The peaceful warmth of the morning sun officially broke over the grand territory of the Rosenberg duchy.
Crisp, golden daylight illuminated the vast glass panels of the master bedchamber, while the melodic chirping of the morning birds echoed sweetly through the quiet estate.
Inside the sunlit room, Killian was sitting perfectly statuesque on the long velvet sofa.
Evelyn was kneeling carefully right in front of him, her gentle hands moving with meticulous precision as she slowly unwrapped the thick layers of white linen bandages from his chest and abdomen.
The absolute moment the final cloth fell away, her amethyst eyes widened slightly.
The terrifying, jagged wounds from the Gargoyle’s stone arrows had vanished completely, leaving behind only the faintest, faded outlines of scars across his powerful torso.
Killian looked down at his unblemished skin, his deep voice smooth and absolute as he moved his shoulders.
“Remove the bandages entirely now.
I possess absolutely no further requirement for them.”
Evelyn’s head snapped up instantly, her features contorting into a sharp, authoritative frown as she adjusted the medical kit.
“Am I the physician here, or are you?!
Whatever I am currently doing, you shall simply allow me to finish it without argument, do you understand?!”
Killian froze, completely stunned by the sheer weight of her sudden declaration.
For a single silent second, the terrifying Grand Duke looked down at his fiercely blushing fiancée, his voice dropping into a helpless, quiet murmur.
“Very well.”
Evelyn resumed her work, meticulously applying a fresh, soothing herbal salve across his remaining scars.
Killian remained completely still, his midnight-blue eyes softening to an unprecedented degree as he stared down at her devoted face, watching her move with a profound, unspoken affection hidden beneath his stoic mask.
Knock.
Knock.
Sebastian’s low, deadpan voice carried clearly from the corridor.
“My Lord, I have brought your breakfast.”
Killian shifted his gaze toward the heavy oak doors, his voice returning to its smooth register.
“Very well.
Enter.”
The double doors pushed open fully, and the head butler stepped into the chamber with absolute, crisp efficiency, carrying a massive silver tray laden with steaming royal dishes.
Sebastian navigated the space flawlessly, setting the fine porcelain plates down across the small mahogany table near the center of the room.
Killian rose from the sofa, walking over to the table and pulling out his chair.
The very first action he took was reaching out his long hand, lifting a hot porcelain cup to take a slow, heavy gulp of black coffee.
Evelyn marched over instantly, stepping directly between him and the tray as she placed her hands on her hips, scolding him fiercely.
“You shall consume that coffee later!
Right now, you are obligated to eat proper food first!
That is the only method through which your physical strength will return fully, do you understand?!”
Killian paused, the cup hovering near his lips.
He turned his head slowly, looking at his head butler with an unbothered expression.
“Sebastian.
Make her understand.”
Sebastian adjusted his spectacles, stepping forward with an absolute, deadpan posture as he instantly aligned himself directly beside the Princess.
“My Lord…
Her Highness speaks with absolute accuracy.
You must consume a proper meal first before anything else.”
Evelyn turned her head, offering a bright, triumphant smile.
“Thank you so very much, Sebastian!”
Killian lowered his cup with a soft click, his midnight-blue eyes narrowing slightly as he looked between the two of you.
“Superb.
Now you have commenced your lectures exactly like her as well.”
Evelyn crossed her arms, her face flushing a deep crimson red as she shot back instantly, “What exactly do you mean by ‘commenced’?!
You were the one who formally granted me the rights of your fiancée!
Therefore, you are forced to suffer and tolerate this much concern from me!”
Killian stared at her burning face for a long, silent moment.
He lifted the cup once more, taking a slow sip as he muttered secretly within the absolute privacy of his thoughts, ‘Even if you did not occupy the position of my fiancée…
I would have still submissively listened to every single word you speak.’
Before he could take another gulp, Evelyn forcefully reached out, grabbing the porcelain cup directly out of his hand and setting it firmly back onto the saucer.
She lifted a grand plate of rich, royal breakfast, placing it directly in front of him with an absolute authority.
“Eat this immediately.”
Killian let out a low, defeated sigh, a faint trace of amusement lingering in his eyes.
“Very well.
I understand.
You have no intention of backing down.”
Sebastian stood rigidly in the shadows of the room, watching the entire dynamic unfold before him.
A rare, deep sense of amusement washed over his thoughts as he reflected silently, ‘To think that a man who has never listened to a single soul in his entire existence is currently reduced to this state…
it is truly beyond words.’ New chapters come out on g.com first.
