kept rushing her. In the end, she decided to do it in the classic way. She picked up a flower when she went on a walk. She flattened it in between a book so it could dry. She pasted the flower on the front of the envelope so it wouldn¡¯t break. Instead of fancy language, she chose sincerity. She ended the letter with: [Love you always. Forever yours, Amethyst] CH 297 She stamped it and placed a kiss at the front so that the shape of her lips was imprinted at the front. Now, the daunting task of delivering it. She didn¡¯t want to do it herself. It was too embarrassing! She wished she could dig a hole and bury herself in the ground forever. At last, she gathered her courage and headed to his office. He was always either at the bedroom or his office. She pushed the door quietly and entered. Thankfully, the office was empty. Her heart pounded. She examined his desk. Finally, she put the letter in between a pile of documents. Her heart raced. She wasn¡¯t doing anything wrong so why was she feeling so nervous? She wiped her sweaty palm on her skirt and left the office. She hid the rest of the letters in places he usually visited. *** Alexcent went to his office late at night. Gen had begged him to sign some urgent documents. He let out a sigh and sat at his desk. He picked up a pen to sign the document. He had no mood. He placed the pen down an opened the drawers. He took out an envelope. There were a few envelopes that hadn¡¯t been open. There was one envelope that looked especially old. He knew. He knew that those letters had not been written by Amethyst. Not the Amethyst he knew, at least. So, why did he feel like sh*t anyway? He glared at the envelopes. Alexcent picked up the old and work envelope and took a letter out of it. It was the apology letter that Amethyst had written to him. He carried it with him always. He had read it so many times that the edges of the paper had turned old and brittle. This was the real letter she had wrote to him. The letter he had and the others had a slight difference in handwriting. At a glance, they looked the same but as he examined it closely, he could see the difference in how Amethyst slanted her ¡®T¡¯ and dotted her ¡®i¡¯. Nobody could fake a handwriting to that extent. So, he knew his Amethyst hadn¡¯t written them. Even then, his jealousy remained. He turned his eyes towards the mountain of documents. He picked the topmost and found an envelope nestled between the files. He was excited. His eyes twinkled. He saw the dried flower at the front and the imprint of her lips. [Love you always. Forever yours, Amethyst] His felt warmth at this unexpected gift. He tried to calm his fluttering heart. He stood up and left the office. He walked as fast as he could and halted in front of the door to her bedroom. He turned the knob quietly. He saw her sleeping form, shining in the moonlight. Alexcent walked towards her. She looked so peaceful while she slept. He finally felt peace. He leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. ¡°Amethyst,¡± he whispered. ¡°I love you.¡± The moonlight shone on them like a blessing. He noticed that he found several letters after that day. One in the shower booth, another in his dressing room¡¯s cabinet, yet another in his uniform jacket, and a sly one in the carriage he always used. They were like little treasures. *** Gen dragged his tired self into the office. He resolved to be done with the documents once and for all. Amethyst had told him not to worry but he worried. He hoped Alexcent had found the letters by now. He couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°My Lord,¡± he said as he knocked. He heard no response. He assumed the lord was busy so he carefully opened the door and staggered inside. ¡°My Lord?¡± The office was empty. Gen blinked. The documents hadn¡¯t been signed. He saw the pen on the desk, as though someone had lifted it up and placed it down again. He also saw the yellowish envelopes on the desk. The person who should have signed the documents yesterday night wasn¡¯t here at all. ¡°Just kill me please!¡± shouted Gen in frustration. He was going to be tortured this way forever. Extroversion 4. The return of the annual festival The Empire¡¯s congress ended and the period of annual festival returned. It was the first since the Duchess disappeared two and a half years ago. Amethyst waited with Alexcent at the front gate for the familiar carriages. She couldn¡¯t hide her excitement. Count and Countess Onslow were the first to arrive. Amethyst ran forward and embraced Countess Onslow. ¡°Countess Onslow!¡± ¡°Oh my, Duchess. It¡¯s been a long time.¡± ¡°I really missed you.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± Countess Onslow smiled warmly at her. Count and Countess Citri were next. Besides, Countess Citri¡¯s belly which had grown in size, the couple were same as ever. They seemed even more fond of each other than before. Amethyst jumped joyfully. ¡°Countess Citri, congratulations!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Countess Citri blushed. ¡°Are you alright? Was the journey difficult in your condition?¡± asked Amethyst in concern. ¡°I insisted that we stay behind this time, but she wouldn¡¯t listen! She wanted to see you desperately,¡± said Count Citri. ¡°We left early so we could take out time and not rush.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course! I missed you so much. Also, I am stable for now. So, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Alright. But please promise me that you will take care of yourself.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Countess Citri stayed by Amethyst side. She was like a loving, elder sister. After that, Renove couple, Houres couple, and Zephyre couple came out of their respective carriages and greeted Amethyst. Baron Piamon was next. He greeted both Alexcent and Amethyst amiably. He was still single. Last was Count Glacia. A young man exited the carriage first and escorted Count Glacia out. Everyone was surprised at the sight except Alexcent. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Duke Skad, Duchess,¡± the man greeted them. CH 298 Count Glacia seemed a bit more at peace. Was it because she had someone by her side now? Amethyst smiled and greeted her. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you again, Count Glacia. And¡­¡± As Amethyst looked at the man beside her, Count Glacia introduced him. ¡°Ah, he¡¯s my personal secretary. My aide wasn¡¯t feeling well.¡± The man said his greetings with a very innocent smile while not looking concerned how he was introduced. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you milord and milady. I¡¯m Lupes Bandid.¡± It seemed a little suspicious how close he was standing with her as a personal secretary. Amethyst was trying to guess what their relationship was while welcoming the man. ¡°Mr. Lupes, nice to meet you. Thank you for coming. Please make yourself at home while you stay here.¡± ¡°I should be the one thanking you. And please just call me Lupes, milady.¡± Alexcent wasn¡¯t pleased with his words and interrupted their conversation. It seemed like he didn¡¯t like Amethyst being nice to Lupes. ¡°Hey, Lu. Enough with the greetings.¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Excuse me.¡± Amethyst freaked out and glared at Alexcent. Lu?! It was like calling his pet dog! She changed the subject quickly. ¡°You must be tired from traveling. Hopefully your stay will be comfortable.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°Of course. The duke¡¯s mansion was always the best treating guests.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Alexcent exploded in the end at endless greetings. Everyone bowed and flinched at sudden rage. Amethyst poked him on the side. ¡°Then enjoy your night and we¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Ah, we prepared your bedroom in the guest place like everyone else. Is that ok, Count Glacia?¡± ¡°Yes, of course.¡± *** As Amethyst and Alexcent entered the feast, everyone stood up. Everyone was sitting at the round table unlike before. The feast started, and Amethyst saw that the seat beside Count Glacia was empty. She was curious but didn¡¯t show it during the feast. The chatter went on, as they greeted each other and started talking about all kind of things. It was Count Onslow who left first. Amethyst, on the other hand, stayed until the end to brighten the feast. The next day, Amethyst was discussing with Lunia on what to do for entertainment and asked what she was curious about last night at the feast. ¡°How is Lupes?¡± Lunia thought for a bit and answered. ¡°Well, Lupes seems quite popular. He¡¯s apparently already quite popular amongst the mansion¡¯s employees. His face is the type that brings out motherly instinct.¡± ¡°No, not like that. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t feeling well from a long travel, so I was wondering if he was alright.¡± ¡°Lupes?¡± ¡°Mhm. Count Glacia attended the feast last night alone.¡± Lunia was dumbfounded at her mistress¡¯ insinuations. Sometimes she felt that the duchess really didn¡¯t have knowledge especially on the social classes. Well, that was also the Duchess¡¯s charm. Her naivety. ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Lupes is just a personal secretary of a count. He¡¯s not a noble nor does he have an aide title so if he wasn¡¯t invited, he can¡¯t attend.¡± ¡°Ah I see.¡± Amethyst realized. It wasn¡¯t even that Lupes wasn¡¯t a noble, but also, he was just Count Glacia¡¯s subject, so Lunia was correct on why he couldn¡¯t attend these events unless invited. Or else it would be considered insubordination. Darn, I didn¡¯t think it through. ¡°I should¡¯ve been more considerate.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it. That is something Lupes himself knows better than anyone.¡± ¡°Mm¡­ Honestly, I don¡¯t see Lupes as just a personal secretary to Count Glacia.¡± Amethyst made privy of her thoughts to her trusted friend. Lunia nodded her head, ¡°We share the same thought.¡± Hearing this, Amethyst smiled at Lunia who in turn, had a smile on her face, ¡°I hope things go well between them.¡± As Amethyst was being mindful about Count Glacia, Lunia also agreed. ¡°Well, I too hope so, my lady, but a marriage between them might be a little hard to imagine.¡± ¡°Why?¡¯ ¡°Because Lupes is a commoner.¡± Amethyst listened intently at Lunia, ¡°If there was no difference in social class then there will be no problem, but for a noble and a commoner to marry, they need a permission from a higher up.¡± ¡°Higher up?¡± ¡°Yes, only the Empress is a higher up to nobles. It¡¯s not that easy.¡± Sometimes she forgot that the difference in social class in Sehar empire is taken so seriously. Only Amethyst was thinking it casually. ¡°Count Glacia was also a commoner before she married the predecessor count. So, they needed a permission from the Empress?¡± ¡°Of course. It was just easier as the duke helped her.¡± ¡°I see.¡± If it wasn¡¯t easy like Lunia said, then the current Count Glacia case would¡¯ve been the first. ¡°I still want things to go well between him and Count Glacia.¡± She remembered the way they were treating each other. Count Glacia looked more comfortable than before, and it was definitely because of his presence in her life. Amethyst decided after thinking. ¡°Lunia.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°After the annual meeting, send Lupes an invitation to the ball. Don¡¯t forget about him.¡± ¡°Yes, will do.¡± ¡°Now, we should probably do our job too right?¡± ¡°Yes. I prepared like you¡¯ve asked.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Not at all. But I¡¯m worried. If the Duke will¡­¡± ¡°I told you not to worry about Alec.¡± ¡°Al-alright, my lady.¡± Lunia still answered doubtfully. CH 299 Time passed fast and the annual festival meeting was almost at the end. Amethyst also was spending quite a busy time with the noble ladies. ¡°Do you think this is enough?¡± ¡°Ah, this point is missing.¡± ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re right.¡± Countess Citri changed the document quickly as Viscountess Renove pointed it out. ¡°Miss Amethyst! It¡¯s all done.¡± Amethyst took the document and review it. ¡°It¡¯s really great! This should be enough.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad we were able to finish within time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, thank goodness!¡± ¡°Then, shall we go?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡± The noble ladies quickly got off their seats as Amethyst spoke. Then they smiled at each other in front of the convention hall, opened the door and went in. There was a silence as the noble ladies suddenly entered the room. