The frantic sounds of hurried footsteps violently broke the quietness of the eastern wing as Grand Duke Killian and Princess Evelyn rushed down the corridor.
They threw the heavy oak doors open, stepping inside the head butler’s quarters.
The vast chamber was completely blanketed in a heavy, suffocating silence.
Sebastian lay pale and entirely motionless across the white sheets of his bed, his eyelids shut as his chest barely rose with shallow breaths.
Killian walked up to the edge of the mattress, his statuesque frame casting a long, dark shadow over his trusted servant.
His midnight-blue eyes narrowed as he muttered, his voice flat.
“And here this man was repeatedly asserting that he had completely restored his physical health.”
Killian turned his sharp profile toward Evelyn, his tone instantly snapping into an absolute, commanding register.
“Evelyn!
Move quickly!
Unleash your unique magic immediately to heal his form and bring him back to consciousness!”
Evelyn didn’t waste a single fraction of a second.
Her heart hammered against her ribs in pure ghabrahat as she stepped forward, extending her palms directly over Sebastian’s rigid chest.
“Y-Yes…!
I am commencing the healing process right now!”
Instantly, a magnificent explosion of brilliant emerald-green light violently burst from her palms, pulsing with a deep, divine life-force that cloaked Sebastian’s chest in a beautiful green aura.
Killian stood perfectly still beside her, his arms folded behind his back as he quietly watched the magical currents flow, his eyes locked onto the butler.
Cough!
Cough!
Within a few minutes of intense concentration, Sebastian violently coughed, a shallow breath escaping his lips as his heavy eyelids slowly fluttered open.
He looked up, his sharp eyes taking in the glowing magic before locking onto his master.
Killian leaned forward slightly, his deep voice carrying a firm, unyielding concern.
“Sebastian.
Are you functioning properly now?
Tell me, what exactly occurred with your physical system?”
Sebastian let out a faint, weary chuckle, his deadpan voice cracking slightly as he murmured, “It is absolutely nothing of great concern, My Lord…
it was merely a temporary wave of minor physical weakness.”
Killian’s jaw clenched with absolute, strict authority.
“You had absolutely not recovered from your severe injuries, yet you forcefully ordered the two of us to depart from this room earlier, did you not?”
Evelyn adjusted her posture, her palms still pulsing with soft green light as she looked down at the butler, her voice laced with deep worry.
“Is that truly the reality, Sebastian?
You hid your immense pain from us?”
Sebastian forced a small, deadpan smile across his pale face, whispering softly, “Yes, My Lord…
because your personal health and the development of Her Highness’s latent powers are infinitely more crucial than my minor condition.
Princess Evelyn is obligated to thoroughly practice and master the absolute control of her healing magic.
If she continuously wastes her valuable time and focus strictly upon managing my wounds, when exactly is she going to learn the skill properly?”
Killian’s midnight-blue eyes flared with a sudden, furious gravity as he snapped, “Sebastian!
You are absolutely not permitted to place your focus or anxiety upon this matter!”
He adjusted his cuffs, his voice absolute.
“Evelyn has already successfully mastered the utilization and control of her unique powers.”
Evelyn nodded rapidly, her voice dripping with immense warmth.
“Yes, Mr.
Sebastian!
Please, set your mind at absolute ease and focus strictly upon your own recovery.
You must rest comfortably.”
Killian looked down at his loyal servant, his tone shifting into a soft inquiry.
“Sebastian…
do you experience some relief from the internal pain at this moment?”
“Yes, My Lord,” Sebastian responded deadpan.
“Is that the absolute reality?” Killian pressed, his eyes searching his face.
“Yes, absolutely,” Sebastian confirmed.
“Furthermore…
My Lady, you may officially cease the flow of your healing magic now.
I am completely restored.”
Evelyn slowly lowered her palms, the brilliant emerald-green light dissolving back into her skin as she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.
Sebastian used his uninjured arm to carefully force his torso upward, sitting upright against the headboard of the bed.
Maria the head maid moved swiftly from the shadows of the room, stepping forward to hand him a fresh crystal glass of water, which he accepted with a polite nod.
