episode_0143

The fact that Eleanor had disappeared from the Beauren mansion was revealed in the morning, and news of the severed contact with Albriss at the townhouse in the capital spread in the afternoon.

Within a day, the eldest son and youngest daughter had vanished without a trace. Naturally, chaos ensued at the Beauren mansion in the west.

“Oh, there was a letter left in the young lady’s room.”

A maid handed a letter to Etienne.

Etienne’s face twisted in anger as she read the contents of the letter.

The kidnapping of a foreigner.

Someone was behind it.

If something happened at the mansion in the dead of night, someone within the mansion must be involved.

The information in the letter and a certain fact mentioned at the daughter’s engagement ceremony intertwined.

“Viscount Ballatie is suspicious.”

When she heard that at the engagement ceremony, during the incident at the capital’s mine.

She should have acted decisively then.

“Send someone to the capital immediately.”

“Should we send a messenger first?”

“No, send someone in person. If something has happened in the capital, a messenger will be useless and won’t come back.”

Pointing to her temple with a finger, Etienne said so.

The unstable situation in the capital was reported through the townhouse’s reports.

She thought it might be the Queen’s faction’s antics, but she had thought too easily.

What was important to them was not the empire’s heir or the capital’s situation.

It was the followers beyond the border showing suspicious movements even after the harvest season.

“Changbaek! When will you arrive?”

“As soon as I heard the news, I left, so I should arrive by evening.”

A sigh escaped from Etienne’s mouth at the butler’s words.

Sigh… Elli. If something like this happens, I should have consulted with Mother first…

Now, towards the lovely daughter who couldn’t be heard anymore, Etienne could only pray for her safety in her heart.

#

Eleanor’s room looked like a cage. The window bars and the iron bars visible through the open door gave that impression. The reason it felt like a cage rather than a silk prison was that the iron bars in front somehow felt cold but not chilling.

“There is a place you must go.”

With those words, Yulian led Eleanor and Foreigner out of the cage. Following Yulian, the place they headed towards was the door in the middle of the long corridor on the 4th floor of the mansion.

In front of the tightly closed door, the mansion’s servants stood guard as they did in front of the cage where she stayed.

I don’t know who’s trapped inside, but they must be as important as I am.

In front of the closed door, Eleanor thought so.

“There is someone waiting for Elli.”

Following that, a graceful and endless voice whispered in her ear. If it were a normal woman, it would be a voice that made her heart sink, but the sky-blue eyes only showed an uncomfortable expression now.

Judging by the way he spoke…

Could the person behind the door be someone I know?

Eleanor had little connection with the capital.

Naturally, people who could be kidnapped by Yulian began to come to mind.

Dominic?

Ah… the princess wouldn’t be caught so easily.

Then, could it be Lady Lorsua?

Although they were friendly, they didn’t have much interaction. Moreover, she had no power, having severed ties with her family.

Then, could it be…

When her thoughts reached that point, the men guarding the door at Yulian’s command opened the closed door.

Slowly, as the door opened, the person bound inside was her long-lost grandfather.

“Oh, Oppa! Albriss!”

The words that slipped out unintentionally.

Eleanor’s voice made Albriss’s blue eyes widen in surprise.

“E-El, Ellie! How could you!”

Eleanor ran out through the open door, but her body was stopped before she could reach Albriss. Urien’s arms, wrapped around her waist, blocked her path.

“Let go! Let me go!”

“Elli! How could you be here!”

The siblings’ voices echoed through the hallway. Despite their desperate pleas, Urien did not release his grip on Eleanor.

“It is only proper to bring the members of the Bearne family here to apologize.”

“Urien! Stop talking nonsense!”

In the midst of Eleanor’s feigned words, an unexpected word slipped out of her mouth, not fitting with her usual demeanor.

“An outsider like you, even Albriss as well. What do you want!”

Urien fell silent for a moment at her words.

He couldn’t figure out what he truly wanted when he heard her speak. Was it really because he wanted Eleanor?

Was it just jealousy stemming from the fact that she was the Duke’s woman?

Or was it all for the sake of his own power?

One thing was certain – he needed her right now.

“What do you want, Ellie.”

Urien’s hand, which had been cautiously wrapped around her waist, fell away from her.

As Eleanor, lost in a moment of madness, took a step back, Urien approached her.

Even Eugenie, a friend, and Albriss, a brother, couldn’t find the words to say in the presence of Urien’s imposing figure.

Before they knew it, the two had drawn so close that they could hear each other’s breath. Eleanor closed her eyes tightly at the touch of his beautiful fingers.

“If you would just stay by my side here, that’s all I need.”