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Only Alexcent¡¯s calm voice rang the convention hall. ¡°We¡¯re here to submit an agenda.¡± ¡°An agenda?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s about creating an education facility for the purpose of compulsory education.¡± ¡°Compulsory education?¡± Alexcent fixed himself in his seat, glaring at his wife. Everyone suddenly looked nervous in the convention hall. *** Flashback: The annual festival meeting started. The duchess was in the library where it was held. T ¡°Welcome!¡± ¡°What are we doing here?¡± ¡°A library, that¡¯s new.¡± ¡°I know, I didn¡¯t know there was such a great library in the duke¡¯s mansion.¡± The noble ladies who were guided to the library soon looked at the document that was on the table and looked curious. Amethyst spoke her intention without losing smile. ¡°I have a favour to ask you.¡± ¡°A favour?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s more that I need your support than a favour. It¡¯s something I can¡¯t do alone. And something that needs to be done.¡± ¡°What is it? If it¡¯s something you¡¯re doing, we have no reason to say no.¡± As Countess Onslow added, Amethyst took her courage and spoke. ¡°It was something I felt while I left the duke mansion and studied abroad. The Academy is something limited to only nobles. But I want every child in the empire to be educated.¡± ¡°Educated?¡± ¡°Yes. So I¡¯m thinking about making compulsory education to all children in the empire.¡± The noble ladies all looked at each other. So Baroness Zephyr calmly spoke. ¡°That¡¯s a difficult issue. To initiate the compulsory education, it must go through the congress.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. So we¡¯re going to submit an agenda this annual festival.¡± ¡°Us?¡± ¡°Yes, us.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. We have to first attend the meeting¡­. I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s even possible.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. Anyone can attend the annual festival meeting. Not that we have in the past.¡± ¡°But we¡¯re running short on time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I need your help. I don¡¯t need specific breakdown. That¡¯s something we can add later. It¡¯s the backbone we must make first. The most important parts.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll get through during the meeting.¡± ¡°I know. But we¡¯ll persuade them. We can¡¯t just sit around, drink tea and do nothing.¡± ¡°I agree with her on that.¡± ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. First, the Academy is the right for the nobles. To allow it to the public would mean that they would be giving up that privilege so there will be people disagreeing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not looking for top tier education nor specialty education like the Academy. The minimum, basic education should be available to everyone in the empire. I believe that everyone has the right to receive education, and it is our duty as nobles to let everyone know about that right and. I think it¡¯s a special honor we have as nobles to lead by example.¡± Amethyst took a deep breath as she wasn¡¯t used to using such big words and continued. ¡°Honestly, it¡¯s not just education, but we need some facilities that people can keep their children safe while they¡¯re working. A facility where the babies are taken care of, the children have their childhood, and adolescences can learn. I want to make a system where nursing and education connects.¡± Countess Onslow responded. ¡°Like you said, if it¡¯s just a nursery then it wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but if it¡¯s also for education, it may become a problem.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Smart employees will be helpful but if they become smarter than that, then they may become a headache.¡± ¡°Mm, some of them will take advantage of na?ve employers. It has happened before.¡± Amethyst knew what the noble ladies were worried about, but she was trying to change their mind. ¡°It¡¯s not high-class education like the Academy but teaching them basic knowledge and common sense that everyone should know. If we can teach children according to their talent, then it would be helpful. This facility can make that happen.¡± There was a moment of silence. It was Countess Onslow that broke the silence again. ¡°I¡¯ll join you. To be honest, one of my attendees have quite a smart child. I felt bad that that child will have no choice but to follow the parents¡¯ footstep.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I also know a child who can draw well.¡± ¡°You see! There are so many children with great talent, so we should give them a chance.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help too.¡± As Countess Onslow supported her, every one of them started chime in. ¡°M, me too. I¡¯m sick of just drinking tea at the annual festival. I¡¯m sure this will be fulfilling.¡± ¡°Then me too.¡± ¡°Now, what should we do first?¡± ¡°First, we¡¯ll be making appropriate education per age group. Then we¡¯ll have to decide what will be necessary in a nursery facility.¡± ¡°That seems about right.¡± ¡°But if it¡¯s public education facility¡­. Then we¡¯ll need land for the building.¡± ¡°I was thinking of building it all over the empire¡­¡± Amethyst said wistfully. ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t we collect and check information on all land?¡± ¡°Mm¡­. We won¡¯t have enough time for that. We¡¯ll discuss that if we get passed the congress so let¡¯s just do what we can.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± Everyone got together and started working on the document. They gathered at the library every day to put together, analyze, and organize the documents by content and discussed them. CH 300 ¡°Ma¡¯am, what do you mean by compulsory education?¡± It seemed like Alexcent wasn¡¯t the only one surprised. Baron Piamon carefully asked. ¡°Like I said. It¡¯s an agenda about building public education facilities for compulsory education.¡± ¡°By public education facility¡­. Don¡¯t we already have the Academy which is the world¡¯s best?¡± ¡°What I¡¯m talking about is a facility that is for the entire empire, not just the nobles.¡± People started to buzz at her words. ¡°That¡¯s nonsense.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because the Academy is an obvious right for the nobles. That right has its rightful responsibility and duty. To fulfill that responsibility and duty is the mission for nobles like us. You¡¯re asking us to share that with everyone in the empire? Which nobles would like being held responsible while having the same education as everyone else just because they are nobles? Intelligence is power. It could be used as weapon depending on the situation and you¡¯re saying we should hand out weapons?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not specialty education like the Academy. It¡¯s a facility for nursing and education combined to be precise. There¡¯s a clear difference with the Academy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s not like the Academy where the noble children who has nannies and are able to attend at 10 years old, but for the commoners to be able to have their children taken care of since their toddlers.¡± Viscountess Renove added onto Amethyst¡¯s statement. ¡°Out of everything, there¡¯s no way it¡¯ll pass the congress.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°More than half of the congress are nobles. You need over half of their votes for it to pass.¡± ¡°But all the agendas regarding businesses were passed.¡± Countess Citri rebutted his statement for Amethyst. ¡°That¡¯s because most businesses don¡¯t have monopoly. No matter when they start, it¡¯s the last who survive that will profit. But establishment of educational facility is a different story. They won¡¯t agree to anything that won¡¯t benefit them.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right. There probably will be no nobles that agree to this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you this.¡± Amethyst stared at Alexcent, who hasn¡¯t said a word. Are you also thinking the same thing as them, Alec? Are you also disagreeing with my opinion? Amethyst stared at him asking for his support, for him to say that they are wrong that he supports her. But instead, he was dryly scanning the document that she gave him. She took a deep breath and spoke to the master of the relative families. ¡°Just submit it to the congress for us. I¡¯ll do my best to persuade them.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even persuade us but you¡¯re going to persuade them?¡± ¡°Not everyone.¡± Count Glacia spoke while not taking her eyes off from the document. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I disagree.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad idea.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because you¡¯re a commoner from the start?¡¯ Count Glacia glared viciously at Viscount Houres at his words. Seeing the pressure building up, Count Citri tried to mediate. ¡°Now now, calm down both of you. We don¡¯t have to be like this amongst each other.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why the commoners need to be educated to begin with.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right. It¡¯s our problems if the attendees become too smart. There will be no nobles that want that.¡± Amethyst started to shrink as the opposition was much tougher than expected. She didn¡¯t think they would be so against it. ¡°It¡¯s just for the most basic education.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The employees that have basic education and some common sense will work better since they will learn faster.¡± ¡°All the people in the empire that aren¡¯t nobles are dependent on the temples right now. But the temples aren¡¯t educational facility. Especially not a nursing facility. We¡¯ll be able to take load off the temples so it¡¯ll be good.¡± ¡°Please consider.¡± Everyone spoke in unison, but the clash on the opinion was quite obvious. Count Onslow, who was the oldest, tried to mediate. ¡°Even if we consider, the chance of it passing is low. Also, the number of agenda each family can put it is limited.¡± That meant that it¡¯s more favorable to submit an agenda that will pass than the one that wouldn¡¯t pass. Amethyst stared at her husband who kept his silence. It seemed like the chance of it being submitted as an agenda was unlikely. She glared at him and spoke reluctantly. ¡°Fine.¡± Amethyst did her best to calmly leave the convention room. The noble ladies followed her. ¡°Such nonsense! They¡¯re just saying it wouldn¡¯t be possible without even trying.¡± ¡°I know. I feel awful that it was so thoroughly rejected after prepping it so hard.¡± ¡°We knew it wouldn¡¯t be easy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The information we gathered might have not been enough. Let¡¯s think about it more.¡± Everyone was consoling each other. Amethyst added on. ¡°You guys have done well. Let¡¯s go back today for now. Our head need some rest. Let¡¯s discuss tomorrow.¡± Unlike the noble ladies who went back to their place, Amethyst went to the library instead of her room. She wasn¡¯t planning on giving up like they said. She didn¡¯t think that she¡¯d be able to change the old tradition and rules in the empire but she also didn¡¯t want to sit there and do nothing about it. Amethyst examined the bookshelf. ¡°If there¡¯s no precedent, we¡¯ll make one.¡± She decided to look for more information to persuade them. She couldn¡¯t give up like this and she wanted at least the nursery to pass. She was disappointed with Alexcent who didn¡¯t say a single word, but she understood. He was the one of the ones with born rights. A top tier one. This would be a big change to the commoner and elites alike. She was the one who took a step back, and even though she completely understood him, she didn¡¯t know why she kept feeling disappointed at his silence. Amethyst shook her head to get that disappointment out. What she needed right now was objective information, not her feeling. She needed information on why compulsory education and nursery is an absolute necessity. She started searching biography of the predecessor empresses and later on took hold of a book at the top of the bookshelf. <> Amethyst got on her tiptoes and reached out. She was trying her hardest to take out the book she was barely able to reach.Finally, she put her hands down as she couldn¡¯t reach for it and looked for something to step on. But at that moment, a large hand went over her hand and grabbed the book easily. The book Amethyst wanted was opened in front of her. CH 301 ¡°The Prince?