Later that afternoon, the atmosphere shifted.
Killian stood before the grand wardrobe, meticulously sliding into the pristine coat of his royal tailored prince suit.
He adjusted the gold-lined cuffs, turning his head toward Evelyn, who was organizing a stack of books near the desk.
“I am required to attend a grand imperial gala in the capital city today.
Therefore, my return shall likely be severely delayed.”
Evelyn paused, her amethyst eyes widening as she spun around.
“A grand imperial gala?!”
“Yes,” Killian responded flatly.
Evelyn took a step closer, her eyes scanning his posture with deep suspicion.
“Is that so?
Tell me, has your deep internal pain disappeared completely then?”
Killian adjusted his collar, his tone remaining entirely calm.
“Yes.
There is merely a minor, lingering ache left.”
Hearing his admission, a wave of profound anger flushed across Evelyn’s features.
She pointed her finger toward the sofa, her voice rising in a sharp, furious scold.
“Then you shall stubbornly sit down right here inside this house and remain quiet!
You are absolutely not permitted to step outside these gates today!
Sebastian, make him understand!”
Sebastian moved instantly from the corner of the room, bowing with immense, deadpan gravity.
“My Lord, please halt your movements.
You must listen to the Princess’s words.”
Killian’s hand paused against the golden buttons of his vest.
He looked at Evelyn’s furious, protective face, then slowly unfastened the heavy formal jacket, sliding it off his shoulders as he sighed helplessly.
“Very well.
I shall remain right here.
Are you satisfied now?”
Evelyn let out a breath, her anger melting away instantly as a bright smile graced her lips.
“Yes.
Now it is perfectly fine.”
Killian casually tossed the jacket onto a chair, his midnight-blue eyes looking out toward the sunlit windows.
“Regardless…
I am at least permitted to step out and breathe some fresh morning air, am I not?”
Evelyn walked up to him instantly, grabbing his large hand firmly within her small palms.
“You desire to breathe fresh air?
Come along then, I shall personally escort you to the grand gardens to experience it!”
Without waiting for his response, she forcefully guided the Grand Duke down the grand corridors, leading him out through the glass doors and into the sprawling, vibrant royal gardens of the estate.
The entire avenue was bursting with rare, colorful roses and enchanted blossoms shined under the midday sun.
Evelyn released his grip, stepping onto the stone path as she gestured toward the horizon with a beautiful smile.
“Here you go.
Now you may comfortably breathe all the fresh air you desire, Lord Killian!”
Killian did not step back.
Instead, moving with sudden, invisible speed, he reached out his hand, firmly grasping her wrist and violently pulling her slender body toward his person until her back pressed flat against the stone pillar of the garden wall.
He leaned his towering frame down over her, his midnight-blue eyes locking onto her wide gaze with an intense, deeply seductive proximity.
His deep, gravelly voice dropped into a low, dangerous whisper right beside her ear.
“Lately…
you have begun to deliver an exceptional amount of direct commands to my person.
Tell me, does my fiancée truly believe she can get away with—”
Before he could even finish the sentence, a massive wave of intense shyness hit Evelyn like a tidal wave.
Her entire face erupted into a spectacular, burning crimson red, her heart hammering violently against her ribs.
Losing her composure completely under his heavy gaze, she gave his chest a frantic, gentle push, breaking away from his hold as she ran deeper into the maze of the garden.
She stopped before a grand bush of shimmering white roses, frantically pretending to examine the petals to hide her burning face.
Killian watched her retreating figure, a soft, genuine smile touching his lips.
He walked forward slowly, stepping up directly behind her shoulder.
The two stood side-by-side in a profound, beautiful silence, quietly admiring the vibrant flowers together under the warm sun.
A long distance away near the grand glass doors, Sebastian stood watching the couple, his deadpan mask holding a deep sense of satisfaction as he murmured to himself, ‘It seems…
our Lord has finally managed to find a soul who can truly look after his heart.’
Meanwhile, a completely dark and terrifying storm was brewing inside the throne room of the Eldoria Imperial Palace.
He was casually leaning back against the gold arches, his dark hooded coat throwing a heavy shadow over the seat, a sinister smile tugging at the edge of his features.
Standing directly before the dais were the Empress and the young Prince.
The Empress’s face was completely contorted into a mask of pure, unadulterated fury, her skin turning red with burning rage at the sheer insolence of the old man.