However, contrary to her expectations, Urien’s hand did not reach for Eleanor’s face.

He simply gently grasped her platinum hair, carefully holding it in his hand.

Urien softly brushed Eleanor’s hair with his lips. Looking into her sky-blue eyes filled with a sweet scent mixed with seductive rose fragrance, he spoke.

“Then your brother and your precious friend will not be harmed.”

Her sky-blue eyes trembled slightly.

Eleanor struggled to lift her lips.

“I have Dmitri.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“We’re already engaged.”

“Such an engagement means nothing.”

A strand of golden hair flowed down from his outstretched fingers. His hand, released from her hair, soon reached her delicate chin, and Urien locked eyes with her sky-blue ones.

“I don’t care what you’ve done with him.”

Her gaze shifted to the side. Urien grabbed Eleanor’s chin and pulled her eyes back to him.

“The man by your side now is not the Duke, but me.”

Finally, Eleanor closed her eyes tightly.

A single tear rolled down beneath her long eyelashes.

“Please don’t do this. Please…”

His lips moved towards Eleanor’s cheek. Urien tasted the tears streaming down her face. The chilling sensation made Eleanor’s fragile body tremble.

“Just you… Just stay by my side. Please think about it.”

Yulrian released her from his embrace once again. Shivering, she was handed over to Oejeni, and he turned away from her.

“Escort Yeong-ae back to her room,” he commanded.

Soon, Eleanor was surrounded by the mansion’s servants who followed Yulrian. Pushing past the stern-faced servants, Oejeni supported the disoriented Eleanor.

“I won’t wait long, Eli,” he left these words behind as he walked down the stairs. The corners of his mouth, which had been smiling just a while ago, now froze coldly. A stark contrast to the passionate confession he had made earlier.

In truth, even Yulrian himself couldn’t grasp his own feelings at the moment. But one thing was certain, he needed her by his side.

#.

The Emperor’s study.

Now, in that empty place without its owner, Yulrian sat alone, tilting a glass of whiskey. The whiskey bottle that the room’s owner had cherished was now more than halfway empty.

Tired, yet sleep eluded him.

It was hard to believe that all this had happened in just one day.

Stabbing the Emperor with his own hands.

Taking control of the Empress, the Crown Prince, and the Princess.

And now, even bringing the woman he loved into his nest.

A heavy silence settled in the study, filled with cold mockery.

“If only it had unraveled so easily….”

Of course, it was not an easy task.

Since he learned who he was, what a bastard meant, twenty years had passed. Yulrian had sharpened the blades of revenge during that time.

He had traveled from one end of the continent to the other to catch the Emperor’s eye.

He had even endured the nobles’ ridicule to gain his own power.

Obtaining the title of Minister of Security, he had manipulated the internal forces to his advantage, despite being seen as a fallen outcast.

He had prepared for all those years.

Only to see it all come to an end in just one day….

“Eleanor….”

A slender finger caressed the moist rim of the glass.

His eyes, stained red, shed tears of loneliness.

The plan had succeeded.

The Emperor was dead, and the imperial family was in his grasp.

If he could manipulate the nobles using them, Galatea would be in his hands.

The very Emperor’s bastard they had so despised would rise to comfort them.

But still.

His heart felt too empty.

He had obtained her, but she had not come into his hands.

Her sky-blue eyes that had been directed at him. That gaze.

It was clearly not affection. It was fear, anxiety, contempt, and anger.

Yulrian brought the bottle to his lips. The glass had already been thrown somewhere. He gulped down the harsh whiskey straight from the bottle. Despite finishing a whole bottle, his mind was still clear.

The bottle slipped from his hand.

It hit the floor with a dull thud, but did not shatter.

Standing up from the sofa, Yulrian opened the tightly closed study door and walked towards the blue moonlight.

He had to face her.

He had to make her his own.

Yulrian’s red eyes were fixed on that goal.

“Where are you going?”

Yulrian’s friend, Christian, blocked his path.

The intimacy that once existed between them was no longer there.

Yulrian faced Christian, who dared to grab his wrist, with a cold gaze.

“You should know where I’m going.”

“You seem quite drunk right now.”

“To get this drunk.”

Yulrian scoffed at Christian’s emotionless concern.

“It’s an important time. I want to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

“You saying that only makes me want to cause more trouble.”

“Yulrian!”

Yulrian forcefully shook off the hand holding his wrist.

“I command you as your lord. Do not follow, Christian.”

At those words, Christian stopped in his tracks.

Yulrian was not just his friend, but his lord.

And Yulrian’s steps were heading towards the cage where the emperor had imprisoned his mother.