Chapter 55
A week had passed since then. In the end, I failed to persuade Lakian. During that time, the temple had transformed into a massive fortress. Various weapons were installed throughout the temple in preparation for the fight against Roman.
Lakian was confident of victory. He said he had been preparing for three years. At first, I thought he was overly confident, but seeing the changes in the temple made me change my mind.
The preparations he made were impressive, even to someone like me who knew little about combat. Even if Roman anticipated the traps, it would not be easy to face Lakian. Moreover, it was clear that Roman underestimated Lakian. Despite the turmoil, that was a small relief.
In any case, time passed.
On the day Roman was supposed to come, Lakian brought a new chain.
“Everything will be over before midnight. No matter what noise you hear, do not come out. I’ll leave Derek with you, so ask him if you need anything.”
Lakian smiled as if he would return soon. I hid my turbulent emotions and nodded instead of holding him back. He kissed me lovingly and then went out, locking the door behind him.
“I’ll be waiting here. Call if you need anything, Lady Astel.”
I stayed in the bedroom while Derek was in the living room. As he stood like a statue by the door, I stood by the window and looked outside. Wooden boards still covered the window of my bedroom.
Through a narrow gap, I saw the Gracion knights preparing for battle.
Watching their backs, I recalled the question I had been pondering over the past week.
Lakian said those knights once guarded Gracion.
Did they truly agree with Lakian’s plan?
Someone must have opposed Lakian sacrificing his life for me, right?
I glanced at Derek, standing beyond the door.
Finally, it was time to ask the question I hadn’t dared to for fear it would reach Lakian’s ears.
“Wahhhhh!”
Night had barely fallen when the battle began. Just as Lakian had predicted, Roman and his knights were bewildered by the fortress the temple had become.
Every time Roman’s knights moved, crossbows hidden throughout the garden fired, and the ground beneath them collapsed. Lakian’s followers leapt into the pits, slaughtering Roman’s knights. Covered in blood, they looked like grim reapers.
As I expected, Roman had underestimated Lakian and couldn’t respond effectively. Nearly falling into a pit, Roman barely escaped, his eyes wide with fury as he screamed.
“You bastard! Come out at once!”
He hurled curses at Lakian. I pressed against the window, anxiously watching Roman. My view was too narrow to see Lakian. At that moment, Roman’s eyes widened. With a twisted face, he charged somewhere.
“You wretched slave!”
With those words, Roman vanished from my sight. I clutched the windowsill, breathing heavily. By now, Roman and Lakian must be crossing swords. Derek, who had been watching me with concern, spoke.
“Don’t worry. Lord Lakian will surely win.”
“I know.”
Before the battle, Derek had told me about Lakian’s past three years.
He assured me that even though Roman was a formidable swordsman, Lakian would be able to handle him. I had no choice but to believe him.
To be certain Lakian would win, I had to prepare for the next phase. I leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath, and touched the left side of my chest.
“Above the last rib, at this angle, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Derek nodded, his face set in stone. Now, all I could do was hope my plan would succeed.
* * *
“Lady Astel!”
Crash! My door was smashed open with a loud noise. Schultz’s knights stormed in. I quickly checked the insignia on their chests.
It wasn’t Roman’s emblem, the eagle.
“Seize that man at once!”
The knights swarmed Derek and restrained him. As expected, Derek surrendered without resistance and was dragged away.
“Lady Astel, are you hurt?”
“These devils locked the door and even blocked the windows!”
“Your hair, Lady Astel… We are deeply sorry. We were too late.”
I calmed my breathing as I watched the knights apologize profusely. The crucial part was yet to come.
“I heard the Grand Duke arrived at the shrine with his knights an hour ago. Is he unharmed?”
“The Duke…”
The knight bowed his head with a grim expression.
“I regret to inform you, but by the time we entered, he had already passed away. His knights were also annihilated.”
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