Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Alec hid behind the woman without realizing it. However, a handmaiden ran and grabbed him then dragged him roughly.

“I’m sorry. Your Majesty. I’ll clean it up right away!”

“Who is that woman?”

A maid whispered quickly in her ear. The Empress frowned.

“Something vulgar. Take her to the Count.”

“Yes. I’ll also return him to the dungeon.”

“No, bring him.”

The Empress disappeared at a quick pace. Alec looked terrified and turned to the woman. But she too was being led by the maids. Her eyes met Alec’s gaze and mouthed something.

‘Friend.’

Alec could only read that word among the ones that came out of her lips. But he knew what she meant. She meant to live for a long, long time until he became friends with the child in her womb.

“Cunning b*stard. Escaping out of the dungeon?”

The maid, who held his arm, murmured.

“Unbelievable. Making us do this…”

Alec couldn’t understand a single word the maid said. He looked around to see if someone could help, but before he knew it, the maids who surrounded him had blocked all directions.

“Kneel.”

Alec was dragged to a room and thrown harshly. Trembling, he knelt before the Empress. The Empress beckoned her handmaiden to bring her something.

The maid brought a bottle of black liquid.

“Drink.”

“Wh-What is this?”

Rejecting it instinctively, Alec tried to step back. But the maids blocked him, grabbed his arms and didn’t let go.

“Let go of me!”

“Shut up and drink! You b*stard. Low blood really can’t be concealed. That poison is perfect for your situation.”

“Eup!”

Thick liquid was poured into his forcibly opened mouth. The taste of the liquid running down his throat was disgusting.

The maids held his body down and he started convulsing. Only then did the handmaiden finally pour the antidote into Alec’s mouth until the bottle was empty. A smile appeared on the Empress’ face.

As his vision gradually blurred, heat began to spread throughout his body. Alec saw that smile as he fell into unconsciousness.

‘Mama….’

Alec collapsed.

‘When I wake up again, I hope mama will be next to me, looking down at me.’

***

‘I had a useless dream.’

Alexis got up slowly and stared blankly at the sky. He seemed to have collapsed outside and lost consciousness for a while. Luckily, it didn’t seem like it rained while he laid there. Had it rained, he would have likely died.

After massaging his limbs, the sensation returned shortly thereafter. His symptoms were severe, probably because he drank it for 10 years ever since he was six. Although he did improve little by little after undergoing all kinds of treatments, it was impossible to completely detoxify it.

‘She said this poison was suitable for my situation.’

Perhaps because it appeared in his dreams, he could hear the Empress’ words vividly.

He laughed out loud.

Maybe she wasn’t wrong and he just didn’t know it. At first it was poison fed with the intention of killing him, but in the end, it helped him become a murderer on the battlefield.

He found his horse calmly waiting for its master and rode it. It was not long before he returned to the Duchy.

At the entrance to the main building, the old butler was waiting for him.

“Your Grace. You came back early.”

Alsdorf said, handing a towel he had prepared for Alexis beforehand.

“It ended earlier than expected.”

“Did the new dr*g treatment work?”

“It doesn’t look like it did.”

Rather, he didn’t know if that unlucky dream helped.

“That, the Madame worried a lot. Should I tell her something urgent came up even if it’s a lie?”

Alsdorf asked, but he shook his head.

“What would you do if you tell her I’m going somewhere and get caught with a lie?”

“But.”

“Leave it.”

There are times when the poison flowed through his veins and resulted in him losing consciousness. He wouldn’t be able to make excuses every time.

Alexis wiped the dust off his body with the towel. The soft, dry towel had a subtle lime scent.

‘The maid in charge changed it.’

He thought that it was enough as long as the laundry was clean and that he didn’t care much about scent. However, he did prefer a citrus-based scent. He didn’t say it, but he liked that it was taken care of.

“I will tell them to prepare bath water so that you can rest immediately. What would you like for dinner?”

“I have nothing in particular in mind.”

Seeing the old butler carefully monitoring his condition as always, Alexis turned and headed for his bedroom.

No, he was going to.

If it wasn’t for the pleasant laughter that reached his ears.

“What?”

Alsdorf quickly said.

“Ah, the Madame is eating.”

“It doesn’t seem like she’s alone.”

It was definitely a mix of men and women. Seeing Alsdorf put on an embarrassed face made him even more suspicious. Alexis went down the stairs again and headed towards the dining hall.

“Haha, I see. Then I’ll quickly come back! Oh.”

As soon as he opened the slightly open dining hall door, he bumped into someone running from inside.

“Ah, sorry. I should have looked where I’m going properly. I was careless.”

A young man with light-green hair apologized shyly. It was the first time he had seen this person.

“Who…?”

It was unpleasant for outsiders to stay in the Duke’s residence until these late hours without prior notice, but it was absurd that they did not even recognize the owner. Furthermore.

“Duke.”

Kathleen, who saw him belatedly, hurriedly approached and said.

“Are you back now? I didn’t hear of a return date so I couldn’t prepare in advance.”

It meant the two were together.