¡± She could see Alexcent holding the book. He carelessly looked at its contents. ¡°I was looking for precedent somewhere else just in case. To persuade others¡­ Nothing¡¯s better than a precedent.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t give up?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Alexcent raised his eyebrow and gave Amethyst the book. He also asked what she was curious about after receiving the book. ¡°But are you also thinking the same thing?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°About what we talked about. Are you also thinking like other masters that it won¡¯t have a chance? Is that why you¡¯re disagreeing?¡± ¡°Disagreeing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I never disagreed.¡± ¡°But you didn¡¯t say anything just now. So you¡¯re agreeing?¡± ¡°No.¡± Amethyst¡¯s vein popped on her forehead at Alexcent¡¯s refusal. It looked like she was trying her best to speak calmly. ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°Why through the congress.¡± Why? What does he mean? Amethyst felt alleviated and asked. ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s annoying. I can just use the empress¡¯s power.¡± Ah! She was forgetting it. That this man¡¯s only sister is the Empress. Her mind went blank like she was hit by a club. Amethyst looked up at him. ¡°Then why were you acting so angry¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t like how you were caring about anything other than me.¡± ¡°No way! That was the only reason why you embarrassed me?¡± Alexcent changed the subjec as she shouted with annoyance. ¡°I scanned it for a bit and it seemed like you put a lot of effort in it. Just needs a bit of polishing.¡± ¡°You looked at it? I still have lots to work on. So, could you get me the management document of the Academy?¡± Alexcent didn¡¯t like as she immediately started working again. ¡°You see. This is why I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°You see. You definitely disagreed.¡± They scoffed after exchanging glances. Then Amethyst remembered that they were in the library hence the space between the bookshelves was narrow. Alexcent and she was quite close to each other. She started smiling as if she thought of something funny. She remembered a scene that only a teen movie would have. ¡°Alec.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Kiss me. Now.¡± *** Alexcent held the bookshelf above her head, then lowered his head and put his lips on hers. Amethyst grabbed his sleeves and pulled him closer. Their shadow graced the wall in front of them as the setting sun lit up the bookshelf. Their lips moved in harmony and their breathing got heavier. ¡°Miss Amethyst!¡± Amethyst quickly pushed him away from herself as she heard someone call for her. ¡°Yes,¡± Amethyst gasped, out of breath. Alexcent glared at the owner of the voice as he wasn¡¯t pleased with being interrupted, while his wife was flustered and quickly straightened up her clothes. ¡°Oh, my apologies for interrupting. I heard you were here.¡± It was the Countess Citri, accompanies with other noble ladies. They bowed to Alexcent. ¡°Greetings, My Lord Duke.¡± Alexcent ignored them. ¡°I¡¯ll be off then.¡± He kissed Amethyst on the forehead and left. ¡°We¡¯re really sorry. We didn¡¯t know you were with the duke.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°We thought of something on our way back. How about we establish it ourselves?!¡± ¡°Ourselves?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll build it in our own territory first and gradually convince the other nobles after. The land problem would also be solved. Count Glacia said he does not disagree with the idea, so we¡¯ll be able to build at least six education facilities in the Empire.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And if things run smoothly, we might be able to recommend more branches opening up in the empire later.¡± A private education facility. How did they think of something like this? They truly are much more accomplished than me. To be able to meet such good people, Amethyst felt very lucky. She smiled ¡°Ah, but there¡¯s an issue.¡± ¡°Huh? Yes, but how did you know?¡± ¡°Well, Count Glacia has changed quite a lot. You¡­ became more comfortable. We can really sense it when you¡¯re with Lupes.¡± Count Glacia blushed. ¡°Yes. When I¡¯m with him, I feel more comfortable for some reason. I let go of all the greed and ambition.¡± ¡°Ah, there truly are people like that.¡± ¡°He is like that to me. He said that if you live a righteous life then it becomes comfortable¡­. That life isn¡¯t hard. If you accept it as it is and live truly righteously.¡± Thankfully Lupes was leading her to a more noble way of life. ¡°That¡¯s great that you¡¯ve met someone like that. You could be seeing anyone but it¡¯s hard to find people that influence you positively.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Count Glacia bowed to show gratitude at her consideration. ¡°It still wouldn¡¯t have been easy though.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°To accept Lupes. In any way or manner¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing more gracious than respecting people because you¡¯d like the same respect to be shown to you and your partner. You feel respected if your partner is respected.¡± It was a heavy blow to Count Glacia. ¡°You¡¯re on a different level as me. I was¡­¡± ¡°It was in the past and you¡¯ve apologized. Past isn¡¯t important, the future is. Let¡¯s not get hung up on the past.¡± Count Glacia sighed, then smiled at Amethyst. ¡°Anyway, how did you two meet?¡± Amethyst inquired. ¡°He¡¯s a distant relative. I sent my aide on vacation as he wasn¡¯t feeling well and he recommended Lupes. I looked down on him since I thought he was just a kid at first.¡± Amethyst paid attention to every detail as it felt like she was reading a romance novel. At that moment, there was some commotion, and a knight urgently ran into the tent. ¡°We have an emergency!¡± ¡°What? What is it?¡± ¡°The demons are coming this way! You must evacuate immediately.¡± ¡°Demons?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no time.¡± CH 302 Amethyst and Count Glacia quickly left the tent. Their base was already a mess. Everyone was running around like headless chickens. Lunia couldn¡¯t even follow as she was ordered by Amethyst to take care of the nobles in the duke¡¯s mansion. And the Skad family knights had not accompanied them in the hunting tournament. Alexcent, Gen and other masters were hunting demons, but they couldn¡¯t beat the demons with the remaining people. Amethyst wanted to know, ¡°Count Glacia, can you fight?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m a knight after all.¡± She nodded and began to address the remaining knights. ¡°Everyone listens. First evacuate those who can¡¯t fight. There¡¯s a barrier over the stream so they won¡¯t be able to chase you there.¡± ¡°You must also evacuate, ma¡¯am!¡± ¡°The duke isn¡¯t here so I¡¯m the commander here. So please follow my orders. The people you must protect first are them, not me!¡± It was Duchess Skad who was the highest rank after all, not Count Glacia. ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°Hurry now! Evacuate them.¡± The knights moved urgently at Amethyst¡¯s order. She turned toward the servants and maids who were trembling in fear. ¡°Go follow the knights towards the stream! Hurry!¡± Everyone started to mobilize at her command. ¡°Everyone else needs to hold back the demons until the people are safely out of here!¡± ¡°Count Glacia, I¡¯ll cover you!¡± Amethyst grabbed a gun with both of her hands. ¡°Of course.¡± Count Glacia swung her sword and tip instantly turned carbon black. *** On the other side, Gen rushed with the magical messenger pigeon to the valley where Alexcent was fighting alone. No one had a chance to stop him. ¡°What!¡± A sharp shout was heard. ¡°My Lord, we¡¯re in trouble.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The ground shook. ¡°The group of demons suddenly changed their course.¡± ¡°What? How.¡± Alexcent¡¯s red eyes flashed. ¡°It seemed like there were some intelligent ones with them. I¡¯m told that they¡¯ve attacked our base. Everyone is evacuating to the streams right now.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am is staying back with Count Glacia.¡± ¡°Ash?¡± ¡°Yes. Thankfully it¡¯s only the vampyres, the weakest of the demons, but as they always move in a group, it seemed like a lot of them have come.¡± Gen withdrew his sword and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it here.¡± Alexcent imagined Amethyst in his mind with guns in her hands and Count Glacia was there with her. ¡°They¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± ¡°If Glacia is with her, she will be okay.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± He was aware of her skill. Shooting was her specialty. Also, her swordsmanship was almost as good as most knights. He made her into that. ¡°We¡¯ll leave it to her.¡± He believed in her more than anyone. Also the situation here was quite dire too. There were top tier demons here. Even if Gen was very skilled, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to do it alone. Also, he¡¯d leave the related family masters in danger if he left. He couldn¡¯t let that happen. ¡°Are you really ok with this?¡± ¡°Yes. If anything, the shades will step in.¡± ¡°.. okay.¡± Gen put down his sword. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m curious. Who is the intelligent one amongst the demons?¡± ¡°If anything, this is first demon hunting in two years. The numbers have grown, and they were perhaps surprised at such a sudden ambush.¡± Alexcent glanced at those who were following him. He decided to trust them a little. ¡°That would be a relief. Let¡¯s finish up quickly.¡± He went on the offensive and began his attack on the demons without any mercy. *** The demons ambushed nonstop. Amethyst aimed the barrel right at their heads and blasted them with gunfire. She was thankful to Lunia who replaced her gun with the one with magical stone in it so she wouldn¡¯t have to reload. ¡°I won¡¯t have to worry about number of bullets.¡± Then she shot the demon who was about to attack Count Glacia from behind. Count Glacia looked at the demon that fell behind her and exchanged glances with Amethyst. As the demons kept on attacking, Glacia focused all her energy into her sword. And then drew a line on the ground. Then the ground opened up and stone pillars popped up. ¡°Count Glacia! How did you do that?¡± ¡°My sword was made with dark magic stone so it has an earthly magical attributes within.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± She remembered Buer saying that his attribute is fire. It seemed like Count Glacia¡¯ attribute was earth. ¡°It¡¯s only for a moment so they¡¯ll get through soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best then. Rest for a bit.¡± While Count Glacia was taking a breather, Amethyst aimed through the stone pillars and shot the demons straight in the head. The gunshots echoed for a while. But the demons began climbing the stone pillars. ¡°Be careful!¡± Count Glacia quickly swung her sword and managed to kill the demons. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°They should have arrived at the stream by now.¡± ¡°That would be good but¡­. Ah!¡± The stone pillars were collapsing. Count Glacia quickly hugged her to protect her. ¡°Now we have to hold until the duke arrives.¡± ¡°No, we have to finish this.¡± Amethyst insisted. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°I think his side is probably worse.¡± Someone must have sent Alexcent a message already, but the fact that he still hadn¡¯t shown up must mean that his situation was dire too. Count Glacia nodded. They lean their backs against each other while Count Glacia clutched onto her sword and Amethyst raised her arms and started shooting at the demons. As she came back to her senses, she shot the last demon that was running towards her. The demon corpses were everywhere and the ash-colored knights showed up amongst the corpses. CH 303 Amethyst and Count Glacia held each other while panting. ¡°I was wrong.¡± Count Glacia was finally able to spit something out. ¡°About what?¡± ¡°About your skill. Considering what I saw today, you may not be advanced yet but you are not a beginner either. I should be thankful for that. It was definitely the result of his tough training sessions. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Alec. Anyways, your skills are very good.