The sorcerer let out a low, dry chuckle, his raspy voice echoing through the high ceilings.
“What is the matter, Her Majesty?
Does your heart truly possess a burning desire to have me slaughtered at this moment?”
The Prince stepped forward frantically, breaking into a cold sweat as he raised his hands to diffuse the tension.
“No!
No, absolutely not, My Lord!
There is no such intention at all!
She is merely—”
“She is merely furious because she believes I intend to seize absolute control over this imperial palace,” the sorcerer interrupted smoothly, his tone dropping into a chilling register.
“Set your mind at ease.
If my desires were fixed upon acquiring this pathetic kingdom, I would have never demanded the custody of that magic-less girl in exchange.
Conquering a palace of this magnitude is a task I could comfortably accomplish with absolute ease…
but my personal interests lie entirely elsewhere.”
The Prince swallowed hard, nodding rapidly before his eyes flashed with dark malice.
“Then…
My Lord, please proceed forward and unleash your forces to have that Rosenberg monster completely destroyed!”
“Do not worry about it,” the sorcerer responded calmly.
He slowly rose from the grand throne, his dark form floating slightly as he stepped down the dais.
The Empress and the Prince followed rigidly behind his trailing black coat as he guided them down a series of forgotten, pitch-black corridors, stopping before a heavy, sealed iron door at the rear of the palace.
The moment the ancient sorcerer stepped his boot inside the cold room, a sudden, massive magical reaction violently erupted.
Rows upon rows of iron torches burst into life, burning with an ominous green fire, while dozens of intricate, glowing black magic spell circles manifested across the entire stone floor.
The sorcerer extended his withered hand, slicing his finger with a long nail to drop a single, pure drop of his dark blood directly into the center of the grand spell circle.
BOOM!
The absolute second the blood struck the stone, colossal pillars of violent black flames erupted frantically toward the ceiling.
Out from the roaring, dark inferno emerged a massive, terrifying army—a collective battalion of hundreds of weeping pishachas, horrific wraiths, and towering high-level demons possessing jagged horns and long fangs, their dark frames filling the entire room with a suffocating aura of death.
The sorcerer walked over to a stone chair, sitting down elegantly as he gestured toward the roaring horde.
His voice boomed with absolute, demonic pride.
“Behold.
Destroying his existence is a task I can comfortably execute at any given second.
However…
the propitious hour has absolutely not arrived yet.
At this moment, he is severely injured and broken; therefore, he will be entirely unable to display the absolute maximum capacity of his latent strength.
And I possess a burning desire to witness the absolute peak of his monstrous power before I break him.”
The ancient sorcerer violently threw his head back, bursting into a loud, terrifyingly devil-like laughter that shook the stone walls.
“HAHAHAHAHA!”
The Empress and the Prince stood completely frozen where they stood, their entire bodies paralyzed with pure, suffocating terror.
The sheer, blood-curdling appearance of the massive demon army was so entirely horrifying that their breath caught completely in their throats.
As the evening hours arrived, the dark velvet of twilight began to blanket the Rosenberg estate, the sun slowly sinking beneath the distant western mountains in a beautiful, bleeding array of orange and purple hues.
Evelyn stood quietly against the stone railing of her private room’s balcony, her amethyst eyes locked onto the spectacular sunset as the evening wind gently rustled the fabric of her silk gown.
Step.
Step.
The soft, rhythmic sound of footsteps carried from behind her.
Killian walked out onto the balcony, his towering frame standing tall right beside her as he rested his long hands firmly against the stone railing, staring out at the horizon.
His deep, gravelly voice broke the quiet night air, carrying an unprecedented, incredibly soft warmth.
“Do you know, Evelyn…?
From the absolute moment your presence arrived within the gates of this mansion…
a profound sense of absolute peace and happiness has blanketed this entire place.
Even if this arrangement is a mere temporary contract…
your existence has delivered an immense, unparalleled joy to every single soul residing here.”
Evelyn’s head snapped toward him instantly, her amethyst eyes widening in profound shock as her heart skipped a violent beat.
She looked into his sharp profile, her voice whispering softly, “Is…
is that truly the reality, Killian?”
Killian slowly turned his torso, his midnight-blue eyes locking directly into her gaze with an absolute, unyielding sincerity as he murmured, “Yes.
It is the absolute reality.”
Hearing his deep confession, a radiant, incredibly sweet, and beautiful smile broke across Evelyn’s face, the warmth of the sunset reflecting perfectly within their shared gaze.