The End of Your Arrogance - Chapter 7.2

“Your Highness, I’m trying to say that Marquis Maduse intends to see his yet-to-be divorced daughter.”

“To whom? Marquis Vashili’s son?”

Why do I even care who she marries? He had been dying to divorce her, after all.

Sir Stas scoffed. “Do you think Marquis Vashili would hand over a beautiful young lady to his son? That old man might take her as his fifth wife.”

“Stas, that’s nonsense! Do you know how old that man is?” Nazz said in incredulity.

“The world would be a better place if all men thought like you, General.” Stas sighed. “But we all know how Marquis Vashili is.”

“Please continue. This is the most intriguing talk I’ve had since I returned.” Unlike his calm words, Ilya’s deep blue eyes were full of bloodlust.

“Ayatollah Maduse. That old man probably thought you would kick Her Highness out after your return.”

Ayatollah’s prediction was not off. If it were not for the deal, Ilya would have divorced his wife immediately.

“But he wouldn’t have expected you to have an heir. Nobody could have predicted that.”

Stas squinted his other eye.

That’s the face he makes before he says something preposterous…. Nazz felt something coming.

“A woman that made a man with no sexual urges go crazy for her…and that same woman is the one he served up for slaughter by sending her here. He’s probably all stirred up by this. That must be why Odin Maduse is personally coming to get her back.”

Ilya recalled his wife offering her blood to him to help him sleep. He remembered her asking him for a deal in return. To kill her father and her brother. And here he had assumed so unjustly that she was the spoiled princess. Damn it!

“Nazz, don’t let anything or anyone get near the annex until Odin Maduse arrives.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Sir Stas, there’s one more thing I have to ask you to do. I’ll write a letter. Deliver it to the House of Lauren of the South.”

“I’ll leave immediately, Your Highness.”

“You’re both dismissed.” Ilya’s joy had faded. His cold face was even more gloomy than usual.

* * *

Evelyn was sitting in the chapel by herself while her guard watched her from far behind. She was pretending to pray with a white veil draped over her face. She slowly opened her eyes.

Why isn’t it working?

Evelyn switched between looking at her hands and the book next to her. The black-covered book with golden text engraved on it looked ancient.

<Illusion Magic>

She could easily spawn a flower or an animal. She could generate textures and feelings and smells to make them seem very real.

This isn’t that bad. I’ll be able to get by.

But if she left this place… she would have no money, no power, and no house. How will I protect myself and my child? I need real power, not party tricks like these.

She closed her eyes tightly. A dark red flame spread from her hands and … she felt no heat, no pain and no smell from the flames. She bit her lips.

Is it because I’m casting it on myself?

A moth flew near Evelyn. She stared at it for a while and closed her eyes. She pictured a fire in her head. She pictured the dark red flame circling the wings of the moth and… she let out a weary sigh.

I can’t. I can’t kill it. It has done nothing wrong.

I should look for something else, thought Evelyn. A man’s face surfaced in her mind.  The man who used to guard her father by his side and was now protecting her brother. Him… I could kill him without any guilt.

Evelyn warped her arms around her trembling body. She was afraid of herself and her dark, cruel thoughts.

Ilya had been watching Evelyn from behind the chapel. It seemed like she did not notice him entering, nor the guard leaving. He quietly sat behind her. He saw her small back flinch and wondered what she was doing. Evelyn looked behind as if she sensed something.

“Oh! I…”

Ilya blocked her mouth with his hand. “Come on. It’s not the first time seeing your husband.”

His palm tickled from her lips. He couldn’t hold in his laugh. “I’ll let go if you promise to not yell.”

He saw her nod, then removed his hand from her mouth. The two turned to the front. Evelyn awkwardly fidgeted with the hem of her veil.

She hadn’t seen him after that night. She was sure that she had fallen asleep with her face down on the pillow. Did he move me? Her cheeks flushed.