¡± ¡°I kept training even after I had acquired the title. I was a high knight.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amethsyt nodded. It was believable after all this. The ash-colored knights left and the ones that escorted people the stream started to come back and clean up. After that, Alexcent¡¯s horse was seen in the horizon. He jumped off and quickly embraced his wife. She could tell how fast he came as he was alone. ¡°Sorry,¡± he whispered. Amethyst patted him as he buried his face into her neck while his shoulders slouched. ¡°Everything¡¯s ok now. Everyone¡¯s ok.¡± He believed her and yet he was worried at a possible uncertain outcome. He had hurried so much that he used attack magic to destroy the demons. Despite knowing that she was okay, he disparaged himself for letting her fight alone. He was afraid that she would resent him for not coming to save her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for leaving you alone.¡± ¡°Not at all. You were also in danger. And you should praise me instead.¡± ¡°Praise you?¡± ¡°Yes. I destroyed the demons! Of course, Count Glacia and the ash coloured knights helped. But isn¡¯t this pretty good?¡± ¡°You¡¯re really something.¡± Alexcent hugged Amethyst again. And then kissed her on the lips. ¡°Hm, my lord.¡± Count Glacia coughed while trying not to look. The knights around them also tried to give the couple some privacy. Alexcent smiled at her while holding her tightly. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Amethyst beamed at him. ¡°The hunting tournament is over with this.¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± Count Glacia was surprised as the hunting tournament that usually went on for days ended in a single day. ¡°Yes. Since you killed all of them with magic. It should be quiet for a while.¡± Gen added. Then he bowed politely to Amethyst. ¡°I was amazed by your skill.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be counting on you from on.¡± She didn¡¯t know how to react to Gen. Then she excitedly perked up and asked, ¡°By the way, how can you use magic? Didn¡¯t you say you promised nobles to use it only during war?¡± Amethyst had remembered the time when he received bunch of complaints for using magic. ¡°It¡¯s ok.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We¡¯re deep in the woods so they wouldn¡¯t know, and there aren¡¯t anyone here that would complain about using magic here. We trust each other quite a lot.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°So don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Alexcent bumped his forehead into hers. ¡°That¡¯s right! We might¡¯ve died if it wasn¡¯t for the duke.¡± ¡°Of course, we were desperate. Who would object to Our Lord saving us?¡± ¡°If they knew how much the demons have populated suddenly, no one would object. If it wasn¡¯t for the duke, no one would¡¯ve been able to stop them.¡± The masters that followed Alexcent twinkled their eyes at the word trust and defended him. It had become the shortest hunting tournament since the annual festival, but it ended up with a bit of change in their relationship. *** The Duke Skad¡¯s family¡¯s annual festival was over. It was an annual festival that everyone was proud of. They promised to communicate regarding the public education facility establishment through the magical message pigeon. Everyone was sad to each other go. They all said goodbyes in front of the duke mansion. Count Glacia stood in front of Amethyst first. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your skill improving. Don¡¯t you dare stop training.¡± She extended her hand and Amethyst grabbed it for a handshake. Lupes said his goodbye to the Skad couple and escorted Count Glacia up the carriage. Then Countess Citri hugged Amethyst like earlier days. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯ll miss you.¡± ¡°Please take care. Make sure to let me know the good news.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Amethyst¡¯s eyes became teary at the farrewells. And she said to everyone. ¡°Please visit us even if it isn¡¯t for the annual festival. You¡¯re always welcome.¡± ¡°Yes, we will.¡± The noble ladies smiled brightly and got on their carriage. Even while the carriage was disappearing, Amethyst stood there for a while, and Alexcent stood by her without a word. While the servants were wrapping up the festivities, Amethyst received an unexpected letter. *** The letters that were sent to Amethyst were stacked neatly on her desk. Lunia always put red strings on the ones Amethyst must check, blue strings on the ones she could disregard, and yellow strings on the ones she wasn¡¯t sure where it came from. Amethyst checked the letters after her morning business. She checked the yellow string letters that she wouldn¡¯t have looked at normally. The envelope that said ¡®To Carol¡¯ was from Hutchmoon. ¡°It¡¯s yours, right? Isn¡¯t Carol the name you used before?¡¯ ¡°Yes, it is.¡± ¡°But, Hutchmoon? Isn¡¯t that the end of the Empire?¡± Amethyst shrugged at Lunia¡¯s words and tore open the envelope. She slowly read the letter. ¡°Can I ask you what it is?¡± Lunia carefully asked as Amethyst frowned slightly. ¡°It¡¯s from a friend.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°It says she got divorced.¡± ¡°Oh¡­. How unfortunate.¡± ¡°It is.¡± I thought Pauline was loved by her husband¡­. Did something terrible happen? Or did they have a problem that I don¡¯t know about. So that¡¯s why she couldn¡¯t tell me. CH 304 ¡°There¡¯s something that¡¯s bothering me.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The letter only says that she was divorced but nothing else after. Nothing about whether the caf¨¦ is running well.¡± ¡°Then there isn¡¯t a problem with the caf¨¦, is there?¡± ¡°Yes. According to the letter but there¡¯s no way the caf¨¦ would run well in this place.¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± Amethyst kept thinking instead of answering. Right, even when I was running the caf¨¦ by myself, if it was Grey I wouldn¡¯t even be able to sell a single cup. Even though the caf¨¦ has been open for a while, there¡¯s no way it would run this well so suddenly. The money I left her would also be gone by now too. So, when everything was settled, Amethyst sent a letter to Pauline out of worry. She sent a letter saying from Carol and without the duke Skad family seal. She¡¯d rather have the letter arrive late rather than notify her of her true identity. She asked how Pauline has been and if Erina was well. Was it because she was at the Empire¡¯s far-reaching corners? Or was it because she didn¡¯t have the time to respond? The response came, after a long time, and only full of lies. Probably because she didn¡¯t want me to worry. Amethyst knew what Pauline was like. What other option does she have, anyway! Amethyst couldn¡¯t let go of the letter. I have to see the caf¨¦ with my own eyes. Amethyst stood up and asked Lunia. ¡°Where is Alec right now?¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably at his desk.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Amethyst nodded and came out of her office. *** On the other hand, Alexcent was pondering. He was going to be busy with a bunch of businesses and palace duty after the Empire¡¯s annual festival. He also had to take care of the establishment of the public education facility that Amethyst was part of. ¡®Before it gets busier¡­¡¯ Sometimes Amethyst seemed more of a workaholic than him. He wanted to spend quality time with her during the rest of the annual festival. He wanted to have her enjoy her life. ¡°Gen.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord?¡± ¡°If I disappear suddenly¡­.¡± ¡°Please!¡± Gen started reacting before he had even finished. ¡°Please think of me! Don¡¯t you feel bad for me working until I become dust?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°My Lord!¡± ¡°You give all the work to the underlings anyway, why are you pretending to be busy?¡± ¡°Anyways, no! You¡¯re still the last person who has to approve.¡± No matter what Gen said, Alexcent was still thinking of how to make Amethyst happy. ¡°Gen, tell Pian to make some potion.¡± ¡°Pian is not in the duke¡¯s mansion. So please focus on work.¡± ¡°Ha, so that¡¯s how you want it¡­.¡± Alexcent winded his hands together, put them against his chin and glared at Gen. ¡°What are you going to use it for?¡± ¡°To become Grey.¡± ¡°What?!¡± Everything that goes in and out of the duke mansion has to go through security. Even if it¡¯s a useless piece of paper. Alexcent already knew that Amethyst sent Pauline a letter and that she wrote back. How to make her happy was to let her do what she wants. ¡°So find Pian and make the potion. Grey hair, grey eyes. Ah, you should know.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Gen answered reluctantly and left the office. He had to go find Pian, who made weird potions hiding somewhere, and had to threaten him to make one. His feet felt heavy walking down the hallway. He wouldn¡¯t have been in such a situation if he had not followed Alexcent. Gen was surprised at his own thought and smacked the back of his own head. If he had not followed Alexcent then, he would not have been alive. Forget being alive, he would not have been able to live decently like a regular human being. Gerald Artin. His name had not always been Gerald Artin. He had been born into a noble family in the Widbersen kingdom, but his family had been executed for treason. The only reason he survived was because he was five so he couldn¡¯t have been part of the treason. There also was a law saying that they can¡¯t execute a child. He became a palace play doll as an example instead of becoming a slave to a noble. The life as a play doll in the palace was worse that their pet dogs. He had to lay low to eat off the floor and if he wasn¡¯t allowed to sleep, he had to stay up for five nights. He wasn¡¯t even allowed to go to the washroom without permission, unlike dogs that were allowed at any time. The young Gerald still remembered the knife that stabbed his mother¡¯s chest as she was screaming at him to run away. He had forgotten his original name, but the image of his mother dying stayed with him forever, sparking the desire for revenge in his heart. His soft heart was full of revenge that had been burning in his chest since childhood. CH 305 As he grew older, he found that the daily beatings grew more disgusting and humiliating. He no longer thought of his oppressors as humans but the beasts that they truly were. Every night, he dreamed of killing them, of slashing them over and over again until they were gone. He just wanted to end all the terror that they had inflicted on him. He just wanted to end his suffering. Then, just when he thought he could no longer take it, something happened: A prince from the Sehar Empire had started an invasion. His oppressors had scoffed when they first heard the news. ¡°They dare to attack Widbersen?¡± one of them had asked. ¡°That prince of theirs is a lune,¡± another chuckled. ¡°What does he think he can do?¡± They all laughed. ¡°He¡¯ll be on his knees begging for mercy soon,¡± someone said. ¡°They all will.¡± But, as the invasion dragged on, his oppressors began to give way to fear¡ªand that was when his opportunity arose. One of them tried to shove a sword into his hands, but he could not take it. ¡°Fight with this sword, bastard!¡± they had commanded. ¡°Protect your master!¡± ¡°He would probably open his behind just to live,¡± he heard someone snicker. ¡°All you have to do is buy us time,¡± one of them told him. ¡°So either fight with your sword or go and shake your ass!¡± They laughed as his hands began to tremble. ¡°Just kill him,¡± one of them suggested. ¡°If we let him live, he¡¯ll just rat us out.¡± The man who had called himself the boy¡¯s master scowled. ¡°Take the sword now,¡± he said. ¡°Or I will kill you.¡± Still shaking, the boy took the sword. He could not help but admire it, staring at its blade as it glistened. It was then that he decided that, if he had to die, he would die by the hand of man and not by the foot of beasts. He lifted the sword and, facing his oppressors one last time, he cut into each and every one of them, slashing them over and over again. Just as he had dreamed. He heard them scream, loud and terrified, like beasts and not like men. And, just as beasts do when they are wounded, they tried to run away, a futile attempt. He heard someone behind him chuckle. ¡°It seems I have nothing left to do here.¡± As the boy turned around, he found a man smiling at him, his eyes flashing red. ¡°You¡¯re a slave, I take it?¡± the man said, then, looking at the carnage around them, added, ¡°A slave full of resentment at that.