EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 209

Chapter 209

 

At that moment, the corners of the man’s lips twisted into a savage sneer.

Bang, bang, bang!

An attack magic far more powerful than before rained down on Lucio. The impact alone made the tightly shut windows rattle noisily, and the ground trembled.

Lucio narrowly dodged the attacks with animal-like reflexes, but there was a limit.

Each time the powerful attack magic touched his body, the protective magic that activated to neutralize it weakened.

Eventually, when the protective magic surrounding his entire body reached its limit, Lucio let out a gasp and bent at the waist. He tasted metal under his tongue.

But the man didn’t seem satisfied in the least. He glared at Lucio with a chilling stare.

Had it not been for the protective magic, his life would have ended long ago.

Of course, he couldn’t violate the contract, so he only intended to break the protection spell. Still, seeing not even a scratch remained annoyed him.

“…How touching, Lia.”

Hearing the familiar name come from the stranger’s mouth, the groaning Lucio abruptly raised his head.

But he couldn’t fight back.

The black magic flowing from the man’s hand instantly transformed into sharp, claw-like chains that wrapped tightly around Lucio’s wrists and ankles.

Lucio, bleeding from where the chains bit into his flesh, collapsed to his knees.

Thud. Clatter.

Just then, something fell from Lucio’s robe as he bent over and rolled across the floor. He urgently reached out for it, but the pain only intensified, and he couldn’t grasp it.

The man slowly lowered his gaze to the glass vial that had rolled to his feet, filled with a pink liquid.

He knew exactly what it was. He knew how much affection and care had been poured into that small bottle.

Because… once, someone had handed him one of these too, with a shy smile.

Crack.

With that sound, the vial shattered under the man’s foot.

He couldn’t bring himself to destroy the one given to him, but one given to another man? He crushed it without hesitation.

Then, through his pain-blurred vision, Lucio saw Serphin approach. She stepped over the glass shards and bloodstained floor, slowly brushing Lucio’s pale cheek.

“Don’t touch me…”

Lucio barely managed to grit out the words, but Serphin’s expression twisted into delight at the sound of his groaning voice.

His usual aloof elegance was beautiful, but this weakened state gave him a different allure altogether.

Feigning sympathy, she looked at Lucio’s bloodied, battered body.

“Why did you choose her over me? When I love you this much…”

So much that I’d offer my soul to a demon.

“I couldn’t bear it when I saw you kiss the Grand Princess.”

Serphin spoke bitterly, recalling the scene she’d witnessed a few days ago when she went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to see Lucio.

And no sooner had she finished speaking than the man suddenly stopped moving.

Noticing the uncharacteristic disturbance in the man who had remained calm throughout, Serphin tilted her head and asked,

“Is something wrong?”

Instead of answering, the man looked at Lucio. His lips curved upward, as if mocking a pitiful creature.

“So the slayer of my demons dares to touch what’s mine…”

At that moment, a teacup on the table floated into the man’s hand.

“I suppose I should return the favor.”

He roughly grabbed Lucio’s chin and forced his mouth open.

“Show me whether you’re worth the devotion she gave.”

Despite Lucio’s desperate resistance, the liquid poured into his mouth slid down his throat.

In that instant, his ears rang, and his vision blurred, as though he were plummeting off a cliff.

⟨I like you too.⟩

⟨Probably more than you think—and for a very long time now.⟩

Suddenly, Lia’s voice echoed faintly, like a dream.

When Lucio squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again, he thought he saw her smiling shyly.

But he could only stare blankly before collapsing completely.

The sweet gaze, the gentle curve of her eyes and lips, swirled like a vortex until they turned pitch black.

Moments later.

As if the world had gone dark, his vision slowly returned.

The haze lifted, and when clarity returned, Lucio saw Serphin smiling brightly at him, her face overflowing with joy.

The black magic chains that had bound him had vanished.

Covered in blood, Lucio felt no pain as he knelt with one leg on the ground, his head bowed.

Serphin looked down at Lucio, now kneeling respectfully before her, her eyes filled with ecstasy. Slowly, she extended her hand.

Lucio gently placed his forehead on the back of her hand and whispered softly,

“Your Highness… I am yours.”

 

***

 

“I can’t just sit here. I need to go myself.”

Pacing anxiously in the ducal mansion’s lobby, I said.

The duchess and Allen gave me puzzled looks.

“Is that… really necessary? Father went himself, so I’m sure everything is fine…”

Allen, who had started speaking formally ever since hearing about my engagement to Lucio, said hesitantly.

