His wife, Charlotte, a former laundry maid, didn't know that either. Suddenly, Charlotte's dark doe-like eyes and glossy, soft brown hair came to mind.
She was a cute girl. She was also the most beautiful among the maids. When Michael chose her, she couldn't hold back her joy and hugged him first. Throughout their marriage, Charlotte desperately wanted a child. Sometimes she cried, wondering if there was something wrong with her. Of course, Michael didn't feel guilty about it.
He has no reason to feel sorry. He is a victim too.
All of this was part of the side effects of Eternity. His grandfather John Fitzroy and his biological father Edward mixed the blood of their first children, Henry David and Lloyd, into Eternity and took it for a long time. As a result, they suffered terrible side effects both physically and mentally and died.
Kyle suffered from various physical side effects during his growth process just from Eternity itself. Michael also took Eternity stolen by his Aunt Hester when he was young. He did it for his nephew, but after seeing Kyle suffer from the side effects, she stopped giving it to Michael. However, it ended up affecting his body in this way.
"You will probably never see a successor. You can reproduce, but you won't feel the pulse in your body."
When his father Edward finally died and before he could follow Hester to the dukedom, he suffered from a severe fever. The village councilor at the time diagnosed it as such. He was a man of few words and did not tell anyone about it until the day the island burned when he suffocated in the smoke and died.
"I'll feel better if you get married and start a family. But you can't have children. If you do have children, I'll give you money to become independent and leave quietly.'
The conditions that Kyle had set three years ago were practically meaningless. But then he did not correct his half-brother's misunderstanding. There was no reason to reveal his own shortcomings. Now, Louis Dunst's favor and secret support for him were also completely useless.
There's no reason to reveal that either. There may come a time when Michael can use her favor.
Another face rose above the water where Charlotte's afterimage had disappeared. Bright honey-blond hair, emerald-green eyes, as vivid as when he had seen them yesterday.
Angie. You're not dead. Are you...? You're definitely alive somewhere.
The ship had already reached the dock. Michael said goodbye to the boatman and got off the ship. There was another personal reason for his active participation in this trip to Vintergar.
There was no time to stop her. Her movements were a fraction of a second faster.
The pale blade crossed over the neck, which was even more pale and transparent. A red line appeared on the soft skin in an instant. Hot blood surged up, flowing back into the rainwater. A scream that was like spitting blood began to shake the entire island.
The man held the woman's body, which was already dead, and shook it violently. The roaring thunder again joined the howling screams and rhythm.
Kyle approached the two figures, wondering what was going on. Even just their outlines in the heavy rain made them look familiar. His heart raced with a certain, ominous foreboding. The man was himself. And the woman...
Thud, his knees buckled and the rain-soaked stone floor soaked his entire body. Her body slowly disappeared like a drop of water, becoming one with the sobbing man in front of her. The scream was now flowing out of his mouth.
Angie! Angie- No! Aaaah! Please! You can't die, if you die like this, I...
“...Master, Master!”
“...!”
“Master, it’s okay. Angie is not dead. She’s alive somewhere. So come to your senses.”
Jerome took his hand off his shoulder and let out a sigh of relief. Only then did he find a handkerchief and wipe away the sweat, his face becoming serious as usual. The title quickly returned to its proper place.
“Your Highness, you seem to be overdoing it lately. You should rest and take as little time off from work as possible before you leave for Vintergar in two days...”
“It can’t be that I’ll be busy for three weeks. I can take a break there.”
Jerome swallowed his sigh without saying anything. There was no way Kyle could rest since domestic work would be suspended for a moment. From the moment Kyle entered the Citadel Palace, it would be a constant state of tension.
There were enemies everywhere who were after King Rainier VIII and the Duke of Blackwell. Even within the palace of the Vintergar, where they hoped for peaceful relations, they could not feel safe. Even surrounded by hundreds of elite guards from Trieste and secretly operating shadow guards, they could not let their guard down. On top of that, if they were directly involved in the search for Angie, it would be even more difficult.
