The gentle warmth of the morning sun officially broke over the grand territory of the Rosenberg duchy.
Outside the massive windows, the melodic chirping of the morning birds echoed through the air, and the black stone architecture of the grand Rosenberg mansion shone brilliantly beneath the crisp daylight.
Inside the master bedchamber, Killian was lying entirely awake on the velvet sofa.
The sharp, blinding rays of the morning sun poured through the sheer glass windows, striking him directly across his face.
His eyelids fluttered softly, and with a slow, controlled movement, he rose from the cushions and sat upright.
He instinctively turned his head, casting his midnight-blue eyes directly toward the grand royal bed.
The moment his gaze landed on Evelyn, he went completely quiet, his expression freezing in a mix of absolute bewilderment.
Princess Evelyn was sleeping entirely spread out across the massive mattress.
She had managed to completely kick herself out of the layers of heavy silk blankets, her slender limbs thrown in different directions as she lay completely crooked and diagonal across the velvet sheets.
Killian stared at the bizarre, utterly unrefined sight for a long, silent moment, entirely speechless at how a royal princess could sleep so restlessly.
Knock.
Knock.
Sebastian’s deadpan, low voice carried firmly through the heavy wooden frame of the door from the corridor outside.
“My Lord, please wake up.
The morning has officially arrived.”
Killian silently slid off the sofa, walking quietly across the plush rug to pull the massive door open a fraction of an inch, stepping out into the quiet hallway.
Sebastian adjusted his spectacles, his eyes scanning his master’s disheveled silver hair.
“My Lord…
has the Princess not awakened yet?”
Killian glanced back at the closed door, his deep, morning voice smooth and surprisingly gentle.
“Leave her be.
Let her sleep a while longer.
When the hour for breakfast arrives, dispatch Maria to her chambers to wake her up.”
Sebastian offered a respectful, elegant bow.
“As you command, My Lord.”
“Very well.
Let us depart from this hallway now,” Killian commanded, turning to walk down the grand corridor.
A short while later, inside the grand dining hall, a massive morning feast was being neatly arranged across the long obsidian table by a procession of junior servants.
Killian walked into the hall, pulling out his designated chair at the head of the table and sitting down elegantly.
He looked up at the head butler and spoke calmly.
“Go now.
Have Evelyn awakened.”
Sebastian turned toward the head maid instantly.
“Maria, please proceed to the master bedchamber and wake the Princess.”
“Right away,” Maria replied respectfully, turning on her heel to exit the dining hall.
She walked swiftly down the quiet corridors, stopping outside the master bedroom door.
She raised her knuckles, knocking firmly against the dark wood.
“My Lady, please wake up.
The morning has officially arrived.”
Inside the grand bedchamber, Evelyn was still lying completely carefree beneath the covers, her mind wrapped in a deep, peaceful fog.
Hearing the loud knocking, she shifted slightly against the silk pillows, her voice thick with sleep as she mumbled casually toward the door, “I am coming…”
Hearing the response, Maria stepped back, entirely satisfied that the princess was conscious, and turned around to return to the grand dining hall.
Inside the room, Evelyn slowly, grovilly forced herself to sit upright on the edge of the mattress.
She extended her arms, letting out a long, heavy morning yawn as she rubbed the sleep from her amethyst eyes.
She slid her bare feet onto the floor, walking slowly toward the grand windows.
She pushed the heavy curtains aside, staring out at the breathtakingly beautiful, sunny landscape of the estate as a bright smile graced her lips.
“Wow…
this morning is truly so beautiful and refreshing.”
Downstairs in the grand dining hall, Killian was sitting perfectly statuesque, methodically waiting for her arrival.
A moment later, the double doors creaked open, and Evelyn stepped into the room.
Her golden hair was neatly arranged, and she offered a bright, cheerful smile as she looked at the Duke.
“Good morning, Killian!”
Killian lifted his gaze, his midnight-blue eyes locking onto her as he responded smoothly, “Good morning, Evelyn.”
Evelyn walked forward, pulling out the chair directly to his right and sitting down comfortably.
A junior maid stepped forward instantly, lifting a silver pot to pour a steaming, aromatic cup of rich coffee into her porcelain cup before stepping back.
Killian lifted his own cup, taking a slow, elegant sip.