Killian stepped closer to the bedside, his voice dropping into a deep, gravelly register that left zero room for argument.
“Listen to me carefully.
If you experience even a single fraction of physical discomfort or difficulty from this hour forward…
you are commanded to directly state the matter to Evelyn so that she may instantly heal you.
Do you understand me perfectly?”
Sebastian lowered his head in a deeply respectful bow.
“Yes, My Lord.
I shall comply smoothly.”
Evelyn turned her head toward the head maid, offering a gentle smile.
“Maria, if he displays even the slightest trace of difficulty or weakness, ensure you proceed to my room instantly and inform me, alright?”
“Right away, Princess,” Maria replied respectfully.
Killian adjusted his formal tunic, staring down at his childhood companion as he spoke, his voice dropping into a low, profoundly sincere murmur.
“Now…
focus entirely upon your rest.
And let me make one thing absolute…
you possess zero requirement to place any immense psychological pressure or guilt upon your mind regarding your inability to completely defeat that demon.”
Killian paused, his eyes softening as he looked straight into his butler’s face, his voice ringing with absolute truth.
“Sebastian…
if your formidable presence had not stood tall at the gates today, that armored beast would have successfully breached our defenses and entered directly into the grand halls of this mansion.
Through your brave actions, you did not merely protect the two of us…
you successfully saved the life of every single domestic member residing within this estate.”
Sebastian’s deadpan expression completely faltered for a second, his eyes widening slightly as he stared back at his master.
“My Lord…
it was my absolute obligation to protect you.
After all…
your father was the one who personally created me strictly for this purpose.”
Evelyn’s breath caught in her throat, her amethyst eyes widening in profound, wide-eyed bewilderment.
“Created you…?
What exactly do you mean by that statement, Sebastian?”
Sebastian adjusted his spectacles, his voice dropping into a calm, historical narrative as he explained the truth.
“My Lady…
during the absolute years of his childhood, our Lord Killian possessed an immense, terrifying amount of latent force.
Because of this destructive aura, absolutely zero children dared to approach his person, and no ordinary guard could handle the duty of standing near his presence.
Seeing his profound isolation, his father meticulously utilized ancient magic to create my physical form, embedding these formidable powers directly into my soul.
His father specifically matched my physical age to Lord Killian’s…
strictly so that the two of us could share a true, genuine friendship, and so that I could permanently look after his safety and care since the days of our childhood.”
The room went entirely quiet.
Killian became completely still, his eyes fixed on the floor as the heavy memories of his past filled the space.
your father personally created a lifelong companion strictly to ensure your safety because you were entirely isolated…
But tell me, what exactly happened to your father after that?”
Sebastian let out a soft, strained cough, his voice dropping into a grave, serious register.
“My Lady…
his father was ruthlessly slaughtered during a monumental battle at the hands of a terrifying, ancient black magic sorcerer.
That sorcerer was a formidable entity who possessed the absolute power to control and unleash hundreds of high-level demons.”
Killian lifted his midnight-blue eyes, his expression transforming into a cold, freezing wall of absolute gravity as he cut through the air.
“The rumors across the continent state that the ancient sorcerer is still completely alive and breathing.
Following that massive battle, he vanished entirely into the shadows, retreating to reside deep within a dark, forbidden cavern.”
Panic and a sudden wave of severe ghabrahat seized Evelyn’s chest instantly.
Her face turned entirely pale as she gasped, “What…?!
Is that terrifying sorcerer truly still alive today?!”
Killian nodded slowly, his voice dropping into a chilling rumble.
“The absolute moment my father was slaughtered and that sorcerer fled from the battlefield, I finally managed to arrive at the location.
I was merely a small, helpless child during that hour.
My father lay flat across the blood-stained earth, his life-force rapidly draining away.
Before he drew his final breath, he locked his eyes into mine and delivered a final, crucial warning.
He told me…
‘Killian…
from this day forward, you must maintain absolute vigilance.
After my passing, you shall inherit the entirety of my supreme forces.
