The Role of Grand Duchess - Chapter 17

Even a beast crazed with lust wouldn’t desire a woman weeping in sorrow. But his body, betraying his will, was steadily heating up, and Caelus instinctively slipped his hand under the covers.

He immediately felt the warmth and softness of a thigh. But somehow, it felt different than usual.

Caelus instantly threw back the covers. A pale hand shot out from within and splashed something in his face.

“Ugh!”

The liquid clinging to his face exuded a strong floral scent that made his head spin.

“Rowena. You goddamn…!”

“Yes, Brother. It’s me. Your true wife, Rowena.”

Her naked body, revealing not a single thread and a bewitching smile, instantly ignited his entire being and numbed his reason. Rowena, smiling radiantly at the staggering Caelus, opened her arms wide and embraced him.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment, Brother, for the past seven years.”

But instead of shaking off the arms coiling around him like snakes, he only wanted to grab the voluptuous body undulating before his eyes. A vile desire surged within him, a desire to hold Rowena in his arms right now.

Something was wrong.

The moment his lust, betraying his reason, writhed and tried to embrace Rowena, who was clinging and rubbing against him…

Crack, a line of blood trickled down Caelus’s lips. He had bitten his tongue to regain his senses.

The pain cleared his vision, which had been clouded red. But that was all; the raging lust tearing through his body did not subside. Rather, it thrashed about, tearing at his insides as if resentful of losing its prey.

Once again, he gritted his teeth and pushed Rowena away with all his might, shouting in an angry voice.

“What did you do to Eileen?”

“Hold me like this. Then I’ll tell you.”

“You crazy bitch. Ugh!”

“Hurry, there’s no time. The love potion that’s exciting you right now will turn into poison and melt your insides if you don’t hold a woman. And Eileen, whom I’ve hidden, will die too. Hmm? So…”

Hold me. Hmm? Impregnate me. With a devilish whisper, Rowena flaunted her full breasts and reached out to embrace Caelus again.

“Get away, move!”

But Caelus did not yield. Instead, he drew his sword and held it to Rowena’s neck, shouting.

“Seize the intruder!”

At their lord’s angry roar, the knights waiting outside the door immediately rushed in. The knights were horrified to see Rowena, instead of the Grand Duchess, confronting Caelus, and without any clothes on.

“W-What is this!”

“Your Highness!”

“Ugh. Seize this bitch immediately. And we have to find Eileen…”

His mind went blank again. Caelus threw down the sword he was holding and slapped himself hard across the face. As the knights, startled by his sudden action, scrambled about, Rowena stepped forward confidently.

The knights couldn’t find a place to look, with her breasts and genitals completely exposed, but Rowena seemed to feel no shame and remained defiant.

“The fake Grand Duchess is no more. I am Caelus’s only wife. So everyone, leave. We need to make love now.”

“Shut up!”

Caelus, supported by a knight and half-bent over, bit his lip and retorted. But Rowena remained calm.

“Brother, you’ll die if you do that. Hmm? If I can’t have you, I won’t let you live. So if you don’t want to die, hold me quickly! Hurry!”

Her red eyes, filled with madness, smiled triumphantly.

“I knew you weren’t right in the head, but… this is beyond imagination. Fine, I’ll grant your wish.”

“Brother. Haa… I knew you would. Come on, hold me quickly. My body is so hot. Haa-”

Rowena smiled broadly and opened her arms. Fluid trickled down between her legs in excitement. The sight, far from inciting lust, was only vulgar and disgusting, and Caelus and the knights alike frowned.

Caelus, who coldly pushed away the hand reaching for him, ordered his knights.

“Seize that bitch, haa, and throw her into a brothel in the slums. If she resists, break her arms and legs.”

“Pardon?”

“Y-Your Highness…”

The knights, bewildered by the unexpected order, looked back and forth between Rowena and Caelus. Rowena also glared fiercely.

“What? Are you crazy? I am the Empire’s princess! How dare you!”