“We’re going to stop the search warrants we’ve been issuing so far and start planting people in each village to find Angie. The search team also thinks that the montage search won’t be very effective. If Angie...”
If she were alive - Jerome swallowed the words hard.
“If you’re disguised, the montage won’t be of much use. I’ll accompany you for now, so I’ll report back to you in detail as we move.”
Kyle changed his clothes silently while Jerome spoke and opened the curtains by the window. A fountain with a golden lion sculpture overlooked the middle of the garden. The early morning air was clear but cool. Hedestad, Blackwell Estate, which was entering October, was quickly heading towards winter.
He looked back at Jerome. He looked completely different from the nightmare he had just suffered, panting. Kyle had returned to his old self, the arrogant Duke of Blackwell.
“I received a letter from the royal family yesterday. They asked for assistance in protecting His Majesty.”
“Yes? Separate from the royal guard? Why go that far....”
“He must be feeling uneasy. He's been shaking since he was attacked once.”
Not long ago, Rainier VIII was attacked by peasants on his way to recuperate near the capital. Fortunately, he was not injured, but the shock must have been so great that he stayed in the palace for a while and did not leave. This time, the invitation to the state guest of Vintergar was also initially intended to send his younger brother, Grand Duke Winston, instead, but the Privy Council barely managed to persuade him to go. It is truly pathetic.
“I’m more suspicious of Winston’s actions than anything else. We must not let our guard down, for we don’t know what he might do while we’re in Vinthergar.”
“Yes, I am aware of it. I have already assigned someone to watch the situation closely.”
The political and economic situation in Trieste was worsening day by day. The monarchy was in an even more serious state. Unlike Vintergar, which had established itself as a constitutional monarchy, the people's trust was at rock bottom, and uprisings and rebellions were breaking out everywhere every day.
It was a natural result of the excessive taxation that was imposed on the already difficult livelihood caused by the closed trade policy. The Blackwell family's ability to step in and mediate and provide financial protection was also reaching its limits.
“It’s just a matter of time before the monarchy is abolished. If things continue this way, it wouldn’t be strange if a coup d’état were to occur at any time.”
Jerome nodded in agreement. That was why Kyle had actively encouraged His Majesty to invite him to Vintergar and offered to accompany him personally to assist him.
It would have been best for His Majesty to see the case of Vintergar himself and change his mind about at least a constitutional monarchy. At least it would have been much better for them than being forcibly deposed through a bloody revolution and the monarchy itself being abolished. However, on the other side was the side of Grand Duke Winston, who insisted on a strengthened absolute monarchy. They would never face reality.
“If His Majesty does not change his mind after this trip or if Winston objects, the plan will be carried out as scheduled.”
Kyle added coldly. If the royal family held out to the end, he would have to resort to foreign intervention to force a referendum on the abolition of the monarchy in December. It would be a harsh winter, but it was the best option.
It took three years just to get the Blackwells out of the way. While he was isolated on Cullinan Island, he was in the final stages of pruning and reorganizing the collateral branches that had been manipulating the royal family behind the scenes to return Trieste to feudalism.
Behind this was the assistance of Leticia's uncle, Baron Samuel Dervan. The family that sided with Kyle was still a bunch of unreliable opportunists. Dervan's real purpose was probably to absorb all the power of the collateral branches and solidify their position. In other words, it would not be strange at all if he changed his course and betrayed him as soon as the situation changed.
There were enemies on all sides. While they were watching for an opening, secretly moving assets overseas and expanding the business was not enough 24 hours a day. To make matters worse, the fact that there was no progress in finding Angie dragged his barely holding on mentally and physically into an abyss.
This time, I might finally get a clue. If I go to Vintergar...
If she is hiding outside the border, whether in disguise or undercover, it is most likely in Vintergar. Trieste and Vintergar are most similar in language, culture, and appearance. In addition, trade is active and there is a large influx of foreign workers and tourists, making it the perfect environment for hiding.
