Chapter 166: [166] Pain

Marcus walked out of the door of the ball, accompanied by his daughter, Doris, and his elite guards.

When he stepped out, the first thing he was greeted by was a raging storm, almost as if the very planet was warning him against his ploy.

While the halls were had a magical sound insulation that prevent them from noticing the rain, and warning units that kept them warm, it was a different case outside…

Shaaaaa!

The trees were being blown about as though they weighed no more than twigs, the moon had been hidden behind a veil of shadowy clouds, and lightning would streak through the skies in trails of jagged lines.

“Fuck!” Marcus cursed as he stepped atop the muddy floor, his expensive shoes ruined by them. “Damn this rain.”

“Come on, don’t be a baby dad.” His daughter smirked for one beside him. “If you complain, then what should I do? Cry?”

She raised her gown to explain what she meant, shaking the muddy seams.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Marcus hissed as he increased his pace.

They left the ballroom behind, which was a separate building from the barons’ home.

Then they began their trek, marching through the storm, heading for the large house that was clearly in view.

By the time they arrived, they met Duke sitting on his steps, soaking in the rain, deep in thought…

“How are you doing boy?” Marcus huffed as he tapped his shoulder.

Duke sighed. “I’m fine uncle, just a little confused.”

He paused for a few seconds and shook his head, raising his gaze to meet his uncle’s eyes.

“Am I really doing the right thing? Am I not betraying my father’s trust?”

Marcus smiled and plopped down next to him, placing his hand over his shoulder.

’This stupid shit is making me waste time!’

He glanced at his daughter, and one look from her told him to behave. They could not fail just because he decided to throw a temper tantrum in the middle of their mission…

“Like I said before, Duke. This is for the sake of the barony. This will save your mother’s life. Don’t you want to see her? Don’t you want to hold her in your arms?”

“I do, I want it more than I want to breathe!” He tightened his fists together, his expression fierce.

“I hate my father for keeping her away from me, I really do. But, uncle…”

He sighed bitterly. “I will be breaking my father’s—”

Doris suddenly placed her finger on his lips, causing him to stop talking.

Her hair was completely soaked by now, and so were her clothes, causing the fabric to stick to her body like a second layer of skin.

She pulled Duke up to his feet and wrapped her warm arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug.

Duke melted into her grip.

“You’re really kind, Duke. Even after how badly your father has treated you, you still have a soft spot for him in your heart.” She whispered.

“I know you want him to acknowledge your strength, to see you for who you are…”

“By the end of today, you will be Baron. You will have proven to him that you are good enough to rule…”

Duke sighed as he absorbed her words. “My mother… What does my mother have to do with all of this?”

The original plan was to take over power before her healing, why were they now going to get her first?

Duke knew his mother well, there was no way she would support his plan, even if his father proved to be the devil himself, her love was too strong to let go.

So why, why were they here?

“Don’t you trust me, Duke? I have your best interest at heart…” Marcus asked.

Duke was silent.

Doris then held his face and smiled warmly, just before kissing him on the lips. “Do you trust me, Dukie?”

He nodded… slowly.

Doris smiled as she held his hand.

“Then let’s go. And by the way…” she added.

“You did not break anyone’s trust. The Baron never told you of this place did he?”

Duke shook his head, his resolve burning once more. “No, it was someone else…”

Doris smiled. “Exactly.”

’To think our leak would give him all the information. Tsk, I have no idea what goes on in the head of that crooked old man.’ Doris mused.

’Good thing I have Duke wrapped around my fingers…’ she thought.

Things would have been trickier if only her uncle was here.

’I guess he really loves me.’ She giggled internally.

’To be loved by a fool…’ She shook her head, her eyes turning cold as she stared at his back.

’How utterly disgusting.’

<•••>

Duke led the group deep underground, directing them into a top secret part of the estate.

According to what his father told him, it was an abandoned labyrinth that had been underground even before the estate was built.

Since then, it had been repurposed and converted into a bunker for use in the event of a war.

It was a nest of caves with magic crystal lights lining the ceiling. One wrong move in this place was more than enough to leave them stranded.

Considering how rare it was for people to be down here, they would likely starve before help arrived.

Marcus stared at the endless halls, twisted paths of stone and multiple doors that filled the area.

He glanced at Duke and asked, “Are you sure you know where we are going?”

Duke nodded. “I played a lot here while I was younger, follow me.”

Marcus shared a look with Doris before they began their trek, moving through the tunnel with magical torches in hand.

Their footsteps echoed though the caves, as they moved in a steady pace, occasionally taking several turns, until they finally arrived in front of a large door.

“This is it…” Duke stated.

The person who had told him his mother was here had described it in perfect detail.

“Are you sure?” Marcus asked, staring at the door skeptically.

“I am…”

Marcus glanced at the guards. “Open it.”

Two men suddenly rushed forward and pounded their foot into the door, creating a loud bang as the door burst open.

Sitting on her knees, bound up with countless chains and talismans was a woman with platinum blonde hair, and crimson eyes.

At least, that was how she was supposed to look.

Now, half her hair was pitch black, the colour of coal, and the rest of the blonde hair had faded, losing its natural sheen.

Her red eyes had streaks of black running through them, like veins of corruption, and almost the entirety of her skin had turned ashen.

“M-mom?”

Duke fell to his knees, unable to believe his eyes.

While he was still trying to make sense of what was happening, he heard a weeze, the sound of someone trying to contain his laugh.

He slowly turned, afraid that what he would see would scar him forever, and when he did—

“BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” His uncle burst out into laughter, unable to contain himself.

“Perfect! This is even better than I thought!” He barked, a wide grin on his face.

“Alright, how do you suggest we take her, Doris?”

Right before Duke’s eyes, his fiancée grabbed her necklace, and then her clothes suddenly vanished.

The cherry pink gown she wore was replaced by a pitch black leather armour, dozens of knives lining her belt.

Badump—Badump—

“We can’t let her run, why don’t we cut her legs off?” Doris asked, stroking one of her knives.

’W-what is going on?’

“Won’t that be too messy? We need her alive remeber?” Marcus sighed. “We only need to cut off her arms, that way she can’t spread her disease by touching us.”

Badump—Badump—

It felt as though Duke’s lungs were collapsing on each other. It was difficult to breathe, and every thought he tried to conceive scrambled in his mind.

Wherever he looked, he saw devils staring back at him, wide grins on their faces.

They were discussing horrid things right in front of him, all while acting like he did not exist.

’I can’t, I can’t take this any—’

“AHHHHHHHHHH—!”

SWISH!

Duke suddenly unsheathed his blade, a fierce look in his eyes as he pointed it at his uncle.

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SAYING?! I’LL KILL YOU, I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!”

Suddenly, his fiancée closed the distance between them, and hooked her arm around his, forcing the sword out of his hand.

Her normally gentle touch, had become harsher than the cold edge of a blade.

She grabbed another dagger, rotating it in her palm with the precision of a seasoned killer.

This wasn’t his lover.

Was this truly the girl that would wipe his nose when he was sick?

Was this the woman that would whisper oast of love to him at every given moment?

“D-Doris?” His voice broke.

What was left of his heart shattered as his fiancée smiled…

“Good night, Dukie.”

She said, just before she drove the dagger into his face, spilling his blood atop the stone floor.

Meanwhile, Eliron was nestled in the shadows, watching everything with an amused smile on his lips.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep