I Became The Wife Of The Cursed Grand Duke

The blood of those who Evelyn met in the temple is imbued with the power of regeneration. The temple knew this and kidnapped them to save something or someone.

 

If, as the girl had said, she was of the same clan as them, he was not sure the Temple would not come after her.

 

‘I can vaguely see why Louise was set up to have me marry the viscount.’

 

They didn’t want to give her, with her powers of regeneration, into the hands of Kalian.

 

Perhaps they wanted to send her to the old viscount’s estate to retrieve her body.

 

‘Then why?’

 

In the end, it was their purpose that needed to be discovered.

 

To do that, she needed to investigate her mother, Marcella.

 

Just as she was gathering her strength once more, Evelyn’s eyes widened in surprise.

 “Huh? Huh!” 

The next moment, without warning, her body was thrown through the air and landed on the floor with a loud crash.

 

* * *

 

That time.

 

A rough patch of ground surrounded by tall trees appeared before their eyes as they tried to clear the area.

 

The cool, damp air clung to their skin as they stepped toward the pool of water.

 

Benjamin brushed his fingertips across the slime-covered wood and wiped his fingers on his pants.

 “Your Majesty, why don’t you set up some barracks in the camp, even if it’s just to sleep on a bed of straw…” “I’d rather sleep a little longer than have time to set up and tear down barracks.” “I’m just saying, we’re not the only ones.” 

The nights were long and cool, even in the southwest, far from the biting winds.

 

Moreover, the prospective grand duchess, whom Benjamin had seen through the carriage door earlier, had a pale complexion that looked as if she might collapse at any moment.

 

Benjamin cursed his lord for his lack of consideration for his young wife-to-be.

 

But who knows what’s in his heart.

 

The way he’s been going out of his way to do things he doesn’t have to, it’s not like he doesn’t care at all…

 

Benjamin’s forehead slammed into something solid as he stooped to cut through the knee-high grass with his sword.

 “You’re so worried.” 

Kalian’s chest puffed as he came to an abrupt halt.

 

Benjamin rubbed at his throbbing forehead as he stared down at the dark-eyed man.

 “You don’t have a single maid, and you haven’t taken a sip of water all day. If I don’t care, who will?” 

Turning his back on him, Kalian shrugged off the cobwebs that sprawled widely between the trees.

 “One would think you were my husband.” “With all due respect, Your Grace. Though I’m afraid the one you’d trust would be closer to my side.” 

Kalian felt a strange heaviness in his heart at Benjamin’s words.

 

Normally, he should have been unmoved and unshaken by his words.

 

Benjamin is not a butler, but he does have a duty to serve the grand duke and his family when they are out and about.

 

But even that obvious statement was offensive to him, especially after he’d just said what he thought was an immature thing to say.

 

‘

Of course, it was too much for a girl who had just come of age to understand.’

 

Kalian knew that.

 

He knew she needed time to process her grief.

 

He knew that, and yet he spoke his mindless words because, over her grief-stricken face, he could see his own past, foolish and dull.

 

So long ago.

 

So long ago that he could barely remember it now, and he had lost the woman he loved right before his eyes.

 

‘It hurts, it hurts so much, please help me…!’

 

Every time he closed his eyes, he could see her melting away, calling his name.

 

The image of her struggling to breathe, unable to stop at will, was etched in his closed pupils like a brand, and his heart throbbed like a madman.

 

And this, he realized, was why he had been suffering from severe insomnia.

 

If he didn’t sleep, he wouldn’t be plagued by visions that ate away at his emotions and consumed his reason.

 

The fate of the living.

 

He chided Evelyn for dwelling on death, but it was really a rebuke to himself.

 

Every time he looked at her, he felt guilty for not being able to protect her.

 

Every time he looked at her face, the memories he’d tried so hard to keep sealed away kept coming back.

 

Perhaps that’s why he feels so foggy, so confused, and so stuck.

 

Kalian sighed softly, remembering the promise he had made to the woman in the past.

 “…This does not bode well.” 

Personal matters aside, Kalian hoped that Evelyn would not be racked with guilt for failing to protect her mother.

 

But his tattered mind was too broken to form words of comfort.

 

Kalian mocked coldly.