“Go out. I’ll be inspecting the southern mine area as scheduled in an hour.”
She was a cute girl. She was also the most beautiful among the maids. When Michael chose her, she couldn't hold back her joy and hugged him first. Throughout their marriage, Charlotte desperately wanted a child. Sometimes she cried, wondering if there was something wrong with her. Of course, Michael didn't feel guilty about it.
He has no reason to feel sorry. He is a victim too.
All of this was part of the side effects of Eternity. His grandfather John Fitzroy and his biological father Edward mixed the blood of their first children, Henry David and Lloyd, into Eternity and took it for a long time. As a result, they suffered terrible side effects both physically and mentally and died.
Kyle suffered from various physical side effects during his growth process just from Eternity itself. Michael also took Eternity stolen by his Aunt Hester when he was young. He did it for his nephew, but after seeing Kyle suffer from the side effects, she stopped giving it to Michael. However, it ended up affecting his body in this way.
"You will probably never see a successor. You can reproduce, but you won't feel the pulse in your body."
When his father Edward finally died and before he could follow Hester to the dukedom, he suffered from a severe fever. The village councilor at the time diagnosed it as such. He was a man of few words and did not tell anyone about it until the day the island burned when he suffocated in the smoke and died.
"I'll feel better if you get married and start a family. But you can't have children. If you do have children, I'll give you money to become independent and leave quietly.'
The conditions that Kyle had set three years ago were practically meaningless. But then he did not correct his half-brother's misunderstanding. There was no reason to reveal his own shortcomings. Now, Louis Dunst's favor and secret support for him were also completely useless.
There's no reason to reveal that either. There may come a time when Michael can use her favor.
Another face rose above the water where Charlotte's afterimage had disappeared. Bright honey-blond hair, emerald-green eyes, as vivid as when he had seen them yesterday.
Angie. You're not dead. Are you...? You're definitely alive somewhere.
The ship had already reached the dock. Michael said goodbye to the boatman and got off the ship. There was another personal reason for his active participation in this trip to Vintergar.
***
There was no time to stop her. Her movements were a fraction of a second faster.
The pale blade crossed over the neck, which was even more pale and transparent. A red line appeared on the soft skin in an instant. Hot blood surged up, flowing back into the rainwater. A scream that was like spitting blood began to shake the entire island.
The man held the woman's body, which was already dead, and shook it violently. The roaring thunder again joined the howling screams and rhythm.
Kyle approached the two figures, wondering what was going on. Even just their outlines in the heavy rain made them look familiar. His heart raced with a certain, ominous foreboding. The man was himself. And the woman...
Thud, his knees buckled and the rain-soaked stone floor soaked his entire body. Her body slowly disappeared like a drop of water, becoming one with the sobbing man in front of her. The scream was now flowing out of his mouth.
Angie! Angie- No! Aaaah! Please! You can't die, if you die like this, I...
“...Master, Master!”
“...!”
“Master, it’s okay. Angie is not dead. She’s alive somewhere. So come to your senses.”
Jerome took his hand off his shoulder and let out a sigh of relief. Only then did he find a handkerchief and wipe away the sweat, his face becoming serious as usual. The title quickly returned to its proper place.
“Your Highness, you seem to be overdoing it lately. You should rest and take as little time off from work as possible before you leave for Vintergar in two days...”
“It can’t be that I’ll be busy for three weeks. I can take a break there.”
Jerome swallowed his sigh without saying anything. There was no way Kyle could rest since domestic work would be suspended for a moment. From the moment Kyle entered the Citadel Palace, it would be a constant state of tension.
There were enemies everywhere who were after King Rainier VIII and the Duke of Blackwell. Even within the palace of the Vintergar, where they hoped for peaceful relations, they could not feel safe. Even surrounded by hundreds of elite guards from Trieste and secretly operating shadow guards, they could not let their guard down. On top of that, if they were directly involved in the search for Angie, it would be even more difficult.