But I didn’t have the luxury to smile at that.

A few hours ago, Lucio’s aide Nyx had rushed to the mansion. He reported that Lucio, who had gone to the princess’s palace upon Serphin’s summons that afternoon, still hadn’t come out, no matter how long they waited.

The Duchess and Allen seemed unable to understand why Nyx had come all the way to the house to report, as if Lucio were a child.

But as soon as the word ‘princess’ came up, the expressions of the Duke, myself, and Diana, who had long sensed ominous energy from Serphin, immediately hardened. We all knew how obsessive the royals could be.

It had already been two hours since the Duke left for the imperial palace. And an hour had passed since the scheduled dinner.

Tonight was supposed to be the formal family meeting where both sides would gather and set the date for our engagement.

Unless something serious had happened, there was no reason for Lucio to be late.

‘Serphin… What on earth did you do?’

I clenched my fists tightly, trying to hide my trembling hands.

Afraid that the princess might think, ‘If I can’t have him, no one can,’ I had even rushed to prepare an antidote for Spleesia.

I knew Lucio was strong, and I’d layered several protective spells on him as well. Even so, I felt incredibly uneasy.

⟨Your Highness, the Grand Princess, the reason I ran here like this is because of Bert. He went with our master to the princess’s palace, but no matter what he tried, he couldn’t follow him inside. He said it was as if there were a barrier.⟩

I remembered what Nyx had whispered to me alone.

Bert’s stealth skills, which allowed him to melt into the air and vanish without a trace, were on par with Terencium’s top agents. The fact that someone of his caliber couldn’t break through a door meant…

I bit my lip in regret.

‘I should have gone with him after all.’

Nyx had told me the night before that the emperor had fallen ill, and he wasn’t sure if I’d even be allowed into the palace if I requested entry as usual.

The emperor apparently believed his illness was caused by my refusal of the marriage proposal he had suggested.

But I thought it was more likely due to the shock of the demon relic being destroyed.

Just as I was about to send an urgent messenger to the palace—prepared to sneak in if necessary—

“Look, over there!”

Diana shouted urgently.

I turned my head and saw the duke’s carriage passing through the main gate.

Thinking he must have brought Lucio back with him, I ran out, my clothes billowing behind me.

Just then, the carriage door opened, and the duke’s cold voice rang out.

“Bring a stretcher.”

“!”

I froze in place, as if something had suddenly crushed my lungs.

“Lucio!”

“Brother!”

The duchess and Allen rushed past me in alarm, but I couldn’t move an inch.

I didn’t want to believe the sharp metallic scent in the air was coming from him.

“…!”

But I saw it. Lucio, covered in blood, being carried into the house on a stretcher.

My lips trembled, and my mind grew hazy.

Just as I was about to follow him on instinct…

“S-sister…”

I turned to see Diana, pale and trembling, clutching at my sleeve.

Seeing her frightened face snapped me back to my senses.

“It’s okay, Diana.”

I forced my lips into a smile to reassure her.

“He’ll be alright… he really will…”

Lucio had to be okay.

He had to be.

 

***

 

I looked down at Lucio lying in bed, worry clouding my eyes.

He had already been changed into clean clothes, and he looked far better than when I first saw him. But his face was still deathly pale from all the blood loss, and his lips were cracked.

He looked so pitiful, so fragile—nothing like his usual self—that I felt tears sting my eyes again.

‘So much for trying to comfort Diana… How pathetic.’

Earlier, I had entered Lucio’s room trying to be brave, but the moment I saw his injuries, I had burst into tears.

His entire body was covered in small but severe wounds from the powerful attacks that had broken through even the protection magic I had cast. But his wrists and ankles were especially horrifying.

The marks left by something sharp and cruel were proof enough that he had been treated worse than a beast.

The only relief was that none of the injuries were life-threatening, and I had quickly come to my senses and cast healing spells.

Even though the physical wounds had vanished, seeing him lying unconscious still broke my heart.

Letting out a small sigh, I reached out and gently brushed aside the disheveled strands of silver hair, which shimmered like jewels in the moonlight.

It reminded me of that time I watched Lucio sleeping in the library, and thought how beautiful he looked.

Of course, I’d made a fool of myself shortly after, so it wasn’t exactly a fond memory…

“!”

Just then, a hand grabbed my wrist, and before I could react, my vision spun.

My back hit something soft, and then a cold voice fell from above me.

“Who are you?”

 

Some good news after lots of bad ones!

This novel will be completed next month ෆ⁠╹⁠ ⁠.̮⁠ ⁠╹⁠ෆ