Chapter 137 - The Moment of Ruin

Aster fell unconscious.

Grand Duchess supported Aster's body with her hands, she smiled and checked Aster's forehead, "High fever, just like when he was five years old. Well, soon, he will forget those two, and we can start over again."

Grand Duchess chuckled, everything was going according to her plan. She could always traumatize her son and made him forget about every bad thing and start over until he could be perfect.

'Never had I expected that our filthy cursed blood will be beneficial.'

"All of you, take Young Lord Aster to his chamber and lock the door. Don't let anyone in, he will need one full day of nightmare before he could forget everything."

"Yes, Milady."

Grand Duchess' official guards, shadow guards, and maids were ready to bring Young Lord to his chamber, but before they could step in. A gust of wind blew out of nowhere and Grand Duchess could feel that her body was thrown aside with some force until her back hit the balcony railing.

"Ah!" Grand Duchess was startled. Her back was in pain because of the hostile force that pushed her. She gritted her teeth and stared at the person who was now holding Aster.

"You! How dare you!" Grand Duchess fumed as she pointed her finger at Jain. Jain was indifferent, but he pointed a small knife at Aster's neck.

"If you dare to move your shadow guards, I will kill Young Lord right now," Jain said. His hand was shaking, because his knife was really close to Young Lord's vein. But this was to protect Young Lord.

"You! That's my son! Guards, kill him now!" Grand Duchess raged.

"You should know that Young Lord will not end up like you, monster."

"Search them! Kill that servant and bring Aster back to me!"

"Yes, Milady!" all the guards and shadow guards dispatched, only leaving Grand Duchess alone with the maid. Her c.h.e.s.t undulated with indescribable anger, she would torture that guard medal subordinate called Jain.

'I will skin his flesh slowly until he begged for his life! Argh!'

***

Jain ran away from many shadow guards, he stopped under a thick bush to catch his breath. He touched Aster's forehead, 'It's really hot. He must be in a terrible nightmare now.'

Jain knew really well about this trick, the golden blood was special, because they were physically perfect, but mentally flawed. Jain was scared that Young Lord would really break.

However, Jain couldn't hide much longer now. Grand Duchess' shadow guards were skillful, not long after this, they would realize that he dispatched his two disciples to mimic his appearance and divert the shadow guards and official guards' attention.

But he didn't want his disciple to be in danger, thus he ordered them to divert the attention and ran away after that. They would return back to Young Lord after Young Lord was stable.

'If I escape alone with Young Lord, that slave would be killed by Grand Duchess,' no matter how much he hated that slave, but he was Young Lord's golden circle, his death might be Young Lord's death as well.

Ramuja was sitting silently on his bed. Merry had left the Lantern Palace, she said nothing and only cried. It hurt Ramuja as well, seeing Merry begged for his love, but he didn't want to torture her and himself with unrequited love.

'I just hope that Young Lord is true to his words.'

Ramuja sighed. He was going to lay on his bed before a black silhouette appeared in front of him. Ramuja was startled, but he was even more shocked when that silhouette was not only Jain, but with the unconscious Young Lord in his arms.

"W—What happened?!" Ramuja asked.

"Ssh!" Jain warned Ramuja to shut his mouth. Ramuja immediately took Young Lord from Jain's arms and put him on the bed. Jain stared at this slave solemnly, he was the one who caused all of this, but Jain couldn't blame him either. Because he was doing the right thing to devote himself to Young Lord.

"Young Lord fell unconscious after seeing you kissed that girl," Jain said truthfully. Ramuja jolted, his face pale as he stared at unconscious Young Lord. His hand trembled and he held Young Lord's hand.

"Young Lord, I'm really sorry, I don't mean to—"

"It's useless, he already knew anyway," Jain frowned, "But that's not important now. Because right now, Grand Duchess dispatched all the guards and shadow guards, she is hunting us right now."

"H—Hunting?!" Ramuja was scared enough that Young Lord found out about his affair with Merry, and now, Grand Duchess hunted them. He couldn't imagine what would Grand Duchess do to torture him.

"We must run away from this palace, my disciple already informed Irion about this, he was still acting as trainer here and his carriage will be leaving soon. We will leave with him," Jain said.

'That is the most optimistic plan though.'

Jain fished out two letters, a silver and gold letter from his vest and gave it to Ramuja, "Give this gold letter to Irion later, and give this letter to Young Lord after he recovered."

Ramuja really didn't understand what was going on right now, but he nodded and pocketed both letters.

Right at the moment when Jain handed the letters, there was a knock on the door. Jain and Ramuja felt the indescribable chill, the person outside must've been a guard or maid that was also searching for Young Lord.

"It's me, Anne. I know that you are there with Young Lord."

Anne was the head maid from the grand duchy mansion who finally got promoted to work in Lantern Palace. Ramuja still remembered how fierce Anne could be. Ramuja and Jain stared at each other, Jain hid with Young Lord while Ramuja opened the door nervously.

"Y—yes, ma'am?"

Anne stared at Ramuja up and down, and sighed, "I know Young Lord is inside, I've been here for a long time."

"T—that…"

"No, it's okay. Everyone is searching for Young Lord now, but I've been with Young Lord since he was a baby. I watched him growing up, and know what Grand Duchess did to him."

Anne showed a rare worried expression, she bit her lips, then said, "I've been informed by that knight, Irion. I will tell the guards that I've searched this area and there is no sign of Young Lord or his servant here."

Ramuja was stunned, he didn't know that Anne was sympathetic enough to save Young Lord.

Anne closed the door and then walked towards the guards outside and said, "There is no one inside, I've searched every corner."

"I see, then we will search in other places."

The guards left Anne alone. Anne returned to Ramuja's room and opened the door.

"They are gone," Anne said. She pointed at the end of the corridor, "I've cleared the corridor, it will lead you to the training ground, Irion is waiting for you there."

"Anne, thank you…" Ramuja said.

Anne smiled and said, "Young Lord is much better than his mother, I believe in him."

Ramuja held Young Lord's body in his arms, Young Lord's body was covered with a brown blanket. Ramuja ran towards the end of the corridor while Jain was in front of him, scouting the environment around them.

"Argh!"

Everyone was alerted with Ramuja's cry. Jain instantly realized that they were surrounded already.

"CATCH THEM!" the guard commander gave the order.

"We are surrounded! I don't think I can fend all of them!" Irion said to Jain.

Jain took a deep breath, he saw the unconscious Young Lord inside the carriage and Ramuja with a wounded t.h.i.g.h. However, Ramuja didn't seem to mind the arrow in his t.h.i.g.h, instead he checked whether Young Lord was still breathing.

'I guess, he can replace me and watch over Young Lord.'

Jain pushed Ramuja inside the carriage and closed the carriage door.

"I will clear the way! Irion, go now!"

Irion glanced at Jain who was determined to save Young Lord now. He gritted his teeth and spurred the horse and the horse ran quickly. The guards wanted to block the carriage, but Jain threw his needle to those guards' necks and they fell to the ground.

Jain glanced at the carriage who was able to escape the gate before the gate was closed. He saw the carriage getting farther and farther, then he smiled.

'Young Lord, my master, my hope. I can't accompany you anymore, but I shall protect you forever.'

Jain closed his eyes and an arrow pierced through his heart.