“We’re going to stop the search warrants we’ve been issuing so far and start planting people in each village to find Angie. The search team also thinks that the montage search won’t be very effective. If Angie...”
If she were alive - Jerome swallowed the words hard.
“If you’re disguised, the montage won’t be of much use. I’ll accompany you for now, so I’ll report back to you in detail as we move.”
Kyle changed his clothes silently while Jerome spoke and opened the curtains by the window. A fountain with a golden lion sculpture overlooked the middle of the garden. The early morning air was clear but cool. Hedestad, Blackwell Estate, which was entering October, was quickly heading towards winter.
He looked back at Jerome. He looked completely different from the nightmare he had just suffered, panting. Kyle had returned to his old self, the arrogant Duke of Blackwell.
“I received a letter from the royal family yesterday. They asked for assistance in protecting His Majesty.”
“Yes? Separate from the royal guard? Why go that far....”
“He must be feeling uneasy. He's been shaking since he was attacked once.”
Not long ago, Rainier VIII was attacked by peasants on his way to recuperate near the capital. Fortunately, he was not injured, but the shock must have been so great that he stayed in the palace for a while and did not leave. This time, the invitation to the state guest of Vintergar was also initially intended to send his younger brother, Grand Duke Winston, instead, but the Privy Council barely managed to persuade him to go. It is truly pathetic.
“I’m more suspicious of Winston’s actions than anything else. We must not let our guard down, for we don’t know what he might do while we’re in Vinthergar.”
“Yes, I am aware of it. I have already assigned someone to watch the situation closely.”
The political and economic situation in Trieste was worsening day by day. The monarchy was in an even more serious state. Unlike Vintergar, which had established itself as a constitutional monarchy, the people's trust was at rock bottom, and uprisings and rebellions were breaking out everywhere every day.
It was a natural result of the excessive taxation that was imposed on the already difficult livelihood caused by the closed trade policy. The Blackwell family's ability to step in and mediate and provide financial protection was also reaching its limits.
“It’s just a matter of time before the monarchy is abolished. If things continue this way, it wouldn’t be strange if a coup d’état were to occur at any time.”
Jerome nodded in agreement. That was why Kyle had actively encouraged His Majesty to invite him to Vintergar and offered to accompany him personally to assist him.
It would have been best for His Majesty to see the case of Vintergar himself and change his mind about at least a constitutional monarchy. At least it would have been much better for them than being forcibly deposed through a bloody revolution and the monarchy itself being abolished. However, on the other side was the side of Grand Duke Winston, who insisted on a strengthened absolute monarchy. They would never face reality.
“If His Majesty does not change his mind after this trip or if Winston objects, the plan will be carried out as scheduled.”
Kyle added coldly. If the royal family held out to the end, he would have to resort to foreign intervention to force a referendum on the abolition of the monarchy in December. It would be a harsh winter, but it was the best option.
It took three years just to get the Blackwells out of the way. While he was isolated on Cullinan Island, he was in the final stages of pruning and reorganizing the collateral branches that had been manipulating the royal family behind the scenes to return Trieste to feudalism.
Behind this was the assistance of Leticia's uncle, Baron Samuel Dervan. The family that sided with Kyle was still a bunch of unreliable opportunists. Dervan's real purpose was probably to absorb all the power of the collateral branches and solidify their position. In other words, it would not be strange at all if he changed his course and betrayed him as soon as the situation changed.
There were enemies on all sides. While they were watching for an opening, secretly moving assets overseas and expanding the business was not enough 24 hours a day. To make matters worse, the fact that there was no progress in finding Angie dragged his barely holding on mentally and physically into an abyss.
This time, I might finally get a clue. If I go to Vintergar...
If she is hiding outside the border, whether in disguise or undercover, it is most likely in Vintergar. Trieste and Vintergar are most similar in language, culture, and appearance. In addition, trade is active and there is a large influx of foreign workers and tourists, making it the perfect environment for hiding.
“Go out. I’ll be inspecting the southern mine area as scheduled in an hour.”
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