¡± The boy could not speak. There was something about the man that terrified him. He knew that the man held immense power, a power he could not even dream of, and it had rendered him speechless. Falling to his knees, the boy closed his eyes and awaited his end. But it did not come. All that came was a soft chuckle. ¡°After what you¡¯ve just done, you¡¯re giving up now?¡± asked the man. ¡°How funny.¡± The boy opened his eyes, meeting the man¡¯s red ones as he swallowed the lump in his throat. ¡°I would rather die to a man than a beast.¡± The man looked at him curiously. ¡°A beast?¡± He watched as the boy looked around, eyeing the bodies of the dead all around them. The boy closed his eyes. Slowly, the man raised his sword and slashed it through the air in front of the boy¡¯s neck. ¡°You are dead now,¡± said the man, laughing at the boy as he opened his eyes to find himself still alive. ¡°Your life belongs to me.¡± The boy opened his mouth to speak, but the man quieted him with a flick of his wrist. ¡°Take him,¡± the man said as someone approached them. He walked away as the boy was shackled and taken away. The next day, when the boy awoke, he found himself in a large room. He did not remember how he got there or how he ended up wearing the rich fabrics that now clothed his body, and it terrified him. Even as they served him feasts for every meal, he could not bring himself to eat a thing. It was all too confusing. He wondered who the man might have been and where he was being held captive. But, somewhere deep inside him, he already knew. The man was the prince of the Sehar Empire. And the prince had just saved his life. Still frightened, the boy crouched in the corner of the room and refused to move. He did not understand what his life had become. The servants who had been watching over him had no choice but to approach the prince. ¡°Your highness,¡± a servant approached. ¡°The boy you brought¡­ he won¡¯t eat.¡± The prince, Alexcent, raised a brow. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The servant shrugged helplessly. ¡°He refuses to eat a thing,¡± he said. ¡°He just spends his days curled up in the corner of the room.¡± ¡°What a shame,¡± Alexcent frowned. ¡°I suppose I saved him for nothing.¡± He asked the servant to show him to the boy¡¯s quarters, wanting to see things for himself. When he arrived, he found the boy sleeping in the corner, the bed in the middle of the room completely empty. Alexcent nudged the boy with his foot. ¡°Wake up.¡± The boy¡¯s eyes shot open and he stared up at the prince in fear. Had his time finally come? ¡°So you have been doing nothing,¡± the prince said, unimpressed. The boy did not know what to say. Alexcent scowled. ¡°Answer!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the boy said, startled by the prince raising his voice. ¡°You dare to do nothing?¡± Alexcent asked, his face shifting into one of disgust. When the boy looked away, he scoffed. ¡°Listen, boy,¡± he said, crossing his arms. ¡°I saved your life. You cannot let that life be rendered useless.¡± CH 306 The boy curled into himself, clutching his knees up to his chest. The beatings would start soon, he knew they would. ¡°If you are going to let yourself be useless,¡± Alexcent said, ¡°then I have no reason to let you live.¡± The boy waited for the hits to come, but they didn¡¯t. Slowly, he looked up, his eyes meeting the prince¡¯s. ¡°Find a reason for me to let you live,¡± the prince told him, his voice deep and tone even. The boy gaped. Then, he mustered all his courage and managed to ask, ¡°A reason?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Alexcent. ¡°Prove your worth, just like you did when you slayed all those men.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± the boy shook his head. Alexcent sighed. ¡°I will not restrain you so long as you are within my palace,¡± he told the boy. ¡°Do whatever it takes to prove yourself. I will not let you leave otherwise; it would be far too troublesome.¡± The boy¡¯s eyes widened with realization. They would not beat him here. They would not touch him here. Alexcent turned to the door. ¡°Pon!¡± The man called Pon walked in, a butler to the prince from what the boy could see. ¡°You called, Your Highness?¡± Pon said, approaching. ¡°Did you check?¡± Alexcent asked. Pon nodded, handing the prince a piece of paper. ¡°Gerald Artin?¡± the prince read out loud. ¡°Yes,¡± Pon said. ¡°He is my cousin thrice removed from my aunt¡ª¡± Alexcent held his hand up. ¡°Enough,¡± he said. ¡°Is he missing?¡± Pon nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± he told the prince. ¡°His whereabout are unknown.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°That will do.¡± The prince turned to the boy, returning the piece of paper to Pon. ¡°It is difficult to use the names of the dead because the temple handles the God¡¯s guardian list,¡± he explained. ¡°It is easier to use the names of those that have gone missing outside the Empire.¡± The boy nodded slowly. He believed he knew where the prince was going. ¡°You are Gerald Artin now,¡± Alexcent told him. ¡°Act like it.¡± The boy mumbled a quiet, ¡°Yes.¡± Alexcent frowned but, realizing this was as far as he could get, he turned and walked away, leaving the boy alone once more. The boy nodded to himself, thinking about the prince¡¯s words. He had to prove himself. He could not be useless. ¡°Gerald Artin,¡± he said, listening to his name. ¡°Gerald Artin!¡± With a renewed vigor, he stood up and finally looked around the room he had failed to notice this whole time. He found that there were shelves filled with books, so tall they reached the ceiling. There was a bed, a large bed set in the middle of the room where he had slept his first night there. The walls were lined with armor and¡­ swords. He walked towards the swords and picked a longsword. He swung it around and stared at the refined elegance of its blade, feeling the same rush he had felt the day that he had fought back against his oppressors. Alexcent was informed of Gerald¡¯s progress. They told him that the boy showed interest in the swords. ¡°Of course,¡± the prince said. ¡°My eyes are keen.¡± He mulled it over, the thought of the boy finally standing up from the corner where he cowered and holding a sword in his hands made the prince smile. ¡°Keep my schedule free at dawn from now on,¡± Alexcent told Pon. ¡°I have found something fun to do.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Highness,¡± was all Pon could say. He hoped that the prince would not be too harsh on the boy. With each dawn, Gerald found that, while the beatings had stopped, he was made to suffer anew. ¡°Gen!¡± Alexcent barked. ¡°You¡¯re unguarded at the bottom!¡± Gerald looked down and found that what the prince had said was true. ¡°Sorry.¡± Alexcent frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything you¡¯d be sorry about!¡± Then, he lunged forward with his sword. ¡°You missed again!¡± Gerald apologized repeatedly but, as time drew on, he realized that there was no winning in these lessons. Alexcent¡¯s teaching methods were far too ruthless and, if Gerald hadn¡¯t been used to beatings, the boy would have been dead already. Alexcent shouted as Gerald dropped his sword after another merciless attack. ¡°Sorry!¡± Gerald yelped. The way Alexcent taught had no leeway. He didn¡¯t allow for a single mistake. And it didn¡¯t end at swordsmanship. ¡°Again,¡± Alexcent drawled, pointing at Gerald¡¯s scratchy writing. ¡°The spelling is wrong!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll write it again,¡± Gerald told him, trying his best to scribble the words down. Alexcent huffed. ¡°I would have thought you were smarter at the very least.¡± Gerald felt his frustration grow. He had barely learned the language of the Empire and he was already being forced to learn the languages of Boron and Kestenia. The worst part was that there was still so much more he was yet to learn. He was convinced that this was a new form of torture. ¡°Do I really have to learn all these languages?¡± Gerald demanded as they continued with their lessons. ¡°Of course,¡± Alexcent told him. He pointed at a word Gerald had just written. ¡°You¡¯re wrong there.¡± Gerald held in a growl, angry at both himself and the prince. ¡°Do you know all these languages?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Alexcent answered again. He pointed at another mistake. ¡°Is that possible?¡± Gerald asked. The prince stared at him dully. ¡°How can you not know this?¡± Gerald could feel himself begin to cry. The beatings had been terrible, but they always ended. All these lessons, however, felt like they could go on forever. He was miserable and Alexcent could see it in his eyes. ¡°Gen,¡± the prince sighed. ¡°If you don¡¯t want people looking down on you, you must be good at something. That is how you protect yourself.¡± When Gen did not respond, Alexcent pursed his lips. ¡°I can¡¯t bear a person being stupid.¡± Gerald blinked at his words. The prince had just called him a person. A person. He was a person. He was Gerald. Of course, the prince never called him Gerald. He called him Gen. He was always Gen. If he was going to call me whatever he wanted, why did he even give me a name? Gen rolled his eyes, stuck on memories from the past. Caught in his thoughts, he almost didn¡¯t realize he was about to run into a pillar. He laughed at himself as he quickly pulled away. Then, he stopped and turned around. It was the wizard who had been staying in the Duke¡¯s guest house. ¡°Pian.¡± CH 307 ¡°Pian.¡± The hall was silent as Gen crossed his arms and sighed. ¡°Pian,¡± he repeated, rolling his eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t answer me now, I¡¯ll cut your budget.¡± Then, out of the darkness, a petulant reply came. ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± Gen smiled to himself. ¡°That¡¯s more like it,¡± he said. ¡°Now, let me into your room.¡± Pian¡¯s room was closed off, stopping Gen from coming inside right at the door. No one else ventured into the room after a maid had gone in once and ended up sick. It was only Gen who visited nowadays, and, even then, it wasn¡¯t because he wanted to. ¡°Come in,¡± Pian said, reluctantly letting Gen inside. He watched as the other man stepped into the room, careful as always. ¡°What brings you here?¡± Gen rubbed the crease in his forehead. ¡°I need you to make it.¡± Pian blinked. ¡°Make what?¡± ¡°The transformation potion,¡± Gen answered, looking around the room¡ªit was a messy, miserable place. There was no room more fitting for Pian, he thought. Pian¡¯s face broke out into a smile. ¡°Ah!¡± he said in glee, rubbing his hands together. ¡°I see it was a success last time.¡± The wizard brushed some bottles and a seemingly random assortment of items from his table with the back of his arm. He didn¡¯t seem phased at all as everything came crashing down to the floor. ¡°You know,¡± he continued, smile only growing wider. ¡°I¡¯ve actually improved on it since last time. The pain will be significantly less now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Gen muttered under his breath. Pian hummed. ¡°Pardon?¡± All Gen did was shake his head. ¡°Nothing.¡± Turning back to the work on his table, Pian continued. ¡°So do you have any preferences?¡± ¡°Gray and narrow eyes,¡± Gen said. ¡°A lower nose and a lighter voice.¡± Pian stopped and looked up. ¡°Sir Gen?¡± Gen looked at him expectantly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s drinking this?¡± Pain asked cautiously. ¡°It¡¯s the duke, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Gen answered, humorlessly. There was no magic greater than that of the empress, Gen knew. He wouldn¡¯t have believed it to be true if he hadn¡¯t seen it personally. He knew that no matter how great the potion turned out to be, it would not be anything like something the empress would make. But he didn¡¯t care to explain this to Pian. ¡°Just make it, will you?¡± Gen said impatiently. ¡°Well, the duke¡¯s physique is quite amazing,¡± Pian told him, walking over to one of his shelves and picking out a small bottle. ¡°Unless I carve his bones, it won¡¯t really work.¡± Gen shrugged. ¡°I assumed as much.¡± Holding the bottle out to Gen, Pian hesitated. ¡°I have to tell you that it might have¡­ a side effect.¡± Gen took the bottle in his hands and studied it intently. ¡°A side effect?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Pian said. ¡°It might lower a male¡¯s ability to¡ª¡± he stopped himself, shaking his head. ¡°If you gave me more time, I could perfect the potion and remove the side effect.