That ancient sorcerer will absolutely return in the future strictly to slaughter your person and seize these shaktiyan for himself…
and if he returns, he will definitely manipulate someone else as a shield or a direct excuse to reach you.'”
Evelyn’s hands turned completely cold, her voice a trembling whisper as she looked at him.
“Then…
Killian, have you ever encountered his presence in the past?”
“No,” Killian answered flatly, his jaw clenching with lethal intensity.
“He has absolutely never appeared directly before my face until this very hour…
but I possess a profound instinct that his arrival is entirely inevitable.”
Sebastian leaned his head back against the pillow, his voice smooth.
“My Lord and I have continuously grown up together side-by-side, sharing the absolute entirety of our childhood and surviving every storm as one.”
Hearing their words, Evelyn went completely quiet, her mind entering a state of absolute, frantic confusion.
She lowered her gaze, thinking fiercely within the absolute privacy of her thoughts, ‘This…
this is completely insane!
In the plot of the original novel story that I read, Killian’s dark past and the origin of his father’s death were absolutely never mentioned!
The entire text focused strictly and exclusively on the romance between him and the original heroine!
How on earth does a massive, dangerous history like this exist in reality…?’
Killian adjusted his posture, his voice smooth and absolute.
“During the exact night that your presence first arrived within the gates of this mansion…
I was actively spending my hours thoroughly examining the ancient grimoires, attempting to discover the precise coordinates and path leading toward that dark mountain peak.
I had a firm resolve to hunt him down and slaughter him before he could ever advance toward my territory.”
Evelyn snapped her head up, her amethyst eyes wide with sudden fear.
“What?!
You were planning to intentionally march straight into his domain all by yourself?!”
“Yes,” Killian responded flatly.
“If I desire to experience a life of absolute peace and tranquility, executing that task is an absolute obligation.
However…
the moment your presence arrived that night, I completely ceased all thoughts regarding that mountain.” He paused, his midnight-blue eyes locking onto her face with an unyielding, intense gravity.
“Because a far more crucial responsibility was delivered into my hands…
and that is the absolute duty to protect and save your life.”
Evelyn’s breath caught completely, her entire mind short-circuiting at his profound declaration.
She went entirely quiet, a massive wave of intense emotion flooding her chest as she looked into his handsome, serious face.
She clutched her hands together, her voice trembling with urgent concern.
“Killian…
please, you must look after your own safety with the utmost care!
You must absolutely never execute any reckless action that places your own life in grave danger!
If that ancient sorcerer possessed enough destructive power to ruthlessly slaughter your formidable father…
then there is absolutely no harm in admitting that he could be infinitely more powerful and dangerous than you are!”
Killian let out a low, prideful chuckle, his eyes flashing with an unyielding intensity.
“Yes…
I am fully aware of that reality.
The entire continent used to tremble in absolute terror before my father’s name…
yet even he ultimately succumbed to that sorcerer’s dark magic.”
Evelyn stepped closer to the bed, her voice laced with an immense curiosity.
“Tell me, Killian…
where exactly did you discover that this dark sorcerer resides?”
Killian turned his gaze toward the windows, his voice dropping into a freezing register.
“He commands his dark forces from within a colossal black cavern.
That cave is situated directly upon a massive mountain peak that is permanently blanketed beneath a swirling vortex of thick black clouds, where violent bolts of lightning continuously crackle across the sky.
The legends state that he retreated to that specific dark territory strictly to expand his forbidden magical forces to the absolute peak.”
Evelyn lowered her face, her mind spinning frantically as her soul screamed in pure worry, ‘Oh my goodness…
even in the original novel text, there is absolutely zero record or mention of a dark, cloud-shrouded cavern or a demonic sorcerer!
How am I supposed to discover his precise location or protect Killian from this incoming nightmare…?’
Sebastian adjusted his sheets, his deadpan voice cutting through her panic with absolute confidence.
“However, My Lady…
you possess zero requirement to place any heavy anxiety upon your mind.