“Not anymore. Ah, I guess you don’t know yet?”

Count Roang, who had appeared unnoticed, snorted from behind. He looked around the chaotic room as if amazed and ordered the knights.

“Knights, listen. The Emperor of the Empire has changed. The 12th Emperor has voluntarily abdicated the throne to his nephew and has chosen to become a commoner. Therefore! That bitch is no longer a member of the Imperial Family. So carry out your lord’s orders immediately!”

“Yes, sir!”

No further questions came from the knights at the solemn command. Instead, they grabbed Rowena according to Count Roang’s orders, their faces filled with emotion.

“Let go! Let me go!”

“Tsk, it’s unsightly to see her dangling like that. It would be hard to look so low-class. Put something on her.”

“Understood.”

A knight immediately took off his cloak and covered Rowena’s naked body.

“You goddamn bastard! Don’t talk nonsense! Why would Father!”

“Why, he’s just going back to where he belongs. Ah, I guess a brothel is where you belong.”

“Shut up! Aaaah! I’m going to see Mother!”

“Ah, that criminal? She’s already gone. She only took her beloved son and ran away. You’ve been abandoned by your mother.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Aaaah! I’m going to kill you all!”

Rowena struggled violently. But there was no way she could overcome the knights’ strength. Ignoring Rowena, who was dragged out like a dog and screaming, Count Roang supported Caelus, who was panting, and shouted loudly.

“Doctor! Call a doctor and bring the antidote! Quickly!”

“Poison, it’s not. Haa… I need Eileen.”

At the voice that seemed to be suppressing something, Count Roang’s gaze turned downward and hardened coldly.

That damn bitch.

“I’m sorry. I should have been more thorough with the defenses, it’s all my fault.”

“No, it’s my fault. I should have kept her by my side.”

Caelus, gritting his teeth, started to move, staggering. Count Roang, filled with worry, followed behind him.

“We will find her. So…”

“No. I’ll find her. No matter what, I’ll find her with my own hands.”

It was an emotion that had overcome even the curse of black magic. His heart for Eileen was not something that could be erased by such a trivial aphrodisiac. Caelus suppressed the burning pain and strode forward firmly. Even if his body melted away, he had to find and save Eileen. He had to protect her.

Knights and soldiers moved quickly. Caelus, his face flushed and panting, led his men, standing at the very front.

But he was at a loss as to where and how to find Eileen. Rowena, who would rather die than let that bitch live, was only screaming and was of no help. Rather, she taunted Count Roang, saying that her people had already killed Eileen.

“Haa… so you’re saying you’re not going to talk, no matter what?”

“No! Just kill me! Hahaha, you can’t, can you?”

“Can’t? I’m just not doing it. You know what? Dying might be less painful than living.”

“What?”

“Cut all the muscles in that bitch’s arms and legs. Ruin her face, cut out her tongue, and throw her into a beggar’s den in the slums. Ah, should I pluck out her eyes too?”

“You crazy bastard! Do you think Brother will let that happen?”

“Yeah. It’s a secret from Brother.”

Count Roang replied lightly and gestured, and two knights drew their swords and approached Rowena. Only then did Rowena feel fear and scream and struggle.

“Kyak! Get away! Go away! Do you know who I am!”

“It’s noisy. Cut out her tongue first.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Kiyaaaak!”

The knight, who had been ordered, forcibly opened her mouth and pulled out her tongue, and a scream that seemed to tear her apart rang out before subsiding. Rowena, who had tormented Caelus for the past ten years, could not overcome her fear and fainted.

“Good riddance. Get her out of sight.”

“Sir, are we really cutting out her tongue?”

“Just lock her up in the deepest part of the imperial palace’s underground prison, out of sight. Ah, and be sure to gag her so she doesn’t make any noise.”

“Yes, sir!”

“I’m going crazy. Where did they take her?”

