Contract Marriage with the Devil Duke - Chapter 43

“Sly… Anyone would do that. I don’t think it’s strange.”

Olentia also knew well the emotions Dimidius was feeling. The desire for a wish to come true may seem frivolous. But it seemed that humans are sometimes so weak that they want to rely on God.

By the way, what was Dimidius’s wish? She found herself growing more and more curious.

Olentia took her eyes off the lanterns as they became so mixed together that they were indistinguishable. Looking at the entire lake, it was much more captivating and beautiful. The lights reflecting off the lanterns were spectacular.

Dimidius got up from his seat and held out his hand to her.

“Let’s go back now. It’s getting late.”

Olentia took his hand without hesitation and stood up.

“Alright. I’m not sure about you, Your Highness, but I enjoyed looking around the masquerade festival today.”

At Olentia’s words, Dimidius regained his smile.

“I enjoyed it too. Because I was with you, my lady.”

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A month had already passed since Olentia’s marriage, but there was no word of a divorce. It was truly a strange thing, as even Saint Daphne had spoken a false prophecy.

At the gentlemen’s club, Crown Prince Regalis stopped playing cards and said to his friends,

“It’s summer now. I should go north to hunt birds.”

When it was hot, aristocrats would go north to hunt birds, and when it was cold, they would go south to surf.

Then an aristocratic man with unusually small eyes leaned back in his leather chair with a smirk.

“That sounds good. Where will you go this time? Kenzil Range like last year? Or somewhere new?”

Regalis’s eyes sparkled as he flipped over a card.

“This time, to the Belial territory.”

It was a place famous for being the northernmost region in the north, but aristocrats didn’t bother going to Belial because they found it inconvenient to stay at the ducal castle.

Everyone around him was surprised to hear his words.

“You’re going to the Belial territory?”

“I know you’re not on good terms with the Grand Duke Belial. Are you sure it’s okay?”

Regalis nodded, brushing back his silver hair that sparkled more brilliantly in the sunlight. He had only used this as an excuse to go to the Belial territory to meet Olentia. It wouldn’t seem strange to others, and bird hunting was the perfect plausible reason.

If he simply said he was staying at the ducal castle for bird hunting, it would clearly be difficult for Dimidius to find an excuse to refuse. It was only natural for the lord of a region to provide a place to stay when an aristocrat visited their area. There was no other place in the Belial territory besides the ducal castle that was suitable for someone like the crown prince to stay while hunting birds.

Regalis ended the card game and got up from his seat.

“Have a few people follow me. I can’t go alone, you know.”

But the aristocrats present seemed uncomfortable going to the Belial territory and did not answer.

Regalis blinked his eyes and spoke again.

“I told you to follow me.”

The small-eyed aristocrat nodded reluctantly.

“I understand. I will go.”

“Good. Dexter. The Belial territory will be much cooler than here, so look forward to it.”

Dexter sighed deeply as he watched the crown prince leave the gentlemen’s club. It would only be uncomfortable staying at the ducal castle, so why was he going? He had no idea what Regalis was thinking.

“I feel like I’m the only one who’s going to be in trouble between the grand duke and the crown prince.”

The aristocrats around him comforted Dexter at his grumbling.

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Meanwhile, the empress was deeply concerned upon hearing the news that Crown Prince Regalis was going to the Belial territory to hunt birds. She was clutching her head with one hand, then jumped up from her seat when she saw Regalis enter the room.

“Regalis! What’s your reason for insisting on going to the Belial territory?”

At the empress’s question, Regalis leaned against the wall for a moment, tapping his foot.

“Everyone says the same thing. Isn’t it getting old? It’s just cool there. That’s the only reason. Mother.”

The empress was only worried about the crown prince because she had sent assassins to the ducal castle five years ago. Moreover, she had recently sent an assassin to the train going to the Odor territory as well. There was no telling what Dimidius, driven by rage, might do.

“Will the grand duke allow it? Even though that happened five years ago, and recently as well.”

Then Regalis shrugged his shoulders.

“Who knows. I’m not at fault, am I? It was all done by you alone, Mother. But it would be troublesome if my cousin hated me too.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“It is to me. And either way, they couldn’t properly prove who was behind the attack five years ago or the train attack, so he won’t be able to refuse.”

Regalis had a point. Dimidius had not been able to clearly identify who was behind the attack on the ducal castle five years ago and the train attack. Of course, he would suspect the empress, but since he couldn’t find evidence, there was nothing he could do about it.

Even so, the empress was troubled about sending her precious son Regalis to the ducal castle. She tried to persuade Regalis one more time.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking by doing this, but the grand duke is a dangerous person. If you get hurt or in trouble at the ducal castle, this mother… I won’t be able to live.”

Then Regalis approached the empress, patting her back, and said,

“Mother, don’t worry. Nothing dangerous will happen to me. I have it all figured out.”