As he lowered the porcelain, his voice remained entirely calm and conversational.
“Evelyn…
did you sleep well and comfortably last night?”
Evelyn offered a beautiful, radiant smile, lifting her cup as she replied happily, “Yes, absolutely!
I slept incredibly well last night.”
Killian brought the cup back to his lips, taking another small sip as he muttered silently to himself within the absolute privacy of his thoughts, ‘Yes…
that was entirely obvious from the way you were positioned.’
He set the porcelain cup down onto the saucer with a soft click, his piercing gaze locking onto her cheerful expression. Find the original chapter at g.com.
“By the way…
you sleep exactly like a very small, undisciplined child.
Completely spread out across the entire bed.”
The words struck Evelyn like a sudden jolt of lightning.
The bright smile vanished from her face, and within a single second, her entire countenance flushed a deep, burning, and intense crimson red.
Her jaw dropped in pure, unadulterated embarrassment as she stammered frantically, “Y-You…
you actually saw…
saw me like that?!”
Killian raised a single silver eyebrow, his tone remaining completely unbothered and absolute.
“Given that the two of us are currently sharing a single room together…
of course I am going to see it.”
Evelyn lowered her gaze, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs as her soul screamed in pure embarrassment.
She nervously gripped her dress, thinking fiercely inside her mind, ‘Oh my goodness, this is a nightmare!
In my original, real life, I always slept exactly like that, completely wild and spread out!
It has become an absolute habit that I can’t break!’
Before she could even recover, Killian spoke again, a faint trace of amusement lingering in his voice.
“Furthermore, while you are fast asleep, you remain entirely crooked and twisted across the sheets.”
Evelyn snapped.
The sheer psychological pressure of her absolute shyness became far too much to bear.
She violently pushed her chair back, standing up from the dining table in a frantic rush.
“M-My breakfast is entirely finished!
I must depart this instant!
I am leaving right now!”
Without waiting for a single response, her face burning like fire, Evelyn turned on her heel and practically ran out of the dining hall, her footsteps sprinting frantically down the corridor.
Killian watched her retreating, panicking figure, and for the first time, a genuine, soft smile broke across his handsome features, a low chuckle escaping his lips.
Sebastian, who had been standing silently by the wall, adjusted his spectacles, his deadpan voice laced with subtle approval.
“My Lord…
it truly appears that the bond between the two of you is becoming remarkably deep and profound.”
Killian’s smile faded back into his usual stoic mask, though his eyes remained soft.
“Do you truly believe so, Sebastian?”
“Without a single shadow of a doubt, My Lord,” Sebastian replied with a respectful bow.
Later that afternoon, the atmosphere shifted into a quiet, scholarly tranquility inside the grand library.
Killian was sitting elegantly at his heavy mahogany desk, his focus entirely immersed in the pages of a thick, leather-bound volume.
Knock.
Knock.
“Come in,” Killian commanded calmly, not breaking his gaze from the text.
The heavy oak doors opened fully, and Sebastian stepped into the room.
In his gloved hand, he held a sealed, highly formal parchment.
“My Lord…
a letter has just arrived for you.”
Killian’s fingers paused against the page.
He did not look up, his voice smooth and cold.
“Who has dispatched this missive?”
Sebastian lowered his head slightly, his deadpan voice dropping into a serious register.
“My Lord…
it has been sent directly by your elder brother.”
Killian’s hand froze entirely.
He stopped reading his book mid-sentence, a sudden, dangerous, and freezing tension washing over his statuesque frame.
He slowly lifted his midnight-blue eyes, staring rigidly at the butler.
“Bring it here.
Allow me to see it.”
Sebastian stepped forward instantly, placing the formal letter directly into Killian’s extended hand.
Killian tore the wax seal open with an aggressive precision, unfolding the parchment as his eyes scanned the text written within.
‘How are you doing, my utterly useless brother?
I am entirely certain you haven’t managed to secure a marriage for yourself yet.
Tell me, should I look around and find some poor, destitute girl to throw your way?
However…
if you have actually managed to find a lady for yourself, ensure you introduce her to me first.’
The sheer insolence of the words caused Killian’s jaw to clench with absolute, burning fury.