¡± Gen¡¯s eyes shone as he stared down at the bottle. This was just the thing he needed to get revenge on that miserable man. He had always disregarded his work. ¡°No,¡± he said, smiling at the wizard. ¡°This should do just fine.¡± Pian frowned. ¡°Just tell the duke he won¡¯t be able to perform like he normally can.¡± Gen nodded, turning to leave the room. ¡°Will do.¡± *** Gen gave Alexcent the potion bottle. ¡°Pian says that there won¡¯t be pain like last time.¡± Alexcent turned the bottle over in his hands and looked up at Gen. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Gen nodded, lips curling into a smile. He could have explained the other side effect that Pian had told him about, but he didn¡¯t. Alexcent didn¡¯t need to know. ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± the prince said. He didn¡¯t care much about the pain, but he knew that Amethyst had been worried about it last time and he would rather not have to deal with that again. Saying his goodbyes to Gen, Alexcent stepped out of his office and into the hallway where Amethyst was already walking towards him. ¡°Ash!¡± Alexcent exclaimed as Amethyst drew near. She grinned. ¡°Alec,¡± she said. ¡°I was looking for you.¡± ¡°I was looking for you too,¡± Alexcent confessed, his voice a little giddy. ¡°Really?¡± Amethyst asked. The prince smiled. ¡°Of course.¡± He would be lying if he said he didn¡¯t think they were soulmates. Then, Amethyst¡¯s smile faded as her features grew serious. She frowned. ¡°Listen,¡± she said. ¡°I have something to say.¡± Before she could continue, Alexcent raised a hand to stop her. ¡°Let me speak first,¡± he told her. ¡°Close your eyes.¡± Hesitantly, Amethyst did as she was told. ¡°You might feel a little dizzy,¡± she heard Alexcent mumble as his arms wrapped around her. She breathed in his scent and pulled herself closer to him as she felt her body begin to float. A warm gust of wind washed over her, then she was back on the ground ¡°You can open your eyes now,¡± Alexcent said, his voice gentle and quiet. Slowly, Amethyst opened her eyes and found herself in front of a still river. She gasped. ¡°Alec, is this¡­¡± she trailed off, unable to find the words. Alexcent smiled. ¡°It is.¡± Amethyst was stunned. In the blink of an eye, they had gone from the palace to the edge of the Empire. It wasn¡¯t exactly what she had expected. ¡°Is this really Hutchmoon?¡± she asked, just to be sure. CH 308 Alexcent laughed. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But how?¡± Amethyst looked around again, as if to check if she was dreaming. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Alexcent wrinkled his nose. ¡°Have you forgotten who I am?¡± Amethyst rolled her eyes at that. ¡°Of course not,¡± she said. ¡°But is it really okay for you to use your powers like this?¡± Alexcent placed his hand on Amethyst¡¯s shoulders and made her turn to look at the scenery. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly fine.¡± Feeling the warmth of Alexcent¡¯s hand on her, Amethyst sighed. ¡°Thank you so much for this, Alec.¡± The prince smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Amethyst turned to look at him. ¡°I was actually going to tell you that I planned on going to Hutchmoon.¡± Alexcent¡¯s brow knit together. ¡°You weren¡¯t planning on going alone, were you?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Amethyst avoided the prince¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s pretty far and you¡¯re busy preparing for the congress.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad I brought you here, then,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°Because there is no way I would¡¯ve let you go by yourself.¡± Just as Amethyst was supposed to chuckle, her eyes grew wide at the sight of Alexcent¡¯s light blond hair and red eyes. Anyone could tell who he was just by his looks¡ªa pure descendant of the royal family. ¡°Will you be okay?¡± she asked worriedly. ¡°If anyone sees us, they¡¯ll recognize you immediately and¡­ Pauline would be surprised.¡± Alexcent shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± he said. From his pocket he drew out the potion bottle. ¡°I have this.¡± Amethyst frowned. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Without even answering her question, Alexcent pulled the stopper from the bottle and drank it all. ¡°Alec!¡± Amethyst exclaimed. Before her, Alexcent began to change. His hair grew into the color of ash and his bright red eyes darkened into gray. Amethyst took a step back. Gray? But, of course, he wasn¡¯t Gray. He just looked a lot like him. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Amethyst asked. Alexcent¡ªnow in disguise¡ªsmiled. ¡°It¡¯s a transformation potion.¡± ¡°Is it different from a simple transformation?¡± Amethyst prodded. ¡°How long does it last?¡± ¡°Normal transformation potions are different from Belice¡¯s magic,¡± Alexcent explained. ¡°She uses the oblivion magic as well. Only Belice can undo her magic, but I can undo a magic potion whenever I want.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Amethyst nodded. ¡°You look like a clumsy Gray.¡± Alexcent scowled. ¡°What?¡± Amethyst let out a laugh. ¡°You¡¯re more handsome than him,¡± she assured him. ¡°But you look more like a clumsy copy of him.¡± ¡°Just how do I look clumsy?¡± Alexcent demanded as Amethyst burst into another fit of giggles. The prince frowned. ¡°What?¡± Amethyst grinned. ¡°Were you perhaps the black-haired man I met at the town festival in Mir City?¡± she asked. When the prince avoided her eyes and looked away, she smiled widely. ¡°I knew it!¡± she said. ¡°You were the man that kissed my hand!¡± Turning to walk away from her, Alexcent ignored Amethyst¡¯s accusations. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time,¡± he said. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to see Pauline?¡± Amethyst scoffed as she followed him. ¡°Why are you changing the subject?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Alexcent said teasingly. ¡°Who taught me to change the subject in the first place?¡± ¡°What?¡± Amethyst said. ¡°Are you saying that I taught you?¡± When the prince shrugged, she gaped. ¡°I did not!¡± ¡°Did too.¡± ¡°Did not!¡± ¡°Did too.¡± As their conversation devolved into laughter, they realized that all the stores they were heading towards were completely abandoned. ¡°What happened here?¡± Amethyst asked quietly. Alexcent didn¡¯t answer her as he looked around. He realized that the street they were in¡ªa once busy place¡ªwas nearly deserted. Things had definitely changed in those parts. Pulling away from Alexcent, Amethyst scurried off to the caf¨¦. Luckily, she found that it was still open. Then, she heard something breaking inside. Then, bickering. Then, something breaking again. Amethyst burst through the door, shocked by what she found inside. A table was tipped over and chairs were broken everywhere. There was broken glass and things strewn all over the floor. And, in the corner, a man yelling at someone he was backing into a wall. ¡°You should¡¯ve listened when I asked nicely!¡± the man said roughly. The person screamed back, ¡°I¡¯m not selling this place! Get lost!¡± The man growled. ¡°Do you really not understand?¡± As Amethyst drew closer, she realized that the person being cornered was Pauline. ¡°I think you¡¯re the one that¡¯s too stupid to understand!¡± Pauline bit back. Just as the man was about to strike Pauline, a hand pulled his arm and twisted it back. Alexcent had managed to follow Amethyst into the caf¨¦ and knew that he had to put an end to the nonsense. The man cried out as Amethyst stomped towards him angrily. ¡°What is going on here?¡± ¡°None of your business!¡± the man snarled at her. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°My friend owns this place,¡± Amethyst told him. The man¡¯s eyes grew wide, then he yelped as Alexcent¡¯s grip on his arm tightened. ¡°Ash?¡± Alexcent called out, unsure of what to do next. Amethyst glanced at him then back at the man. ¡°Pick his pocket.¡± Alexcent paled. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Take his wallet,¡± Amethyst instructed. ¡°He messed with the caf¨¦. He can¡¯t just walk off thinking that¡¯s okay.¡± Ignoring the man¡¯s protests, Alexcent pinned him against the wall and reached into his pocket. He took the man¡¯s wallet and handed it to Amethyst before pushing the man towards the door. ¡°What we¡¯ve done is nowhere near enough,¡± Amethyst said, following closely behind them. ¡°But I¡¯ll let you go. Just don¡¯t ever come back.¡± Alexcent pushed the man off. He scoffed. ¡°You¡¯ve made a big mistake,¡± he said threateningly. Amethyst opened his wallet and took all the money inside, throwing the wallet back at him. ¡°If you come back,¡± she said, glancing at Alexcent as she saw energy begin to radiate from him. ¡°You¡¯ll be sorry.¡± The man took one look at Alexcent and couldn¡¯t help but shudder in fear. Before he turned to walk away, he looked up at Amethyst hesitantly. ¡°Wait,¡± he said, trying to sound confident. ¡°I have something to tell the owner.¡± From inside, Pauline yelled, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it!¡± Amethyst shrugged and nodded for the man to leave. ¡°You heard her.¡± When the man simply stood there, stunned, Alexcent shoved him off. ¡°If you want to live,¡± he hissed, ¡°you¡¯ll leave this place alone and never come back.¡± CH 309 Alexcent slammed the door, letting out a sigh as he did. ¡°Carol?¡± Pauline called out tentatively. She was still in shock after everything that had happened. Amethyst turned to her and rushed over, pulling her friend into a tight embrace. ¡°Pauline!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m so glad we got here on time.¡± ¡°You are Carol, right?¡± Pauline asked, laughing a little at the sudden affection. ¡°Yes,¡± Amethyst said, pulling back to look Pauline over, checking to see if she was okay. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I¡¯m late.¡± Pauline tightened her grasp on Amethyst. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Amethyst let a beat pass then she asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Who was that man? It wasn¡¯t your ex-husband, was it?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Pauline shook her head. She looked around the mess of the room and huffed, letting go of Amethyst. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a seat first and I¡¯ll bring out some tea.¡± Amethyst moved to sit then, remembering that Alexcent was with her, and beckoned him over. ¡°Pauline, this is my husband,¡± she introduced. ¡°His name is Alexcent.¡± ¡°Oh, hello,¡± Pauline greeted, setting the table with cups and a pot of tea. ¡°You look familiar¡­ like a clumsy version of someone I once knew.¡± Amethyst let out a laugh as Alexcent¡¯s face grew red. ¡°Like an upgraded version of Gray?¡± At that, Pauline seemed to swoon. ¡°Yes, Gray¡­¡± she said dreamily. Then, she stopped, looking between Alexcent and Amethyst. ¡°Why did you leave Gray? Did he cheat on you with that beautiful face of his?¡± Alexcent narrowed his eyes as he took a seat beside Amethyst. ¡°You know I can hear you, right?¡± ¡°Oh, right!¡± Pauline exclaimed, embarrassed. ¡°Sorry. I just couldn¡¯t help but ask.¡± ¡°I get it,¡± Amethyst smiled. ¡°It might be a little confusing but¡­ I¡¯m still married to Gray. Well, that is, I¡¯m married to Gray who also happens to be Alexcent¡­ my husband.¡± Pauline stared at her, obviously confused. ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡± ¡°I was cursed,¡± Alexcent supplied, ignoring Amethyst¡¯s confusion. ¡°I had to work as a slave to break the cure. So, I became a slave and returned to her after I was freed.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Pauline said, looking a little dazed. ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t matter now. As long as Carol is happy, I¡¯m happy too.¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± Amethyst trailed off. When Pauline turned to look at her, she avoided her gaze. ¡°My name isn¡¯t actually Carol. It¡¯s Amethyst.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to deceive you,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°It¡¯s just that I really thought I would have to go by Carol for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Carol¡ªNo, Amethyst,I don¡¯t mind,¡± Pauline told her. ¡°It¡¯s just a name. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Amethyst let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank you for understanding,¡± she said. ¡°I thought you would hate me for deceiving you.¡± Pauline laughed. ¡°Well, technically I lied to you too,¡± she said. ¡°Did you hate me then?