It was the first time she had invited a guest into the house. Of course, as the Duchess, there were a few times when she held a ball or hosted a tea party, but she had never arranged such a private gathering in the Duke’s residence.

A stranger at that.

“Older brother. Are you here now?”

In addition, his half-brother appeared from the dining hall.

‘So there were three.’

His forehead felt itchy. He was nervous about the combination of the three that didn’t fit.

“This is Priest Joseph, he’s a new priest from the Temple of Delafos.”

“New?”

Why did a newly appointed priest visit the Duke’s residence?

When Alexis stared at him openly, Joseph, who was embarrassed, politely greeted him.

“Your Grace, the Duke of Walten, the owner of this place. It is an honor to meet you. My name is Joseph, a servant of the God Delafos.”

“I never expected to see a servant of God in my house.”

“Ah, from today I am entrusting my body to your house. Please take good care of me.”

It was astonishing to see him bowing his head politely.

“Entrust? Whoever said you could?”

“I asked for it. Older brother.”

Peter intervened.

“I am still a young priest, so I think I need to experience the outside world a little more to practice. Anyway, isn’t the Delafos Temple one of the places that the Imperial Family should pay attention to?”

“Then I’ll take you to the Imperial Palace, why in the world would you let him stay in Walten?”

It was already very unpleasant for the Crown Prince to barge in and out of the Duke’s residence, but he turned a blind eye to it. But now, he was even dragging a guest into his house.

“I think it would be better for sister-in-law.”

He was going to kick him out and have him take responsibility for whatever came out of his mouth. But what his brother said was unexpected.

Moreover, Kathleen said cautiously, blinking her big eyes.

“I wanted to learn the teachings of the Temple. Studying the scriptures alone is overwhelming. Can I not?”

One of the great noble rights he agreed to give his wife included receiving the teachings of the Temple. It was one of the values aristocrats should have, so it was not unusual for her to learn directly from a priest.

“Do whatever you want. It doesn’t matter.”

Alexis, who couldn’t find a reason to refuse, decided not to care and turned away. He felt sighs of relief behind him as he climbed up the stairs.

“Madame, then I will go and return quickly.”

“Please.”

All his nerves were focused on the ongoing conversation downstairs. Alexis ruffled his hair angrily and went up to his bedroom and shut the door.

At first glance, he seemed to have only been appointed as a priest for a year or two. He must be around twenty-three.

It even felt more ridiculous when he remembered that the young priest who would be staying in the Duke’s residence was the same age as Kathleen.

‘I don’t know what you’re going to learn from a kid.’

Nevertheless, how deeply the Duchess studied scriptures had nothing to do with him, so Alexis soon took his mind off of it.

***

However, Joseph getting on his nerves didn’t stop there.

Because he returned to the Duke’s residence earlier than expected, he had to go through something absurd while he stayed there.

“So it is better not to do it in the future. The direction I recommend is… Oh, Duke Walten. How are you doing today?”

Alexis had seen his wife and the young priest get together quite often, both of them holding their heads together while reading a book or whispering about something. However, whenever they saw him from a distance, they would often shut their mouths or change their path.

Especially Kathleen.

Alexis glanced at his frozen wife and passed by. The only things scattered on the table in the garden were unmistakably scriptures, rolls of paper, and quills, but making such a face as if she had done something wrong was both uncomfortable and unpleasant.

‘You’re making a face that looks like you’ve committed a crime.’

She clearly had a face that was hiding something. He just couldn’t figure out what it was.

Alexis nodded his head very slightly, to the point where it was barely noticeable, stopped walking, then went back to the main building. Alsdorf reported quietly.

“Your Grace, Viscount Rylent has arrived.”

“Call him in.”

The lieutenant, Viscount Rylent, was in charge of the land he was reorganizing. Seeing that he asked to report in person, something must have happened.

“Your Grace, long time no see. You look healthy.”

“That’s how it should be.”

In response, he handed him a blueprint of the finished castle.

“Let me see. The preparations should be almost ready.”

“Yes. As Your Grace has been preparing for a long time, it will be flawless.”

He took out his monocle and examined it on the spot, put down the blueprints, took something out of his arms and held it out.

“As a result of the investigation you have ordered, earthquakes are occurring more frequently than expected. Although it is small and the outbreaks are sporadic, they are quite frequent.”

“Since the Emperor is in critical condition.”

Alexis studied the report the Viscount Rylent had given him.

“I’ll make arrangements to finish it as soon as possible before His Majesty passes. Oh, I still haven’t found a cure yet.”

“It doesn’t matter. Just prepare the castles in each territory and ensure that there aren’t any setbacks.”

“Okay. Oh, and haven’t you told Madame about the local estates yet?”

“Yes. She won’t believe it.”

“I see. Then I will keep silent as well.”

Viscount Rylent took the blueprint and went out. Alexis rubbed his temples, deep in thought.

‘There seems to be continuous contact with the Empress.’

He didn’t know much about Kathleen Walten, or about Kathleen Winston and he didn’t have a desire to know.

‘Love me? What are you planning?’