A dangerous, cold aura erupted from his body as his grip tightened, violently crushing the parchment directly inside his fist until the text was completely mangled. Read the latest chapters at novelping . com.
He rose from his chair in a swift, powerful motion.
He marched directly toward the grand fireplace situated at the side of the library, throwing the crushed letter directly into the roaring, burning flames.
He watched the fire consume the parchment, turning it into absolute ash.
Right at that exact second, the library doors pushed open, and Evelyn stepped into the room.
She paused, her amethyst eyes widening as she caught sight of his dark, furious expression.
“What on earth are you doing, Killian?”
Killian turned around slowly, his freezing aura instantly settling as he looked at her.
“I am burning a letter.”
Evelyn walked closer to the desk, her voice laced with immense curiosity.
“Whose letter was it?”
“My elder brother’s,” Killian responded flatly.
Evelyn blinked in surprise, her eyes widening.
“You…
you actually have an elder brother as well?
But Killian, if that is the case, why on earth did you burn his letter like that?”
“For no particular reason,” Killian answered, his tone entirely dismissive.
Evelyn stepped even closer, a soft, bright smile appearing on her face.
“Will you introduce me to your elder brother in the future?
I truly want to see if your brother possesses the exact same cold, stubborn, and strict temperament as you do.”
Killian’s expression turned remarkably serious.
He looked straight into her amethyst eyes, his voice dropping into a chilling, absolute gravity that left zero room for argument.
“It is best if you never meet him, Evelyn.”
Evelyn instantly sensed the terrifying weight behind his words, realizing that his relationship with his brother was laced with deep, dangerous conflict.
Her playful curiosity vanished, and she became entirely quiet, nodding softly.
“O-Oh…
very well, Killian.”
Killian walked back toward his desk, sitting back down in his leather chair as he cleared his throat to shatter the heavy silence.
“Regardless…
Evelyn, a master painter shall be arriving at the mansion tomorrow morning.”
Evelyn blinked, totally caught off guard.
“A painting?
But…
whose painting is going to be made?”
Killian looked up at her, his voice absolute and smooth.
“Our painting.
An official portrait of the two of us together, which shall be permanently hung within the grand halls of this mansion.”
Hearing his words, a massive wave of intense shyness hit Evelyn like a tidal wave.
Her entire face turned completely red as she clutched her hands together, stuttering in extreme blush, “O-Our painting…?
A portrait of the two of us together…?”
“Yes,” Killian confirmed firmly, his midnight-blue eyes locking onto her flustered state.
“Therefore…
ensure you wake up early in the morning.
Understood?”
Evelyn lowered her burning face, whispering softly, “Very well, Killian.”
Meanwhile, as the dark night hours blanketed the empire, a terrifying, malevolent storm was brewing miles away across the capital.
Inside the subterranean depths of the Imperial Palace, the hidden, highly mysterious ritual chamber was thick with a suffocating, forbidden pressure.
Violent, howling winds tore through the stone vaults, extinguishing the candle flames as dozens of dark wizards stood in a tight circle, chanting complex, ancient mantras at the top of their lungs.
The pure, volatile magical energy pulsing through the air caused the stone floor to violently tremble.
The young Prince staggered backward, clutching a marble pillar for support, while the Empress herself felt her balance waver under the intense pressure of the dark storm.
The dark head wizard, his face completely pale and sweat pouring down his brow, cried out over the roaring wind.
“M-My Lady!
The seal is completely breaking!
This…
this creature could emerge and break out at any given second!”
Directly in the center of the room, the massive, towering obsidian crystal was violently vibrating.
Deep, jagged fractures began to shatter across the crystalline surface, spreading like a spiderweb.
Through the translucent stone, the colossal, terrifying shadow of an ancient demon was shifting, its dark form expanding rapidly.
The core of the crystal pulsed with a brilliant, blinding crimson light, throbbing violently like a living, beating human heart.
The Empress stared at the cracking crystal, her beautiful face completely contorting into a hideous, terrifying mask of pure, murderous insanity.
She pointed her fan toward the dark ceiling, screaming at the top of her lungs over the howling wind, her voice filled with absolute vengeance.
“Securing an absolute enmity with me shall cost that Rosenberg monster and Evelyn their entire lives!
This ancient creature…
shall completely wipe their entire existence and every trace of their names off the face of this world!”