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Amethyst grinned. ¡°I was just surprised. I didn¡¯t know you had divorced.¡± Pauline nodded. ¡°Well, it had been a while already, honestly,¡± she said. ¡°But I kept up the image of being married so men would stop hitting on me. It¡¯s hard to have so many people on you when you¡¯re just trying to raise your child.¡± I suspected that was the case, Amethyst thought to herself. Pauline sat on her chair, her body tilted slightly askew as she waved everything away. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t seem to fit into the role of the perfect wife and mother.¡± ¡°I thought you were a perfect mother,¡± Amethyst said, scrunching up her nose. Pauline smiled. ¡°There¡¯s no such thing.¡± Amethyst was quiet for a moment. It had never occurred to her that this was what Pauline thought of herself. She couldn¡¯t help but feel bad that she had boxed her friend into this role before. Then, she sat up stiffly. ¡°That man earlier,¡± she said. ¡°What was he doing?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Pauline frowned. ¡°Things around here haven¡¯t been so great lately, what with the feudal lord changing and all.¡± Alexcent leaned forward upon hearing that. ¡°The feudal lord changed?¡± He grabbed a cup that Pauline had placed on the table and sipped the tea, pretending not to know anything. ¡°Yes,¡± Pauline said. ¡°The new lord¡­ Well, he¡¯s trying to clear this whole area so he can build a resort. He hired a bunch of thugs to threaten the people in the area into selling.¡± So that¡¯s why so many shops were boarded up, Amethyst thought. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± she said. ¡°Why would he want to build a resort here? It¡¯s already a wonderful place.¡± ¡°It gets worse,¡± Pauline told her gravely. ¡°He¡¯s trying to buy everything for dirt cheap. It¡¯ll be hard to find a place to live¡ªlet alone set up another shop¡ªwith the kind of money they¡¯re offering.¡± ¡°The rich are the worst,¡± Amethyst groaned. ¡°Well, then¡­ lead the way to the new lord.¡± Pauline gaped. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I need to speak to him,¡± Amethyst said, already standing up. ¡°Ash,¡± Alexcent said quietly as Amethyst fumed. ¡°He can do whatever he wants with this land. We don¡¯t have a say here.¡± Amethyst glared at him. ¡°It should be illegal for him to treat people so poorly,¡± she said. ¡°Kicking people out of their stores? Paying them next to nothing in exchange for their livelihoods? It¡¯s terrible! We have to stop him.¡± ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Alexcent said, calmly, ushering Amethyst to take a seat. ¡°What are you going to do? Kill him?¡± Alexcent nodded. ¡°That would be the easiest solution.¡± ¡°No,¡± Amethyst told him, scowling. ¡°See, this is why I want to handle it myself.¡± ¡°Fine, then,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°I¡¯ll just restrict development in this area.¡± ¡°Can you do that?¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the edge of the Empire, so I can lock it for military use. Then, development will be restricted.¡± That makes sense, Amethyst though. We won¡¯t even have to use force. ¡°And I have the perfect person for this job,¡± Alexcent said. Amethyst smiled. ¡°Are we thinking of the same person?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Sorry, Gen. Across the table, Pauline looked astounded at their conversation. ¡°Listen, Pauline¡­¡± Amethyst cleared her throat. Pauline shook her head. ¡°No, I figured you were pretty important people,¡± she said. ¡°The ID you have has a few noble symbols on it. Did you know?¡± Amethyst pondered. She hadn¡¯t really thought about it before, but her ID actually did have more than a few noble symbols on it. All thanks to Alexcent, no doubt. Alexcent laughed as realization dawned on Amethyst¡¯s face. ¡°I made a really great friend,¡± Pauline teased. ¡°I would have told you everything,¡± Amethyst said bashfully. ¡°But I couldn¡¯t really write it in a letter. I wanted to tell you in person.¡± Pauline waved it off. ¡°I understand,¡± she said. Then, she perked up, remembering something. ¡°Erina will be home soon. Will you stay for dinner? For old time¡¯s sake?¡± Amethyst smiled. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Pauline clapped her hands together. ¡°Erina will be so happy to see you.¡± *** That night, Erina greeted Amethyst warmly. She kept Alexcent at a distance, but it was mostly because he was a stranger to her. After dinner, Alexcent turned to Amethyst and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± Erina and Pauline asked in unison. ¡°Oh, we were just thinking of staying somewhere else for the night,¡± Amethyst smiled. They only had two rooms in the house. ¡°Erina can stay with me,¡± Pauline offered. ¡°No, no, it¡¯s okay,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to be a bother.¡± Pauline sighed. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s what you want,¡± she shrugged. CH 310 Amethyst and Alexcent left Caf¨¦ Carol that night, leaving Pauline and Erina behind. ¡°It feels weird,¡± Amethyst admitted. Alexcent looked at her. ¡°What feels weird?¡± She shrugged. ¡°They used to be the ones to leave the caf¨¦,¡± she said. ¡°But now it¡¯s their home.¡± ¡°Things change,¡± Alexcent said. Amethyst hummed. ¡°I was actually thinking,¡± she paused and chewed her bottom lip. ¡°Well, I want to give the caf¨¦ to Pauline. It¡¯s been getting harder to manage it all the way from the Capital and she¡¯s the only one I can trust to give it to.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, I support your decision,¡± Alexcent told her. ¡°I know how much that place means to you. It¡¯ll be a nice gesture to give it to Pauline.¡± Amethyst nodded. She had only started to pay attention to the direction in which they were walking, so she asked, ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a great hotel nearby,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°You¡¯re not talking about Empinal Hotel, are you?¡± Amethyst sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a great hotel!¡± ¡°It¡¯s such a luxury! It¡¯s one of the top five hotels in the Empire!¡± ¡°And why is that a problem?¡± Alexcent smirked. ¡°You already live in the biggest mansion in the Empire.¡± Amethyst rolled her eyes. ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re not wrong.¡± She remembered when she first arrived in Hutchmoon. She had seen the Empinal Hotel in all its lavish glory and she had wanted to stay there, but she didn¡¯t have the money to. The thought of finally getting to experience staying there excited her. She had no idea how she would fall asleep that night. When they got there, Amethyst looked at the hotel ceiling, so tall and heavily embroidered that it felt foreign. There were baby angels painted on it that looked like they could come alive at any moment. The hotel manager himself showed them to the best suite in the hotel. *** ¡°You better write a lot,¡± Pauline said, hugging Amethyst tightly. ¡°I will,¡± Amethyst laughed as her friend only seemed to pull her in tighter. When they finally let go, she smiled. ¡°I¡¯m so glad to have met you.¡± Pauline squeezed her arm. ¡°I¡¯m so glad to have you too.¡± Then, Amethyst turned to Erina and pulled her into an embrace. ¡°If you ever miss me, just tell your mom and you can come visit,¡± she said. ¡°Okay?¡± Tears began to slide down Erina¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Okay,¡± she nodded. When Amethyst placed a hand on her head and grinned at her, Erina said, ¡°Auntie, when I grow up, I¡¯m going to marry you. So, you better not marry anyone.¡± Alexcent frowned at that even if he knew that Erina was just a child who didn¡¯t understand what marriage really was. Amethyst just laughed. ¡°If you decide to marry someone in the future, you can find someone so much better than me.¡± Then, they all said their final goodbyes and Alexcent and Amethyst made their way to the duke¡¯s mansion. Where everyone would be waiting. *** 5 years later Someone was pacing outside Amethyst¡¯s door. When Alexcent heard it, he got out of bed slowly, careful not to wake Amethyst. He untangled himself from her arms and draped the blanket over her. He sat up and stretched, then put his robe on before going to the door. When he stepped outside, there was a maid standing before him. She bowed when she caught sight of the prince. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked. The maid bowed again apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry to bother you, Master,¡± she said. ¡°But the young master won¡¯t stop crying and he keeps asking for ma¡¯am.¡± Alexcent clicked his tongue. Amethyst needed her rest and he didn¡¯t want to disturb her. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± he said. ¡°No one should wake her up.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The maid was obviously startled, having expected Amethyst to handle the situation. ¡°Yes, of course, Master.¡± As they neared the door to the room, Alexcent could hear Roman and the maids all cooing and trying to calm the child down. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯ll get sick if you keep crying,¡± someone said. ¡°Ma¡¯am is coming soon,¡± another chimed in. ¡°She¡¯ll get sad if she sees you crying.¡± When Alexcent walked in, Roman and the maids all bowed, everyone surprised to see him. He turned and found the child sniffling in Roman¡¯s arms. His light blond hair shone in the moonlight, his light red eyes reminding Alexcent of his own. He didn¡¯t like the eyes so much. He wanted a child that looked exactly like her. ¡°He won¡¯t stop crying,¡± Roman said. ¡°It¡¯s like he had a nightmare.¡± Alexcent frowned. ¡°A nightmare?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Roman answered. ¡°He woke up crying.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not sick?¡± Alexcent asked as he walked towards the child. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a fever,¡± Roman told him. ¡°The doctor came by earlier and said that there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with him.¡± Nodding, Alexcent took the child in his arms. In Roman¡¯s arms, he looked quite big, but in Alexcent¡¯s arms he was tiny. ¡°Bin,¡± he said his son¡¯s name. Bin kept crying. Lifting him up, Alexcent patted his son¡¯s back and hummed to him softly. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re okay.¡± The crying began to stop and, eventually, Bin was just sniffling into his father¡¯s shoulder. Alexcent couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was because he smelled a bit like Amethyst. Bin slowly looked up at Alexcent and, through his swollen face, he smiled. Even covered in tears, Alexcent had to admit that he looked quite lovable. ¡°You¡¯re going to become ugly if you keep crying like that,¡± Alexcent told him. ¡°Mom won¡¯t like that.¡± After she had given birth to Bin, Amethyst had been thrilled when she found that her son looked like Alec. ¡°He¡¯s going to grow up just like you!¡± she had said. ¡°Where¡¯s mom?¡± Bin asked. Alexcent sighed. ¡°She¡¯s really tired so we have to let her sleep,¡± he explained. When he realized his son was about to start crying again, he quickly said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you play with dad instead?¡± Bin¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°With dad? Today?¡± Alexcent nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± Bin was quite smart, just like Alexcent was when he was younger. If there was one thing that they differed in though, it was magical ability. Bin didn¡¯t have any, which, to Alexcent, was good. It meant that Bin was free from all the troubles that came with having magic. When Amethyst was pregnant, he had worried what the child would be like. He didn¡¯t want him to be aggressive like he was and he didn¡¯t want the child to bear the responsibility of having to protect someone else. That¡¯s why he wanted him to be just like her. When he found out the child looked like him, he was terrified. But, when he found that the duke¡¯s mansion was intact, unlike how the side palace was destroyed when he was born, he relaxed. Other than that, however, the child was exactly like him. He was strong and he was brilliant, he was everything that Alexcent was. They named him Bin Skad. Alexcent and Amethyst¡¯s first child. Amethyst had been the one to insist that the child¡¯s name only be one syllable. ¡°You¡¯re going to call him however you like no matter what we name him anyway,¡± she had said. ¡°So, let¡¯s just make it one syllable so he won¡¯t have to be confused.¡± ¡°Well, do you have a name in mind?