 “Well, Johansen doesn’t need a weak woman who can’t defend herself.” 

He drew in a sharp intake of breath as he clawed his way through the vines in front of him, and as if on cue, he heard a pitiful scream.

 “Uuuugggh!” 

A tentacle shot out of the swamp, snatched up the scout ahead of him, and flung him into the air.

 

Kalian’s lax gaze suddenly turned fierce, and he launched himself at the rapidly falling scout.

 Shhhhh! 

Another tentacle swooped down on his back, as fast as a snake.

 “Ugh.” 

Deftly catching the falling body, Kalian rolled once, throwing him into a corner, then leapt up, spurring the ground.

 “Mutant Rafflesia!” 

He heard his voice again, and swung his sword with precision and speed at the tentacles that followed.

 Kweh! 

Shifting his gaze toward the sound, he saw a giant Rafflesia in the hillside beside the rocks, its two severed tentacles flailing in all directions as it let out a grotesque scream.

 

A strange creature with a black body and roots that moved like feet.

 

In the center of its gummy, discolored petals were what looked like human ears.

 

The swamps are home to strange flora and fauna.

 

Mutant rafflesia are simple enough to catch with eyes closed, but this is the Empire.

 

The appearance of an entity unlike anything that had ever appeared in the Kairos Desert had them on edge.

 “We need to cut it down to the roots. It’s blind, but it’s alert, so be careful!” “Yes!” Bam! 

Straight up into the air, he stomped on the tallest tree and stood, looking skyward.

 

The signal torch that should have flared if the gate had been opened was silent, and not a single bird of prey had flown by.

 “Hmm.” 

Kalian’s expression changed sharply as he watched the knights battle from the treetops.

 

For all its menacing appearance, the creature was incredibly stupid. It was like a paper doll with no aggression unless you got too close.

 *Throbbing* “What the hell, not again.” 

The guardian mark on his chest glowed blue, as if reacting to something.

 

Like a signal that someone he cares about is in danger.

 “What, are they bait?” 

Feeling a faint burning pain, he noticed scaly goosebumps sprouting up his forearms.

 “You’re not going to keep me tied up here.” 

Suddenly, an anger of unknown origin boiled over like an active volcano, turning my hair red.

 “I won’t let you go so easily.” 

Drawing on his power, he unleashed an aura that threatened to sweep the forest away. As if he had time to deal with these little buggers.

 

As they watched the blackened beast, the scarred knights shuddered at the unknown life force.

Kalian leapt from the tree.

 

His eyes glared at the encampment, and his teeth chattered.

 “I will return first, and you will remain here to examine the creature’s carcass before returning!” “Yes!” 

A low dark cloud hung over his head as he stomped through the air and raced toward the dark forest.

 

* * *

 “Ouch, that hurt…” 

Kalian had just entered the swamp when Evelyn fell to the ground, wailing in pain.

 “Oh my god! Are you okay? Are you hurt?” 

Just then, a man with hair as stiff as a lion’s mane rushed over and quickly picked her up.

 “Gee, now, what are you doing…!” “Hold still, I need to see if any of your bones are out of place, a knight of Blackwood’s reputation shouldn’t be this weak!” 

‘What, a knight?’

 

Evelyn felt dizzy with nausea, but she managed to open her eyes, knowing she had to clear up the misunderstanding.

 “I can’t believe such a weakling as you is my servant!” 

A brown-eyed man with a bushy brown beard was picking her up and shaking her this way and that.

 

She was already feverish and dizzy, but to have a man as big as a wild brown bear pick her up and shake her around was enough to frighten her.

 “Ugh, I’m so dizzy…” 

She thought to herself,

‘Is this guy trying to dislocate my bones, not find them?’

 

Dwayne Rickter.

 

He was the deputy leader of the Knights of Blackwood, the longest-serving member of Kalian’s order, and the leader of a pack that openly hated Evelyn in her previous life.

 

He was also the son of Mrs. Rickter, the handmaiden, so in a way, he was the first person Evelyn should have courted.

 

‘But at this rate, I’ll be dead before I get close.’

 

She screeched with the last of her strength.

 “Sir Dwayne, Sir Dwayne, let go of me!”