As her son, who stubbornly refused to change his mind, disappeared, the empress summoned Dexter, the eldest son of the Marquis of Kertin, who was going to the ducal castle with Regalis.

Dexter politely clasped his hands in front of the empress and bowed his head deeply.

Then the empress commanded Dexter.

“When you arrive at the ducal castle, will you do me a favor?”

No matter how dangerous the task, he could not disobey the empress’s orders.

Dexter listened quietly to the empress’s words, then finally opened his mouth.

“I will do whatever I can, Your Majesty the Empress.”

In the end, that was all he could say.

Dexter’s small eyes were filled with troubled emotions.

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Upon receiving the letter sent by Crown Prince Regalis, Dimidius let out a hollow laugh. Suddenly coming to the Belial territory to hunt birds. It wasn’t even a request, but more like a notification. Dimidius was only bewildered, seeing that he was insisting on coming here even though there were many other territories nearby.

“What is he thinking?”

The crown prince had not been particularly interested in him since becoming an adult. So why was he suddenly saying he was coming to the ducal castle?

Hearing Dimidius’s puzzled voice, Killen answered seriously.

“Could it be that he’s coming to secretly search the ducal castle? He’s thinking of attacking the ducal castle again with the empress.”

Dimidius tilted his head.

“I don’t know. Would he come to do something so obvious? I don’t think that’s it.”

“Then does he really think it’s a good place to hunt birds?”

“We’ll only know his intention if we invite him. What his real purpose is.”

Then Killen kept scratching his wound. His injury was from the attack five years ago. Several assassins had surrounded and attacked Killen.

Dimidius, who knew this well, patted Killen’s shoulder a few times.

“Does it bother you? Me too.”

“Yes. What will you do?”

Dimidius sighed for a moment and leaned back in his chair. He didn’t want to invite the crown prince to the ducal castle, but he had no excuse to refuse since he couldn’t prove that the empress was behind the attack five years ago or the train attack.

And it seemed better to invite him and keep an eye on him to figure out his true purpose.

Finally, Dimidius said to Killen,

“We need to find out what his purpose is this time.”

Killen sighed deeply and bowed at the waist.

“Sigh… I understand, Your Highness. When the crown prince arrives at the ducal castle, I will assign people to watch him.”

Dimidius nodded and headed to Olentia’s room to see her. He thought he should quickly inform her of this as well.

Upon hearing the news, Olentia’s eyes widened.

“The, the crown prince is coming? Really? How long is he staying?”

Olentia looked a little flustered. She tucked her long hair behind her ear and frowned.

Dimidius was rather pleased that she didn’t seem to be happy. He hadn’t expected this reaction. She didn’t seem to be fond of Regalis either.

“I have no intention of letting him stay long. It will be uncomfortable for a while, but please bear with it.”

“Ah… Well. Alright. It’s not strange to come north to hunt birds.”

“Then please rest.”

Dimidius left Olentia and returned to his office. Honestly, he wanted to stay with her longer, but he couldn’t neglect his work.

Dimidius sat in his office chair and bit his lower lip hard.

He felt that this time, he really needed to figure out what the crown prince’s true intentions were. He had to find out why Regalis, who had shown no interest in him until now after becoming an adult, was suddenly acting suspiciously.

Five years ago during the attack, he was attacked by twenty assassins sent by the empress. They had snuck in on a wagon and attacked like crazy, and in the urgent situation, he had no choice but to use his demonic powers. Even Killen, with his excellent swordsmanship, ended up with a large wound on his face.

Just thinking about that day made his anger rise. He was angry that Killen got hurt, but he was also very shocked because it was the first time he used his demonic powers. Vividly feeling the immense power flowing through his body was more frightening than he thought.

Moreover, after that day, he could no longer stop his demonization with holy tools, so he needed someone to transfer sacred power to him. After using a few people, it was fine to use only holy tools from a year ago, but then he was attacked on the train again and had to use his demonic powers once more to save Olentia.

Thinking that the same thing was repeating, Dimidius briefly took off his mask and pressed his thumbs hard around his eyes. He had to reveal that it was the empress’s doing, but the assassins who attempted the attacks, like everyone else, were tight-lipped.

Even if there were people who revealed the mastermind, it would not be easy to touch the empress. The empress was a devout believer who always lived serving others and was loved by the people of the Bonus Empire.

Just like Ankedo of the Odor territory.

So he couldn’t act hastily until he found really clear evidence.

“Damn it!”

Dimidius clenched his fists and cursed.

Just the fact that the empress, who was determined to kill him, existed unscathed made him furious. It might have nothing to do with Crown Prince Regalis, but his current behavior was very strange.

So he had to find out as soon as possible what Crown Prince Regalis was up to.

Dimidius made a firm resolution and looked at the documents again. His mind felt blocked and uncomfortable, but he couldn’t not work.