¡± Alexcent had asked. ¡°I actually do: Bin.¡± ¡°Bin?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Amethyst had smiled. ¡°Bin.¡± What Alexcent didn¡¯t know was that Amethyst had named Bin after her favorite actor, he wouldn¡¯t have let her name him that if he had. When it came to choosing Bin¡¯s nanny, Amethyst wanted someone she could trust. Lunia was already in charge of taking care of her, so that left one person in the mansion for the task: Roman. And, just like that, Roman began to serve the young duke of the Skad family. ¡°I¡¯m going to get ready,¡± Alexcent told Roman. ¡°Make sure he¡¯s prepared too.¡± Roman nodded, taking Bin as Alexcent went to his bedroom. CH 311 As they walked through the hallway, Bin in Alexcent¡¯s arms, everyone couldn¡¯t help but stare. They whispered to each other about the Duke Skad and his little mini-me. ¡°He¡¯s already so handsome,¡± someone had whispered. ¡°They¡¯re practically identical!¡± another said. ¡°Their hair and eyes are exactly the same.¡± Someone chimed in, ¡°Do you think they have the same personality?¡± People shook their heads. ¡°Probably not,¡± someone said. ¡°Anyway, he¡¯s going to congress already. They¡¯re already preparing him to be a successor!¡± ¡°Gosh,¡± another person murmured. ¡°He must be really talented.¡± ¡°Well, what else should we expect? He is a Skad.¡± Alexcent paid no mind to what everyone else was saying, he simply flipped through all the proposals that were given to him. Even so, everyone was enthralled by Bin. ¡°We need to develop the drainage basin!¡± a subordinate said. ¡°They¡¯re going to ruin the Empire¡¯s economy.¡± ¡°No,¡± Bin mumbled. Alexcent looked at his son and leaned down. ¡°You don¡¯t like this?¡± Bin tapped on the proposal Alexcent was holding and nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± Alexcent looked back up and smiled, throwing the document to the side. ¡°Rejected.¡± The subordinate shook his head. ¡°My Lord!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°The drainage development is for droughts and floods. You can¡¯t just reject it.¡± Alexcent¡¯s eyes narrowed. He hummed. ¡°Then why is it in the 4 River?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± the subordinate gulped. ¡°You say it¡¯s to prepare for drought and flood,¡± Alexcent scowled. ¡°But actually you just want your areas to be bought by the Empire and have them be developed.¡± The subordinate¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it!¡± he fumbled through his words. ¡°It¡¯s a waste of money,¡± Alexcent said. ¡°Also, without proper investigation, it¡¯s at risk of shoddy construction.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll improve the plans,¡± the subordinate said. ¡°No.¡± ¡°But why?¡± ¡°Because Bin said no.¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± the subordinate exclaimed. Before he could even argue, he was escorted away as the next proposal was presented. This time, Bin clapped and nodded. ¡°Approved,¡± Alexcent said, taking note of the proposal. Bin lit up and his father couldn¡¯t help but mirror his joy. The subordinate from earlier tried to argue his point once more, but Alexcent just shot him down with a look. The proposals were up to Bin. Yes or no. Just one word and it would be decided. *** ¡°My Lord,¡± Karune, the Empress¡¯s secretary, stood in front of Alexcent and bowed. He nodded. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Kal.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Karune said. ¡°The empress is looking for you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Well, the young master to be precise.¡± Bin looked up at Karune from his father¡¯s arms. Belice had heard all the rumors about the father and son. ¡°How is she feeling?¡± Alexcent asked as he held Bin close and followed as Karune led the way. ¡°Better,¡± Karune said. ¡°But she still has trouble moving.¡± When they arrived at the palace drawing room, Belice was there along with Duke Roden. Karune made his leave as they exchanged pleasantries. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty,¡± Alexcent nodded. Belice smiled. ¡°Welcome, Sir Skad.¡± As Belice tried to get up, both Duke Roden and Alexcent jumped up in panic. ¡°Your Majesty, don¡¯t move!¡± Alexcent exclaimed. ¡°My goodness,¡± Belice laughed. ¡°You would think I¡¯m dying.¡± ¡°How¡¯s your morning sickness?¡± Alexcent asked, worry written across his face. ¡°Better,¡± Belice said. ¡°She can barely finish a bowl of clear soup,¡± Duke Roden said. Belice let out an awkward laugh. ¡°We must change your chef then,¡± Alexcent frowned. ¡°You have to eat. You¡¯re getting thinner and thinner every day.¡± ¡°Oh, the chef did nothing wrong,¡± Belice told him. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°That might be a good idea, Sir Skad,¡± Duke Roden said, ignoring the Empress¡¯s protests. ¡°Not you too, Michen!¡± she exclaimed. She gave the duke a pointed look then turned to Bin. ¡°My Binny! Did you miss me?¡± Bin grinned. ¡°Auntie Majesty!¡± Belice clicked her tongue. ¡°Remember what your mom said? It¡¯s just auntie.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Bin giggled ¡°Auntie!¡± ¡°You are so cute!¡± Belice smiled. ¡°So unlike your dad. You got that from your mom. Don¡¯t ever be like your dad, okay?¡± ¡°But I like dad,¡± Bin frowned. Alexcent¡¯s breath stilled when he heard his son say that. ¡°Oh, you like dad?¡± Belice asked, glancing at Alexcent. ¡°What about auntie?¡± ¡°I like auntie too!¡± Alexcent put his son down and Bin wobbled over to Belice who hugged him tightly. She set him on the sofa beside her and Bin put his hands on her stomach. He felt something move. ¡°Does your stomach hurt, auntie?¡± he asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s just because the baby is in there,¡± she said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Bin looked up at her and smiled. ¡°So pretty.¡± ¡°Who? Me?¡± The little boy nodded. ¡°And the baby too.¡± ¡°You can see the baby?¡± Belice laughed. ¡°What does the baby look like?¡± ¡°A goddess,¡± Bin answered. The adults in the room shared a look. ¡°A goddess, really?¡± Belice asked, stroking the little boy¡¯s hair. Bin hummed. ¡°Just like auntie and dad.¡± ¡°Will Bin love the baby?¡± Belice asked him. ¡°Yes!¡± Bin answered happily. ¡°I¡¯ll protect her like a knight!¡± He placed a gentle kiss on Belice¡¯s stomach, and he felt another kick, like the baby was responding. Alexcent walked over to Sir Roden. He supposed that it was almost time, seeing the state of Belice¡¯s stomach. ¡°You have to be careful,¡± he whispered. ¡°About what?¡± Duke Roden asked. Alexcent knew that Belice was no different from Amethyst and, judging by what he knew, she was no doubt stronger too. That¡¯s why they got along so well. He knew that once Belice went into labor, she would swear at Duke Roden and grab a hold of his hair. Just like Amethyst had done. Alexcent felt the need to be there for Duke Roden somehow, to give him encouragement. He wouldn¡¯t understand it now, but two months and 15 days later, he definitely would. CH 312 Amethyst woke up late and sat up in her bed, looking around almost as if she was lost. How long had she been asleep? Judging by the sun, she had been sleeping for quite a while. She rubbed her eyes and called out, ¡°Lunia?¡± Lunia came in and bowed. ¡°Where¡¯s Bin?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Did he not look for me?¡± ¡°He did,¡± Lunia said. ¡°But the duke handled him. He brought the young master to the palace.¡± ¡°Alec did?¡± Amethyst asked, still worn from sleep. She almost laughed. If he had wanted her to rest, he shouldn¡¯t have pushed her so hard last night. Or all the other nights, for that matter. ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± Lunia said. ¡°You seem more tired lately. Do you think you should see a doctor?¡± Amethyst shrugged. She thought that she was mainly tired because of all her duties. She was trying to start a nanny service business and Gen even advised that she be the head of the new government department. Alec ignored Gen¡¯s suggestion of course because it meant she would spend less time with him. Still, she didn¡¯t mind seeing the doctor. ¡°Sure,¡± she said. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt to get a check-up.¡± Besides, if the doctor told her to rest, maybe Alexcent would take it easier on her at night. ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯ll start the examination now,¡± the doctor said. ¡°Sure,¡± she nodded. When the doctor was done, he asked her a few questions. ¡°Have you been feeling more tired lately?¡± he asked. Amethyst nodded. ¡°I have.¡± ¡°Are you having trouble eating food?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°May I ask when your last period was?¡± the doctor grimaced at having to ask the question. She thought for a moment. ¡°Well,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s pretty irregular.¡± The doctor nodded. ¡°Based on my current findings, I would say that you¡¯re pregnant. ¡°What?¡± Amethyst¡¯s eyes widened. It had barely been over a year since she¡¯s had her first child and now she was going to have her second. Lunia was already congratulating her while the doctor ran a few tests. He drew some of her blood then dropped it into a pregnancy test solution. And, just like it had with Bin, the potion went from clear to blue then purple. The doctor congratulated her. ¡°Thank you,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°Well, I know you already know the drill, but please be careful,¡± the doctor told her. ¡°I would recommend that you and the duke sleep separately for a while.¡± Amethyst held her stomach. She wondered if Alec would like the news. He probably would. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Alec myself,¡± she told Lunia. Lunia nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± *** Alexcent was overjoyed when Amethyst came out to greet him. He was holding Bin¡¯s sleeping form in his arms as he approached. ¡°How was it?¡± Amethyst asked. ¡°Good,¡± Alexcent told her. She stroked her son¡¯s head. ¡°Did he behave?¡± she asked. ¡°He didn¡¯t bother you?¡± ¡°Oh, not at all,¡± he said. ¡°As a matter of fact, our son is a genius.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve seen him!¡± Alexcent smiled. ¡°He called all the shots at congress today.¡± Amethyst looked amused at her husband¡¯s giddiness. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°He could tell which proposals were good and which were bad,¡± Alexcent told her. ¡°He was better than most people! Actually, no, he was the best! Definitely a genius.¡± ¡°Well, he gets his smarts from you,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°No, he gets it from you.¡± Gen let out a sigh as he heard the couple compliment each other. He had been there when Bin was making decisions and it was obvious that he was just mirroring the way his father looked whenever he read a proposal. But he didn¡¯t need to tell them that, maybe they would realize it on their own. ¡°Well, Alec, I have to tell you something,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Alexcent asked worriedly. ¡°No, no.¡± His wife shook her head. ¡°But Bin is going to have a sibling.¡± Alexcent was shocked. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, the doctor confirmed it earlier.¡± The prince was overjoyed. He wanted to hold Amethyst and express his excitement. ¡°Ash!¡± ¡°Careful, you¡¯ll rattle the baby,¡± Amethyst chuckled. ¡°And wake Bin up.¡± Then, suddenly, Alexcent frowned. ¡°Oh no,¡± he said. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°You said you wanted to wait before having a second child,¡± he muttered. He felt like he had just forced it all on her. Amethyst smiled and shook her head. ¡°Are you happy?¡± Alexcent looked at her cautiously. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s all that matters,¡± Amethyst told him. ¡°As long as you¡¯re with me, everything will be fine.¡± Alexcent grinned. I would love a beautiful daughter, one that looks like you, he thought. I wouldn¡¯t have to worry when we have a daughter. ¡°Also, we need to sleep separately,¡± Amethyst said. ¡°What?¡± Alexcent nearly yelled. ¡°You can¡¯t help yourself!¡± ¡°We can just hold hands!¡± ¡°No,¡± Amethyst shook her head. ¡°You couldn¡¯t help yourself when I was pregnant with Bin!¡± Then, remembering that they weren¡¯t alone, she turned to Gen and Lunia who were following closely behind them. ¡°Since when did you care that we were here?¡± Gen quipped. ¡°It¡¯s nothing new, Ma¡¯am. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Amethyst rolled her eyes. Her heart warmed, knowing that her family was together. All together. As one. The End