Rowena, who had fainted, was dragged away, and Count Roang turned his head. Before him, the knights who had guarded the mansion were lined up with expressions of having committed a mortal sin. If they had thought a little more deeply, they would have noticed that the suddenly appearing people were suspicious. There was no excuse for opening the door too easily at the news that the Countess was seriously ill.

But what was already done was done. Finding Eileen was more urgent than blaming them.

“Try to remember. Didn’t those guys have any distinguishing features?”

“The coachman and the mercenary woman were both ordinary. The carriage was also a common one that could be seen anywhere.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m going crazy. Move instead of apologizing! Search the imperial capital or go outside the castle! Find her!”

“Yes, sir!”

The knights, who had answered vigorously, scattered with determined expressions.

Count Roang, who would normally trust his subordinates without a doubt, was now tearing at his hair. He couldn’t see a way out.

The aphrodisiac that Rowena used was a vicious one that even antidotes didn’t work on. But Caelus would rather die than hold another woman if it wasn’t Eileen. Moreover, even if he somehow managed to detoxify himself, Caelus’s heart, which had barely recovered his emotions, would be broken again if he couldn’t find Eileen. Probably beyond repair.

So, in order to save his lord, he had to bring Eileen back completely.

“Damn it! That crazy bitch is causing trouble until the end! Just you wait, I’m really going to throw you into the slums!”

Count Roang gritted his teeth, vowing that he would never leave Rowena alone if anything happened to Eileen.

And at that very moment, a person wearing a black robe appeared in front of Caelus.

“Who are you! Reveal yourself!”

At the knight’s shout, countless blades were aimed at him. But the black magician nonchalantly took out a letter from his arms, threw it down, and smiled at Caelus.

“If you want to find the woman named Eileen, you must go alone.”

“How dare you guys!”

Caelus aimed his sword at the guy who mentioned Eileen. Then, as if he had been waiting for it, he rushed in and stabbed himself with Caelus’s sword.

“Kuhk!”

As if he had finished his job, he smiled and died, leaving everyone speechless at the heinous guy’s actions.

Caelus hurriedly opened the envelope. Then, the soft hair inside immediately caught his eye. It was clearly Eileen’s hair. As Caelus read the letters written on the paper that followed, a fire of anger blazed in his eyes.

As anger soared, the pain he had barely suppressed also surged. Caelus, gritting his teeth, pulled out the sword that was stuck in the black magician’s body and got on his horse.

“No one follow me!”

Caelus, who had shouted loudly, rode his horse like crazy. His vision was blurred with pain and his stomach felt like it was melting, but he didn’t care and ran and ran. Towards the enemy’s lair where Eileen, the woman he loved, was waiting.

Behind Caelus, who was quickly disappearing, his loyal knights quickly followed at a slight distance. No matter how important the order was, the most important thing to them was the safety of their lord, Caelus.

***

After running non-stop, he arrived at the entrance to the slums, which were located in the farthest corner of the imperial capital, adjacent to the castle walls, and were as vast as a maze. As Caelus appeared, Pamela’s henchmen, who had been waiting, surrounded him densely.

“Get off the horse. If you want to save the woman, don’t do anything foolish and follow us obediently.”

No sooner had the masked man finished speaking than Cael Ruse leaped down from his horse. His insides were already a mess, but without showing any sign, he silently allowed the enemies to blindfold him with cloth and seize his hands, binding them tightly.

He knew that showing weakness would be the end.

Having lived his entire life without expression, he found it absurd that it was helping him in moments like these, and followed the enemies into the maze-like alleyways, blindfolded.

And a moment later, as they entered an unknown space, a heavy thud echoed from behind. Cael Ruse suppressed his pain as much as possible and focused his senses. Then, a distinctly weaker aura than the others with their dark energy was felt from the front.

Eileen.

It was definitely her aura. As an excited Cael Ruse tried to move, those holding him immediately put a knife to his throat.

“Don’t move. This woman could die instead of you, you know? Huh?”