Our Lord Rosenberg possesses a monumental amount of raw strength; he is entirely capable of thoroughly defeating that sorcerer.
His true capacity stands completely unmatched in this world.
You have absolutely not witnessed the true, absolute peak of his monstrous force yet.”
Killian looked down at Evelyn, his deep voice carrying an iron wall of absolute, protective authority.
“Listen to me carefully, Evelyn.
Maintain this single reality firmly inside your mind…
as long as my presence is standing before you, you have absolutely zero cause to worry about your own survival.
For your sake…
I am fully prepared to slaughter any entity in this world.”
Evelyn’s heart did a sudden, violent flutter against her ribs, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink as she whispered out softly, “You…
you are truly, remarkably kind, Killian.”
Deep within her soul, a wave of profound confusion and extreme blush took over her thoughts.
‘Why…
why does he look after my safety with such intense, unyielding devotion?
Why on earth is he prepared to go to such terrifying lengths strictly to maintain a fake, contracted betrothal?!
What is the true reason behind this…?’
Evelyn cleared her throat, trying to shatter the heavy tension as she looked up.
Killian, what about the situation regarding your elder brother?”
The absolute second the question left her lips, the entire room went completely, dead quiet.
Killian’s stoic expression turned exceptionally cold, and Sebastian’s features locked into a rigid wall of gravity.
After a long pause, Killian spoke, his voice flat and devoid of emotion.
“My elder brother possessed absolutely zero concern or grief regarding the tragic passing of our father.
The moment the funeral concluded, he packed his belongings and permanently abandoned this mansion to reside in the city.
I was left entirely isolated, the sole soul remaining within the walls of this grand fortress.
Before his passing, our father did indeed transfer a segment of his royal shaktiyan directly into my brother’s possession as well.”
Killian paused, his midnight-blue eyes narrowing.
“However…
I was born with an immense, latent monstrous force residing inside my soul since the very hour of my birth.
Therefore, once my father’s remaining powers were fused into my system, my capacity expanded to a level that is completely beyond comprehension.
My elder brother, on the alternate hand, possessed absolutely zero natural magic from birth; he commands strictly and exclusively the borrowed force delivered by our father.”
Evelyn offered a soft nod, her voice dropping into a quiet murmur.
“I see…
so the two of you have existed on completely separate tracks since the days of your childhood.”
“Yes,” Killian confirmed coldly.
“But his existence matters absolutely nothing to me.
My sole resolve is to thoroughly extract my absolute vengeance for my father’s murder…
and then, eventually, die a quiet, peaceful death.
Once I successfully slaughter that dark sorcerer, I will finally be able to rest in absolute sukoon.
Because these monstrous powers…
absolutely never permit my mind to experience a single moment of true peace or comfort in this life.”
Hearing his casual desire to welcome death, a sudden, violent wave of intense anger and profound sorrow violently erupted deep within Evelyn’s chest.
Her breath hitched, her fingers clenching into fists as she stared at him.
‘Why…
why does his desire to die cause such an intense, burning pain inside my heart?!
Why do I care so entirely much about his future…?’
Killian noticed the sudden distress on her face.
He rose from his chair, his voice returning to a smooth, gentle register.
“Do not place any further heavy thoughts upon your mind, alright?
Come along, let us depart from this room now.”
Evelyn quickly composed her features, wiping a stray tear away as she whispered, “Very well, Killian.”
They stepped out of Sebastian’s quarters, walking quietly back down the grand corridors toward the master wing.
Evelyn walked with slow, heavy steps, a profound cloud of sadness and lingering anxiety visibly reflecting across her beautiful features.
Once they entered the master bedchamber, Killian walked over to the grand royal bed, sitting down elegantly against the pillows.
Evelyn walked straight toward the high arched windows, staring out blankly at the dark landscape as the cool night wind rustled her gown.
Killian quietly observed her from the mattress.
Because of the clear, reflective glass pane of the window, Evelyn’s face was fully visible to his gaze—and her expression was laced with a deep, heartbreaking sorrow.
Killian’s statuesque composure vanished completely, his voice dropping into a soft, anxious rumble.
