How to Survive as the Wife of the Monster Duke - Chapter 231

In the midst of a balmy evening, as the handsome Duke Leon graced the opulent halls of his ancestral estate, a whisper reached the ears of the dashing Aden—a tale of a fearsome creature’s emergence in the enchanting Rodea region.

“Your Grace.”

Startled by the commotion outside the observatory door, Aden felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. Ilyn, the bewitching maiden who had captured his heart, moved away, her attire slightly disheveled from the abrupt interruption.

“Please, come in.”

In no time, an additional guardian stood vigil over the Duke and Duchess of Biflten, and it was none other than the gallant Milo. He materialized on the observatory deck, resplendent in his immaculate knight’s attire.

“They speak of a monstrous apparition.”

As foretold, Ilyn clutched the window frame with unrelenting tension, her heart racing.

“Where is this creature?”

Aden inquired in hushed tones, and his trusty Delrose was dispatched ahead. Ilyn, unconsciously tensing her shoulders, soon eased under his touch as Aden reassured her with a comforting pat.

“It’s in our vicinity, known as the Southern Rodea region.”

Arden narrowed her eyes, pondering the challenge of deploying knights into foreign territory.

“Just summon our knights.”

Yet concealing their heightened concern proved no easy feat. Milo bowed deeply and vanished into the shadows.

Ilyn gazed into the distance, her thoughts consumed by Delose’s safety. Surely, a master of combat like him could confront any tangible menace.

“Ilyn’s foresight may spare countless lives,” Aden murmured, and only then did Ilyn release the tension in her countenance, gracing him with a radiant smile. He always knew how to say just the right words.

“It’s all thanks to Delrose’s mighty blade.”

Without Delrose’s weapon, Aden could not have quelled his apprehensions. Ilyn peered out from within Aden’s warm embrace.

“Hmm?”

A plume of dust materialized on the horizon, catching her eye. It was the sight she had been anticipating. Unconsciously, Ilyn pressed her body closer to the window.

Aden, ever vigilant, looked down at her, his protective embrace ensuring her safety. The unmistakable visage of Aegis, the valiant leader, came into focus.

“Could it be Aegis?”

Yet, amidst the billowing dust, Ilyn strained to distinguish the faces concealed beneath the shroud. Her gaze darted to the map, where a red dot, emblematic of a knight from B.P.P.T.E., led the charge.

“And!”

Ilyn’s exclamation burst forth with the unrestrained enthusiasm of a child. Her Aden cradled her tenderly.

“Didn’t he promise to bring her honor?”

Could it be that he, too, felt the pangs of anxiety? Arden planted a gentle kiss on her head.

Before long, Aegis’s steed surged ahead, leaving the dust cloud behind. He emerged from the haze, bowing deeply in the direction of the observatory.

****

The initial response to the monstrous incursion in the Rodea region had met with dismal failure. Various factors contributed to this outcome, but the primary one was the glaring underestimation of the creatures’ cunning by the knights under Duke Leon’s banner.

Typically, monsters relied solely on their primal instincts to seek sustenance, attacking humans with little strategy. However, the Terry tribe that had appeared this time proved to be a different breed. They demonstrated a shrewd understanding of tactics, cunningly evading the vanguard led by Viscount Arlene’s knights and targeting civilian homes. The resistance they encountered, though, took them by surprise.

The source of this unforeseen resistance was none other than Delrose knight.

The Delrose knights, upon seeing the creatures’ obsidian scales, astutely set fire to the fields. It proved a far more effective tactic than confronting a limited number of foes head-on.

“It seems they abhor fire!”

Even under the scorching sun, some monsters held an aversion to flames, so the strategy was sound. When circumstances prevented them from igniting a blaze due to a headwind, Delrose wielded their sword with unmatched skill. Though it was not the grand spectacle of their days at B.P.L. 10, as the battle dragged on longer than expected, the monsters ultimately withdrew.

Yet, in their retreat, they targeted the knights of Viscount Arlene, who were in search of the scattered monsters.

“Approximately 30 were dispatched, but we have located only 25 bodies,” Milo reported, delivering a gut-wrenching assessment. It was an understatement to say they had suffered a near-total wipeout.

In the quiet hours of dawn, a heavy silence enveloped the room.

The chamber bestowed upon them by Duke Leon was the most opulent in the annex where esteemed guests were lodged. However, such luxury did not guarantee privacy, and Aden’s gaze hardened as she perused the damage recorded by Milo on a sheet of paper.

“Was it the Eucharist?”

It was evident that unleashing such a power would pose a formidable challenge to the Sun people. Milo’s pen hesitated briefly before continuing.

“It was fluid.”

Even the black scales, the Terry tribe’s sole physical strength, proved pliant. In essence, to the Winter people, they were no different from garden-variety rabbits. Aden wore an uncharacteristically astonished expression.

“You mean they couldn’t handle even that?”

“That’s correct,” Milo replied cautiously, despite Ilyn not being able to see him from her position in the bedroom. “It appears that Viscount Arlene’s knights were not as formidable as expected.”