“Evelyn…
what exactly has occurred to your mind?
Tell me, are you still entirely pareshan and distressed regarding the history of my past?”
Evelyn slowly turned her torso around, walking across the plush rug until she stood right beside the edge of the mattress, looking straight into his midnight-blue eyes.
“Killian…
please tell me the absolute truth.
Why…
why on earth are you prepared to cross such terrifying limits and endure such immense difficulties strictly for my sake?
Our entire engagement…
is merely a temporary act, a fake contract, is it not?”
Killian let out a low, incredibly soft chuckle, a rare warmth dancing within his midnight-blue eyes as he reached out his long hand, firmly yet gently wrapping his fingers around her wrist.
He guided her body down smoothly until she was sitting comfortably right beside him on the velvet mattress.
He looked deep into her trembling amethyst eyes, his voice carrying an unyielding, intense sincerity as he murmured softly.
“It is strictly because…
I have discovered a remarkably pure, genuine soul residing within your person.
Completely disregarding any personal greed or safety, you stood tall as an absolute shield right beside my side, risking your own life to successfully rescue me from the jaws of death.
You are the only soul who has ever done so.”
Evelyn’s eyes welled up with fresh tears, her voice cracking with deep emotion.
“But…
why are you enduring all these dangerous crises for me?
You…
you don’t even love me…”
The room went completely, dead quiet.
Killian’s stoic mask vanished into thin air.
He stared at her tear-stained, beautiful face for a long, breathless second before he slowly extended his arms, gently and possessively wrapping them around her slender frame, pulling her body tightly against his chest in a warm, comforting hug.
His deep, gravelly voice vibrated beautifully right beside her ear, carrying a fierce, possessive sweetness.
“To be consumed by an unyielding desire to protect and care for a soul…
it is absolutely not mandatory that love must be formally declared first.
Within your person…
I witness a remarkably precious, beautiful soul that holds an importance far greater than any mere words can express.”
Hearing his profound reassurance, Evelyn could no longer contain her overflowing emotions, and she began to cry softly against his shoulder, her hands gripping his tunic.
Killian tightened his embrace, resting his chin against her golden hair as he murmured in a low, absolute rumble.
“Set all your fears completely aside, Evelyn.
As long as my presence is standing tall in this world…
no entities shall ever dare to place your life in jeopardy.
I am right here.”
The absolute fraction of a second the vow left his lips, a dead, profound peace blanketed the entire master chamber, their hearts beating with a unified, quiet rhythm in the moonlit darkness.
Meanwhile, a completely dark and lethal crisis was violently unfolding inside the hidden chambers of the Imperial Palace.
The ancient black magic sorcerer sat rigidly upon the stone chair, his features completely contorted into a terrifying mask of pure, unadulterated fury.
Standing a long distance away near the royal altar were the Empress and the young Prince, their faces pale with intense anxiety.
The Empress took a step forward, her voice sharp with bitter frustration as she snapped, “You were delivering such monumental boasts regarding your supreme dark forces…
yet your highly formidable soldier demon was ruthlessly slaughtered and defeated with absolute ease by that Rosenberg beast!”
The ancient sorcerer violently slammed his withered fist against the stone altar, his yellow eyes flashing with a lethal, venomous insanity within the dark void of his hood as he roared fiercely.
“Silence, you foolish woman!
The deployment of Alis was strictly a calculated move to thoroughly observe the absolute peak of his latent capacity!
I possessed a burning desire to discover exactly how strong that brat has managed to become…
because my bitter, blood-soaked enmity with that Rosenberg family has existed for decades!”
The Empress’s breath caught in her throat.
“Decades…?”
“Yes!” the sorcerer rasped out, a spectacular, terrifyingly evil smile breaking across his features under the hood as he clenched his fists.
“But do not dare to celebrate your pathetic joy so early, Duke!
For our next advance…
I shall personally unleash my absolute, complete demon army!
A colossal horde of hundreds of high-level monsters that will thoroughly tear his entire existence, his fortress, and his soul into absolute dust!”